Tipping and You

Wiever · Post by **Wiever** » August 2, 2005, 5:33 am

I am curious as to what others believe is the appropriate amount to tip for a meal in a restaurant (Euros pay close attention, and learn from this, PLEASE). For those not in the habbit of eating out regularly the way the food tastes should not be a factor taken when evaluating the service recieved from the waiter. Any feedback would be interesting for me so I can compile this information for further racial and continental profiling, thanks cheapskates.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 2, 2005, 5:49 am

We've covered this at length previously.. and it always comes back to yanks not knowing what good service is as perceived by someone from outside North America. If you want to get tipped well by foreigners you need to learn what they want, not expect them to change to your standards just because they're in the US. (I never, not once, failed to have service staff comment on my Australian accent, so they knew who they were serving just had no clue how to adjust to it)

As for percentages.. I don't tip on percentages, it's partially down to what the bill is v's what notes I have to hand (I'm not about to ask you to make change for a tip) and how good the service is. If you work out the % it always ends up generous on the scales I understand you expect in the US, but I don't actually think about it.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » August 2, 2005, 6:07 am

Zaelath wrote:(I never, not once, failed to have service staff comment on my Australian accent, so they knew who they were serving just had no clue how to adjust to it)

You mean like warm your beer up for you?

Tegellan · Post by **Tegellan** » August 2, 2005, 6:14 am

I generally tip what constitutes 10% of the bill if I am satisfied with the service. The culture in denmark is different from the US though, i am not expected to tip over here like in the US, so any tip I give is more like a bonus to the waiter since they aren't taxed from it.

In general, i always tip at leats some amount unless I think the waiter has been too slow or given me too shitty service.

Hesten · Post by **Hesten** » August 2, 2005, 6:24 am

Tegellan wrote:I generally tip what constitutes 10% of the bill if I am satisfied with the service. The culture in denmark is different from the US though, i am not expected to tip over here like in the US, so any tip I give is more like a bonus to the waiter since they aren't taxed from it.

In general, i always tip at leats some amount unless I think the waiter has been too slow or given me too shitty service.

Actually in Denmark, the tip is included in the final price you pay (think its 12 or 15%, cant remember). And unlike in the US, waitresses in DK do get decent enough wages to live on, they dont rely on tips to survive.

Personally i only tip extra if i had an exceptional good service/food (or if its a pretty waitress of course).

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 2, 2005, 7:08 am

Winnow wrote:
Zaelath wrote:(I never, not once, failed to have service staff comment on my Australian accent, so they knew who they were serving just had no clue how to adjust to it)
You mean like warm your beer up for you?

! it's the poms that drink warm beer =) (actually, the only time I've been served warm beer was a microbrewery in St. Cloud, MN)

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » August 2, 2005, 9:02 am

When you travel abroad you are the one who is supposed to do as the natives.....not expect them to know how to cater to everyone from 200 different countries. The waiters and waitresses in the U.S. live on tips. Maybe your enlightened ass should try and grasp the difference.

We generally do 10% for poor service. 20%ish on pretty good and 30% on outstanding. We had some servers in the UP of Michigan that were just unreal and did 30% pretty much every meal.

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » August 2, 2005, 9:02 am

good service = 20%
mediocre=15%
great =25-30%

Canoe · Post by **Canoe** » August 2, 2005, 9:14 am

Pherr the Dorf wrote:good service = 20%
mediocre=15%
great =25-30%

What he said.

If it's extremely poor, it'll go down to 10%, but unless they were downright nasty or mean I always tip something.

They live off these tips - unlike other countries.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 2, 2005, 9:27 am

Kilmoll the Sexy wrote:When you travel abroad you are the one who is supposed to do as the natives.....not expect them to know how to cater to everyone from 200 different countries. The waiters and waitresses in the U.S. live on tips. Maybe your enlightened ass should try and grasp the difference.

How fucking deluded are you to say that I should adapt to people that are serving me?

You don't have to adapt to 200 countries, it's more like "the rest of the world".

