I sure have - the service was that bad 49% (22,139 votes)
I've left a very low tip 29% (13,402 votes)
I would NEVER! Never even less than 15-20% 15% (6,803 votes)
I've left a penny 5% (2,482 votes)
Other (tip us off in the comments) 2% (745 votes)
Total Votes: 45,571
And they didn't stop there. We've collated a few of the over 1,200 passionately pro and anti goose-egg-leaving sentiments below, but first, a few facts.
- According to the Department of Labor's website, while some states don't specify a minimum wage lower than the one determined by the state, Federal and many state laws allow a minimum wage of $2.13 an hour and assume that tips will make up the shortfall. In West Virginia, it's $1.45.
- Restaurants are legally supposed to make up the shortfall between this minimum pay and minimum wage.
- Tips are taxable income as they're part of assumed wages.
- Many establishments practice tip pooling so that servers' tips are also spread among busboys, runners and other service staff.
And on to the comments.
Pro-goose egg
Mary
If you receive terrible service, not only should you not tip or tip very little, you should speak with the manager and let them KNOW why you are tipping thus. Otherwise, they won't know that your server was incompetent – they'll think you just forgot or were too cheap to tip.
Larry
If the service is bad enough to warrant no tip, I make sure that both the waiter and the manager know about it. I try to be very nice and understanding – I do understand that kitchen mistakes are NOT the waiter's fault, but leave me or my family sitting with empty drinks and fawn over a table that's on expense account and you'll get nothing but a complaint to the manager.
Melissa
You bet your butt I've walked out without leaving a tip! The service was HORRIBLE. At one point my husband had to get up and walk around the place asking where our waiter was. ... I would have no problem doing it all over again. If I am provided with bad service, then I am not going to reward you for it.
Jaliska
Why do people assume that everyone is obligated to give tips?
Tips shouldn't even be expected unless a server demonstrates impeccable service and does extra things they aren't paid to do. This show of entitlement is a little obnoxious, to be honest.
They chose to work at that restaurant w/ minimum wage. They're not forced to live off that money. If they really wanted to, they could get a good-paying job somewhere else. It's not the customer's problem that the server doesn't earn enough money to fend for himself. We eat out to feed ourselves, not to worry about someone else.
Anti-goose egg
Mike
How would you like to be "punished" at work by a complete stranger if you were having an off day? Most likely this was the cause behind your poor service. My other co-workers and I understand that if your experience is sub-par you're not going to come back, or tell anyone new to stop by. We work in a busy restaurant in New York City, and most of us are able to stop a problem or correct one before it even becomes close to ruining your night.
Sometimes, however, it's inevitable. And believe me, I feel as upset as you do when it happens because I take pride in doing my job well. So ,all I ask is next time you wield the mighty pen at tip time, give your server the benefit of the doubt if your experience was sub-par. Truth is: getting a serving job in a nice restaurant involves fierce competition. Truly nasty or incompetent servers are usually very quickly weeded out before they make it to a table.
Nick
To anyone who has ever left Zero Tip... Next time you think about going to a restaurant, stay home. As a server for many years, I have always maintained my tables with the utmost efficiency. Every now and again, I wouldn't get a tip. This wasn't from poor service I can assure you. Every time you leave a server no tip, not only does it ruin that person's night, mood, and future interactions with the remaining tables for the evening.
Furthermore, that person will remember you forever, and if you do go into that restaurant again, rest assured that person will tell all of their co-workers just exactly how cheap you are, and you will receive poor service again. That person isn't serving because they want to, but because they have to in order to pay bills, tuition, etc... Just a little something to chew on before the next time you decide to stiff someone.
p.s. most servers only make $2.65 an hour... try working for that plus tips, then we'll talk.
oh my
Are you guys serious? Throw a couple bones (literally $1 or $2 more) and call it a day. Why so bitter about a couple bucks? Will that change your lifestyle? Suddenly you can't go get yourself a Ferrari? Or, does it make you feel like you didn't get "taken" by a WAITER/WAITRESS? Does it make you feel like you stood up for yourself? Grow up, and just leave a couple extra.
stellarose
Do not go out to eat if you do not want to tip. Tipping in an social norm and is expected. Bottom line.
Spare change for your thoughts
Bob
When the service is horrible, I prefer to leave something insultingly low, like a penny, so that they know I think they were terrible and didn't just forget to leave a tip. Good work gets rewarded, laziness gets punished.
Steve
The least I have left for a tip is a quarter. Our service was so bad that I wanted to walk out leaving nothing. A friend told me that the server would just think I forgot to tip. He suggested that I leave a dime. Too bad I only had a quarter.
DB
I have left a penny, on one occasion; I wanted the server to know that I had not simply forgotten. In all my years, I have only been that irritated with the wait-staff. The other time, I went to the owner and said that the woman should be fired.
'
But it HAS to be clear that is was the waiter or waitress. There are a number of times when I have been irritated, but realized that it may not have been the server that was at fault.
I cannot understand the audacity of waiters. Im a nurse and if i'm going to have a "off night" either cause something is on my mind or i'm just not feeling well then i lose a day of work and stay home. I as well work very hard for my money and have tuition and much higher bills to pay. As a nurse I am a patient advocate and fight for whatever my patients needs are. If I dont have the medication my patient needs I call and yell at the pharmacy for not having my patients medication here when my patients need it. As a waiter you are your patrons advocate when it comes to their service and food. If your patrons food isn't out then don't wait for them to say something.... go yell at the kitchen or tell the manager and let them tell the kitchen. If you did this then i know that it is not your fault and I will tip you at least 20%. I do not care that you have to share your tip either. It is a team effort, If one person fails the team fails. The best part of all of this is that we live in America and if you do not like the way your wages are calculated....STOP WHINING AND FIND A DIFFERENT JOB!!!
Let me say this very clearly, I will never, EVER tip for bad service. As a waiter, YOU CHOSE your job path. It doesn't matter how terrible the hospitality field may be, you have filled the application to get your job.
That being said, I would never be cheap enough to leave a bad tip if the waiter went out of their way to make your dinner a memorable moment. However, bad day or not, if you mess up, you have to reap the consequences of your actions. Stop crying because your JOB doesn't make any money without tips. IF YOU CANNOT DO YOUR JOB, YOU SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR YOUR MISCONDUCT. STOP COMPLAINING, AND FIND A NEW LINE OF WORK IF YOU ARE A LAZY WAITER THAT THINKS YOU DESERVE A BREAK.
PS we ALL deal with pissy people in our service oriented jobs, does that mean too I should get a tip? If so, I am putting out a tip jar tomorrow for my good service. Plan on about $150- $200 for the 15%-20% tip I should get for doing a good job, of which I might add, I do every day, because I am paid to do it!
HELLLLOOOO! Tips are optional-not required! If you chose to work as a waitress than it is your choice. To have me the consumer, make up the difference because of the choice you made in a profession, is just plain ridiculous! Change jobs if you don't like it! Yes I tip good and bad waitresses and waiters and very well if earned, however I will say I am sick of so many people offering a service with their hand out for a tip! Beauticians, nail salons, car washers, window cleaners, carpet cleaners, fast food restaurants, even the stupid Dairy Queen! I could go on and on! IN CALIFORNIA, WAITERS AND WAITRESSES ARE PAID THE SAME MINIMUM WAGE AS ANYONE ELSE IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY WORKING FOR MINIMUM WAGE . THEY ARE NOT PAID AT A LESSER AMOUNT IN THIS STATE, but they still have their hands out for a tip! So does this mean that everyone who provides a service should have their hand out for a tip, including me? I should say NOT! It is part of the job that I am paid to do, that I chose and that my company pays me to do each and every day. Each of us in some way provides a service- so should we start tipping everyone? How about when you go to the market, perhaps the cashier should have a tip jar out for tips or your dentist, doctor, the receptionist that answers your phone call, let's add a tip on those services too! After all, isn't he/she providing a service? For those of you that EXPECT a tip, I can only say that is why you are disappointed and call those that don't tip-Cheap! It is OPTIONAL and it is getting out of control!
One more thing.....If you do not want to tip then please stay home. We do not want to wait on you as much as you do not want to pay us for our service.
Every single person who said that tip should not be required should rethink this statement. If companies begin to pay servers the correct hourly wage and end the tipping system, your price for your dinner will go up to include the cost. The reason servers rely on tips is because in the states we assume that our people are generous enough to know how to tip. If you do not tip your server, then you have taken money out of their pocket. Why would a server want to give you the service you think you deserve, if you are not willing to pay them the wage they deserve. I wish the industry would change and no longer rely on customers to do simple math. There are plenty of people who get paid hourly, but do not work hard enough to deserve. I would like to take money out of their pocket when they are rude and lazy.
Servers are not your punching bag when you are having a bad day.
AND just because you do not make enough money to feel "wealthy" does not mean you can show up to a restaurant and expect to be treated like you are. You have to pay for the 5 star treatment you want.
ALOT of people who work the industry are students. We are not less educated or well off than you. I hope you enjoy taking money out of our college fund.
I eat out too and I know when i've seen good or bad service. I know when I have given good or bad service. I know when I give amazing service and these people do not know how to pay me for my good work.
FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW......SERVERS MAKE $2 to $3 AN HOUR......THERE IS A REASON FOR THIS......COMPANIES EXPECT THE SERVERS TO BE PAID BY THE CUSTOMERS.
It's been like this for years, so please don't pretend like you didn't know(unless you are a child).
If an 80 year old women/man can come in and tip then a 30 year old knows they are suppose to tip.
tipping is an outdated concept. my family and I don't tip. I encourage others to follow those steps....afterall, it is optional. the option I pick is to not tip.
Well, Michelle, Maybe you should "choose" to dine at home...or at McDonald's. Not tipping is a sign of no social grace and no class. You should enroll in an etiquette course.
Seriously? I was a waitress once. I tried my best and always got good tips. I think if you want to get a good tip then you do a good job. Its common sense. I have absolutely left without leaving a tip, on more than one occasion. I usually leave a very generous tip, and it gets lower depending on the service. If I leave you zero tip, you know you've done a terrible job. This is the real world, you reap what you sew. Although I had not thought of it until I read other comments on here, I do agree, why is it expected everyone will leave a tip? We pay good money for food when we go out, maybe your boss needs to be paying you more, but i don't have to, i choose to. I read that someone said it would "ruin their night" to get a bad tip....well how do you think your terrible service was for your patrons? Pretty sure it would ruin their night as well. Your terrible service may also cost your restaurant business. I almost always go online to check restaurant reviews before choosing to eat there. If the service was terrible, I dont go there at all.
Oh and it should be noted that I do believe good service should be rewarded. I was on a date once and the guy left a 2$ tip for a 50$ meal. When he wasn't looking I put more money down. Its really not attractive to not tip when you're on a date haha...unless the service was terrible and you discussed the tip prior to not leaving it.
