KatieLoeb

On a bad night I make $20 in tips +2.83/hr, for 4 hours work if I go home at 8PM because it's dead. Just barely minimum wage. On a good night I make $150 in tips for about 10 hours work +2.83/hr., so about 17.83/hr. The hourly wage as well as all my credit card tips are taxed. A small portion of cash is also reported, but we are almost exclusively a credit card house. I think my skill set should place me far above minimum wage and again, I dream of a system where there's room for promotion, advancement and bonuses based on merit. I'd be happy to make $50-70K annually and I think I deserve it based on my years of experience and skills. When I see the little twits with absolutely no skills (or personalities) whatsoever, that are barely old enough to drink legally themselves making ridiclulous money they put up their noses or spend to get drunk and then call out hungover the next day it enrages me. They don't take their job seriously and they get rewarded for it because they're 22 and a size 2. But that's another discussion...

It's clear that you still are presuming to "do the math", calculate what you mistakenly believe I or any other waiter/bartender is making and conclude that legitimizes undertipping from what is customary. The word "voluntary" is semantics here, unless you've truly received poor service. Check the number of hours my restaurant is open. It's either 7 hours on a short day, or 9 hours on a weekend night. And that doesn't count the time before and after the customers are in the building during which time I am still working. When you say the "cultures are different" you're giving away that you come from a culture where the waitstaff ARE paid a decent living wage and tipping is neither expected or customary. But you're HERE IN THE US, where it's different. I think I've explained the many ways that it's different and why that won't be changing any time soon as clearly as I'm able. Being recalcitrant and refusing to tip because you think the system is flawed is neither expressing your displeasure with the system nor truly advocating any sort of proactive change in the system. It's just stiffing the waitstaff. And labelling you a cheapskate, which you seem comfortable with saying out loud yourself, so I guess there's no shame in that for you. In fact, you seem perversely proud of it. But that's not the point. Regardless, I'm not hassling anyone for a bigger tip, I'm just trying to explain the flaws in your logic and the inaccuracies in your calculations that you seem to be using to justify not tipping appropriately. There's a reason I get defensive about bad tips. It's most of what I earn under the poorly designed system I'm forced to work under. I try my very best each and every shift to earn every dime of it. And customers that are not capable of expressing their gratitude for excellent service in the customary and monetary way are not going to be my favorite customers. Especially if their logic is as inaccurate and flawed as yours. I'll shut up now. I think I've explained this to the best of my ability. I'll agree we disagree. I won't agree to disagree without respectfully trying to persuade you with a logical argument from my perspective. Whether you're sticking your fingers in your ears and shouting "LA LA LA I can't HEAR you" or not.

