Why Deaf Chat Coffee?

[VamPyroX]

I've never been anywhere where waitstaff refused to wait on me, but I have seen my friends leave a tiny tip or no tip at all, and it does embarrass me. I try to over-tip to compensate for their lack of tip. Something I shouldn't have to do ..



Not that I'm defending the waitstaff, but as far as the waitstaff being greedy, they make less than minimum wage. It is one of the very few jobs that are allowed to be paid at less than minimum. So they DO depend on the tips to make ends meet.

That's right. They usually get paid less than minimum wage because most of their income is based on tips.

 

[Calvin]

I do tip. I always do, but yes... it's true that some deaf people do not tip.

Yes same here I always tip the waiter for their service. If they did a good service, I'd give a good tip, if the service is poor such as taking too long or unprofessional manners, I'd give less tip but most of the time I've had a good service and I give a good tips. I also give pizza delivery guy a tip too $2 or $3 tip since the fuel cost is high so I tip them better and for delivering my pizza

 

[TweetyBird]

So, when you go to those deaf chat coffee socials... do you see many people actually drinking coffee?

yea i see deaf buy drinks there and some not.. ofc..

 

[Cheri]

Yes same here I always tip the waiter for their service. If they did a good service, I'd give a good tip, if the service is poor such as taking too long or unprofessional manners, I'd give less tip but most of the time I've had a good service and I give a good tips. I also give pizza delivery guy a tip too $2 or $3 tip since the fuel cost is high so I tip them better and for delivering my pizza

I'm the same way, if the service is excellent I give them more than normally of what I give.

 

[Awauphi]

some place doesnt allow people to liotering.. if there is a sign then cant stay there unless you buy drinks and stay and surf online or chat with other people there.

If you dont buy drinks then u shoudlnt stay there. thats my belief.

i do tip all waitresses and bartenders. I used to work at bar and grill for many years. Several deaf people came over to eat there or drink. they dont leave tip? I asked them why didnt you tip? they said i only come here to eat. i said yes but they serve you they are working to please you and make sure you are full and happy? thats their job.

if the waitresses didnt get enough tips- the employer will pay more for what is not there or to match to make up for not getting enough.

Most places now are included the tips in the bills called gratuity tips.

Last year I went to a social gathering with my soon to be ex husband and deaf friends to a local restaurant called Shorty's. We ordered foods and the waitress waited on us and he was wonderful. I gave him tips because he did wonderful job. He was pleased. We paid our foods. I looked at the recipet and realized that the gratuity was included. I was like ok and didnt think nothing of it.

My other deaf friends saw that on the recipet and told waitress.. please take gratuity out of the recpiet cuz they didnt pay for it? I said you dont understand. it is there on rules. they got mad? I was like they waited on you so they deserve the tips? they said NO. they wanted their money back. I was like oh brother. They didnt care? Well they said i want to talk to the manager. The manager came and talked to them. he said sorry about it but have to pay. they got mad.

crikey. i got embarrassed for being with them? after they left. i apologized to the waitress and the manager and told them not many deaf people know how to tip right. They said its ok. I felt bad for them.

Ever that day- i stopped going to social gathering with them. They kept inviting me to go with them to events. I politely declined and said no. They said why? i said cuz... truth is cuz of tips and being embarrased wanting to take tips out of the bill? jeez. What ever happen to being polite and help them as they are struggling to please us and their job are low paying of all the jobs.

I agree we need to include the HOW to TIP waitress and bartenders in Home Ec class that way they will learn to tip correctly and be polite. if they dont tip then they wont be wait on and they will wonder why?????? too bad!

 

[saxxykitty78]

actually I know why cuz friends I don't get to see that often I see them every month at starbucks coffee for deaf social on every 3rd friday in santa clara/sunnyvale tho.. I usually go out for one night to get out of the house so I don't stay on stupid computer cuz it's sad I feel like I'm practically married to the computer ugh... but secondly of all when I go out of town I am addicted to my pager but my pager seems gonna die on me cuz stupid blacklight died on me so ugh I need to exchange for sidekick LX but gonna wait cuz of $$ situation.. sorry if I do go off topic here

 

[Jolie77]

Ironically, I have not been to one of the social gathering at Starbucks but I'd say, it was in the trend for a coffee chat among deafies who wants to get together to hang out. Honestly, I'd find it embarrassing if they were not a customer to buy the coffee and just to hang out there. The purpose of starbucks allowing it to happen is to attract the business from prospectful customers to buy their coffee while hanging out.

As for tipping the waitress/waiters - I've always tipped them when their services are excellent and professional. We are expected to treat them to accord and for them to treat us to accord as well.

 

[~SG~]

Yes same here I always tip the waiter for their service. If they did a good service, I'd give a good tip, if the service is poor such as taking too long or unprofessional manners, I'd give less tip but most of the time I've had a good service and I give a good tips. I also give pizza delivery guy a tip too $2 or $3 tip since the fuel cost is high so I tip them better and for delivering my pizza

Yes I do the same for pizza delivery guy in New Zealand, gave them extra tip $2 to $4. (tip isn't really a custom in NZ) I haven't order a pizza in Australia yet.

Ironically, I have not been to one of the social gathering at Starbucks but I'd say, it was in the trend for a coffee chat among deafies who wants to get together to hang out. Honestly, I'd find it embarrassing if they were not a customer to buy the coffee and just to hang out there. The purpose of starbucks allowing it to happen is to attract the business from prospectful customers to buy their coffee while hanging out.

As for tipping the waitress/waiters - I've always tipped them when their services are excellent and professional. We are expected to treat them to accord and for them to treat us to accord as well.

Nods I would be embarrassed for sure.

