The tipping point: Servers short-changed by students

The minimum standard tip in the United States is calculated to be 15 percent of a bill including tax, but college students are notorious for giving significantly less, sometimes nothing, to their servers, delivery drivers and other service providers. Students earn this reputation through the countless experiences of those who work in the service industry around college campuses.

"Maybe it is due to freshmen in the area that I have not gotten tipped by students at least once a week," said Michelle Calles, a recent UCF graduate who has been serving at IHOP since its opening last year. "Servers work hard to provide excellent customer service, but it is challenging to see really good servers smile and laugh with student guests and still get tipped nothing."

Calles is not the only server in the area who has noticed the trend of students with poor tipping etiquette. Charlotte Nash, a senior serving at Steak 'n Shake, says 50-60 percent of the time, college students neglect to leave a tip and when they do, it is less than 10 percent.

"College students who have never had a job, especially those who have never worked in the service industry, do not think twice about not tipping," Nash said. "If they spent one day in our shoes, they would see how important it is to tip."

A lack of knowledge

Even though college students neglect proper tipping, they expect to receive the same exceptional service as any other guest. The reason for this is speculated to stem from lack of knowledge for proper tipping etiquette.

Jacob Stonecypher, a senior political science major and Olive Garden server, believes it could be attributed to any number of things.

"I honestly think students have a lack of knowledge or experience when it comes to tipping," Stonecypher said. "Some students may be eating out by themselves for the first time in their lives. They are use to their parents picking up the bill so they have no idea the value of tipping."

Stonecypher said inexperienced student tippers demonstrate a common tipping practice of rounding to the nearest dollar, which once left him a mere 47 cents.

Since he started serving, he said he has noticed student guests who have not worked in the service industry tend to tip around 10 percent, sometimes higher, sometimes lower, but never more than 15 percent. He said those who have worked in the service industry tend to tip at least 20 percent.

But for those who have never worked as a server, there are certain industry facts you may not, but should, be aware of.

Tips are a server's lifeline

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the current minimum wage is $7.31 per hour; however, the hourly wage of a server or delivery driver is significantly less at $4.29 per hour. Service industry employees rely primarily on tips, not paychecks, to pay for basic living expenses such as rent, utilities, gas, insurance and even school tuition.

When considering how much to tip, keep in mind that 100 percent of your tip may not be received by the server. It is stated in the Bureau of Labor Statistics that many restaurant establishments require servers to designate a considerable percentage based on their total sales, not tips, to be given to supporting staff members. For example, if a server is not tipped reasonably for any sale, they could be required to give out more money than they are allowed to keep for themselves. Supporting staff members include: the busser, the bartender (whether or not you consume alcohol), food runner (serving assistant) and sometimes the hostess. Therefore, leaving an inadequate tip not only penalizes the server but also other hard working staff members.

Furthermore, the service industry is a demanding, fast-paced environment known to be physically straining. The duration of a single service shift can be described as being on one's feet for five or more hours, balancing heavy trays, escorting guests, completing running side-work and undertaking five or more table's requests simultaneously, all while carrying on cheerful conversation and sharing endless smiles. Servers and delivery drivers are required to complete time-consuming tasks completed on their given hourly rate called side-work. Side-work, designed to ensure guests receive quality service, typically includes cleaning the restaurant, stocking supplies and preparing the store for the next shift's business.

Moreover, if students know they are not able to tip properly, or at all, they should consider establishments where they do not occupy a server's limited amount of tables such as fast food, drive-through or carry-out restaurants. In addition, if students are unable or unwilling to drive to obtain their food, consider tipping the delivery driver at least the current cost of a gallon of gasoline.

"The standard tip should be at least 20 percent. After all, service employees give 110 percent and they are satisfied with at least a 20 percent return," Stonecypher said. "[Servers] are the only people in the world who put in that much effort for that little in return."