Only in the US, that I'm aware of, does psychophantic pestering pass as good service.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » August 2, 2005, 9:32 am

I usually use 20% as a starting point and vary it according to service quality. 25-30% has been done regularly because the restuarants I usually go to are not chains so the staff really know how do a terrific job. I also tip about 30%ish at diners since the food is so inexpensive and most don't sell alcohol to bump up the bill.

Only in the US, that I'm aware of, does psychophantic pestering pass as good service.

Then you're eating at shitty restaurants when you're here. Most every single place I go to, the service is excellent and you can tell that they actually enjoy doing it, just like overseas. Sure, if you go to a chain shitty eatery, you'll get shitty forgetful college kid service. But then, what do you expect, you're in a shitty chain restaurant eating shitty food, why would the service to break the mold.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 2, 2005, 9:45 am

Perhaps there's an element of that, but I've seen that type of mindless bothering you every 10 minutes defended as exemplary service time and again here.

Lynks · Post by **Lynks** » August 2, 2005, 10:13 am

If he/she doesnt screw my order up, I give an automatic 10%. Asking to refill my drinks just once gets another 5% and bringing my bill to me gets another 5%.

For great (reasonable for some) service, I give 15-20%.

Only once did I not give anything as a tip cause the service was just horride. The both of us got the wrong thing and and she never came back to check on us (not even to give us the bill).

Aabidano · Post by **Aabidano** » August 2, 2005, 11:02 am

Pherr the Dorf wrote:good service = 20%
mediocre=15%
great =25-30%

Bad service = $1, unless I know it's someone new to the place.

Say what you want about the US system, all the people I've know that have worked with tips being a large part of the compensation haven't done too badly all said. The wife works at a greek restaurant to get out of the house, makes quite a bit more than the admins at my office.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » August 2, 2005, 11:22 am

I don't tip because society says I gotta. I tip when somebody deserves a tip. When somebody really puts forth an effort, they deserve a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, that shit's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doin their job.

Nilaman · Post by **Nilaman** » August 2, 2005, 11:24 am

20-25% depending on how good the service is. If it sucks they could get whatever I feel like giving them, including pocket change. That also depends on how much the meal costs.

Seebs · Post by **Seebs** » August 2, 2005, 11:26 am

Sad but true truth to working in the service industry:

I worked for years as a waiter and a bellman in a 5 star hotel. We'd give the 'new guy' tables or 'fronts' that were

1. European
2. Elderly with bad luggage (samsonite, etc)
3. Women
4. Ethnic Minorities that were obviously there on a 'special night'

Forgive the profiling, but when working for tips, you tended to serve the folks that understood how to tip and more importantly, understood how to overtip.

Exceptions for every rule, and regulars that fit one of those four criteria and tipped appropriately were treated like Kings and Queens. Its just a question of money.

Post by **Sylvus** » August 2, 2005, 11:32 am

I lived with bartenders for the last 5ish or so years and over that period of time I saw how waitstaff depend on your tips to survive. I don't think I ever tip less than 20%, often more. Like chidoro said, I'll tip higher percentage at a diner or on an inexpensive place, what's that extra dollar to me when it'd bump the tip up to 30 or 40%?

Nick · Post by **Nick** » August 2, 2005, 12:35 pm

About the only way anyone in Northern Ireland is going to get a tip is if they give the customer a BJ while they eat/drink.

We don't have the same culture whereby if someone says hello to you with a big fake smile they deserve another dollar.

Not that I am in anyway against tipping, it's just not done here to the same extent.

Given that if you wanna go out and get a Michelin (sp?) rated meal in Belfast you are looking at close to 200 dollars (120ish pounds +) for 2 people, if you start tipping at 30% here you are a fucking moron.

No one, who has carried some food from one place to another, deserves upwards of 70 dollars tip. EVER.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » August 2, 2005, 12:39 pm

Zaelath wrote:
Kilmoll the Sexy wrote:When you travel abroad you are the one who is supposed to do as the natives.....not expect them to know how to cater to everyone from 200 different countries. The waiters and waitresses in the U.S. live on tips. Maybe your enlightened ass should try and grasp the difference.
How fucking deluded are you to say that I should adapt to people that are serving me?

