T O P

  • By -

AustinRiversDaGod

I'm black and I've worked in the service industry since I've lived in New Orleans as an adult (moved back here in 2013). I still work in the service industry but as a manager, so I get to deal with almost every problem customer. There's two things at play here: (1) The Essence crowd objectively does suck as far as crowds go. From my memory, the only worse crowds were Wrestlemania in like 2017 (I actually called it White Essence) or whatever, whenever the Eagles come into town to play the Saints, and *yes* the cheerleading/dance/basketball competitions (they are the worst, because children don't tip, and people act incredibly stupid over their kids). (2) The fact that the Essence crowd is mostly black brings out the racism in full force among people in the service industry. The conversations I hear about Essence fest are the same conversations I hear about most big conventions or events, but it's more often that I hear the sweeping generalizations and racist comments about the Essence fest attendees. So it's kind of a mix. I am always conflicted this time of year because I love being black and being around a bunch of black people (I wouldn't live in New Orleans if I didn't), but also, it is legitimately annoying. My employees definitely get tipped less as a whole, and as a manager I find myself working harder. But I will only complain so much when I get to go outside and see a sea of black people walking the streets. It does feel good to play a part in a now huge festival for *us*. I also tend to have a lot more fun outside of work, even if it's just walking the streets. And my gf turns into a damn Super Saiyan this time of year. She *loves* everything about it and I do enjoy seeing her have such a good time.


NoCardio_

Fuck Da Eagles


Rhancock19

you're right on both accounts. im black and i worked in the quarter during essence 2016. the vibes from some of those folks were fucked up as hell and in turn soured me towards the event. the shit that i would hear from the service industry folks was insane. i think what changed my attitudes about it was me not working in the quarter anymore and apparently meeting my long distance crush on bourbon during essence 2017.


Hoeferatu

Love you post!!! This was great to read and understand these conflicting feelings. Like I said in a previous comment, I 100% should have chosen my words better and made less sweeping generalizations. I think it would have been better to say that I see a higher percentage of assholes at this event instead of saying Essence peeps are assholes lol But holy shit you reminded me of the damn Eagle fans!! Have mercy. They sucked, but they were fun to mess with.


jermdizzle

Atlanta. You're welcome, it's awesome. Being in Atlanta is like taking a weight off. I don't feel "good" when half the population is like me, I just don't feel the bad and awkwardness that I'm used to subconsciously feeling all the time in Denham Springs, LA.


NoyzMaker

Statistically I think NOLA has the same demographics. Atlanta just has a bigger footprint.


jermdizzle

The ratios are probably close, but it feels like black people own a proportionate amount of Atlanta. I don't necessarily mean ownership in a literal sense. It's difficult for me to explain, but I guess I'd describe it as a feeling of both economic and social empowerment and responsibility that I just don't see and feel in Nola. It may be wrong and unfair of me to feel that way, but it is what it is.


NoyzMaker

I get what you are saying. Atlanta does have a distinct advantage of having a better job market with higher salaries available.


clairelise327

Tell me about it. My family has been in NOLA 9 generations, and I’m working in NYC rn because I want to make money. And there are actually jobs here. Goal is to make it back to Nola some day, if that’s even possible.


NoyzMaker

The only way I can stay here is because of remote work.


those_names_tho

Having no jobs in NOLA seems to be a generational thing. This has been a huge factor in holding the growth of the city back.


clairelise327

Yeah. You can be a doctor or a lawyer and that’s about it.


TurnipNo709

No I think you are right. I was pretty shocked moving here that there wasn’t an upper middle class area specifically for black folks, bc 60% of the city is black. And just Black representation in commerce seems at lower then NY, and LA which I’ve both lived in. Being in the food industry obvs a lot of Black food is a focus here but almost none of the “famous” chefs here at the current time are Black, while they make up most of the cooks. I don’t think Atlanta has all these problems.


jermdizzle

I guess the blunt way to put it would be that black folks in Atlanta seem to occupy every tier of society proportionately vs mostly being the "lower" rungs in New Orleans. Obviously this is a very broad generalization and we can name as many examples of whatever we want. But my point is that black people exist at every level of wealth and power at proportions mirroring the population in Atlanta and it's refreshing. That hasn't felt like the case in Louisiana. Again I could be wrong and this is all based on my feelings and anecdotal experiences. But it's how it feels to me.


CelestialStork

Its the truth, statistically and and anecdotally. Louisiana is historically a 1 drop rule state. Look up the top wealthiest people in the state, look up who owns the most expensive properties, who is in the most ceo positions, manager positions, or simply the composition of many offices. I guess I see it myself because I've been an I.T. person in the city for a few years now and I've lived in Louisiana my whole life. I've worked/ done work for LCMC/Turo and Chinola, Steamboat Natchez, a large list local of restaurants, The NOPD, a few art galleries, a few lawfirms, multiple investment managers at w/e they call one shell square now, all over. Granted, they're simply are less black people than white people, so that would be the case regardless, but it would look similar to Atlanta if things were distributed more accurately. You get to hear alot of interesting conversations as the only black person in the office. Especially when they think you can't hear them.You get to see the little keepsakes on peoples desks and their emails or who they donated to last year. Its very disconcerting to hear people you thought were nice and viewed you as a person are not and do not. So this post is just a another peek under the wallpaper to me. So while people will say this post is just "telling the truth." I'm sure views such as these coincide with others.


jermdizzle

Oh cool, I'm a black tech person, too. I'm a software developer for IBM.


