As a waiter for over 10 years i find it funny how many times there is a difference in service if you are black. Now i look at this from a few ways. One as a black man who likes to go out to eat. I tip very well, even if your service is crap you will generally get at least 20% however that is just the starting point. Two as a server who like everyone else has his own opinion. And 3 as a black server. I know the stereotypes about about black people and their tips or the lack there of...
However there are a couple factors that servers seem to overlook like the way that they treat the black guests. Honestly you can't make someone feel unwelcome, and treat them like shit the whole time that they are with you and expect a good tip. This is some of the ignorant shit i see daily. I see black people walk in the door and suddenly everyone wants to go smoke, or they get so busy that they couldn't possibly take another table, or all of a sudden they feel like they are dying from some rare disease and need to go sit down. It's pretty funny the creative shit i hear, come on lets just be honest your prejudice. Then comes the point when they find out they have to serve the black table they start throwing fits and yelling at the host. Then they go on a tour of the restaurant to let every other server know that they have a black table and how their life sucks so bad. Then comes the shitty service meanwhile the table next to you gets excellent service while the black table is left to themselves. I have seen many servers do this shit like their guest is stupid and couldn't possibly see what's going on then after all is said and done they get their tip. I've seen it a billion times and then you hear "OH WELL THAT'S WHAT I EXPECTED" Come on seriously i understand how it feels to get a shity tip but if you know you gave shity service instead of going up to every possible person in the restaurant and telling us how another black table did you wrong you start being honest and tell everyone how you gave the bare minimum and how you don't even deserve the $2 tip. While your at it tell everyone the truth YOUR SHIT AND YOU DON'T DESERVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING A WAITER!
Then i look at it like a waiter. Yesterday I was in the middle of running through the menu with a table and the young black man interrupts me to say "I just want some MAH FUCKIN CHICKEN" This young man was rude and disrespectful to me the whole time he was there and after an hour of being treated worse than dirt he left with out leaving me a tip. (servers take a breath and calm yourself) OK first of all there is no reason to talk to me like this. It's disrespectful and makes you look ignorant. Also it doesn't take an idiot to realise that when you go out in public you should be respectful. Think about it seriously how the hell do you look taking a young woman out on a date and acting like a complete ignorant ass hole! If it were me you would be getting nothing but an expensive bill because after dinner you would be gone. IT IS NOT COOL TO ACT LIKE A JACK ASS! Beyond that waiters are people to. Yes in a sense we are working for you and yes at that point in time we are serving you however realise we have family's and lives that we are trying to maintain through honest hard work. We are not the help!!! DO NOT MISTAKE THE FACT THAT WAITING TABLES IS A VERY DEMANDING JOB! This is not a cry for pity it is a request for respect. courtesy can get you a long way. We as servers do not make minimum wage. We make around $2.50 an hour and we have to tip out 3% to busboys, hosts, and bartenders. That means if you have a $50 bill and you tip $5 $1.50 of that goes to other people and your server gets $3.50 of that five dollars The suggested gratuity for any dining experience is 18% which would be $9 you do the math. If you can't afford it stay home! If you can't act polite STAY HOME! it might sound harsh but at the same time just like you we pay bills!
Finally as a black server i try my hardest to give all of my guests a great experience. I do not care what you wear when you come out, what color you are, or how much money you have. All i care about is our mutual satisfaction at the end of the experience. I try to create an amazing memory for all my guests. I also try to compensate for the lack of respect for black patrons that i see. JUST BECAUSE A GROUP OF PEOPLE MIGHT BE BLACK DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T TIP!! There have been many times i have seen people scurry from having to take black guests and i have personally taken them to my table AND FOR THE RECORD I HAVE MADE QUITE A BIT OF MONEY FROM the BLACK PEOPLE THAT NO ONE ELSE WANTED TO SERVE! AS FOR MY FELLOW SERVERS...When it comes down to it your feelings are your feelings theres nothing wrong with that.... however you are accountable for the way that you react!
