Brides Helping Brides ™ - How much are you tipping the Matrie'D?? – Page 2

SPITSBRIDE · 2005-10-21T00:38:22-04:00

Our reception hall said an average of $1000, does that seem high or about average?

Blu-ize Posted: Oct 21, 2005 02:38 PM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

Posted by FallBride05

Posted by Blu-ize

Posted by hocus

Posted by Blu-ize

what would happen if you didn't tip them?

Nothing would really happen, however it really is quite inappropriate not to tip. People work very hard at weddings.

These are salaried people. I think the catering business is pretty sleazy if they can't pay these people a live-able wage. Think about it. If they got $200-$300/party considering some halls have 2-4 weddings a day-that would be a regular full time salary. I'm not saying they don't work hard, but you are paying their salary twice with the amt you pay for the place and then the tip. Also, it's cash!

I agree with you. I was freaking out about this because we were expecting approx 350 people at the wedding and that's ALOT of $$ if you ask me to tip someone. It actually looks like our number is going to be much lower, but we decided ours is getting a flat fee tip, and we're not basing it on how much the average is per person. Personally, I have a thing about tipping vendors, etc.....especially if they work for themselves. I know the Maitre'D doesn't work for themselves, but if you ask me they can make a lot of $$ in CASH on a weekend.

Yep and the definition of tip is to insure proper or prompt service. So you pay it ahead and then get disappointed possibly? 350 people girl?! Wow!

103005FallBride Posted: Oct 21, 2005 03:14 PM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

Posted by dleeny

Posted by 103005FallBride

Posted by dleeny

my hall told me it is customary to tip $3-$5 pp.

Same here!

We just found out we got the BEST! Whoo hoo! So I'm sure he'll be getting the $5/person! I'm so excited!
that is awesome Lori!!

when FH and I picked the menu a few weeks ago, we met our Maitre D who I have heard EXCELLENT things about!

I'm soooo excited! We met with one a year ago which is actually the reason we hired a DOC because he was like a puppy chasing his tail. So hyper and wouldn't listen to a word we said. We actually had it written in our contract that we did NOT want him! Turns out...he's gone! I requested who I wanted, but they said he normally does the Manor Room, so I put it off thinking we wouldn't get him and then BOOM!!! We got him! Whoo hoo!

FallBride05 Posted: Oct 21, 2005 03:28 PM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

Posted by Blu-ize

Posted by FallBride05

Posted by Blu-ize

Posted by hocus

Posted by Blu-ize

what would happen if you didn't tip them?

Nothing would really happen, however it really is quite inappropriate not to tip. People work very hard at weddings.

These are salaried people. I think the catering business is pretty sleazy if they can't pay these people a live-able wage. Think about it. If they got $200-$300/party considering some halls have 2-4 weddings a day-that would be a regular full time salary. I'm not saying they don't work hard, but you are paying their salary twice with the amt you pay for the place and then the tip. Also, it's cash!

I agree with you. I was freaking out about this because we were expecting approx 350 people at the wedding and that's ALOT of $$ if you ask me to tip someone. It actually looks like our number is going to be much lower, but we decided ours is getting a flat fee tip, and we're not basing it on how much the average is per person. Personally, I have a thing about tipping vendors, etc.....especially if they work for themselves. I know the Maitre'D doesn't work for themselves, but if you ask me they can make a lot of $$ in CASH on a weekend.

Yep and the definition of tip is to insure proper or prompt service. So you pay it ahead and then get disappointed possibly? 350 people girl?! Wow!

Actually, believe it or not, I'm stressing out the numbers right now! our rsvp date is Monday, and we're still 106 short of our gaurantee of 300 people! You would think with 488 people invited, that we'd have no problem making our gaurantee!!

hocus Posted: Oct 21, 2005 04:57 PM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

Posted by Blu-ize

Posted by hocus

Posted by Blu-ize

what would happen if you didn't tip them?

Nothing would really happen, however it really is quite inappropriate not to tip. People work very hard at weddings.

These are salaried people. I think the catering business is pretty sleazy if they can't pay these people a live-able wage. Think about it. If they got $200-$300/party considering some halls have 2-4 weddings a day-that would be a regular full time salary. I'm not saying they don't work hard, but you are paying their salary twice with the amt you pay for the place and then the tip. Also, it's cash!

Though you correct that these people receive a salary or hourly wage -- it is low because they are expected to receive tips. Running a catering hall is very expensive -- and the salaries of people working there are not large.

Mrs. dleeny Posted: Oct 21, 2005 05:02 PM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

Though you correct that these people receive a salary or hourly wage -- it is low because they are expected to receive tips. Running a catering hall is very expensive -- and the salaries of people working there are not large.

Running any business is expensive, but businesses outside of the catering/restaurant vertical actually pay their employees.

I used to be a waitress and always wondered how restaurants get away with paying their wait staff “waiter minimum wage” (which is about ½ of minimum wage).

I wonder how this works over-seas. Europeans don’t tip or, don’t tip nearly what Americans do. do European waiters starve to death?

Blu-ize Posted: Oct 21, 2005 05:08 PM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

Posted by dleeny

Though you correct that these people receive a salary or hourly wage -- it is low because they are expected to receive tips. Running a catering hall is very expensive -- and the salaries of people working there are not large.

Running any business is expensive, but businesses outside of the catering/restaurant vertical actually pay their employees.

I used to be a waitress and always wondered how restaurants get away with paying their wait staff “waiter minimum wage” (which is about ½ of minimum wage).

I wonder how this works over-seas. Europeans don’t tip or, don’t tip nearly what Americans do. do European waiters starve to death?

I agree and waiters or waitresses across the board get the majority of the money from tips, but a Maitre'd with those responsibilites of management should be paid by the management not on tips. Not every particpant in the wedding day should be tipped. The cost of weddings are astronomical and the catering halls are the biggest culprit. Pay your employees a fair wage-it's the cost of doing business.

lilacwine Posted: Oct 21, 2005 05:40 PM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

Here's one downside of having a DOC, she gave out the tip envelopes. I would have liked to have pulled money back from our envelopes to the maitre d' as well as the photographer (parts of the room weren't set up properly and the photographer almost left an hour before the end of the reception), but the DOC didn't think to give me a chance to evaluate their performance before distributing their envelopes.

SPITSBRIDE Posted: Oct 21, 2005 06:16 PM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

Yea, I thought JT tipping estimate was a bit high. We invited 300 people but it appears as though 230 may come.

Octoberlove Posted: Oct 21, 2005 07:04 PM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

we tipped 400 for the maitre d

Swan06 Posted: Oct 22, 2005 09:38 AM

Re: How much are you tipping the Matrie'D??

It all depends on the service we receive. If the person rocks then I'll give more than if they suck! It's very important that they rock because at the Swan Club there is no Bridal attendant. Everything falls on that one person.