The "Do you take tipping seriously?" thread

[warrrreagl]

I take tipping deadly serious. As a former teacher, I don't believe in giving A's for mediocre schoolwork, and I similarly don't believe in giving tips for mediocre service.

Very frequently, we don't tip at all. Many restaurants in town have gotten to know us, and we've gotten to know the good servers (and ask for them by name). A major drawback for us is that we live in a college town, so most of the waiters and waitresses do not take their jobs very seriously. I'm sure if they had kids and real bills at home depending on tips, they'd do a better job.

When I was in college, I worked in food service, and I was a great, attentive, and sensitive server. I also understand that cooks and dishwashers can be an ass-pain to the servers and interfere with their good service. However, as I used to explain to my classes, "You may not be responsible for everything that happens to you, but you are responsible for how you handle it." And in a college town, servers are too apt to say, "Fuck it" when the kitchen gets backed up.

Three years ago at an Applebee's in our town, my wife ordered a brunch that was supposed to include canteloupe. The waiter explained that they were out of canteloupe that morning and there would be no fruit on the plate. My wife pointed out the window toward the grocery store that shared the same parking lot as Applebee's and said, "Well, there's Kroger right there." The waiter apparently told the manager, and the manager came over to tell my wife that he'd just sent a cook over to Kroger to buy her some canteloupe. Many college-aged waiters would have gotten beligerent over a comment like that, but our waiter handled it very well, and got a good tip out of it.

I'm especially interested in hearing how our non-U.S. TFPers feel about tipping.

[Daval]

I have a bad habit of always tipping. usually a minimum of 10% and up to 20% for exceptional service.

I say a bad habit because even if the service has sucked I've still left a tip. Dumbass that I am.

[Troublebot]

At the very least, I usually lay a dollar on the table. This is the "Thanks for bringing some food to me." tip, as there wasn't much else to it.

This goes up if I've ordered something special, been part of a large group, etc., etc. If I feel the service warrants it, I tip more.

I feel this is especially important when working with the people I support. Sometimes, it's hard for them to grasp why they need to leave a tip and how much it should be. We go over how the service was and if the server did anything especially well that deserves a bigger tip.

I just don't think I could leave a table without tipping something. Seems unnatural to me.

[Prophecy]

I tip depending on the service; you have to be a good waiter/waitress to get a 15% tip from me. However, unless my server was just not paying attention and I had horrendous service I'll leave something. On the other hand my grandmother was a waitress when she was younger and she never tips. It’s her belief that why should I tip someone that is just doing their job in the first place.

[eyeseepeedude]

I usually tip 10% as a minimum (*for horrible service*). Exceptional service gets as much as 30%... (*the cheaper the bill, the higher I'm willing to go*) I think that people get what they deserve, and if the did exceptionally well, why can't I give them $8.50 tip on a $35 bill?

[rogue49]

I've worked for tips before as a driver,
and so I tip well...around 20-25%,
unless the service has been terrible, then nothing.

And I do mean the service, not if the food has been delay or such.
I can tell the difference.
Bad attitude, means bad service.

[rockogre]

Mine too is service related but I will occasionally give an encouragement tip if I think someone new is trying hard, even if they mess up. I worked in a restaurant for a while so I have a large appreciation of how hard it is to be a wait person. It pretty much made me dislike the public at large.

I also know that where one of my daughters work she makes $2.30 and hour because the restaurant expects her to get enough tips to make minimum wage. It doesn't seem fair to me but then I didn't get to vote.

[SecretMethod70]

Originally posted by eyeseepeedude
I usually tip 10% as a minimum (*for horrible service*). Exceptional service gets as much as 30%... (*the cheaper the bill, the higher I'm willing to go*) I think that people get what they deserve, and if the did exceptionally well, why can't I give them $8.50 tip on a $35 bill?

Exactly.

I tend to always give *something* and 10% is nice and easy to calculate and also below "standard," so they'll get the message I wasn't happy with the service.

If it's good service though, I'll tip whatever I can afford.

[Cynthetiq]

Tipping in NYC is very important.

I know plenty of career food service people and it's not like they are just some "actor" or "college student" trying to make some money (yes, I do have some of those friends too) but the ones that are serious give serious service, from remembering things like no onions in my wife's dishes, to knowing just how I like my martini without having to mention or ask.

