The food service industry can be a very hard place to work. The hours are poor, wages horrible.

A few interesting facts about the workplace:

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• On your feet all day.

• Many times a thankless job.

• Poor wages, nationwide average w/o tips is $2.13 an hour.

• Nationwide average with tips is $8.94 an hour, many times less.

• Servers received 50% off their meals on average while on the job.

• Breaks are rare.

• Best known tip, $12,000 dollars. Fryn Pan Restaurant, Stacy Knutson

• Second best known tip, $10,000, Pizza Hut, Jessica Osborn

• Worst known tip, 1 cent.

• Second worst known tip, 2 cents.

• Many restaurants deduct an average of 8 to 10% from the servers tip if done on a card.

• Best shifts for servers in restaurants to work Friday and Saturday evenings.

• Worst shift Sunday mornings to lunch. After church crowd.

• Second worst shift, Mondays, simply slow.

• Turnover rates vary widely and can range as high as 100 percent.

• Food system was a 1.24 billion dollar industry in 2010.

• 83 % of American's use smart phones to look up restaurant menus and ratings.

• 2.4 million waiters and waitresses live in poverty.

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OK, for those who still want to know what the official commonly accepted norms for tipping are in service industries, see the list below.  ‘TipYourBill’ can be applied within any of these industries.

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Official Recommended Tipping Guidelines from US News, Money and I-tipping:

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• Food server industry 20%

• Airport or train porter: $1-2 per bag

• Airport wheelchair assistance: $3-5 upon arrival at the gate

• Cab & Uber drivers: 10-18% of the fare. Uber: no expectation to tip, but still common.

• Courtesy shuttle drivers: $1-2 per bag

• Hotel bell staff: $1-2 per bag

• Hotel concierge: $10-20 depending on request, at departure

• Hotel doorman: no tip, unless they handle luggage or call a cab

• Hotel maid: $2-3 per night

• Parking valet: $3-5 at pickup

• Barber or beautician: 15-20% of your total

• Pizza Delivery: $3.00 minimum, 15 to 20%

• Tour guides: 20%

• Fishing guides: 20%

• Manicurist/pedicurist: 15-20%

• Massage therapist: 20%

• Stylist or colorist: 15-20%

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Tip Your Bill.com

@TipYourBill