I was a waitress, leaving no tip is wrong...very wrong. I now am in a much better financial place then I was when i was younger and almost never tip less then 20% and 10% and a note if it was really that bad. Not tipping is so rude.
i used to tip until the tips got higher and higher. now-a-days, you leave a $1 tip and you get rolling eyes. i say f u, you don't like that tip...the alternative is you get nothing. it's been 2.5 years now...haven't tipped anyone restaurant, barber, you name it. life is good and i can focus on more important things.
I generally leave 15% if service was adequate (i.e. my drinks don't stay empty for too long, orders are taken in a reasonably timely manner, etc.). If the restaurant is really busy, I understand that the wait for food might be a little bit longer and I'm a pretty understanding person. If the server admits a mistake, apologizes and fixes it, I will still leave a tip and probably a decent one. Truly great service gets a 20% or higher tip.
The only time that I left no tip was when the waitress was rude, sat at the bar talking with friends instead of refilling our drinks and check in with us, etc. She didn't write down our order and had it wrong when she repeated it back (badly wrong, not just saying medium instead of medium-rare). We asked if she'd like to write it down and she replied with a pissy "I don't need to write it down!". Clearly she did since the food we received bore no resemblance to what we ordered. After she took our order, we didn't see her again until she dropped off the bill where she had written in what a 20% tip would be at the bottom of the bill. Not bloody likely when we had to ask other servers for drinks and silverware! I spoke with the manager who comped our meal and then promptly fired the server. I felt bad for her at first, but the manager must have seen my face and reassured me that she'd been warned several times about her sub-par performance.
I used to wait tables, and bad day or not, I always treated my customers right. My bad day should not affect theirs.
I have left little or no tip when service was bad. And it really doesn't take much to please me; keep my drink glass filled, check and make sure everything's OK at least a couple times, be friendly, etc. Is that too much to ask?
tipping will be outlawed soon enough. it's a messed up concept and continues to get out of hand. it causes complications and over pays people who shouldn't make that much......all at the expense of making customers uncomfortable. it's a fad on a one way trip to destruction.
if you tip but don't want to....take a stand for yoursekf. http://www.notips.org
stop tipping and supporting a system that's corrupt. if you have self dignity, you won't care what others might think....that's none of their business. it's between you and the servers. it's ur life, no one elses...and you only live it once. take control.
Sometimes poor service is the the waitstaffs' fault. It could be really busy. I had a female customer that was just horrid. We were two people short on the front of house and we did not have time for little stuff. I bought her everything that she needed, but it took a little longer because of being short staffed. So before she left she needed a togo box, but she paid out beforehand, and left me a 27 cent tip. I had a cold sore that day. So I rubbed my cold sore all over her togo box. I handed it to her with a smile and saying how I was sorry for the delays. Herpes, it's the gift that keeps on giving.
what a low class individual u are. childish things like that make u happy....u'll get fired soon enough...probably barely make minimum wage as is with that attitude.
I worked in 5 star restaurant for 5 years – so, I know what it's like to depend on tips to make a living. However, the amount of poor service out there is incredible. (Servers with their finger in your drink as they bring it to your table, serving men before ladies, not knowing your menu, wet or dirty tables, etc.) In most places, the wait staff isn't any better than the McDonald's crew.
If you are just an order taker and food deliverer, you aren't a waiter. When you anticipate my needs (a filled water glass, perhaps?) and provide a professional SERVICE, then you are a WAITER.
You don't deserve a tip unless you provide appropriate service.
A lot of these arguments for not leaving a tip or for a waiter needing to earn a tip would make sense if waiters were paid decently. The fact is, they are not. $2.13 an hour is not decent pay. The fact that many places require waiters to pool their tips makes it worse–suddenly, even if you do an amazing job and get great tips, you have to give away most of it. It's hardly incentive to provide more than adequate service. A waiter is expected to get 15% by default from you so that he or she can make the equivalent of minimum wage. Anything beyond that is earned. If you don't tip, that person is making less than minimum wage. In America, people are expected to tip and so it's built into the system of how waiters are paid. It's not fair and it's not right how little waiters are paid, and it does put an unfair burden on the customer. If you don't want that burden, you have two options: a) don't go out to eat or b) lobby to get a bill passed that requires restaurants to pay their waiters minimum wage as a base rate, but somehow I doubt that people who believe you can live off of less than minimum wage would agree to give fair pay to someone they so clearly see as beneath them.
actually, if you silly argument has been disproved a 100 times already. waitresses do make minimum wage...if your 2.13 hourly plus tips doesn't add up to minimume wage, the restaurant is obligated by law to make up the difference.
this never happens because these stupid wait staff already make well over minimum wage. probably anywhere between $15-$40 an hour (with tips). Then they have the audacity to come here and whine about people who don't tip.
please think before you type. wait staff are over paid and they don't want to receive a fair pay from their employers...because then they can stuff cash from customers and get rich. thank you and have a good day.
I've only left a low tip twice. In both cases, the server was condescending and rude. In one instance we went to a well-known restaurant to celebrate a job offer. My husband and I were in law school and we dressed nicely but not fashionably for the date. The server scowled at us, tried to push us into purchasing lower priced entrees, lied that the restaurant was out of the cocktail I wanted (I later saw him deliver it to another table) and then to top it all off would not let me order the dessert I wanted. He promised a special dessert even though I insisted that I wanted apple cake. He then brought out a hard chocolate chip cookie with a candle on top. To add insult to injury, he charged us $6 for it. Our bill with two bottles of wine was well over $200 and we left a ten dollar tip with a note that it was for the bus staff.
The other time, we were on our honeymoon and had ordered coffee. We waited a half hour in a nearly empty restaurant but the waiter never brought it. We asked for the bill and it included the coffee we never received; we asked the waiter to take it off our check. He refused insisting that he had brought the coffee–even though there were no coffee cups at our table. DH figured what a 12% tip would be and then subtracted the cost of the coffee. and then left that as the tip. The bill had the figures written on it. The manager must have heard the conversation b/c he apologized and brought us coffee. Our server stood a little ways away and glared at us while we finished up.
Christine, WHY in the world would you consider leaving a tip in those situations is beyond me? That's why service is so bad today, because you pay them ANYWAYS when they are beyond terrible. Charging you for something you didn't receive is ILLEGAL and I would not pay for something I didn't receive, period!! Nor would I tip on on the higher bill it would be based on that either.
You are causing your bad service by paying for it. My husband and I have stiffed many of times bad servers. If you pay them, HOW WILL THEY EVER LEARN TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS AND TRY THEIR BEST?
It's called POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT!! That's just like jail, some people do learn their lesson after being punished, well, if they don't have any money to pay their bills, they will have no choice to try harder or get another type of job.
Do you honestly think the buss boy got that money? HECK NO, the SERVER KEPT IT YOU IDIOT!! If you want to tip the busser yourself, you have to personally hand people money, otherwise, if you give it to someone else, they aren't going to give it to the right person in mostly all cases. You are an idiot that you did that. Were you born under a rock to think the busser actually got that tip? For real!!
When you leave a tip, you're tipping the waitress, the bus staff and, more than likely, the dishwasher. When I was in high school and college, I waited at local restaurants. Its miserable work. People work for less than minimum wage, little or no health benefits, and tips are essential.
I don't begrudge a waiter or waitress poor service because I understand they may be handling six-to-seven tables or subbing for another waiter who called in sick and handling an additional 2-3 tables. I've been in that position before when I worked as a waiter during high school and college. That's why I always tip 25% - no matter the service.
If the waiter or waitress's service has been deficient, I'll call them over and quietly tell them "I wasn't satisfied with your service, but I've been in your shoes before so I'm going to leave you a decent tip anyways. But the next customer may not be so understanding."
It's only happened 3-4 times in my life, and only once did a waiter, obviously very frazzled, tell me what I could do with my tip. Instead of following his advice, I refused to pay him and, instead, walked my son and daughter over to the hostess and handed her the bill and money. I then hoisted my daughter and told her to drop the tip - a $20 bill - in the charity jar seeking funds for an expansion of the local animal shelter.
Mark Richards
"When you leave a tip, you're tipping the waitress, the bus staff "
No, you are tipping your server and your server has to TIP OUT those employees, so NO, you aren't truly tipping the other people, YOUR SERVER IS!! If someone stiffs a server, the server still has to TIP OUT the others, therefore, the person that stiffed didn't tip anybody, the SERVER did!!
And one last note, I have been working in the service industry for years, mostly as a bartender and have been stiffed only one time (a freaking miracle I must admit). I have had bad days, but always smile and do the best to my ability. I make my money mostly on my personality and attentiveness, and have had people actually compliment me on how hard I work, even if their order was messed up or I may have forgotten a drink. They see me busting my ass, and I always appreciate compliments. I have never chased someone out of the door because of a low tip (I have seen others do this and I find it insulting) – I just deal with it and move on. It's part of the game. We, however, did not make up the rules of the low state wages, and do not feel entitled to be tipped, we depend on them. Believe any service industry worker, they will tell you that "this is not what I want to do" and are usually just doing it while in school, or for extra money, while they are looking (OR MOSTLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT) what they/we want to do for the rest of their lives.
If you receive bad service, leaving no tip at all usually accomplishes nothing – we usually just think you were too drunk to remember. Be sure to tell the manager or server/bartender themselves that you were unhappy with the service, or leave a really low tip – that, right there, gets the point across for the server to get their S**t together.....
If getting a great paying job somewhere else was as simple as it is to you, no one would be waiting tables, especially the large group of college aged kids who do this bull***t work because it is a job you can make good money at at different times, not between the hours of 9-5 or maybe when we are in school. But with a name like Jaliska I'll (maybe incorrectly) assume you are African American, in which case we just assume you are going to stiff us anyway. Which is really annoying, considering we all have some sort of "show of entitlement" as according to you. I'm sure the service you get when you go out is sub par, because believe it or not, as stupid as us service industry people are, we remember the bad tippers way more than we remember the great tippers.....
If you can't afford to tip, don't order out (or move to France, check out the service there!). In case you don't know, tipping is an insult in France and service is abysmal.
Simple. You are being provided a service that, in a restaurant environment is communal. Punishing the business would be more effective.
I'll steer this to home delivery. If you order food to be delivered to your home, most likely the driver took your order, helped make it and broke 13 traffic laws while risking their life (from accident and robbery) for your convenience. The rule is the GREATER of $5 OR %15, afterall that car does cost about 55 cents/mile to operate. Different animal, and some paid that slave labor mentioned in the article... and, yes, we do know who tips and doesn't... if you don't, don't complain... it would have made more economic sense for us to stay in the store folding boxes than to feed you. By the way, your address gets discussed in our community of drivers, no matter where we work.
A good tipper doesn't guarantee a good delivery time (hey, we don't make the schedule) but it does guarantee priority! Don't believe everything those order online websites tell ya' either.
