Tipping Culture, Nightmare Customers, And Toxic Bosses: An Honest Restaurant Industry Talk
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 2 апр 2023
- Join Chelsea for 6 Money Lessons I Wish I’d Learned Earlier, a totally free webcast for students happening on April 6, sponsored by our friends at PNC Bank! Save your spot: event.on24.com/wcc/r/4101827/...
Get $10 off at Nutrafol.com when you use promocode TFC
Chelsea sits down with comedian and restaurant industry vet Jake Cornell to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of working in the service industry.
Follow Jake on TikTok here: / jakewcornell
Listen to Chelsea's interview on Jake's podcast here: vinepair.com/articles/gowjc-c...
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @thefinancialdiet
The Financial Diet site:
www.thefinancialdiet.com
Facebook: / thefinancialdiet
Twitter: / tfdiet
Instagram: thefinancia... 
Хобби
Restaurants in the US are built on exploitation of servers and bartenders. You can make good money at some places in big cities, but for the most part it's a really difficult life for people earning tipped minimum wage. The hypocrisy of it just makes me livid. Why should patrons be responsible for paying the restaurant's staff? And why is this payment voluntary, ultimately? Can't afford to stay in business if you pay your employees? Then you need to change your business model. My husband and I have a combined 30 years experience in restaurants and we'll never go back.
amen!
Even worse is "tipping people out", where the servers redistribute their tips to multiple employees. Having your workers shoulder much of your labor costs is atrocious. I estimated I tipped out about $3000/year in a restaurant with about 15 servers.
Have you seen the new thing of making customers pay an extra charge for the health insurance for employees? 😕
@@mariawesley7583 isn't it outrageous?! One place I worked we actually tipped out the host, who also received a completely unjustified tipped minimum wage. And we had to tip out the bartenders on FOOD. AND comp sales. So if the kitchen messed up my steak and it was comped, or the bar made a martini the guest didn't like and it was comped, I'd still tip out on that. It's unbelievable that this is legal.
@@nordette I haven't seen it, but it's just another way companies try to make patrons shoulder the cost of their own employees. I have noticed that I'm being asked for tips even at takeout restaurants like Tropical Smoothie Cafe. It really undermines people who actually rely on tips. Like it wasn't hard enough for them already.
there's a restaurant in atlanta called the Vortex where there's rules on the menu that the servers are to treat guests the way they're treated and specifically says "no the customer is not always right"
I have dined there and was so pleased that The Vortex watches out for their staff. I also loved the rules about not being on the phone while ordering. That rule is beneficial to the customers as well. It frees up time so the server can reach all of their customers.
Freaking love vortex
EVERY restaurant should be that way! Whenever I go to a restaurant, my servers usually give me great service because I put myself in their shoes. If you give respect you will often get it back multiple times over.
See I love that.
@@jessynachobusiness8619 So true.
Great episode! One comment did striked me: Chelsea said "you should get tipped for dealing with drank Brits" and in my opinion no! You should get paid well for that! You shouldn't be dependent on this drunk Brit to tip you! The tipping system in the US is awful, I much prefer no tipping and just higher prices and fair wages
The part about the inhuman service expectation was really interesting to me. Although definitely not fine dining, I felt that way as a Starbucks barista. Just because your Starbucks barista is smiling and joking doesn't mean that you are connecting. It's part of the brand and you get critical feedback on your ability to make someone feel like they had the most special human moment while keeping a 30 second window time. Truly, you feel like a product yourself. You are being possessed by the brand for your shift basically. That's probably the same experience for most places with specific brands like Disney or Sephora.
"Truly, you feel like a product yourself. You are being possessed by the brand for your shift basically." Wow, well-said.
it's interesting that a lot of creatives work as baristas or servers to pay the bills while they pursue careers in the arts. because truly- the music industry is like this!
Oh I was wondering why the servers at The Original Pancake House in Anaheim CA were all weird lol they reminded me of happy robots...and I was like cannot compute cannot compute. lol It just seemed so fake lol! I only lasted a day there. To tell you the truth I felt as if I was at church...like one of those mega churches that are fake lmao. I'm sorry you experienced that it is so awful. Geez.
