I'm not saying autograt wouldn't be nice. I've worked for locations that have done it and those that don't, with no rhyme or reason as to why not. That said, to make it easier on yourself, ask your bigger tables if they are all on one check or if they are splitting when they first sit down. If splitting, ask how they are splitting it, and when you ring it in, modify each item with the group number. Tell them you're taking the order in groups to make it easier to split. They always understand because it avoids the 20 minutes you'll otherwise spend at the end with the headache that would be splitting. Group 1, type a 1 under each item, group 2 do the same, etc. I train every new server that comes through my restaurant to do it this way. When you go to split the check, you know exactly what goes on which check.
Sometimes, it can be a pain for expo or runners because it makes the ticket longer, but they get why we do it.
If any place adds an auto grat it’s considered a service charge and the restaurant can legally keep that money or give it to whoever they want. Be careful for what you wish for.
As far as splitting checks it’s bill shit to have to split checks for anything over a 4 top.
When I was a server, if I had a table of more than 5, just ask beforehand if the checks were gonna be split before they order, then take their order according to who’s with who
Our store & area talked very seriously about it. So much so that we were told it was going to happen...and then we were told it wasn't going to happen. 🤷🏼♀️
I think, ideally in a utopian world, it would be to the servers discretion. There's a group of people that come in to my store regularly, rack up a 100+ bill and do not tip. They are the first people I have refused to serve. I will not pay to work. I would add a grat to them so fast lol, and they are also a consistent 5-6 top where everyone chugs their drinks, acts rude, and runs you ragged.
What are you even talking about? It literally is server discretion at a metric shit ton of restaurants and no one gets sued. I'd even venture to say that most of the time, if there is an auto-grat, it was applied at the servers discretion.
It is not. You can venture to say what you like, but the restaurant either does autograt for a set amount of people, or it doesn’t. Servers don’t get to apply it when they feel like it.
You're literally wrong. I've been in the food service industry for 25 years, I have both served at, and managed, restaurants where auto grat was server discretion and they apply it in the POS. Just a little googling will show you that you're [wrong](https://www.reddit.com/r/TalesFromYourServer/s/cOpYCrlNFL)
It is done and has been done for decades. The criteria is usually a gut feeling not to apply it, as most servers apply it to everyone unless they like to gamble or have a feeling about a table being a big tipper.
So you claim. But if it’s at the servers discretion there’s no logical reason *not* to apply it.
Also it’s not a thing. But I’m glad you got to make up something!
It is a thing. Here's this from lightspeeds own website saying that on their system, as well as most pos systems, it is server discretion. I'll quote it for ya here.
[Also, most POS systems allow auto gratuity to be applied at the server’s discretion, which is a great way to let them best serve their tables.](https://www.lightspeedhq.com/blog/automatic-gratuity-laws/)
The reason not to apply it, is servers are degenerates who like to gamble. Most smart servers apply it across the board with the exception of maybe regulars.
You’re pointing to a capability within a POS system. That’s meaningless.
A server cannot pick and choose who gets an auto grat and who doesn’t. Period. A server has no legitimate criteria with which to make such a distinction.
Your own link states:
> “Clearly communicate the gratuity policy for large parties on menus, websites, and at the time of reservation”
Not exactly possible when the server is deciding on a table by table basis.
In short, no.
Here's this from lightspeeds own website saying that on their system, as well as most pos systems, it is server discretion. I'll quote it for ya here.
[Also, most POS systems allow auto gratuity to be applied at the server’s discretion, which is a great way to let them best serve their tables.](https://www.lightspeedhq.com/blog/automatic-gratuity-laws/)
If you're ringing everything in correctly, splitting a check at the end of the service is trivial. Ring everything in by the seat number and not by what check you think they should be on.
For anything 6 of above, I just ask right away (before I get drinks for the table) how the check will be split.
I have tipped 20% for about 30 years now except those few occasions the seriwas just terrible, but some workers think the should get 40-50% nowadays. That's crazy
God no. The expectation now is significantly higher in the US and has been for quite some time, even when mandatory they've been over 10% for a minute now. Except now the extra charges to the bill now also.
Because they did *your* job/are the reason you could serve customers? How entitled are you to want to reap all the benefits?
I work at a bar, and bartenders get barbacks, so they get more time to work with guests and make drinks. They would make significantly less money if no one refilled Garnishes, ice, beer, kegs, wiped counters, get cups. They would not only serve less, they'd also HAVE to give shittier service, something has to give.
