Coffee & Tipping

Reagan- careful, you're opening up an entirely different can of worms there...in Europe servers are paid proper wages...

Hi Jeremy,
I think I was meaning to merely crack the lid on those worms, to show how "traditional" (for lack of a better word) service functions are compensated in the Olde Country. Mayhap the smell of those worms would highlight how "unique" our frame of perspective is here. But leave it to you to sum it all up nicely, with the words "proper wages"...

[Robin Garr]

Anybody have experience tipping in Europe? I believe, as one poster has mentioned in a previous thread, that the frame of perspective is quite different in some countries there.

What Jeremy said. I do travel fairly often, particularly in Italy and France, and it's true that American-style large tipping isn't necessary and would seem crazy over there. Whether you're dining at a Michelin-starred gustatory temple or a trattoria, you'll likely just leave the change from your cash transaction as a gesture (remembering, though, that the 1 Euro is a coin, not a bill), but nothing larger.

"But I do believe that our assumption of a person's wage, or their employer's corporate status, should not be a factor when it comes to figuring tips for a service."

assumption may be a tricky factor of this sentence, but if you "know" the general wages/benefits that employees receive, it should be a factor when "tipping" - (which is why tipping in Europe is different, the wait staff is paid differently - not $2.13 or 1 euro and some change an hour)

from my standpoint if a service industry person is earning minimum wage or above and receiving benefits there is no reason to tip them for performing their job duties (exceptional/ above and beyond service always should be tipped)

how can you justify tipping an employee at Starbucks (who makes above min and has benefits) equally with a server that makes $2.13 and hour and has no benefits ????
i agree that $10 and hour is barley livable at best, but $2.13 is ridiculous
(BTW you can contact your state government house and senate members and advocate a change of the laws regulating wages in the service industry)

i advocate inquiring with management if you are curious about tipping your service industry employees or do some research (check the website, call the business and ask what the entry level wage is for baristas, bag boys, waiters, bus boys, bartenders.......)

save your tips for those that really do need it - make someone's day and tip 30% or more

just my opinion
(and for the record we pay our servers less than minimum wage, but a couple bucks more than $2.13 - with no benefits - medical/dental/sick/vacation - nada)

shawn

Anybody have experience tipping in Europe? I believe, as one poster has mentioned in a previous thread, that the frame of perspective is quite different in some countries there.

What Jeremy said. I do travel fairly often, particularly in Italy and France, and it's true that American-style large tipping isn't necessary and would seem crazy over there. Whether you're dining at a Michelin-starred gustatory temple or a trattoria, you'll likely just leave the change from your cash transaction as a gesture (remembering, though, that the 1 Euro is a coin, not a bill), but nothing larger.

I have a friend in Poland who works in a cafe and she said that Polish service workers do appreciate tips...The average tip is around 10 to 15 percent of the cheque...I also don't recall seeing any tip jars in the self-service type restaurants and coffee shops during my visit to Krakow...Many of the self-service restaurants and coffee shops will place your change on a small change tray rather than directly giving you your change back...This also allows you the option of leaving any loose change on the change tray as a tip...

Whoops, just came across ths thread a month late! But figure I should add my two cents.

We at Ray's Monkey House Coffeeshop of course endorse tipping. I do feel it should at least partially reflect several factors:

1. The complexity of the drink. A caramel mocha drink with whipped cream is obviously a bit more work than pouring a cup of black coffee. From pouring the perfect shot (grinding, tamping, timing) to steaming the milk just right, measuring the flavoring and artistically adding the whipped cream (which our baristas make from scratch), there are many things that we can do well.
2. How friendly your Barista is. Do they engage you in conversation (if you want to be). Do they remember your name, your drink, etc. Obviously, when we're slammed, we won't be chatting, but we can still be friendly and treat you well. I think that should bump up the tip (customer service).
3. I guess besides how friendly we are, really overall service should play some role. Did we get the drink out to you properly and promptly. OF COURSE, if there are drinks ahead of you and we're scrambling, don't take it out on us.

Also, and i commented on a different thread (I think), I agree with Matthew (DCE) about how odd it is that our skilled espresso drinks get less tips than opening a bottle of beer or pulling a tap handle. I think it comes from beer being more of a night time thing, where people are accustomed to tipping to show off for their date. OR, to influence the bartender into a stronger drink or perhaps a freebie. Just speculating of course. It is culture. On the west coast (I lived in Portland) Baristas get tipped better than in Louisville. We're still catching on to coffee culture here.

Oh. One funny story. One evening, after a pretty busy day, a guy comes in and orders an espresso drink (a blended, which we make from scratch using shots of espresso, flavoring (he ordered peanut butter), chocolate sauce, half and half plus ice) and a blueberry scone. His change was something like seventy five cents. He tossed a NICKEL in the tip jar! The guy behind him in line saw that and said "Did he just toss a nickel in there? What an ass#$%@. Here. I'll make up for it." He proceeded to tip generously, even though I told him not to worry about it. So it all works out. By the next week, the nickel tipper was up to thirty cents.

I emphasize to my crew that it averages out, and that we MUST give great service to everyone, regardless of tips. The better the service, the more customers will come in, and overall tips WILL increase. Some people just don't get it (tipping)..

Peace ya'll...

-Nimbus
Ray's Monkey House Coffeeshop

I tip bartenders well, so that when they are "5 deep" in custys, they'll grab my beer for me 1st

No joke about the disparity in wages between waitstaff and those paid minimum wage and above. It it the assumptions ("I wouldn't worry about tipping at Starbucks" "They earn $10/hr") about what all magical things come with the non-service wages that don't ring true, to me. As addressed by a poster before, and from my years as a manager, "benefits" such as vacation time and medical care come with full-time status are usually only allotted for management. Many other people work week to week with no guarantee of their hours, and many are lucky to achieve the 32 described. And despite my hollering about how much $10 sucks/is common, many of my compadres in this line earn less; almost all started less.