Years ago, a comedienne named Elayne Boosler told the story of how she was at lunch with 2 men (her manager and someone else). The waiter paid attention to the men and all but ignored her. When the waiter brought the bill – and made some comment about hoping the MEN enjoyed their meals – she pulled out her credit card – and replied that since the waiter had "imagined 3 sets of balls at the table, he could also imagine his tip"!
On those occasions when I have take a male friend out to lunch or dinner and was treated like an appendage of the man, I only wished I had the nerve to quote her!
Ha! Darling, her server was just playing the odds. 2/3 decent tip. 1/3 2 bucks at best. If you can't afford to tip, don't order out.
Seen it time and time again... the waiter didn't imagine balls, just played the odds.
Women generally tip $2 at best (especially for lunch, or ridiculously late take-out)... you get what you pay for. I hear France has quite a fashion scene, maybe you should move there.
BTW... I'm sorry you have to take male friends out. Life sucks, huh?
i eat out at restaurants with my wife. when the bill comes I pay the exact amount, smile/thank the waiter, and leave. that food is too expensive as it is and the restaurant makes plenty of money and should pay their wait staff accordingly. you mean to tell me that when they charge $2 or $2.50 for a cup of fountain soda that costs them 6 cents that they cannot pay their workers. fast food places have twice as many workers or shift, pay them appropriate wages, and still charge like $1.
I'm not here to make wait staff rich, if they don't get tip, they get at least minimum wage. That's all they deserve.
Thankfully in some states wait staff does not get paid slave labor wages. Industry will pay the lowest it's allowed by law. I hope in your state this is a least $7.25/hour (if Penn, no) . Who? Could you live on $290/week. $15080 (40/hr/week/7.25/hour) per year? That's more than your wait staff gets, try $1032 at lowest wage per year. SLAVE LABOR! Getting rich... you tell me? Philly, ha! nice try.
Ever thought about the property taxes there being a bit too high? or did you move already?
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Restaurants pay their wait staff low salaries expecting to make their money in tips. If that isn't incentive for them to provide great service then they don't deserve tips, but you are just a cheapskate who doesn't see the value in what they do.
For the love of God, Joe Philly, I hope you don't eat at the same places all of the time – rest assured, you are hated wherever you go and do not deserve good service whatsoever. PA laws are one of the lowest minimum wages for the service industry, and you, sir, are an idiot.....
i don't eat at the same place all the time, but do come back to certain restaurants. if u don't like the money, find another job.
i take pride in my work....i'm a landscaper. i know what it means to work long hard hours and use my creativity. i don't bring drinks, food, smile, and expect tip. that is bullshit. lazy fuckers.
u remember bad customers more than good ones...sounds very negative to me. looks like your just looking for an excuse to cause drama. u got tip always except once and you'd rather focus on the one person than the other 500. hello ass hole.
that's y i don't tip. look at the attitude of entitlement. Plus u make good money, stop bitching. i make between 40k – 50k per year depending on business....u probably make more as a server.
I live in a country where tips are unneccessary because servers are paid very decent wages. Of course, the menu prices are adjusted acccordingly.
You only pay $2.50 for a soda? We pay double that! Evidently you don't understand how a business works, or the costs behind running a business, otherwise you would understand the mark-ups on seemingly cheap items. You see, you aren't paying just for some nice food. You are paying for someone to prepare and cook the food, for someone to bring it to you and run after you with drinks, and for someone to clean up after you when you leave. You are paying for a nice atmosephere for this to all happen in. You are paying for the experience, not just a meal. And It costs a lot of money to create that experience.
Perhaps you need to manage your money correctly so you can afford to eat out next time.
I don't like the percentage thing either. I mean, whether I go to Texas Roadhouse or Ruth's Chris, I get the same quality/cut of meat, cooked the same way. At Ruth's Chris, you get to pay an extra $25 – $30 for them to not give you two sides and unlimited peanuts & bread. On top of that, they want me to pay another extra $5 – $6 because they can't/won't pay their "super-trained" waiters a decent wage? that's crap, plain and simple, plus the dude/dudette at TX Roadhouse does a lot more work for their anticipated tip. Of course, for the better service I leave a better tip. I think Ruth might have gotten 10% from me...
I've never stiffed a server because I've never received service bad enough to warrant it But I have stiffed bartenders with bad attitudes, rude cab drivers, and other service people who seem to expect a gratuity without working for it.
But I do tip insultingly low when I receive bad service. A waitress followed me out of a restaurant because I left her a measly tip. "Excuse me, sir," she said, trying to embarrass me in front of my girlfriend, "was there something wrong with the service?"
"Yes," I replied. "It sucked. And you were rude, slow, and ugly." She turned tail and that was the end of that.
The staff at Goose Island STEALS from their customers – that's why I stiffed the waitress at Goose Island in Wrigley.
When she came back with my card, she said it was refused. She tried to make it out that I should be embarrassed. At first I brushed it off and gave her cash – but then I thought about it and asked for the receipt for the refusal of credit.
She said she did not have it and I demanded to see a manager – turns out she ran a few other tables tabs on my card before she ran my bill – no doubt she was pocketing their cash tabs. The manager was equally inept – I had to demand that he go into the trash and get my receipt. Needless to say, by this time – I was making quite a big deal about these thieves.
I got the credit card company on the phone and they said they thought it was stolen because there were 3 charges on the same card within a couple minutes.
The moral of the all this was that I make sure everyone I talk to knows that they are CROOKS at GOOSE ISLAND in WRIGLEY.
I'm not some waiter in an air conditioned/heated restaurant, I'm outside in the freezing cold or blistering heat all day trying to please people by "cleaning" the 2nd biggest investment of their lives. I worked at a car wash for 4 years, got stiffed every 1 out of 4 cars easily while only making 2.50$ an hour. I didn't cry or moan about it, I just accepted the fact that TIPS ARE A GRATUITY, or a VOLUNTARY ADDITIONAL PAYMENT made for services rendered. (Wikipedia on "Tip")
I think the problem is that most people think that tipping is a right, and an obligation by the customer. But let's think about that for a second. The person who is the waiter decided to go into an industry with low wages, while the upper echelon makes hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of dollars. Also, think about what a waiter does... s/he writes down an order, picks up food, and brings it to the table. There are a reason why these jobs are minimum wage... not alot of skill set involved, yet these people expect to make at least $30k or more a year. If tipping is the norm, then tip EVERYONE. I bet a doctor would love to get 20% on a 100k procedure.
I tip 20% normally and if the service is mediocre i leave 15%. I've had occasions where the service was truly deplorable, nothing to do with the kitchen, just rude terrible service. i have left $.01 and on one occasion just to make sure they got the point i wrote on the tip line "Not a Damn Dime". I have always informed the manager in such cases.
Yes, twice. Once in Las Vegas at a major hotel for a show. The waiter was surly and uncouth. I left the exact tab and he proceeded to yell to all the other waitstaff that I had 'stiffed' him. Security was called after I really did stiff him in the mouth.
The other only time I didn't tip was in Petaluma CA at a very nice restaurant. We were having a large family gathering for my daughter's BD. The waiter came over DURING dinner and explained that he was 'getting off' in a few minutes, and would I mind settling the bill before he left. I did and it did not include a tip. Other than those 2 occasions I always tip 20% and better if the service is outstanding.
There's a point that a lot of people are missing. When you go to a good restaurant, you're paying for the experience as well as the food. Bad service ruins that experience which means that you are not getting the full value you are paying for. This means that the server is effectively taking money out of your pocket. So if the server has really gone above and beyond to treat you like dirt, stiffing them on the tip merely rights this wrong.
I was a server and so all the more reason why I detest rude service. I understand mistakes happen, but how the server corrects it, is what matters when it comes to my tipping.
As for the customer, some are just awful and if you don't notify the server politely and just huff and puff, or don't tell the manager and just walk out without tipping then you shouldn't go out to restaurant, and instead try to work in one. Again, mistakes happen, it is the attitude that should count.
Scott Adams suggested in one of his tips, if you do have a rude server, but are in a position where you just have to tip, put the tip on the floor! Tipping a penny also works, but only if you have brought your dissatisfaction to the servers attentions and allowed for a change.
Finally, TIP IN CASH PEOPLE, nothing's better than to go home with a pocket full of cash at the end of the day, and really it is just classier.
I would love it if restaurants gave us the option of service or no service. I would gladly get my own drinks and pick up my plate when its ready from the kitchen window similar to fast food but without the crappy fast food quality. I would go to a place like that all the time if it meant I could get good food for good prices thanks to no tip.
GOOD NEWS 00000! All restaurants give you that option: either you can 1. cook, serve and clean up after yourself at home or 2. go out to a restaurant and pay the price to have someone else do it for you...
I always leave at least a 20% tip, but on occasion, not only have I not left a tip, but one time I walked out without even paying the bill, (it was under $10) the waitress was so bad. But, on those very rare occasions when I don't tip, I leave a note telling they WHY I didn't tip them. If people tip, no matter what, how will they learn about what they've done wrong?
You know what people? Restaurants are in a service based industry, the Hospitality industry, and a measure of their success or failure is the SERVICE received while customers are dining there. One should never go to a restaurant with the mindset of not tipping but one should also not go to a restaurant with the mindset that the server will automatically receive a 20% tip. The definition of gratuity is: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service. This means over and above what is required for services rendered. Servers must EARN their tips and should not expect to be tipped if service is poor. Cheeky Bastard is correct in that attitude is the most important aspect of the dining experience. (from the server-diner pov, apart from the food itself) There is a difference between a server who makes a few mistakes and one who simply does not care and this difference is usually very evident. The best advice is, make the effort and you will be rewarded for it.
thank you loser for laying the law and telling us that I need to pay $4 on a $20 tab. Maybe if this tip is so mandatory it should be written on the front door "SERVICE FEE, 20% OF ORDER." Tips are optional as they always have been. If you tip, good for you. Leave those who don't tip alone. I don't see any bad manners comming from the non-tippers here. Only people who expect tip or give large tips are the ones swearing, whining, etc. Everyone should just worry about their own life and what they need to do. Respect other people and people will respect you.