You don't have to adapt to 200 countries, it's more like "the rest of the world".

Only in the US, that I'm aware of, does psychophantic pestering pass as good service.

Hey man, this is why it is that way:

in the US the wait staff depends on the tip for probably 75-80% of their income.

So in Europe that salary is already built into the price of the food, so a smaller tip is appropriate because they are already compensated for their work. That's not the way it is done in the U.S. and if you don't like it, Delta is ready when you are.

So many people from other countries love to comment on how "ugly" Americans are always ignoring the proper way to act abroad. Nice to know this isnt something peculiar to this nation.

That is the way the marketplace is set up in the States. If you cannot afford to pay the marketplace rate for a meal out, that's your problem.

Tegellan · Post by **Tegellan** » August 2, 2005, 12:51 pm

The word tip, really means that it is a voluntary thing, personally i always tip when I am in the US, but i don't necessarily tip 20% unless I feel I got good service.

Like Nick said, if you tip 20% by default over here you are a retard, because the market simply does not work that way over here. This does not mean we are rude if we forget to tip in the US, it means that we are used to doing things differently, keep that in mind.

Wiever · Post by **Wiever** » August 2, 2005, 1:07 pm

Another thing I would like to point out to those that don't understand the need to tip here, many servers are still required to tip out others in the restaurant for the sales of the evening. For a little break down on this. My current job requires me to tip my hostess .5%, bartenders 1%, food runners 1%, stocker .5%, bussers 4.0%. That is 7% of my sales right there, and I am taxed largely out of whatever else I make. So next time you think you are giving an adequate tip you may want to rethink who all you are giving this to. And along the lines of great service, I cringe whenever I hear a Euro tell me "this evening was perfect" or something along the lines. That in the restaurant book is known as the verbal tip and really just pisses you off more than anything. Sorry for the rant, but working in an area that gets many international and national tourists has put me on an education crusade.

Momopi · Post by **Momopi** » August 2, 2005, 1:10 pm

Aslanna wrote:I don't tip because society says I gotta. I tip when somebody deserves a tip. When somebody really puts forth an effort, they deserve a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, that shit's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doin their job.

thx mr pink

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » August 2, 2005, 1:45 pm

I don't go to bars, I carry my own luggage when I go to a hotel, I park my own car, and I'm very selective of how and when I tip at restaurants. Most service is piss poor, so I tip accordingly. I don't buy the boo-hoo situation of single mothers, students, starving artists, ect. Bottom line is if I get shitty service, you get a shitty tip or none at all. They are there to do a job, which is serving me food. If they can't somehow manage that task, they don't deserve my money or my pity because "tips are all they survive on".

Kguku · Post by **Kguku** » August 2, 2005, 3:37 pm

I would say roughly 40% of the time I go out to eat, something gets fucked up with my meal. I shit you not with that percentage as well, my friend whom I'm usually out with is just miffed at how often I get piss poor service, or fucked up service of some sort.

As such, I tip accordingly. Shitty service? Enjoy the $1 or nothing at all. I think the last amusing meal we had was at a place called Gaffers just outside of Winnipeg. We were the only two people in the restaurant, the lady there forgot our appetizer, did not come by once while we ate our meal to ask how it was or how a refill was, and about 15 minutes after we were finished our meal she finally showed up.

She was nice in saying I won't be charged for the appetizer! My response was 'well that's good, considering we never GOT IT'.

At least here in Canada there is a lot of education that needs to be done with the serving staff on what constitutes good service. I eat out a lot, and I'll be lucky if I get what would be considered excellent service once every 2 months. It's so rare to see now, it's kind of disappointing.

I always liked the method of tipping from the Third Rock from the Sun episode, where the guy tells the waiter for each thing the waiter does wrong he'll remove $1 from this pile of money, and each time the waiter does something right he'll add $1. It was absolutely hilarious.

miir · Post by **miir** » August 2, 2005, 3:50 pm

At least here in Canada there is a lot of education that needs to be done with the serving staff on what constitutes good service.