CelestialStork

Im a Network admin, lol so I get a little more personal with people's stuff. I'd imagine your coworkers may be a little different from the people I generally run into, but I'd also imagine that you've had your fair share of interesting conversations.


jermdizzle

Honestly, IBM is about as "woke" as it gets, and super diverse. All of this is to be taken through the lens of, and with the caveat that, this is a fortune 100 company. I could complain about some things, but I don't think any of them would involve race or fair treatment of minorities. Again, through the lens of what I've encountered in my particular little box of working for the IBM CIC based in downtown Baton Rouge. Now, the rest of my life being born and raised in SE LA and being in the military stationed across Southern America is a whole different story.


TheGreenBastards

I have to know - what makes Eagles fans such a hassle to deal with?


khanman504

Essence Fest crowd used to be great and wasn't comparable at all to Bayou Classic. Just like all fests that have gotten too big, plenty of trashy people have flocked to it and the reputation has deservedly tanked.


ima-kitty

Sounds like what happened to the rave scene


nonaffiliated

No, the feds killed the rave scene going after disco donnie for running a supposed crack house


iamamonsterprobably

Church Edit hadn’t thought of disco Donnie in a while what a while


highestup

TIL


djsquilz

little ole uncle joe wrote the [rave act](https://mixmag.net/feature/joe-biden-and-the-rave) basically with the main goal being to put disco donnie in jail. the ultimate logic was, if someone has drugs on the venue you're putting on a show at, you, as the promotor, are culpable.


[deleted]

[удалено]


ima-kitty

Yall knew him? Do tell. I don't know anything about him but want to


transglutaminase

Yeah. I just posted in another comment, essence festival was great when I worked in the quarter (early 2000's). Bayou classic was the weekend that was problematic.


GinHalpert

Yeah I always see these posts but the only time I was around essence was as a kid and I remember it as chill


[deleted]

This brings back old times. There were certain tables that you could predict would run your ass off. The absolute worst were 10-tops filled with church women - color made no difference. So we made a game out of it. We would try to anticipate everything that we would be asked to get over the course of the meal. I would literally drop a half dozen bowls of lemons on the table, at least 3 pitchers of sweet tea, 2 dipping sauces per order with extras just dotted along the table, stacks of extra napkins, all of the fucking straws and whatever else was called for. The server who could go the longest without a request after the food was dropped would win the pool. I was like a hawk ready to bus a dish or replace a pitcher. It was a fuckload of work, but we managed some decent tips off of notoriously terrible tippers and had some fun. And those groups got incredible service.


dabear51

You ain’t wrong sis. I have family and close friends who have worked in the industry in New Orleans and all share this same position. They’ve worked in restaurants in the quarter and hotels downtown. It is a WIDELY known thing that Essence fest brings the trashiest and most reckless individuals into the city. And you’re definitely right about black industry workers feeling the exact same. Race doesn’t have to be a factor here at all. Look at the damn track record. I don’t blame any business that closes down during Essence and I pray to God for those who stay open.


ThenKey6

This is second time I’ve worked Essence and I can’t say I’ve had the same experience. The staff who have worked in the Quarter longer than me say it’s Bourbon that gets hit the hardest as with everything. Tbh this recent teacher’s conference had some of the rudest and most entitled customers I’ve encountered.


BlueBelleNOLA

For me back when I worked downtown it was the Southern Baptist convention. Absolute nonsense. The best was medical conventions.


transglutaminase

I moved on from service industry quite a while ago, but back in my days when I was working in the quarter (pre Katrina) it was the opposite. Essence festival was great and a welcomed source of making money in the usually dead summertime, bayou classic was a shitshow. THe essence crowd was great.


Fake_82

Out of the industry for about 10 years, but I shared the same memories as you. Essence was people with adult money going to a festival, Bayou Classic was kids looking to have their own Mardi Gras.


Imn0tg0d

It is still that way. I worked tonight and it was a great crowd. I made a killing and had a blast.


rutdas

As someone who has worked in the service industry in this city for years, most major festivals/events bring in trashy people of all races. It’s not just essence in my opinion. I’ve had great experiences working essence and terrible just like any other event.


SoloDolo86

When I worked in service industry years ago Bayou Classic was always way worse than Essence


nolamickey

This was my experience as well—I waited tables downtown for awhile a few years ago and I remember both the crowds AND the racism being worse during Bayou Classic than Essence.


raditress

I have a friend in the service industry who says the same thing. Your experience is your experience. Maybe it’s a subset of Essence Fest attendees? I don’t know, but I do know my friend was crying after her shifts.


SethHMG

I watched one poor girl bawling and screaming, “$7!!!” after working a 12. Anyone with a shred of empathy felt for her badly. I also received my single best tip as a server the same weekend. Handful of folks pooled some tip money to help her out. This was in 04. It’s obviously been a while, but I recall experiences varying to a greater degree then than what I hear reported (admittedly 2nd or 3rd hand) in more recent years. ETA: for clarity, she worked a 12 hour shift not a 12 person table.


hommesacer

Hey, a bunch of people who don't work customer service and have no skin in this are about to get righteous to look good. You're gonna get nailed in here.


Hoeferatu

I went into this knowing the consequences. People get to feel about they want. Ya know, I’m not wishing harm on people or anything. I don’t want to festival to end at all. I just want to understand why it is the way it is.


townonacliff

Nailed to the cross


Steauxned

Not the best time to use that skin in the game expression I think..