Last year after finished work, me and Deafies classmates went to Starbucks for a chat. I did let them know before hand, that I won't be ordering anything as it is expensive there, they agreed as one of them were gonna buy a hot drink there. Once we got there, no one want to order anything.

So I told them I'll be leaving there as not gonna take up Starbucks spaces for not ordering something. We all agreed to leave Starbucks and went down to train station building cafe *which got a lot of tables and chairs* and we chatted there for couple of hours without ordering any thing. After that I caught the train, it was like couple steps down in the same building.

 

[Hwy99]

I believe is because in general that lot of people meet up for lunch at coffee shops or cafe . I guess that's why they stuck up with the idea.

In Seattle, lot of deaf people do order coffee or snacks. We do get a good sized line of deaf people ordering them.

Yupp true, coffee are very popular in the Northwest Pacific area and when I go to Deaf Starbucks, most of the deafies buy the coffee, including myself.

 

[Kalista]

So, when you go to those deaf chat coffee socials... do you see many people actually drinking coffee?

We have a Deaf chat coffee in Framingham, MA area at Panera Bread. They do order some hot chocalate, tea or dessert. Not always coffee.

 

[Strawberry]

Yeah, we have them here in Oklahoma and I never went to one... the place is normally too small and I also agree with some of the members saying that its rude to just sit around and steal the business' precious time with another customers who would actually pay for a coffee and use the place as their down-time.

Some of you were talking about tipping the waiter/waiteress. I was a waiteress for several deaf events in past two years. I didn't get very many tips from deaf patrons as well. So I don't blame the hearing waiter/waiteress being impatient with the deaf patrons. Yes, we do depend on tips to balance out our pay rate and income. I was paid $2.15 a hour plus tips. So, no tips from deaf patrons = no money to pay my bills. It hurts.

 

[VamPyroX]

Yeah, we have them here in Oklahoma and I never went to one... the place is normally too small and I also agree with some of the members saying that its rude to just sit around and steal the business' precious time with another customers who would actually pay for a coffee and use the place as their down-time.

Some of you were talking about tipping the waiter/waiteress. I was a waiteress for several deaf events in past two years. I didn't get very many tips from deaf patrons as well. So I don't blame the hearing waiter/waiteress being impatient with the deaf patrons. Yes, we do depend on tips to balance out our pay rate and income. I was paid $2.15 a hour plus tips. So, no tips from deaf patrons = no money to pay my bills. It hurts.

Yep!

I usually try explaining to deafies that servers get less than minimum wage and most of their wages are from tips. Their typical response is, "If they want more money, they can just ask for more money. I paid for the food. I don't care about their services."

I usually tip 16% to 20% depending on the service. (I usually look at the tax and double it... tax is usually 8% to 8.5%. Double that and you have 16% to 17%. If the service was good, I'll add a dollar or two depending on how good it was.)

 

[Buffalo]

I was thinking that maybe someone should write an article in deaf magazines regarding certain deaf people's poor tipping. Maybe there are deaf people who do not understand how waitresses or waiters get paid and why it is necessary to tip them. Maybe no one explained to them the reason for the tips. Maybe this should be taught in deaf schools to educate deaf people about it. Just an idea.

Yes, I agree. I also think parents should be teaching them as well. Kids do forget to say 'thank you' and parents are there to remind them until they do it automatically. Too many parents don't know sign language therefore they don't talk to their deaf kids too often as they should. That is why too many kids are in dark about alot of things.

 

[Pinky]

I've never been into deaf chat coffee before. I live in second city. The major cities do have deaf coffee chat. My hometown isn't my type to hang out with deaf people. I always go to coffeehouse so often. I want to looking for a new friends who are coolest and smart deaf go to Coffeehouse. I do love go to Starbucks but I am Firefly's Coffee house and Higher's Ground person!

 

[Dixie]

I always tip according to the service given. If the waitstaff was polite, timely, and earnest to serve (their main job function), then I will leave a tip $5-$10 depending on the restaurant.

If its mediocre service, not great service, but not horrible, just OK service then the tip usually falls somewhere between $2-5, again depending on restaurant.

If it was horrible service - for example a rude snotty cocky waitstaff, waiting a long time for service, food comes out cold or it is the wrong order, then I leave a tip of 1 cent. When the service is that bad and the waitstaff just plain has an attitude with me, that 1 penny laying on the table is my 'insult' back to them for such poor service. I've only had to resort this 3 or 4 times so far.

 

[DVDFreaker]

I always tip according to the service given. If the waitstaff was polite, timely, and earnest to serve (their main job function), then I will leave a tip $5-$10 depending on the restaurant.

If its mediocre service, not great service, but not horrible, just OK service then the tip usually falls somewhere between $2-5, again depending on restaurant.

If it was horrible service - for example a rude snotty cocky waitstaff, waiting a long time for service, food comes out cold or it is the wrong order, then I leave a tip of 1 cent. When the service is that bad and the waitstaff just plain has an attitude with me, that 1 penny laying on the table is my 'insult' back to them for such poor service. I've only had to resort this 3 or 4 times so far.

at the 1 cent comment!

 

[Awauphi]

haha dixie.. i dnt blame you for lousy service.. they deserve 1 cent. sheesh.

yesterday we went to Chinese Restaurant. A young girl wait on us and she did a lousy job. She didn't fill up our drinks when it was empty. I had to ask her to get me more. I didn't appreciate the service so i didnt tip her at all. She shouldnt be put to work? i dont understand! ugh!

 

[Dixie]

Was it at Mulan's in Russellville?

 

[Awauphi]

Was it at Mulan's in Russellville?

No It was at China Buffet in Morrilton.

 

[Dixie]

Right off 64?