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Pussers makes a good move

Posted By: HillsideView

Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 02:24 AM

http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/e...-service-charge
Posted By: Carol_Hill

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 03:20 AM

Good for them. I loathe automatic tips. All is does is encourage terrible service.
Posted By: warren460

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 09:19 AM

I agree. Automatic service charges lead to poor service.
Posted By: GlennA

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 10:41 AM

Tobias is right that service fees killed service levels. Last time I was in Pussers in town one waitress was working her butt off while 3 others sat around. Interesting that the workers immediately complained to the labor department.
Posted By: salica

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 11:35 AM

High time this was common practice throughout the territory. Tips should be earned not an automatic right. Hopefully then good service would follow.
Posted By: Carol_Hill

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 12:21 PM

..or if you really want to set the cat among the pidgeons, ask Evan to comment on service in SXM versus in the BVI. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Winterstale

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 12:36 PM

Quote
Carol_Hill said:
..or if you really want to set the cat among the pidgeons, ask Evan to comment on service in SXM versus in the BVI. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />
<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Rofl.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: RickinAtlanta

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 12:58 PM

Thanks a pantload Carol. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: sail445

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 01:02 PM

Just a few weeks ago a few TTOL commenters disagreed with me when I mentioned the lousy service at Marina Cay and other restaurants.
Some said the have been going there for years and the service was superb.
SXM has very good service and to compare it to the BVI is comical
Posted By: JasonHelmbrecht

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 01:12 PM

Neptune's Treasure on Anegada also removed their service charge this year. Great move!

My favorite part of the article is the comments...
Posted By: Sugaree

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 01:13 PM

I found it hilarious that the employees complained about having to "perform miracles" to make customers happy. So, it's a miracle when you stop chit-chatting and grudgingly bring me my cold burger?!
<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: sail445

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 02:21 PM

They sometimes seem to forget that you're Actually paying for the food and their salary.
Excellent move by Pussers.
Posted By: salica

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 02:28 PM

Pulling the cap off a bottle of beer, possibly popping a slice of lime in the top, then dumping it irreverently front of you can never be worthy of a tip! Service with a smile was always a byword, to say nothing of 'the customer is always right '.
Posted By: sail445

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 02:44 PM

It's hard to enjoy your dinner when you have a person with a negative attitude as your waitress.
Posted By: sail2wind

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 03:17 PM

Quote
RickinAtlanta said:
Thanks a pantload Carol. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />



<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

The service was far superior in SXM. We never encountered any negative or indifferent service. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: stoneyusaf

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 03:22 PM

I would love to know what "miracles" have to be performed to make customers happy?! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> 1. Show up at the table in a timely manner and take my order 2. Turn it into the bar/kitchen 3. Stay alert and when that order is ready bring it to me 4. Check periodically if I need anything else and all this with as much positive attitude as you can bring to the table that day. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> If that is a miracle there are a lot of wait staff that will be getting Sainthood someday for performing miracles! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> Bravo Mr. Tobias for taking this step.
Posted By: maytrix

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 03:50 PM

For me, great service is keeping my glass full... if the food takes a little longer..etc as long as my glass is full, I don't care. I never understood why this is so hard either - at the price drinks are, the more drinks I get, the higher the bill and the higher the tip.
Posted By: tradewinds

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 04:19 PM

For the servers who give good service, this is a blessing in disguise. We normally tip 20+%, but when we're presented with a check with a 15% service charge added, we usually don't tip any more on top of that.
Posted By: Carol_Hill

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 04:24 PM

I don't think it is a blessing in DISGUISE at all for good servers. I think it has to be good news for good servers. It has to be discouraging as h*ll for a good server to serve beside someone who is a crappy server and the crappy server gets paid exactly the same..
Posted By: Jaustex

