tipping your waitress

do you? is it always 15% or whatever it is supposed to be?

i have the opinion of mr pink from reservoir dogs(although i was like that before i ever saw the flick).
i am a horrible tipper.
i do leave a tip but i don't get out the tip calculator and bust em 15% or anything....if i have a couple of singles i drop em on the table and i'm out.

there have ben times where i have not left a tip but those times i felt like i did not get good service...
these days, tips are EXPECTED, no matter what...i am of the opinion that thair tip, is an incentive to serve you better. none of this tipping automatically crap.
also, and this is a big one for me, i don't get why the more your bill costs, the more you should tip.

say mama and me go to the restaurant and we both get a burger and fries with a soda...waitress has to make 1 trip over.....the bill is like $15

we go back three days later and get the lobster tail with steak. the bill is $50. the waitress still only makes 1 trip.

why am i expected to give the waitress more just cause my bill is more?

can we actually talk about this cause i really want to know....i usually end up getting flamed when i start this topic cause apparently, i am committing a huge taboo.

it's just the way it is...
i do not and i will not tip automatically.

let me also say that i am not an unreasonable person...i don't expect a new soda the instant mine goes empty.....if it takes a few thats fine...she is busy, i get it..
but, if she/he is just not around and i don't get another one at all, that tip is gone jack..

know what i mean?

so, what is your stance on tipping?

reply to post by Boondock78


Well I do tip, only if the service was good. I do not tip 15% but I do tip based on service. If the service was bad I tip 0% but if the service was wonderful and the food was not ungodly expensive, I will tip upwards of 50%. If the waitress was cute I also leave my phone number, well ok so I don't. The biggest tip Ive ever left based on percentages was 100% it was for a can of diet coke, I gave the lady a buck.

25% even up to 50% I've even tipped nearly 100% on a nice meal with a good waiter.

Waiters wage (are very low) and money is of no importance to me. Let them have it, it's probably more important to them anyway. I understand how easy it is, but waiting on people all day has to be one of the worst jobs in the world. I couldn't do it, I'd probably end up in jail.

[moderator edit for language]

[edit on 7-12-2007 by Byrd]

i know it is a crap job(they can always quit...i know it's harsh but it's true) but i don't get why i have to or should tip more if my food order was more...if he/she has to make more trips, i can understand but if i get a burger on monday and a porterhouse on tuesday, why does the waitress deserve a bigger tip on tues?
just cause i got a porterhouse...

and do you think my observations are right, for the most part....your wait staff think that the tip comes automatic these days?

i will never, ever go over 15%...not a chance...i need my scratch just as bad....

Hi boon!

Check out:

Why are restaurant 'Tipping' rates at 15%?

~Ducky~

The Chinese are really awful tippers, so I let the wife pay the bills and remove myself from the equation!

But then they don't expect to get a tip over here either, apart from in some of the posh, err westernized places.

I'll tip 10-20% if the service is good in a good place, but a lot of places have a - service included - thing going on these days, which is crappy if the service sucks, you still have to cough up for it, which I'm well against and I bet it never makes it to the waiting staff either, which is double crappy!!

Monkey

reply to post by Boondock78


I hate to sound rude, but if you were a regular at my restaurant you would end up regularly getting what you pay for. *shrug*

I think I am an extremely understanding waiter, and maybe things are different here, where there is such a large service industry population, that we all continue the circle of tipping. However, if a person comes in regularly, with the regular assumption of "I shouldn't have to tip that much," then you will be treated how you tip.

I have no obligation to be a stellar waiter, my job is to place food on your table, and every now and then see if you've had your drink emptied long enough for me to care enough to refill it. However, you may notice the table next to you that tips well getting treated better, and getting little freebies passed along every now and then. It's the way the game works.

I also take zero issue with putting a gratuity on a table if I find they are going to be crappy tippers. Quite frankly, if you feel you can't tip, chances are you should have ordered takeout.

You also do realize that waiters here get paid $2.15 an hour, correct? Its not like we're making a solid chunk of change before you decide to sit down and make us give you attention, when we could be paying attention to someone else that actually puts a little back in our pockets.

[edit on 12/7/07 by niteboy82]

reply to post by niteboy82


Dude you guys get $2-15 an hour!! WTF!! Don't you have a mimium wage in the US?

That's some crazy 5hit right there!!

When I was waiting tables in the UK some (like 12) years ago I was on 3-50GBP an hour + tips

MonKey

Not trying to be a smart arse, but that is really awful, is the cost of living so low in the US or a restaurant owners taking the Michael?

reply to post by ChiKeyMonKey


That's right, we do. And it's legal to do that for waiters. Others make a minimum of 5.85 an hour, but as waiters, we get less because we are expected to make most of our money in tips.

So most of us do not take kindly to those that feel the need to short us out of convenience.

