How do you tip?

[Krockit1]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

First, you may tip 20% but I doubt it is the standard. How can you possibly know what all other people in your region tip?

Second, tipping tends to go up with the consumption of alcohol. So if the standard in the midwest is really 20% as you say, then could it be that you guys and gals drink a wee bit more than regions with a 15% tipping standard?

Yep. Wisconsin drinks more Brandy than does all of France!

[jlstyle]

I round down the amount and 20% that.
e.g. $47 will be $8 tip.

[Krockit1]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

First, you may tip 20% but I doubt it is the standard. How can you possibly know what all other people in your region tip?

Second, tipping tends to go up with the consumption of alcohol. So if the standard in the midwest is really 20% as you say, then could it be that you guys and gals drink a wee bit more than regions with a 15% tipping standard?

Good point. Our situation though, is a bit different- we are good friends with a by-lined food writer who's job it is to have a handle on our region's trends. If the tip is not 20% and the meal went well, wait staff will be disappointed, to put it nicely. 20% is expected. Plus we eat out a lot in the area and enjoy making friendships with favorite servers who are glad to dish once they know you. It's a very tough way to make a living and the good ones earn every dime.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by Krockit1

Good point. Our situation though, is a bit different- we are good friends with a by-lined food writer who's job it is to have a handle on our region's trends. If the tip is not 20% and the meal went well, wait staff will be disappointed, to put it nicely. 20% is expected. Plus we eat out a lot in the area and enjoy making friendships with favorite servers who are glad to dish once they know you. It's a very tough way to make a living and the good ones earn every dime.

Then they are disappointed a lot. Look, the standard tip is not 20%. You may tip 20%. The wait persons you know may tell you that 20% is standard to shame you into paying it. I pay 20% or more when the experience is really special, but as a default standard for the general public? No way I am buying that the general public is paying 20% as their standard tip. This type of tip shaming by those in the restaurant industry and industry journalists does not fly. They want you to think it is true so you feel like a shit if you don't pay 20%. If they are pissed when a customer pays 15%, then they are pissed every minute of every day.

This notion that if you can't afford to pay 20% or 30% tip then you shouldn't go out to dinner is hogwash. I pay a minimum of 15% unless something really bad happens. I pay more when its special but not because some article tells me so. I think 15% is great and I'm glad to pay it. I will not be shamed into thinking I'm a cheapskate for not paying the wait persons salary. For those who think I am wrong, go focus your attention on changing the base wage of restaurant workers. It's not the customer's job to pay their salary.

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

Then they are disappointed a lot. Look, the standard tip is not 20%. You may tip 20%. The wait persons you know may tell you that 20% is standard to shame you into paying it. I pay 20% or more when the experience is really special, but as a default standard for the general public? No way I am buying that the general public is paying 20% as their standard tip. This type of tip shaming by those in the restaurant industry and industry journalists does not fly. They want you to think it is true so you feel like a shit if you don't pay 20%. If they are pissed when a customer pays 15%, then they are pissed every minute of every day.

This notion that if you can't afford to pay 20% or 30% tip then you shouldn't go out to dinner is hogwash. I pay a minimum of 15% unless something really bad happens. I pay more when its special but not because some article tells me so. I think 15% is great and I'm glad to pay it. I will not be shamed into thinking I'm a cheapskate for not paying the wait persons salary. For those who think I am wrong, go focus your attention on changing the base wage of restaurant workers. It's not the customer's job to pay their salary.

I would tip you 20% just for using "hogwash" in a sentence. Thank you.

[other_evolved]

Tip shaming....that's a new term, lol

[Echo Charlie]

One time i tipped a waitress $20 on a $50 bill, my gf gave me shit about it. She said something like, you like her, don't ya?

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by Echo Charlie

One time i tipped a waitress $20 on a $50 bill, my gf gave me shit about it. She said something like, you like her, don't ya?

Not if she'd do anything for 20 bucks, I don't! Ew.

[Echo Charlie]

Originally Posted by jtodd_fl

Not if she'd do anything for 20 bucks, I don't! Ew.

Maybe she saw a pattern, i tend to be more generous with the cute waitresses.

[KingOfJericho]

Wow, this is an eye-opening thread. I'm frankly appalled by some of the viewpoints here. The cook, who physically cooked your food, is generally responsible for things being cooked incorrectly, yet he makes at least minimum wage which is (in most states) a high multiple of what the server is getting paid (often $2-3/hr), yet many of you take that out of the server's pocket. That's just shitty.

I've noticed that the worst tippers are those who go into a restaurant acting like a king/queen and treat wait staff like they are peasants. I go in very nice and very friendly and find that I get treated with the same attitude. For me, every server starts at an A+ (20%) tip and works their way down if they are rude, which I find to be EXTREMELY rare. Many in here have them starting at an F and make them bend over backwards to make ANY money.

Also amusing is those who tip 20% to a person walking their food eight steps but 5% to the guy who spent 20 min driving it all the way across town in the rain because you didn't want to get wet lol.

Originally Posted by jophish17

20-30%, mostly based on what is a clean number to round to. I don't worry too much about % and frankly I'm a little surprised how much debate this has brought on a website full of people driving luxury cars.

