Agreed, and the low-wage workers are already getting replaced by robots. Servers are getting replaced by tablet computers built into the tabletops - and they provide games to play while you wait for your food.

When I go to a restaurant, I will tip well for outstanding service, or poorly for poor service. But my tip budget goes down as food prices go up. When wages rise because of minimum wage hikes, those servers no longer get the 15%-20% I would normally budget to reward excellence.

In 1960 the minimum wage was 1.25, EXCEPT at restaurants where it was 0.90 because of tips. If all restaurant workers are paid the 'regular' minimum wage, there would be no reason to tip because the minimum wage difference mentioned above would no longer exist.

FYI, I worked at McDonald's for 0.90 per hour and NO tips. Different times.

I always engage any person that is in the process of performing a service for me, waiters, barbers, repairmen, landscapers or whatever. I appreciate their good service and respect them for what they do. I am also the kind of jerk that will tell someone performing poor service that it is not only an affront to me but to his employer and is a threat to the success of the business he is in. There is no job that is unimportant enough to do poorly and that someone that does it well should not take pride in. I try to foster that concept, especially with those that are performing a service for me.

I work swing shift.. It seems like all the fun people are here while I'm working... ;(

I agree.. That's why I only tip because I WANT to. When I feel that someone has exceeded expectations, I have no problem tipping. You can usually tell if someone is "just doing their job", but you can also tell those who want to make their guests feel better about their experience. If the experience was enhanced because someone made me feel as if I was special and/or appreciated then I don't mind the extra little $1 or $2. But then again, I vote with my wallet.. If I don't get the experience I want, I'll go where I do..

I would have loved to, but frankly I am trying hard to keep my business going in the face of new regulations and taxes, and I just run out of time. I will have to leave it to you to keep our freedoms alive at the moment, for which you have my appreciation. I have 10 workers whose families are at least partially dependent on my keeping the business going.

servers add so little to the experience. Their job is to deliver food, drink and condiments. They are servants, not my friends. I dont care what their names are and I certainly dont want to carry on conversations with them. I go out to be with friends and enjoy THEM, not the servers. And they should be paid by the management that selected them to work there, and who monitors the service level to insure prompt service.

I did not realize that Seattle had done this. even those establishments that will now have to pay this wage will find that the people they employ will not stay on the job any longer than they would have at 8 or 10 bucks an hour. the bottom line is that the government hand outs are still greater than the pay and they are not taxed over and above the fact that the recipients don't have to do any work for the bucks.

Shouldnt it be the managers job to set the service standard, monitor it, and pay the workers (as little) as needed to achieve that service? Its not my job and I would rather not be involved in personnel matters when I go out to eat. Tipping has become out of control in my opinion, particularly with servers who add very minimally to the restaurant experience. The cooks in the back add more value to the buffets than servers anyway.

you live in Vegas and didn't come see us at Freedomfest?! :(

wow. I completely disagree. Some of my best eating out experiences were do to the service. Often, if your service was poor-that is due to management in my opinion

$15 an hour will simple eradicate all jobs not worth that amount. Jobs will be eliminated or replaced by automation. In the case of restaurants, the increase in prices that will result from $15 an hour will simply reduce the customer traffic and make people go out less, share meals, get water instead of expensive sodas, etc. The workers that remain might get $15 an hour, but the extra money it costs will come out of the budget somewhere else for sure. I know it will for me. Already I eat out less, and go to the chipotle type places where one doesnt tip

I too live in Las Vegas, I do tip $1 per person (in the buffet) and that's if the table was bussed adequately and the wait staff attended to my needs. If the service leaves something to be desired, it's usually a nickel per person (to make sure they know I DIDN'T forget to tip them). Otherwise, I tip depending on the service. I don't use the 15% rule, the better I'm served the better tipper I am. Most places in Las Vegas know that the better serve their guests, the better their income will be. I work in a hotel, and you can tell the ones that hustle and the ones that just do a good enough job to get by...

