Waiters Hate Black Women, Black Women Always Send Food Back

December 16, 2021 Post a Comment

RACISM + RESTAURANTS

Black People Don't Tip. Can You Take That Table?

Unpacking the racist terminology of America's service industry

Working in restaurants, I got to know many white servers and managers. While we connected the best we could as colleagues, I have a confession to make — most of them were stone-cold racists.

At this point, you are probably thinking, "how do you know?" Their responses to Black customers tell it all. "Black people don't tip. Don't make me take the Black table. Can you take that table since you're Black. Please." Most of the time, I agreed, not because I bought into their racist tropes. But instead, because I wanted Black customers to receive equal treatment.

In America, servers make $2.13 an hour. That's why I was so happy to move into bartending and management after a few years. We literally needed tips to make minimum wage; otherwise, we could not keep a roof over our heads. So to be clear, I was not working with a group of wealthy white people.

My colleagues consisted of mostly low-income white folks. Some attended college but could not find a job in their field. Others enjoyed the flexibility that came with restaurant work. So servers really need tips, and sometimes desperation can bring out the ugliest side of people. Under this context, I heard some of the most disgusting, racist comments about Black people.

To add insult to injury, they felt comfortable expressing their racist beliefs to me, a Black woman. However, just because we worked together and valued tips did not mean I felt okay with the horrible tropes I heard. If you roll your eyes the second a hostess seats a Black customer in your section, your racism may be blocking your blessings. Success in the service industry requires a sense of kindness and respect for others.

Let me first say it feels horrible to get stiffed by a customer. When you order even a quick lunch, that server is responsible for your food and beverage service. It may sound trivial to those who have never had the job. But, I assure you, it's exhausting. As a server, you have to manage customer expectations and make sure they are happy in a clean, safe environment. Trust me. Making hungry adults happy can be very challenging, especially when we throw liquor into the mix.

We have to also work closely with the kitchen to make sure food comes out hot and fresh, that no one else jacks your tables' food, and that it comes out exactly how they ordered it. The dining experience can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours. So, it stings like hell when a table tips you $2 on a $100+ check. You cannot get that time back, and as they sat at your table, you could have been making money off other customers.

However, part of being a server is gambling your time and efforts. My strategy was to make patrons happy, show them some good ol' Southern hospitality, and hope for the best. However, white servers did not want to take that risk with Black customers. That's why they relied so heavily on me and other Black servers to take their tables. I appreciated the extra money, but not the nature of their request.

Servers typically get tables based on rotation. When it's your turn, the hostess seats the table in your section. It's actually exciting because you get the opportunity to make money and also make their day a little brighter. But, as soon as they walk through the door, we do make some natural assessments. For example, if they have a child, you may wonder if they need a booster seat or kids menu. However, white servers typically judged customers based on their skin color. Even some of my favorite co-workers kept saying, "I dont' want that Black table." They said it as if it was perfectly okay not to want to serve Black people. I heard this trope in fine-dining and casual restaurants in New Orleans.

One recent survey of roughly 1,000 restaurant servers from across the nation found that 34 percent thought black diners were "very bad" tippers. An additional 36 percent thought black patrons were "below average" tippers. In contrast, 98 percent of those surveyed believed white customers were "average" or "above average" tippers. (The Washington Post)

While not wanting to serve Black people is clear-as-day racist, some studies suggest Black people really do tip less. Cultural differences in dining practices and access to capital are contributing factors. Nevertheless, the outcome is disastrous.

Many Black customers have to wait longer to find a seat or receive poor service because of the assumptions white servers make right out the gate. Right now, in America, Black people are not getting equal treatment. Yet, they spend their hard-earned money just like anyone else.

More than 40 plaintiffs in 16 states alleged black people were denied service, assigned to segregated seating, subjected to racial slurs and served food from the trash. (By the Associated Press)

Servers need tips to earn a living. Yet, disregarding customers based on race will not help your paycheck. Over the years, I received really bad tips from White Europeans. Yet, I treated them kindly. When a European couple drinks a bottle of wine and orders the most expensive thing on the menu, those $2 tips slap. In Europe, tipping is not customary because restaurant owners actually pay their servers a living wage. When you are making $2.13 an hour, you want more than $2 and a smile.

However, Europeans tipping poorly is due to a cultural difference, not blatant disrespect. Knowing this makes it easier to accept the setback. And most servers know that the good tips usually make up for the bad ones. While white servers often complain about these tips, they never try to find out if someone is European and avoid taking their tables. When it comes to Black people, they are not willing to take that same risk — that's racist. Instead, they rather rudely ask other servers, mostly Black ones, to take the table for them. Sometimes, they let them sit there for a long time in hopes they leave.

Worse, even white servers fail to acknowledge how their racism maintains this trend. There is also a cultural difference underlying tipping variation. Some Black people did not grow up going out to eat in restaurants or had enough money to prioritize tipping. Europeans tipping poorly shows how culture helps to shape our understanding of tipping.

Our research indicates that black people tip less because they believe servers expect lower tips, and they underestimate the tip amounts that others leave. Whereas roughly 70 percent of whites identify the customary or expected restaurant tip to fall within 15–20 percent of the bill, only about 35 percent of blacks do. (The Washington Post)

America's systemic racism has limited Black people's paychecks. That has a trickle-down effect because it limits their buying power and the way they think about money. And when white servers try to give away the table, they show a reluctance to earn their tip from a Black person.

Many Black customers have to wait longer to find a seat or receive poor service because of the assumptions white servers make right out the gate.

To be clear, white people tip bad too. Some of them flirted with me, asked to touch my hair, or called me nicknames like "sweetie" or "honey." I hate when white customers gasped at how "intelligent" I sound like I was a zoo animal. The sad truth is, Black servers get tipped less by white and Black customers. Yet, this statistic did not stop me from putting forth my best effort.

In America's restaurants, white privilege is out of control. White people think they have the right to deny service to Black people through neglect and mistreatment. Instead of assuming that your next Black table will tip you poorly, treat them like your white tables. If treating people equally is too much to ask, maybe you should get out of the service industry. The "Black People Dont' Tip" Trope puts our Southern Hospitality to shame.

Waiters Hate Black Women, Black Women Always Send Food Back

Source: https://aninjusticemag.com/black-people-dont-tip-can-you-take-that-table-ab23ec10127b