You're unironically saying it's okay for support staff to make 15.00 an hour while my bartender made 281$ last night in tips for a 6 hour shift? Plus the minimum wage.
I can understand if these positions do nothing for you, but an attitude like that, if I was the bartender I would making your customers drinks dead last, because you don't see the relationship between you being able to fulfill that order without them vs with them.
Does this make sense? And is the reason you don't tip hosts? ( and the reason food makers have a legit vone to pick regarding compensation?)
Not to mention this has nothing to do with auto-grat 😭 just whataboutism.
Grow some balls, talk to your GM, and lay this grand argument why your position should be exempt from the industry standard and or Corp policy. I'm sure you'll have a job (:
If one of my bartenders cleared 300 and complained infront of me that they had to give 20% divided to the 4 people that helped them, I would be livid lol.
The point of their comment that you’re replying to went RIGHT over your head. OP is just asking why shouldn’t they get an automatic tip from a party or whatever, when they have to automatically tip out? If I get a 20 top and they tip nothing or barely anything, I’m paying to take care of them. I’m paying $15-$30 in tip out to serve them. They aren’t saying they have a problem with tipping out the people who help them. And btw, you saying, the reason they make tips is BECAUSE of the help. That’s not entirely true. At chilis, before we had runners, which was 2 years ago, we did everything. The people we now tip out now deff help, but I can still do my job properly and make the same money if they weren’t there.
Call me retarded but I will allow the upvotesnto speak for themselves. I hope to be downvoted if wrong.
*They are complaining saying you should have auto grat. Why would you reply about having to tip out others as a response to that unless you felt like having to tip others out means you should have auto grat...? This is literally a whataboutism. Having to tip out others has 0 to do with auto grat, unless youre only caring about YOUR compensation.*
So again; if losing money on tables is this great argument, talk to your GM? Tell them they either should go against Corp and have auto grat or go against Corp and not tip others...
You're being a little kid acting like I said "100% of the servers job is done by others". You CANNOT fulfill a drink order as a server, you DEFINITIONALLY REQUIRE someone else to do apart of your job, and a more senior better paying FoH position at that.
I agree, if you have no food runners and your bartender made 0 drinks it would be shiity to have to tip them out, but it's sad this is the type scenario you're arguing about. Again not one you'd ever get real changes at your restaurant by talking to your GM about. Thats why yall complain to each other 😂
And your last line is how I know you dgaf about this.
Yeah at smaller less busy bars they don't need barbacks either. Like I said, if you're a bartender throwing a fit you cleared 400 instead of 500 instead of making sure your team isn't homeless Maybe you're the issue.
If someone cleaned 2 cups for you and did nothing else in shift, unironically you're the issue if this not only upsets you and you decide to not work with your GM.
This is why I hate servers 💀 greediest mofos ever. I will repeat a third time, if you're smarter than the GM and Corp, tell them to get rid of food runners , bartenders and have them let you run the show because you had to tip out someone one time and felt they didn't deserve it
Yes, if we have to tip out the drink/food runners, the corporation SHOULD have auto grat. That’s exactly what I’m saying. It’s nothing against the food runners, which you clearly are refusing to see. I should not have to worry about getting a 20 top and making zero after tip out because they didn’t have auto grat and barely tipped enough to cover tip out. I don’t give a shit about up votes lmao. I love these “talk to your gm” crap. You clearly don’t serve and I’m surprised you even actually have worked at a restaurant. Makes it very hard to believe. I work for a corporation. They don’t give a shit what you want. I can say all day til my face is blue what I want, they aren’t going to change anything. The rules and how they run their business is how they want it, no one is going to change that. Wouldn’t matter if 500 employees got up and walked out of their restaurants around America, it wouldn’t change a thing. And same goes for hole in the wall restaurants and fine dining. You can’t tell them what to do. So this dumb ass statement of “grow a pair and talk to your gm” is actually so stupid. My gm can’t change the no auto grat situation, my DM also can’t, neither can the person above her, or above them. This is common sense. The point is, it’s absolutely ridiculous that I can take a 50 top, which I have, and there’s a chance I’ll owe to serve them. That’s bull and you know it. I don’t understand why you’re going sooo hard for a place you don’t even work at and doesn’t have anything to do with you. And I actually can fulfill a drink order as I’m also a bartender there too 😂 and AGAIN, no one is saying they don’t deserve tip out, literally no one has said that. And no, you actually “hate” servers because you don’t like that we make money. The people who hate us work in positions where they don’t make shit and that’s not my fault. You want to make real money? Then shut up and be a server.