This isn't about making the sums work. And I can completely assure you with the utmost certainty that I am not making anything close to what my salaried chef makes every week. His paycheck is the same regardless of how many people come in the door, and more importantly, regardless of how they tip. Let's analyze the flaws in your math using the example you've given. If I worked at a place where the per customer average were $100 I'd be giggling like a schoolgirl. Instead I am dealing with about a $28/head average between the customers that are actually eating at the bar and those that are just having a couple of drinks. I also work in a "pooled house", meaning my tips are shared with the other wait staff and theirs with me. In other places of employ I have kept my own tips but had to "tip out" the other staff in percentages ranging from 25% to 40% of what I made myself. My restaurant seats about 30 people on the first floor plus 10 bar stools. If we are busy enough to justify opening up extra seating on the second floor, one or two other waiters are now in the tip pool and the grand total of tips is getting prorated over more people based on the number of hours they worked (some folks can leave early once the rush is over). And that $320 I've theoretically made in three hours (but actually haven't because those customer averages are completely inaccurate) is actually spread out over the course of the entire evening. I arrive at 4 PM to set up. The front door is unlocked at 5PM. More often than not, there aren't an abundance of customers before 6:30. Depending on the night of the week I either get done at midnight (weeknights) or 2AM (weekends), but I'm often there later than that restocking the bar, gassing the wine bottles for preservation, helping count the drawer, polishing glassware, putting away all of my garnishes, fresh fruit, juices, etc. That mythical $320 isn't going as far anymore, is it? And if the dining room wasn't busy the server's bad night becomes mine too (and vice versa on other nights). These are the joys of a pooled house. I am making nowhere near a banker's bonus, nor am I keeping "banker's hours". I'm making no bonuses at all, just my piddling $2.83/hr. and 15-20% of a lot less than the example posited. In fact, I can't even get paid overtime. I lost a shift because I was working more than 40 hours per week and it was deemed unworthy to pay me the time and half at $4.25/hr. The solution was to cut a day off my schedule. I dream of a world where I am paid a living wage and there's hope for promotion to a better hourly wage based on my performance, my work ethic, the amount of business I bring in and the amount of positive press I generate for my place of employ. Right now, not happening, and realistically, not happening anywhere I'm not management and have a performance based bonus built into my employment contract. No, you don't, and no it's not. You just make me and my hardworking colleagues in the well worn shoes suffer and starve. No amount of standing on principle will make that any different. And again, at no point have I suggested confronting a customer in a rude manner. Quite honestly, I hate having to even ask politely, but when my livelihood literally depends on it, I get over myself and try and suss out the problem. Said far more eloquently than I possibly could. Marlene, my point is that it really ISN'T voluntary. As Lupinus so correctly and succinctly pointed out, it's CUSTOMARY for a reason. It's a majority part of my wages. Yes that sucks. Yes that needs to change, but until it does I don't understand how anyone that genuinely understands that could make me suffer on principle provided I've done my job well. The system probably won't change unless our entire Democratic system of government goes Socialist. Even now, server wages are regulated on a state by state basis. And if restaurateurs that are paying a lot of wage and business taxes don't want to change a system where their payroll is small and predictable for the front of the house, then it won't. They're calling the shots, not the guys making $2.83/hour. As for the earlier comments about "not passing that way again" or not wanting to "form relationships", by that logic I could simply refuse to pay the lawyer, the doctor or the locksmith, or just pay them what I deemed was "appropriate", after I've convinced myself that I understand the particulars of their business model well enough to presume to decide what that is. After all, just as there are other restaurants to patronize, there is an entire Yellow Pages full of other lawyers, doctors and locksmiths I could call next time. Flaw with this is that I'd get arrested for "theft of services". Same thing if you skipped out on the restaurant bill. But if you simply choose to stiff the waiter on stubborn principle or even because you're just a cheap bastard, nothing happens. There's no "theft of wages" charge to be levelled, even though in effect that's exactly what has happened. You've "engaged my services" for a couple of hours, and in no way am I suggesting that I've cured cancer or performed life saving surgery, but if I have enhanced your enjoyment of the evening with knowledgeable service, assistance with menu choices, a well crafted beverage, an excellent wine or beer pairing suggestion to compliment your menu selections, and some witty repartee (or not, leaving you to your dining companions if that's the vibe you've given me), have I not earned my keep?? If you can answer that question with a clear conscience and still stiff me from the "customary" percentages, I guess I have no other arguments for you. And that's not a guilt trip, that's just a statement of fact.

Since I couldn't really find the appropriate spot for this post, I thought I'd start a new thread. I went grocery shopping earlier today at the 4th & Oregon Avenue Pathmark and found: Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster chickens for .79/lb.!! If I had more freezer space I'd have bought more than one. In a standing refrigerated case right by the door when you walk in, as well as another similar case back in the meat department. Price on these is usually twice that and then a bit. A bargain. Anybody else find anything worthy of crowing about lately?

I'm not suggesting calling out the customer. I'm just suggesting that stubbornly refusing to "support" the policies that exist virtually nationwide (with the rare exceptions of Per Se and other high end places that can get away with charging a "service charge") is only punishing the hardworking service staff. Sitting around doing the math and figuring out what percentage of minimum wage the server is actually making over the course of an hour is insulting. If I did the math for every service or person I have to hand money over to, nothing would get accomplished in a day. Does my attorney really earn $350/hr.?? How about the doctor that kept me waiting for an hour and half when I had an appointment?? The locksmith that just charged me $100 for five minutes work to get me into my house? Seriously, if you want to niggle over the nickels and dimes and how much I'm theoretically making in your fantasy scenario, then the problem isn't simply that you disagree with the "system". You just fundamentally don't like to tip. And that just isn't fair to those of us that are forced to rely on the kindness of strangers for a goodly percentage of our wages. I don't like the system either. But it's what I do. Not while I'm working my way through school, not for extra spending money, not for any reason except that I love it. And customers with that attitude are literally punishing me for taking my job seriously. I wonder when the last time most folks had to rely on voluntary "goodwill" to pay their bills was? And "being unlikely to pass by that way again" or "not wanting to form relationships" is just an excuse to justify being cheap.

