When I was a fine dining server, I never understood why confronting a guest who left a bad tip was considered sacrilege. I was proud of my work, so I took it personally when someone stiffed me. Most restaurant managers refuse to approach bad tippers. Doing so would risk the unthinkable––embarrassing a paying customer––even though managers are acutely aware of how much their servers’ incomes depend on tips. If a manager does approach the table, it’s usually under the guise of a concerned question: “Was everything alright with your service?” In other words, it must’ve been the chef or waiter’s fault if someone leaves a bad tip.

Reading a recent article on “tipping fatigue” in the New York Times, I was reminded of the fatigue I felt regularly working in restaurants when customers took service for granted by undertipping. It’s a common feeling among hospitality professionals, many of whom are still struggling to regain their pre-pandemic incomes. The blurred lines between fast-casual service and full service restaurants present customers with more confusing tipping situations. But whether service is administered casually at the counter or formally at the table, the almighty tip still stands as the critical source of income for service workers.

While tipped workers earn the full minimum wage in states like California and Minnesota—which can be as low as $7.25—their hourly wages in a majority of states are well below the minimum. According to federal law, a provision known as...

Read Full Story: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/stop-calling-it-tipping-fatigue