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I was raised that you tip at least 15% minimum even if your service is just OK or even under par. Of course tip much more if the service is excellent! We are huge tippers if the service is excellent. I know what they make and they have to tip the bartenders, person who cleans the table...etc!
What do you think?
I agree with the above.
I always at minimum double the sales tax and round up to the nearest dollar, always. This would be about 15%. I have never left no tip or a tiny tip even if service is poor because my service has never been THAT bad even when it's been poor. I can't imagine it being so bad as not to tip at all...I always do 15% at least because they're still taking my order and doing some serving...for excellent service I always tip more.
I am a "huge" tipper once in a while when I find the service is excellent and the server is especially wonderful in addition to the service or sometimes for other reasons- for example, when I was 9 months pregnant my server was 4 months pregnant. She had a family to help support. I was beside myself- I know all to well how tired you are during pregnancy and how hard it can be to get good sleep and how bad it feels to be on your feet for long! And this girl came by very often to make sure everything was ok and was cheerful, too. I reallt felt for her....I gave her a $20 in addition to the 20% tip, and this was at an Applebee's.
I can't come up with any reason not to tip...now one time, my server disappeared after she brought us the food and never came back until she brought the check. The girl who was waiting the tables beside us felt bad and she kept taking care of us, too, and apologizing for our server. We left a 10% tip for our server on the table and handed some extra cash, probably about 25% to the helpful server before we left.
Ultraviolet, I did not know that there isn't any tipping in Europe, this indicates to me that they are paid well by the restaurants.
Working in the service industry in Europe is considered the same as almost every other retail job - there is an expected standard of performance and in return you earn an hourly wage for it. It's that simple. If you compromise the quality of your work, then you'll be replaced. Perhaps the higher unemployment-rates in Europe are a sufficient motivator.
I don't know if there's a right or wrong when comparing the two systems.
In general, I would say that the level of sevice in the U.S. is much better than the average standard in Europe, but I think this is more to do with societal expectation, as opposed to the 'tip or no tip' structure.
I don't know why exactly this difference exists, but you've got to admit, it's in the best interests of restaurant owners in the U.S. to have consumers pay the tip, only pay their staff $3/hr and keep the wage bill down......it allows them to price their food cheaper on the menu than a Euro restaurant is able to.
(BTW, 1 pitcher of beer at Picasso's tonight - $5+tax.....left $10)
I'm here with everyone else. 15-20%. If service is excellent, then more. I've actually had such extremely bad service that I have left 0 tip.
If I find a good waiter/waitress, I usually stick to that person and they get excellent tips from me. Years ago, I like a waitress at the Olive Garden and specifically sat with her every time. She never made less than $20 from me and our dinner never ran more than $40. Same thing with bartenders..You keep my glass full and you'll receive big tips from me..Maybe it's because I'm hammered at that point but who cares?? LOL The next time I come in, I'm always the first to get a drink in a crowd
I have seen service slip over the years. I remember say 5-10 years ago service actually being better? I am talking at the normal restaurants. Usually the base tip is 15% for me and then i adjust from there depending on the service. To me people have to downright ignore me, never fill my drink, dissappear, and just be garbage not to get that 15% cause I know people have to make a living. The thing is I would say over the last 2-3 years I have been stiffing people more? Service has gotten worse for some reason. Whether the waiter/waitress is not listening, bsing, hitting on the girls at the table next to mine while my glass is empty, etc...honestly the best service I get is at chinese places and high end restaurants. Heck a place like 5 guys has better service than Fridays, city tavern etc...