If you're concerned about the establishment being "honest" the disclaimer should read, "We are proud to state that we only pay our waitstaff less than one third of the Federal minimum wage and expect you to make up for our shortcomings with gratuities. We enjoy this as an added benefit of our payroll structure and make other financial decisions about the restaurant based on this calculation of weekly wages and labor costs." Let me know when to look out the window to see pigs fly and we can talk about it then. OK? If you truly only limit yourself to patronizing establishments where such a statement is printed on the menu for all to see and evaluate, it must limit your dining options tremendously. Most places have a hard enough time even printing the policy about automatically including gratuities for large parties. My point remains the same. I don't expect you to pay for substandard service. I just expect you to get with the program and realize that neither your displeasure, nor mine with the system as it exists, should mean that I or any of my hardworking brethren should starve until it changes. It is what it is. Punishing your server/bartender is misdirected anger. If you're serious about wanting to change it, then engage the owner or manager about changing their wage policy. Don't take it out on me if I'm doing my job well.

Not really. The going rate in any given state is the going rate. In Pennsylvania I make $2.83/hr., unlike California which at least pays the minimum wage. I could move to California, I suppose, but the cost of living there is higher so it might be a bad move... Agreed. But the structure is what it is. It won't change any time soon. If you can't afford to tip, you shouldn't go out. If we all decided to pay "what we could voluntarily afford" at the doctor, dentist, lawyer, delicatessen, supermarket, gas station, hairdresser, etc. I think the plight of service staff would be a lot clearer to most people. It is "customary" to tip in this country. It is customary to tip 15-20%. I didn't make the rules, I just have to make a living under them. I'm not suggesting rewarding lousy service, but tipping is built in as part of the wage structure in more places than it is not. Remember that next time you go out. I assure you I will be happy to explain the menu, answer any questions you might have about preparation or ingredients, replace your silverware (even at the bar) between courses, make certain your water glass is full, deliver the proper dish to both you and your dining companions and mix you a damned tasty drink. I'll pair wine with every course if you'd like. I haven't had to filet a fish tableside in a while, but if it were part of my job description, I'd be certain to do it well. I promise you I will not draw little hearts and flowers on your check or make inappropriate conversation. In fact, if you haven't engaged me, I will assume you aren't feeling "chatty". I will leave you and your dining companions to your own conversations and only politely interrupt to deliver your food or inquire if you require another beverage when I notice your almost empty glass. But I surely shouldn't have to starve to death if I've done my job well, enhanced your dining experience and lived up to your standards just because you have a problem with the system. So do I. Until that changes I still need to pay my bills and I shouldn't have to change careers to something I have no passion for or move to another state to make a wage that's just barely above the poverty line, or embarass everyone involved by pointedly asking "was everything OK" to do that. If you had a good experience then tip appropriately. If you had a great experience then tip better. If you had an experience that was lacking enough to short someone's wages (because that's effectively what you're doing), then you need to summon management and express your displeasure.

I will not be able to watch the rest of this show without seeing this image. ← I was thinking more along the lines of Mr. Creosote and a blond Olive Oyl...

I was allowed a taste, but thought it was all disgusting. Still do. I didn't learn to appreciate wine until I did a study abroad in France in the 80s. My dad showed me the difference between a shot and a jigger, and then told me how much of the other stuff to add. Guests could specify a shot or jigger to me, or weaker than that. It wasn't too hard, and no one complained. Then again, they probably wouldn't get all that upset at a kid, even if she was a lousy bartender... ← Like Rinsewind, I wasn't fond of the taste of alcohol at all, until I was much older. To my mother's chagrin, I didn't like wine either, even though she always tried to get me to have some when I was growing up. I drank some sweet concoctions on occasion, the sorts of things that make my hair stand on end nowadays. I didn't really start drinking with any enjoyment for the flavor until college. Of course then I started really taking an interest in wine, and moreso in spirits in the past decade or so... Guess I'm making up for lost time now...

