Customer service in the South: Tip your waitress will ya?

I've worked in the customer/food service industry since I was 15, over 12 years now and I've learned a lot in the decade +. I've also worked in the industry in three states (KS, FL, LA) and though that's not a lot, I've had plenty of experience to know that there's certainly a different appreciation for quality customer service closer to areas that have a thriving entertainment scene where customer service abounds.

My first job was as a Sonic Drive in Carhop. Go ahead and get your laugh in now. And no, I did not skate around delivering orders. Well, I did once, and only once. I ended up falling flat on my ass and spilling the entire order. I made minimum wage there, and people tipped me occasionally but definitely not enough for the scorching hot summers, bitter cold winters and heavy orders I dealt with daily. 

So, if you don't tip your carhops, now's the time to start doing so! Think to yourself how you would tip at any restaurant and what the service was worth to you. 10, 15, 18, 20 percent? I'm not telling you to tip if the customer service was poor, but for goodness sakes, what other reason do you have? 

After that, I worked at College Hill Coffee as a barista, waitress, cook and baker. That job was in my small home town of Winfield, KS and hardly anyone tipped, they didn't realize how hard we worked to make all the homemade delicious food and desserts we made daily and folks, I made $5.25 an hour back then. Yah, that's bullshit. Most customers that came in there had a sense of entitlement and "ownership" of the place as if it was "their" coffee shop yet they certainly didn't treat their wait staff like they should have for people that took such pride in the place. 

I moved to Florida and worked at yet another coffee and sandwich shop and at least the owner there had the wherewithal to pay us a decent wage because he knew the clientele we had didn't tip. They were a downtown business lunch crowd that wanted their food fast, fresh and cheap and then barely tipped us if at all. 

I work at another coffee shop here in Baton Rouge. And let me tell you. People tip. BIG. Let's just suffice it to say it's definitely a salary-worthy amount. And people tip whether they're regulars or not. I'm telling you all this because customer service is a tough business so if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen. It takes a lot of patience and skill to deal with all different types of personalities all the time. Down here in the South, there's just a better appreciation for customer service and most of the time that appreciation is acknowledged through tips.

I'm not sure exactly why, after working in the same line of business for more than 10 years, customers recognize my hard work but I'll tell you what, anywhere I go now that has a tip jar I tip! I encourage you to do the same. In fact, I was just at Chipotle and tipped there.

Thanks folks. And come see me at Garden District Coffee!