Shoddy Service is a shame, and it's a shame that the IRS taxes them on tips that they have yet to recieve, thus putting the burden on the consumer to make the bad decision of tipping bad service.

[Realizm]

I usually just give 2 or three dollars, given that I normally don't have more than 5 dollars in my wallet at any time.

[titsmurf]

Tipping waitresses isn't a habit over in my country. Nobody does it, and I think the waitresses would be rather suprised if you did. We do occasionally treat bartenders to a beer if they're a nice guy.

So remember that when you guys visit europe in the future. You're not expected to tip at all. Save the money, and buy bartenders some of their own beer.

[4thTimeLucky]

I always tip 10%.
Tipping is something that exists in the UK (for some things) but I, and a lot of people I know, don't really 'get' or take seriously. Lots of reastaurants include a 10% tip in the bill to make it easier.

Of course the downside of this is that our service is friendly (most English people are friendly) but never outstanding. And most English people will never say that the service or food isn't good enough unless it is absolutely inedible. I am as guilty as anyone of this. I was brought up to think it was bad manners to critise someone or upset them, better to just shut up and put up with things. That spirit may have got my grandparents through the Blitz, but it doesn't make my cold pizza any warmer.

Another thing that stops me complaining about food is that I can't really see it having a good result there and then (though I see that in the long run if everyone complains things improve, unless its publuic transport!). For example, your pizza is cold. So either they take it away and microwave it (making it chewy) or they throw it away (a terrible waste of food) and give you a new meal. Either way you have upset the person serving you, delayed when your table gets to eat and have embarrassed everyone. Far better to remain quiet and put up with a little incovenience yourself.

[Sparhawk]

If it's exceptionally bad service I leave all my loose change, much more insulting to the waiter to receive change than to get nothing at all. Exceptionally good service I reward well (25% and up). If nothing stood out about the service? straight 15%.

[ninety09]

If the service was good, I usually leave 15%

But if it was bad, I leave 1 cent

[gibber71]

If the service is good I'll tip 20-30%. But if the service sucks,you get nothing. I am doing you the favour by frequenting that establishment when I can go elsewhere.You are not doing me a favour by doing your job.I don't mean to sound like an asshole,but really,some places I've gone into had people with some bad ass attitudes.If you don't like your job,go find something else to do.

I was in Boston one time and the restaurant I was in was quite nice.I asked for a Bud and the server brought me Shlitz. I said to her I asked for a Bud not a Shlitz,she apologized, and came back with a Miller Genuine Draft.I laughed and she said"Oh that wasn't what you wanted was it" and I said no.No problem,it's only beer.

I then tell her I'll have the special of the day thinking at least I'll get the food going.Well,25 minutes later I finally see her again and she tells me she forgot to put my order in.She forgot about my beer too.When my food came she brought me a club sandwich instead of the steak sandwich I had order.Again I told her she got the order wrong.By the time I got my bill,the lunch special I ordered apparently came after the time expired so I had to pay full price.I was also charged for not 2,but 3 beers I never drank.To add insult to injury,there was a 15% gratuity added on my behalf.I spoke to the manager and explained the circumstance about my bill.He basically told me tough shit,that's the way it is.So I left without paying.The steak sandwich was terrible anyway.Maybe it would have been better if I had a beer with it.

[RAMONES!!!]

i have no problem tipping.

but me and 2 of my friends were out eating lunch one time and as we got up to pay, we already left a tip. i payed for mine and was heading out the door when i heard this old women cashier said to them "You did tip your waitress, didnt you?" as i thought about that i should have went over there and taken my tip back.

another thing i dont like is when they put your tip in your bill.
YOU DONT HAVE TO TIP! a tip is out of courtesy and when they tell you that you have to tip, that is just not the way to do it.

[gov135]

When I opened up this thread, I figured it would be a rant from someone who waits tables about not receiving adequate tips. Instead, I found a thread from someone who admits to "frequently not tipping at all."

Waiters and waitresses make TWO dollars an hour. If they spend an hour of their working time with you, you owe them a tip. Period. Tipping is simply not an option - THIS IS HOW THESE PEOPLE LIVE. Pay checks are a joke to them. If you tip only for exceptional service you are doing others a disservice.

