Tipping

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I recently got in an argument with a stranger on the internet and am curious to see what people think.

[themadscientist]

I use no formula. If you kick a** you will get a kickass tip. If you suck be thankful I don't stab you.

[Jesda]

I used to work at a hotel doing room service and waited tables at a steakhouse. I was happy to receive tips, usually 10-25%.

These days, I'm friends with a lot of women in their late 20s and early 30s who are seasoned servers. They piss and moan on Facebook if they don't get 30%. There's a sickening sense of entitlement from people who choose (or settle for) this line of work but aren't satisfied with the compensation.

Fine dining situations are different, but slinging wings and chicken fingers at an Applebee's hardly counts for expert-level work.

[themadscientist]

If you had learned the lean and squeeze, maybe you could have got 30%.

[Dattebayo]

Fine dining situations are different, but slinging wings and chicken fingers at an Applebee's hardly counts for expert-level work.

Too bad we can't use that justification for every kind of work these days, lots of different trades still get their money even though nothing was really done...

[Jesda]

If you had learned the lean and squeeze, maybe you could have got 30%.

I was poor, starving, and skinny back then. All the girls in the locker room teased me.

[themadscientist]

You will get them at the prom.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I sort of start at 15% and then vary from there. If service is better than usual, it'll go up. If it's poor, it'll go down. I generally don't tip much below 15% unless it's due to Terminal Cognitive Arithmetic Failure, or T-CAF, from which I am a frequent sufferer. So, I guess I could say my INTENT is to tip 15%+. Fortunately, thanks to years of daily driving the Q of DOOM, I pretty much convert 15% in my sleep (since that was the speedo discrepancy).

There's a sickening sense of entitlement from people who choose (or settle for) this line of work but aren't satisfied with the compensation.

Fine dining situations are different, but slinging wings and chicken fingers at an Applebee's hardly counts for expert-level work.

This is what irritates me. The whole "somebody has to do it" doesn't really work. Sure, somebody ultimately has to be the one serving me my dinner. But YOU have a choice of your career. Stating that you enjoy the job and are thus entitled to pay of your own determination is no different than me saying that I love working in the alarm industry, so I should clearly be getting a $20,000 bonus every year.

I have a lot of friends who are or have been servers at various points in their lives. Some of them will happily make a scene any time the subject of tipping arises. Others took the experience for what it was: a part time, lower-paying job that they wouldn't have kept if it didn't pay the bills.

[frapjap]

I worked in the service industry for years- chef, server, bartender, catering- you name it, I've done it at all types of establishments- high end, low end, fixed price etc. In regards to serving and tips, there are good days and there are bad days. Even if I never wavered from my style of service, tips were all over the place. Nothing is more disheartening than helping a family of 6 (with 4 kids) have a great dining experience on vacation and then receiving 10% for your effort. But, there are those folks you'll get who understand that you're busting your butt and so long as its visible, will tip appropriately- ~20%.

Personally, I tip ~18-20% as a standard, and if all was well 20+% if I saw they kicked their a** working at a busy time and still made sure I had a good experience with their service. However, if its slow in the restaurant, and you suck, you'll probably be getting around 10-12%.
Crap in = crap out.
Its that easy.
However, my 18-20% comes with one caveat. The only time I will not tip 20% on a full check with a good experience is when I order alcohol, mainly wine in a bottle or expensive-ish wine in a glass. You don't get the extra $5 dollars because the bottle of wine I ordered was $40. No way, no how. Sure you brought it to me, but thats the extent of it. I will tip on the food and the $1 worth of effort it took you to bring me the bottle.

[Hijacker]

I have 3 children. I typically leave a few extra dollars on top of a 20% (if service is good, excellent gets higher, crappy gets lower) to make up for the 11 mo, the 2.5 yo and the 11 yo absolutely destroying the table or running the piss out of the server for extra cherries. After waiting tables for 5 years, I know how a family can get that reputation if they leave crummy tips and work the server to death. So, to prevent all sorts of bodily fluids from having a higher potential of making it into my food, I prefer to leave a little more.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I use no formula. If you kick a** you will get a kickass tip. If you suck be thankful I don't stab you.

That's pretty much where I'm at... minus the criminal action.

This particular person was appalled at the fact that I would ever leave a 0% tip. My argument was that if I've asked for drinks multiple times and don't get them, and ask for the check for multiple times and don't get it, I'm stuck there, which is wasting my time. My time is worth money, when you waste it, guess where its coming out of? That's right, your tip.

