Oscar Tie-In: Steve Martin’s Tipping Philosophy

Well, did ya enjoy the Oscar’s last night?  Personally, here at GraTRUEities, we were well-entertained for pretty much the entire show (sans that goofy dance routine in the middle; what was that?). It’s always fun to see all of Hollywood out and about in their finest, paying each other all kinds of compliments.

But, what we really enjoyed were co-hosts Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. Who, unfortunately, were just not given enough screen time.

It reminded us that Steve Martin in “My Blue Heaven” had one of the best ever lines about tipping when he said: “It’s not so much tipping that I believe in…but over tipping.”

And, with that, we eagerly await another year of movies capped off by an even better 2011 Awards show.

*One additional note: Though we were unable to find any specifics regarding either hosts real-life tipping habits, we suspect both are generous….and we did learn that Alec Baldwin once waited tables at Studio 54.

Splash…into the “tip pool” we go!

Just last week, the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of restaurants. The court found that restaurants have the right to create a “tip pool” requiring servers to share a percentage of their tips with kitchen staff  as long - and this is the important caveat - as the restaurant pays their servers at least minimum wage.

A Portland, Oregon waitress claimed that the pooling arrangement violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. Misty Cumbie  argued that because the tip pool at the Vita Cafe (sounds like a place to try soon based on Yelp reviews!) included employees who are not “customarily and regularly tipped employees,” it was invalid under the labor act.  The court did not agree.

This can all get a bit complex – but, to simplify, the restaurant owners wanted their servers to share with the “back of the house” and at least one server, Misty, was not happy with this arrangement.  However, because Misty and her fellow servers were paid at least the Oregon minimum wage (which was BTW $2.10 above Federal minimum wage!), the restaurant owners were not eligible for a tax “tip credit.” Hence, the servers were deemed to be compensated fairly  - the opinion of the court was that “Cumbie received a wage that was far greater than the federally prescribed minimum, plus a substantial portion of her tips.”

Tip pooling seems to be a hot litigation trend of late. This past year, Chili’s Grill & Bar servers won a large settlement against the chain’s parent company, which intends to appeal. Dealers at The Wynn Las Vegas are currently suing their employer for 35 million in back pay and penalties, also claiming that the resort’s tip pool violates state labor laws (we shall see how/if the Oregon case impacts this decision). The ruling for the Wynn case has now been delayed until May. If the Wynn employees are victorious, expect a flood rather than a splash! In fact, they may soon be hiring -if interested, you may want to check this out.

Whether or not legal action enters into the picture, there seem to be strong feelings – both pro and con – on tip pooling. We, at GraTRUEities, see both sides of the argument. It’s complicated because the server is ultimately the one with whom we interact (i.e. puts up with the customer), but we also appreciate clean plates, glasses, silver and a full water glass – and of course a delicious meal! We, therefore, feel that the people who make all that happen should be duly rewarded as well. Of course, in an ideal world restaurant owners could/would pay all of their employees enough that they did not depend on tips for wages, but with so many restaurants struggling to stay open, it seems that labor costs are a problem. And all this brings us right back to tipping! We, the customer/patron fills the void. More to follow on this topic…

Olympic Size Tips in Vancouver

 

For those visiting Vancouver for the Winter Olympics, restaurant tipping may be considered a hazardous sport.

According to this recent article from the Vancouver Sun, some local restaurant owners have decided to take advantage of their once-in-a-lifetime bounty of tourists and tack on a mandatory 20% gratuity to each bill.

We’ve debated before here at GraTRUEities whether a mandatory gratuity can even be called a “tip”, because technically the diner is no longer tipping as a response to  good (or bad) service.  A mandatory gratuity is added into the bill irrespective of service rendered.

Additionally, of course, is the real potential for double tipping. Many diners don’t take the time to read the fine print and therefore aren’t aware that they have been charged a mandatory tip. They go ahead and leave a tip on top of the tip.

 As explained in this tipping guide on the Vancouver Tourism site,  Canadians follow the North American convention of adding a standard 10-20% tip for services rendered. But there are many international visitors to the Winter Olympics traveling from countries where tipping is not part of the cultural norm.

What ever the case, these temporary tip levies in Vancouver translate into pure “gold” for the cities restaurants and servers.

Valentine’s Day – R U Ready?

Are you one of the ones running around looking frantically for the perfect Valentine’s card and gift? That was me about two hours ago.  First I stopped in my local Papyrus store thinking they would have a great choice of really beautiful (i.e., expensive) cards to select from. And, specifically, I wanted a  music card. You know the ones that play a catchy tune upon opening.

Well, big surprise. Nearly all the cards were gone. The pickings were extremely slim. And, no music cards whatsoever. Note to self: Papyrus does not carry music cards. I finally found a card that was not anywhere near perfect but would, at least, do.

I wasn’t the only one waiting until the very last-minute and the register line was about 10 deep. There were two people “working”; one on the phone and one actually helping customers. Turn’s out one of the registers was not working, on probably one of the busiest days of the year for a card shop.

I ended up leaving without buying the card and heading off to Safeway.  There I finally found a way tackier card, at a way less price and the cash registers actually worked

GraTRUEities in SF – Nob Hill Cafe

After an amazing late afternoon bike ride, a friend and I had dinner at Nob Hill Cafe in San Francisco. This is a classic neighborhood Italian place; small, cozy, crowded, great food and wine at a reasonable price. The portions are large so we shared a classic Cesar Salad and the Pizza special–buffalo mozzarella, tomato and basil. Thin crust and delicious. We opted for a Napa Valley Pinot instead of an Italian wine.

