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I aim for 20% but I probably overtip because I always round up to make my math easier. I just take the amount, pre-tax, round up to the easiest number, divide by ten, and multiple by two. And then I round up again.
I will tip more for great service but rarely less. A lot of times a slow meal and stuff isn't the fault of the waitress but something going on in the kitchen. Someone would really have to piss me off to get less.
And I always factor in what the cost would be if items on the house had actually been in the bill.
We always tip 20%. My FI's sister has always worked in restaurants, so I guess he heard all her horror story of bad tippers. That's why we like to tip good.
I think if you can't afford to leave a full tip, you can't afford to eat out and you shouldn't rip off your waitress. That said, I understand leaving a smaller one for terrible service.
My baseline is usually 15%--it's always been standard, although there seems to be percentage inflation these days. ;) I tip 20%+ for either noticeably better service or a place I go to often or a server I frequently get (sometimes up to 30%, or more if the check is small). I also always include the price of anything that was comped in the tip. 15% is for decent service at someplace I'm not likely to become a regular at. Really bad service.... I usually still tip 15% and then never go back, but sometimes I let them know. ;)
I do the same, but if the service is bad, I still leave a decent tip and just complain to the management about it. I don't think the tip is the time to place judgement on the service. Base tip for poor or fine service, a little more for great service or if you're friends and they comped stuff.
Just to illustrate, one time I was the only server on the floor and a drunk vet came in in a wheelchair. He was out of his mind, but also had money and ordered food. I was overwhelmed, and the bartender wouldn't help me get him out of there. The guy went so far as to even steal another patron's suitcase and try to get away! Luckily, he didn't move too fast because he was drunk, and I could grab him in his chair and bring him (and the luggage back). Needless to say, I did not give good service to my other table. When they left, they gave me .99 on the credit card, meaning that they deliberately wrote in an amount that was less than a dollar. Then they wrote a note about my crappy service. As they were sitting next to the vet, they knew what was going on.
I felt terrible about neglecting them, but there was nothing I could do. Their crappy tip did not teach me a lesson about my bad service (or whatever it is people think they're doing when they leave bad tips). It just made me feel terrible.
Terrible enough that I remember 10 years later.
And the worst part was that not only was all that terrible, but the cherry on the top was that I felt awful for my difficult patron. As he was a vet in a chair, I knew he wasn't your run-of-the-mill jerky drunk guy.
@jmc, I do hear ya, that's why I would only leave a really small tip in extreme circumstances. Like I said, a server dropping something on me and not apologizing. For run-of-the-mill bad service, I agree you can never know what is really going on. There are occasions, however, when a server really is inappropriate or just downright rude to a person's face, and I think that is a different story.
We always tip around 20%. If the service is awful, we tip 0%. When I say awful, I don't mean that the server was overwhelmed or messed up the order or something.... it has to be insultingly bad. I can only remember one time I didn't tip anything... A group of my friends and I went out to eat one night. Our server didn't come over for like 15 minutes, and when she did, she was like "Ready to order?" without saying hello, getting drinks, anything. When she brought the food out, she literally slammed the dishes on the table and walked away. She never came back over, she just stood in the corner giggling and talking to her co-worker. Reeeally bad. So, no tip.
I tip 20 percent, only exception is when I am eating at restaurants at the resort I work at, because we get a 20 percent discount on the meal along with an automatic 18 percent gratuity. And to be honest, when we get that discount, we often are treated worse because the server knows we are not an actual "guest." Sad but true.
There was one time, however, that we ate @ TGI Fridays and we had the WORST SERVER EVER. Like, on the history of the planet...she took our order and was gone for at least 45 minutes, no other servers came by to check on us, obviously we didn't get appetizers, etc...though we did have water (that we drank all of and didn't get replenished). So, around that time, I excused myself to the restroom, and who do I see in there, but our server, just talking on her cellphone! I was so shocked I couldnt say anything, and she also ignored me.