Most of the people posting here not only don't have a clue as to what it takes to be a truly good server, they wouldn't even be able to perform the job with minimum competency. If they had to serve mongoloids who only thought of them as their temporary indentured servant, and demonstrated the kind of attitudes that have been posted here, they'd run screaming from the place, looking for a place to lick their wounds in solitude. Inasmuch as I don't do everything perfectly all of the time, I can handle when a server makes a mistake, or even a few, as long as they genuinely make the effort (as someone who has served AND managed for nearly 30 years, I can recognize a server who hustles) to fix the error. To people who care, ATTITUDE is the most important aspect of service, but for the guest as WELL as the server. A server who acts like he/she is doing you a favor by serving you is a poor server, and has not earned what is considered the standard percentage (and it is okay to tell them their attitude was unacceptable). But a guest who enters an establishment in order to first criticize, then to dine, has no better an attitude than the surly server, and is not entitled to attentive service, as they most likely wouldn't recognize it anyway. If you walk in expecting poor service, YOU WILL GET IT. Try walking into a place thinking "I'd hate to have to run my butt off trying to keep a petty, tiny-minded jerk like ME happy", and you might have a more charitable attitude and understanding toward people who have to serve you to feed themselves. Very few of the posts above indicate that the writer actually thought of their server as a HUMAN BEING, and not just some tool to move around for their personal pleasure. No, there's no law that says you have to be a nice person (75% per cent of the people who posted here would be incarcerated if there were), but the nice people generally walk out satisfied, without complaint. I have waited on ignorant people, and rather than ignore them, I would feed them super-quick and get them the hell out so that I might seat someone who actually knows how to behave in a restaurant, that is, knows how to be served. Based on some of the ignorant remarks and assumptions made on this blog, just about everyone posting here (with the exception of the food service emplyees) definitely needs "guest training". To the person(s) who claimed to have demanded that their server be fired, you know even less about dining and service than you do about manners and breeding, which means LESS than nothing. Of course, YOU were so horribly wronged that the server who offended you should be dismissed immediately; remember that the next time you have a bad day at work (if you even work). Again, all of the whiners here who claim to know such much about the subject COULD NOT DO THE JOB without more whining and crying, and finally quitting.
It occurs to me, after reading these posts, that a good subtitle for this article would be "Dinner For Schmucks".
I'm the gentleman that's at the desk, the guy who gets the call to dig through a cramped closet in the dead of the night to find a fluffier pillow, the guy who people scream at because we're sold out, the guy who gets screamed at because our in house restaurant has the audacity to close at 1AM. I'm the sucker who scoured the bar at 2AM to steal a carafe of milk and warm it for someone's child who had a nightmare... I'm the guy who'll run someone a tray of breakfast from our buffet to surprise their wife on their honeymoon. I'm the guy who calls your cabs, manages your phone calls, has your name, your credit card, your address... who secures your rest, obtains your entertainment, checks your flight, and deals with trying to piecemeal a dozen languages together that I don't actually speak.
Guess what?
I don't get tips, because people don't tip hotel staff (with the exception of running food or hauling luggage). I'm the desk guy who does every job at the hotel and some jobs I shouldn't... and probably even a few things I -really- shouldn't, just to make a guest happy.
And never once have I complained about someone being 'cheap' for not tipping me. In fact, I make it a point of personal pride to refuse tips. I'll take something if the person is -really- adamant, but my first answer is always "That's quite alright Sir/Madam, that's what we're here for".
So you'll excuse me when I say I'm pretty confident I could serve a dozen tables, after all, I'm serving 100 hotel rooms right now.
I remember being able to see the narrow kitchen window from my seat, with my pancakes sitting under the heat lamp. I was so tempted to get my own pancakes but my companion would not allow it. When I pointed out that my pancakes were cold and had been sitting on the shelf, the (formerly invisible) waitress denied it. I have no idea where she had been, since the restaurant was practically empty.
I don't remember what I did about the tip, but I probably left a buck.
I own a Catering company and I've worked in food service since I was 16 years old. I'm more shocked by how people treat those in the service industry than the way any waiter has ever treated me. I have never understood why people who are being served treat the server so poorly. I always reward good service with a substantial tip and poor service gets 15 to 20%. I know how hard even a poor server works and the sort of people they get to put up with day in and day out. If you don't like tipping, stick to fast food and take out... and oh ya... if you order take out from a restaurant tip the person who assembles your order, they deserve it! If you want to make a great servers day, try leaving a tip that's more than the cost of the meal. I once went to dinner with a millionaire, 20 of us were at the table. He payed the bill then asked us each to pay our portion as the tip because the service had been outstanding and really made the evening. What fun to leave behind a $1000 tip! When large groups come in more often than not the tip gets messed up and a lot of hard work goes unrewarded.... especially when people split the check.
hey genius, not every one is a millionare. tip your share and keep it to yourself. If someone cannot afford to tip, that's their own business as well. not everyone likes tossing money around like their loaded.
"Respect other people and people will respect you." - YOU ARE RIGHT BOB!
"If someone cannot afford to tip, that's their own business as well. not everyone likes tossing money around like their loaded." "Everyone should just worry about their own life and what they need to do."
SOUNDS LIKE YOU SHOULD COOK FOR YOURSELF, EAT AT HOME AND CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF. OTHERWISE YOU ARE BEING DISRESPECTFUL, BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR SERVICE, YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS DEMANDING IT, ESPECIALLY FROM SMEONE WHOSE SOLE BUSINESS IS TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE WHILE SERVING YOU.
ps: ever considered moving about 40 miles west of the CA coast, it's all you can eat sea food out there...
Ok so I am a cook, and I feel that the kitchen deserves a piece of that tip as much as the server and bus boy. Cause lets face it if the food sucks there would be no one in the seats in the first place. That being said I have left a penny and have walked out leaving not tip, I have also left $1. If someone is having an off day then they are usually apologetic, and nice and do not fall under my crappy tip rule. I find that servers that are inattentive and rude are usually like that all the time, no need to tell a manager since they probably already know this fact. The only time I bring a manager into a situation is if the food is miserable and I either want a replacement or I am not going to be returning to that establishment. Fact of the matter is that restaurant managers/general managers know that you are very likely to return to a place if the service is crappy and the food is good. So they care to a point but usually not enough to hire someone else. The next person could be worse and they have to spend time and effort training that person. I know that at the end of the night the servers that pool will get pissy with a lazy server letting them know they are taking money from them. If there is no pooling then that person will prob not stay there since it is a waste of time. So I am in favor of having a low base pay and let them keep there tips, I feel it makes hard workers work harder, and lazy people get filtered out.
I was already well aware of how waiters and waitresses often get stiffed on their checks. I usually leave a really good tip because of this, and because sometimes people get stiffed on tips even if they are great servers. If the service is really great, I will even leave up to a 50% tip and give praise to the manager. I usually try to cut servers some slack, but there are two times I left a penny as a tip. (I leave a penny instead of nothing so they know that it's not that I forgot to tip, I was just extremely unsatisfied.) The first time I was in a (not very busy) restaurant and it took 40 minutes just to take our drink order. Our waiter only stopped by twice (to take our order and deliver food and drinks at the same time). The second time I was in a restaurant where the waitress had 3 tables. I had to ask for a drink refill 4 times, my glass was empty when I got my food and was not filled til after I finished eating. Even then she brought me the wrong drink. Finally the waitress of the other section was kind enough to get me what I needed. I actually did leave a tip on the other waitress' table. I'm always polite to my servers, even when I'm upset about the food or service, I still handle it respectfully. I won't yell or get rude, but I will leave less of a tip and ask to see the manager. If the service is incredibly bad, I am not going to pay for a service I did not receive.
Doesn't is seem like the real problem is that there is this special minimum wage for waitstaff? If waiters/waitresses weren't so dependent on tips to just earn minimum wage, then maybe the issue wouldn't be so heated. The few times I've gotten truly terrible service I have given a low tip, my logic being that, no matter how bad one is at waiting tables, one does deserve at least minimum wage while on the job (like every one else in any other profession). However, I hate the assumption that I should be paying 20% to someone who is treating me like crap — that person is not getting anything beyond the bare minimum from me!
Restaurant staff do make minimum wage. If they don't mkae it in tips, the establishment makes up the rest. They are guaranteed minimum wage when they sign up for the job. The 2.13/hr is just a ploy to make customers feel bad and think they need to pay the wait staff's salary. It's just a trick. In the end, the wait staff make a lot more than minimum wage every pay check and the restaurant owners get away with almost no overhead costs.
I dont tip and usually go to restaurants with a no tipping policy. There is a saying that insanity cannot last forever. Tipping will gradually make it's way out of this world when people come to terms with how stupid of a concept it is. First the excuse was that if you get good service then you can give tip (if you want)...now it's "oh the wait staff don't make any money, they need tips" so you better tip or else *******. The amount of tip keeps going up too, from 10 to 15 and now 20%. Once the American public sees how silly it is to pay someones salary we will see changes. The cheap ones are not the ones who refuse to tip, the cheap ones are the wait staff who beg for a few bucks using threats even though they already make minimum wage.
"Tipping will gradually make it's way out of this world...." The only flaw in your grand master plan there Noel, is that there are more decent people out there than people like you. Might be best if you stay at home and learn to serve yourself first...
Most servers make WAY more than minimum wage. If its a popular restaurant they can easily make over $20 an hour, all thanks to tips. If you ask me servers are highly overpaid. Why do you think so many people wait tables for their whole lives? In order to make minimum wage they just need 2 tables that give a $2 tip an hour, obviously that is extremely easy to hit even on a slow day, usually one table is enough to put them past minimum wage. Havent you ever heard a waiter brag about making $500 every friday night in tips?
Here is the best "leave a penny" story I have ever heard. A friend went out to dinner and had a flagrantly awful waitress. He left her a penny. As he and his wife were walking out, she chased them down with the penny held high for all to see: "Sir, sir, you forgot this". He took the penny from her and pressed it into her hand: "No dear, this is for you. You EARNED it". Game, set, and match. You don't mess with a man after you've ruined his meal.
BTW, he has been a waiter and is generally a generous tipper. For him to do this the service had to be willfully bad with an extra helping of attitude.
Tipping well is my favorite affordable luxury – if I can afford to eat out, I can afford to pay an extra 20% on top of that – or 25%-30%-35%+, etc. if it's a cheap meal – I figure the staff worked just as hard to cook and serve a $5 entree as a $25 one, so it's a shame that a percentage-based tip reflects this. And although I sometimes choose not to revisit restaurants where I've had what I consider a less-than-optimal experience (which is the case with any type of business where I have a choice of provider), I would never mess with someone's paycheck by taking it upon myself to withhold a tip – which is, as an earlier poster pointed out, taxed by the IRS whether or not it is actually received (i.e. the IRS assumes you receive a certain percentage of your income in tips and taxes you accordingly). I wouldn't want everyone I encounter in the course of my job to have the power to decide whether or not I get to earn my paycheck, or whether they get to retain a portion of it themselves – I work for an elementary school, and although the kids like me well enough, I'm sure they'd much rather have my salary to spend on bubblegum. Luckily, I don't have to depend on the goodwill of the individual taxpayer (including myself, as I live and work in the same jurisdiction) to earn my paycheck, I just have to make sure my principal stays happy, which isn't always easy, but is much easier than having to read the minds of hundreds of random strangers.
Anyway, dropping a few bucks on tips each time I eat out makes me feel like I am at least trying to be a decent human being, whether or not it's been a total lovefest between me and the restaurant staff. Like the say in the Visa (or Mastercard?) commercials..."Not feeling like a dickweed...Priceless."
