So, we need to rent some space, need some theme stuff, probably arcade games, hmmmm, maybe that's the theme, maybe we buy a bunch of those old school game cocktail tables and serve breakfast right on them?
So, we need to rent some space, need some theme stuff, probably arcade games, hmmmm, maybe that's the theme, maybe we buy a bunch of those old school game cocktail tables and serve breakfast right on them?
That's a great idea.
Sadly, I have more ideas than investment capital.
Unfortunately, I think most of us have the same problem.
Last February when I took my family to IHOP the bill plus 20% tip was $56.00 for two adults and three kids. I was shocked at the cost. With that said I can go down to a small local dinner here in the greater Raleigh area and get a nice breakfast for about $6.50.
Yeah, see, Denny's is on my way home from work thus is frequented at least once a week post work. IHOP is an only when I'm in East Lansing (read: maybe once every couple months) kinda thing.
Rereading the OP, I think most of the difference has to do with wages.
In Michigan and Ohio, for example, things are much cheaper. Additionally, in places like Michigan and Ohio, restaurants don't have to pay their waitstaff minimum wage because they get tips. Lower overhead equals cheaper breakfasts. (The current minimum wage in Michigan is $7.40, but for servers it's $2.65. In Ohio the minimum is $7.30, but for servers it's $3.50.)
In places like California and Oregon, on the other hand, the cost of living is a little higher. Not only that, but in both California and Oregon, restaurants are required to pay their servers minimum wage. Higher overhead equals more expensive breakfasts. (The minimum wage in California is currently $8.00. In Oregon it's $8.40.)
As a side note, I made more per hour at the Bagelry in Santa Cruz, California, than I did at any of the factory jobs I had in Michigan.
That's interesting - I had no idea that servers were required to be paid minimum wage in Cali. In my opinion, that's a good thing.
Sure, good service, but not normal, or even bad service, which still gets tips everywhere else.
Bad service... and I emphasize bad... doesn't get tips from me regardless. Normal service does, even in places where the waitresses get paid the real minimum wage. Mostly because I've been friends with many people who worked as wait staff in my day. They put up with a lot of crap and even 7 bucks an hour is hard to live off of. Not to mention the fact that the places where they get paid the higher wage are usually in areas with an absurdly high cost of living.
Bad service... and I emphasize bad... doesn't get tips from me regardless. Normal service does, even in places where the waitresses get paid the real minimum wage. Mostly because I've been friends with many people who worked as wait staff in my day. They put up with a lot of crap and even 7 bucks an hour is hard to live off of. Not to mention the fact that the places where they get paid the higher wage are usually in areas with an absurdly high cost of living.
To quote Live's song Waitress from Throwing Copper (my tipping policy)
come on baby leave some change behind
she was a bitch, but I don't care
she brought our food out on time
and wore a funky barrette in her hair
.
come on baby leave some change behind
she was a bitch but good enough
to leave some change,
everybody's good enough for some change
.
the girl's got family
she needs cash to buy aspirin for her pain,
everybody's good enough for some change
.
we all get the flu,
we all get aids
we've got to stick together after all,
everybody's good enough for some change,
SOME FUCKING CHANGE!!!
To quote Live's song Waitress from Throwing Copper (my tipping policy)
come on baby leave some change behind
she was a bitch, but I don't care
she brought our food out on time
and wore a funky barrette in her hair
.
come on baby leave some change behind
she was a bitch but good enough
to leave some change,
everybody's good enough for some change
.
the girl's got family
she needs cash to buy aspirin for her pain,
everybody's good enough for some change
.
we all get the flu,
we all get aids
we've got to stick together after all,
everybody's good enough for some change,
SOME FUCKING CHANGE!!!
Try saying this when you have a waitress in a diner that is practically empty who takes 20 minutes to even take your order, another half hour to get your food out and refills your water/coffee/soda twice in the 2-3 hours that you are sitting there with a couple of your friends. All this at a restaurant where all the other waitresses you've ever had have got have never taken longer than 30 minutes total to get your order and get your food out even on the busiest of nights, not to mention bringing a pitcher or water or a carafe of coffee for the table if needed. When I say BAD service I mean atrociously bad service and I usually mean repeatedly bad service (this particular waitress waited on us 3 or 4 different times we were there, every time the service was just as horrid, the first time we tipped her but very little, by the 3rd or 4th time we didn't leave her anything the other waitresses had even commented to use about how bad she was and they were sorry we were in her section.)
I always figure it this way, the difference between a 15% and 25% tip is only a couple bucks out of my pocket, but it means something to them, so if I got good service I'll tip on the high side.
I always figure it this way, the difference between a 15% and 25% tip is only a couple bucks out of my pocket, but it means something to them, so if I got good service I'll tip on the high side.
I absolutely agree with this. In fact I usually tip closer to 20% even for standard service. Maybe this is why I tend to get really good service at most of the restaurants I go to on a regular basis, with the exception of that one waitress at the one restaurant (who no longer works there anyway).
To make it easy, I calculate the tip using the sales tax amount.