I don't think that's true for Canada at all... I generally get good service almost all of the time. Everywhere from the Korean bun-siks in my neighbourhood to the pubs down the street. If I go out for 'fine dining' ($100 before wine) and the service is not excellent, I will complain. I try to stay away from 'chain' restaurants and family type places ('kids meals' are a warning sign for me) as their service is usually horrible.

My standard tip for good service is between 15 and 20%.
If I get poor service, the server gets nothing.
Tips are earned.

masteen · Post by **masteen** » August 2, 2005, 3:53 pm

I have simple demands. I want my drink immediately and I want it refilled often. I want my appetizer hot and BEFORE the rest of my food. If these conditions are met, the tip is at least 20%.

I don't want chit-chat. I don't care about your kid/dog/cat/illness/family. Fuck, I don't care about YOU at all, Rachel. Just bring me my fucking coffee.

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » August 2, 2005, 7:43 pm

i tip on how well the server took car of me and also depending on how much the meal is ...

i drink a lot of soda when i go out to eat so if they keep up with that they do a pretty good job .. and as long as my foods right and they come back and check on me every now and then and don't try to annoy me into buying more food that im not going to eat ..

i usually give atleast 5 bucks ... (i usually spend between 15 and 20 on myself)

prom night i left our chef at the hibatchi grill a 30 dollar tip because he was fucking awsome and was really nice

Fash · Post by **Fash** » August 2, 2005, 7:51 pm

I tip very well, especially if i'm tipping a female. 15% is a minimum only broken for the worst service. $1.50 per $10 rounded up is easy to use..

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 2, 2005, 8:55 pm

Voronwë wrote: That is the way the marketplace is set up in the States. If you cannot afford to pay the marketplace rate for a meal out, that's your problem.

I don't stiff them, I just don't tip big for the "service" of someone bothering me every 5 minutes.

But hey, I can understand that Americans expect the rest of the world to comply with their standards and not the other way around, you're going to be disappointed without the gun though.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » August 2, 2005, 8:57 pm

That's funny. One of the biggest gripes I heard when I was in Germany was about Americans who expected to get the same service there as they got in the US. They also mentioned how they should adapt to the services given when outside of the US. Who'd a thunk it would be the opposite for people coming to the US!

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 2, 2005, 9:07 pm

Boogahz wrote:That's funny. One of the biggest gripes I heard when I was in Germany was about Americans who expected to get the same service there as they got in the US. They also mentioned how they should adapt to the services given when outside of the US. Who'd a thunk it would be the opposite for people coming to the US!

Hey, you set up the system so that the wait staff's wages are determined by the customer's perception of their service; not a panel of judges set up by an American committee, the customer. That puts the onus on the staff that's unfair? Hrmm, tough. As Aslanna said, learn to fuckin' type.

It's a little different when an American goes abroad and wants someone to suck up to him when the wages aren't based on tips and the people are not in constant need of reassurance of their self importance.

If you want kiss-ass stay at home, if I want to be irritated by kiss-asses and still feel obligated to give them something for their crappy service I'll return to the states. Oh, yeah, I'll never be returning to the states, I forgot =p

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » August 2, 2005, 9:19 pm

Zaelath wrote: I don't stiff them, I just don't tip big for the "service" of someone bothering me every 5 minutes.

I hate being bothered as well. When getting my hair cut, I tell the person cutting my hair, "the less you talk, the bigger your tip"

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » August 2, 2005, 9:43 pm

I tip 0 for bad service. For decent service I tip about 15%. for really great service the sky is the limit for what kind of tip I will leave. My husband is a big tipper if he really gets good service. It's not uncommon for us to leave a $50 for a $75 dinner bill if the service is really top notch. He will also seperately tip the bus person and host/ess. We generally only to a few restaurants regularly and most of the staff knows that if they are superlative then they will be compensated. We ate out at one of our regular places once and got crap service and left nothing.

We do the same thing when we go to the states. It's not my problem that the service industry is set up so the wait staff relies mostly on tips for their income. the service industry is obviously is aware of this and I am not going to financially reward anybody for inadequate service. state laws in every case I've heard of has to guarantee minimum wage after tips anyway, and if you can't break minimum wage after waiting tables in a decently busy restaurant that is not my fucking problem. tipping automatically is farcical.