[the converted]

Typically I'm in the 18-20% range. I have definitely left nothing before when I got horrible service and attitude about it. Once left two pennies at a similarly bad experience. In general as long as you don't serve garbage and take care of any issues that come up, you're going to get a good tip.

[Deelow]

I tip 20% usually and if the server kicks tail...I may go up to 25% The quality now a days is so horrible that I rate them adequate (20%) or if they piss me off by giving myself or the wife attitude or bad service, I've left a 0 tip and complained to management. If they ask why? "We all have jobs and hey....I get the food service industry can be a drag..but if my family and I are friendly and you are having a bad day, that's not OUR problem right??" I got stopped at an Applebees once in Hampton Roads area of VA, by the waitress because she had stopped by the table one time....to take our order. I asked another waitress for the check. I paid for my drinks and left no tip. Her and the manager stopped us at the door! I explained I'd been waiting almost two hours for dinner and our kids were getting tired. The manager still gave me a hard time for not leaving her a tip! Needless to say I called corporate and let them know!

[PapaSmurf2k3]

^WOW. I don't think I've ever waited that long before leaving. I'm surprised you paid for your drinks.

[Hijacker]

I'm gonna flip something because of what Deelow posted. People are allowed bad days, and it's unfortunate when you're in a service related position to have that bad day since it can directly affect your job retention (I've seen people fired for bad days). If that server woke up pissed to begin with, then they have a drug addled shift manager breathing down their neck, a self-righteous bar tender taking an embarrassingly long time to pour a beer, an entire cook line pissed at life and taking it out on the wait staff, and then they still have to manage to put on a smile in front of the customers. That s*** is hard, and I give some leeway to a server who looks to be having a bad day. But then again, I've walked a mile in those shoes and refuse to do so again. The stress is too much.

Now, that Hampton Roads Applebees (not sure which one, the one in Hampton was decent as was the one in Newport News, but I hadn't been to any of the ones south of the bay), I would have had the manager out instead of getting the other servers to do your server's job. Just a bit outrageous that she was that inconsiderate. Had you approached the manager first, I can almost guarantee you wouldn't have been stopped on the way out. She got her hooks in him/her first and was able to get the manager turned against you. I'm glad you called corporate on that, because it's ridiculous for her to think all she has to do is take an order and she gets insta-tip. Sorry, but the job requires more than that. I take note on what my servers are doing. Are they being attentive to other tables? Did that table that came in 10-15 minutes later than me just get their food first? etc etc. It all adds up.

I'm a bit gratuitous with my tipping, but I've been stiffed so many times and missed so many bills because of s*** heads that think they can leave a nickel for a tip even though the experience at the table was so good we were all laughing and joking with each other. But I guess on the flip side, I'm more critical of piss poor service and I'll let the management know in a heart beat when things really go south.

[float_6969]

I served for about a year between Ruby Tuesday's and AppleHell... I mean Applebee's. It was a great job for a college kid in his early 20's and I wouldn't change that part of my life. That being said, being a server is a crappy job. There's no way around it. People, in general, suck. I RARELY found a correlation between the level of service I provided and the tip I received; unless I had a crappy day/table, then I would usually get stiffed. Maybe it's a midwest thing, but people here don't usually tip worth a crap. Generally it was in the 10-15% range. And that was if I did an AWESOME job.

That being said, I tip on the high side. Knowing how crappy it can be, I think I've had absolutely terrible service one time since I quit serving and I still left 10%. My normal tip is 20%, and I'll gladly go to 30% if you're awesome. I can also say that if I hadn't served tables, I wouldn't tip the way I do now.

[Hijacker]

It's not just a midwest thing. I ran into tips like that here in Virginia. It has more to do with the type of establishment. Chain stores geared towards family dining produce that. If you want ridiculous money, you have to be waiting in big dollar restaurants.

[WDRacing]

When I sit down, the tip tally starts at 20%ish, I round up for easier math most of the time. If my kids make a mess I tip more.

If the service sucks, it will reflect in the tip. I understand what being busy is like and I don't hold that against servers for the most part. However, bad service is bad service. I usually won't give repeat business to any place where I receive bad service, in fact, I'll gladly pay more for a good product and great service.

What I can't stand are the people in a customer service position that feel they are entitled to a tip. Earn it motherfcker! There are enough unemployed people around that would happily take your job.