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 04:40 PM

As an owner of a small restaurant (for 15 years now), I applaud the move by Mr. Tobias. Hopefully many more restaurants will follow his lead. Service in the BVI (with a few exceptions) has been slow at best - maybe this will inspire better service throughout the islands and make the experience for all of us even better. It's been a common understanding when we get to the BVI that the staff are on "island time" and we should just chill and wait for the service.
That being said I do also understand the argument from the servers about poor tippers. My rule of thumb on tipping is when Excellent service is provided 25% +; Good service = 20%; Average service = 15%; Poor service = 10% to 0%. If we all followed a guideline of 15% and above for good service we would all benefit from better attitudes/service in d ilons mon. Just my $.02- <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />
Capt J
Posted By: Carol_Hill

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 04:50 PM

Agreed, if I get good, not great, but good, service, I always tip at least 15%, more than that in the appropriate circumstance. I usually give 15% even if the service isn't so great.
Posted By: RickinAtlanta

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 06:35 PM

Quote
sail2wind said:
Quote
RickinAtlanta said:
Thanks a pantload Carol. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />




<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

The service was far superior in SXM. We never encountered any negative or indifferent service. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />


That was totally meant in jest.
Posted By: 706jim

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 06:56 PM

We just returned from a trans Atlantic cruise.

There was an 18% "gratuity" added to just about EVERYTHING.

Including the card that activated the robotic wine dispenser!

Thank you Celebrity cruises for giving us a good reason to never return.
Posted By: Carol_Hill

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 07:06 PM

Auto gratuities on alcohol is standard on all cruise ships, as far as I know. Considering virtually everything is charged to a shipboard charge, that's about the only way for them to go.
Posted By: HoosierDaddy

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 08:20 PM

Change is rarely accepted well. Especially when something is taken away, like an automatic service charge. But I am on board with Tobias as to why he made the change, assuming the change is legal.

I have used the Celebrity Cruises self serve wine dispenser. I was trying to figure out how I got the tip money back for doing such a spectacular job of selecting the wine, pushing the appropriate size of wine "pour" button, superior wine glass placement under the auto dispenser nozzle and especially for keeping my wine glass refilled. Tipping on a self serve wine dispenser still just seems wrong!
Posted By: Breeze

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/06/2015 11:42 PM

Gratuities in the service industry are always a hot button issue.

Customs are different place to place, the international traveling communities are not all on the same page.

After 45 years in the industry, starting at the bottom and going up to management level for absentee owners, I'm happy to be done and out of it. I've seen the best and the worst and everything in between.

Breeze
Posted By: Chriskal

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 01:01 AM

Quote
maytrix said:
For me, great service is keeping my glass full... if the food takes a little longer..etc as long as my glass is full, I don't care. I never understood why this is so hard either - at the price drinks are, the more drinks I get, the higher the bill and the higher the tip.


Exactly. All I really ask is that when you walk by the table take a quick look and see if our glasses are empty or getting close to empty. If so, see if we would like another. Sitting around with an empty cup irritates me more than is probably reasonable, but I thought selling drinks was kind of the goal for these places.
Posted By: tradewinds

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 02:25 AM

Quote
Carol_Hill said:
I don't think it is a blessing in DISGUISE at all for good servers. I think it has to be good news for good servers. It has to be discouraging as h*ll for a good server to serve beside someone who is a crappy server and the crappy server gets paid exactly the same..


It is a blessing for the good servers, because, as I said, instead of getting the standard 15%, they'll get from us, anyway, more for being good servers. Does that make sense? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: denverd0n

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 03:01 PM

Not to speak for Carol Hill, but I think she understood that perfectly right from the start. She is just saying that it is an obvious blessing, not a disguised one.
Posted By: Carol_Hill

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 03:03 PM

denverdOn--yup, that's pretty much it.
Posted By: bviboater

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 03:22 PM

Quote
Exactly. All I really ask is that when you walk by the table take a quick look and see if our glasses are empty or getting close to empty. If so, see if we would like another.