My wife worked in retail for many years and the cheapest customers were always those paying with an Amex black card.


Having traveled around Europe a bit, I will say that I prefer that system. Unfortunately trying to promote a one-man tipping revolution will surely get your food spit in so enjoy that mucus.

In Italy, it's customary to leave a little bit (coins, most often) for service but definitely NOT if it's a little family restaurant - they treat it as their home and are insulted when you leave a tip. That being said, in Rome, where they are a bit more jaded, I found that when they realized we were American, they assumed, in correctly, that we would ignorantly leave a large tip. That really irked me.

Again, I'm really shocked how many people leave so little.

[Makeuwunder]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Wow, this is an eye-opening thread. I'm frankly appalled by some of the viewpoints here. The cook, who physically cooked your food, is generally responsible for things being cooked incorrectly, yet he makes at least minimum wage which is (in most states) a high multiple of what the server is getting paid (often $2-3/hr), yet many of you take that out of the server's pocket. That's just shitty.

I've noticed that the worst tippers are those who go into a restaurant acting like a king/queen and treat wait staff like they are peasants. I go in very nice and very friendly and find that I get treated with the same attitude. For me, every server starts at an A+ (20%) tip and works their way down if they are rude, which I find to be EXTREMELY rare. Many in here have them starting at an F and make them bend over backwards to make ANY money.

Also amusing is those who tip 20% to a person walking their food eight steps but 5% to the guy who spent 20 min driving it all the way across town in the rain because you didn't want to get wet lol.


My wife worked in retail for many years and the cheapest customers were always those paying with an Amex black card.


Having traveled around Europe a bit, I will say that I prefer that system. Unfortunately trying to promote a one-man tipping revolution will surely get your food spit in so enjoy that mucus.

In Italy, it's customary to leave a little bit (coins, most often) for service but definitely NOT if it's a little family restaurant - they treat it as their home and are insulted when you leave a tip. That being said, in Rome, where they are a bit more jaded, I found that when they realized we were American, they assumed, in correctly, that we would ignorantly leave a large tip. That really irked me.

Again, I'm really shocked how many people leave so little.

King,
I must agree, I am also shocked by what some have said on here. Servers here in Ga. make $2.35 per hour and depends on tips to make a living. They also get judged on all aspects of the people they serve. They do not control how a meal is cooked or how long it takes, they are not cooking it. Servers get just as miss treated as any customer thinks they do. Customers often think they are above the server and give them no respect. I will always tip 20% regardless of service. Everyone has bad days. Does your pay get cut just because you had a bad day? Probably not. Next time dining out instead of thinking how the server can make your experience great think of how you might be able to make the servers day better. You may be surprised on how your experience may change.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by Makeuwunder

King,
I must agree, I am also shocked by what some have said on here. Servers here in Ga. make $2.35 per hour and depends on tips to make a living. They also get judged on all aspects of the people they serve. They do not control how a meal is cooked or how long it takes, they are not cooking it. Servers get just as miss treated as any customer thinks they do. Customers often think they are above the server and give them no respect. I will always tip 20% regardless of service. Everyone has bad days. Does your pay get cut just because you had a bad day? Probably not. Next time dining out instead of thinking how the server can make your experience great think of how you might be able to make the servers day better. You may be surprised on how your experience may change.

Servers are not responsible / can't control over/under-cooking food but they sure as hell can check an order before bringing it to your table. They can also make sure they put the order in when they take it. There is also no reason to leave someone sitting for extensive times at the end of their meal waiting for a check. I don't think service that results from an inattentive server warrants the same tip as one who is on the ball, so I have to disagree with paying 20% regardless of service.

[mPlasticDesign]

Originally Posted by BMW F22

I don't tip. Period.

LMAO

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Servers are not responsible / can't control over/under-cooking food but they sure as hell can check an order before bringing it to your table. They can also make sure they put the order in when they take it.

Check it how? Take a bite to make sure it's medium vs medium/well? That's the cook. I do agree that they should put the order in when received but I've rarely seen this happen.

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

There is also no reason to leave someone sitting for extensive times at the end of their meal waiting for a check. I don't think service that results from an inattentive server warrants the same tip as one who is on the ball, so I have to disagree with paying 20% regardless of service.

This is another MAJOR difference between here and Europe. In Europe, they literally disappear and you have to hunt them down for the check when you finish eating - even an hour after you finish. Cafe-culture at its finest and they're definitely doing it right. If you sit down at 8pm, that table is yours until they close. I actually get annoyed when I tell them I wouldn't like dessert and am handed the bill from their back pocket. THAT seems rude. The whole "turning tables" concept makes me so mad. There's nothing nice or appealing about having someone rush you out of a place when you're still there socializing with friends. I am out for a leisurely meal, not to shovel my food in and be pushed out the door. Go to McDonalds for that.

[M3 Number 86]

20% if nice place.

15% rounded up to a whole dollar amount at any other place.

Too much at a bar - just a pile of cash for no reason.

A big fat ZERO for any place that doesn't serve you but have those fancy iPad POS systems that have a tip option.

