To whom this may concern!!! 

I’m writing this to you in regards to the recent tip out increase. I’m sure you’ve heard the unrest amongst the staff lately, I’ve heard everything from holding a server meeting, contacting a lawyer ,& or a strike, I’d rather go straight to management with issues of money.

There seems to be a divide happening with servers versus bartenders, this is the mentality that has sadly been created by the tip increase. I feel like the servers should have been contacted and alerted in a formal meeting about the 1% increase as the bartenders were, that would have solved a lot of the disgruntlement. However that was not done and we, as servers have not had a chance to speak our side. I’ve been told by leaders that a 1% increase isn’t a lot and we won’t even notice, now there’s a lot wrong with this statement, ethically and legally. A 1% increase is a lot especially when it totals to 4% of our total sales, it’s a whole lot more than the total 2% we were tipping out before covid in March, I understand that that was going to be raised to 3% before the lockdown happened and that’s fine, I understand and accept that, what I do not understand is a sudden increase again. Tipping out the bar an additional 1% equates to about a 5,000 dollar A YEAR pay cut, that is a significant LOSS OF WAGES, that would not go unnoticed, that could be a a car or 4 to 5 months rent for someone. If this were an office position and our boss came to us and said hey you know covid were going to have to garnish your wage, there would have to be a legally binding document saying that the staff is okay with taking this pay cut and has been told about it, Earls did not do that. But we have noticed and we are already feeling the effects of it. I understand you want everyone to make money however  it should not be the servers responsibility too supplement the bartenders income.   

       Until there is a legally binding document signed under agreement of the staff that we all consent to giving the bar an increased tip out I will not be tipping out the bar an additional 1% if you would please hold a meeting and explain to us more about the money situation , I’m sure the rest of the staff would benefit from this as well.

    Your people are not happy and it’s beginning to show! I understand that bartenders are not making what their used to making but they also are not serving customers directly in turn they’re not risking their lives due to possible exposure to Covid, they’re not doing the same job but expecting more money!? How is that fair to servers? What about a banquet wage? Paying them as banquet bartenders? As servers we are actually doing more work then ever before but tipping out the bar more than ever before, as they do less work than ever before?!?!? The responsibility of supplementing their income should fall on ownership, not the other employees.

   Another issue that needs to be touched on is the pay at the table situation, we have no direct access to keeping track of our tips,  Tips should always be 100% transparent immediately upon issue, someone could be taking a percentage off the top and a server would have no idea.  As a server we should know right then and there, that’s part of the reason we work in this industry. I like to know how my customers feel after they dine with me, it’s the only way I really know that I am doing a good job. By not knowing if someone left a great tip or even no tip I have no pulse on the quality of their experience, however if I have access to that information I would be inclined to express my appreciation of their generosity or if something was wrong. Either establishing a rapport with them or showing I that care if something wasn’t to their liking..

    Imagine if someone left a server 100 dollars on a 100 dollar check and that server didn’t stop by and express extra gratitude because they just didn’t know? It makes you look ungrateful in the eyes of that customer!!! On the other side of that coin if a server did not get a tip and had no idea, they have a right to know why? Sometimes people don’t always complain and the tip shows you everything you need to know about their experience. How can we as servers not be allowed to have our finger on that pulse and why wouldn’t management want the same? 
     I feel if there was an open and honest discussion or even a direct explanation from management a lot of this unrest would cease exist. Please let me know your thoughts, I am looking forward to discussing this further!