Bad service, tip = tax*0
Mediocre service, tip = tax*1
Good service, tip = tax*2
Exceptional service, tip = tax*3
count the multiplier one less at a buffet.
Of course that only really works because the sales tax in Ohio and Kentucky (the two states I normally go to restaurants within), are both around 7%. If I was in New York, I'd go broke doing that.
If my drink is full and I get my food on time, I tip 15%. I can count on one hand the number of times I've shorted the tip. If the service is exceptional or the waitstaff is particularly humorous, I've tipped up to 30%.
If my drink is full and I get my food on time, I tip 15%. I can count on one hand the number of times I've shorted the tip. If the service is exceptional or the waitstaff is particularly humorous, I've tipped up to 30%.
Also, the percentage can be a little unfair in greesy spoon type places. If my wife and I spend $50 on a meal, $8 is decent tip at just over 15%.
We go to the local Diner and spend $20 a $3 tip kind of sucks. Just because the food costs less does not mean thier service was any less valuable, In an inexpensive resteraunt I would generaly ecourage people to go closer to 25% or even 30% in some cases as Thrax suggested.
I know a waitress. I was having a conversation with her recently, beautiful girl, nice, I can't imagine people are displeased with her. She says with the econmic decline its a double whammy because not only do people go out less, they also short the tips. She says she will work a $100 table sometimes to see $2 and loose change left behind, for which she should be able to walk back out, find them and break their nose.
If your going to eat out, you owe the server a fair tip, otherwise, cook your own damn eggs.
Back to the subject of food in OH and CA. Yeah, you can get great breakfast in OH for next to nothing, but try to find a restaurant in my area that serves anything - breakfast or no - that is not deep fried and dripping in fat, and you're in real trouble. I've been to CA only a couple of times, but I know a lot of people there, and at least you can get some good restaurant food, even if you might have to pay for it. I don't go out much anymore, but I do like cooking
Comments
Sadly, I have more ideas than investment capital.
That's a great idea.
Unfortunately, I think most of us have the same problem.
Mmm, grits. And don't forget the corn bread!
Seriously though, IHOP is crazy expensive, not that it stops me from eating there when I find myself in East Lansing at f-o'clock in the morning.
Which I would consider to be one of the greatest drawbacks to living there.
There, I said it.
Also, I approve of the new avatar.
Nights beat me to it. I dont even understand why everyone loves In-N-Out so much, but i can eat there anytime. so suck it.
Also if an icrontic diner were to be i would totally love to work in the kitchen.
Animal style.
That's interesting - I had no idea that servers were required to be paid minimum wage in Cali. In my opinion, that's a good thing.
Yeah, it means you don't have to tip.
Sure, good service, but not normal, or even bad service, which still gets tips everywhere else.
To quote Live's song Waitress from Throwing Copper (my tipping policy)
come on baby leave some change behind
she was a bitch, but I don't care
she brought our food out on time
and wore a funky barrette in her hair
.
come on baby leave some change behind
she was a bitch but good enough
to leave some change,
everybody's good enough for some change
.
the girl's got family
she needs cash to buy aspirin for her pain,
everybody's good enough for some change
.
we all get the flu,
we all get aids
we've got to stick together after all,
everybody's good enough for some change,
SOME FUCKING CHANGE!!!
Try saying this when you have a waitress in a diner that is practically empty who takes 20 minutes to even take your order, another half hour to get your food out and refills your water/coffee/soda twice in the 2-3 hours that you are sitting there with a couple of your friends. All this at a restaurant where all the other waitresses you've ever had have got have never taken longer than 30 minutes total to get your order and get your food out even on the busiest of nights, not to mention bringing a pitcher or water or a carafe of coffee for the table if needed. When I say BAD service I mean atrociously bad service and I usually mean repeatedly bad service (this particular waitress waited on us 3 or 4 different times we were there, every time the service was just as horrid, the first time we tipped her but very little, by the 3rd or 4th time we didn't leave her anything the other waitresses had even commented to use about how bad she was and they were sorry we were in her section.)
Bad service, tip = tax*0
Mediocre service, tip = tax*1
Good service, tip = tax*2
Exceptional service, tip = tax*3
count the multiplier one less at a buffet.
Of course that only really works because the sales tax in Ohio and Kentucky (the two states I normally go to restaurants within), are both around 7%. If I was in New York, I'd go broke doing that.
Also, the percentage can be a little unfair in greesy spoon type places. If my wife and I spend $50 on a meal, $8 is decent tip at just over 15%.
We go to the local Diner and spend $20 a $3 tip kind of sucks. Just because the food costs less does not mean thier service was any less valuable, In an inexpensive resteraunt I would generaly ecourage people to go closer to 25% or even 30% in some cases as Thrax suggested.
I know a waitress. I was having a conversation with her recently, beautiful girl, nice, I can't imagine people are displeased with her. She says with the econmic decline its a double whammy because not only do people go out less, they also short the tips. She says she will work a $100 table sometimes to see $2 and loose change left behind, for which she should be able to walk back out, find them and break their nose.
If your going to eat out, you owe the server a fair tip, otherwise, cook your own damn eggs.