Not just can, but generally are...a good part of the entire restaurant business is predicated on waitstaff being paid horrifically low wages (considerably lower than minimum wage; I think minimum wage here is a little under $6/hr, and minimum for waitstaff is a little under $3/hr) and being expected to make it up in tips.
I do agree that they don't have the right to give you crap food; however, realistically, it happens, and I'd like to avoid it if possible. (By the same token, retail staff don't have the right to give you horrible service if they don't like you, but it also happens.)
And I think the fast-food/coffee divide is a lot clearer here? I mean, you may have fast-food places with good coffee (Dunkin' Donuts' is supposed to have amazing coffee, for example), but no one would ever call them "coffeeshops," per se, and you wouldn't be expected to tip. Similarly, while coffeeshops may serve food, even something resembling fast food (like sandwiches and stuff), no one would ever class them with, say, McDonald's. And it's strictly in Starbucks and their more independent ilk that tipping is expected.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-07-05 11:25 pm (UTC)I do agree that they don't have the right to give you crap food; however, realistically, it happens, and I'd like to avoid it if possible. (By the same token, retail staff don't have the right to give you horrible service if they don't like you, but it also happens.)
And I think the fast-food/coffee divide is a lot clearer here? I mean, you may have fast-food places with good coffee (Dunkin' Donuts' is supposed to have amazing coffee, for example), but no one would ever call them "coffeeshops," per se, and you wouldn't be expected to tip. Similarly, while coffeeshops may serve food, even something resembling fast food (like sandwiches and stuff), no one would ever class them with, say, McDonald's. And it's strictly in Starbucks and their more independent ilk that tipping is expected.