[Hey, You!] Tipped Off

A A A Comments (10) By ANONYMOUS Thursday, Dec 31 2009
Matt Bors

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To all those doughnut luggers, coffee stirrers, bagel benders, ice-cream scoopers and the rest of you who put a tip jar on the counter: You were hired to serve the customers, and you get paid an hourly wage to do that. Granted, it may not be a lot, but it doesn’t take a lot to go get a bagel, put it in a bag, and then press a preprogrammed key and give change that is computed for you by the register. Hell, there are some takeouts that have a change machine that does it automatically; God forbid you might break a nail digging for quarters. Without the customers, your job wouldn’t exist. I have a tip for you all: Get a good education and apply yourself to becoming someone worth hiring for a better job—and nix the tip jar while you’re in this one.

Send anonymous thanks, confessions or accusations—changing or deleting the names of the guilty and innocent—to “Hey, You!” c/o OC Weekly, 2975 Red Hill Ave., Ste. 150, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or e-mail us at letters@ocweekly.com.

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  • john doe 09/12/2010 10:18:00 PM

    you realize tips are the reason servers in texas are paid less than minimum wage an hour

  • Melissa 04/02/2010 8:50:00 AM

    Hey stingy jerk, sounds like you have a good job. Let's hope you never lose that job and find yourself behind the counter wearing a green apron. I appreciate good service, it's a treat to have excellent service. If a barista working the drive thru gets my order right at 6:49 am (grande skinny cinnamon dolce latte 175 degrees with a coffee sleeve) and without fail wishes me a wonderful day, i think he/she has earned a few bucks in the tip jar.

  • kayci 01/04/2010 9:15:00 PM

    jerk

  • V 01/04/2010 5:42:00 AM

    "If a patron wishes to leave a pittance on the counter for the sad looking acne infested rodent than they are free to do so" -Bob *I find your use of the term "Sad looking acne infested rodent" inappropriate. Tsk tsk tsk Bob, it's a shame to see someone so noble, someone who would decry the use of the word peon used in irony, fall from such a high horse. Ah well, I guess some of us just aren't very good at maintaining our social control mechanisms. "I will instruct my assistant to pass those places and to go in before me to see if such a "begging grotto" has been set up before I choose to patronize the establishment. It reminds me of those roadside memorials to the fallen that litter the byways obstructing the view of the flora." -Bob *I suppose that even in this economy there are some who can still afford to see only what they want to see.

  • bob 01/01/2010 11:22:00 PM

    Assuming someone is white trash because they question whether someone deserves something above and beyond their job requirement is rather amusing. Not providing someone something they are not entitled to or asking the question "why" makes one an "asshole" or cheapskate? With that thinking why don't wealthy folks roll their windows down and shove stacks of cash out the window to the less unfortunate. There are those whose life choices have made them destitute and it is these and others who are on my list and receive a hand up but there is a difference between a "hand up" and a 'hand out". If a patron wishes to leave a pittance on the counter for the sad looking acne infested rodent than they are free to do so however to display a form of "begging" in public view quite frankly curdles my low fat. I will instruct my assistant to pass those places and to go in before me to see if such a "begging grotto" has been set up before I choose to patronize the establishment. It reminds me of those roadside memorials to the fallen that litter the byways obstructing the view of the flora.

  • WmBlackstone 01/01/2010 10:37:00 PM

    *Yawn* So another cheap redneck grumbles about the opportunity is show a little noblese oblige to the less fortunate because it might cut into his own selfish budget for nachos and beer. Why is it always the white trash that begrudge a few pennies to those who "serve them"?

  • Blake 01/01/2010 9:44:00 PM

    "shows a vein of jealousy and immaturity on the part of the poster further enforcing the fact he feels inadequate and impotent in his ability to achieve, in the long run, any element of what he may feel is success" What? Maybe I just think people who write to complain about the fact that tip jars merely exist are, in fact, assholes. Nobody is forcing you to tip. I don't EXPECT people to tip. But, oh, heaven forbid that other people might want to give me twenty cents because they liked my attitude, helpfulness, or are just nice! Apparently that means we counter-jockeys think we're entitled to a tip from EVERYBODY! Thanks for the armchair psychoanalysis. I've really learned a lot about myself.

  • Bob 01/01/2010 9:23:00 PM

    I think the reference to people working behind the counter as "peons" is inappropriate . I believe the author was referring to the fact that too many expect something for doing nothing more than what is expected of them. If someone can afford 5 dollar lattes 10 times a day it is no ones business but their own. Too many expect, yet offer little, they feel they are "entitled". The reference to the author as being an "asshole" shows a vein of jealousy and immaturity on the part of the poster further enforcing the fact he feels inadequate and impotent in his ability to achieve, in the long run, any element of what he may feel is success. Success is measured in many ways and a wallet full of money isn't everyones choice or method by which to measure. I agree with the author in their statement concerning the 'tip" jar. Shut up, get to work, or go somewhere else.

  • Blake 01/01/2010 5:55:00 PM

    My last job barred putting out a tip jar and customers still gave me and my coworkers tips. It's a little way of saying "thank you" if you think the service was great. Even if there WAS a tip jar, I wouldn't expect tips. I do, however, always appreciate them. I DON'T appreciate assholes like this, who seem to think that I, too, can afford two five dollar lattes every day as long as I just get myself a "good education and apply myself to becoming someone worth hiring for a better job," Did it ever cross your mind that, perhaps, many of the people who serve you are in the process of attaining said "Good education," and may be working multiple jobs to do so? Even then, you act like a Berkley degree and a good attitude is all it takes to get a well-paying job these days. It must feel really goddamn fantastic not to find yourself hurting in this economy, but do the button-pushing peons of the world a little favor and at least TRY not to be such an arrogant asshole just because we let people leave us their loose change if they feel like we deserve it.

  • David Salahi 01/01/2010 5:06:00 AM

    I'm with you Anonymous. I don't mind tipping waitstaff who serve me at a sit-down restaurant. But people standing behind a counter? How much extra service can they provide to make it worth a tip?

 

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