I’m glad that one of the things you guys spoke about is that working in a restaurant is indeed a career and one that many enjoy. The notion of people are bartending or hosting “ until something better comes along” irritates me as much as that “ low skill worker” statement Mayor Adams made.
yes and the guest seems to not understand that some people love the idea of hospitality and taking care of people and don't view it as "being lower than the guests"
Having worked in customer service for a number of years, I think everyone, regardless of "class", should be required to work in food, retail, or other service industry for a year. Maybe we'd be better humans to each other.
Agreed. My nine years in retail and my one summer in a call center have made me a friendly customer and a high tipper, because I know how often they're going to have to deal with people who do the exact opposite.
Agreed. I say this a lot. I have also noticed that my best managers now in Corporate America are those who have had prior jobs that made their feet or ears hurt. It doesn’t just build character, it builds heart and humanity.
Omg I sure was when I worked a day at one place lol it was so hard haha. Now I won't treat any staff badly ever again.
I agree. Any occupation where you have to serve others. Even a mandatory volunteer type service would benefit society tremendously!
Belgium here. We are not expected to tip. But I worked in the industry, and even rounding up a bill is so nice. So I tip. The requests people make are not as insane as in the US. You are a guest, behave like it. It's less of "the customer is king", it's more "you are our guest, this is what we do, and since you chose to come here, don't be an ass". Anyway, people can earn a decent living in the service industry. Tips are appreciated but not compulsory. I once went with a group of non-Begians to a restaurant and left a tip of over 50, maybe 100 euros. The waitress didn't want to accept at first. I have a coin purse just for tipping the Deliveroo guys. It's not compulsory, but it's a nice extra. And it's highly appreciated. I don't want tipping to be a way to make a living.
That's so interesting! It gets interesting being an American and then visiting a restaurant when traveling overseas. My friend and I visited Amsterdam a few years ago and we were like, "Do we tip? Do we not tip? What do we do?"
Wow that is so sweet of you...here in Anaheim CA where I worked the tips were $10 to $20 how sad.
so much of this applies to retail & service in general
with hostile scheduling they pit workers against each other and customers to squeeze them
I remember when I was a teenager and I worked at a department store. One time the final bill was almost $400 (more than my biweekly pay cheque at the time). I was so afraid to read out the price, the customer did not care, she just swiped her card.
same i worked at a fancier store and while management treated me great and paid me well above minimum wage just being exposed to people buying a $200 dress every week radicalized me lmao
Ugh disgusting how someone could spend that much lol!
Actually I shouldn't talk I have before lol
Great conversation! I pray that the wage system change especially for restaurant employees and retail employees. They are paid the less but are expected to go over and above every minute they are working. I have worked in retail because I actually enjoy it but I have had to politely remind customers that we don't make the rules we just follow them to stay employed.
Ugh. This man is saying everything. I love it. When he talks about how elevated some jobs are in people's eyes without reason verses others, I was nodding so hard I thought my head would fall off.
It is so interesting how, that which our generation lacks access too (home buying, access to high paying jobs, low interest rates) correlated with how we view service experience. Our lack of access has now made a good portion of us feel entitled in other spaces of service and entertainment; creating a perfect storm of our need for a high social currency and to make others feel subservient. We are no longer going to restaurants for the taste of food anymore; we’re going so that we can record videos to post on our social media.
So many great points but the one that resonates the most is how accessibility plays a huge role in how customers tend to view the excellence of service, how it relates to how we want to feel about ourselves, and how we want others to see us in the echo chamber of socioeconomic hierarchy. GREAT EPISODE!!🔥👏
Wow this comment blue my mind. Huh when me and my ex go out to eat we just eat the food. I kind of want to go to one of those ma and pa shops and just read the news paper I've never done that before lol. I'm 38 years old and I'm usually on my phone but not at restaurants. When I saw that my ex was when we were dating I would tell him to please get off his phone and I would stay off mine it was a rule I had and he was okay with it. Not that I'm trying to be controlling it's just that I enjoy spending time with him not on our phones. When I see whole families doing that or playing loud music it is so rude.
I would love to see a video on grad students and grad student stipends. It's amazing how even as a 5th year grad student you are still paying tuition and expected to put in so many extra hours.
My partner and I worked in restaurants for over a decade. Everyone (including myself) had a substance abuse problem. Line cooks doing coke off of the actual line to keep up with the incessant, unending, whip-cracking demand. Guests being just the absolute worst. Cleaning shit and piss and puke up after hours. Homeless breaking into dumpsters and littering the parking lot with trash. People leaving used breast milk bags and diapers at tables. Not making enough at make ends meet. Finally got out of it and into my field of study only to be downsized twice in six months. God, please, PLEASE let a job come soon, I cannot go back to that nightmarish hell scape.
