Are you a good tipper?

[steph]

Recently got into it with some wealthy friends who don't believe in tipping. I put myself thru college by working 3 jobs and my survival literally depended on those tips. Minimum wage can't buy you jack and I didn't even have a family to support. I rarely give less than 20%. Obviously not if service sucks.
Your thoughts?

XOXO

 

[natural tickler]

I think the rule is about 15%of your order you have to tip. But recently, the restaurants we've been going to the tip is already included in the bill. And the waitresses have the nerve to ask for more!!!😛

 

[venray]

Good service gets 20%-25% from me. I have a lot of friends who have worked hard to earn their way through school or make ends meet by serving others.



Ray

 

[steph]

I have a friend who says, "Double the tax."
I know nicer restaurants sometimes do that or when your party is big NT. I understand the reasoning but I find it pretentious. A good tip should be EARNED and NEVER asked for.

YAY Ray!

XOXO

 

[natural tickler]

If the service is good, I'll give about $15-20 extra, because I know how hard it is to go thru school. But if the service is so-so, I'll give about $5 extra, but give them a lecture. If the service is poor, and an attitude is displayed, they get nothing but the finger😀

 

[steph]

LOL!

If service sucks I leave the infamous 2 cents and phone the manager when I get home...
XOXO

 

[Mitchell]

Steph, to me, your friend who doesnt tip has no character. As for me, I ALWAYS tip. My grandfather taught me years ago that the servers depend on tips. Also, while I've never had a food server's paying job, I was a waiter in camp for several summers, and had to serve three meals a day, to two different halves of the camp, to several hundred people, so I know a bit of how hard carrying and serving food is.
As for my tipping habits, I rarely go to expensive places, but my rule is usually to tip about 18% on most bills, figuring to split the difference on the rule of 15% in average places, and 20% in good places. I will tip 20% or even a bit more on the rare occasions I do go to a nice place, and only if I have really bad service or a rude waiter will I tip 15%
I have a friend like your friend Steph. A few weeks ago we went to lunch at Kalhoun's, which is like a bar and grill, and we had a bad and somewhat rude waitress. He infuriated me by first getting into it with her, and then leaving no tip. She was not a good waitress, so I just left 15%. It also angered me what my friend did, because this is a place I go to all the time, and they know me, so not to tip is embarrassing.
I cant stand people who dont tip. To me, that is condescending, and rude. I find it embarrassing. I will say that I've been to the Bahamas a couple of times many years ago, and I do know that down there at that time the bill in every place we ate at had a 15% service charge for the server, because the service was REALLY bad, and they figured no one would tip. Even without that charge, I would have left the 15% anyway, because I know that being a food server isnt easy.

Mitch

 

[Traveler]

I work in the food industry,so I kind of know how that tip means alot to that server.I myself tip on ATTITUDE,you got a good one you get a good tip,you have a bad one you get a bad tip.But,I always leave something cause I know that's how they make rent.So if you wait on me and smile and keep my coffee cup full and say thank you,there will be a very nice tip for you🙂 I tip 20 to 30 percent,again depending on the service.

 

[Double T]

My parents were friendly with a couple and, while she was nice and charming, her husband was cheaper than...than...someone who is really cheap! After dining at a resturantthat that always provided good service, he asked my father "You think a 10% tip is too much?" Sheesh! Another time, they were dining at another resturant with fixed pricing (Full dinner, desert, coffee) $10.50. When this fellow found this out, he became physically ill! Can you believe it? I personally used to leave a tip of 20 percent, 25 for excellent service. I still tip food delivery people 15 percent,unless they take forever. Even then, I tip 10 percent.

 

[terorizer]

I view tipping a bit differently than most. I worked for minumum wage and tips, but I never expected the tip and my service never changed whether I got tipped or not. That said, my tips are strictly a case by case thing. If it's average service, at least 15%, good service, 20% and if the server is the only one or two, and it's full capacity, and they're running non-stop like it's the Olympics and the STILL have a great attitude - I've been known to give 100% (although, this usually will occur at a place I'm only spending $7-$10). Likewise, if the service is poor enough, I won't leave anything. However, I don't ever penalize a server for things that are beyond their control.

