How well do YOU tip?

Next time you go out for a meal, here’s some food for thought. How well do you tip?

As you likely know, servers rely on the bulk of their income to come in the form of tips. The base pay of $2.13/hour is barely enough to fill up a tank of gas, let alone support a family.

The truth is low-wage jobs like food service are among the most popular for our clients because they don’t require higher education. Still that doesn’t mean they don’t work just as hard as their college educated peers. So, next time you’re enjoying a meal out, think about the story behind your server or cashier.

Here’s one:

Tina is a recovered drug addict. She is on the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program, which involves housing assistance, along with case management to educate families on how to break the cycle of homelessness.

Tina works full-time at Burger King and if it weren’t for the program she would not be able to pay her full rent. According to her case manager, she is trying to become self-sufficient, paying a portion of her rent and utilities. She receives food stamps assistance, but still has to rely on food pantries to feed her family.

What is most challenging is that her hours are not consistent. Unlike a standard 9-to-5 job, she cannot depend on a 40 hour work week to make ends meet. Tina will more than likely need to be on income based housing until she can find employment that will bring in sufficient income.

Unfortunately, Tina’s story is a pretty common depiction of the everyday struggles of the working poor. Millions of American breadwinners, like Tina, work hard to support their families. But, despite their determination and effort, many are mired in low-wage jobs that provide inadequate benefits and offer little opportunity for advancement and economic security. If you’re curious about the state of working families in Indiana, check out this report from the Indiana Community Action Association.

You can do your part to help by leaving a fair tip. Remember, every little bit helps.