I wish you luck. I'm in the same position and there's no way I can return to restaurant work.
I hope you shall get a decent and safe job soon. I wish for your safety and prosperity.
I’m so sorry! 😔
@@wen6519 thank you ♥️
@@mariawesley7583 thanks man, there are soo many people in the same position. Wishing you luck and success ✨
As a consumer I don't eat at restaurants with waitstaff very often. I like fast casual restaurants because they keep their prices lower. I also like that I can eat alone and a small portion and nobody cares because it doesn't affect their tip. Spending $50 for me and partner to eat lunch out rarely feels worth it. I am fortunate that I know how to cook, have the time, and eat most of my meals at home.
I'm furious about the idea of pooling tips, never mind the house managing it and even taking a cut. When you tip a server, you are tipping THEM for their service. Yes, they have to give cuts to bus ppl and bar staff, but I resent another server in the establishment who had nothing to do with me, and who may not be as competent as my server, getting a portion of the tip I gave.
He made a point about restaurants that I am always thinking about art/entertainment. We consume so much of it so much of the time that it becomes meaningles and unhealthy. We don't get anything out of it, or what we do get out of it isn't what we should because we don't value it or even stop to evaluate it. We just consume it endlessly and let it change us without thinking. Connection and meaning/growth is getting left behind.
Ugh so true. So so true.
Would absolutely love a part II with this wonderful guest.
The wackiest part of needing to neglect those tables for the sake of the “goons” is like. I actually don’t have to give as much care to my regulars. You’re here every day, so you (should) get it. I am able to work the line down if I have to because “He already paid but it’s just Bobby. He can wait another minute for his coffee.” and that’s not even mean because it’s true. He’ll be back twice tomorrow either way, he knows it, we know it. You’ll usually have more empathy for a worker you greet by name. So it’s extra gross that these regulars were so entitled
One of my favorite episodes to date. As a person who has lived in NYC for almost a decade this conversation was delightful. It touched on so many often unmentioned/overlooked points about the service industry. I hope to see Jake on the channel again in the future.
I worked in the food industry for 10 years before I earned and used my undergrad degree. I would have crying fits randomly over still being there and doing this work. It just got heavy for me after i graduated and spent a few more years than planned there. I remember immediately crying the first time I heard the song "She used to be mine" from the Broadway musical Waitress. Especially the line, "These shoes and this apron, that place and its patrons, have taken more than I gave them." I absolutely understood that feeling and it hit hard. I finally got a job using my degree and my life completely changed. I always show the most respect to service workers. It is not an easy position to be in.
I left my job as manager of a popular wine country (Sonoma County California) in 2020. It was extremely traumatic on so many levels. This is a very therapeutic interview, thank you.
I worked a seven hour brunch shift yesterday with no break. Restaurants get away with this (in CA at least) by having employees sign away our right to breaks when we are first hired on. This stems from companies caring so much about their customers, and more importantly the reviews they will leave. Staff getting breaks would interfere with guest experience so we are just not given an opportunity.
Yeah, restaurants can be brutal. But elsewhere servers and bartenders do that, and they make $2.13 an hour. California takes better care of you guys than most other states do.
@@sadiedavenport The higher the pay, the more abusive restaurants feel they can be.
As an Australian worker, I cannot understand how the US population continues to allow its law makers to not legislate to protect workers rights. Shambles!!
@@mirandataylor6385I worked in a lot of restaurants over the years, and I respectfully disagree. For workers who make the national tipped minimum, they can go to work for hours and make $0, because their hourly wage is completely absorbed by taxes. Restaurant owners and managers can be nasty, and it doesn't matter if they're on the east or west coast, or somewhere in between. I'm not saying it's an easier job in California, but at least you know you'll get paid.
Restaurant manager in California here...the law in California requires a 30 minute lunch break even WITH the break waiver. The law does not absolve your employer of giving you a break. All the waiver does is extend the amount of time until you are granted a break, which is 6 hours. If you worked 7 hours, you should have received a break!
You always impress me Chelsea! Loving the diversity you're bringing to TFD. Every time I think you've covered almost every topic, you always have me learning new.
