Tipping

[deevergote]

When you go out to a restaurant, what do you leave for the waiter/waitress?

I know some people have a set amount, others go by percentage. Others just kinda guess...

What do you guys leave when you go out to eat? What do you think is fair?

[AccordWarrior]

15% usually, unless its particularly bad, then I give more like 10-12%. If the service is really good and I know I'll be going back to the place, I'm apt to leave more.

I remember on a school trip, there was a Ponderosa across from the hotel we were staying at, so the group of us left like a $50 tip the first night and said we'd be back. The next night they gave us the best food and service ever. It really does help.

[lil_dcb7]

it really depend on the service for my family. When im out on my own, its pretty much the same way.

we give what we feel is deserved... If the service was shitty, they get nothing. If it was great, we'll give em five bucks... when its inbetween, we'll leave like two or three...

or we just go to hometown buffet

[ckyskater733]

^hometown buffet is the SHIT!

i usually tip more than 15% because im a bus boy and i know that the servers need the tips. unless it was real shitty service, then id tip like 12%

[HenRoc]

we give what we feel is deserved... If the service was shitty, they get nothing.

Exactly what me and the gf do. Like this one time we went to a local Bickfords for breakfast. And this girl seemingly had a bitchy attitude..and took forever just to get around to serve us.

My gf wanted to leave like a 2 dollar tip but I ended up telling her to just leave nothing at all..In the end it was 50 cents.

But shit..service goes a long way...if you treat the customer right...they'll treat you right.

I work at a deli and never knew how much a customers appreciation for great service played in..and two weeks ago I received a thank you card from this lady who always comes in to order the same stuff.

Other people I work with got a little irratated but I stepped in and now Im like the talk of the place..Im not real big on public service and the Supermarket where I work has a shitty management system and if I wanted to I could litterally have my boss's job.

Store really really sucks though.

[DUNKiNUTS]

20% my girl friend works at Cracker Barrel

[1993sE]

yea its all about service i normally leave 3 bucks when im bymyself

[DrLove'sKuDang]

of course it all depends on the service... but for an average tip, i go twice tax and round up to the nearest dollar.

[DUNKiNUTS]

but if you give 3 buck on a meal that is 30+ bucks thats weak. most phones have tip calulators on them so just figure it out. My girl only get 3 bucks an hour and tips are really what gets her by. like she only had two tables the other day and worked 4-9 and got 30 bucks in tips.

[That1guyN8]

All depends on the service honestly.....I don't go by percentage.

An average tip from me would be 3-5$. < That's if it's just me on the bill

[uncle_el]

20% is a minimum for me.

if she's cute she might get 30%.

if she know what she's doing, she might get 50%.

[williamsvt]

20% is a minimum for me.

if she's cute she might get 30%.

if she know what she's doing, she might get 50%.

exxactly the same here...i never tip lower then 20-25%...i mean come on guys...

[Get L0w CB7]

I just double the tax...I'm from NYC.

[ACC0RD22]

i give whatever i thinks fair . . . when my friends and i go out and its like a 60 dollar bill and ive got 10 of it ill throw in 2 for tip . . . some of my friends are stingy, but i like to do my part

[deevergote]

I've been a waiter as long as I've had the Cb7... I kinda got the new job and the new car at the same time. It's been four and a half years.

So, from that personal experience, I can say this: I usually expect 20% if I did my job. That means, if I took your order, brought you your food, and didn't royally screw anything up, I deserve 20%. I won't complain about 15%, but that's my minimum. If you give me $5 on a $65 check and I did everything right, you had better hope I don't recognize you when you come back! I've never done anything bad to anyone, but there's always a first time!

15% is acceptable, 20% is the norm. 10% is an insult, and less than 10% could earn you something nasty in your food the next time you come back (even if you have a different server...)

I get paid $2.13 an hour... and that is taxed on claimed tips, which, by law, must be claimed at at least 10%. ALL my paychecks are void. I don't see that $2.13. Ever.
I also pay out 3% of my total sales to the bussers and hosts... which means each 20% tip is actually a 17% tip. Each 15% tip is actually 12%. If you leave me $3 on a $100 check, then you just stiffed me and paid the host.



I worked Easter Sunday a few years back. A family of 8 came in and ran me into the ground... literally. They made it so there was no way I could possibly take care of anyone else. They had a $150 check, so I figured "hey, $30..." and told the hosts not to give me any more tables. At the end, they said I was an amazing waiter, and they would ask for me the next time. They gave me $8. That's about 5%.



So, how do you calculate 20%? It's amazing how many people don't actually know this! Just move the decimal point left one, and double the resulting number... say, $25.00. Move the point, so you have $2.50. Then double that. $5. On a $25 check, I expect $5. I would accept $4 (which is close to 15%) but I wouldn't love you for it!

To make it REALLY easy... leave $1 for every $5 of the check, as long as service is decent.


There's my rant. I had to get it out! It's sad to see that there are quite a few on here that really don't know how to tip properly. It's not a matter of intelligence, but of ignorance... simply not knowing better. I hope this will perhaps make some people realize, and make those who wait on you in the future happy!




edit: Oh yeah... when I go out... I start at 20%. If the server is obviously busy, I'll understand if service isn't perfect. If the place is slow, and I can see them standing around talking, I'll go lower with the tip (if my experience suffers... like having an empty drink for 15 minutes while the server chats with the bartender...) I only stiffed a server once, and that's because my friend finished her meal before I got my drink!
Also, if the service is phenominal, I'll leave a tip that reflects it. On the way to Honda Day yesterday, my girl and I stopped in a diner. We had a $6 check for breakfast, and we left $5. Not a ton of money, but damn near 100% tip!
I always take the tip into account when I order. If I order a $2 drink and a $7 burger, I plan on $2 for tip... perhaps $3.