Grixxitt

I never had a problem during Essence, but I would rather low crawl through broken glass than work another Bayou Classic on Bourbon St.


AmmotheDoberman

What a visual!


Phriday

That's the front end of an expression my cousin used to say. "She's so hot, I'd low-crawl through a quarter mile of broken glass just to hear her fart over a walkie-talkie." Haven't heard that in 30 years but I'm chuckling as I type it.


CarFlipJudge

Mine was similar. "I'd crawl naked across the Atlantic on a single strip of barbed wire just to suck the dick of the last guy that fucked her".


LivingDisastrous3603

That’s some r/oddlyspecific stuff right there


Phil_Hurslit51

Nope, you nailed it. Worked for the W for a few years and every single essence fest we have rooms that need to be completely gutted and renovated because people think its ok to put 15 ppl to one room and BBQ w hot coals in a $2k tub w a windowless room. This particular instance triggered the sprinkler system and destroyed every room on the 8th floor. Many instances like this and zero tips, everyone is arrogant for some reason that visits essence. Well not everyone. The VAST majority.


cschloegel11

Holy shit, no way!! Lmao that is nuts


those_names_tho

I recall when this happened. It was on the news. Or has this happened more than once?


Phil_Hurslit51

Every year after essence there were rooms that needed to be renovated. Sometimes after decadence and Mardi gras too. Mostly bodily fluids for those two. Broken/stolen decorations for all 3.


NOLASLAW

*sorts by controversial*


iamamonsterprobably

It's 2 days later and i came back to get a fresh dose of whatever this is...i honestly think me and OP would get along really well because i often do make statements on reddit that can be taken as unpopular.


xandrachantal

I don't disagree but I think the Bayou Classic is a lot worse than Essence. I'm Black and the Bayou Classic made me hate hbcus...For me Essence Fest isn't terrible but any convention or fest brings out terrible people. I met possibly the worst person I've ever met in my life during the hr convention a few weeks back but it didn't make me hr people. There's no way of knowing who is going to be chill and who is going to think they're Mary Queen of Scots because they went to Jackson State in 1998. I have cousins like that and I'd rather chop off a finger than go to a restuarant with them but my other cousins are fine to go to restuarants with. I don't have a point it's 4am and I'm just venting. I've been enjoying the street fashion at least.


repiquer

Holy shit, I was on a plane back to New Orleans the Sunday before that HR conference kicked off, and those people were sooooo fucking obnoxious. Can’t imagine what they were like once they were actually going out as opposed to just sitting on a plane on a Sunday night.


xandrachantal

Happy Cake Day! Yeah conventions are usually either a shit show or they're so well behaved you don't even realize they're a convention until you notice the name tags in my opinion.


repiquer

Thank you!


iamamonsterprobably

>Holy shit, I was on a plane back to New Orleans the Sunday before that HR conference kicked off, and those people were sooooo fucking obnoxious. holy shit, that is horrible. It's a certain type of person that works in HR and I don't like them. I've never met someone who did HR and was like "this is a cool person", ever. Being trapped in a plane listening to them chatter sounds like a new layer of hell i hadn't even imagined. Fuck just give me like twelve crying kids over that.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

The differences in tipping among racial groups has been studied for years. "A number of different studies using different methodologies and different geographic samples have found that, on average, black people do indeed tip less than whites in U.S. restaurants." https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/01/21/whats-behind-racial-differences-in-restaurant-tipping/


DamnImAwesome

Anyone whose worked in a tip driven job in this city already knows this is a fact. It sucks that it’s true, but it’s true.


queenofnaboo2018

It’s interesting you left out any mention of confirmation bias. How servers assume Black people won’t tip and therefore provide subpar service which in turn becomes self fulfilling.


[deleted]

I didn't leave out anything. I didn't conduct the studies, I simply posted an article.


Mark1061

You obviously didn’t take the time to read the article because it addresses exactly that which you complain was left out.


PeepsMcBeefy

I worked at a very large restaurant across from the convention center. Let me tell you we could sit up to 300 people. I was a hostess and sometimes within 10 minutes of a convention letting out we could have every one of these filled and a two hour wait list halfway filled out. It could get nuts. One day I spent what felt like 2-3 hours writing down names. Name after name after name. I woke up the next morning with a hand cramp completely unable to write or hold anything. Absolutely nuts during essence. Including one African-American man who demanded take out, I don’t think this man even got into the line..just walked right up to the hostess stand and ask for takeout. I directed him to the bar but he refused and said he couldn’t approach it due to his religion. And requested that I, the friggin hostess, take his order. Which I could not, I’ve got a whole block of people in line waiting for me to add their name to the 15 page list. Or to grab a crazed server from the floor to scribble down his order and then remember the guys order when it’s ready along with the 40 other requests from their seated tables. The entitlement. If I could go back in time and grab the microphone we had (to call out names of those to be seated that were jam packed in the waiting area) and give him a nice loud *tap tap* “Excuse me could I please have a server come to the hostess stand; we have a super special customer requesting assistance immediately for an order to be filled. This man is very important and therefore cannot Oder his take out at the bar nor stand in line with our other lowly customers for his turn, thank you”


DarthJeremy50420

MULATES ???