You're making me a drink, get over it barista.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Check it how? Take a bite to make sure it's medium vs medium/well? That's the cook. I do agree that they should put the order in when received but I've rarely seen this happen.



This is another MAJOR difference between here and Europe. In Europe, they literally disappear and you have to hunt them down for the check when you finish eating - even an hour after you finish. Cafe-culture at its finest and they're definitely doing it right. If you sit down at 8pm, that table is yours until they close. I actually get annoyed when I tell them I wouldn't like dessert and am handed the bill from their back pocket. THAT seems rude. The whole "turning tables" concept makes me so mad. There's nothing nice or appealing about having someone rush you out of a place when you're still there socializing with friends. I am out for a leisurely meal, not to shovel my food in and be pushed out the door. Go to McDonalds for that.

I don't think you read my post. I said they are not responsible for over/under-cooking. Presumably everyone in a restaurant can tell the difference between a steak and chicken or pasta though, right? When I order a steak with sides there is no reason a server can't see the order is comprised of the wrong food before arriving at the table without tasting it.

Also I don't see the need to be hunting anyone down for a check either. If I'm not having an after dinner drink, coffee or dessert, there isn't much reason to wait 10 minutes or longer for the check once the plates are cleared. Worse still are those occasions when a check is requested and still not delivered without hunting down the server. It is actually possible to leave a check at the appropriate time without rushing anyone out the door at better restaurants than McDonalds. It happens over 90% of the time.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by supernoob

I know in Italy there's a charge for sitting in a chair rather than standing to take your coffee. Can you believe it?!? That's there's a sitting charge...!!!

Where!?!? I've been all over Italy and don't think I ever encountered this!

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Servers are not responsible / can't control over/under-cooking food but they sure as hell can check an order before bringing it to your table. They can also make sure they put the order in when they take it. There is also no reason to leave someone sitting for extensive times at the end of their meal waiting for a check. I don't think service that results from an inattentive server warrants the same tip as one who is on the ball, so I have to disagree with paying 20% regardless of service.

Going to agree with KingofJ here. Maybe your phrasing wasn't the best and I think I understand what you mean but you clearly say the waiter isn't responsible for cooking the food but they can check it. How does a waiter check to see if you steak is medium rare without cutting into it? They rely on the cooks to get it right. And checking the order means that all parts of the order are there and ready but I draw the line at the temperature of the meat, that's on the cooks. Should there be a problem with the temperature then the waiter should be on the ball about getting it corrected ASAP...

[imserious]

20% tip rounded up. I'm grateful for what I have and don't mind tipping a few extra dollars here or there. It's not going to break the bank.

I don't tip for things that don't involve a waiter or server. In sit down restaurants a server is part of the dining experience and can make or break a meal. Why should I tip someone for scooping the ice cream?

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Going to agree with KingofJ here. Maybe your phrasing wasn't the best and I think I understand what you mean but you clearly say the waiter isn't responsible for cooking the food but they can check it. How does a waiter check to see if you steak is medium rare without cutting into it? They rely on the cooks to get it right. And checking the order means that all parts of the order are there and ready but I draw the line at the temperature of the meat, that's on the cooks. Should there be a problem with the temperature then the waiter should be on the ball about getting it corrected ASAP...

Well since neither of you understood what I thought was pretty obvious... "Checking the order" means checking to be sure the food being delivered to the customer is, in fact, the food that was ordered. That means if the customer orders a steak with baked potato, the server makes sure they deliver a steak with baked potato, not a steak with fries or a chicken breast with rice. The only thing I said about checking food or food temperature was that it isn't the waiter's fault if the food is under/over-cooked. I hope that explanation is clear enough now.

[Krockit1]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

Then they are disappointed a lot. Look, the standard tip is not 20%. You may tip 20%. The wait persons you know may tell you that 20% is standard to shame you into paying it. I pay 20% or more when the experience is really special, but as a default standard for the general public? No way I am buying that the general public is paying 20% as their standard tip. This type of tip shaming by those in the restaurant industry and industry journalists does not fly. They want you to think it is true so you feel like a shit if you don't pay 20%. If they are pissed when a customer pays 15%, then they are pissed every minute of every day.

This notion that if you can't afford to pay 20% or 30% tip then you shouldn't go out to dinner is hogwash. I pay a minimum of 15% unless something really bad happens. I pay more when its special but not because some article tells me so. I think 15% is great and I'm glad to pay it. I will not be shamed into thinking I'm a cheapskate for not paying the wait persons salary. For those who think I am wrong, go focus your attention on changing the base wage of restaurant workers. It's not the customer's job to pay their salary.

Whoa. Dude. Your implications are a far cry from what my post stated. "Tip Shaming"? "If you can't afford to pay 20% or 30% tip then you shouldn't go out to dinner." ? WTF? Where did that come from? I stated what I know of my local restaurant culture and community from reputable sources, nothing more. And 20% is the norm here for a well turned out meal at a finer restaurant. What you tip? I could care less. And my writer friend? Has never done a piece about tipping, ever. Ease up, man. Have another bottle of red, go get laid or something.

[///M Guy]

15-20%