This was a super interesting conversation to listen to, as someone who lives in a small-ish town in Finland and loves to dine out (yes, I have plenty of restaurants to choose from). The whole tipping thing especially is fascinating, since basically nobody does it in Finland and it is in no way expected at least in the places I've eaten at. The wages/hourly rates the service workers are given are supposed to cover for the nonexistent tips, and the labour unions (which are a big thing here in every field of work) are very adamant on making sure the wages and other working terms are up to date - just recently the unions and employer associations representing restaurant and travel industries reached a new collective agreement after the pandemic had taken its toll on those service jobs. Then again I'm sure the problem of terrible, entitled customers is very real for service workers here too lol.
Ugh How annoying. This is exactly what I'm talking about. I live in CA so why do I have to tip? Oh because the wages are so low. It's pathetic. I worked a busser/dishwasher job in Anaheim CA and it paid $15.50 including tips but when I went on an interview in my city it was only for dishwasher and it paid $15.50 and I think it may have included tips. This is just pathetic. Wow. Two jobs for one price is pathetic when they should be paying at least $18 an hour.
People see themselves in the US as customers first and lack solidarity with workers. It's why they freak out on airplanes, like it's a bespoke experience instead of a subway car in the air, or expect Starbucks to be open on Christmas (meaning someone has to WORK on Christmas), or doctors offices to be open on weekends.
We think, I'm paying for this, so it better be good, or I expect my needs met without thinking about the impact on others.
As someone who worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years, I’m still so bothered by how classist our society is about how we treat restaurant employees. Someone in a restaurant job has just as much worth as a big company CEO and, often times, restaurant work requires certain skill sets. For example, when I was an assembly cook, I became a total master at juggling multiple orders, timing them, and providing artful, aesthetic presentation in the dishes. Employees in the service industry deserve to be treated better, and don’t even get me started about the whole sexual harassment thing.
Omg right? The sexual harassment was so bad lol! One lady would walk into the kitchen and harass the men. lol! Same thing happened to me in the hotel industry lots of weirdos there. I never harassed anyone I know better haha.
i know him from tiktok and hes just so refreshing, human and likeable, i love him, his energy, the whole bit! If I ever saw him in a restaurant I would heart to heart with him
I am a tipper, all my friends at one point worked at the industry. But, as an Eastern European, I do not get the obligatory tipping, especially subscribed at like 20, 25 %. The systemic evil in which the restaurant owners are allowed to leave it to customers to pay their staff salary is unbelievable. The one who hires you should give you your income. I will always respect you and give as much as I can but I will not take the responsibility of your salary.
One of the many things I cannot believe your country duped you into just doing and you are not just burning everything down.
Wow! So many meaningful insights. Love the part about restaurant-going as an experience that cannot be commodified and also restaurant-goers relationship to food and/or alcohol plus a culture of guilt and shame. So fascinating! Amazing guest.
As an ausie i don't get why restaurants in USA get away with not paying fair wages. We just have a liveable minimum wage How would people like it if we had to tip medical staff or teachers for just doing their job. You just need business models that are sustainable. Relying on the charity of others (who may not be able to tip ) is not sustainable
Great topic!!! And a great guest for it. This is my favorite TFC since Jeanette McCurdy.
Super interesting conversation! I love how much thought Jake has put into these topics and his perspective is really interesting. The idea of going into every experience expecting to give as well as take really resonated and is something I'll try to bring to more aspects of my life.
I believe that before you leave high school or college, you must work in hospitality. Everyone needs to know what it’s like working these jobs.
I worked 10 years in the restaurant business and 6 years in retail. I still have nightmares and ptsd on how people treated me. I would cry in the bathroom between customers. My husband has been a chef for 2 decades and loves it because he does not have to deal with the customer face to face. People can be so mean.
I also have 6 years of retail experience, and I also still have nightmares and ptsd from my experiences. When I told my doctor I was experiencing severe anxiety to the point of crying in the bathroom and having anxiety attacks multiple times a week, she told me it was because I had low self esteem... My question to her was how can anyone have high self esteem working in such conditions and being treated so poorly by clients and customers each and every day? I agree with you, people can be so mean.
I was dining in a restaurant and overheard a table discussing what they estimated the server was making. It was dinnertime and the restaurant was full, so they estimated the tips for a full station over 8 hours. When they reached the total the response was an indignant, "They're making more than I do!". I wanted to tell them that the server won't have a full station the entire time and after the restaurant closes they're only making $2.13/hour while cleaning.