I think most Americans would agree, however I know a few Europeans who are insulted by what they consider a brash move by servers to push more drinks. One has to consider the mix of cultures a server in the BVI must contend with .
Posted By: sail445

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 03:49 PM

Most Europeans are stingy tippers
Posted By: tothedogs

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 05:18 PM

It is not that they are stingy tippers, it is because in their native countries service is included in the price. To them, tipping as we know it is the US is a foreign concept. A normal "tip" in most European countries would be to round up a $97 check to $100 for example.
Posted By: Breeze

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 05:26 PM

Quote
tothedogs said:
It is not that they are stingy tippers, it is because in their native countries service is included in the price. To them, tipping as we know it is the US is a foreign concept. A normal "tip" in most European countries would be to round up a $97 check to $100 for example.


^^^^ THIS

Servers in the BVI have nothing different to contend with as far as " mix of cultures" than a server in Bar Harbor Maine, New York City or Anchorage Alaska.
Posted By: Carol_Hill

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 05:27 PM

Agreed. But servers in Europe also make a much higher wage, so that basically they get paid by their employer a working wage to begin with. I find it a much more rational way to do business than the way we Americans do it, but whatever.
Posted By: sail445

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 06:19 PM

I agree with what your saying about Europeans but most haven't done their homework on the customs when traveling abroad
Posted By: Manpot

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 06:41 PM

I did my homework and many others do too..you are being a little stereotypical... a gentle reminder in a sign or on a bill"service not included" is a good idea..that is done at several BVI establishments. BTW "Myett's" dropped their service charge a while ago..service has improved and their staff are not bitching now..I also like that Paul Mason makes it clear on "The Clubhouse" menus that all tips go to the staff and not management..
Posted By: sail445

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 07:12 PM

I'm not being stereotypical, most Europeans won't leave a 20% tip with excellent service, it goes against their grain.
Posted By: casailor53

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 08:31 PM

Quote
Carol_Hill said:
Agreed. But servers in Europe also make a much higher wage, so that basically they get paid by their employer a working wage to begin with. I find it a much more rational way to do business than the way we Americans do it, but whatever.

Most state laws in the USA allow employers to pay BELOW minimum wage to tipped employees, including $2.13/hour in Georgia. Minimum wage is the BVI is between $4 and $4.50 (can't remember exactly). Just to put things a little more into perspective.
Posted By: maytrix

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 09:24 PM

$2.13 an hour in Georgia would probably translate to under a $1 in the BVI. Cost of living is vastly different.
Posted By: mess

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 09:27 PM

Quote
sail445 said:
I'm not being stereotypical, most Europeans won't leave a 20% tip with excellent service, it goes against their grain.


Different from saying most don't do their homework.
Posted By: tothedogs

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 10:34 PM

I think that as a whole, the average European or other foreigner does infinitely more homework before visiting a foreign country than the average American. Having traveled extensively I have seen this time and time again.

My guess is that the typical European coming to the BVI has likely been to the UK numerous times for business or pleasure. In that context, would one not think that when they are coming to the British Virgin Islands, that they should have similar expectations?

Restaurants in the BVI do themselves a disservice as there is no uniformity. Some do not charge for service and get stiffed, some add a line to the bill for service, and some add a line for a nonexistent tax and get tipped on top of that.
Posted By: HillsideView

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 10:42 PM

I think a line printed on the menu and the bill saying "service NOT included" should be enough to address all potential customers.
Posted By: maytrix

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 11:01 PM

They could always do the reverse and simply charge more and pay more so tipping wasn't an issue - any tips are a bonus.

But I think we all know what this means for service.
Posted By: RonP

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 11:18 PM

I agree that the lack of consistency is a problem.