Andy: Your point is valid and I'll happily bow to your experience having done this. I have plenty of grenadine at home right now, but will surely try out some vanilla in at least a portion of the next batch I make. I suppose there is no reason it can't be complex. I just wouldn't want those background flavors to be too much in the forefront. If balance is achieved, more power to you. It sounds delicious, as does that Cherry Daisy. I'll try one of those as soon as I'm able.

If the local restaurant reviewer doesn't know better than: a) to tip properly because they're getting reimbursed for it b) to tip the staff properly at a supposed friend's restaurant then you did her a service pointing out her shortcomings. Allowing the children to play with their food in that manner is appalling enough. Less than a dollar? Ridiculous and just insulting. You confronted her in a calm voice and with reasonable and valid points. The waiters that were yelling at her were the ones that should have been fired. I'll bet it felt good....

Correct. Which is why I add just a bit of pom molasses as well. I'm shaking 100 percent pomegranate juice and granulated sugar in a container large enough for it to help along the dissolving process. Cold processed pomegranate juice is stupid easy to make, but requires some endurance and a strong shoulder. Not sure as I've never done this. I really love the whisper of orange flower in the background. I might try this on a small portion of my next batch to see how I like it, but I think both might make it taste too much like a floral pomegranate creamsicle. I think either vanilla or orange flower. Both together would be a real flavor balancing act. The grenadine is supposed to basically function as a sweetening agent in the drinks, not bring too much to the party IMHO.

30 POUNDS of bacon ends! Yikes! I do like the idea of portioning those into smaller more manageable packets and keeping them frozen. I see lots of brussel sprouts, green beans, collard greens and pasta dishes like Carbonara in your future. At least that's what I'd do with it. Do report back on your adventures in bacon end uses...

I've never seen Pomegranate concentrate, although I have no doubt it exists. Whole Foods carries a Cranberry concentrate I've used in the past to bump up a homemade "cran-cello" and it was a godsend. Don't remember the brand name off the top of my head, but it was in with all the natural juices and there may have been a pomegranate version as well. ← Aren't pomegranate molasses simply pomegranate. I've got a bottle on my shelf (the brand is Anjar and it's made in Lebenon). It contains simply "pomegranate concentrated juice." I need to actually make some grenadine. ← Todd: I think the Pomegranate molasses contains some added sugar or molasses already. Not positive but I don't think it's just pomegranate. If it's imported I think it's possible the label isn't subject to the same regulations and doesn't list everything? My best homemade grenadine started with 100% pomegranate juice from the Russian grocery store. 16 oz. got boiled down to half volume and then 16 oz. sugar were added. Also added about 1/4 cup of pomegranate molasses for viscosity and mouthfeel and allowed it to melt in while still hot. Another 16 oz. was done via the "cold" method where I just shook the hell out of it until it was saturated with sugar. Approximately just a bit more than equal volume. I combined these two batches, added just a little bit of orange flower water (to my taste was about a half tablespoon, IIRC) and about 1.5 oz. of vodka (100 proof) to make it shelf stable. Voila! Homemade grenadine with both the richer flavor and viscosity of cooked and the fresh fruitiness of cold method.

Whole ginger root is about $1.99/lb. at most of the larger Asian markets on Washington Avenue. Since I purchase in lots of 1lb. or more to cook up fresh ginger beer on a fairly regular basis, these are the best prices and freshness I've found.

That's pretty funny. She does seem more comfortable in her usual attire of khakis and a button down shirt, that's for sure. But Ms. Maddow has never been shy about being out. If you Google her name you'll see that she's been a "first" for a lot of things. I just think she's brilliant. You should check out her show some time. Back OT, I hope she has the opportunity to parlay her notoriety into helping educate the masses about proper cocktails. A rising tide floats all boats, y'know, so if she can create a few more customers for her fellow cocktail geeks that work behind a bar, I'll be eternally grateful.