On the way back to the table, I saw another server at the register and asked if we could possibly get another server because ours had seemed to bail. So, he went up to the hostess podium, checked it out and then rolled his eyes and said he would get someone for us, ASAP. 10 minutes later, our original server appeared with appetizers that looked like they had been under the heat lamp the entire time, or even longer. We told her that we were sorry, but were going to leave, could she just bring the bill for that appetizer (though we didn't even want to eat it) and cancel our order. She then complained that they were already making the meal and we just couldn't believe it. We asked for her manager, and she sulked off, the manager came and said he'd take care of it, and he apologized. We left and went somewhere else to eat!
We tip 20% on the entire bill, including tax. If the service isn't great we might tip 15% but then that is almost silly because the waitperson might not have any idea we were unhappy becaues 15% is standard for some people - it has to be really really bad for us to tip a small amount and I can't even remember the last time that happened! If the service is great we will do more, or if they take something off the bill that was not good, we will tip on the amount including that meal taken off.....
The only other time I can think of when we didn't tip (my parents in this case, not me,) was when we went to a really high end restaurant and later found out the waitress actually was, in fact, on drugs.
It was kind of sad, actually, but geez, the most bizarre dining experience ever. She knocked over a tray of silverware behind us and just kind of stared at it, would kind of half clean dirty tables and set the dirty dishes on OUR table when she came over to us, and came back to take our order not once, not twice, but three times. Then during the meal, she kept randomly popping up with the same plate of filet and asking who had ordered it (no one had.) Seriously, like five times.
That was pretty sad, actually, I hope that poor girl got some help.
I had answered on the other thread but I was in the food and beverage industry for almost 10 years. I almost always tip 20% and have on occasion given more for outstanding service. I've also on occasion left significantly less.
I have never given a really crap tip without telling the server why they are not getting more from me and I point out the specifics. There was nothing worse than getting stiffed or a little tip and wondering what the heck I did wrong to "deserve" it. I understand that there can be a million reasons why our dinner was less than perfect but as long as the server keeps me informed of what's going on, I'm okay with it. Maybe one of the cooks called in, maybe a grill is down, etc.
For free dinners, I am a mystery shopper. I have a career in Science and love my full time job but also like doing mystery shopping and writing reviews. We have eaten at some amazing places and considering I have a list of questions that gives me an idea of how the dining experience is going to go. It's a nice insight into what restaurants expect what out of their crew.
Standard 20% for decent service. You mess up, you apologize, my life goes on and I tip right. You try to hide it from me by lying, I can usually tell and then the tip goes down a little. If it's a kitchen mistake, no biggee. Once we got veal instead of chicken and she's like "omg i hit the wrong button!" No problem we still tipped 20%. I ask for my stuff up front (yes i'd like a burger and a side of ranch) and if you forget it, it's your fault you have to go BACK to get it. But i don't wait until you come to me, then go "oh i need this and this". I'm pretty streamlined as to how I order my food--i make it easy on the server, really.
I once had such bad service I left $1 and complained to management. I don't appreciate being ignored because all I got was a margarita to start with and I'm waiting on my friends. Just cuz I'm younger doesn't mean I don't tip right, too.
After having worked in the industry, I think you gain a lot of respect for the job, give someone the benefit of the doubt, and factor in your tip when you go out to eat. Not like my dad, who tips 5-10% on average, talks to the server like he/she is "below" him and runs them ragged. It's really embarassing and I always bring extra money to compensate accordingly. Kinda sad.
You really have to be a crap ass server to get a bad tip from me. I'm pretty easy to please. If you're nice to me, it goes a long way, really.