I always want to point out to people like that that there's absolutely nothing stopping them from becoming servers themselves if they think it's so easy and unfairly "overpaid." Strangely, they rarely seem to actually be willing to do the job themselves. It's such a backwards mentality of assuming that people with unpleasant jobs shouldn't be paid well to compensate for the unpleasantness. It goes back to that mindset of viewing serving staff as servants who are less-than.
@@thatjillgirl I've begun using that response to people who complain about how low wage workers don't want to work anymore. So far no one has taken me up on it.
@@thatjillgirl "It's such a backwards mentality of assuming that people with unpleasant jobs shouldn't be paid well to compensate for the unpleasantness." OMG you worded that so perfectly. Reminds of me how people indignantly think garbage collectors or plumbers are "highly paid"... If you want to spend all day collecting trash, or rummaging through people's sewer pipes, go for it, my friend! People are so dumb.
The discussion about how attitudes about dining out was fascinating to me (but also concerning). I'm definitely a foodie and take and post pictures of my food (both dishes my husband and I cook at home and dishes I order out), but for me it is highlighting the dish. I usually don't even say the name of the restaurant in the post. It's more about "this was really good" or "here's this interesting new food I tried." If I really like the restaurant and it's not a chain I try to leave them a nice review on Yelp. But my approach to visiting restaurants is either "I'm in the mood for Chinese, pizza, Italian, etc., so which restaurant with that do I really like" or "we're visiting this neighborhood or this city, what are places nearby to try?"
I also tend to scope out the menu online ahead of time because I can be very indecisive, so my mind is a little blown by the story of the woman being upset that a bar didn't have the type of cocktail she wanted.
This episode was SO GOOD. 💛
This episode reminds me of a talk I had with a guy who has worked at yachts in Monaco. Its a similar dynamic but more extreme.
I have been deeply disappointed by "fine dining" meals, in which the aesthetic was absolutely valued over the food quality. I feel that the playing field has been seriously shifted by the availability of online reviews, photos, etc. I don't know what steve on google considers good food, but I do not agree.
😂 😂😂😂 fuckin Steve smh he's ruined my dinner too many times...
How beautifully you spoke about the experience = capital on social media. Thanks for that clarification. So employees are doing double work for their restaurant and your social media feed.
There are similar dynamics with bad customer behavior in the retail world. Some people are wonderful and quite pleasant, or even just normal and unremarkable. And then there are others. Some people come in with the attitude that store staff are their servants and that they should get whatever they want however they want it. Ask anyone who has worked retail for a while and they'll have horror stories about customers who screamed at them, cursed at them, threw stuff at them, etc. It's appalling and can really make you lose your faith in humanity.
Absolutely! Working retail for years has turned me into a definite misanthrope
It’s quite an interesting topic! Also, a sneak peek into the industry has been given brilliantly by Dan Souza.
It was almost touched on, but not quite, that is: just how many workers in a restaurant are supported by the server’s tips! I had to “cash out” to bussers, hostesses, bartenders, food runners…. That 20%?? Not really
I would love to watch another video continuing this interview!
As a lover of fries and martinis I need a video on this spreadsheet please!! LOL 😂
Wait. So 20% isn’t a good tip? The guest’s manner when he spoke about 20% tip was flippant. And he inferred it was cheap to round down on a 20% tip.
I don’t go out often.
My partner tips 18% and rounds up.
I tip 20% and round down.
Are we terrible people now?
Do servers hate us?
Does it help that we are kind, know what we want when we arrive, don’t special order, pre-bus, and leave when we are finished so you can flip the table?
I am genuinely interested in learning more.
No. You are not terrible people. You are actually good tippers. Any server that has an issue with either you or your partner are behaving in an entitled manner. Neither of you should concern yourselves with such an attitude.
I agree with you. I noted that the guest used language such as, "...they just tipped 20%..." This sounds quite expectant. A tip is a voluntary, non-standard amount based on gratitude for good service. An expected amount - regardless of either the percentage or the dollar amount attached to it - sounds more like a fee.
I used to be a server and bartender. I was perfectly happy with 15%. I never expected a 20% tip. I was grateful for the customers who tipped heavily. I never expected it to be the norm.
I love that you're both organising meeting up afterwards - it seems like and I'd love to hear about the best shoestring fries. 😆
Another incredible episode!
Going back into the restaurant industry for a second job since my main job isn't giving me enough hours. Terrified but need the money😅. Needed this episode
Great video as always!
