i agree with you.

It's funny the only people that don't agree are those whom have never been a server. Serving is much harder and stressful than it seems !

What?....On what planet is being a server a highly coveted position that one must fight their way up the ranks to achieve? On planet earth you fill out a damn application and check the server box to indicate what type of job you're applying for. And what do you mean people think its your job to "snap to it" when they ask for something? You're a damn 'server' it is in fact your job to "snap to it". I'm not saying run or anything like that, but if you want to be a good server you sure as hell better do things in a quick and timely manner. Maybe you should look into a different line of work since you apparently can't keep your composure while working a service job and seem to not know what your job description is. For most people, the size of your tip relies heavily on how well you serve them. You're not given a tip just because you want one, you have to earn it.

#141- What comment 139 was saying is that within a restaurant, being a server is what you want. Kitchen staff are either immigrants or culinary trained professionals (depending on the restaurant), and bussers / expo people don't make as much money. Servers make the most money on the average day while being out of the kitchen and usually offers flexible hours. As for tipping, you should consider 18% the average tip, 20%+ for good servers, and 10% for bad ones. Sure, their job is to serve you, but remember that with this bad economy, a lot of restaurants are cutting down on their staff, putting more strain on the servers. If you want to see what it's like, I suggest getting a job in a restaurant. Otherwise, just shut up.

igloo you can't be that dumb. You do realize in American restaurants you actually have the option to pick what you want to be right? If they don't want you for that particular job then you don't get hired. Servers are 'not' coveted positions. Why in the hell would a 'trained' culinary professional want to be a server? He/she trained specifically for the sole purpose of working in a kitchen. Stop trying to sound smart and talking out your ass. Chefs are definitely amongst the higher payed employees in a restaurant. Especially if you're the Head Chef. The Executive Chef is the only one close to a server's salary. It's nice to know that you tip people for doing their job poorly. What kind of backward ass logic is that? I'm sorry, but I don't reward incompetence. Yea, its a bad economy, what of it? Everybody (barring the rich and wealthy) is struggling just as much as the next man/woman. Servers get no special treatment. How about the lazy ones get some damn work ethic and 'earn' their tip. If it was mandatory to provide a tip then they'd have no incentive to actually give good service. Like I said, I will not reward incompetence.

"Yea, it's a bad economy, what of it?" is an thoroughly ignorant statement if you want to debate whether or not being a server is a 'coveted' position or not. There are graduates from the top schools in the country and business people who worked in high position jobs at some of the biggest companies that are right now looking for any job they can get, so you better bet that even a server job would be a relief for them! Sure, people have the option to choose what they want to do normally, but some people are smarter than to be picky in a time like this, when they've got hundreds lined up behind them to take the job without question.

Proudtobeme what the hell are you talking about? Are you comprehending what I'm saying or just making your own interpretation of it? It's not an ignorant statement at all. It's one that laymen's terms says "no shit sherlock, stop making excuses and trying to gain sympathy from people that are in the same boat as you are". This is why you should read the full statement instead of select parts of it. People that high up in their companies either A) didn't get fired B) have so much money saved up that unemployment doesn't phase them or C) have so many connections that they can get another blue-collar job without much effort. Are you really that naive to believe that someone of that caliber would be so desperate for work that they'd take a serving job, one of the lowest paying jobs in the country? That wouldn't even pay 1/4 of their house note. You must be one of those delusional people that doesn't understand how the world really works. People with actual job skills qualify for much higher paying jobs than a server.....i.e. they have what we call "options". Please don't say stupid things, it pains me.

As for serving tables being a coveted position, I merely meant that the position is coveted within a restaurant. It's usually hard to get hired as a server right away if you don't have any experience waiting tables. If you're not trying to be a cook or chef, serving or bartending are the best ways to make money in a restaurant and usually you must work your way up to being in that position. Usually people serving tables are people trying to bring in extra income to support their families and/or pay their way through school so they can move up in the business world and not deal with waiting tables. Also, I am completely aware that a tip is entirely voluntary for a guest to leave and it is earned by getting things to you correctly and in a timely manner. That's why we work hard to try to insure a tip from our tables and we do try to hurry to get things to you, but just as you said, we shouldn't have to RUN to make someone consider their experience good enough to tip. I wasn't trying to offend anyone, just inform. Serving is not rocket science by any means, but there can be stress just like in any other service job and when you're dealing with angry people it can be pretty brutal. All I was attempting to do with my comment was give some information about servers "behind the scenes" - I think that if more people understood the work we put into making your dining experience a success along with several other tables simultaneously, tipping would be an easier thing for a lot of people to understand and feel good about doing.

Oh ok thats fine, I thought you were one of those people that felt like they should automatically receive tips just because. If you felt I came at you too strong about that issue I do apologize. It just agitates me when servers think they should be tipped despite their attitude towards their job. Don't get me wrong, I give credit were credit is due and I don't expect spectacular service every time either. I just look for good decent service. Hell I actually look for reasons to give a higher tip than usual, but some servers are just horrible. Those are the ones I give a severely decreased or no tip to. I give passes on busy nights, I can understand those nights are hard. Its good that we can see eye to eye on that. Its nice to know that you realize that being a server should be a supplemental form of income. If you're not by yourself, making it your one and only form of income would be a tad foolish. Oh and my other two posts were directed solely at the two other people. I didn't lump your possible view points in with theirs. You said what you had to say initially and that would've been ignorant of me to assume you shared their views without you actually saying you did. The whole coveted thing.......yea that may not have been the best choice of words. Thanks for further elaborating on that :)