I tip 20% standard. If the service was really good, then I'll tip 25%. If it's bad, I always say I'm only going to tip 10%, but usually end up tipping 15-20% because I feel bad. For example, my boyfriend and I went out to eat the other night to this restaurant down the street that we love and go to almost weekly. We waited 10 minutes before anyone came over to our table, I ordered salmon and they gave me tilapia (wierd, I know), I got one water refill the whole time, and then it took 20 minutes to get our check. After we gave the waitress the credit card, we were there another 20 minutes because she forgot we gave it to. Usually we are in and out of there within an hour, and it took almost 2 this time. It was horrible, but I still tipped 15%. I probably shouldn't have.
I tip usually 20%... if they are really good, maybe 25%.... if they are ehh, 15%.
I was never a waitress but both my sisters were. Although, I don't do the whole coupon thing. My sister yelled at me for not giving a waitress the amount I received off on the coupon to the waitress. So if I was gave a coupon for a free appetizer, $10 off, I'm suppose to add that $10 to my normal tip. I think it would be different if the waitress gave me the coupon in secret and told me to use it.
Now, I can't see myself giving someon 0%, even at diners where service isn't that good. I guess I feel bad and I always think that maybe they had a rough day, maybe they are understaffed and that's why they can't give us their absolute attention.
- 20% on entire bill
- At least $5 for any bill over $10 (So yes, if the bill is ten dollars, I'll tip half)
- I don't "Round up" to the nearest dollar ... aka if its $21.49 I dont leave 51 cents so its even 22.... I'll leave 5 of 6 dollars and call it a day. I mean seriously,my bank account isn't going to always be even and I hated having change in my pocket jingling around when I was a waitress)
I also keep in mind that you never know what someone else's situation is. Maybe a distracted waitress is distracted because she couldn't find a sitter for her kid. Or maybe your food was delayed because someone at another table sent their's back because they decided they didn't like what they ordered. You never know why things are not up to your expectations. If a server is truly nasty, it doesn't make sense to skimp on the tip that affects the bartender, the hostess and/or the busboy.... the only way to make sure it goes acknowledged is to talk to management.
For standard service, I always just double the tax to make the math easier - that used to make it somewhere around 15+%, but with the CA tax increase, it's more like 20% now. So really, unlike Oprah's suggestion, my tipping has increased since the recession. If the service is really really bad (like if the waiter is being rude, not necessarily just if they're busy and we're forgotten for a bit), I tip around the tax - which is about 10%. and for really great service, I tip over the double tax rule depending on how great it was. Pretty much everyone I know uses the "double the tax" rule, so I think it's pretty common out here.
I'm a 20% standard tipper. The tip goes up from there based on great service.
If the service is horrible and the waitstaff is hostile, I might go down to 15%... but that's only ever happened a couple of times, and I usually leave a note when I do it so they can change their behavior if they choose to.
If we get free things in the meal (drinks, appetizers etc), we always tip the amount of the free things to the waitstaff in addition to their regular tip. This happens a lot in Tahoe, so our waitstaff can sometimes get a 50% tip! It's the bro deal policy, where we all look out for each other!
@ Mrs. DG: I have tipped the price of free items before too, but it got me thinking: couldn't servers give away more free things to get tips like this so that they get the profit from the food instead of the restaurant? Isn't that cheating the system and unfair? I still tip more when the server goes above and beyond, but it kinda bugs me to think they may be giving me something for free simply so I will tip more and they can take the profit that the company is due.
@ Circus Peanut -- totally, yes. Those kinds of situations are totally different. Like the server on drugs or Krissycake's story... OMG!
Melodic- where I'm from there are two groups of eaters, locals and tourists. The tourists are frequently picky and difficult and often send things back because they "changed their minds" or don't like the look of the dish for some reason. Usually that thing would get thrown away, but instead, our friends often hook us up! Sometimes our bartender friends make a drink for someone and it's the wrong drink or the person doesn't want it for some reason. We get those too.
Not only that, but often the owners are friends too, and sometimes they do the comping. We still tip big for that, because tips are often split amongst the staff.
It's different in our little resort town, but we all really do look out for each other.