Thanks so much for this & for all your wonderful work! ☯️
As someone who lived in the U.S. for a while, I was so confused by the tipping system. I find it extremely disrespectful to the workers because they are basically forced to be extra nice to the customers. What I also noticed is that customers almost get divided into two groups: the ones who worked in a profession where they rely on tips and know how this system works, and the ones who basically feel the waiter is basically a servant. I know this is a generalization, but still, I have seen people act extremely rude to waiters. I'm not saying this never happens in my country, but there is more of an equal exchange between the customer and the person who not only brings you your food, but also has knowledge of what you may or may not like, can give you advice on things like allergies, etc. They are far more valuable than many people think and deserve a living wage instead of having to rely on tips.
Frankly, I think most Americans find the tipping system confusing as well. I know I do, and I've lived in the U.S. my entire life. Even lifelong Americans frequently are confused about who gets tipped and what a normal tip for that role is. I have found myself having to google things like, "Is it normal to tip your dog groomer?" This is part of why I'd like to just get rid of the tipping expectation. Let's get rid of the guesswork.
@@thatjillgirl Yes, it's a pain. I found myself constantly having to ask those questions.
I worked in fine dining before and in 2018-19 I was genuinely making like less than $15/h on bar between the dilution of the tip pool and people straight up not tipping and trying to get me fired for overtly discriminatory reasons.
The worst is govt/corporate people who are charging their meals to their organization but refuse to tip even though it's not their money and they're literally allowed to tip with the corporate card. My state's governor is really bad about that on top of unreasonable demands like "keep the restaurant open two hours past close for a $200 check and no tip or I'll inundate you with additional inspections".
A strawberry banana peanut Buter smoothie is just a PBJ in a cup. Why would it be weird, we eat sweet strawberry jam with peanut butter.
I was a waitress for less than 3 months before I had to throw in the towel. People just treat you like absolute garbage. It's insane.
This is a great episode!1
My friends fiance works at a very well known restaurant and I was so surprised when we went to eat there and he wouldn't even talk to us until we were going out the door and had to cross through the bar which was dark. He stoped by to drop off desert and just walked away. It was so weird because he is nothing like that. The waiters that did served us were good but the conversations was minimal even though my friend also knew them. The food was good but it wasn't great. Like i had what I ate at other places and would go to those places to eat those foods again. The check was surprisingly low but I did felt compelled to tip high because I knew we got a lot of free food and the tip would be distributed between all the waiters.
great episode
I'm sure someone has said this but in England you do tip at restaurants/ places with table service. You don't tend to tip in pubs and bars where you go up to the bar to order. But everyone is paid at least minimum wage, you aren't relying on tips
What a great convo. Would like to know what Jake thinks of the movie The Menu
As a Brit, I want to know what does the cost of the meal cover if the workers wages aren’t included? Assuming that the price of the dish is comparable to what you would pay in a country that does pay they workers a living wage, where is the extra money going?
When I was server while pregnant, I had to be hospitalized twice for preterm labor, caused by being overworked with no breaks and no food or water day in and day out, typically for 8-10 hours at a time. I nearly lost my child and had to stay on monitored bed rest from there on out. Then, I lost my job essentially, because we had no maternity leave, and I was not allowed to pump milk for my baby. I was only allowed to return if I stopped breastfeeding/pumping
that's barbaric
@@yunglynda1326 that’s America for you.
I have people get upset that a delicatessen serves delicatessen style food. Some people will get to go orders and refuse to give their number for a text and get angry when they don't hear their name called in a loud and busy restaurant. They will ask for so many modifications and wonder why it takes longer to get their food. I have had people get upset when I ask for ID. I have to follow the prompts on my computer. I am on camera. They take it personally. They ask for their drinks immediately after placing a to go order and get upset when I tell them we go in order received. They are completely oblivious and believe they are more important than the other customers when they see a long line behind them.
You had me until the Covid talk came up. I worked right after mandated closure was lifted and found the clientele to be very generous and glad that we were open even if just for take out initially. I made more in tips than I ever had before.
I wish y'all had covered a little bit more about the class differences, and how servers act depending on what they perceive. And y'all kinda touched on it with the evil and toxic clients. I usually get looked down upon and mistreated by waiters, to the point that I go to fast food places just to avoid the waiter interaction. I have the money to pay, I just dress like an undergrad in a science heavy major and forget to wash my sneakers. I usually tip 25% at least. I guess I just want to know more about that part, because I never looked down or treated poorly customers when I was serving them.