I guess what I was trying to say, is that even if we assume what people already have, and therefore what they "deserve", this still isn't reason for changing the accepted etiquette for the experience we chose. Is it custom to tip the bartender? When in Rome... Is it custom to tip the waitstaff? When in Rome... To tip your barista, regardless of employer creed? When in Starbucks... I mean Ray's If we still don't like the customs, we can choose to change them from the inside, (after much spirited discourse!) or choose to stay away from the country, but please don't stiff the person, to use another quote, "in that line of work." These People are our friends, and aren't getting any social statements out of tip commentary.

Also, and i commented on a different thread (I think), I agree with Matthew (DCE) about how odd it is that our skilled espresso drinks get less tips than opening a bottle of beer or pulling a tap handle. I think it comes from beer being more of a night time thing, where people are accustomed to tipping to show off for their date. OR, to influence the bartender into a stronger drink or perhaps a freebie. Just speculating of course. It is culture. On the west coast (I lived in Portland) Baristas get tipped better than in Louisville. We're still catching on to coffee culture here.

This brings up a point that I don't see discussed all that often or mentioned much in Louisville: buybacks. In Chicago and New York, two places I've lived, it's customary for bartenders to give customers free drinks after a certain amount bought, which is commonly called a buyback. Now, I don't go out to drink as much and don't really have a regular drinking spot (my old local was Daddy's, on Graham Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn), but I can't think of a time since I've been back in Louisville that I've ever received a buyback from a bartender -- no matter the size, shape, clientele or corporate structure of the bar -- in Louisville*. Of course, drinks are (usually) much cheaper here, but I guess buybacks just aren't part of the drinking culture? Or maybe I'm just going to the wrong places. Seems to me that buybacks are both a good way to treat customers (if I know I can get a freebie every once in a while, I'll drink at a place more often) and for a bartender to be tipped generously (if I'm expecting to spend money anyway on a drink and get it for free, most likely I'll tip the bartender the cost of the drink). Do bar owners/managers in Louisville discourage buybacks? What do y'all think?

*I have gotten comps from Matt at DCE but that's different since we're pals and I worked there over the past summer.

Also, and i commented on a different thread (I think), I agree with Matthew (DCE) about how odd it is that our skilled espresso drinks get less tips than opening a bottle of beer or pulling a tap handle. I think it comes from beer being more of a night time thing, where people are accustomed to tipping to show off for their date. OR, to influence the bartender into a stronger drink or perhaps a freebie. Just speculating of course. It is culture. On the west coast (I lived in Portland) Baristas get tipped better than in Louisville. We're still catching on to coffee culture here.

This brings up a point that I don't see discussed all that often or mentioned much in Louisville: buybacks. In Chicago and New York, two places I've lived, it's customary for bartenders to give customers free drinks after a certain amount bought, which is commonly called a buyback. Now, I don't go out to drink as much and don't really have a regular drinking spot (my old local was Daddy's, on Graham Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn), but I can't think of a time since I've been back in Louisville that I've ever received a buyback from a bartender -- no matter the size, shape, clientele or corporate structure of the bar -- in Louisville*. Of course, drinks are (usually) much cheaper here, but I guess buybacks just aren't part of the drinking culture? Or maybe I'm just going to the wrong places. Seems to me that buybacks are both a good way to treat customers (if I know I can get a freebie every once in a while, I'll drink at a place more often) and for a bartender to be tipped generously (if I'm expecting to spend money anyway on a drink and get it for free, most likely I'll tip the bartender the cost of the drink). Do bar owners/managers in Louisville discourage buybacks? What do y'all think?

*I have gotten comps from Matt at DCE but that's different since we're pals and I worked there over the past summer.

Is that really legal here?

Is that really legal here?

If it's illegal, it seems like it would be impossible to enforce.

i would call them "kick downs" here and have experienced them at several establishments, primarily with good beers, but with a few stiff drinks too, i don't think the bartenders tell you very often, but my bill has been a beer or two light on occasion

This brings up a point that I don't see discussed all that often or mentioned much in Louisville: buybacks. In Chicago and New York, two places I've lived, it's customary for bartenders to give customers free drinks after a certain amount bought, which is commonly called a buyback.... Do bar owners/managers in Louisville discourage buybacks? What do y'all think?

I didn't know there was an actual term for that, but anyway, considering my husband and I are on occasion the lucky recipient of this sort of thing, I guess the answer would be no, and so in that respect, Louisville isn't different from Chicago or New York City. I've always assumed it has more to do with how we treat folks rather than how much stuff we buy, although I suppose it's something of a combination of both.

[I didn't know there was an actual term for that, but anyway, considering my husband and I are on occasion the lucky recipient of this sort of thing, I guess the answer would be no, and so in that respect, Louisville isn't different from Chicago or New York City. I've always assumed it has more to do with how we treat folks rather than how much stuff we buy, although I suppose it's something of a combination of both.

Maybe I'm really just a jerk, but I swear I tip well and am courteous!

It's called the bartender is buying a beer for you.
I have had this happen at the Nachbar, Monkey Wrench and Seidenfaden's Cafe and the former Quills.
I try to take good care of my 'heavy users' (just watched Super Size Me last night) because without them I would really be hurting.

yeah, buybacking is pretty common for regulars and big spenders. I do it and I have been the happy recipient. I think it's just good business and creates a rapport between the customer and the establishment.