Drinsic Darkwood · Post by **Drinsic Darkwood** » August 3, 2005, 12:09 am

Zaelath wrote:But hey, I can understand that Americans expect the rest of the world to comply with their standards and not the other way around, you're going to be disappointed without the gun though.

This comment had me a loss for what to say exactly. The idiocy behind this comment is monumental. Voronwe pretty much hit the nail on the head for this argument, but fuck. You're critizing a community for not adapting to YOU? That's just downright stupid.

When you visit a friend who doesn't allow shoes on his or her carpet, do you walk around the fucking place in your shoes and tell him to adapt to your ass? No, you fucking don't. It's not an exact analogy to tipping a waiter but the idea is the same. You're criticizing people for not knowing exactly what you prefer or not "adjusting" to you, the outsider. It's just like Boogahz said - foreigners are constantly criticizing American travellers for expecting other countries to adapt to their needs instead of adapting to the country. Maybe you're not one of them, but that makes you just as ignorant as those Americans. You're rationale for not leaving tips in America is moronic.

If someone gives you bad service, by all means, don't tip them. But denouncing tipping simply because American waiters don't automatically adapt to your own out of the ordinary needs, whatever they may be, is dickish. If your idea of bad service is being checked in on ("pestered") every 5 minutes, then tell that to your server when you meet. Should they comply with your request, then you are (while in America) expected to tip them accordingly. Not doing so simply because "that's not what I do where I'm from!" is arrogant. Maybe you already do this and I've simply missed it or misunderstood your posts.

In any case, I've always been under the impression that 15% is the typical "tip" for adequate service. I do 20-25% for exceptional service personally. Otherwise I'll simply scale down as far as no tip at all, depending on how terrible the service was.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 3, 2005, 12:41 am

Drinsic Darkwood wrote:
Zaelath wrote:But hey, I can understand that Americans expect the rest of the world to comply with their standards and not the other way around, you're going to be disappointed without the gun though.
This comment had me a loss for what to say exactly. The idiocy behind this comment is monumental. Voronwe pretty much hit the nail on the head for this argument, but fuck. You're critizing a community for not adapting to YOU? That's just downright stupid.

When you visit a friend who doesn't allow shoes on his or her carpet, do you walk around the fucking place in your shoes and tell him to adapt to your ass?

You're missing the part where there is a payment for a service going on. Every service industry I know of is based on meeting the customer's needs, not the customer meeting yours.

Perhaps you're just too homogenous a culture to adapt to others, and it's not usual for the customer to coach service staff, it's up to them to take notice of how people react and adjust accordingly. Hell, I'd think it was pretty rude to tell someone, "Leave me alone, I'll call you when I want something", they'd probably just end up pissing in my soup.

I've yet to hear a cogent argument that somehow explains that I should ask the American sitting at the table next to me to rate my server so I know how much to tip.

Anyway, the point is that people outside the US understand your "compulsory" tipping system, and make allowance for it in general (travel agents are keen to give you this kind of vital information) but they're still going to base their assessment on their standards, so if people want good tips from foreigners it's up to the servers to deliver to those expectations. Argue all you like about it, tell us we're all evil, wrong, deluded, uncompassionate, etc, it's still our money and we'll pay it how we see fit.

The same when you're OS, you're not going to get the constant checking, the 6 coffee refills, so you're going to what, tip 30%? I doubt it, you're going to moan about how shitty the service is everywhere, I've heard it often enough from Americans over here.

You're rationale for not leaving tips in America is moronic.

I said several times that I still tip.. and on the same scale as most people have said, but your excellent might be my adequate.

Psyloche · Post by **Psyloche** » August 3, 2005, 9:17 am

I've been told I tip too well by quite a few people, its only about 15 - 30% depending. It can significantly jump if its at a bar, though I think thats a separate issue than this thread anyway. I only tip well at restaurants because I worked as a waiter and bus boy and fucking hated it and feel sorry for them.