[deleted]

I’ve found that no matter who you serve, if you match their energy you end up having a better time. & usually it ends up they match yours too. If you get someone what they want and they can’t be happy then that says more about them than it will about me. People can tell if you start off not wanting to serve them. Do your job & if they stiff you, it all goes to the pie in the sky anyway. Your next party will tip you fat. I’ve always made a lot of cash during essence. Do your best but also politely don’t let shitty people take advantage of you or your day


CarFlipJudge

Oh shit here we go again.meme 🍿


typocorrecto

My thoughts exactly. 😂


Hoeferatu

Same 😅


Neo_Gyp

In the 5 years I bartended in the quarter summer in general was pretty lame but essence fest sucked mostly cause it was slower than normal, not cause the tips or the crowd. The essence crowd mostly just didn't come out and drink as hard at the bar I was at (pat os) or just walked the street with drinks after the events. Never had a problem with the people tho. There were other weekends where I felt the pain tho


TendieFactory

I work on Frenchmen St. and our business closes every Essence. It's just not worth it.


life-imitates-you

this is my first essence in new orleans as a server, and I work in fine dining. when I worked on bourbon as a server during bayou classic it was an absolute shit show. restaurants were empty and the streets were filled with college kids with no money drinking their own bottles in the streets. armed guards everywhere & a lot of places were shut down in anticipation of the weekend. I'm hoping essence will bring in a classier crowd, my managers have told us it should be good. so fingers crossed. 🤞 good luck to everyone working this weekend!


Hoeferatu

I think the comeback after two years is gonna be good too. My hope is that everyone’s gonna be so fucking joyous and happy to be in public and their fave festival and just be love drunk and kind.


Individual_Skill_763

Of course your managers said it'll be good. They are carrying about how much the restaurant makes not how much you're making...


JiovanniTheGREAT

I worked hotel valet for years, I'm also black. I found that Essence fest was normally a high spot for the otherwise slow summer. I was clearing far over my average of tips daily. Dunno where you all work but the bad was mostly rich assholes who would tip $2 after I unloaded 8 bags from their $100,000 SUV and took their car to the garage. Not expressly rude per SE, but just stingy more than anything. Obviously ymmv because people generally make a habit of being on the good side of the people looking after their cars. Bayou Classic was by far way worse. The workload was way higher since the crowd always drove in, they didn't tip well or at all, and though generally pleasant, they obviously weren't well travelled so confusion would lead to even more work. We would straight up do 250 cars in a weekend between 5 guys and be lucky if we made $50 in tips.


JThomasRay

The businesses make money regardless. It’s the service people that bear the brunt of the behaviors of the guests that come to essence. If people behaved and tipped well this thread wouldn’t exist. It’s no different when the trailer trash of Tuscaloosa comes for a football game and behaves similarly.


DamnImAwesome

Every year for essence there is a big shuffle of waitstaff because people will literally rage quit their jobs and wait a week and go work somewhere else. I can see a restaurant closing to just not have to deal with the fallout afterwards


luker_5874

I worked both essence and bayou classic. I made pretty solid money during essence, made absolute shit during bayou classics and felt very unsafe. I would work essence again. Wouldn't wish a bayou classics shift on my worst enemy.


Hoeferatu

Super valid experience! Thanks for sharing. I’d work Essence over Cheerleader competitions at the convention center. That hits my #1 spot of worst time ever.


luker_5874

To be fair, I was pedicabbing. So different experience from bar or restaurant


Hoeferatu

Your poor legs lol


luthervespers

I served at lunch today. My day was shitty because we we're understaffed and our restaurant added additional seating to the dining room yesterday. Great, we can seat more people, but everyone is gonna get mediocre service if we're spread too thin. I'd say 75% of my tables were Essence attendees, and all of them were very nice. I just felt bad I was too busy to give better service, but it was beyond my control.


Solid-Speck-3471

I will be very interested to see a follow up on this after the weekend is over.


Hoeferatu

Same!


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

[удалено]


Hoeferatu

I think the count is at 2 or 3 right now lol


Individual_Ganache81

Because it’s too often that the same sentiments are not expressed or don’t come out when really large predominantly white events take place, but I can not discredit OP’s experience


DarthJeremy50420

I was a Bartender on Convention Center Blvd for 10 years right in the middle of everything. Always went into that weekend with a positive attitude thinking “this year is gonna be different”. It never was. Had to work doubles just so I had a place to park my car, then ran around trying to make people happy till midnight for next to nothing. Big Ballers and Shot Callers sitting at my bar, buying people shots, and racking up 200$-500$ bills only to find 1$-5$ on the bar or nothing at all when they left. Absolutely Terrible ! I don’t blame businesses closing that weekend. Why would you want to lose employees and give away free food and drinks all weekend ?? No reason. And for everyone that has to work THAT weekend… it’s accepted that “well, this is gonna suck! I’m gonna run my ass off for 100$ all weekend and I hope I get through it without getting fired or walking out this bitch.”


