Letter: Make a Kiddush Hashem at Top Golf

I have a student who works in Top Golf, in Edison, a popular destination for bochurim and men on Chol Hamoed and bein hazmanim.

She mentioned to me that when lots of frum people come, it is very difficult for the employees for the following reason:

Top Golf, much like many restaurants, pays their servers minimally (something like $2 an hour) and assumes that customers will tip the waiters who bring them food. The tips represent the majority of these waiters’ salaries.

When frum people come to Top Golf, since they can’t order the food, they assume that there is no need to tip the waiters. On days where there is mostly frum customers, many of the waiters can go an entire day and only end up making $20. This creates a very bad feeling towards our community. Especially when frum people request drinks or service.

If you are going to Top Golf, please consider making a Kiddush Hashem and giving the waiters who show you to your spot and bring you drinks, a $5 – $10 tip. Even if that is more money than what you ordered. $5 – $10 is appreciated by the waiters and is a small amount to pay for this mitzvah and will create goodwill to our beautiful community. Tizku Limitzvos.

Rabbi Meir Goldberg
Meor Rutgers Jewish Xperience

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18 COMMENTS

  1. I never heard of Top Golf.

    But I wish tips would be abolished, and instead businesses should set fees high enough to cover the costs of paying all their employees decently.

  2. Wow! Thank you for bringing this up.. My husband and I were just there and would gladly have tipped them (even though we didn’t order anything). Since, they serve in a double capacity by also bringing the clubs.

    Thank you again!

  3. I was there Chol Hamoed and ordered drinks for about $12 and did leave a $10 cash tip that was appreciated.
    I think that the heimish crowd is not familiar with tipping other than a percentage of a restaurant bill.

  4. Can someone explain why an employer pays only $2.00 an hr & expects the customer to tip more then what they pay? I’m not against tipping but if you hire someone to work in your business you should be paying the employee not your customers!!

    • How can anybody pay workers less than minimum wage. Something fishy is going on here. If this is true, I would send the Dept of Labor over there for a book review. Someone is being ripped off. $2 an hour? Unbelievable.

  5. a kiddush hashem means behaving appropriately, courteous and friendly.
    it would include tipping where appropriate and expected. But i fail to see why one would should give money to a person that didnt provide you that service or too pay a tip way above the value of service provided. If they are upset that they didnt make money that day, thats not my fault. The reason they didnt make money is because no one ordered food and their services were not used. I know many service providers that some days dont have jobs to do. Should i run to give them a few dollars? Again, definitely to tip whats appropriate for a server of drinks but im not understanding the need to throw money at people as goodwill gestures.

  6. Was never there so dont know the specifics about this place but i dont see why one should tip over the normal percentage in this situation. Its too bad not all thier customers order food so they could make more money. If we would be taking tables from others that maybe ordering food thats little more upsetting but thats life. That being said your point is solid! Meir you are correct we must all keep in mind that everything we do in public is scrutinized and judged everday. I work and very friendly with many people that live outside our community. I constantly hear comments about what they witnessed or experienced in many different situations. ( They’re obsessed with us) Comments on Driving, holding the door, saying hello the list goes on and on.

    Asher Buchar bunnu it our job to represent!!

  7. There are laws pertaining to food establishments, bars and restaurants etc.. regarding minimum wage. They get drastically less than everyone else because they get tips. 100% legal on the books in all food establishments. BUT, legally, the employer has to make it up to them if they did not reach the amount of tips that would cover NJ minimum wage.

    • Nate. Thanks for clearing that up. Aren’t tips an honor system self reporting
      item on a tax return. I wonder what happens when they under report and the W-2 doesn’t show the make-up. I dunno, it all sounds too problematic. In my book a tip is a tip and there’s getting paid for a job, regardless. Is that how it works for bartenders and valet parkers, waiters and doormen? Sounds like some kind of racket to me. I know some restaurants automatically build in a tip, but what do you tip for a $2 to $4 coffee? Sometimes you can write in a tip on the CC receipt. How many customers do you have to serve to make a living.? Cars to park? Like the so called “employer” has very little risk. If anyone gets in trouble with the IRS it’s the poor caddie (is that what they’re called?) on the golf course. Maybe they should call them Yugos as in “You Go” fetch that ball and maybe you’ll get a treat.

      • this sounds like the summer camps. The directors tell us to tip the counselors, becdause of the great job they are doing with our kids. Why don’t the directors give the counselors a decent salary? We are paying for camp!

  8. Meir. If everybody gives what you suggest they will make Hundreds if dollar’s in a day. Ridiculous!! Remember the we need the correct balance. I think you forgot about Lo Sechonain.

  9. Duh!!!

    If this place knows a lot of frum people are coming…Maybe it behooves them to sell Kosher food, like pre-wrappped sandwiches and pastries..

    Thats what Starbucks does in Jewish neighborhoods

Comments are closed.