I dont want to be one of those people who say "where i came from" but( read enough of my previous posts and you'll figure it out ) I *feel* the service here in restaurants that are not upscale tend to have for the most part servers that are not trained well, seem to be hating their job but have no choice etc.There is no incenitve for these people.In another state that i am familiar with, servers AT least make min. wage of $8.00( the going rate of the state) an hour plus of course their tips.Many people make it a career in your finer restaurants and make a very decent living.Of course they also have Unions to protect them.This state currently is $6.15 for min. wage. Servers need and should make this plus tips. The restaurant owners are the only ones reaping the benefits, after all their food prices are no different than anywhere else, especially chain restaurants. I would only hope that restaurants maybe pay more than what is required, but come on, less than $3.00 an hour and then they get stiffed for tips OR people are so cheap they hardly even leave one just seems so unfair.
I always at minimum double the sales tax and round up to the nearest dollar, always. This would be about 15%. I have never left no tip or a tiny tip even if service is poor because my service has never been THAT bad even when it's been poor. I can't imagine it being so bad as not to tip at all...I always do 15% at least because they're still taking my order and doing some serving...for excellent service I always tip more.
I am a "huge" tipper once in a while when I find the service is excellent and the server is especially wonderful in addition to the service or sometimes for other reasons- for example, when I was 9 months pregnant my server was 4 months pregnant. She had a family to help support. I was beside myself- I know all to well how tired you are during pregnancy and how hard it can be to get good sleep and how bad it feels to be on your feet for long! And this girl came by very often to make sure everything was ok and was cheerful, too. I reallt felt for her....I gave her a $20 in addition to the 20% tip, and this was at an Applebee's.
I can't come up with any reason not to tip...now one time, my server disappeared after she brought us the food and never came back until she brought the check. The girl who was waiting the tables beside us felt bad and she kept taking care of us, too, and apologizing for our server. We left a 10% tip for our server on the table and handed some extra cash, probably about 25% to the helpful server before we left.
Does anyone have guidelines for a place like Pei Wei, where you order on line, and then someone brings it over? It is pretty much self serve, but someone comes around and asks if you need anything, and cleans your table, brings you doggie bag bags, etc.... How much do you all leave these "servers".
BTW if you haven't been, it is wonderful! It is P.F. Changs limited menu, cafeteria style. Yum, Yum........enjoy
Last edited by Doorway; 03-01-2008 at 08:04 AM..
Reason: spelling
Funny how this topic came up today. Last night we went to our favorite Steakhouse in Greenville, NC. We both had a $5.00 coupon and a 10% off card. When our checks came we both calculated what the checks would have been before the discounts and we tipped 20% on that amount. 20% is the norm now. While we were doing this the manager who we know very well came over to our table and told us another couple came up to him and praised their server so much and even told him that they wanted her again when they come back. their bill was $67.07. They left her .93 cents. The young girl was crying and she is putting herself through ECU. This behavior is deplorable and we see it happen way too much. I have said this on another forum, if you can't afford the tip or don't want to tip, stay home and eat.
I so agree... I was in that girls shoes. And if you have never been there, maybe you are a bad tipper.
So heres some advice.... servers at restaurants make $3.00 or less an hour because they are paid by GRATUITY!!!
Let me first say that I usually tip 20% and round it up to the next dollar.
But for some reason, probably because I was a stocker or retail monkey for minimum wage, I just don't find the "We only get 2 or 3 dollars an hour" to be a good excuse. If that is a huge issue for these people, then they should talk to their employer about it rather than expect everyone else to line their pockets. I hate to say it, but I'm at a restaurant for decent service and good food NOT to augment the wages of a people who take a job for $3.13 an hour.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mom2jacknjess
Sorry, but you don't realize that servers make $3.13/hr (yes, that's not a typo) and they depend on your generosity to make a salary. On top of that they have to share their tips and pay taxes. And if you have never worked foodservice, they work for every penny and then some. So, years ago it may have been presumptuous to expect a tip, but today yes I think if they are good workers, they should EXPECT a tip because it is not an extra it's their wage.
I love how people do not read prior to making their comments. ;-)
Eman and CarolinaGuy. I said that I thought 10% was a baseline and tips moved up from there. I also said I tend to over tip. Nowhere in my post did I correlate 10% with overtipping.
It's my opinion, I'm sticking with it.
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