How to Prevent being an SC

[Emrld]

I appreciate the feedback.

To fill you in on what my friends did . . .they had her bring the manager over. None of us were going to call her out on her treatment of me. . .but when she commented about my small tip - that was too much for them. The manager was upset at my treatment and asked why I said nothing myself . . .they told him I was too classy to play her little game of who can be a bigger B#$%h. Apparently the waitress thought they would tip her more to make up for my small tip. She got a lesson on tipping and how to treat female customers.

This isn't the first time I have seen this . . .and sadly it is typically at places where the waitresses wear small uniforms. You know they call themselves family resturants or open to the public but really try to cater toward the Male Gender.

The sad thing for her - had I gotten true service - as in been acknowledged, not had my nose bumped etc. I would have tipped more than 15%

[blas]

See, when I was on my brief stint as a waitress, I made SURE to chit chat with the ladies sometimes moreso than the guys!

Girls always have this gut feeling that the waitress is hitting on their boyfriend or whomever guys are with them. So I felt at times I was unfair to the guys because I didn't want the girls attacking me....

[Nekojin]

I'm fairly sure that Andara and I have left a $1 tip on a $40 order once, because of atrociously bad service (not seeing the waitress for over 40 minutes in a place that's half-empty is bad, bad service in my book).

[rerant]

Here servers have to tip out the kitchen staff 2.5%.
If my server sucks more than anything that's what they get. That way they know that I know the drill. It's a bigger blow to them, I'd say.
And sure it's a massive SC move, but I know I'm not the only one who has experienced servers who didn't deserve a damn thing.
If you survive off tips then you better work for them.

[tamezin]

Does anybody know why it's okay in the US to pay waitstaff less than minimum wage?

Tips are supposed to make up the difference between the paid salary and minimum wage. In most cases I believe restraunts must pay at least the state minimum wage which is generally substantially less than Federal minimum wage.

[Becks]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaay too many to quote, so I'll stick with a couple...

Honestly I think you handled it much better then I would have. If your friends had to point blank ask you if you wanted anything then she was a pretty shitty waitress. If she's bumping your nose because of how she positions herself, once I could see, twice = she's a pretty shitty waitress.

Oh, man, I don't think I would've been as nice as you. (Reddish hair, Irish temper...)

Tip? A couple of pennies.

After the harassment of the tip? NOT A DAMN THING.

Agree with all of this 100%. Emrid, you weren't an SC at all. Yes, I know waiters depend heavily on tips and I can appreciate that their jobs are taxing, but I'm not in the habit of tipping a person for being unfriendly (my standards for good service are not impossibly high, either. I barely even need a smile - I just expect service to be prompt, courteous and non-hostile!).

WMS said it all. My thoughts/feelings EXACTLY.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Also, if someone bumped my nose and apologized, I'd be gracious about it.

If they didn't apologize, I'd let them know they did it.

If they did it again, I'd reciprocate. With my fist. Do it more than once, that's no accident. That's bordering on assault.