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Do you tip the owner of a restaurant?
http://cookaholics.org/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1328		 Page 2 of 2
Author:  Tim [ Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do you tip the owner of a restaurant?
Hi,

Fuzzy is spot on. Restaurant owners frequently take much less money home than their waitstaff.

If the restaurant owner is serving drinks or waiting table, he should be tipped. It is probably that someone did not show up at work. There are also times that a restaurant owner chooses to work a shift for non-related reasons.

Tim
Author:  Darcie [ Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do you tip the owner of a restaurant?
Weighing in late, but I would tip whoever waited on me.

My husband had his own business and made less than most of his employees. Sometimes a customer would tip (this was not a customarily tipped business) and my husband would usually give it to his employees or use the funds to stock the beer/food fridge that he kept for everyone. (Hmm, I am beginning to see why we didn't make much money... :))
Author:  Paul Kierstead [ Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do you tip the owner of a restaurant?
I won't argue with your preference, but I would say many a business owner made less money then their staff for a time, but went on to make vastly more money then all their staff combined. The owner works for potential income, the staff works for hourly income. Comparing the two can be very misleading.

If the owner promises to pay his staff the same as himself even if the business is a big hit, I'll happily tip him.

Edit: Of course, there is also the matter of equity, which makes a huge difference in the comparison.
Author:  Darcie [ Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do you tip the owner of a restaurant?
Paul Kierstead wrote:
I won't argue with your preference, but I would say many a business owner made less money then their staff for a time, but went on to make vastly more money then all their staff combined. The owner works for potential income, the staff works for hourly income. Comparing the two can be very misleading.

If the owner promises to pay his staff the same as himself even if the business is a big hit, I'll happily tip him.

Edit: Of course, there is also the matter of equity, which makes a huge difference in the comparison.

Of course there is no way to know if the owner is making a pittance or big bucks, so I will always err on the side of generosity.
Author:  talanhart [ Mon Mar 28, 2011 11:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do you tip the owner of a restaurant?
I personally know the owners of a restaurant that they have owned for the last 30 years. I'm not saying they are super wealthy, but they do close their restaurant every year during the Summer for 3 months and spend that time in Sicily. They have been doing this for the past 25 or so years, so they must be doing OK. I don't think their staff is spending the Summer in Italy.
Author:  Tim [ Mon Mar 28, 2011 3:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Do you tip the owner of a restaurant?
Talan,

...and how often do these owners wait on tables in their restaurant?

CC
Author:  Rhonda [ Mon Mar 28, 2011 3:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Do you tip the owner of a restaurant?
talanhart wrote:
I personally know the owners of a restaurant that they have owned for the last 30 years. I'm not saying they are super wealthy, but they do close their restaurant every year during the Summer for 3 months and spend that time in Sicily. They have been doing this for the past 25 or so years, so they must be doing OK. I don't think their staff is spending the Summer in Italy.


So if they wait on you, and service is spot-on, do you penalize them for being wealthy?

I tip the same amount no matter who happens to be servicing the table.
Author:  Amy [ Mon Mar 28, 2011 3:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Do you tip the owner of a restaurant?
I would add that the owners are taking all of the financial risks of the business, so if they're doing well, it's because they're good at what they do. I don't believe anyone should be treated differently just because they they've done a good job.

Amy

Edited to add: I work in a resort town where the staff is not always reliable if we get a great powder day. This (fortunately) is not true where I work, but it's something owners have to deal with (and not just in resort towns). The owner of my restaurant is making an enormous investment in a remodel at both of our restaurants, and while he makes a good living, he works very hard for it. (He has barely had a day off since November...)
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