[Deelow]

I understand as well how crappy the food industry can be, I worked at Hardees when I was 16. Back then the store I worked at was 24 hrs. Talk about a big pain in the ***. Managers there sucked because they didn't care, let the employees do whatever and let folks come in and chill like a hangout instead of a restaurant. We had a couple fight outside and a gun get pulled on us (through a door) because the girl who had an eye bloody and swollen shut had ran inside for refuge. I agree the managers have to be responsible for the experience as well. I give a lot of leeway to waiters/waitress' but they have to ruin my dining experience for me to leave a bad tip.

[Jesda]

10-15% is considered the norm in a LOT of regions. Why people feel the standard has to go above that is beyond me. The cost of a meal has kept pace with inflation and accordingly, so do tips.

[WDRacing]

The way I look at it is pretty simple, give what you can, when you can. $2 for every $10 spent isn't a lot for me/us, so that's what I/we give.

Again, that's for good service.

[Hijacker]

10-15% is considered the norm in a LOT of regions. Why people feel the standard has to go above that is beyond me. The cost of a meal has kept pace with inflation and accordingly, so do tips.

But a lot of other things have outpaced inflation. Gas prices in particular. And the price of drugs. I mean, that's practically a food group to most servers.

[Eikon]

I'm in the 15% to 20% range.

I'll never go below 10% unless the server offends me or pisses me off.
I'll go over 20% if the server is really fun and on the ball or goes out of their way to be above and beyond normal.

One thing I struggle with.. and I'm curious about what other people think.. I tend to adjust my percentage based on the price range..
If I'm at a local breakfast diner and the total bill is like $15 or something for 4 of us.. I'll tip higher than 20% I think the server deserves more than $3 for taking care of me and my family. On the flip side.. On one of those very rare occasions when my wife and I might go out to a higher end place that might cost $80 or more for just two of us.. I have a hard time tipping a 20% ($16) or higher.. I tend to gravitate to something closer to 15%. I don't think the high end restaurant server deserves 5x more tip than the cheap neighborhood diner server. The latter probably works harder.

Anyone else adjust tip based on the total bill? Am I off base on that?

[themadscientist]

I am in the service industry and I have bad days, but that is MY problem. I do my very best not to visit that on my customers, even the stupid ones.

I remember taking care of one couple, they were real nice and had great things to say about me and my staff. about a month later, I'm at Chili's and guess who my waitress is? She was also great at what she did and she got a big tip.

I'm pretty easy to please as a customer. Contrary to common employee orientation BS, the customer is NOT always right; some are real ***holes. I try not to be. Get me what I ask for in a reasonably span of time with at least minimal cordiality; make me believe you give a s*** and we will get along just fine. I won't treat you like a peon or make you do tricks, but don't live up to my simple expectations and your "bad night" is about to take a turn for the worst.

[WDRacing]

One thing I struggle with...

I'm pretty much exactly the same.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I tend to adjust my percentage based on the price range..

I do as well.
Example- I was at olive garden today for lunch (unlimited soup salad and breadsticks for $6.99). I got a water cos that's what I wanted, not cos it was cheaper.
So yeah, the waitress is running around bringing our table all sorts of stuff. When you think about it, its like they have to bring you 2 or more "meals". Multiple soups, multiple breadsticks, multiple salads. When I get the check at 7 bucks, its obvious she earned more than a 20% tip, so I upgraded her accordingly.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I'm also in the service industry. I've also been a customer service trainer in the past. In that respect, as a customer I tend to look more at the SERVICE side of things than the PRODUCT side of things. And by that I mean: if the food is mediocre but the service excellent (like last night at the local barbecue joint, where my waitress made sure I wasn't ignored without being overbearing, but the food was rushed due to the insane friday-night crowds) I'm far more likely to be imporessed than if the food is amazing but the service is mediocre. There's more to the experience than just the food, and I'm not fond of the idea of paying money to become frustrated.

[themadscientist]

I agree. I'm less interested in the problem than I am in theresponse. I've let huge **** ups slide because the folks kicked a** fixing it and blown up over minor stuff because the staff didn't care.

[Jesda]

10-15% is considered the norm in a LOT of regions. Why people feel the standard has to go above that is beyond me. The cost of a meal has kept pace with inflation and accordingly, so do tips.

But a lot of other things have outpaced inflation. Gas prices in particular. And the price of drugs. I mean, that's practically a food group to most servers.

Gas and diesel are currently where they ought to be. We were just spoiled by unusually cheap oil for such a long period of time.

As for drugs... well... I dunno.

[darylzero]

I just found out from a friend today who is a server that automatic gratuities on parties of 6 or more is now gone. The IRS has made it illegal. This is pretty crazy I think. http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/fi ... s-servers/