@ melodiscsighs
I kind of agree with you. I can see tipping the waittress if she personallly made me the food or drink that I got for free. But who is really losing out on money... the company or the waitress. She just brings me the food. It was her company that paid the money to print the coupons.
Plus, the purpose of coupons is to advertise to try to get people to come in and eat at the restaurant. Just my opinion. If it weren't for the coupon, I may not be eating there anyway.
Yeah, and if the waitress was doing it knowing that people give her the amount back... that's just wrong.
@ Mrs. DG: Okay, that makes sense - I guess I'm just talking more about times when it seems like they're obviously fishing for tips. I dunno, I want to reward good service, but I don't like it when they work the system, ya know?
I generally tip about 15%, but I go based on the dollar amount more than anything, really. If I paid $20 for food, I'm not going to tip $5.00! (Unless the service was really REALLY awesome.)
Melodic- sometimes we eat really high end in Seattle and the chef will bring us an uncharged specially prepared course... The server didn't do it, but we still tip on it to share the love with the staff. It's just a way of saying thank you for an excellent experience.
I've never seen a waitstaff just do it to fish for tips. I have a pretty good bull.... meter!
Food doesn't cost a restaurant that much, and it's usually the manager doing the comping--like last night at a nice steakhouse, FI's steak was WAY too rare (it was still cold in the middle) so the manager brought him a salad and all of us an extra appetizer while we were waiting for a cooked one. I think it's appropriate service, and I always tip based on that.
One thing to remember re: including complimentary courses or coupon discounts in tipping is that at a lot of restaurants, the staff divide the tips based on a formula---so the waitress and other front of the house staff get some of it for their service, but so do the kitchen workers, prep cooks, dishwashers, etc. They have to do the work whether you actually pay for a dish or not, so it's generally good form to tip as if you had, even when it's comped.
I'm in California too, and also use the double-the-tax trick. Our local meal tax is around 10 percent these days, so that makes it just about an even 20 percent.
Always tip 15%.. if service is poor, 10%.. if service is great 20%
I'll tax 20% after tax and then round up to the nearest dollar. Boy will tip 30-40% when we go to our favorite sushi place cause they are always bringing up apps on the house.
I usually tip 20%. It might go down to 18% if the server was very rude, I tip more if service was exceptional. My Dad was a bartender so his tips were a major portion of my families income for much of my life.
When I was 14 my parents bought a restaurant so I have a bit of an "inside scoop" on wait staff giving out free stuff. I'm totally in favor of a free appetizer or round of drinks if there was something wrong with the meal (or removing an entree from the check if it was inedible). That being said, it can be extremely damaging to a small family restaurant when a server gives out free food and drinks for no good reason. Lets say the server gives away a free steak dinner. Maybe the components of that dinner cost $8 and the restaurant usually sells it for $20. The server might rationalize that they only cost the restaurant $8 but really, the restaurant loses the cost of the steak and the full profit that they would have gotten if another person had ordered that meal.
Now, I do think it's a bit of a different story in the situation that Mrs DG was talking about. In that situation the owner seems to be well aware and the free stuff that they get helps to build a relationship between them and the staff. At our restaurant there are some perks to being a "regular".
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The Oprah + waitress thread got me thinking about this! Just for kicks, what are your personal rules on tipping. Mine...
- I tip 20% as a standard, although I'm in DC, so I expect it would be less in some areas.
- If I know a waitress well and eat there often, especially if she comps items for me occasionally, I leave the occasional tip that is 30-40% of the bill. FI and I disagree a lil' bit on this.
- If the service was terrible but the waiter/ress is flustered and apologetic, I usually suck it up and leave the same tip.
- If the service was terrible and the waiter/ress is a total snot about it, I leave a very small tip to let them know that no, I didn't just forget. I only do this in extreme circumstances. For example, a waiter once dropped a salad on my head. A freaking salad! And instead of apologizing, he just kind of laughed and said 'Woops, man! Ha ha." Yeah, not so much on that one.