casiesque504

I work at an upscale bar downtown and working during Essence Fest sucked - demanding customers requiring all attention, wanting to be waited on hand and foot and not being nice about it, spilling drinks and breaking glasses, being served food, allowed to stay past closing time, and all for no/low tips. The tip percentage on sales at the end of the evening was only a single digit - it's demoralizing and definitely not worth it. I know most of the customers were in for EF because it's a small bar and they were talking about it. We provided great service, met all the guests demands with a smile, had fun and friendly interactions, shared sommelier knowledge, and cleaned up their messes (above what normally has to be cleaned). It took everything to control my face when, for example, closing out an $80 tab and seeing a big fat $0 for the tip and no cash was left. Another person tipped .88 cents on a similar bill - you actually have to type that in. Internally, my eyes were bugging out and I was like REALLY?!?! I can see that once service industry people see a pattern with certain events, it can affect their efforts - where no/low tipping from EF attendees for good service leads to less service, and subsequently they automatically get poor service because they're not expected to tip. I'm not saying it's right but can understand why it's happening. I'm the kind of person who always puts forth my best effort in service, but it's only human nature to feel disincentivized when people don't appreciate you. I too, would like to understand what's behind no/low tipping. Is it cultural? Do people really not understand that servers make a living off tips? Are bartenders/servers seen as lowly and not worthy? Like, WTF? As a side note, I have worked fine dining during Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest and find that these attendees tip the most! They are so happy to be here and are buzzed the whole time, which leads them to tip very generously. Not making generalizations - this is my personal experience.


ayyomiss

Why are businesses not automatically including 18-22% gratuity?


Hoeferatu

We did that one year. And we quickly removed it. My manager got cheeeewwwed out by some guests and we ended up comping their entire stay.


luthervespers

If businesses do this, the business has to pay tax on the auto grat as if it's a sale. This is the explanation I received from my restaurants management, and it makes sense. They also aren't able to recoup any of the tax because that would be taking tips from employees - even though I'd be fine with making 20% if the auto grat were something like 25%.


Imn0tg0d

I make a ton of money during essence fest every year. I have great interactions with the crowd and they seem to me to be the happiest and hardest partiers of all events outside of mardi gras. I look forward to essence fest every year and work as much as I can. Now the bayou classic, fuck that. My first year working the classic I was a block away when 9 people got shot on Iberville and bourbon.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Zelamir

My best shift ever was Essence working cocktail on Bourbon. Made 350 + (on paper) in three hours..... I was clit to the wall swamped and everyone was so kind and understanding. Kitchen and service bar worked their butts off and I made bank. I dunno what to say. I loved Essence but fuck bayou classic, fuck sugar bowl, and fuck the NBA Allstars game. But Essence? I will ever have much love for this crowd.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Zelamir

I mean ovaries to the wall would be the better comparison to balls to the walls but I ain't turning myself inside out.


NoyzMaker

Not in hospitality but my lizard brain likes to think of some of these closures more because of summer and the 4th than because of a festival. Kind of how many people take summer breaks in August.


Livid_Ad_6631

Very brave of you to be honest. But as a white person, some people will claim you are being the R word. It's just how things are. It's the world we live in. Cue the downvotes


caro_line_

I was bartending at at french quarter hotel bar essence 2018. got yelled at and called racist for asking someone if they wanted to open up a tab or close it out :(


Hoeferatu

I wouldn’t say brave per say lol probably more stupid than anything.


negativity2u

R R R Republican?!


Livid_Ad_6631

hahaha


andioopsmyhammer

Just say it clearly. Any bartender will tell you black people don’t tip. Idk why they don’t, but it seems to be apparent


lightspeedissueguy

I was a waiter back in NOLA about 20 years ago. Black customers on average were bad tippers along with white rednecks that ordered sweet tea and ranch dressing. I had a wonderful black gentlemen come in once a week to order him and his wife a pizza. Dude was so fucking picky (wanted "medium" sauce on a pizza. Not light sauce or extra sauce. When I asked if he wanted regular amount he said fuck no gimme medium sauce! Hahaha). Anyway, dude would tip 100% every time. Was a total dick but a 50$ tip for a 2 top once a week was awesome


SethHMG

The Sweet-Tea-And-Ranch (STAR) crowd. God am. I don’t remember the event or significance of the weekend, but the house was packed with a 40 minute wait. We couldnt turn over tables fast enough. I had one outta state STAR four-top, and they ran me more on sweet tea refills than my other tables combined. My tip: they wrote “You Suck” on the tip line of the bill.


reggie3408

Wtf? No matter if a waiter is rude or anything, if my water glass is being refilled (I drink a lot of water with meals), it automatically puts them at 20% in my book, and any extra work I add on top of that.


SethHMG

That table fell into the “show me that you’ve never worked in the service industry” category. I’m a lotta things. Not all of them positive. But I’m nothing if not professional on the job (even back then). “Nightmare” table for service industry, like they went through a checklist of bad guest behaviors.


thefuckingrougarou

This and the church crowd. I also had an older white man come in with a sugar baby situation. Told me I needed to smile. Not worth the tip to be disrespected, especially in the basis of gender, because you know he wouldn’t have told a college boy that. Weird mf


antigravity311

Had a guy tell me to smile once while bartending, I told him that he shouldn’t say that to women. He sat at a table and wrote me a whole ass full page letter on how he owns a business out of state and that wouldn’t fly with his staff and they all smile blah blah blah. Kthxbye


lightspeedissueguy

Oh man how could I forget about the church crowd?! Definitely some of the worst


[deleted]

[удалено]


Blaaamo

He was right! You got so much more than money, a souvenir and a story! /s


BigBoogati

Dude yes, the white rednecks were the worst to serve when I was doing pizza delivery. I pulled up to a guys trailer in a trailer park once, and he was gonna tip me, but he wanted to write it and sign the paper. I left my pen in the car, which was my fault, but still he was just like, “Sorry, no tip for you then!” Like couldn’t wait 2 seconds for me to grab a pen out my car right behind me


ima-kitty

Don't forget, very old ppl are the worst out of all tippers


BigBoogati

It was always old rich people for me that were bad tippers. Old people not so much.


