The Sunday News
Rumbidzai Mbewe, Sunday Life Reporter
THE use of plastic money in the country has been received in different ways by many people. To others it’s a step in the right direction but to those working in bars and restaurants it comes as a huge strain to their budget. Has anyone ever wondered how this affects their income as some of them get more money from tips they get from customers coming in to wine and dine at their respective work places?
Sunday Life talked to a number of people who work at some of the city restaurants and bars to find out how their pockets have been hit by this new system of paying. In South Africa waiters and waitresses tips are included in the customers’ meal. At the end of the shift the money is totalled and given to the waiter or waitress by the manager.
Private Lounge owner, Biggie Chinoperekwei said the use of plastic money in Zimbabwe is a new thing and people were still trying to find their way around it. He said so far they were still figuring out how their workers can still get tips even if the customer has used plastic money.
“At the moment our workers are still getting tips directly to them and I think it is the best way because we do not need to know how much they are making from tips. I prefer it remains their secret because it is money going straight to their pockets,” he said.
“I am sure as time goes on we will be operating like other countries for the benefit of us and our workers. We don’t want them to be looking elsewhere because their other source of income has dried up,” he said.
The restaurant manager at Club 263, Desmond Chiwama reiterated the same sentiments and said these were trying times for most of the people in this industry. He said it will take some time for them to adjust to this way of payment.
“It is a huge change for us and we have customers who then tell us to give our waitresses or waiter two percent of the bill when they pay their bills,”
However, Desmond pointed out that it was not all the customers who gave them tips. He said some even before the use of plastic money would just pay their bill and not leave anything for the waiter or waitress.
“It’s not all customers who are generous to give us a little cash for our pockets. Tipping is not that common to our people and so those who give are rare and sometimes the tips come in very small denominations,” he said.
Tipping, a culture that may have originated in the taverns of 17th Century in England, drinkers would slip money to the waiter “to insure promptitude” or T.I.P for short. This wasn’t embraced by all Americans when the custom began to make its way into many taverns and dining halls. Still today especially in Zimbabwe, many people are slowly appreciating this culture and hopefully in future it would not be difficult for customers to give tips.
Tipping is a sum of money customarily tendered, in addition to the basic price, to certain service sector workers for a service performed or anticipated. Tips and their amount are a matter of social custom, and the custom varies between countries and settings.