On the other hand, I'll short change the fucks who do any combination of either:

1) making me wait too long to order
2) leaving me thirsty, I drink a lot of water at meals
3) bother me so fucking much I can't hold a conversation
4) don't fucking touch me, I'm not your buddy

I guess the only exception would be to number 4 if the waitress is really good looking, but even then, I don't like fucking strangers touching me.

On a derail, does anyone else compensate accordingly when they leave stuff off your bill? Quite a few times I've had servers leave smaller things off and I usually bump up the tip a bit because of it. It sounds kind of backwards cause they take it off and my reaction is to instantly pay more...

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » August 3, 2005, 10:29 am

On a derail, does anyone else compensate accordingly when they leave stuff off your bill? Quite a few times I've had servers leave smaller things off and I usually bump up the tip a bit because of it.

That's a really good question. This just happened to me a week and a half ago. The wife and I were out and one of the apps was blue claw crabs. They came in as three or eight. I told the guy that there was no way we could split eight before dinner, could we just get four so we can have two each. The guy does it no problem and even though the crab price averaged about $3 per, there was no additional charge on the bill. I basically gave him the cost of the additional crab as part of his tip.

So normally, I will compensate any extras and let the waiter/waitress pocket the difference for making our experience that much better.

Siji · Post by **Siji** » August 3, 2005, 11:41 am

Aslanna wrote:I don't tip because society says I gotta. I tip when somebody deserves a tip. When somebody really puts forth an effort, they deserve a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, that shit's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doin their job.

Unfortunately, your tip is what they get paid for 'just doin their job'. It's not like they're even making minimum wage without tips.

My mother and grandmother both were waitresses for 10+ years each. I know the shit they have to put up with. Anyone willing to deal with that all day gets a tip by default for serving me. Only if they really suck (not the food, but the service) do they get less than 10%. And only if they disappear do they get nothing at all. I'm willing to understand and comprehend that even servers have bad days. You can usually tell who's an asshole and who's having a bad day though.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » August 3, 2005, 1:10 pm

For anyone that doesn't know... I was just quoting from the opening scene in Reservoir Dogs where Mr Pink explains why he doesn't want to throw in his dollar.

I personally always leave 15% or more. Don't think I've ever left without leaving something. Although things like buffets where they just bring a drink and then the check I normally leave like $1 because I don't think they really provided a service.

Hesten · Post by **Hesten** » August 3, 2005, 6:25 pm

Strangely enough some waiters can actually get pissed by people giving decent tip.

First time i was in the US, on a study trip (as in poor students who already shelled out around 2 months worth of income to get ON the trip, so not exactly what you would call good tippers, due to our own financial situation) on the last when we was heading for the airport, we stopped to get some lunch. We were i think 20 people, and got a decent service.
But we decided to tip, for the first time on our trip, to get rid of all our small change we couldnt use for anything when we got home anyway, think we ended up with around 50$ in small coins (as in 1$ or smaller), and the waiter atually got pissed at us for tipping him 50$ because it was in coin form.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » August 3, 2005, 7:29 pm

That's why you tip and run! Usually when I leave the waitress/waiter is nowhere around. Which I sorta feel uncomfortable doing since you never know if someone is going to walk by and steal it from the table. Which I'm sure happens.

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » August 3, 2005, 7:56 pm

Tipping pisses me off. I tip, and tip well generally, but the fact that I have to is bullshit. The restaurant industry needs to just pay their people a decent wage. I'd rather tip according to how well the service was than feel the need to tip a good tip no matter what to compensate for underpaid staff.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 3, 2005, 9:11 pm

Sirensa wrote:Tipping pisses me off. I tip, and tip well generally, but the fact that I have to is bullshit. The restaurant industry needs to just pay their people a decent wage. I'd rather tip according to how well the service was than feel the need to tip a good tip no matter what to compensate for underpaid staff.

On the upside though, you have a LOT more wait staff per table than countries that pay a real wage.

Moonwynd · Post by **Moonwynd** » August 3, 2005, 11:43 pm

Since waitstaff here in the US generally get paid less than minimum wage, I tip nicely....most of the time.