It's hard enough to read a check in dim light with 50+ year old eyeballs. Discerning what charges are there or not, when everyone does something different can be a problem. So they can do whatever they think is best, but need to spell it out, and give us the large type edition please.
Posted By: Carol_Hill

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/07/2015 11:51 PM

Well, I certainly agree with you there, especially when you often add in alcohol in the mix! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Crazy.gif" alt="" /> My feeling is that many people on vacation from the US and elsewhere, if there is a tip already included on the bill, they still tip an additional 15% or whatever, on top, because they simply don't pay attention. Restaurant owners know that, so to ME, adding an auto tip, they HOPE to deceive the customer into tipping twice, or at least, they know it's a real good possibility and they're perfectly fine with that. Just sayin'..
Posted By: DanS

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/08/2015 09:26 PM

Quote
It is not that they are stingy tippers, it is because in their native countries service is included in the price. To them, tipping as we know it is the US is a foreign concept. A normal "tip" in most European countries would be to round up a $97 check to $100 for example.

Quote
Agreed. But servers in Europe also make a much higher wage, so that basically they get paid by their employer a working wage to begin with. I find it a much more rational way to do business than the way we Americans do it, but whatever.


Which points out a way to test the concept that the only way to get good service is to incentivize the servers with tips. Over the last couple of years I have been to Germany, Italy, and France (for business, business, and pleasure, respectively). I was in tourist-oriented restaurants, and off-the-beaten-path restaurants that were mainly frequented by locals. I found the waiters and waitresses to be uniformly attentive, friendly, and competent.

So maybe there's more than one way to skin a cat, or run a business.

Dan <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Breeze

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/08/2015 11:17 PM

Put 1000 restaurant owners in one convention hall and they'll all say the same thing-- the easy part is creating an attractive and functional physical space where people can find food, drink and companionship. All that takes is money.

The difficult-to-impossible part is convincing the employees that THEIR attitude and competence WITHIN THAT SPACE is what makes the food drink and companionship dream possible and profitable.

A space is a space. An empty table is a space. 4 empty chairs around an empty table is space. A silent kitchen is a space. PEOPLE doing the right things with committment and drive and attentiveness and humor and skill and frequent sprints of < omg I can't believe I'm doing this but I gotta make it happen> are really what make it happen.

GOOD service staff can make even a sub-prime restaurant space rock. BAD service staff will cause the best of planned and decorated venues to roll over in their grave.

Getting it right is a highwire act, and like any highwire act, it can slip off the wire with disastrous consequences.

IMHO, Auto Grat only belongs in private establishments where money does not change hands at the Point of Service. Membership only, private clubs where members are billed monthly and a Grat % is added for service staff based on a member approved and membership ratified expectation. Only in a very well defined and " closed" system of expectations and well defined and managed employee job standards can it work as intended, and when a member of such an establishment is badly treated, the consequences are swift and unequivocal. Employee gets blackballed by the House Committee and see-ya-bubbye.

If one is going to work as a server, or manage or employ servers, in a public venue--- it is all out there in the public view. There will be winners and there will be losers.
Posted By: sail2wind

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/08/2015 11:31 PM

Well said, as one of those 1000 owners I completely agree. Every staff meeting we praise the staff for their great and attentive service. As breeze says you can have terrific food, but lousy service will kill you. We always say our job is to bring people in, your job (servers) is to get them to return. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Teammac

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/09/2015 01:11 AM

What many service businesses in the BVI are missing is the skills of how to treat their employees. I have seen how some of the management speaks to workers, especially in the food industry, and it does not surprise me that the workers have a poor attitude at many places. They have not learned that every worker is important and must be treated with respect and appreciation. Pay rate has much less to do with the equation than most think. If they feel appreciated and have a sense of ownership and accomplishment, they will show up to work with a great attitude. The money then will take care of itself.
Posted By: Jaustex

Re: Pussers makes a good move - 05/09/2015 03:32 AM

Very well said, Breeze, I also am one of those 1000 owners. Service is as big a part of the dining experience as the food and atmosphere and can make or break a restaurant.
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