If you CHOOSE to go to a restaurant, you are seated in a waiters or waitresses section. He or she probably has only four or five tables. If you spend an hour at one of their tables during rush hour, then do not tip, you just substantially cut their potential income.

Tipping is an art form. If you order the two-for-one special at the local grease bucket, and the check is 7 bucks, you owe your waiter/waitress more than 10 percent. If you spend 250 bucks on a two-person meal, you do not owe the wait staff 50 bucks.

Use your head, but understand there is an opportunity cost associated with waiting tables. If you walk into a restaurant knowing you probably won't tip, you have ruined the opportunity for someone to make even minimum wage during the hour you eat there.

[BBtB]

Gibber I do not find it suprising that the waitress did that. I DO find it suprising that the manager said that though. Makes me wonder if they are related or married or something. I defintly tip based on service. Now they have to be REALLY bad for me not to tip or leave a really bad tip. Which I have done before. One time I had a waitress in a very small restuarant basically ignore me and my friend who went through our entire meals without getting one refill on our drinks. And I know it wasn't because she was busy because we saw he just standing around the whole time and we were the only customers in the place. I believe we left a dollar between us. The next time we came in I saw her say something to another waitress apparently about her taking care of us instead of the other one. She was very attentive and nice and got a very decent tip. Just yesterday I had a waitress who went particularly above and beyond. Even so much as to ask them at the cash register to not charge us for something just because I didn't much care for it (There was nothing wrong with the dish mind you. Just not my style) at any rate when it was all said and done she had a 6.85 tip on 20.15 meal. I also particularly dislike restaurants that add the tip on the bill. If they are going to do thay why don't they just raise the prices of the food, put "DO NOT TIP" on the bottom of their menus and just raise the waitresses salary? You also have to remember alot of times whenever waitresses get tipped it goes into a pool and then gets split evenly among all that were there. So in a bigger restaurant the better waitresses may not get that better tip. (although if it is cash she can atleast pocket a dollar or two )

[Derwood]

i have been known not to tip....like:

My wife and I were at the Pizzeria Uno in the Fenway neighborhood in Boston. We were there for about 1 1/2 hours:

- Got our menus after sitting for about 10 minutes
- Ordered another 10 minutes later
- Got the food after another 45 minutes
- In the 90 minutes, we got our "free refills" checked once.

In the meantime, we watched our server hanging out at the waitress station, oblivious to our needs.

A good tip goes to someone who is very attentive, doesn't need to ask who ordered what when bringing the food, refills your drinks without asking, etc. Ultimately, if you can afford to eat at more expensive restaurants, you get better servers (management can be pickier).

What I hate to hear is when rich people (ie Michael Jordan, Jennifer Lopez, etc.) don't tip. These are people who usually get their meals for free just for being a celebrity, yet they won't leave the poor schleps who bend over backwards for them a tip.

If I was working as a waiter and J-Ho came in, I would find it worth getting fired to take her meal and just dump it down the front of her dress...

[warrrreagl]

Originally posted by BBtB
You also have to remember alot of times whenever waitresses get tipped it goes into a pool and then gets split evenly among all that were there. So in a bigger restaurant the better waitresses may not get that better tip. (although if it is cash she can atleast pocket a dollar or two )

There is a particular Mexican restaurant where we live that does this, and our "usual" waiter there is the best waiter in town, period. Therefore, whenever we eat there, I always discreetly put the tip into his hand and he slides it into his pocket. The tip, not my hand.

I've learned a lot in a hurry from this thread. It's making me rethink some things.

[4thTimeLucky]

Okay. Why do US waiters/resses only earn "TWO BUCKS AN HOUR"? What is the minimum wage in America?

I think I am not unusual, in England, in thinking that being a waiter is like any other job. And with this job comes a pay packet that is in line with other similar basic service/basic manual jobs. This is protected by a minimum wage (£4.50 an hour from October 2003), but most waiters or bar staff jobs I've seen advertised offer more than this (around £5.50+ /hr).

