is an
is an acronym. To insure prompt
service. Traditionally at sit down restaurants, we -tip
the server for rattling off
the specials, getting our
drinks, and using that hand-
crank to pour on the parmesan.
But recently, there’s been
a shift in WHO we tip.. and
WHEN we give that gratuity.
Mike Headrick takes a look,
into the new tipping culture.
NatsGrab a seat inside Salt
Lake City’s Green Pig.. and
your restaurant experience..
Nats.. is pretty traditional.
You got Kinnison there mixing
drinks..Claudia chopping up
the grill..Nats.. oooh, that
smells good.And the nice lady
there hustling from table to
table to table.. Nats.. well,
that’s Robin.Who’s sole
purpose is to make sure your
entire experience.. Nats.. is
a good one.And if it is..
Nats.. at the very END of that
experience..SotRobin
Brown7.06"we earn it.. we earn
higher tips.".07.. you give
her a tip for a job well done,
right?SotRobin Brown1.24"witho
ut them.. we wouldn’t be able
to pay our bills..
so.".26Sooo, here’s an honest
to goodness question.. have
you ever.. "no" "no".. like,
ever given the server their
gratuity.. Jazmin.52"no, no..
not that way.. I didn’t even
know it was a thing.. ha
ha.".56.. before the job was
done? Jahni.23"beforehand..
no.. I’ve never even thought
of it.. never even crossed my
mind.".27Alright, Jahni.. well
let me tell you who’s mind it
has crossed..Anyone who either
owns or works.. Nats.. "fast
casual" restaurants.You know
the places I’m talking about..
Chicken.. soda.. brisket..
tacos.. cookies..Pretty much
any restaurant or shop..Where
you’ve stood in line..Ordered
your food..And once they ring
up that bill.. Carson1.21"when
you flip it around.."
Korbyn1.52"and they flip that
around..and I was like..".54
Carson.30"do I have to tip
because they’re looking at
me?".33 Jahni1.48"and they’re
standing there waiting for
you.. well.. are you going to
tip us..".51 Mika2.49"do I,
do it? Are they going to tip?
Do I tip, you know?".52
Korbyn.54"why are you putting
me under this pressure.. ha
ha.. and you feel like anxiety
almost..".585 years ago..
tipping at "fast casual" was
barely an option.Today..
Nats.. it’s pouring into our
everyday lives.Drive through..
Sit down..Eat in..Take out..
For you the customer.. Sue
Mika.44"I.. I.. feel it’s a
little bit aggressive, to be
honest.".48 Hayden.55"I’m
okay with tipping upfront..
because I know I’m going to
get my food in general.".58..
there’s obvious mixed
feelings.. Carson2.19".. and
they smile and they’re happy..
I’m happy to tip.".22
Korbyn.25"no.. no I feel like
they have to like prove that
they deserve it..".28But to
the folks running these
restaurants.. Jessica Moyer-
Savory Management3.33"the
first time I saw it.. I was
surprised by it..".36.. it may
be saving their bacon.
Jessica Moyer-Savory
Management3.37in the food
industry a big majority of my
life..where it’s like, oh,
okay.. we’re doing this
now.".41Jessica Moyer is with
Savory Management.. a group
overseeingseveral restaurants
in Utah.And with the industry
flooded in ’help wanted’
signs..She says that tipping
incentive helps them hire
employees..Retain employees..
And it doesn’t cost them a
dime. Jessica Moyer-Savory
Management7.16"we have to
fight for every single
individual that chooses to
work with one of our
companies..".19 Jessica Moyer-
Savory Management7.25"and it’s
a huge competitive advantage
to be able to offer the tip
option versus somebody who
doesn’t.".31And she’s not
alone.Just take a look at the
classifieds.. Nats.. and it
seems just about every fast
casual restaurant.. Nats.. is
not only offering nearly twice
the minimum wage.. Nats..
they’re boasting an extra 4-7
bucks an hour.. in tips. Ann
House6.25"we’re reexamining
where we are.. and what
tipping means.. is it based on
service anymore?".32Ann House
is a professor at the U.. and
says the paradigm appears to
be shifting.. Ann
House6.40"this is just the
cost now.. of going to get
some frozen yogurt..".44.. on
exactly what kind of service
deserves a tip.Is it the gal
taking your order?The guy
preparing your meal?Maybe it’s
the person already making
10-14 bucks an hour..handing
you a drink and straw through
the window.. who deserves a
little extra.. Ally 4.37"but
I’m just expecting to get that
service.. no matter what..".40
Ally4.02"oh.. thank you for
taking my order..here’s a
tip.. you’re already getting
paid to do your job,
right?".06 NatsAccording to
Point of Service company,
Square.. over the last couple
of years.. Utahn’s have been
tipping between 20-25 percent
at these ’fast casual’
restaurants.Money which is
pooled.. and then shared
evenly among those working
behind the counter..And while
you may never see.. or even
interact with the peopleyou’re
tipping..Jazmin2.26"I always,
always tip.".28.. most
customers we spoke with are
totally okay with that..
Hayden2.46"at the end of the
day it’s my money, right?..
happy to give a few extra
bucks.What they’re not okay
with.. Ann House5.53"10
percent.. 15 percent..".. is
the social anxiety.. that
perceived pressure.. Ron
Mika3.01"always worried
they’re going to do something
to your food if you put zero..
ha ha.".04.. and the feared
judgement that seems to come..
Ann House5.56".. 25 percent..
no tip.".58.. on wherever your
finger lands. Carson.55"ha
ha.. you get the kind of deer
in the headlights look, like..
oooh, they’re looking at me..
what do I do".00
Korbyn2.25".. you’re almost
like in a social contract at
that point.. especially eye
contact with you.. ha ha..
so.".30 Jessica Moyer11.49"DO
THEY KNOW RIGHT AWAY IF YOU
TIPPED? No.. no.. it isn’t
something they see directly on
the register.. they’re not
like YES! I just got a tip..
and they’re not treating you
differently if you didn’t
tip.".58. restaurant natsLike
it or not.. pre-tipping is
becoming a cultural norm.Good
for employers..Maybe even
better for employees..And
while it’s completely
backwards from
traditionservers like Robin
Nats Robin serving.. servers
like Robin believe there is no
substitution for earning
gratuity.. at the END of your
experience.. Robin"1.28"it’s
very motivating to do a better
job..".30.. at the END of your
experience.. in what seems to
havebecome..Robin3.54"it’s a
totally different experience
at a sit down bar or
pub..".56.. the old fashioned
way. Nats