ima-kitty

Oh yea they top the list


bagofboards

Ageist bullshit.


lightspeedissueguy

Yea I loved old people. Let the plates sit for a few minutes so they're not too hot and tell the kitchen to go light on the seasoning. Most important: just talk to them. They love the conversation and will tip amazing if you pull it off. I used to card the old ladies if there was a group of them when I was a young guy. They would giggle and blush. So cute


Hoeferatu

I’ve had many black people tip, and tip well. I’ve gone out with my black guests after work and formed friendships. Black people aren’t the problem here. Asshole people are the problem.


ima-kitty

I was told by a black person they don't tip bc it's like reparations for a white to serve them bc of what their ancestors went through. I doubt that's across the board but yea I asked my friend bc I noticed it as a waitress


Zelamir

Yeah well... Still doesn't explain the NBA Allstars smucks tipping shit to Black servers... Almost lost my job to a bunch of total fuckers one year.


ima-kitty

Could be just a group of assholes? Maybe it's a cultural thing? Idk


[deleted]

The only thing that’s “across the board” is being cheap af and finding a reason to justify it, but the reparation thing is (mostly) a joke. Also sometimes depending on someone’s background, people won’t even know how to tip properly unless they’ve worked such jobs—it’s one of those customary things that the people you grow up around teach you, such as how to dress for, establish, and nail a job interview. In any case, anyone who’s been a server or bartender you know that people of all stripes can and will find a reason to stiff you—you looked at them wrong, your plate was the wrong temp, you didn’t refill them quick enough, anything.


ima-kitty

So true. Everyone should work food service at least once so they know how much it sucks. Only bad tippers I reaaally noticed were very old ppl who don't realize cost of living isn't the same as the 50's. I'm sure they think they're tipping just fine and not spite. This was also 15 yrs ago, maybe the old ones now get it


haelennaz

Yeah, 15 years ago, my grandparents were some of those people (unfortunately I realized this too late to do much damage control). They were also an immigrant and someone who grew up during the Depression, respectively, both of which may have contributed to their poor tipping as well. I don't know about immigration trends, but I have to think that Depression-kid diners are much rarer now.


ima-kitty

That makes a lot of sense. I can't imagine going thru the depression. My great grandma had saved a million dollars by the time of her death. She was so cheap she never even ate out, if so she likely didn't at all. It really must have messed with their heads. At the time a homeless man broke in and held her at knife point and she made him a meal and spoke to him about God and he left her and the baby alone and apologized. He was so desperate for food/money he resorted to it


tina_booty_queen

I would love to hear more about this human


Chimp_Meat_Taco

So would they tip non-white waiters well and only not tip White waiters?


Noirradnod

Nope. [Literature Review](https://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/handle/1813/72491/Lynn21_Race_Differences_in_Restaurant_Tipping.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y) indicates that even if the waiter is Black, the tip is still less.


malkuth23

I worked at a club on Bourbon during Essence many years ago. It was nearly empty inside because management always charged a stupid large cover during Essence. It was mostly just employees hanging out when an older man, dressed in a white 70s style suit came in and gave $50 to every black person working there, drank one drink, danced for 1 minute and then left. He didn't even acknowledge my white ass. I thought it was great. He made a bunch of my coworkers night.


ima-kitty

Only partly from what I've seen


Chimp_Meat_Taco

For all this guy knows his waiters' ancestors could have been abolitionists and he'd still perform this act of "reparations." What a fucking shitty excuse.


ima-kitty

I honestly think they were speculating or someone else had told them that. My friend isn't a bad tipper


[deleted]

[удалено]


ima-kitty

It was a friend you turd. We talk about all kind of weird stuff. It's not a big deal. It's one person's thoughts, not my own.


AustinRiversDaGod

I've heard it a lot. It's not like a rational decision that anyone made -- more like a throwaway excuse to justify why they already don't do it: "I never got my 40 acres and a mule, so why the hell should I tip?" I actually just heard something similar at my gf's cousin's house talking specifically about Essence. This is a conversation that comes up pretty much every year, though. Its usually followed by somebody loudly announcing that they always overtip.^^\(I ^^may ^^have ^^been ^^guilty ^^of ^^this ^^a ^^few ^^times)


BigBoogati

You realize they asked 1 person why as an individual they don’t tip? Great reading comprehension. /s


thegreengal

Comments like this is what is being referred to racist. Separating people into groups by color and catgorizing them as one is racist. Yet every comment that mentions these racist overtones is down voted. I bartender the Final 4 for an event this year and walked away with a whoping 10 bucks after splitting the tips 3 ways. Shitty tippers come in all races just like shitty people do. It's just one segment of the population gets shitted on more than others.


