How do you tip?

[WTNLVR]

We tip 20% for excellant service, 15 for ok service. We don''t deduct from the tip if the food is bad as that isn''t the servers fault. I think 2ce in 18 yrs we have had service sooo bad that we left a 1 cent tip. This is for very rude service people and extremely poor service. But like I said we''ve only done that 2ce and the service was horrific. I can''t believe a server asked you about the tip. We usually don''t pay the bill though til we are ready to leave.

 

[Girlrocks]

I would tip no less than 15%. I usually tip 20-25%. Haven been a waitress before, I know how hard it can be. Although I CAN NOT believe that she was rude enough to come over and ask about the tip, she shouldn''t be penalized for the food being bad...that''s out of her control. I usually ask to speak to a manager if there is a problem with the food because the waitress only serves it, she doesn''t cook it.

However, I think I would have taken the entire tip back once she asked about it! When I was a waitress, I always felt that the sting was in the really small tips (less than 10%), then you really knew that you had not done a great job. I always tip based on the full amount of the check though, including the tax and if I have any coupons, I tip on the full amount before the deductions.

 

[bookworm21]

Hmmm....after reading everyone''s average tip amounts..the majority of people tip the amount I usually do when service is decent or good. My dad used to work in the restaurant business as a sushi chef, so a lot of his salary was based on tips too, which is probably why I feel so guilty about not tipping even 15% to that waitress. I''ve also worked a customer service job, so I know how difficult people can be in general.

I should also clear up that I based her tip not just on the burnt pizza alone, but on her service overall. I''ve been to that restaurant several times before, it''s a small, family-owned, neighborhood restaurant, and the service was usually decent; not great, but decent. I also commented on the pizza the minute she put it down, something to the effect of, "Wow, that''s really burnt." All she did was ask, "Would you like parmesan cheese on that?" And previous servers always asked if we wanted more bread if we finished it all. It may seem petty, but to me, the little things throughout the course of the meal add up to detract from the entire experience. And the pizza wasn''t cheap either. Plus, we didn''t take that long to finish dinner; no longer than an hour.

And her confronting me about her tip was the last straw, especially since she interrupted a conversation to do so. I''m not going back to the restaurant ever again, even though I usually love their pizza. So some of you guys are right, perhaps I should''ve spoken to the manager about my experience, just so they know and perhaps better train their kitchen and servers. Oh well, I''ll just find another place with good pizza then.

 

[littlelysser]

I wonder how many of the bad service = no tip or under 10% folks ever waited tables.

Because as a former server, it is a really difficult way to make a living. You are at the whim of the hostess (too many tables and you can't give good service); the kitchen (not your fault if they burn your table's pizza or don't put the right condiments on your appetizer); and of course, the other tables you are waiting on (I've been run ragged by ONE very demanding table...and therefore, gave subpar service to the others). So, in answer to your question, I would NEVER tip based on the food. Your server has absolutely no control over that. Similarly, your server doesn't have control over how many tables he or she may have and the other tables he or she is waiting on. Therefore, I tip based on the attitude of the server. Or rather, I lower my tip based ONLY on the attitude of the server.

I waited tables all through college and for the two years before I went to law school. And I absolutely hated it. The people I served were often rude and as I said, overly demanding. They assumed because I was waiting tables that I was not educated. I just shake my head when I look back on it. It makes me so angry.

I believe that EVERYONE should have to wait tables for at least three months. It will definitely change your perspective on what constitutes good service or bad service. And you rely entirely on tips. ENTIRELY! And although this probably makes me a dork, I really like leaving a big tip for good service. I know how happy a nice, big, unexpected tip made me...

Now, all that having been said, the only time tip under 20% (and at the restaurants we normally go to, we tip between 25-30%) is if a server is actually rude. Got the order wrong? No worries. I've done it before too. Spilled a drink? Happens to the best of us. Not as attentive as I'd like - hey, I understand...but outright rudeness...well, then I'll tip below 20%.

The server that questioned the tip though? That was just tacky.

 

[Dee*Jay]

The happy hubby and I used to be 20% tippers in general, and something more than that for really good service. But lately we have some really BAD service (and I''m not talking about food quality or factors outside the control of the servers) and we''ve given around 15%. That being said, we''ve also decided to give more for outstanding service in the future after these few experiences because they have led us to appreciate really good service even more.

 

[galeteia]

Wow, less than $3/hour?

Up here, servers must get at least minimum wage, and then tips are ''gratuities'' on top of your wage. Minimum wage isn''t great, but it''s way more than $3 an hour!