When I was growing up my Dad was a notoriously bad tipper. It didn't matter if the service was bad or good, he usually left no tip at all. One day we left a restaurant in Seattle, the waitress ran out after us and stopped my Dad asking him if there was a problem with the service or the food. He was so embarassed at being called on his bad tipping, he mumbled an apology and never failed to tip again after that. incident.
in Canada where minimum wage is over $10/hour, there seems to be a prevalent attitude of 'I deserve a huge tip for even coming near your table'. If I get attitude, the server gets attitude back, usually in the form of a low, or 0 tip. And that is exactly what should happen. How else are lousy servers culled from the herd? I'm doing them a favor; they figure out that this isn't the line of work for them and go get a government job where their lousy attitude is rewarded.
@nicole: If I knew where you and other 'servers' were who glory in screwing with people's meals, I'd turn your asses in for tampering with food, and fast. Anybody in 'the biz' who sees or hears this kind of 'mess with the food' crapola SHOULD. A tip? More like a reward from the health department!
So thanks–you just ENSURED that I won't be going out to eat, much less leaving the generous tips I always used to. Wouldn't surprise me if there are a whole lot more like me who make the same decision, either, and I hope they do.
Actually I did it because the waiter decided to disappear for 20 minutes to talk to his friends. Thats fine I just walked out. Problem is many waiters expect to be tipped no matter what. I don't work that way. If you want to be an ass you will be tipped like an ass, with nothing or maybe a dollar.
My mother has waitressed for 20 years and I know when somebody just has a bad day or when someone is being an asshole. I understand maybe something happened and your not working 100% not everyone does anyway. Just shows more with waiters because they are in front of people in close range all the time. I will leave a decent tip but if it always happens then I will have to tip less and go somewhere else.
I am also not the type to make a scene at a restaurant and call managers because the job is tough and people shouldn't get fired for one event. I rather just tip badly and not go again. If they get mad I will just say bring me the manager or keep your mouth shut and keep your job.
Sure, I have had lousy service lots of times, but not to tip because of that? Oh, come on! Then, let's not pay for the item we purchased at the department store because the person who waited on us was rude, incompetent, etc. and let's not pay for the less-than courteous cab driver even though we did get to our destination in one piece, etc. It could go on and on.
I think that wait service is not good because so many people never learned how to serve or how to be polite or listen or not be intrusive, even, but this does not mean you are supposed be Mr. or Mrs. Cheapie Who Will Cheat the Waiter of a Job Imperfectly Done.
I have known too many cheapskates in this world to believe that the real reason someone won't tip is because of the lousy service. No, they are just waiting for an excuse to be cheap, that's all!
Not tipping is cheap? ....I don't think so. There are people who don't tip because they don't want to. I think your cheap for wanting the extra money. If someone comes and eats $20 worth of food and leaves no tip, why are you so cheap to be compulsively begging for those $3? Or whining about it on this forum. I thought you waiters/waitresses made top dollar and aren't cheap. Crying about 4 or 5 bucks or even 10 bucks sounds cheap to me. Shut up, do your job, and you'll get tips sometimes, other times you won't.
Since most of these waiters/waitresses make so much money...why beg for it from people who make less than them. May be the person you waiting on only makes $8 or $9 an hour. It's still their right to eat out when and if they want to. It isn't you right however, to be malicious or rude to them for not tipping. But we all know that when servers don't get their tips, their real personalities start showing.
Go anywhere in the world and I guarantee you will receive better service where tipping is not customary. There's hard working honest people, then their are trashy people who won't even lift an arm without asking for a buck. Cheap fucks.
jenny I don't understand your math....how would the IRS know what your customers' bills amounted to?
And as a solution to the tip pool...which I DESPISE and would never partake in ever again....I always give my waitresses their tips in an envelope with their names on it.
If you go to Europe, correct – tips are not "expected," but the meal will cost more of course – not only due to currency conversion. Yes, tipping is part of our culture here because servers are paid less than minimum wage. European servers are not paid less than minimum wage. I get the point very well, but it appears you are going to be determined to be cheap. That is why I say you are the kind of customer I would hope I wouldn't get, because you feel that you deserve service without paying for it.
Go somewhere else where you are not waited on if you don't want to pay for it. While I condone absence of a tip if the service is sincerely that poor, by making a habit of not tipping at all, you're showing that you don't care whether the service is good or bad. You also are showing that you don't care about the wait staff at all. If that's the case, you're truly lucky that their job on the wait staff is to serve you and care for you, because you wouldn't be getting it otherwise.
The fact of the matter is that sometimes poor service deserves a poor tip- but a tip of zero dollars is actually a negative tip because of tip pooling arrangements and taxes. A waiter is assumed by the restaurant to have made a 15 to 20 percent tip and is usually required to give a certain percentage of their sales (at my restaurant 4%) to bussers and bartenders. Moreover a server is presumed by the IRS to have left the restaurant with 11% of their sales in tips and are taxed accordingly. So if your bill is $100 and you leave a $0 tip the server still has to give $4 to the busser and bartender, and is taxed on$11 of income. All in all your server has LOST $5-7 simply for having waited on you.
Before you leave a $0 tip consider the fact that no matter how horrible the service was they really shouldn't be forced to PAY for the pleasure of waiting on you, and then think about cutting them a little slack.
A quick talk with the manager is a much more effective solution and is highly likely to result in getting a few items taken off your bill- then tip 15% on the reduced price- the server loses a tip on items taken off the bill and gets a smaller (15% ought to be the minimum tip) tip on the items remaining.
Tipping is a gesture of gratitude (hence Gratuities) for going above the expectations of your job. You speak of social norm. The social norm is as follows. Good service = good tip. Poor service = poor tip. Its the line of work you chose.Accept the job you chose and get over it, or get a new one. Do not try to make me feel guilty for your lot in life. The ones you should be mad at is your employer. I wish I got a tip for doing my job. Next time you go to the doctor maybe you should tip him too. Lol.
Commodore, thank you for a thoughtful take on the business of tipping. It should absolutely be for the services provided.
And because we rely on tips to supplement our paltry wage, I go the extra mile to please all of my guests. That's how I make my money. My dear Mother always said, " You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar". Still holds true.
It is very rare I do not tip a person in a restaraunt. In fact the only time I dont tip is if I leave the restaraunt in a hurry before ordering or something came up. I try to leave 15% for a tip (if financialy capable, with the recession and all), but to be honest I love tipping big. In a restaraunt, hair salon, and anywhere else tipping is expected. My father both believe that everyone in a restaraunt should be paid more than federal minimum wage. Working at a restaraunt is a hard business, and when you have an owner or a manager who prefer to keep all of the money for themselves, and let the customers make the rest of the wage for the employees; the employees can get taken advantage of. That is way its rare or sometimes never do I leave without tipping. But if the service is great and if I see that everyone is showing great teamwork, then I tip big. The waiter/waitress/host/ess might be the few people the customers interact with but when I see the managers, cooking staff, busboys, cleaning maintenance all working their hardest to provide a great night for everyone in the restaraunt then the tip gets big, and maybe even bigger.
I work in the service industry, -behind- the servers. (I'm an auditor for a hotel, the guy that balances the floats on a nightly basis, so I see -exactly- how much people are leaving the hotel with and have a hands-on relationship with the wait staff). Some servers at our in-house restaurant make $4-500 PER NIGHT in tips, so kindly drop the "*sniffle-sniffle, poor me, I only make $2.00 an hour*" act. Consider that "most" people leave an average of 15%, and most servers are managing between 5 and 10 tables at a given time, in a place that's averaging a meager $10 a plate you're likely to average $6-7 per table in tips. Provided you're not tipping out 2/3 of that to your kitchen and bussers, you're probably raking $5 a table and clearing down 7 or 8 tables an hour.
Math = 8 tables * 8 hours * $5 = $320 (And this is for a small restaurant with a low-value menu. When the average plate rises up to about $15, or you're serving liquor, or you're hav ing a busy night, these numbers shoot skyward)
I've worked in the industry for years, I can't even remember the last time I've left less than 10% to someone. And I actually leave a HIGHER tip if my waiter or waitress is having a terrible night. I actually left 25% to someone that poured coffee on my leg because she genuinely was concerned and really appologetic.
It just absoluetely disgusts me to see greedy, incompetant servers drag out the excuse that they're underpaid. If you're not making money... GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. Our servers at the restaurant have been here since they got out of school, some of them have been at this restaurant for over a decade because its so lucrative... some of them even have university degrees that they put together while waiting tables, but they don't want to leave the industry because they would be taking a 50% pay cut to take what most people consider a well-paying desk job.
I work in banking, I have customers that bring in tips that are far more than I make in a week. Of course there are others that can't make a living and having been waited on by them I see why.
Just like any commission based job you truely get what your worth MOST of the time. There are exceptions either way. I'm a big tipper. I go to places around where I work, and the staff sees me coming. I'm seated quickly, have a drink in seconds, and if I've been in several times often get asked if I'd like my usual (I sometimes get stuck on something)
I'm not a problem, and the wait staff know that the better service I get the bigger the tip. I'm even there off peak about 3pm.
I like your math, I've been thinking along those lines as I browsed the other entries. Good service realy does add up, even average service.
I think it is sorry, that a waitperson would get on here and say that if they don't do their job very well, they should still get a tip.
I have tipped poor service well, because on one instance, there were two waiters and a dishwasher running a busy restaurant. I have tipped a waitperson that wasn't assigned to me, because they covered for my waitperson.
I have delivered pizza, also a tipped job, and had no tip on speedy impeccable service, and great tips on late service(no fault of my own during a lowstaffed rush).
I thank the Lord for what I get, and leave out all the rest. It is not my business to know anyone's budget or circumstances. If you say that a person can't afford the tip so don't go out, maybe with good service they would give their last dollar, with crappy they would stiff on payday, either way, why should fast food be the choice of people that don't want to go out and get bad service. Maybe bad waitpeople should suck it up and go work fast food. At least in fast food, I expect stuff to be forgotten and messed up.
Atip is gratuity, for good service, a waiter or waitress's attitude has a direct reflection on the tip. I have told some that when they come to my table with a scowl on their chops. No one is obligated to tip to a ill mannered waiter.
Went to dinner with the wife & decided to have a drink at the bar first , sat at the bar for a while before the bar-maid waited on us took our order but never wiped the the bar off there was some kind of drinks spilled on the bar .I ask her if she would clean off the puddle that was in front of us she did, but kind of half- ass . knew this was not my night, so I ordered (1) mug of beer, by the way had to wait a while before she brought to me my drink , so I drank the the beer paid her. Tip the glass of beer upside down with still some beer in it . left a (1) penny under the glass she was not worth 2 cents. & walk out First time I every left with out leaving a tip.
As a career professional server for over 35 years, I have honed my serving and people skills to an art. I have been employed at my present job for over 12 years. It is a fine-dining (I hate that term) seafood restaurant and I'm one of the top trainers and my wine & food knowledge is extensive.