Therefore tipping isn't something people expect UK waiters to have to live off. Indeed this idea that the person serving you needs your tip or they will go hungry that week seems quite an unpleasant one. Giving a tip to a good server is one thing, but paying waiters so little they *have* to get a tip from you to make ends meet is quite another.

In fact the whole tipping and 'discreetly putting the tip in their hand and them slipping into their pocket' thing seems quite demeaning. Like a pat on the head for serving the rich people well. Taking orders and returning with food and a smile is a job like any other. Why should it be singled out as requiring tips and not a good pay rate, when I don't tip the AA man who rescues my car or the person who drives my bus or the call centre person who answers my query.

The only other job I can think of that gets tips in England is strippers. Says it all really. Give waiters/resses a decent wage, tipping is just a way for restaurant owners to squeeze more money out of their customers and more unpaid labour out of their staff.

[gibber71]

One other problem at times is the high turnover of servers in restaurants.I am very patient and also understand that my server may be new or maybe for whatever reasons their world just got turned upside down on top of them.Like Derwood said,having a waitress keeping up her social life when she should be working is unacceptable.

But let me put a spin on things.I'm not sure if tipping is an art form,but I think serving is.Some people are just naturally good at serving.The bars and restaurants I frequent are great to me because they all know me and realize the better the service,the better the tip.And the reason I go where I go is because when I walk in the door,they have a big smile for me and a "How ya doing today." Service isn't just about delivering drinks or food,it is an extension of yourself.

[spectre]

Originally posted by eyeseepeedude
I usually tip 10% as a minimum (*for horrible service*). Exceptional service gets as much as 30%... (*the cheaper the bill, the higher I'm willing to go*) I think that people get what they deserve, and if the did exceptionally well, why can't I give them $8.50 tip on a $35 bill?

I do the same. If I get good service, I'm very generous with tipping, if not, I give less than 15%.

[Ashton]

I tip very well,

I live out of restaurants...... and make my rounds from place to place each night, I have my favorite girl in each restaurant that spoils me so I spoil back...... the same goes for bartenders, I tipped Tonya $10 last night...... Waitresses and Bartenders make their living off their tips..... and it pisses me off to see my girls work their asses off serving 4 or 6 tops, giving them everything they want and get left a measly buck or two..... it seems like the most demanding people are the cheapest........

Of course I've had crappy service in other places so I understand how if feels to not want to tip then.... so I just leave a buck.

[ARTelevision]

Tipping is unfortunately a necessity, as restaurant owners and other entrepreneurs who can get away with it have a tradition of shoving onto their customers the burden of paying their employees a living wage.

[gov135]

Originally posted by 4thTimeLucky
Okay. Why do US waiters/resses only earn "TWO BUCKS AN HOUR"? What is the minimum wage in America?

Therefore tipping isn't something people expect UK waiters to have to live off. Indeed this idea that the person serving you needs your tip or they will go hungry that week seems quite an unpleasant one. Giving a tip to a good server is one thing, but paying waiters so little they *have* to get a tip from you to make ends meet is quite another.

Minumum wage I believe is up to 6 something an hour. Servers are paid between 2.15 and 2.30 and hour - it is assumed they will make tips to cover this gap. It should also be noted, that servers are required to report at least minumum wage on their tax forms - its not a cash business. I'm a tax accountant - and Uncle Sam is very interested in the hours servers work (provided by employers) - so he can do a quick calculation to ensure at least minumum wage is claimed.

I hope I answered your question 4thTime.

Thank you for your insight into the system employed in the UK. If I'm not mistaken, I believe 5+ pounds converts to over eight American dollars an hour. Quite a difference between to seemingly similar cultures. Thanks again.

[denim]

I usually tip around 20%. I'll go as high as 25% for really good service. And I'll go down for bad service.

It's very rare that I tip $0.01, but I've done it. That's for the worst possible service.

[globegate]

So you are a teacher right? Well maybe you should learn that sterotypes are wrong and hurtful to young adults. Please give some credit to the waiters and waitresses that work and contribute to the economy, instead of simply draining money from their parent or student loans.

If you get good service from a student aged server or waiter, please leave a tip. You don't need to leave 20% or anything, but realize that they split it with the hostess, busboys etc. I haev never worked in the food service industry, but I know from friends that customers like you that are total pricks are why they give you such bad service to begin with.

