The End of the Night is All that Matters

Back when I was a waiter, some of the waiters would complain if they had black customers becaues of bad tips. (Not only black:  Asian or European tourists, obviously poor whites, families with kids all tipped poorly. Even Canadians tipped less.)

 **note: this is not a post about racism or prejudice or anything, it was a question that was asked me  and it got me thinking***

Even black waiters I worked with would complain about black customers.

It's true that, in my experience, all of these 'groups' tipped lower, if at all.

 I  actually used to take these tables because the other waiters were so unhappy about getting them and it didn't matter to me.

It didn't matter to me because,  while I did keep track of percentages of tips in sales, Ifound it more useful to calculate at the end of the night; I took a philosophical approach. I really tried not to look at the cash on the table, stuffing it into my apron without counting.

So it didn't really bother me if somebody tipped me badly; because the next table might very well tip me 30 percent.

Sometimes of course, if a tip was particularly paltry I couldn't help but notice. 

At the end of the night, my tips usually averaged 19 percent.

At that time, 15 percent was for 'average' and 20 percent was normally for 'good' service. So I always felt pretty pleased.

And I actually tried to work harder for the black tables, who, even if they did tip badly, were always really nice. They were never a pain in the ass.

Because I'll be damned if I'm going to reduce myself to looking at a job purely as a mercenary thing and I'll be damned if I'm going to give 'bad service' just because a particular minority group doesn't generally tip well--as if I need to be paid to put on a happy face. I'd put on a happy face because it makes my job easier, not because of money.

I mean, yeah, of course we work for money.

But if that's all we're in it for, then it's little better than slavery.

I found if I thought about money at all while waiting tables, I didn't do a good job. And my tips suffered. I don't know, maybe I came off as greedy or uncaring or something. 

Howeveer, I found if I gave good service, if I actually FELT the friendly smile I was giving out, rather than just plastering it on my face for the sake of a few bucks, then I would do do all right at the end of the night.

Maybe I"m just to honest: i have to actually feel what I'm giving off. I can't fake it so I make myself feel it.

I do the same thing today. I wouldn't--couldn't-- teach lessons without money; but I'm sure as hell not thinking about the money when I'm working.
Some lessons are a breeze and a joy; others are work. I care about all my students.

The end of the night is all that matters.