I am proud of my ability to offer polished service to all guests. In fact, I am the "go-to" person whenever there's a difficult guest to deal with. I have started off with some truly awful people, but by the end of their meal, I have them eating out of the palm of my hand. I consider it a failure if I cannot turn them around. And, of course, there are failures! Some folks just want to be miserable, which is a sad way to go through life. But I would never let them know how I really felt about their behavior. We are actors after all !
So I get really upset when I read about the non-tippers. If you honestly feel you received poor service, then I would agree that you may not want to tip that person. Personally, I couldn't do this because of my obvious bias. But a consumer has that prerogative. I am only human and honest mistakes are made. When dining out, I try to look at the whole picture of what's happening in the restaurant when things aren't going smoothly. I believe in giving someone the benefit of the doubt. There are so many things that are happening behind the scenes that the guest never sees. It's actually controlled chaos ! An oxymoron if there ever was one!
If you don't "believe" in tipping, then there is nothing I can say or do to change your mindset. I just hope we never cross paths. And I'm a firm believer in karma.
Side note: I have been reading the ravings of Springs1 on several different blogs over the years. It does absolutely no good to try and reason with this tortured individual.
I travel a lot – or used to before the economy tanked – for work. At the end of a full day of travel from the west to the east, I arrived at my destination city and right after leaving the airport, I went to what was at the time my favorite restaurant in the city. It was mid-afternoon and there wasn't a lot of other customers. I sat at the bar and was in the line of sight of the barkeep, who was on the phone. No big deal, I thought, it'll just be a few minutes. I was wrong; it turned into 20 minutes. Throughout that time, I tried to make eye contact and to get somebody's attention – all to no avail. I walked toward the barkeep to get her attention but she was wrapped up in her phone conversation, which was personal. When she hung up, she came over to take my order – without explanation or apology. I played along and ordered. When it came time to pay the tab, I had exact change -$28 – to cover the bill and motioned her over. I handed her the cash and the bill along with a quarter, explaining "This'll cover the cost of your phone call" and walked out. I later relayed the episode to the manager in an e-mail. He replied he was going to "talk" with her. I haven't been back since.
it's quite apparent that waiters/waitresses have bad math. tips at the end of each pay period, they are guaranteed to make 7.25 * hours worked. Even if you get no tips. What's sad is you probably make like over $20 an hour. That's a lot of money for a bitching, whining, snobby attitude person who smiles and laugh fake yet is ready to bite u in the arse for $2 tip.
If they make so little....why don't we see how many waiters would like to work for $15 an hour with no tips???? ....any takers. Probably not because these honkeys are already making more that with tips. They don't deserve it. Tips should be banned. 2.13 w/tips is just a ploy to have customers pay your $20 salaries.
I stiff a lot unless I get unconditional service in which case i tip like $1. working for a club for disabled people i know what it means to take care of ppl. I don't beg for tips.
He make some valid points. Do you feel better about your self after insulting someone who just voices their opinion. This shows the f'd up character of the people we're supposed to be tipping. People like you should be stiffed with something else.
Only one time have I not left money as a tip. Usually, I tip between 20% to 25% when eating out. However, for poor service, I'll end up around the 10%-15% range.
Why did I not leave money on the table for the service? My waiter sucked. My best friend, who is male, and I went out to eat at moderately priced restaurant. My best friend just lost his job, so I was treating him to a meal to make him feel a bit better. Our waiter showed nothing but contempt for me from the first moment he visited our table. After he came for our orders, I went first and my friend second. After we ordered, the waiter asked my partner what I wanted to eat even though I just told him. We ordered soda with our meals. I complained mine was flat and asked if I could get a different beverage. Our waiter told me that it was in my head because he just drank some a few hours ago. He then asked my best friend to sample from my glass to see if it was "really" flat. He confirmed that it was flat without tasting it. The waiter stalked off and slammed another drink down in front of me so hard that it spilled all over the table. When our food was delivered, our waiter just dropped my plate, turned his back on me and told my friend to enjoy. After finished, he handed my friend the check – without even asking if we wanted to split the cost. Since I was treating, I took the check and paid with my credit card. I have "See ID" written on my card, and handed off my driver's with the card. I was told "I don't need your ID" by the waiter as he stalked off. Ten minutes later, he arrived AGAIN in snit because he wanted my ID to "prove that the card was mine." As a tip, on the bill, I wrote "you really shouldn't be a bitch to the one paying the bill." I've never been more uncomfortable or angry in a restaurant before. The guy was rude and nasty.
Sorry about your experience. I am professional and never really see myself getting upset with a customer for something since i know there will be another customer like him in an hour. Most of my brethren try to be as courteous as possible, 'cause tips are important. Tips are actually what this blog is about, but it's wild how everyone wants to bitch about waiters or some waiter, and justify some bad tip they left us. Get over it, we got over it. once in a while we get to vent via youtube or this CNN EatOcracy thing, but for the most part, our voices go unheard, so how about leaving a nice story.anyone? anyone? Bueler?
I've given a $5 tip on a $1.25 grilled cheese sandwich (that's 400%) just because the service was awesome. My waitress thought I made a mistake and ran out to the parking lot after me. I told her I meant it when I had said it was the best service I've ever had. (it really was)
This is just one of many great dinning experiences I've had. But unfortunately Mac, there are those bad apples out there.
I'm in the biz, as I'm sure this article on CNN has attracted most of us to respond. I over-tip for obvious reasons, also i give a little too much leeway when things aren't going right at a table. Bad nights happen for waitstaff and because they're human, they handle what's going on in different ways. ways you may not get. I've never stiffed, but if the waiter was just not interested, whatever.happens. If the waiter was just not interested and it hurt the experience, then I'll try and let him know, " I can wait tables better than you, so you better try harder" with a standard tip, but i don't know if they'll get that message from that.......
As I understand it, here in Ontario Canada sales taxes are factored into the restaurant bill before presentation to the customer, who can then enter the tip amount, but I would expect that if, in the european fashion the tip were incorporated into the bill, the sales taxes here, and they are not small, would apply to the bill total, including tip, and thus significantly reduce the proceeds to the server(s) and thwart the good intentions of the customer.
I say it's about the service you get from the server, and it should not be added on the check that creates lazy servers that don't get motivated to increase the tip
I've been in the restaurant industry for years. Bad tips happen. Some times it's been my fault but most of the time I'd guess not. I think people who refuse to tip should really just stay home. Unfortunately people get grouchy when they're hungry and often forget that they aren't the only ones in the restaurant. It's nothing personal people! Unless you stiffed me last time....
I am currently working as a server in an airport restaurant, the idea that people have an issue with tipping is just silly. Sure there may be a situation where a lesser tip is called for. However simply NOT tipping a person is outrageous, I would honestly say 99% of the time if your experience is not great it may be an issue that is out of the hands of the server. It is a shame that we are usually blamed for most issues, ie. taste of the food, how long the order has taken, prices of the items, I could go on and on but you get the picture. It is true pretty much all servers make around 2.13 an hour. That fact alone should be enough to get everyone to tip at least 10%, great service should get 18-20%, amazing service should get over 20%. If you have an issue with your server mention it to them, also keep in mind that while yes you are our customer we do have other tables and other duties to attend to. Please be kind to your servers, we work very very hard to ensure that your dining experience is enjoyable and we deal with alot of crap for the wages we make.
This article is regarding servers who *don't* work hard or make an effort. You seem like a good server, so this article doesn't apply to you. Most people can tell when the issue is the server vs. the kitchen, so this is also assumed within the debate. Please keep in mind we are *only* referring to leaving no tip for poor service, nothing else.
Tipping...tipping....what is with this tipping issue...
Did you understand that this tipping etiquette (which is not an etiquette at all but it's actually forced) exist only in the United States. Only 1 Country in the whole world.
This system is in favor of the restaurant owners, not the waiters.
Why am i even arguing with you, you don't get the point, you think I should add extra money to my check to pay the waiter, are you stupid? If you think they don't get paid enough, split the bill in 2, show on the top CHECK and on the bottom PAY THE WAITER SO THE RESTAURANT OWNER DOESN'T HAVE TO.
Or simply, let's see how much a waiter makes and compare it to a mail man, if it's the same, let's put a 20% of what the mail man is delivering to you as tip.
I have worked in the food/ service industry for over ten years as a server and bartender. I consider myself a very good server, however there are times when I don't receive a tip for my service. These times are few and far in between so I don't make a big issue of it. Even when I don't receive a tip, I still feel rewarded when a guest verbally tells me they enjoy my service. What most consumers don't know is most restaurants and bars have websites, and good reviews often result in rewards for themselves and their server. So when no tips come, but compliments do, I simply ask for good marks on the company website.
Also the way I see it, to all the waiters/waitresses out there, don't you feel like a Gypsy on the street asking for a tip considering that you are already getting paid? If you feel they are not paying you enough, go work somewhere else. Working in a restaurant it's not the only job available.
You expect me to give you extra money tp the money I'm already spending in food, and you are already getting paid!
It's just a bad system in favor of restaurant owners.
I am already getting paid 2.33 an hour. Not minimum wage. So that extra money you leave ensures that I actually get paid minimum wage. Go get another job? Are you aware of the economic downturn in our country? I am so thankful to have the job that I have! Its not that easy to just go out and get a new job.
There are millions of people right now picking up tomatoes in a field and they don't complain. Your boss should pay you a realistic wage, why do you ask me to pay you the rest? This tip thing is only in America do you understand?
Show me the "millions" picking tomatoes right now. Show me that they live in the US, legally, and pay taxes. Part of your dining experience at a restaurant is the service. If you don't want to pay for the service, then fine – don't eat there. There are plenty of fast-food and self-serve (i.e. buffet) restaurants available to you.
Your penny-pinching is part of the downside of this debate. This debate is ONLY about stiffing tips for poor service, not people like you who don't appreciate service at all. Yes, employers are obligated to ensure employees make at least minimum wage, but the payment structure is *designed* so the meal you are enjoying costs less, and you can tip the server accordingly. If you want the "tip" to be automatically factored in, you'd be surprised at how quickly things will add up.
Considering your "attitude" about tipping, I would wager you have never been to a nice restaurant. These aren't kids that are serving you – they are mature adults. You *will* be called out if you leave no tip (without good reason) and more than likely the restaurant will return the favor the next time you return. You should really learn some class.
Youre thankful you have a job that pays more than double minimum wage, dont lie, you have NEVER made less than minimum wage in your life. The only way a waiter can make less than minimum wage is at a restaurant that cant even come close to supporting itself and will eventually shut down, it is economically impossible for a waiter to make less than minimum wage at a restaurant that is making enough money to stay open.