 

[FireGoddess]

I have one issue with the complaint you had - that the pizza was burnt was NOT her fault. She didn't cook it. A lot of times customers take out issues with the kitchen on the waitstaff, and that's not fair. She didn't burn the pizza.

Her service however, was her fault.

I generally tip 20%. Servers don't even make minimum wage you know, since their tips are factored into their base salary. This means they depend on their tips to make any sort of minimum wage. If the service is really bad, I tip 10-15%. Remember that servers have to tipshare with the busboys and greeters, which means they don't actually even get the whole tip you leave.

 

[tawn]

We usually do 20% for good service, adding or subtracting a bit for the quality of service...

We were out for drinks with friends recently...and the bartender was totally out of line rude and obnoxious. So we decided to leave and go somewhere else, so on the tip line of the credit card slip, our friend wrote, "YOU SUCK!"

It was so mean...but I didn''t feel too badly, as she had significantly overcharged my husband and I, but I was too scared to get into it with her because she was soooooo b*tchy!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 11/6/2006 2:10:51 PM
Author: Galateia
Wow, less than $3/hour?

Up here, servers must get at least minimum wage, and then tips are ''gratuities'' on top of your wage. Minimum wage isn''t great, but it''s way more than $3 an hour!

In NC it is $2.13/hour. Of course that goes ALL to taxes anyways.

 

[chicagolawyer]

I know waitstaff do get paid $2/hr base give or take, but I just want to point out that federal law prevents employers from paying hourly employees less than minimum wage.

Yes, waitstaff get paid $2/hr and that can all goes to taxes. What is SUPPOSED to happen though, is that after tips are factored in for a given pay period, if a waiter/waitress has not made at least minimum wage during that period w/ tips included then the restaurant must pay the difference.

I don''t know if this does happen, but it is supposed to.

 

[fire&ice]

We usually tip 20% unless the service was horrible. I have learned to fire waitstaff from time to time. I talk to the manager and say I''m not pleased with the service. Could you find us another waiter/waitress? Service can really make or break your entertainment factor. Tipping well does seem to get you better service if you are a repeat customer.

We tip on the total bill - wine & tax included. Most of the places we go to have a decent wine list at reasonable prices.

I do have a wine pet peeve. The reason we order a bottle of wine is so that WE can control the flow. I hate when the waiter is coming up every few mintues to fill your glass. If we want it filled we will fill it. Do they do that b/c people want that service? Or do they do that to sell more wine?

Funny about the crab cake lady - although I have been accused of something similar. At shows, you are at the mercy of the consession stand. One place has notoriiously bad food. I was starving and against my better judgement I ordered a hamburger. I got the first one - took a bite & it wasn''t cooked. I told them that and they reluctantly gave me another one. I took a bite & it too - wasn''t cooked. I took that back again. At that point, I wanted a refund as my confidence level was low. They refused saying that I just wanted to eat a free hamburger. It wasn''t worth the argument.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 11/6/2006 3:54:11 PM
Author: chicagolawyer
I know waitstaff do get paid $2/hr base give or take, but I just want to point out that federal law prevents employers from paying hourly employees less than minimum wage.

Yes, waitstaff get paid $2/hr and that can all goes to taxes. What is SUPPOSED to happen though, is that after tips are factored in for a given pay period, if a waiter/waitress has not made at least minimum wage during that period w/ tips included then the restaurant must pay the difference.

I don''t know if this does happen, but it is supposed to.

In california in the late 80/s early 90s we got paid minimum wage... which was $5 I think then went to $5.25 I think - been a long time... but I know when we moved to florida and they wanted to pay m $2.19 I was like, are you high???

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 11/6/2006 12:41:40 PM
Author: Girlrocks
I would tip no less than 15%. I usually tip 20-25%. Haven been a waitress before, I know how hard it can be. Although I CAN NOT believe that she was rude enough to come over and ask about the tip, she shouldn''t be penalized for the food being bad...that''s out of her control. I usually ask to speak to a manager if there is a problem with the food because the waitress only serves it, she doesn''t cook it.

However, I think I would have taken the entire tip back once she asked about it! When I was a waitress, I always felt that the sting was in the really small tips (less than 10%), then you really knew that you had not done a great job. I always tip based on the full amount of the check though, including the tax and if I have any coupons, I tip on the full amount before the deductions.

Many ex-waitresses are like you, they tip *well* and others, like me, are total hardasses... other than once I tip at least 10% and occasionally 20% but it''s like a bell curve - the majority is 15. Because I was a waitress, I know what can be expected. If things are slammed, that''s one thing, but if they''re just sitting there yakking with their friends and they sigh and trudge over when you want a refill or have attitude issues, yeah... 10%.