Side note on tipping: I still tip even for takeout, but only because I know people will look down on me if i don't. I don't believe in tipping for a food I haven't even eaten yet; if I'm coming there again, then that's different.
as a server, what I suggest is going somewhere to eat about 3 times for them to get acquainted with you & recognize you. I personally don’t judge people on how they are dressed in the way one would think I would. I do know people who judge on what someone is wearing but being an undergrad with dirty sneakers gives no impression of being a bad tipper.of course this depends great;y on where you live
Enjoyed the Stewarts name drop!
Their lunch bill is my rent 😂😂 how bizarre! It’s neat to hear how rich people live.
Tipping needs to go
If you have him back without french fries and martinis and the fry spreadsheet, I'm throwing something.
I understand that doesn't affect anyone in the video, but still 😂
Excuse me Chelsea please drop the fry spreadsheet! 😂🙏
Share your “Fry spreadsheet” pretty please!!! Shoestring fry FTW!!
Here's my COVID rose-tinted glasses: I tend to talk and think about about anti-vaxxers these days as people who were lied to. People who were acting on different beliefs, not different values. What you guys made me remember is that, that wasn't the whole story. To an extent, we were attracted to our beliefs based on our values. Some of us were guided to our beliefs by thinking that personal freedom is most important. Some of us were guided by thinking concern for the weak is most important. While I do not believe all those who believe personal freedom is the most important are selfish people (not in the slightest), the selfish among our society naturally find refuge among these people, because it is in the nature of selfishness to desire as much freedom & power as possible.
I am no anti-vaxxer, but... Oh well, I am just going to say it. I am in Brazil working for the government - that means that my job is always safe, but also that I go a decade without even cost of living raises. The pandemic for me was the ultimate experiment on isolation and loss of choice.
Having the world population stuck at home in whatever condition they happened to have at the time is something that will pay out in mental health damage for decades. We risked the lives of the poorer people - the supermarket workers, the truckers, the cleaners, the lower part of the medical profession, for the safety of the richer - me included there. We created an inflation that was fueled by the stimulus checks. We made the divide between people worse, if that was even possible.
Did all this save lives? Did this increase corruption? Was this the 100 year pandemic we were expecting or is that still to come? What did this do to the education of the children? We will not know the answers for years. I am afraid that when the answer comes nobody will care and we will make the same mistakes again.
@@antiantipoda
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and how empathetic you are for the lives of the working-class. I think you are correct that to some extent it was a trade-off between the safety of the middle class from the pandemic and the livelihoods of the poor. I also question the wisdom of the stimulus checks (although hindsight is 20/20.)
I also struggled badly with mental health during the pandemic. While I fear that happening again, I try to think about it as something I just need to be better prepared for next time. I have started to build better support systems as a result. That is the lesson I learned from that.
My understanding is that the pandemic and its aftermath have seen the first major low-income increase in wages in many decades. Many of our measures did save lives, but it's difficult to calculate exactly how many (because many times it was about slowing the spread so hospitals aren't overwhelmed, not the virus itself.) There was also a lot of support put in place for those who lost work during the pandemic that I'm pretty sure softened the blow and allowed people to be more picky about what jobs they took (picky in a good way.) I don't know how you balance the trade-off, but low-income workers were thought of and have benefited as well.
While the idea that anti-vaxxers were lied to isn't wrong, what many of us, especially those of us in healthcare, find so galling about anti-vaxxers is that so many of them flat-out refuse to change their mind when presented with (ample) evidence contrary to their position and will insist that you, a professional with years of education and clinical experience, have a less reliable understanding than their own, which was born of a couple weeks trawling internet forums. It can be really hard not to be insulted by that, especially if it happens to you over and over and over again. I know I struggle mightily with approaching such people with patience.
Id love to see you have Barbara Sloan of Tipped Fianace on sometime
If you'd be willing to share it, I'd love to get a peek at your french fries spreadsheet!
I hate it when servers are too overly familiar, that's something I definitely do not like about how they view all that in the US.
We need you to leak the French fry spreadsheet, Chelsea
“Experience/time thieves”, i.e. inappropriately demanding customers are no better than shop lifters!
omg it's the bird gay :0 luv u
wait. Honest question. Is the default not still $1 per drink? Am I being a jerk?