Final thought- you make way more money than the waitresses and servers- so remember $5 to you is a tip, to them its an hour of work. Just remember that the next time you go into Applebees and bitch about fruit.

[Cynthetiq]

I agree so far with those that do tip for restaurants.. but c'mon.. like Mr. Pink said in Resevoir Dogs, "The guy at McDonald's brings your food, you don't tip him."

Why is it that when I go to Smoothie King, Starbucks (never bought nuthin' from that place, the Pizza shop, etc) all have these tip jars there? WTF is that all about? I didn't grow up tipping you, so why you trying to convince me different?

[gov135]

Originally posted by PlatinumBlonde
i take tipping very seriously foor 15 years i was a waitress, people dont realize we dont get minimum wage and we are taxed on the total sales we do ev3eryday we work. every cent helps

There are several ways to meet Uncle Sam's requirements. The burden is on the employer. The way you describe above (total sales), PB, is unfortunately, the one that hurts wait staff the most. It is also the easiest to do, which is why it is employed so often.

Taxing on total sales can be a burden simply because the averages don't work out in God's Country, Georgia as neatly as they do on paper in Washington, D.C. If you do 300 dollars in sales, you are expected to make 30 dollars in tips that nite under the method you used. However, we know that on average, you make less then ten percent a table. So you end up being taxed on money you were only assumed to see. And, no, it doesn't make up for the one nite a week you hit over fifteen percent.

I hope one of the things this thread does is that the younger people on this board who may wait some tables in the future will ask prospective employers, "how do you calculate tax on tips earned." The differences in methods are worth dollars.

[Not_You]

I lived in a college town for a while and many of my friends worked in local resurants and bars. It is the people that tip poorly when given good service that make the service bad for everyone else. These people upset the waiter/ wiatress so they have a horrible night and hate their job. If everybody tipped well, then all waiters would be happy and give everybody great service. A few rotten apples can spoil the whole bunch.

For the record I always tip well (20% min.) because the waiters are relying on it for their income.

[4thTimeLucky]

So if tipping is such a bad thing (its demeaning, it can piss off waiters, it can confuse customers, it hits the customers wallets and the worker's pay packet to give more to the restaurant owner) then why aren't there campaigns to do away with it?

I would happily sign up to a popular charter not to tip any more and let free market economics do its thing and raise waiters/resses normal wages. There would be a period when the adjustment hadn't kicked in yet and tips weren't coming, but this could be alleviated by reformed minimum wage rules or by all serving staff resigning on a given day and demanding a renogiated contract. Where are the unions when you need them?

This would mean that every waiter/ress had an adeuqate minimum wage that they could rely on taking home - so they wouldn't get really pissed on nights when people tipped poorly - but you could still tip for outstanding service, giving an incentive and reward to those waiters/resses who go above and beyond.

[warrrreagl]

Originally posted by gov135
If you walk into a restaurant knowing you probably won't tip, you have ruined the opportunity for someone to make even minimum wage during the hour you eat there.

I never walk into a restaurant having pre-determined that I won't tip. The tip is always available and waiting to be distributed each time, but they do have to go to the trouble of earning it.

I was unaware that waiters only made $2 per hour. However, that seems to me to be even more incentive for them to put out some effort and do a good job.

I don't walk away without tipping when I've gotten good service. I also tip when bad things are happening out of the control of the server, but he/she is doing what they can to minimize it for us. And I don't tip when they don't pay attention to us and don't bring what we ordered.

[BBtB]

One thing I will say that this thread has done is defintly shown how f'ed up the whole tipping system is. That is the problem with unwritten rules. There is no way to double check them. Why do we tip waiters and waitresses anyway? I mean now we do it because they get paid so piss poor. Why don't we tip the people at fast food places? Even more so why don't we tip EVERYONE who provides a service? Cop comes and helps you with a domestic dispute, throw a couple of bucks his way. Here is a better question. What about the people who you are ingenerally told to tip but the rules are less clear? Barbers (stylist), cab drivers,sackers (at the grocery store. Trust me. They get paid piss poor too. This is a grey area. You USED to be told to tip them and nowadays less so. ) and other people I probably should be tipping but don't because I don't know too. Also minium wage varies depending on the area of the country. I.E. where I live it is $5.25 an hour but a friend of mine who used to live in seatle told me he was making about $7.45 and that was (or maybe JUST above) minium wage.