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

We always do double the tax as a minimum. That's for so-so service...basicly nothing more than take the order, bring the food and bring the check. The better the service, the more they get...usually a pretty healthy amount. I've had wait crew do such a good job that I've left close to the amount of the check. If they're rude or ignore us (being mobbed and too busy to be able to give any time is another matter) we leave a penny so they know that we weren't pleased rather than simply forgetting about the tip.

Ann

 

[Celtic_Emperor]

I consider myself a good tipper. Tipping a case by case thing with me. While the basic rule of thumb is between 10-20% or so, the ammount will obviously vary based on the service I or my party and I recieve.

I'll still give a tip to a waiter or waitress that seems distressed about something and maybe that affected the presentation. They worries too, and sometimes its not always possible for them to completely mask their person problems. Though I have never encountered a completely rude waiter/waitress, I still give something, even if its little.

 

[steph]

You know what's weird? These aren't your typical "rich people w/cheapo syndrome." Their own toys are very expensive but they're also very generous gift givers. I don't think I've EVER received a Christmas present from them that cost less than 50$. For some weird reason, they just can't be convinced on this one issue...Thanks for taking the time to share your opinions all!
XOXO

My parents were friendly with a couple and, while she was nice and charming, her husband was cheaper than...than...someone who is really cheap! After dining at a resturantthat that always provided good service, he asked my father "You think a 10% tip is too much?" Sheesh! Another time, they were dining at another resturant with fixed pricing (Full dinner, desert, coffee) $10.50. When this fellow found this out, he became physically ill! Can you believe it? I personally used to leave a tip of 20 percent, 25 for excellent service. I still tip food delivery people 15 percent,unless they take forever. Even then, I tip 10 percent.

 

[Limeoutsider]

Some restaraunts add if your party is bigger than 5 or 8. Ask your "friends" if they fot wealthy by being tightwads?

 

[Strider]

I used to deliver pizzas,so I realize the importance of tips.

 

[desdemona]

I, too waited tables to help meet college expenses. I wasn't a great waitress, but I kept a positive attitude. It does help. That said, unless things are poor, I leave 15% minimum, 20-25% for above average, and 50% if it was stellar.

I thought I'd share my experience at a local chain recently. We had just finished paying our waiter when another customer came up and handed him money then proceeded to put money down on our table and tell us that was for our food. Needless to say, we were stunned. When we inquired, the hostess told us that the man was a regular who occasionally came in and did this - he normally had her choose a random number and then the Xth customer to walk in received his charity. He called this a random good deed and asked that we pass it on (I like to equate it with the movie "Pay It Forward"). At any rate, we all ended up leaving the waiter a larger tip just because we were feeling generous and benevolent.

 

[giantfan121262]

I pretty much, as a rule of thumb, tip 20% unless the service sucks or the server is really rude, then I will "cut" it to 15%, but I never go below 15%.

Another thing I have done, as a kind gesture, is that if the service is exceptional, I will, as well as throw in a couple of bucks above 20%, write a little "thank you" note on the back of the receipt telling the server that he/she made our dining experience a very pleasant one.

Another thing is that when I was traveling on business a few months ago, I told the manager how good the service was so that way the servers boss is aware as well.

 

[the_Baron]

in NJ the sales tax is 6%, so i generally triple it for ease, and leave an 18% tip. i almost always even round that up, so the total of the tip plus the check is in even amounts (no cents).

that having been said, i despise the idea of tips in general. i'd rather the food establishments pay the waitresses the fair value, and pass it along to us in the cost of the food.

 

[featherfingers]

I used to be a banquet waiter and even though the tips were included in the cost of the buffet, I know how hard it is to do that kind of work. I often leave a substantial tip for anyone who waits on me. Sometimes I leave my business card so the person could receive a complimentary reflexology session, although no one's ever called to redeem it... guess they need the money more.

 

[Mimi]

I, too, have worked as a waitress, a delivery driver, and eventually worked several years as a restaurant manager, and once you've busted your ass in the food industry like that, you develope a sense of empathy for all others who do the same.