Yesss I thought that too last weekend but when given the options it said 20%/ 25% / custom. I went with custom 1 dollar. It was to pop the bottle of beer. Sf Bay Area
I tend to tip in the 15-20% range for drinks, but that frequently comes out to about $1 a drink, give or take a little.
I don’t find restaurants in US typically cheaper than the ones in Europe where people are paid a proper minimum wage. So basically only restaurant owners benefit from this.
I tip a minimum $5, with it increasing to whatever 20% would be. Since I mostly only eat out for lunch, and I don’t drink, this usually ends up being closer to 30%.
Obligatory I didn’t watch the video, just wanted to leave my comment.
They should pay workers a fair wage so that they dont need to rely on tips.
Can't buy a house or have a family, steak is my only comfort. Lol laugh cry
Why do you need interaction with servers? Why do they need to be extra friendly just to get tips. It’s just a job. They can just be cordial.
i’m not condoning any bad behavior towards staff - however i don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting a dining experience to be perfect. going out was already very expensive, and that cost is just skyrocketing lately and yea, for a $50 meal for one person plus a 20% tip i do expect a good experience and i don’t think there is anything wrong with that 😭
So true 39:55
Jake seems cool lots of outgoing people work in the industry and they have bubbly personalities. I tried bussing and dishwashing for a day and loved it but due to my boss acting crazy and passive aggressive I quit...I wasn't sleeping and I had to work over time. Lol! I do love the job though so I tried another job...got an interview there but I don't think the guy is going to hire me. I did awfully at the interview anyways and the lady at the last job I was at was a good interviewer. Bussing is so much fun though it's like that old Penguin Dinner Dash game lol! I did dishwashing and bussing and it's so exhausting...yikes. I agree with the "You're a server you're beneath." Yeah I get that Jake I kind of felt that way to it was even worse when I was a cashier though.
I learned Chelsea has a fry spreadsheet 💀
why should payment of workers be up to donations from customers? that is what tipping practices boil down to ultimately discriminating against poor customers and kissing up to rich customers
how much is a furniture appliance mover or driver expected to be paid? if servers are paid by customers and not by owners then they are servants unfortunately yes to them. also asian european places culturally do keep professional distance. american service is weird to french italian german british places vice versa. europeans asian places are usually for food not making friends with servers
I don’t want to tip. Please include in bill.
girl you need to put the guest in thumbnail and title!! i stopped watching this podcast because i thought you stopped doing guests. I came here because of tiktok
We have a guest almost every week!!
@@thefinancialdiet def post advertise who they are in the description :)
Tipping is a legacy of slavery. I have never worked anywhere in food service where I've had benefits like healthcare!
Never has a the financial diet episode made me feel so poor.
It shouldn’t. They are not that way at all.
I think he said the word “like” a thousand times.
You can make a lot of money in the food and service industry and is definitely a job that I wish was taken more seriously. People like to think you’re not smart/educated in anything else and just in between careers. Many service industry people are very well educated and have multiple jobs. There’s a reason many people stay in the industry you can actually make a lot of money. I disagree with the owners having to pay their employees. I do agree with employers looking out for their employees tho. The customer is not always right. In my opinion, if you dine in a restaurant and someone is catering to you, and all your needs and you don’t have to do anything but sit and eat you should absolutely tip and take care of the person tending to your needs. If you don’t want to tip literally order take out or eat at home.
Anyways this industry has allowed me to meet the most amazing people. And my best friends have been found from the service industry. I learned how to behave and act and how not to treat people! I think everyone should work in the service industry for some time. Learn a lot of life lessons ❤
Also I’m sorry to people who have worked for jerk owners. There are better places to work and not everyone is like that! ❤
also customers are broke during a pandemic if anybody is even able to afford going out at all with inflation give us customers a break or we will stiff you big by staying home!
Why are you never in focus in your videos???
How many times was the word "like" pronounced in this conversation?
Very interesting talk! However sorry, but the amount of "LIKE" word and babbling around 35 minute was quite hard to listen to. :(
I always have this issue listening to long-form content and podcasts. It's very grating.
Yesss🙄
Almost everyone uses filler words. This is a casual conversation, not a formal presentation. Filler words are going to emerge. Personally, I barely noticed them.
That’s just how many people of this generation talk. I am a white collar professional with a masters degree and it is still difficult for me to break out of this pattern of speech.