At many quasi serve yourself places there is the ubiquitous tip cup. I know having children of mine depending upon contribution in the tip box for survival, that we should always put something in the tip cup. Minimum wage now even in the valley does not represent minimum survival.
This morning at Starbucks I re-upped my prepaid card. Usually when I do that I put in a tip to cover the tip for the money that I prepay. Today I put in a 5 dollar bill to go with my 20dollar card. When I returned to get he new music, my 5 dollar tip had suddenly turned into a one dollar bill in the cup. Do you think that it is company policy for no big bills in the tip jar? Or do you think that that tip will go unreported to the daily/weekly group? I am hoping to get a comment from my family barista on this topic. Was that the policy at Pete's?
Do you think that we pay more for our drinks and have the people get paid more for our service? I talked to am assistant manager of a local independent pizza place. He said that the outcome of the new minimum wage would be less service and higher prices. What really happened? The pizza place has significantly lowered their prices. When I asked why? Business had slacked off because people were not going out to eat as much. The local economy has significantly been lowered. The same was true for service businesses in town. A conversation at a local coffee shop revealed that a new owner of a carpet cleaning business was having the same sort of issues. He bought into a franchise and it was barely making it after he had renegotiated with his landlord new lower rates for his business.
Can we blame this all on big box corporate intrusion?
Have a great weekend
Pat
ONE word: recession
ReplyDeletePeople need more $ to buy the basics because of the rise in the cost of oil. When you have less decretionary cash, you go off less often. Oh wait, they go out less often to restaurants where people actually wait on them. We went out twice this week:
1) Mcdonalds on the way home on Friday night: dinner for two: less than nine bucks
2) Sala Thai with green papaya salad, small soup and two entrees, tip: 32.00
Personally, I always tip, the other day at a Barnes & Noble's coffee show, I held my change and looked around, "where's the tip jar?" I asked? The girl behind the counter said, "We are told we can't put out a tip jar, but we can accept tips." I had bought a 1.67 cup of coffee. I handed her my change plus another quarter. Later, I heard the three wait staff behind the counter commenting on what they were going to do with their 23 cent tips (they divided it equally). I thought, "Idiots!" Next time THERE, I will not leave a tip.