[Halx]

Standard tip for services:

Car wash: $2
Pool hall: $1-2, depending on time spent. I tip every time because they give me a frequent customer discount.
Delivery: $2
Restaurant: 10-20% depending on service.

Do any of you tip bouncers at bars that you frequent? If so, how much? Does it get you in the door faster?

[Prophecy]

Originally posted by gov135
Waiters and waitresses make TWO dollars an hour. If they spend an hour of their working time with you, you owe them a tip. Period. Tipping is simply not an option - THIS IS HOW THESE PEOPLE LIVE. Pay checks are a joke to them. If you tip only for exceptional service you are doing others a disservice.

If you CHOOSE to go to a restaurant, you are seated in a waiters or waitresses section. He or she probably has only four or five tables. If you spend an hour at one of their tables during rush hour, then do not tip, you just substantially cut their potential income.

Use your head, but understand there is an opportunity cost associated with waiting tables. If you walk into a restaurant knowing you probably won't tip, you have ruined the opportunity for someone to make even minimum wage during the hour you eat there.

I see where you’re coming from but this is not true across the whole U.S. Yes, most waiters/waitresses make less than minimum wage, and are expected to make the rest through tips. However, in some states if a waiter doesn't make the mandatory minimum wage with their tips added into their salary then the restaurant by law is required to make up the difference, this way the employee still gets minimum wage. This was put into law in some states to help employees on slow days/hours when some places get very, very few customers if any at all.

[kurty[B]]

Establishments I frequent more often I tip bigger (don't really go somewhere very often unless I enjoy it). Especially at smaller restaraunts, or bars or what not. Sometimes I'll feel overly generous and tip closer to 25% if everything is just perfect. I almost always tip, at least a buck. My biggest pet-peeve though is if the person is not on top of refilling/filling my drinks. I'll give a healthy tip to the server who's there on top of things, and as soon as your glass is half empty they are there to refill or give you another drink, but if I end up waiting more than 10 minutes for a drink to be refilled multiple times throughout my meal, then I will leave no tip. The other thing I hate is servers who think you want to chat with them while you're trying to shovel food in your math. I don't mind a little cuteness, or what not while you're getting my order, and well if you are a cute female I wouldn't really mind any conversation, but I've had male servers who will sit down and start chatting up a storm, and I guess I have to work on my glare, because they would just keep going. I'm sure they were disappointed when they thought they were being extra friendly and ended up with nothing but maybe a few quarters and dimes for a tip.

[rockzilla]

I try to tip in the 15% range, rounding off to an even sum of money if the service is acceptable. Acceptable service isn't really much either, be friendly, answer my questions, get me my drinks quickly, get my order right and get it to me in a reasonable amount of time, or at least let me know if it'll be a little longer and check up on me once in a while. Serving is a damn hard job, as a lot of people here know. I don't really expect the same amount of attention on a busy Saturday night when my server probably has 5 other tables, but if it's a slow night, there's no excuse for my server to be invisible. If I get great service, I'll tip great, especially if I plan on coming back. Your reputation as a good or bad tipper will precede you as a repeat customer. If you tipped badly for good service once, chances are you won't get good service the next time, why should the server waste his/her time on you when they could be serving the good tippers?

[Andric]

I tip 10+% for average service, 15+% for great service, and round my bill to the next whole dollar for bad service. It's easier for me to tip when paying with a credit card since I don't carry much cash. When an establishment includes a tip on the bill, I don't go back.

[Ashton]

Originally posted by Andric
I tip 10+% for average service, 15+% for great service, and round my bill to the next whole dollar for bad service. It's easier for me to tip when paying with a credit card since I don't carry much cash. When an establishment includes a tip on the bill, I don't go back.

When paying the check with a credit card, try to tip your waitress with cash..... I never tip with a card, waitressess like cash because they don't have to declare teh cash when it comes time for taxes, well they suppose to.... but they don't

As to the tip being on the bill, that is usually for a party of six or more people..... it keeps the waitress from getting screwed by a bunch of cheap ass's