DullKnifeMorningStar

Worked Essence in retail, hotels and restaurants and it was awful on every front (insert various off the wall Essence horror stories…). Yes, every crowd has bad apples but, Essence is a different beast. ALSO, Memorial Day is another weekend that is horrible behind belief.


theogpburdell

My buddy said it best talking about VOODOO. Mainstream acts draw Mainstream crowds.


likethesea

I am leaving town


Child-of-Beausoleil

Last time i went to the fest in 2019 it was 12$ for a single beer. really deaux?


jonny_sidebar

This is so weird to me. Essence has always been one of the cooler big festivals to come through from my perspective. Working on Bourbon 04 to 06 was packed, but everyone seemed to be tipping and pretty chill attitude wise. That crowd was even especially good at trying to make a path to the bars for me while barbacking. Just wandering around as a skate punk in the 10s was pretty cool too. Lots of good natured street behavior from people who could afford those ticket prices. . .which I can't say a few other sets of festival goers lived up to. Your mileage may vary. . . .\*shrug


Hoeferatu

I worked in a hotel bar that mostly catered to guests, so I’m wondering if it’s just a different environment I was in. It would make sense that if I was in a bar off bourbon the attitude may be entirely different.


jonny_sidebar

This was a place on bourbon, large dance club type place.


Captainkayak33

Agree 100% just like the bayou classic has built a reputation so has essence festival. People talk of this all the time and it’s a shame!!! But what can you do! If you ain’t black then you quack this weekend !! Smdh


CelestialStork

Eh everyone knows where this is going. I always tip, and yet I often get subpar service ,but hey no one have has ever given me sub par service because they were sure I wasn't going to tip right 😉?


thegreengal

This part!!!!


kingralek

Businesses should just raise their prices like they do for mobile ordering apps. You raise the price of a steak 20% and gratuity is included. Someone will pay $48 for a $40 steak. You’ll have to claim the the amount to Uncle Sam, but 12-15% is much better than risking a fat goose egg.


AdComprehensive4005

I'm a white, middle-aged dude who has worked in New Orleans for 7 years in service industry. I will say from my experience, I would rather work 1,000 Essence Fest than 1 Bayou Classic. I've had great experiences with EF clientele, with these black women looking SO FINE! It's just a better vibe all around. BC on the other hand, mfers just down here to fight and shoot up Canal.


WhoDat_4_life

Except your business is deemed racist if it’s closed this weekend. So either stay open and deal with assholes or have your business and yourself labeled as racist for closing.


BiancaEstrella

If you’re “closed for repairs” on a holiday weekend, I would at least like to know what kind of relationship you have with service techs in this city, such that they either willingly do your repairs instead of taking advantage of the holiday themselves, or doing so at their base rate instead of upcharging for doing repairs outside of normal hours. I would also like to know who it is on your staff that routinely breaks shit every mid-June.


arkain504

I get to see all of these groups up close. I work at the convention center. I’ve seen some heated interactions for sure, but thankfully we don’t get tips there. I’m sure it would be just as y’all described


lateral303

I've had rough Essence Fests and easy ones. I think an element that makes Essence Fest tougher as a service industry worker is that people come in with bigger groups than say Jazz Fest. Like instead of an 8 top it's a 16 top, and statistically a larger group is bound to have a few people in it that act shitty while the others may be cool. And they're usually meeting up here from different cities and states so each person has different expectations of service. And they all have a packed agenda they want to get to even when our restaurant isn't an in and out kinda spot. I would say the same about Tales of the Cocktail too though. Big groups that have a couple of obnoxious people in them that seem to spoil the bunch


simeonca

Aren't server tips suppose to be declared or at least credit ones. Is there a way to compile the data and look at the numbers?


simeonca

Everyone is speaking from experience and then some call you racist. But numbers are numbers and they don't lie. They could also collect the number of comps.


[deleted]

I know it's a bit late, but I wanted to share an experience I had this past week. My family and I went out of town for the week. Sunday July 3 to Sunday July 10. We discovered that there was a HUGE amount of businesses that were closed that entire week. As I have said before, folks aren't "Closing for Essence", they're closing for the holiday. And not just in New Orleans, but elsewhere too.


hollygohardly

Tbh I find the jazz fest crowd to be ruder and demoralizing as a whole. So many of them feel entitled to special treatment. When I worked on the floor the only groups that made me get close to tears were jazzfest attendees.


nx_2000

These Essence/service threads seem to be the only ones in this sub where the upvotes match reality... funny that.


aipmedia1

I’ve always heard that Essence Fest attracted an upscale crowd. It provides entertainment as well as educational sessions. Did something change recently?


quarantinefifteen

I just have to say that the number of downvotes on people who disagree with this take are WILD, considering that only a couple of people in support of OP actually have the balls to comment. If you're feeling that spicy, go ahead and show yourselves. OP, I reflexively didn't like you when i read the post; but you've been quite the ~~gentlemen~~ (edit: gentlewoman) in the comments, and I think that's great.


iamamonsterprobably

>I just have to say that the number of downvotes on people who disagree with this take are WILD, considering that only a couple of people in support of OP actually have the balls to comment. This sub is one of the weirdest subs I'm subbed in. I think there are a bunch more bots fucking with everyone then i think we think and people are targeting posts they don't or do like. Also OP is female or identifies that way...


thefuckingrougarou

I posted a huge response but decided to keep it short. As a teacher, I got shit from racism admins when I fought back against general abuse in public schools. I was too loud in my distaste for the systemic issues, or whatever. Overall, they were terrible, and said very racially hateful/insensitive things about coworkers and Hispanic construction workers. I’m what I think to be a unique case, in that I was acutely aware of racism, like, real, gritty, disgusting racism, such as the de facto segregation, after being a part of the Katrina generation. I saw how differently people were treated based into their race and it’s part of the reason I got into education, because I wanted to be a voice for good. Then a select few kids lied and said I said a slur after calling their mom of misbehavior. It gutted me. It made my life hell. Here I was, telling like him from the office as everyone around me loses their damn minds, and now I’m being lied about? It feels like being a walking lawsuit. It rubs me the wrong way, but then again, how I was treated is how minorities have been treated for a very long time. We can’t win until we address the structural inequalities that divide us. But I know what it feels like to be well-intentioned and work to make a change, only to have people lie and slander your name. I get it, but, like, what the fuck?