Originally posted by niteboy82


I have no obligation to be a stellar waiter, my job is to place food on your table, and every now and then see if you've had your drink emptied long enough for me to care enough to refill it.

You also do realize that waiters here get paid $2.15 an hour, correct?

just as you have no obligation to be a 'stellar' waiter, i have no obligation to tip anything......your first line that i quoted makes my point for me....you are not obligated to be stellar, but, the tip is the incentive to be a stellar waiter....
it is up to me, the customer to decide if in fact you deserve whatever tip i am going to give or not give...

it works both ways...

i realize you guys make around that much...if you are not making ends meet, quit then. go work at mcnasty for $8 an hour.
not to be rude but, it's not really my problem.


my pont in this thread was when did it become an unwritten rule that you automatically tip and what percentage?

also, since you are in the service industry, can you give me a good reason why i should tip you more if i order a steak vs a burger?

you are making the same amount of trips to my table but since i decided to treat myself to a steak, i have to now tip you more because of it??
ish don't think so....

Originally posted by niteboy82

That's right, we do.
we are expected to make most of our money in tips.

So most of us do not take kindly to those that feel the need to short us out of convenience.

can you answer me please...

when did it become the unwritten rule that the customer pay 20% or whatever, no matter the service?
wy should i tip you more just cause my bill is more? same amount of work for you but i ordered a high end meal and that means you get more in the way of a tip?
that don't make sense....maybe you can explain it to me.

as i said, i usually drop a couple of bucks down......

edit*

[mr pink]I'm very sorry the government taxes their tips, that's___ up. That ain't my fault. It would seem to me that waitresses are one of the many groups the government ____ in the ass on a regular basis. Look, if you ask me to sign something that says the government shouldn't do that, I'll sign it, put it to a vote, I'll vote for it, but what I won't do is play ball. And as for this non-college bs I got two words for that: learn to_____ type, 'cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent you're in for a big______' surprise.[/mr pink]

^^^^took the words right outta my mouth.

again, my only beef here is with waiters that think they automatically should get a 20% tip...it's not an automatic deal....not with me.

tip=incentive to take care of your customers...

pretty simple

[edit on 7-12-2007 by Boondock78]

If a waitress is not good and has a bad attitude I leave one cent. That denotes the customer was not satisfied with their service.

If the service is average I tip 20%.

When a waitress goes out of her way to please me and has a good attitude I always leave extra.

During the holiday season I leave an extra tip and if I am a regular customer I give the cook a bonus also.

A smile and good attitude goes a long way with me. It's better for digestion too.

Originally posted by dizziedame

A smile and good attitude goes a long way with me. It's better for digestion too.

exactly man.....i am not out to stiff the waitress or waiter....my point was/is that somewhere along the line, it has become kind of an unwritten thing that you tip automatically and i can not get on board with that...

can anyone who is a waiter or waitress please explain to me why i should tip more if my food is more expensive?

reply to post by Boondock78


Ok, I just got off of work, sorry I didn't respond back sooner.

Let's take a filet mignon, and a cheeseburger as an example.

You order a filet mignon, the first thing that you're more than likely to get is either a side salad or a baked potato. As it goes in my restaurant, I am going to either be making your salad and bringing it out to you, or I am going to be taking your baked potato and put whatever toppings you desired onto that potato. At that point, it is my job to make sure not only your entree' is perfect, but also your baked potato or salad. This is more work for me, I have to balance out my time with you and getting a well done side to you while still paying attention to all my other tables. Then the filet comes out, and I am responsible to make sure it is done correctly before I come out to your table. In the meantime, I am still making sure that others such as yourself are getting excellent service and keeping them as happy as you are.

Now your cheeseburger. You are going to get french fries with that? Great, the cook is going to throw your burger on the grill, dress it, and fry your french fries for you. All I'm doing is bringing you your drink, and making sure the cook got your order correct. I am running around checking on the others with their filets at the same time. I still have to balance myself to make sure your experience is just as pleasant.

The difference here is the cost, and the amount of time you didn't see that I worked on your order. Personally, I don't do things halfway, I get it done right the first time, because that is how I am. Yes, I expect a better tip, because you're paying more (so hopefully you can afford your meal in the first place) and I am working harder for you. You aren't seeing my work, but you're tasting it, and you're still getting my smile.

Today I had a twenty top come in, they spent a crapload of money, and I was left with a very bad tip. Knowing those twenty people were coming, I went to work 30 minutes earlier and set up for them. Their drinks were never less that half full, there food came out at the same time, and hot. They didn't have to ask for anything, I comped them some extras, and took very good care of them. I ended up being left with about 8%. No it was not fair, considering that I was left much better tips from tables of two. However, that's the way it sometimes works, and I never ever forget being stiffed on a tip. In answer to your question, I am not sure whether it is hypothetical or not, your waitress more than likely did more legwork for you than you realized, and hence probably deserves a better tip, pending on the fact that she did a good job.