You can very easily get a fast food job regardless of the economy, another lie, you wont take a job that actually pays minimum wage though because youd have to take a huge pay cut.
if you feel this way then go to Mcdonalds for all your meals, when you go to a sit down restaurant and have a server you are expecting to be served that is our job, it would not be possible for most restaurants to pay servers full wages, that is why it is a tipped job, we provide you with a service( bringing you drinks and food, making sure you have everything you want and or need) and in return for that service you leave us a small percentage of your bill. It is a system that works most of the time, the exceptions being when people like you show up, and think that you are better than everyone, do yourself a favor and work in this industry for a short time and your views will change. Go find another job?? Have you seen the unemployment rates these days? besides if everyone left the service industry no one would ever be able to go to a restaurant or bar and enjoy what they have to offer.
First, i leave 30% of my bill when I go to a restaurant, but not because I want to, but because I'm forced to. Your claim of "it would not be possible for most restaurants to pay servers full wages" it's just ridiculous, get your facts straight. If I work at the post office and I make $5.25/hr and I help you lifting your box, would you tip me? C'mon. The reality is that you believe that I have to pitch in where your boss doesn't. He makes all the money, he doesn't pay you enough, and you think it's right that the extra is on me.
It's just a bad habit here in the United States. Again, read what I wrote, only in the United States. Why? because you guys only think about what happens in this Country and never look at the other places in the world.
You think that "not tipping" is just silly. Next time the UPS guy shows up at your door carrying your package, tip him 20% of the value of what you have purchased, after all he has to drive in a hot truck all day for 5 buck/hr. You do that, and I'll respect your opinion.
I personally have yet to NOT tip a waiter or waitress. There have been times where I have only left 10% tip for overall bad service with a restaurant, but for my issues, they weren't entirely the server's fault so I still left them something.
As a waiter in Upstate New York, I am amazed by how many Canadians that don't check to see what servers make in New York State. We make $4.65 an hour. A far cry from Ontario and Quebec servers who make over $8 an hour PLUS tips. Granted, in Canada...tipping is done between 10 and 15%. Many Canadians will say they had great service and are very pleasant, only to walk out and leave nothing. I have chased anyone out the door, but I know a few waitresses who have and the Canadians said they thought it was included. I wish we could have something on our menu or on our tables kindly informing people from out of state that in most cases (with exceptions of large parties) the tip is NOT included. In a perfect world, I'd like to see all servers making minimum wage and expecting 10% to 15% in tips for good to exceptional service. Tipping should not be added into a check. It's something a server earns.
Why don't you go to the root of the problem? This "Tipping Etiquette" applies only to the United States. You are "forced" to leave a tip, while in ANY other Country in the World, tipping is based on 'Quality of Service".
WHY? Because Restaurant Owners came up with this incredible idea of paying waiters minimum and drop the rest of the responsability to the client. Which other field requires this? Do you thip the guy at the Mc Donalds Drive thru? He's on minimum wage too. No you don't.
I remember a case in Florida where this restaurant owner my friend knew was paying $1 per hr more his waiters but he would collect all the tips.
It's the same when you go to a bar and everytime the bartender opens a beer bottle for you you have to give him an extra buck. Why? If you believe what you make is not enough, go get another job.
In the rest of the world, tipping is a very honest reaction to a service, and you know, again, tipping here is just in favour of restaurant owners so that they can pay less their waiters.
I am so surprised I am hearing this from folks who are working everyday jobs and work just as hard as those in the food industry. Also, Jaliska you mentioned that people choose to work a job that pays minimum wage; well I hate to be the one who informs you of this but wait staff only make $2.50 an hour and if that is minimum wage then we are all screwed. They also have to declare 100% of their tips. By making comments like this you are showing how ignorant you are. They also have to put up with people who are arrogant and condescending like you and for that no amount of compensation is enough. Most people who work in the restaurant industry are doing so to put themselves through school so one day they can get a high paying job, or are working there as a second job so they can support their family or be home during the day with their children. People who work in this industry are probably some of the hardest working people you will every meet. If you ever took the silver spoon out of your "you know what" and bothered to get to know a server then you would probably eat your own words. Both of us put ourselves through school and worked two jobs waitressing while going to school and now have $100k a year jobs. It is those work ethics we learned while waitressing that make us so successful in our jobs today.
i hate to be the one to break this to you, but waiters and and waitresses make at least minimum wage since the restaurant will pay them the difference if their total doesn't equal at least minimum wage. You never make 2.13, that's illegal. You make 7.25/hr or more.
you don't sound like someone with a 100k job. Those jobs aren't handed to fresh college grads...they 10 – 20 years experience after college to obtain and are often administrator level jobs. If you really held one of these jobs I doubt you would say the same redundant garbage about "only make 2.13/hr" that these other waiters/waitresses are saying.
And reality is, you ppl don't bust your butt so hard. What's so hard about your job???? Bring food and drinks to tables...sometimes 2 or 3 tables at a time. It's not rocket science. What about those ppl that bust their buns stocking shelves at walmart all day. I used to work freight at walmart and lowes where myself and 2 others would pull boxes out of a huge truck and stock the shelves for 8 hours a day. They just work hard and make a reasonable check.
i tip from time to time, but only for good service. It's not obligatory, and you do make minimum wage anyway. ppl like you make ppl not want to tip at all.
You really do not have a clue. Try waiting tables. I used to train people and explain to them that they have a difficult job, because we get people at their worst. We get them at the end of the workday when they are tired, hungry, in a hurry, have whining, crying kids, and have to make them feel as if they are guests in my living room/dining room. To really be good, the server has to have expertise with food, alcohol, the wine list, food allergies, customer service, balance and coordination (or you end up with a coffee down your back), patience of a saint, a sense of humour, be a salesperson in track shoes...
In a quality restaurant, I would sometimes have 5-7 tables on a Saturday night. That is drinks, food, dirty plates, orders, etc for as many as 35 people who all want something quickly. I would go 5-10:30 or 11 without slowing down... all quick, knowing the faster I got my job done, the more potential to make money.
Try that and tell me it is easy. I work in retail management now... waiting tables is a lot tougher than stocking shelves at Walmart... if for no other reason than stocking shelves you deal with far fewer people.
Try getting food out for a party of 6 or 8 or 10 with kids running in the aisles.
On the other hand... a good $150 night balances with a couple of $35 lunch shifts...
By the way... restaurants avoid paying the difference if you make short money because they space it over a pay period. If you have a shift and make $10 .. holiday shift, slow night in the lounge, whatever... plus $2.13/hour, minus tips for bus and bar... the restaurants look at what you make for the week. How would you like to go to work and ...slow day... you aren't going to get paid?
If you are making 100K a year... how difficult is an extra couple of dollars? Easy work.. put an apron and bowtie on and belly up to the line with me... see if you can do the job, without poisoning someone with a shellfish allergy or spilling drinks on someone, moving at pace and yet being calm and smiling at every table.
As has been mentioned... I remember the bad tippers. Next time in my station.. they get slower service because I am going to pay attention to the people who pay me. The best nights... my station filled with requests. You lose. Stay out of my table. I guarantee that if there were people at my tables I made more than minimum wage. I also used to work 70+ hours per week on my feet. Waitstaff in a good restaurant are not lazy or ignorant...
You really think the restaurant makes up the difference? FAT CHANCE! I have worked in 3 different restaurants over the past 3 years and not a single one did that. Just because its the law doesnt mean that its enforced. THINK ABOUT THAT THE NEXT TIME YOU DONT LEAVE A TIP!
99.9% of the time I DO NOT leave a tip. I don't need to throw money away on someone who "brings" me my food or "refills" my drink – I'd much rather do it myself. It's a bunch of crap – if you don't make enough money, get a new (or second) job and stop whining...You decided to be a server!
Throw money away on someone bringing you food or refilling your drink?
Tell you what... sit in a restaurant and tell them before you eat that you don't plan on tipping because you don't need to pay for service.. See if your drink ever arrives. If you don't want to engage in the contract, paying for service given, eat at home or eat drive through. Do you pay the people who mow your lawn, because you don't need to throw money away on keeping your grass trimmed? That is also surely something you can do yourself.
I've left 125% tip (on a $20 order), and frequently leave 20-30% in tip.
But I do not like receiving bad service. When I am convinced the waiter is treating me badly (and believe me, as a person of color I do have this problem), I leave no tip. This is very rare though.
I cannot believe how many people are demeaning servers in this comment thread. The amount of venom that people are spitting out about eating out and tipping is unbelievable. You think serving is easy!?! Try remembering 10 things that you just got asked for in about 30 seconds from 7 different people. Think you could do it? Guess again! There is ABSOLUTELY a difference between a good server and a bad server, and hopefully restaurants will recognize that bad server and they will no longer be at the merciless hands of YOU horrible, judgmental people. You think all servers wouldn't serve if they didn't have to? That they wouldn't be serving with college degrees? NO WAY. I graduated college in 3 years with honors in 2007. I entered one of the bleakest job markets ever. I have a full time good paying job now. But back then I didn't, and I served to help keep my head above water. Has it ever occurred to the diner that maybe the server is there, not because they have to be, but because they WANT to be? I serve now because it's something that I LOVE to do. The people who come in and act like their server is "beneath" them are the people who slowly turn something I love to do into something I hate to do. Next time you're eating out maybe show a little but of compassion for someone that is working VERY hard to make your life just a little bit easier and cut them some slack.
SD Server
"Try remembering 10 things that you just got asked for in about 30 seconds from 7 different people. Think you could do it? Guess again!"
Not by memory alone, WHO COULD, NOBODY just about. I could very much do it if I ***WROTE EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY REQUEST DOWN, I SURE COULD, WHY DON'T YOU TRY TO **WRITE IT DOWN*** YOU LAZY ASS PERSON?
There's no way I could do it without writing it down. You are stupid if you think you can.
If you make a list, you just follow your list. Now, it's possible you might overlook something, but in general, if you write it down and REREAD YOUR LIST OF TASKS, you won't have to "REMEMBER" anything, now will you?
There is NO EXCUSE IN THE WORLD, NO EXCUSE, NO EXCUSE NOT TO **WRITE IT REQUESTS AND ORDERS DOWN**!!
I have had to-go boxes, checks, to-cups, to-go condiment containers, extra napkins, refills, etc. FORGOTTEN all because of people like YOU that are TOO FUCKING LAZY ASS TO **WRITE IT THE FUCK DOWN**~~
When you come to the table, you should have a pad and pen READY!! If you have dirty dishes in your hand, you will tell the customer you will be right back, because you won't be able to remember it unless you can write it down. They would rather you get it right, than get it wrong.Also, if it's something simple like a couple of refills, while you are putting those dishes away that were in your hands, you write it down in the kitchen if you know there are other requests ahead of that person.
"cut them some slack."
I cut slack when I see that you have TRIED to remember what I said by WRITING IT DOWN!!