Unless the person serving me is downright rude and nasty, I tip fairly generously.

My Waitstaff/Tipping Rules of Thumb

- I consider the following to be ways to get a good tip
1. Offer to refill my drink when it is getting low or it is gone
2. Stop by once to see how everything is going
3. Give a cursory glance toward my table every now and then. I do not need you to wait on me hand and foot...just look over my way in case I need something so I can get your attention

I will give you a good tip (not as good as Chidoro...I do not have that much money

)...around 15% if it was average service...20% if it was good service....and 25% on those special occasions (taking friends to dinner, or if it's a friend waiting on me).

For some reason, waitstaff have the uncanny knack for asking how your food is when everyone has their mouths stuffed full of food or drink.

Oh, I went to lunch at Old Chicago yesterday with some colleagues. The guy serving us brought us our separate bills and I said, "I had a drink on mine...I do not want you to undercharge me". He said, "You all have been such a great table, the drinks are on me." I figured he must have forgotten who ordered what drinks when it came time split the bill 4 ways that he just left them off rather than go through the hassle of asking us and trying to get it right. He got very nice tips from all four of us since he saved us 2 bucks each.

Regards,

Moon

Wiever · Post by **Wiever** » August 4, 2005, 5:41 am

Sirensa wrote:Tipping pisses me off. I tip, and tip well generally, but the fact that I have to is bullshit. The restaurant industry needs to just pay their people a decent wage. I'd rather tip according to how well the service was than feel the need to tip a good tip no matter what to compensate for underpaid staff.

I would imagine all restaurants would raise their prices 10%-20% to compensate for this and you would not be getting satisfactory service in many instances.

Truant · Post by **Truant** » August 4, 2005, 6:03 am

As someone who makes their living off of tips. I tip like a fucking beast. Sheryl gets on to me sometimes for tipping too much when we don't get great service. If I feel the person tried, even if they're a complete fuck up, that's ok. I understand that these people (myself included) get paid next to nothing for showing up, and everyone has bad days where they don't want to be there, sucking up, laughing at corny jokes and eating the customers shit all day, every day. It happens.

And weiver. Try paying taxes on all 100% of your tips

But the same goes in our business. People from out of country pretty much don't tip at all. Things work completely differently over there, and it's just not part of their system. You just learn to accept it.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » August 4, 2005, 6:51 am

Wiever wrote: I would imagine all restaurants would raise their prices 10%-20% to compensate for this and you would not be getting satisfactory service in many instances.

Nah, you "employ" 20-30% less staff, and the level of service you can expect is reflected in the menu prices; expensive restraunts aren't going to employ shitty staff because they're not going to get repeat business.

Wiever · Post by **Wiever** » August 4, 2005, 3:31 pm

Zaelath wrote:
Wiever wrote: I would imagine all restaurants would raise their prices 10%-20% to compensate for this and you would not be getting satisfactory service in many instances.
Nah, you "employ" 20-30% less staff, and the level of service you can expect is reflected in the menu prices; expensive restraunts aren't going to employ shitty staff because they're not going to get repeat business.

In all restaurants where I have worked if you are to employ less staff you can bet the level of food/service, and quality of the experience will drop dramatically. Also the volume that the store is capable of pumping out will be lost. Both will be result in less money or repeat business. I work in a restaurant that sells $20k+ a night and yet the business is still losing money. Paying the employees more would not be an option without raising the prices.

Truant wrote:
And weiver. Try paying taxes on all 100% of your tips

Not quite sure what you mean by this, but I never receive paychecks either if that is what you are referring to. Or are you referring to the fact that you claim all your cash tips?

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » August 4, 2005, 5:34 pm

Wiever wrote:Paying the employees more would not be an option without raising the prices.

Yes but that would be perfectly acceptable in lieu of tipping. It's really no different than places where tip/service is configured into the bill. The customer has to pay the employee salary via tipping as it is. I'd rather be given the option of throwing in a little extra for great service, rather than have it be expected/required. Tipping should be used for "wow you went out of your way to make my dining experience sooo much better" rather than expected for doing their job.