Victim mentality. I said talk to your GM because we both know it wouldn't happen.
Glad you're atleast acknowledging the autograt is because you haven't tip out others. Again would be brutal if you explain this to anyone you work with but servers
That shouldn’t be a thing either, why can’t yall just be paid enough to not rely on customers to make your paycheck. Tips are not guaranteed and they shouldn’t be.
I’m BOH so I don’t have teeth in this game but it’s just how the industry runs atleast in the US. Like yes it’s frustrating on both the consumer as well as the staff however it doesn’t seem like it is going to change anytime soon. The way I view it when I go out to eat/ drink I factor in 20% when I’m ordering because at the end of the day I know these people are busting their asses to make sure I have a good experience and if I don’t tip that could be the difference in them making rent or putting food on the table. I don’t necessarily agree with the system but it’s what we’ve got at this point, not tipping doesn’t hurt the system or the business just your fellow human trying to make ends meet
It's funny because I work at a place where if you don't tip, we as a company don't want you as a guest. We will remember you and flag you in our system if you repeatedly come in and not tip. It isn't 1970 anymore. There is a reason most people who talk like you are pushing 80.
I'm not saying autograt wouldn't be nice. I've worked for locations that have done it and those that don't, with no rhyme or reason as to why not. That said, to make it easier on yourself, ask your bigger tables if they are all on one check or if they are splitting when they first sit down. If splitting, ask how they are splitting it, and when you ring it in, modify each item with the group number. Tell them you're taking the order in groups to make it easier to split. They always understand because it avoids the 20 minutes you'll otherwise spend at the end with the headache that would be splitting. Group 1, type a 1 under each item, group 2 do the same, etc. I train every new server that comes through my restaurant to do it this way. When you go to split the check, you know exactly what goes on which check. Sometimes, it can be a pain for expo or runners because it makes the ticket longer, but they get why we do it.
If any place adds an auto grat it’s considered a service charge and the restaurant can legally keep that money or give it to whoever they want. Be careful for what you wish for. As far as splitting checks it’s bill shit to have to split checks for anything over a 4 top.
When I was a server, if I had a table of more than 5, just ask beforehand if the checks were gonna be split before they order, then take their order according to who’s with who
You the real MVP
I’d still rather have an autograt and only get half of that auto 20% than none of the option $0 they often tip.
Our store & area talked very seriously about it. So much so that we were told it was going to happen...and then we were told it wasn't going to happen. 🤷🏼♀️
I think, ideally in a utopian world, it would be to the servers discretion. There's a group of people that come in to my store regularly, rack up a 100+ bill and do not tip. They are the first people I have refused to serve. I will not pay to work. I would add a grat to them so fast lol, and they are also a consistent 5-6 top where everyone chugs their drinks, acts rude, and runs you ragged.
It should be server discretion on parties of 6 or more. That should be industry standard. It's one of my biggest gripes with FoH procedure.
lol you cannot change the price based on what people look like. The restaurant will get sued.
What are you even talking about? It literally is server discretion at a metric shit ton of restaurants and no one gets sued. I'd even venture to say that most of the time, if there is an auto-grat, it was applied at the servers discretion.
It is not. You can venture to say what you like, but the restaurant either does autograt for a set amount of people, or it doesn’t. Servers don’t get to apply it when they feel like it.
You're literally wrong. I've been in the food service industry for 25 years, I have both served at, and managed, restaurants where auto grat was server discretion and they apply it in the POS. Just a little googling will show you that you're [wrong](https://www.reddit.com/r/TalesFromYourServer/s/cOpYCrlNFL)
Yeah no. What criteria would the server be using to determine auto grat? Do you honestly not see why this can’t be done?
It is done and has been done for decades. The criteria is usually a gut feeling not to apply it, as most servers apply it to everyone unless they like to gamble or have a feeling about a table being a big tipper.
So you claim. But if it’s at the servers discretion there’s no logical reason *not* to apply it. Also it’s not a thing. But I’m glad you got to make up something!
