Went to a restaurant in LA today and when I got the check I noticed that it was a bit higher than it should be. Then I noticed this 18% service charge. So… We, as customers, need to help pay for their servers instead of the owners paying their servers a living wage. And on top of that they have suggested tip. I called bs on this. I will bet you that the servers do not see a dime of this 18% service charge. [deleted a word so it wasn’t a grammatical horror to read]
If they have started charging this service fee customers will be less inclined to tip on top. So if the money from the service fee is not entirely being used to increase staff wages, then the restaurant management is effectively stealing their tips. That is wage theft in spirit if not legal definition.
This conclusions requires two separate assumptions from you that are not evidence-based
The sun’s core being filled with a quark plasma soup instead of, for example cotton candy, is also an assumption that is not evidence-based.
It’s almost like we as humans can use logic and reason to determine things to be extremely significantly probable without having proof in our hands.
Our understanding of the sun’s composition is absolutely evidence-based.
https://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/www_solar/PUS/PO/howstudy.html#:~:text=The interior of the Sun,this part of the Sun.
You’re making the assumption that 1: this money is embezzled by the owner
2: people are less likely to tip
You’re also making a third: that servers receiving less pay won’t go elsewhere
Whereas we extrapolate from data to understand the Sun (moving from evidence to conclusion) you are starting with your expected result and then manufacturing caused (embezzlement, lack of tips)
This is the opposite of using “logic and reason”
It’s not that we’re assuming the money is being embezzled by the owner, it’s that we don’t exactly trust that this 18%–which instead of going directly to the server is going to the establishment–will be used to solely fund wage top-ups.
It’s a very safe assumption that anybody who sees an 18% gratuity automatically added to the bill will not tip any further. Some will, but most will be done tipping at that point.
I believe you made the argument stating that this is going to reduce server’s wages and if these fees aren’t going to employees and its not the business owner keeping them, then where could that money possibly be going?
No I said people wanting to move servers to a set hourly wage would reduce their wages.
But where’s the logic and reason in this opinion? The other guy is “making assumptions” by saying this will improve conditions when they don’t have to beg for tips, and here you’re saying their wages will go down without any facts or evidence immediately after your snarky analogy about the sun’s position. Ridiculous.
That’s not the point I was making though. If the servers are tipped less due to this policy (the other person’s claim) and make less money, they’re likely to quit because serving has extremely high turnover anyway
However -
Servers regularly are tipped above “target percentages.” This is a fact - especially once you consider places with low cost-per-plate (diners etc). If you pay them 15% of total sales or whatever you’re essentially capping tips at 15%, lowering their wages.