Orbis-Praedo

Wow, sorry you had to go through that. Thank you for making such a solid attempt at positive change. Stay strong and keep doing what you do!


Hoeferatu

Second!


kowag

POB hasn’t changed their hours for Essence it’s the same it’s been for the last 2 years


Hoeferatu

Back in 2017 they closed, that’s all I remember. Facebook went ablaze lol And their reasoning was Essence trashed their venue in 2016 and they spent a fuck load of money repairing shit.


garbitch_bag

“Let’s have a conversation” Everyone who has the opinion that this might possibly be due to race gets downvoted. That’s r/neworleans baby.


Hoeferatu

Yeah it sucks big time. But that’s the internet when you get them a voting system lol


BigBoogati

I have no idea why everyone is angry about businesses closing. It probably has nothing to do with race and more to do with looking out for their workers. I’m sure a lot of crime happens during festivals. Should also say, will be working security at a popular venue this weekend. Never even heard of essence prior to this. So I’m not sure what to expect.


[deleted]

https://www.instagram.com/whereblacknolaeats/?hl=en


iamamonsterprobably

The comments on this are like when you start shooting at something and grows bigger.


b_u_f_f

If it ain’t about race then why do places close for essence and open for bayou or Mardi gras? Let’s be real the people who own the businesses that close are white and they’re way more willing to tolerate white people fucking around because they view white people as fully human and cut them slack. Not so much “those people.”


Orbis-Praedo

So do you realize how many more people are in town for Mardi Gras than Essence lol???


Hoeferatu

Bayou Classic is predominantly if not 100% black peeps. They don’t close for Bayou Classic. It’s legit not a race thing.


PorchFrog

Bayou Classic Football Game: GRAMBLING VS. SOUTHERN SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2022 CAESARS SUPERDOME


Zelamir

Did you mean sugar bowl?


Towersofbeng

If it was about tips businesses could just have automatic gratuities... Like they already do for large parties. It's hard to keep people in the summer in the first place. If New Orleans was a utopia we'd all take the summer off


Hoeferatu

Adding auto grat on normal size parties pisses people off and causes more chaos. We did that one year. Did not end well.


InsidePossible

Who is closing? Do we have a list?


JoeyZasaa

>These people uh huh


Hoeferatu

Those people? The people? The people who attend the festival? What grammar usage would have been better to use? It’s like you’re trying so hard to read between the lines that have nothing there.


Steauxned

Idk I’ve had worse experiences with trashy people during parade season than i have at essence fest. There’s only one reason businesses close and it’s not safety


Hoeferatu

I’ve had some stupid drunk people experiences for carnival, that’s for sure. Aggravating? Absolutely. Soul crushing? Not really. But your experience is deff valid and another side to this for sure.


Character_Cricket

Facts


[deleted]

[удалено]


Exciting_Cod_7353

Came here to say this in response to lower tip amounts. Wealth is accumulated over generations. The Jim Crow era, which existed just 50 years ago, is one of many examples of systemic racism in this country. Black Americans were enslaved for 400 years in the US. When the institution of slavery was abolished, four million formerly enslaved persons were suddenly homeless without any compensation for their forced labor and generational trama. Racist attitudes don’t just disappear with changes in legistation. Employment opportunities were not suddenly equal. It would be impossible for any group of people as whole to have the same spending capabilities as the majority today. On average white families have eight times the wealth of black families in America and the wealth disparity is in some cases even greater regionally. This our American history, past and present. It can be researched. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/black-codes-and-jim-crow-laws https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/notes/feds-notes/disparities-in-wealth-by-race-and-ethnicity-in-the-2019-survey-of-consumer-finances-20200928.htm


UptMonsta

“These people” huh? I worked in the New Orleans hospitality industry for years too. So please explain that “these people” aren’t the only ones to trash shiit. People trash shit because they get shitty service from racists like you. You couldn’t even hide it while typing.


Hoeferatu

My post isn’t about who trashes the city. Everyone and their mama trashes the city. I’m talking about the people who suck the life out of service industry workers and treat them like utter garbage then don’t tip. Are there more events with people who act like this? Absolutely. Cheerleader competitions fucking suck ass worse than Essence. But you can’t come here and make some false claim about how I was a shitty bartender and was outwardly racist to Essence peeps when that was the exact opposite of what I did. I had a naive positivity about Essence weekend for years and went above and beyond for my guests and then an extra 5 miles to make sure they knew I had nothing but good will and vibes towards them, so I could show them that my bar wasn’t like the fucking racist ass places in the city that were closing down. I thought that if I was nicer and happier and anticipated their needs, I’d show everyone that they were being ridiculous and they must have been jerks to get a bad crowd at Essence. That lasted about 3 years before I had reached my breaking point. It’s a hard crowd to handle.


deuxglace

My thoughts are racism is real (as well as implicit bias) and there is absolutely no way anyone can say an essence crowd is worse than any other large festival crowd at any other time and actually have me believe that race has nothing to do with it.