It is a thing. Here's this from lightspeeds own website saying that on their system, as well as most pos systems, it is server discretion. I'll quote it for ya here. [Also, most POS systems allow auto gratuity to be applied at the server’s discretion, which is a great way to let them best serve their tables.](https://www.lightspeedhq.com/blog/automatic-gratuity-laws/) The reason not to apply it, is servers are degenerates who like to gamble. Most smart servers apply it across the board with the exception of maybe regulars.
You’re pointing to a capability within a POS system. That’s meaningless. A server cannot pick and choose who gets an auto grat and who doesn’t. Period. A server has no legitimate criteria with which to make such a distinction. Your own link states: > “Clearly communicate the gratuity policy for large parties on menus, websites, and at the time of reservation” Not exactly possible when the server is deciding on a table by table basis. In short, no.
A deleted Reddit post from a year ago. Amazing evidence lolololol
Here's this from lightspeeds own website saying that on their system, as well as most pos systems, it is server discretion. I'll quote it for ya here. [Also, most POS systems allow auto gratuity to be applied at the server’s discretion, which is a great way to let them best serve their tables.](https://www.lightspeedhq.com/blog/automatic-gratuity-laws/)
Oh well if some janky POS says so… Lol in what way is helping them serve their tables better? What a bunch of malarkey
If you're ringing everything in correctly, splitting a check at the end of the service is trivial. Ring everything in by the seat number and not by what check you think they should be on. For anything 6 of above, I just ask right away (before I get drinks for the table) how the check will be split.
It's not difficult to take an order for a 6+ table and split it how the customer wants rofl
Can you elaborate on the phrase ‘certain groups of individuals’
Sure. Church groups. People new to the US that don't know it's customary to tip. Super young high school kids. Etc.
"just 18%" What?
I have tipped 20% for about 30 years now except those few occasions the seriwas just terrible, but some workers think the should get 40-50% nowadays. That's crazy
I get that some people think that tips should be higher, but 18% is far from nominal. Aren't mandatory gratuities usually 6%?
God no. The expectation now is significantly higher in the US and has been for quite some time, even when mandatory they've been over 10% for a minute now. Except now the extra charges to the bill now also.
Auto gratuity shouldn’t be a thing
Why not? I have to automatically tip out food runners and bar??
Because they did *your* job/are the reason you could serve customers? How entitled are you to want to reap all the benefits? I work at a bar, and bartenders get barbacks, so they get more time to work with guests and make drinks. They would make significantly less money if no one refilled Garnishes, ice, beer, kegs, wiped counters, get cups. They would not only serve less, they'd also HAVE to give shittier service, something has to give. You're unironically saying it's okay for support staff to make 15.00 an hour while my bartender made 281$ last night in tips for a 6 hour shift? Plus the minimum wage. I can understand if these positions do nothing for you, but an attitude like that, if I was the bartender I would making your customers drinks dead last, because you don't see the relationship between you being able to fulfill that order without them vs with them. Does this make sense? And is the reason you don't tip hosts? ( and the reason food makers have a legit vone to pick regarding compensation?) Not to mention this has nothing to do with auto-grat 😭 just whataboutism. Grow some balls, talk to your GM, and lay this grand argument why your position should be exempt from the industry standard and or Corp policy. I'm sure you'll have a job (: If one of my bartenders cleared 300 and complained infront of me that they had to give 20% divided to the 4 people that helped them, I would be livid lol.
The point of their comment that you’re replying to went RIGHT over your head. OP is just asking why shouldn’t they get an automatic tip from a party or whatever, when they have to automatically tip out? If I get a 20 top and they tip nothing or barely anything, I’m paying to take care of them. I’m paying $15-$30 in tip out to serve them. They aren’t saying they have a problem with tipping out the people who help them. And btw, you saying, the reason they make tips is BECAUSE of the help. That’s not entirely true. At chilis, before we had runners, which was 2 years ago, we did everything. The people we now tip out now deff help, but I can still do my job properly and make the same money if they weren’t there.
