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Steve Ballmer was an underrated CEO

(danluu.com)
371 points greggyb | 8 comments | 28 Oct 24 21:48 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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not_a_bot_4sho ◴[29 Oct 24 01:19 UTC] No.41978402[source]▶
Funny story. I used to see Steve almost every weekday for a couple of years.

I can't speak to his business skills, but I can attest that he never once offered a tip for his daily black iced tea. We'd even have it ready for him before he showed up so he never had to wait! He would pay with cash, and I'd hand him his change and drink, and that was that.

It's funny to me now: one of the richest men in the world and he never once offered a tip.

Frugality aside, he was always very polite and warm so I can't be mad. Makes for a good ice breaker story.

Edit: holy moly, this is a sensitive subject. Please remember this was from a time before tipflation. Tipping meant you left your change behind once in a while only if you felt the desire to show appreciation. It wasn't an obligation. Yes, I still do think it's a funny story. Roast me for being entitled lol

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pensatoio ◴[29 Oct 24 01:47 UTC] No.41978555[source]▶
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01100011 ◴[29 Oct 24 01:58 UTC] No.41978614[source]▶
We allow wages you can't live on but then expect customers to randomly make up the difference but only for some jobs.

Make too little to afford an apartment, healthcare and food and you work in the food service industry? You deserve a tip. You work in a meatpacking plant? Oh, get screwed.

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adventured ◴[29 Oct 24 02:39 UTC] No.41978822[source]▶
Waiters in the US make more than their peers in: Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, etc.

That's thanks entirely to the tip system.

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1. cryptoz ◴[29 Oct 24 02:46 UTC] No.41978859[source]▶
Got a citation for that? Lots of waiters in the US make $2/hour or something before tips (can anyone correct me here?) where the expectation is that tips will bring them up to $7-8/hour, more in line with other minimum wage jobs.
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2. labcomputer ◴[29 Oct 24 03:26 UTC] No.41979087[source]▶
In California (the most populous state), there is no “tipped minimum wage”. Everyone earns at least $20/hr. In fact, about 1/3 of states don’t allow employers to pay less for tipped employees.
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3. kevin_thibedeau ◴[29 Oct 24 03:31 UTC] No.41979108[source]▶
If they get insufficient tips to meet the minimum, the employer makes up the difference. Nobody makes $2/hour.
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4. cryptoz ◴[29 Oct 24 03:37 UTC] No.41979144[source]▶
Right. Are waiters in other countries listed above making less than US federal minimum wage?
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5. cryptoz ◴[29 Oct 24 06:48 UTC] No.41980105[source]▶
Oh wow really, 2/3 of states let employers pay below minimum wage for tipped employees?
6. AuryGlenz ◴[29 Oct 24 06:58 UTC] No.41980144[source]▶
Back in 2008 my sister would easily make $200 a night working at Red Lobster in a town of 80,000. That was just the tips, not wages. Prices have probably doubled now, along with the tips.

Very few waiters are making as little as you say. Just think of what you pay as a tip for one table for 2-4 people and remember they’re handling quite a few tables at a time. Quite often if they get a bachelors degree and the attached salaried job they take a significant pay cut, but the hours are better for having a family.

7. ywvcbk ◴[29 Oct 24 09:17 UTC] No.41981260[source]▶
> will bring them up to $7-8/hour

Maybe 20 years ago? Almost nobody in the US is making that little these days regardless of the Federal minimum wage.

And in nicer states you get $15-20 + tips.

8. ywvcbk ◴[29 Oct 24 09:18 UTC] No.41981277{3}[source]▶
Do costumers in Washington, California, New York etc. tip less, the same or even more than in those other states?