My ex-husbands mother is one of those people who never leaves more than a dollar....even if it's a $40 bill. If you try to bring this to her attention, she'll start foaming at the mouth and bitterly screech "It's their JOB! I'm not paying them any extra!" How I hated dining in public with that woman! Myself, I tip 15% minimum for poor to sub-par service, 20% for decent but not spectacular service, and 25-30% if the server is exceptional. I will also put in a good word with the manager or owner if I am particularly pleased with our server.

Mimi

 

[Knox The Hatter]

I might get a ration of shit from someone for this, but I don't really care.

I used to drive a taxi some years ago. Did a lot of work over the phone. If I was sitting in line at the train station, and a train was about to come in within the next five minutes, and someone who lived a good ten miles away called up for a six dollar ride, I'd weigh my options. If I knew that the customer was a regular who tipped well, I'd more likely than not leave the line to go get the person. If you had a history of not tipping at all (some people out there are offended when told that it's a good habit to get into), you'd get stranded, and I'd take whatever's coming off the train. If it was a $25 or $30 ride to Pennington or something like that, I'd be laughing the whole way there.

When you tip, it shows that you appreciate good service. Muscling customers for a tip was bad form, and in the town I was licensed in, illegal. However, if you did tip, it certainly got you better service. That's reality, that's life, and has nothing to do with how things SHOULD be. I was a great driver, and a safe one, and I did get tipped well from people who tipped.

I tip nicely when I go out to eat. Anywhere from 20 to 30 percent. However, if service really, really sucked, I wouldn't stiff you. I'd leave you what your service was worth. A nickel. A dime. The message gets across.

 

[Limeoutsider]

I once tipped $4 on a $7 bill, because I usually go to this restaruant and they usually only bring you your drinks, then your food about 30 minutes later, then your check in another 30 minutes. It was a 3 hour meal anytime you went there, even at 3 am and you were the only person there. Anyway, one night I got this new girl (she must have been new), and she would ask something everytime she went past the table and I was done in less than 2 hours. I havent been there since but I hope she still works there.

 

[AffectionateDan]

I've never played the "Percentage Game"...

...especially when it seems that the "acceptable percentage" of a tip has literally doubled since I was a child and Dad was the one doing the tipping. How much will our kids be "expected" to tip? Thirty percent? Forty? Half the check? Gimme a break!

Tipping is in exchange for a service above and beyond what's required. If you're working in any service industry, be it food, haircutting, delivery, whatever... tips are for GRATITUDE from the person being served for exceptional service, hence the word, 'Gratuity'. If you offer poor or worse service, one not only forfeits the expectation of a gratuity, but there's a very real chance that you jeopardize your job by risking negative feedback to your boss. I base my tip on the quality of service I've recieved, period. You treat me well, I'm gonna reward you accordingly. You do the bare minimum, you get your wage for doing just that and nothing more from me. As a rule, though, I generally leave twice whatever the tax is on the check, if it's a dining scenario, more for better service. If I were to get a bad haircut, not only would there be no tip, but I'd probably raise hell and not pay for it. Take-out food delivery comes in a timely manner and I check it for accuracy before I pay, and base the tip on how long I waited and any discrepancies in my order.

There's a special joy in giving someone a big bill for the check and telling them to "keep the change", at least for me, when the change is well over any tip that might've been hoped for. I love doing that. As a rule, I like to think of myself as a decent tipper. But no way in hell I'm gonna pony up for someone just coming by my table once or twice to see if I'm still there or not.

 

[steph]

Excellent answers friends~I really liked your story Desdemona!!

XOXO

 

[milagros317]

For OK to average service I will divide by 6 [hence 16-2/3%], and for good service I will give 20%, rounded up to the next dollar. 😀

I had a friend who was so cheap that he gave a cocktail waitress at a casino in Atlantic City a 25 cent tip. [Everybody gives at least $1.] She threw the quarter down on the green felt in front of him, and said "Keep it, sport, you must need it more than I do." 😛 😛