Tipping, automatic gratuity for large parties

[Aloysius]

[ QUOTE ]
Tipping is silly. I tip, and so do most people that I know, however it has gotten out of hand. In the old days, servers got less than minimum wage if anything at all from the restaurant. They were working for the tips. Now, in Oregon at least, servers get minimum wage from the restaurant. Once you start tacking on 15-20% of every bill, these guys are making good money provided they work at a moderately priced place. Sometimes I get into a discussion about it with someone at my table. They are always pleading the case for the servers. "They get paid crap. They work is really stressful and dealing with idiots all the time sucks." Well what about our friends at McDonalds or Carl's Jr? That job is way worse. At Carl's some guy brings me my tray when the food is ready. Even better, when I have finished my soda, I can go get my own refill instead of waiting around for an overworked waiter to refill it for me. Nobody tips them. They are essentially doing the same job. Don't tell me about quality of service either. Sure I have had better service at a slow restaurant. But its not substantially better. My order gets messed up approximately the same amount of time at each place. The servers in a slow restaurant are slightly more friendly, but I have had bad ones there too. The servers that get hired at the highend steak houses or italian places or really nice "take a date" there places have great servers who know about wine, and different cuts of meat and other things about the menu. These guys are making a career out of the service industry and probably deserve a little extra, but the waiters down at Applebees or Chilis or other places like that are little better than the staff at a fast food joint. Tips should not be required.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you just stiff the waitstaff at Applebees / Chilis etc?

Curious,
-Al