360 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

Grant loves everything about the restaurant and then slides a rant into it that has nothing to do with the exceptional service of the Mark. Bizarre.

Yes, you have to follow closely, but she is saying they are the opposite of all the stuff she rants about.

[Holden West]

Grant often rants about bad service but with justificaton--it is a total plague in Victoria. This was a good opportunity to contrast it with how service should be.

Her review of the dismally rude service at Wharfside was a classic.

[julienne]

Yes, you have to follow closely, but she is saying they are the opposite of all the stuff she rants about.

I don't know what I'd do without you.

[LJ]

My problem was I didn't know what she was talking about.


"Seared squab breast with black salsify, slightly astringent frisée, crisp lardons and sage-roasted northern Spies tossed in sel gris, drizzled with a double smoked bacon-and-honey gastrique offered both rustic notes and sophisticated styling"

Huh????

[hotdoglegz]

My problem was I didn't know what she was talking about.


"Seared squab breast with black salsify, slightly astringent frisée, crisp lardons and sage-roasted northern Spies tossed in sel gris, drizzled with a double smoked bacon-and-honey gastrique offered both rustic notes and sophisticated styling"

Huh????

I believe gastrique is something to do with stomach acids.....

[http]

My problem was I didn't know what she was talking about.


"Seared squab breast with black salsify, slightly astringent frisée, crisp lardons and sage-roasted northern Spies tossed in sel gris, drizzled with a double smoked bacon-and-honey gastrique offered both rustic notes and sophisticated styling"

Huh????

Hear, hear. When I have to look up ten out of thirty three words, I know I'm either reading a microbiology textbook or someone's trying to scam me.

[yodsaker]

Is she telling us the recipe or what it tastes like? Hard to know. Her reviews have no cred for me. She once claimed the sushi at Sen Zushi rivaled what could be had in Tokyo. Go figure.

[LeWolf86]

Well.... my opinion on tipping is mixed.

Ive worked as a busser, and delivey driver (I know not quite server)... and Ive worked with servers as a busser and seen what they can make.

Lets break down the reasons to tip...

Even doing pizza deliveries I have to tip out 3%, so if I get nothing it cost me money from my tips....

As busser, the servers I worked with had to tip out 3% on slower nights with less supporting staff, 5.5% on very busy nights...
Usually was broken down like this:
1% Busser
1% Host
0.5% Expediter
2% Kitchen
1% Bartender

So... I believe a tip of something is mandatory... even if your pretty unhappy simply because depending on the place... it could potentially cost them money... and @ $8/hr that can suck... since they rely on tips to make something....

On the flip side....

Im a very basic customer... I dont require much.... in some places my ordering is broken down like this:
1. See server, be greeted, asked about drinks.
2. Get drinks, made by bartender usually, food orders taken.
3. Have food delivered usually by someone else....
4. Have dishes cleared by server or support staff... (asked about food part way in)
5. If 2nd course repeat #3 and #4... if not continue to #6
6. Billed

I dont see server much... at places with lots of supporting staff... so I dont really feel 15% extra is needed on my bill of usually $40-$60.... on slow nights... the job is brain dead easy.... on super busy nights... well they get rewarded with volume....

I worked as a busser @ Tapa bar... and.... well it was crazy busy at times... and although my contact with SQUIRREL and Customers was small... I was needing to keep my eye on the whole restaurant while keeping an eye on cutlery which we seemed to always have to little of.... I would get on a very busy good night $80 in tips... usually $40.... the servers.... well on the good night that would be around an avrg of $2k in sales... and the slow night $1k sales.... so even @ 5% they are making $50 on an easier slower night... while a busy night they might bust their balls $100.

Lets toss in the extras... lower income tax... since well no server claims all their tips in taxes... also the fact servers at good busier business can make more then many people professions.... and I dont mean to take away from hard working people.... but.... really??? Servers usually and always make more then Chefs... and IMO if you look into a kitchen you get guys who break their balls running around sweating to cook food and get yelled at for screwing up since all blame lands on them....

