Here’s a summary it differs a lot by state. In some states they do get minimum wage.
https://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm
Wait reading that, it seems they are defined as a tipped employee if they get more than $30 a month in tips. This seems like an odd definition. I bet the DQ workers make more than $30 in tips in a month.
McDonalds, needs to start encouraging people to tip the staff, they could save a bunch on labor costs (depending on state). I wonder if Mcdonald offered like a $2 coupon if you tip your server, if they could collect enough info to claim tipped servers then slash the wages.
I think they are just more focused on automating away most of their staff.
Carry out, do I tip?
Does it matter the name of the place?
McDonalds
Hungry Howies Pizza
Olive Garden
D.Q.
Costco
I would consider it at Olive Garden or anywhere the waitstaff may be pulling together your order. They have a low wage based on the expectation of tips. So if there are spending their time packing your order they are not providing service that can up their tips at the restaurant. This is based on having to pack take out orders while making waitstaff pay previously in life. If they don’t have waitstaff everyone is making at least minimum wage. I don’t tip a lot since it should not take a lot of time but $1/ meal if I think it’s packed by someone making less than minimum wage. It can be more work to pack up an order than to deliver one to a table.
So as shown in the link above, depending on state, the waitstaff at Olive Garden is making the same Wage as the McDonalds server. Someone at Mcdonalds had to cook it and put it in a bag, Just like Olive Garden. But hey McDonald’s serves it to my car… Olive Garden I have to go in to get it, and then tip them for the lack of said service??
Am I (well and Mr. Pink) the only one who see’s my point.
We have data to dismiss this whole pay thing, or you get better service by paying them less and making them work for tips, pretty sure the waitstaff in LA and HollyWood restaurants are just as good as thoughts in states where they are paid less. So its not about the Hourly wage. ( or do you consult that table when in other states and adjust tips accordingly?)
With restaurant services getting more and more similar, is it up to how you order that defines if you give a tip? Is the person at Panera not worthy cause you ordered at one place and then they delivered to your table? is that why the Sizzler waitress gets the tip? Olive Garden order the Salad bar, now they are not bringing your food to the table but you tip them, and the Panera worker who does deliver your food gets nothing… Things that make me go hmmm
I think they are just more focused on automating away most of their staff.
That, and they probably do at least half their business through the drive-thru. Also tipped workers usually only includes waiters, which many McDonald’s don’t use - they hand you food at the counter instead.
You have not been to a McDonalds in awhile. Story from 3yrs ago.
https://fortune.com/2016/11/17/mcdonalds-table-service-smart-menu/
The 2 McDonald owners I have heard talk about the kiosk’s have said between the kiosks and table side delivery they have had to increase staff, by 1 or 2 people per shift. They still need counter, but now need someone to help with the kiosk and someone to deliver the food to the table. Sometimes the same person can handle it but when its busy not really.
Eventually maybe folks will figure out the kiosk and they can eliminate the counter ordering all together, but that puts them right at a normal restaurant