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Golden Corral Tipoff
R. Alex Whitlock
For the first time in almost a year, I ate at the Golden Corral this morning. It'll probably be the last time I do so for... another year. One has to remind oneself that one doesn't particularly care for a restaurant by eating there from time to time, no?
Anyhow, one of my cheif complaints about the place is the whole "waiter" thing. If I am physically able to get my own food and undisturbed at the prospect of interrupting my eating by having to get up as I would have to be to eat at a place where I get my own food, I honestly don't need someone to get me refills on my drink and put more plates on the table. I can get my own, thanks. I really can.
But the method to this madness is so that they can limit our in-take for drinks (we drink slower when we don't know if we'll be able to immediately get a refill). Also, it allows them to have table-cleaners at sub-minimum wage because by serving drinks, they're eligable for tips.
Which brings me to the other thing that I really hate about this set-up: Not only to I resent their presence, but I am expected to tip the people whose presence I resent. Insult to injury!
It's not about the money. My tips start at 20% and go up and down from there. Rarely do I give less than 15%. But am I supposed to give these people a 15% tip even though I'm getting my own food? I suppose they're enabling it a bit by giving me the plate, but a buffet is a buffet for crap's sake.
But I don't want to be rude. And I certainly don't want them to get the short rift if they indeed are paid below minimum wage and the tips are part of their basic income (as it is with most waiters).
Dang you, Golden Corral, for putting me in this annual ethical dilemma.
Observations
I never thought of it as an attempt to limit drink intake, but rather as an attempt to shave costs yet still have some modicum of service (it IS a steakhouse, after all).
The place is so cheap anyway that I'd just toss the waitstaff a few bucks and not get into an ethical quandary. It's about like Souper Salad here in town. Yeah, they refill drinks, and do nothing else (not even plates). But at $6 a pop, what does it really matter tossing a few bucks on the table? So long, that is, as the drink service is timely.
My assumption is that it is an attempt to limit intake in order to shave costs. The feeling that if they number of plates are limited, people will be more selective about how filling up a ton of plates with a ton of food they're not going to eat and that people will drink more slowly when they don't know when their next refill is coming (even if the waitstaff is good and you can be pretty sure you won't be left dry, I think it still slows you down. Well, it does me.)
I'd probably feel less stingy if the tip didn't push a meal at GC past $10.
did you, or did you not eat at panchos which roughly has the same setup. all you can eat and waiters/waitresses too. o'course you'll never have to worry about that pesky panchos anymore. they are shutting down all of their locations.
Kavey,
I was just boasting on Pancho's the other day. It may not be good food, but man is there a lot of it! Sorry to hear they're shutting down.
Pancho's was a bit different because other than the first go-around, they would serve you food in addition to drinks. That way you didn't have to get up and that's worth tipping for. In the case of Golden Corral, you have to get up for one thing but not another and it's a kinda irritating.
I gotta agree with RAW here.
The fact that they have to have SOME waitstaff (to clean tables as people leave) is a hazard of the business.
The fact that they have them "serve" drinks I doubt is an attempt to limit drink intake, because I've never actually gone thirsty at one yet; they do seem pretty good about the refills.
But the cynical "oh they serve drinks so we expect them to get tips" nonsense... that DOES suck.
Just for clarification, I'm not saying that they purposefully withhold refills to shave. I'm just saying that I'll bet there's a study done somewhere that says that people who are served drinks drink slower than those that can pour their own from a fountain.
RAW: It could be just the opposite, actually. It might be the case that served drinks actually OVERSERVE customers who might well simply get themselves a half glass to finish with their meal if they had that option. It's a wash in my mind, and it's not like they're serving hard liquor anyway. Fountain drinks are cheap. The cents potentially saved are more than offset by the administrative overhead (social security, taxes, workers comp, medicaid, and other paperwork) forced by the extra employees. I think you're overblowing the conspiracy to save a few cents.
TEKFAM: So be cheap and don't tip them even if they keep your drinks filled. But don't pretend it's an ethical quandary, or that you're not being cheap. Anybody who won't throw down a buck or two for the poor sap who's done a good job filling up the drinks at a buffet is being cheap. Sorry if the truth hurts.
I prefer Alex's solution of not dining at buffet restaurants that annoy him with the expectation that one leave some small tip for the person refilling the drinks. One shouldn't give money to establishments that annoy one.
So how does one define a "small" tip? I don't mind giving 5-10% depending on how the service is, but would it be an affrontery if I do? Analogous to giving a regular waiter less than 15%? If 15% is expected then I can factor that in to the cost the way I factor 20% in to eating out at a regular restaurant. It's as much the ambiguity that disturbs me.
But it's only of annual concern, so I'll let it go until I eat there again next year.
Ooooh, thanks Callie! Quite helpful!
I ate at a golden corral for the first time last week. Since it is a buffet, i did not tip. As i left the establishment, the waiter hollered at me "did you enjoy your meal" and i said "yes". He then mumbled something about "service". Apparently, he was trying to embarrass me for not tipping him. I never thought to tip him since its a buffet.
In the 70's and 80's you were not obligated to tip at buffets since you were not having your order taken, nor was your meal brought to you. Since when did this change?
This is not about being a cheap skate. Its about principle. It seems more and more that we are expected to tip 20% everywhere, regardless of the quality of service. And do not give me the sob story about wait staff being dependent upon tips. Tips are for service, they are not a right. I washed dishes in college and never was tipped.
Any monkey can serve drinks. And to be honest, I would prefer to serve my own. It seems you either have the annoying, constant refills every time the cup is 1/4 empty, or the waiter that provides no refills at all.
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