If you look in the paper today... you'll see very few server positions listed.... at least compared to cooks... that tells you about what is really in demand.... cooks manage to survive off $10-$12 and hr plus part of the tips... why do servers need boatloads?

[Mike K.]

Has anyone noticed or engaged in tipping 10% (after tax amount) instead of 15% prior to the HST as a means of negating some of the price difference brought on by the HST?

With GST a $10 meal (plus 5% tax) and a 15% gratuity would total $12.08. With HST the same meal at a 12% tax rate and 10% tip totals $12.32.

I've seen and heard of this happening with increased frequency, but perhaps its not becoming as prevalent as I might imagine?

[Baro]

I've been noticing a lot of places you wouldn't normally tip having a tip screen on their interac machines. Sometimes I end up putting something in because I feel guilty or pressured, maybe that's their plan.

[sebberry]

My hair cut comes out to $17 after HST and I usually hand over a $20 and call it a day. She always seems very grateful for it. If she's making an extra $6/hr on top of her wage then she's doing OK. Then again before the HST hit I was still giving her a $20 bill so maybe I am being cheap?

When I go out to eat (which I don't do much) I am the world's worst mathematician so I usually just guess at a tip $amount.

[yodsaker]

Has anyone noticed or engaged in tipping 10% (after tax amount) instead of 15% prior to the HST as a means of negating some of the price difference brought on by the HST?

With GST a $10 meal (plus 5% tax) and a 15% gratuity would total $12.08. With HST the same meal at a 12% tax rate and 10% tip totals $12.32.

I've seen and heard of this happening with increased frequency, but perhaps its not becoming as prevalent as I might imagine?

I've always tipped 15% on the net pre-tax amount. I believe 15% to be a fair tip but no way was I ever going to tip on taxes, just out of principle.
Some will disagree but I also reserve the right to pay what I feel is justified by the service. I'll go beyond 15% for exceptional service but I have never encountered that in Victoria. Too often its indifferent, barely competent, or accompanied by a sense of entitlement.
In most jobs people get paid to do a decent job and not just for showing up.

[LJ]

I tipped a waitress $4.30 on a $24 plus HST meal and she barely acknowledged it, so I get the feeling they expect it.

[sebberry]

I tipped a waitress $4.30 on a $24 plus HST meal and she barely acknowledged it, so I get the feeling they expect it.

Well they kinda do expect it. Hopefully they deliver the service to back it up, which doesn't have to be much. Just be nice, don't make me feel like I am interrupting something and keep my glass topped up if it is a "bottomless" drink.

I quite like the servers at the Keg. Always friendly, always on their game and generally get a good tip from me.


Sad that they're not subject to the same minimum wage laws.

[Mike K.]

Sad that they're not subject to the same minimum wage laws.

What do you mean?

[sebberry]

What do you mean?

Sorry, same law, different wage.

Not sure why I was under the impression waiters/waitresses earn less than the standard minimum wage.

[Baro]

That's true in most of the US. They decided to factor in an "average" tipping rate and then lower the minimum wage by that, or more. We have the US's tipping culture, but our workers are much better protected.

[VicHockeyFan]

Today's minimums in BC:

Liquor servers $8.50
Anybody else $8.75

[Mike K.]

Who would be considered a liquor server?

A licensed coffee shop could essentially pay it's employee $0.25 less per hour than an unlicensed coffee shop, or are we talking about individuals who are employed in liquor primary places and/or restaurants that serve beer and wine?

[Matt R.]

Min. wage for servers of alcohol will be maxed at $9, while anyone else gets $10.25.

A liquor server is anyone who serves liquor during their shift. If you work, for example, the breakfast shift outside of your licensed hours, then the higher wage applies. If you work as a host at a restaurant, but don't serve guests, then the higher wage applies. If you work at Smitty's and sell one beer a day, the lower wage applies. So yes, that server who works at the Black Stilt can potentially earn less per hour than the server who works at Discovery Coffee.

Here's the fact sheet.

http://www.labour.go...wage-liquor.htm

Matt.