My friend, and all the other neighborhood regulars, know the wait staff on a first name basis. All of the staff, front of the house, bussers and table servers were absolutely delightful, even on a very crowded evening. 

We left a GraTRUEities card to complement our monetary gratuity: “A sense of timing is a mark of genius.”

In addition to great service and good, homestyle Italian cuisine, maybe  it was the invigorating bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Marin that made this dinner so memorable!

So Many Secrets!

Who knew? So so many secrets…and so many waiters who don’t care to share?

This just in:  Meaghan Cameron’s 7 Secrets Waiters Won’t Tell You When Dining Out on Valentine’s Day. This piece continues the theme that began with 30 Secrets Your Waiter Will Never Tell You and 20 Secrets Your Waiter Won’t Tell You - “will never” vs. “won’t” - both from Michelle Crouch for Readers’s Digest.com.

The seven most recent *revelations* read more like benign suggestions for Valentine’s Day diners – well…any diners, really – while the  previous lists included many “truths not-to-be-revealed” that we candidly wish had not been.

The “7 Secrets” for hopeful romantics include things like “Make reservations early” (not exactly a state secret), “Don’t drink too much” (generally speaking, a wise idea), followed by “Order a bottle of wine if you are both going to have more than one glass” (a value-based hint). Clearly, the list is for the most part common sense, especially for anyone who dines out regularly. However, if a person is considering proposing at Valentine’s Day dinner they may want to check it out! Apparently, not a good idea…and very “cliche.”

You Can Dress it Up…

and take it out…and then what? That’s just one question that crossed our minds when (in our so far fruitless search for dining and/or tipping links to the upcoming New York Fashion Week) we came across the new branding endeavor known as McFancy.

And, what is McFancy? If the name doesn’t give it away, perhaps the pictures do! Yes, it is a ultra-chic repackaging of the familiar fare we all know – and many love – but typically associate with the Golden Arches. Being introduced in temporary venues at Fashion Weeks worldwide, McFancy offers the standard McDonald’s menu in a high-fashion setting and delivers it in an all new way: Burberry burgers, Chanel or Hermes fries and Paul Smith Sundaes will be served formally in private dining areas by tuxedoed waiters, whose gratuities will hopefully reflect the upscale twist!

Will the glamorati in attendance at these fashion events respond and devour the quarter pounders presented in their stylish new plaid-trimmed containers? Will mineral water and salads-sans-dressing be forsaken for french fries and ice cream? It’s difficult – but rather fun – to imagine!

McFancy is created by The Cool Hunter, a popular lifestyle and design website, and its recently launched marketing group, Access Agency – “a dedicated entity that will continue our work of creating highly original, transformational, yet eminently practical and results-oriented strategies for companies to stage the kinds of offline brand experiences that will increase the economic value of their offering.”

In simpler terms, they’re elevating fast food dining to new heights. As of now, this is a novelty for the fashion world. Could it catch on? And, if so, what’s next? *See update below

*Update: In answer to our own question above - Burger King to sell beer at it’s all new Whopper Bar! Here at GraTRUEities, we now note that we can use our Bar cards for fast food…perhaps “Great Service on Tap” – or, even more appropriately, “Service fit for a King!”

 

Taking Service to the Next Level

And then some! A recent Forbes.com article recounts the World’s Most Outrageous Guest Requests at luxury hotels around the globe. Apparently, as the article states, “no task for the concierge is impossible.”

However, these requests are so far beyond the ordinary, it boggles the mind.

One example from this story:  ”Raphael Pallais, the concierge at the newly re-opened Plaza Hotel in New York City, went on a crazy quest for live tarantulas for a guest obsessed with bringing some home to roast–then eat.”  ”The ever resourceful Pallais contacted The New York-based Explorers Club, known for hosting controversial “exotic” dinners.”  He elaborates, ”One of the attributes of the concierge is that we must remain unflappable at all times,” says Pallais who, like most concierges interviewed for this story, belongs to Les Clefs d’Or, the prestigious international association of concierges. “To us, no request is deemed outrageous. We prefer the term ‘unique.’”

At least two things came to mind while reading these tales!

First, one can’t help but wonder what kinds of gratuity a concierge might receive for procuring 21 deer to be shipped home for birthday party (you guessed it, a 21st birthday!) or covering a sandy beach with carpet for a guest who desired a private film screening on the beach but did not care for sand? Pallais explains that in some cases he sees himself as a “dream weaver,” helping people fulfill fantasies they could not otherwise realize, while  some of the requests are simply “wealth whims.” We can only assume (and hope) that, in cases such as these, people are “sharing the wealth!

Secondly, these stories certainly put asking for a substitution in a meal or a water refill into perspective!

GraTRUEities Demo: The Standing Tip

Using your tip to create a stand. Demonstrated at Cafe Bernardo, Davis, CA.  Excellent New Year’s Day late breakfast, and friendly, fun service. A must stop if you are in the area.

Has The Spirit Moved You?

Have you completed your holiday tipping yet – or at least strategized as to how you plan to recognize those who have made your life a little bit better or easier this past year?  If not, time is running out!

On another note, have you felt the urge to spread a little extra joy by beefing up your regular tips?  Or…are you feeling pinched by all the extra holiday expenses?  Do servers find that their tip percentages are greater or reduced during the holidays?

Personally, I feel moved to be  more generous at this time of year  - caught up in the spirit of the season – and “pay the price” in January!