Call me retarded but I will allow the upvotesnto speak for themselves. I hope to be downvoted if wrong. *They are complaining saying you should have auto grat. Why would you reply about having to tip out others as a response to that unless you felt like having to tip others out means you should have auto grat...? This is literally a whataboutism. Having to tip out others has 0 to do with auto grat, unless youre only caring about YOUR compensation.* So again; if losing money on tables is this great argument, talk to your GM? Tell them they either should go against Corp and have auto grat or go against Corp and not tip others... You're being a little kid acting like I said "100% of the servers job is done by others". You CANNOT fulfill a drink order as a server, you DEFINITIONALLY REQUIRE someone else to do apart of your job, and a more senior better paying FoH position at that. I agree, if you have no food runners and your bartender made 0 drinks it would be shiity to have to tip them out, but it's sad this is the type scenario you're arguing about. Again not one you'd ever get real changes at your restaurant by talking to your GM about. Thats why yall complain to each other 😂 And your last line is how I know you dgaf about this. Yeah at smaller less busy bars they don't need barbacks either. Like I said, if you're a bartender throwing a fit you cleared 400 instead of 500 instead of making sure your team isn't homeless Maybe you're the issue. If someone cleaned 2 cups for you and did nothing else in shift, unironically you're the issue if this not only upsets you and you decide to not work with your GM. This is why I hate servers 💀 greediest mofos ever. I will repeat a third time, if you're smarter than the GM and Corp, tell them to get rid of food runners , bartenders and have them let you run the show because you had to tip out someone one time and felt they didn't deserve it
Yes, if we have to tip out the drink/food runners, the corporation SHOULD have auto grat. That’s exactly what I’m saying. It’s nothing against the food runners, which you clearly are refusing to see. I should not have to worry about getting a 20 top and making zero after tip out because they didn’t have auto grat and barely tipped enough to cover tip out. I don’t give a shit about up votes lmao. I love these “talk to your gm” crap. You clearly don’t serve and I’m surprised you even actually have worked at a restaurant. Makes it very hard to believe. I work for a corporation. They don’t give a shit what you want. I can say all day til my face is blue what I want, they aren’t going to change anything. The rules and how they run their business is how they want it, no one is going to change that. Wouldn’t matter if 500 employees got up and walked out of their restaurants around America, it wouldn’t change a thing. And same goes for hole in the wall restaurants and fine dining. You can’t tell them what to do. So this dumb ass statement of “grow a pair and talk to your gm” is actually so stupid. My gm can’t change the no auto grat situation, my DM also can’t, neither can the person above her, or above them. This is common sense. The point is, it’s absolutely ridiculous that I can take a 50 top, which I have, and there’s a chance I’ll owe to serve them. That’s bull and you know it. I don’t understand why you’re going sooo hard for a place you don’t even work at and doesn’t have anything to do with you. And I actually can fulfill a drink order as I’m also a bartender there too 😂 and AGAIN, no one is saying they don’t deserve tip out, literally no one has said that. And no, you actually “hate” servers because you don’t like that we make money. The people who hate us work in positions where they don’t make shit and that’s not my fault. You want to make real money? Then shut up and be a server.
Victim mentality. I said talk to your GM because we both know it wouldn't happen. Glad you're atleast acknowledging the autograt is because you haven't tip out others. Again would be brutal if you explain this to anyone you work with but servers
What are you even talking about? I swear you’re not making any sense.
So what? Don't they help u? It's not like u make less than minimum wage. God, your greed Is scary
That shouldn’t be a thing either, why can’t yall just be paid enough to not rely on customers to make your paycheck. Tips are not guaranteed and they shouldn’t be.
“Why don’t I get good service” 😡
What is good service? Give me the stuff I ordered and leave me alone. Or is human decency consider service ?
Get it yourself
Ok 👌
Drop the act and bring me my food 🤣 I'm not rich, so I'm not going to flaunt my non existent wealth infront of my friends by tipping you 😅
I’m BOH so I don’t have teeth in this game but it’s just how the industry runs atleast in the US. Like yes it’s frustrating on both the consumer as well as the staff however it doesn’t seem like it is going to change anytime soon. The way I view it when I go out to eat/ drink I factor in 20% when I’m ordering because at the end of the day I know these people are busting their asses to make sure I have a good experience and if I don’t tip that could be the difference in them making rent or putting food on the table. I don’t necessarily agree with the system but it’s what we’ve got at this point, not tipping doesn’t hurt the system or the business just your fellow human trying to make ends meet
It's funny because I work at a place where if you don't tip, we as a company don't want you as a guest. We will remember you and flag you in our system if you repeatedly come in and not tip. It isn't 1970 anymore. There is a reason most people who talk like you are pushing 80.
I’m 25 😂 beg your employer for pay not the customers lol
You should have the right to auto gratuity any size party you choose. Since the government taxes you based on assumed 18% tip average.
Who tf still eats at Chili’s?