384 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Bridgehead staff have spoken, and the majority of those who participated in a recent vote don't want managers included in their tip pools — a result that has prompted the Ottawa coffee chain to reverse a decision some said punished the business's lowest-paid staff.

Earlier this month, Bridgehead confirmed that in October, it began including managers in tip pools previously reserved for baristas and shift supervisors. The policy change came on the heels of the Ontario government raising the province's minimum wage.

Bridgehead said it was looking to recognize managers' contributions, while critics said the decision took away from baristas' minimum wage gains, and argued the company should have instead increased managers' salaries.

https://www.cbc.ca/n...ersal-1.7037633

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 November 2023 - 07:41 AM.

[Matt R.]

Quick rip to the city yesterday for a show, stayed at my usual, the Chateau Victoria. Always a treat!

Hustled back in the morning so just a coffee and sandwich from Starbucks, only to be presented with a 20% and 25% tip option on the pos, nothing else! You can tell they hear about this, the cashier hands me the machine and explains exactly how to scroll down to bypass or customize the amount.

Come on, 20-25 and no other option? I bet the staff hate it and if they had a 10, 15, 18 option I bet they’d get a lot more takers.

Counter service! Starbucks! We have gone mad.

[Benezet]

…
Come on, 20-25 and no other option?
….

Another Starbucks proposes a tip of $1, $2, or $5. Just as whacky.

[Matt R.]

Different? That’s even more unusual.

The whole thing was over complicated so I left nothing, they screwed up the drink anyways and had to remake it.

[Blair M.]

You can bypass Starbucks mandatory 20-25% tips when tip'n'tapping by using the 'Bucks app on your phone.

The app just requires a quick scan, with no other options presented or obliged of the customer.

But any tip'n'tap card, be it bank, credit, or gift will bring up the apparent 20-25% mandatory tip, with no obvious method of by-passing it.

 

In any normal serving situation, I always tip 15-20% without question, but being effectively 'forced' to tip in any way is always a management choice, and I reject it outright.

Edited by Blair M., 27 November 2024 - 06:34 AM.

[Mike K.]

The restaurant group spokesperson was responding on the radio to the GST cut, and said it wasn’t enough, that people won’t care.

While that is true, the bigger issue is the out of control tipping the industry expects. 25% premium on the meal, and the tax, is not appropriate. That needs to be figured out, because it is hurting businesses. On one side, because it turns off some patrons. On the other, it makes hiring more challenging.

[dasmo]

It’s so that 15% feels like a deal.

[Mike K.]

You’re not wrong.

The tipping is on the tax at most places too, which isn’t right to begin with. Now the restaurant workers will lose out on the tip value on top of the GST.

So the restaurant association is was not totally up front about the impact of removing the GST. It’s in fact a savings of 5%, plus tipping on that 5%.

Also, restaurants get to keep a portion of the GST they collect. That wasn’t mention in the interview, but it should be, because that’s another source of revenue that has now disappeared, so there is an incentive to keep the tax on two fronts (bigger tips, and GST sharing).

The GST sharing alone might be more lucrative than an additional 10 patrons per day because of no tax.

Matt, can you speak to this?

[Barrister]

If the machine does not have 15% then I now give nothing unless the service is really good (and that is really rare these days). Wish my CPP had gone up by 15% over the last couple of years.

[dasmo]

Tipping used to be 10% before tax and not including alcohol. I like the tip system. Before it got corrupted. Go to the Netherlands where there is no tip. Restaurant experience sucks.
I liked it when you gave 15% on the total bill and felt special. Part of the experience. Now you are meant to feel sheepish giving that to counter service.
Like all things corrupted it’s going to ruin it all. Without the tip system those working in that industry are screwed.

Edited by dasmo, 27 November 2024 - 07:32 AM.

[Mike K.]

Why does it suck in the Netherlands?

There’s no tipping in Scotland, and the restaurant service is excellent.

[Matt R.]

You’re not wrong.

The tipping is on the tax at most places too, which isn’t right to begin with. Now the restaurant workers will lose out on the tip value on top of the GST.

So the restaurant association is was not totally up front about the impact of removing the GST. It’s in fact a savings of 5%, plus tipping on that 5%.

Also, restaurants get to keep a portion of the GST they collect. That wasn’t mention in the interview, but it should be, because that’s another source of revenue that has now disappeared, so there is an incentive to keep the tax on two fronts (bigger tips, and GST sharing).

The GST sharing alone might be more lucrative than an additional 10 patrons per day because of no tax.

Matt, can you speak to this?

I think you are confusing the pst commission with gst. AFAIK we don’t keep any gst. We don’t pay gst on anything mind you, but we do pay pst as we are an end user on many items.

It will be a little extra work for us at the restaurant since we can remove gst as a global command on various categories and just leave the “liquor” category on.

The grocery store will be a huge hassle, twice.
I have heard some retailers who are worried about a super slow December 1-13 and then a mad rush (on top of the usual mad rush) the next week. Stressful for some at what is already a stressful time.

There have been a few articles about what the hst collecting provinces will do to be made whole. Sounds like those provinces were totally blindsided by this.

I expect information from the bcrfa and cfib will be the most helpful as it was during Covid, as government communication is non existent.

If only there was some way to contact every business with a gst number, if only some government agency had such information at their disposal.

[Sparky]

You youngn’s need to take a page out of us old fart’s book and put some $20’s in your pocket. Now you have some spare change to do all sorts of stuff with.

[Matt R.]

It’s hundos now, old man.

[Mike K.]

I think you are confusing the pst commission with gst. AFAIK we don’t keep any gst. We don’t pay gst on anything mind you, but we do pay pst as we are an end user on many items.

Whoops! I guess you’re right!

[Matt R.]

Whoops! I guess you’re right!

Mike have you been remitting your quarterly gst payments on time? Tsk tsk.

[Mike K.]

The accountants handle that, thankfully!

[lanforod]

You youngn’s need to take a page out of us old fart’s book and put some $20’s in your pocket. Now you have some spare change to do all sorts of stuff with.

 

Who likes having change jiggling around in their pocket? I hate it. 

[Mike K.]

I think sparky means, that if you carry some cash, you can drop a $10er at the till, and tip zero on the machine.

That’s not a bad way of going about it.

[dasmo]

Why does it suck in the Netherlands?

There’s no tipping in Scotland, and the restaurant service is excellent.

No service with a smile, let's put it that way.