I just had the last two bites of the Braised Bacon and a big bowl of Hot & Sour soup for lunch. Damn, I wish that place was closer. Food is fantastic, but the company last night was aces. Great beer and wine, and lots of laughter. A Most Excellent Gathering. I don't think I can honestly pick a favorite from that group. It was ALL good! The Spicy Hot Pot, the bacons, the Tea Smoked Duck and the Cumin Lamb were the least like things I had tasted before and therefore very interesting to me. And that soup was fantastic! I dunno. I'd order any of those dishes another time. The drive home was slower and a tad more challenging than I would have liked, but manageable. The downtown streets were probably the worst of it, once we got off Route 422, which wasn't too much fun either. But it wouldn't be a Han Dynasty outing without inclement weather of some sort...

← Sam: Thanks so much for posting that link. I flipped the channel 10 minutes from the end of the program this afternoon and having read the program guide, realized I'd missed Rachel's segment already. Thinking back to this thread, I was hoping she had made a cocktail (because we all know Martha loves a good cocktail) and sure enough, here it is. Cherry Julep looks quite tasty. Might have to make me one of those if I can only get my hands on some Plymouth Sloe gin. CaliPotuine, as for your gaydar, I think it needn't get tuned. Rachel was first in Out magazine's "Out 100" list of the "gay men and women who moved culture" in 2008.

I met Rachel Maddow on one of my visits to Death & Co. about a year ago. She was sitting at the bar just a couple of seats down from me. It was driving me nuts that I couldn't figure out where I knew her from - did we go to school together? Work together? Have a mutual friend? It was maddening especially since her voice was so familiar to me as well. I finally just leaned over to her, introduced myself and asked her if we knew each other. She looked bemused and I asked whether she lived in Philly, where she'd gone to college, etc. Finally her companion (whom I later realized was her partner) said, "She's on TV - that's probably why you recognize her." "Ahhhh", I said, "that explains it." We proceeded to chat for a while and talk about our drinks a bit. She couldn't have been nicer and was quite interesting to talk to. She definitely takes her cocktails seriously, and I respect that. I also really enjoy her point of view and am a fan of her show. Although her leanings are clearly toward the left, she isn't afraid to call the liberals out on their own crap either. She's really quite brilliant (a Rhodes scholar with a Doctorate in Philosophy dontcha know) and articulate, yet wry and amusing at the same time, without taking herself too seriously in the process. I'm honored to have met her and had the chance to chat with her, however briefly. I hope her interest in cocktails as well as her experience in front of the camera allows her to bring cocktails to the masses. I wish her luck in that endeavor.

Karen: Even though I sadly missed that dinner, please thank your mom for me. This has been quite interesting and educational!!

This drink is better with just a barspoon of the absinthe. Today's version far tastier...

Mmmmmm. The pictures are far easier to see posted here than in the dim light of my bar on your camera. Everything looks delicious! Flounder and clam courses look particularly interesting. The lamb and mushroom casserole has far less broth than the almost fondue like Hot Pot version I had there last week. But also looks tasty in a more stew-ey and less soupy way. Was the Lobster and Crab dish particularly spicy? That would be a departure from my usual experience with Ken's kitchen - always well seasoned and savory, but rarely actually spicy hot (with the exception of their stellar Hot and Sour soup).

Tonight's effort - a slight turn off of the Algonquin cocktail. We'll call this the Algorithm. 2.5 oz. Bulleit bourbon 1 oz. pineapple juice .5 oz. sweet vermouth .25 oz. absinthe (Vieux Carre in this instance) 1 dash Peychaud bitters 1 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel aged bitters Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

I'm a big fan of the Secrets of Fat Free... Greek Cooking, Elaine Gavalas Italian Cooking, Sandra Woodruff Chinese Cooking, Ying Chang Compestine Kosher, Deborah Bernstein All these books have simple, easy to follow and very tasty recipes in them. Do an Amazon search and you can find used copies for next to nothing. The Turkey Bolognese sauce from the Italian book is a staple in my kitchen and has fooled even the most die hard Italian foodies for being the full fat version. All things in moderation of course, since I can relate to the problem being portion control more than calorie count. But it's way easier to "diet" when the recipes yield tasty results. Best of luck with it and please keep us posted with any resources you might find along the way.

Greasy meat. In every form. Burgers. Peking Duck (that was particularly satisfying), sausage. This is an ongoing craving for this entire week. Xanax sounds really good, right about now.