I think there will be a market for simple multipurpose robots that are easy to program, cheap to buy, and when equipped with "apps" can do more and more things. Too bad Steve Jobs isnt around- he could design and produce them

Bring it on. I will patronize only fast food places that have front counter robots as soon as they become installed.

Its already somewhat common in china and japan !! I almost drove to Phoenix on July4 just to SEE the automated McDonalds. I hope it worked well, and the idea expands to ALL fast food and many sit down restaurants. Entitled American employees need to learn the lesson that you arent worth more than what you put out.

Bring on the automated restaurants. I have had enough of fast food people that dont listen to what I tell them and require frequent repeating of simple statements. I want a kiosk or robot who listens...how hard could that be.

Business owners dont WANT employees, and dont want to CREATE jobs. Employees are simply tools to make the business run, but they have more and more negative aspects as the government gets more and more involved. Paperwork, potential lawsuits, lackluster performance, attitude issues.

Servers are generally an untrained and lazy lot, expecting big tips for carrying plates and taking orders. I say a robot could do better, and the experience is with your friends and the food. The cooks do more than the servers to create the experience, as did the restaurant designer and the manager. The so called server is just a lackey plate carrier. They generally have no training whatever

I usually tip 20%. Having grown up in the restaurant business, I am possibly more aware of the need for tipping than many may be.If the service by the waiter/waitress is outstanding, I may tip more, and I'll be sure to mention it to whoever is the boss. Obviously, if the wait service is poor, I will tip less. But, if $15 per hour comes to my neck of the woods, the service will have to be world class before I tip at all.

Tipping today is not about goodwill any more. The choices now are to avoid sit down restaurants where tipping is "expected" because they are just too expensive, or just not tip and leave the management of the employees to the managers of the restaurants.

I live in Las Vegas, and I ONLY tip out of embarrassment in front of people who believe its some sort of duty. I never tip at buffets where I have to get my own food and often my drinks too. If I tip, its never more than 10% and only in places I want to go back to and who have the same employees every time. I have always thought its up to management to pay the employees what they are worth to give the level of service that is set by the establishment. Frankly I would rather be "served" by a robot system that doesnt interrupt my conversation, is always available, and has no "expectations'. Not to mention it would be cheaper. My experience is with my friends, NOT the server

Ja.

you just said somewhere else you support Rand Paul.! Clinton is against Paul on most political issues! gah!

Few people would support a candidate they didn't philosophically align with. clinton does not believe that your life is your own, but that it belongs to the collective for the greater good. The progressives need to blame the productive for all the perceived ills and injustices in society and pound that daily in the minds of the people. They need to destroy the free and productive people, because they put the lie to the progressive philosophy. To her we are all just cannon fodder, bodies to climb on up the rungs of power. After all, what difference does it make?

I never eat at fast food restaurants and since I am retired and no longer travel on business, I do not eat out too frequently. When my wife and I go to a restaurant, we go for the experience as well as the food. The décor, maitre d , waiter, sommelier, bus boys, etc. are an important part of that experience. Given anything close to good service, I tip 20% and sometimes more. In Europe this is a problem since the tipping custom is for much less, We just got back from two weeks in Italy and if I was the ugly American, I don't care. Italy means good food to me and is a major reason I like to go there. In most cases the service was fantastic but reviews I read on several places we ate contained complaints.
People in other industries need experience in serving the public face to face and a restaurant is a great place to get it. When experience first hand that your job and your income comes directly from your customers/clients it is a lesson that will last a lifetime. I think the greatest benefit of the fast food industry is that it provides this experience for young people seeking income to supplement their school/living experiences. I have no sympathy whatsoever for those that complain that they can't support a family on those wages. The business model for fast food is cheap and fast. Bums that do not appreciate the "part-time" job and give slow, expensive and lackadaisical service need not apply.