[Spivak]

Two things:

* Having AirPods in doesn't mean not listening. I just wear mine and have them on transparent. For particularly loud settings I use live listen.

* I would love if my server was allowed creature comforts like being able to listen to music or podcasts. Working in a restaurant that has the same 20 terrible songs on repeat is miserable. Service jobs are miserable, people suck, the less "masking" the employees do the better.

If the cost of labor is too high just get rid of the labor. It will be a hit with young people. The last thing I want is having someone waiting on me, if people weren't already used to it we wouldn't invented it again because it's weird. The best restaurant experiences I've had are seat yourself, get your own drinks, order on the website from the QR code at the table, and pick up your food from the window.

It's why "food halls" are doing so well.

[SoftTalker]

It's about the impression they make. To earn good tips, servers should be 100% focused and attentive to their customers. AirPods, even if not in use, imply that they are not paying full attention.

[Larrikin]

I would rather go the opposite route and adopt the model in Japan and other countries so we can finally be rid of tips. Restaurants all over the world exist without tips. The US is not a special case

I don't care about the staff asking me how my day is. I don't care how their day is going. I don't care about how "attentive" the staff is. I don't care if the staff has AirPods in. Replace the check ins with a call button. Familiarity with the menu for questions is all the interaction needed. Wait staff can be reduced, since they are just hanging out in the back unless called or serving food.

We can get rid of pretending the restaurant under paying the wait staff is the diners problem to be made up for with tips, because they need to employ people to talk to you while you're eating.

Extremely high end Michelin star places don't really have check ins, they just monitor you and do their explainers while they serve you. That is nice service, but most restaurants aren't at that level at all, and the prices at a Michelin place are so high that there is no need for a tip for the service.

[SoftTalker]

Absolutely, there is a balance between attentiveness and just being annoying. Good servers know the difference, and seem to be there when you need them and don't bother you when you don't.

[Spivak]

Look, this is true from the server side because people suck and use eating out as an excuse to decide whether someone deserves to make minimum wage based on their "performance" but on the tipper side I could not give two shits. As long as I get the food you get 25%. Same with Uber. I think it's gross to make someone dance for their supper. If I want to pay someone to give me attention and make me feel good I'll buy a different service.