It also seems like you look at tipping as a chore, man. I don't get that at all, it's a nice thing to do, it makes people happy, and personally, it makes me happy to do it. It's kinda like when you are at a toll booth, and you pay the toll for the person behind you. It's just a nice thing to do for someone, and it should make you feel better also.

On an aside, have you ever waited tables?

Originally posted by niteboy82


It also seems like you look at tipping as a chore, man. I don't get that at all, it's a nice thing to do, it makes people happy, and personally, it makes me happy to do it. It's kinda like when you are at a toll booth, and you pay the toll for the person behind you. It's just a nice thing to do for someone, and it should make you feel better also.

On an aside, have you ever waited tables?

never waited tables. worked at mcnasty and a couple of restaurants doing dishes...
as far as paying the toll for the dude behind me, that ain't never gonna happen.
i don't look at tipping as a chore, but i am NOT OBLIGATED to tip you anything...that was my point.

since the customer is NOT obligated to tip, why do you look at is as if you were stiffed?

i will admit that i didn't know that you had to prep the salad or potato, but i also think that not all restaurants are like this...
would you agree?

you sound like a fantastic waiter...8% on a 20 person bill is still a nice little knot and as i said before, if you are getting 'stiffed', there is always other work.

i always come off like a prick when i talk about this but it's how i feel.
i do not feel like tipping should be automatic.

and for the redord, when i go to the steakhouse to get my steak, i get fries. never get the potato.

so, i'm supposed to go up to 15-20% cause you had to toss some lettuce in a bowl and put some butter on my wifes tater???
again, ish don't think so....

Hey man, it's your choice, not looking to argue with you. We do watch for such things though, and we let each other know about it around the Quarter. More than likely people like that will not get great service, but if that's not what you want to pay for, I definitely wouldn't worry about feeling forced.

It's all good, and no I would not leave my job, I make a good bit of money for a very short time period of work, and I'm happy overall. I don't let bad tippers get to me, if anything I come ahead on them. I spend less time with their orders, I just "throw some lettuce in a bowl," and turn around when they finally get the nerve to ask me for another drink. As I said, I don't have to be fantastic, I just have to make sure you eat.

Originally posted by niteboy82


I make a good bit of money for a very short time period of work, and I'm happy overall. I

, I just have to make sure you eat.

we are on the same page then. i don't expect fantastic service. i just want my food hot and my drink cold. that is bare minimum and thats all i need.

you make sure i eat and i give you a few bucks....done and done

It may not be a standard obligation but it is an unwritten rule that you should tip your wait staff. The main reason why is because in the U.S. it is legal for restaurants to pay their wait staff less because of the tips. This way, waiters get paid what we feel they should get paid by their service. If you have a crappy waiter then by all means, leave them a crappy tip.

Also don't just leave no tip at all, then normally they think you forgot. If you have really bad service, leave them a single coin to let them know that you didn't forget, you just didn't like their service.

I don't get out the calculator either and I am sure most American wait staffers don't either to make sure it's 15%. I usually just throw some singles on the table or a 5 spot and go on my way. One time I gave a waiter a $20 because I took my best friends little sister to lunch for her birthday and her and her friend thought he was cute so they were harrassing the guy everytime he walked by. I gave him a big tip because he handled the situation with courtesy and grace.

In china it can actually be considered rude to tip if I remember right but theres countries like Mexico and Spain that add the tip right in with the bill.

I don't think I've ever gotten service so bad that I didn't tip, I usually see waiters/waitresses going the extra mile to get that extra cash. Maybe they just know me as a good tipper, which will also get you better service at your resturant if your a regular.

Here's a scenario: Your food takes twice as long as it should to come out, due to the cook messing up the order(but you don't know that's the reason). Are you going to stiff the server out of a tip? It seems to me like people take out a lot of unnecessary gripes with servers when it should be taken up with a manager or a cook. Then at least they can discount the food instead of taking money away from innocent parties.

And I have worked in a variety of food establishments, ranging from formal resturants to fast food. After I've seen what goes on behind the scenes, I can say nothing else about the matter other than don't bite the hand that feeds you. You might get fed something you don't want next time.

Number 1, because I will go out of my way to give them the service they "paid" for last time, and number 2 because I will tell any server in the restaurant about their tip.

You betcha. We each make sure every other waiter/waitress knows about that ahead of time.

If you decided to put your goin-out shoes on and pay for a meal, you better be able to afford the service, otherwise, Arby's has a drive-thru.

Exactly right. I am not there as a punching bag, and I am not there to walk out at the end of my shift broke. That's like taking up space at a bartender's station all night, and then never tipping. You have taken a spot that could be used to bring in money, and did not allow the waiter to make anything off of you.

That is the perfect example of the term "wasted space."

[edit on 12/7/07 by niteboy82]