Tipping

[Joy]

Then go to buffets instead of regular restaurants?

[The Exception]

I think that American culture is getting way too service-oriented for the most part.

The customer isn't always right either, contrary to popular myth

[Creepy-male]

The customer isn't always right either, contrary to popular myth

yea yea... I know, but the saying isn't meant to address some sort of cosmic sense of truth/justice. Its not like the customer has been endowed by the hand of god to be always truthful in speech/thought and always just in action.... they just say that to prevent petty conflicts between customers and such, most of the time its better business to just appologize to the customer for their unsatisfactory experience and perhaps offer some form of compensation to encourage them to try that experience again... but if they become a problem customer and it seems nothing is satisfactory for them then obviously you have to draw the line as they are just being difficult and trying to exploit your generosity.

[Creepy-male]

I think the waiter thing bothers me. I really don't need someone to make me happy by serving my food. I would be perfectly willing to just go down a buffet line and just pick whatever and bus my own table. (Well, actually a lot of restaurants where I live do ask you to bus your own tables, which I really prefer the non-interference in general... I don't like being interrupted in the middle of a conversation to ask if I want more water... it's like, I don't care... I'm interested in the conversation.) So I often feel really stressed out at restaurants that have wait staff because there's the constant interruptions and the constant questions that I don't know the answer to and then there's the tip element... it is just way too complicated. Thankfully, I rarely go to such places. I think this is my severely antisocial side talking. I think I find the idea that someone feels they have to treat you a certain way in order for you to give them enough tip to get enough pay for the day disgusting. I guess that I mean it feels unequal (and I've worked in service jobs before so I know first hand how it feels - or rather how I felt). I think that American culture is getting way too service-oriented for the most part.

Its not for everyone, but I somewhat enjoy it. When your at a resteraunt you can relax and appreciate hospitality, and when you work in a resteraunt you provide that hospitality to the best of your ability to make some money. Its not like they are a slave or anything... its just how stuff works, unless your willing to build your own shelther, hunt/gather your own food, provide your own transportation.... then your going to have to be part of this somehow. You work, provide service products out to society, get paid -- that money is a representation of wealth, or worth, how much you've contributed into society -- you use that money to purchase service or products which you are in part entitled to. By no means is it a perfect system, but its sensible imo. I don't linger on the idea of tipping or not tipping... if a person doesn't hit it off as a waiter, I won't tip them well, and if they don't get good tips, they will probably find a job which better suits them... its not personal its business.... its not like giving a bad tip for bad service is going to cause them to fall into poverty, if it on the off chance did, I would reconsider. The point is services/products are the basis for the workworld aspect of society... at the top you hope that the service/product you provide is a matter of your own personal significance or purpose in life... otherwise if you don't pursue that, then you really are just a slave.