Global Breaking News - Monday, December 23, 2024

To Tip or Not to Tip
“Following the custom in Japan, Sushi Yasuda’s service staff are fully compensated by their salary. Therefore gratuities are not accepted. Thank you,” says a bill at the Midtown Manhattan Japanese restaurant, which decided to do away with tipping this month. Instead of leaving a gratuity at the end of the meal, Sushi Yasuda customers are now expected to pay a higher all-around bill, which includes a service fee. Should other restaurants and bars follow suit?
* compensate = 보상하다/ gratuity = 팁/ do away with ~ = ~을 폐지하다, 버리다, 처분하다/ all-around = 전반에 걸친/ follow suit = ~를 따라 하다

 식당 손님들은 서비스 요금이 포함된 계산서를 지불하게 되는데, 다른 식당, 술집도 따라 해야 하나요?

1. Tips Supplement Paltry Paychecks
The cash I earned tending bar, which involved 10-hour shifts on my feet and drunks vomiting on me, bought groceries, health care and peace of mind.

2. Tipping Is Not Capitalism
Managers should decide who gets paid more, not customers. This way servers won't have to resort to upselling or obsequious behavior.

3. It’s as American as Apple Pie
Abolishing tipping disrupts an extremely reliable control mechanism that helps minimize the risk of an unsavory dining experience.

4. Raise Base Wages
The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013 would guarantee an hourly minimum of $10.10 for non-tipped workers and $7 for tipped workers.

5. Cash Incentives Motivate Workers
The practice is the best way to ensure optimal service and is perfectly suited to the pace and culture of the restaurant industry.

6. It’s Not Necessary in a Co-op Environment
By eschewing tips and paying workers a living wage with benefits, our co-op pub and brewery supports the people who keep it running.


Sample Essay

Cash Incentives Motivate Workers

In an industry of people-pleasing hourly workers, the act of tipping in restaurants must endure for the sake of both server and customer. Tipping is a way to motivate employees and distinguish good service, and it gives guests a sense of control over their experiences.

As someone who has worked numerous jobs in the service industry -- starting out as a grocery cashier in high school and later working as a bartender, server and now chef -- I have held positions that rely on tips as the primary source of income as well as salaried jobs. One thing is clear to me: tipping motivates people who work long, busy hours catering to the needs of others. It's the best way to ensure optimal service, and the practice is perfectly suited to the pace and culture of the restaurant industry.

Tipping gives servers immediate feedback, which many believe to be an essential aspect of employee retention and happiness. It's like a regular performance review -- with a monetary component -- that does not require an office or a formal meeting with a boss. Additionally, this fast cash element helps those of us not yet set in our careers to fill holes in our wallets left open while pursuing other entrepreneurial, academic or artistic ambitions. If this opportunity for fast cash disappears, the supply and variety of restaurant workers might well diminish as workers move toward more predictable jobs with better hours and fixed salaries.

While I am a strong supporter of tipping, I welcome a discussion that considers providing certain benefits like health insurance to servers in lieu of tips. The change at Sushi Yasuda will serve as a case study to determine the long-term financial feasibility of providing health benefits and the impact on customer service. As long as the jury is out, please: tip like you mean it.