Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I had dinner tonight at a locally owned restaurant and the owner waited on me in the bar. Are you supposed to tip the owner?

I would have. Is it correct? Don't really know.

What did you do?

Todd,

He waited on you, you tip him.

Agreed. I find the whole "don't tip the owner of a business" a little antiquated. They are performing a service like everyone else.

Amy

I always tip whoever serves me, owner or employee. You also have no idea if they "tip share" and pool the tips and re-distribute. Some restaurants I managed did that ,and as the manager, I never took a share, but contributed whatever tips came my way when I was behind the bar.
ilene

I did tip her 20% even though a few things were wrong with my meal. I ordered a Caesar Salad and I got a salad with Italian dressing. I ordered a Rare steak and it came out Medium and my vegetables were cold. Normally I would comment about these items, but it was almost 9:00 by the time I had time to eat dinner last night. I was anxious to get home because I spent the whole day at a dart tournament.

I tip generally because wait staff are underpaid ( with the expectation they will get tipped ). The owner does not qualify, so I generally don't tip them, unless I know that they distribute their tips, which is the case in a couple of places I've been.

Paul,

If you think that restaurant owners aren't underpaid, you don't know very many of them.

The owner has the opportunity to make much more, much like taking lower pay for options. Sure most of them fail, but they gambled and lost. Their compensation does not assume tips. The wait staff do not have that opportunity (in that job, obviously they could go otherwise).

It isn't equivalent at all.

Why is there that tipping thing anyway? There is no other profession I know of where you can hire people for under minimum wage and then require the customer to pay the rest... well not actually require, but you really do have to, but how much really and is it tied to service because if you refuse to tip for this you are also denying them a living wage. I like the European system much better, service personal are paid a proper wage and any tips are given based upon performance. You also know just what you are paying.

That said, in the States I would tip the owner. Most places I know do tip sharing and I would feel uncomfortable in general not doing it.

Mary