To tip or not to tip

Plans by a U.S. restaurant chain to do away with tipping are igniting discussion throughout the North American service industry.

Many people who serve food in restaurants rely on tips. Now, news that a company with 380 outlets in the U.S. has a “don’t tip your waiter” policy has raised some eyebrows in southern Alberta.

“Tips are really important,” said Sharla Statham, a server at Paradise Canyon in Lethbridge. “In Canada it’s kind of just a given to tip if you think the service went well and to do a little bit extra.”

Brent Hasper, head chef at Paradise Canyon said, “I think they’re really important. I make tips and I really enjoy them. I think they’re a bonus and added feature for anyone working in the restaurant industry.”

The owner of Top Pizza and Spaghetti House in Lethbridge agrees.

Mitch Casson said, “In the States when you have people who are making just a couple of dollars an hour, literally two, three dollars an hour, to give a tip on good service is just something we’ve always done, and you do budget that as part of your income.”

Casson says he pays well above the minimum wage however some restaurants don’t, making tips an even bigger issue.
The U.S. company that doesn’t accept tips says it pays employees more than the minimum wage so its staff is not affected by the lack of tips.

“I’m kind of against it. I would prefer to make the tips myself,” said Hasper.

Statham added, “You could make probably up to $50 an hour and they’re never going to pay you $50 an hour so I think tips are the way to go.”

Vause White from the Restaurant Association of Canada said, “You’re not going to get rid of tips. Tips are here to stay and so depending on the company it varies in terms of what wages are paid, especially in Alberta and in places where there’s a hotter economy. They want to hold onto their employees. Often some employees demand that they want tipping and if there isn’t tipping they’re going to have to find other ways to hold onto those employees.”

The U.S. chain with the no-tip policy, Noodle and Company has generated a lot of talk. While some people agree tips should not be accepted, many don’t.

“As a restaurant owner,” said Casson, “I’m a great tipper when the service is good. You know, tips are a way for customers to show their appreciation.”