I don't cut you slack even when I told you "You might want to write this down", then get turned down, then the stupid lazy ass server forgets things. WELL I TOLD YOU TO WRITE IT DOWN!!! Now, you get a bad tip(even lower than if you made the same mistakes, but wrote it down, because of your lack of EFFORT to write things down to TRY to remember them.) Then you complain, well you only have to blame yourself if you messed up when you didn't write it down.
"The people who come in and act like their server is "beneath" them"
Don't act like I am beneath you, meaning don't bring me the completely wrong food. LOOK AT WTF you hand people!! Don't act so dumb. There are some dumb ass servers out there where I knew MORE about the menu than they did and I never worked there even one second worth. It's all because they didn't even TRY to READ the menu themselves.
Don't blame someone else when I can see the mistake without touching anything within 2 seconds of the food or drinks hitting the table. I am not stupid. Anyone that does blame the kitchen staff or bartender for a mistake that is very obvious that the customer can see it within 2 seconds without touching anything, that's why we are above you. You can't admit fault, can't apologize, can't be honest, and don't have enough common sense to know that we already know who is at fault, so why bother trying to hide it when it's going to hurt your tip more in most cases. If you don't know that, then we are above you, because you are that stupid. Don't act like we are stupid.
I had a waiter tell me a wrong price was a misprint. Sorry dude, but there is no such thing. You consent to that price on the menu, therefore, since the customer can notice this, the SERVER can and could have gotten it fixed from their manager BEFORE handing the check to the customer. Don't act like we are stupid, because saying "misprint" shows how stupid you are to blame a MENU instead of yourself. You have a set of eyes too. Unless you are illiterate or need glasses, there is no reason why a server can't see a wrong price, but a customer can. Don't tell me you don't have time, because you have time to get refills, ranch, napkins, etc. ALL of that is JUST AS IMPORTANT and in fact, someone's money being right is WAYYYY more important than those things.
Why should I cut someone slack that acts like they don't care and doesn't even apologize when they mess up or tries to blame the mistake on someone else when it is THEIR FAULT?
WHY should I cut someone slacked that didn't **TRY** to REMEMBER things I said by WRITING IT DOWN if they messes up?
You must think servers have some ounce of control of what happens in a restaurant. I work in a place where we are merely messengers between the kitchen and the customers. Do not hold a server accountable for a misprint in a menu that a manager or owner might think is no big deal. Its not that server can just print up some new menus. Seriously, servers are treated poorly by customers, but in many cases, they are also treated poorly by their own employers. Cut them some slack, especially when they DO write your order down.
If your server never writes anything down, and constantly makes mistakes, then he/she won't be working there very long. i have worked with people that have never written stuff down at a table. it's kind of inspiring. Pricks like you, however, are more the type to try and trip up some waiter because he told you he can remember what you say so you give him a bunch of pointless demands to foil him. Pathetic. all so you can whine to management and your friends and blogs like this that this waiter sucked. Trying to feel better about ourselves, are we?
Mac Grurry
"trip up some waiter because he told you he can remember what you say so you give him a bunch of pointless demands to foil him. Pathetic. all so you can whine to management and your friends and blogs like this that this waiter sucked. Trying to feel better about ourselves, are we?"
NO, I just want **PERFECT SERVICE*** if I can have it. It's not about the money, it's about having a GOOD TIME!! I don't want the mess ups. I find if the server writes it down I have a much better chance it coming out correctly than when they don't in general. It's really not about the money. I would rather give the server 25% and up, just give me good service. Don't hand me anything under the sun per say. Once, my husband and I had an appetizer with some bar drinks, no entrées at around 2:30p.m. on a Saturday afternoon when it was slow. The waiter handed us another table's order all because he was TOO LAZY to WRITE THE ORDER DOWN and then was TOO LAZY to COMPARE THE TICKET TO THE FOOD which table had which thing. He handed us a side of beans and something else when we ordered quesadilllas adding a side of ranch. Anyway, my point is, I would TRULY RATHER have gave him a 20% plus tip than for him to do that. Do you understand it's about not having problems and about the server TRYING THEIR BEST, which this waiter was clearly LAZY as can be? I reported him to the manager and he saw how, JUST AN APPETIZER how he 100% messed that up by not writing it down or even comparing the ticket to the food. He apparently put the item in correctly, possibly not the ranch, but either way, ranch could have been brought out ahead of time regardless of WHO brought out the food.
NO, it's not pointless demands, it's just getting WHAT YOU ORDERED OR ASKED FOR!! I am TIRED OF THE servers like that. Those are the lazy one and uncaring ones that think they are ENTITLED to a tip.
Alli
"You must think servers have some ounce of control of what happens in a restaurant."
They have LOTS of control over what you get at your table. Think about it.
They control when they put in your order, what order they put in, what they bring you as far as obvious mistakes are concerned if they bring you your food, they control what they charge you as far as what the product is, price(on the menu or what their manager requires if it’s not on the menu such as extra condiments or extra items), noticing if you have utensils, getting you refills, asking if you need anything like refills, etc.
You are stupid to think they have ZERO CONTROL, when they have 90% of control of what happens at your table and YOU KNOW THAT IS THE GOD’S TRUTH!!
"I work in a place where we are merely messengers between the kitchen and the customers."
No, you are responsible for what you BRING to the person if it’s something you can tell just by LOOKING at it if it’s wrong or not. Use your common sense. I had a stupid waiter bring me quesadillas when I ordered bbq chicken nachos. He even wrote it down. Turns out, he put the order in wrong and didn’t obviously compare his written order to the food to try to catch his own initial mistake.
Look at these plates:
http://www.jenzcorner.com/gallery/chilis.jpg
You can tell in the 3rd picture to the right, they have guacamole , sour cream, jalapenos, tomatoes, etc.
Let’s say the customer ordered no jalapenos. HOW IS THAT A MESSENGER ISSUE EVEN IF YOU PUT IN THE ORDER CORRECTLY, but you also brought out the food, you can CLEALY SEE WITH YOUR EYES THERE ARE JALAPENOS ON THE NACHOS?
The last plate on the right side has corn, let’s say if the person substituted fries, well you can clearly see there is CORN. Get what I am saying here?
YOU AREN’T “JUST THE MESSENGER” YOU ARE THE PERSON THAT IS IN CHARGE OF ****BRINGING IT OUT CORRECTLY***!! If another server delivers the food, if you put in the order correctly, that other is not responsible for any condiments, because the SERVER is since they are making the tip. The other server brings you corn instead of fries when the order was put in correctly, no it wouldn’t be your fault, nor would it be the kitchen staff’s fault, it would be the fault of the LAST PERSON THAT COULD HAVE ***COMPARED THE TICKET TO THE FOOD***, so since the order was in correctly, the person bringing it out would be at fault. It’s still in the service though that person, because they are still “SERVING” you so OF COURSE it should go against the tip. That other server isn’t making a tip since it’s not their table to care, so what do you expect? TEAM WORK, YEAH RIGHT? That never hardly happens since there is no tip involved with that from the customer.
If YOU are my server and bring me that last plate on the right if let’s say I ask for gravy on the side, if you didn’t take ANY ***EFFORT**** to COMPARE THE WRITTEN ORDER TO THE FOOD, then, if you STUPIDLY BRING IT TO ME WITH GRAVY and even the corn when I substituted fries, then IT’S 100% YOUR FAULT FOR WASTING MY TIME ********BRINGING ME THE WRONG FOOD AND WRONGLY PREPARED FOOD THAT IS OBVIOUS WITHOUT HAVING TO TOUCH A THING TO NOTICE THE MISTAKE***!! YOU ARE NOT JUST THE MESSENGER IN 90% of the cases, HONESTLY!!
If you forget my side of bbq sauce, GEE, I can see that in the middle picture, there is no bbq sauce, IS THERE? ARE YOU BLIND? YOU WROTE IT DOWN HOPEFULLY!!
My husband and I have had a waiter put in front of my husband fried shrimp w/fries when he ordered crawfish au gratin w/baked potato. It was only the 2 of us, which mine wasn’t even a complicated order as it usually is. It was because he admitted he grabbed the WRONG ENTRÉE from the kitchen as well as I SAW with MY OWN TWO EYES, he didn’t EVER compare the written orders to WHICH TABLE HAD WHICH ENTRÉE!! HE WAS A LAZY AND UNCARING WAITER!!
THERE WAS NO MESSENGER INVOLVED AND THE KITCHEN STAFF HAD ZERO TO DO WITH WHAT HAD HAPPENED!! So you see, STOP BLAMING EVERYONE ELSE WHEN YOU HAVE 90% CONTROL OF WHAT WE GET AND WHEN WE GET IT!!
Alli
Continued:
“Do not hold a server accountable for a misprint in a menu that a manager or owner might think is no big deal.”
IT IS NOT A MISPRINT YOU IDIOT!! WE ORDER FROM THE MENU, THE MENU, THE MENU, NOT THE COMPUTER FOR THAT TO BE CORRECT YOU IDIOT!! The computer price means NOTHING and isn’t correct. The menu price is the ONLY PRICE that is correct since the customer LEGALLY CONSENTED WHEN THEY ORDERED TO THAT PRICE ONLY!! They didn’t order from the computer screen .
This is the type of UNCARING, LAZY attitude I am talking about that the waiter had. If I, the CUSTOMER, can COMPARE A MENU TO THE CHECK PRICES, SO CAN THE SERVER!! WE DON’T ORDER FROM THE DAMN COMPUTER!! The server is making a tip and doesn’t have to go to a shelf to find each price. They got a little booklet called a menu, which honestly doesn’t take that long to compare the prices since a lot of prices aren’t even on the menus today at a lot of restaurants such as soft drinks or places like Chili’s don’t even have their alcohol prices listed.
The owner has ZERO to do with this, because even if the owner decides not to fix it(which I have NEVER HAD HAPPEN BEFORE, they all fixed it, because it is STEALING if they don’t), you can’t make the CUSTOMER pay it. IT should come out of your pocket if you want a tip at all. Overcharging INTENTIONALLY IS STEALING and if you know the check isn’t correct, then you are just as bad as the manager.
You can still TRY to get it fixed from the manager *********BEFORE*********** handing me the check.
Here's a pretend check for let's say typically what me and my husband would get:
Bloomin Onion $6.25
Baby Back Ribs (Full) $17.25
Add Side Salad to Entrée $2.50
Ribeye 14oz. $19.95
2 Cold Beverages $2.50 (NOT LISTED ON THE MENU)(that's how they list soft drinks and tea)
Miller Lite – not listed
Down Under Rita – Not Listed
http://www.outback.com/menu/pdf/C10.pdf
Can you find the item with the wrong price? I sure can, so can the SERVER. HOW CAN YOU SAY THE SERVER HAS NO "CONTROL" over this when ANYONE, even a 6 yr old could find a difference in a price? It's just a simple COMPARISON of the MENU to the CHECK prices, that's IT. There isn't anything to say the server wouldn't have control over unless they didn't hand the customer their check, which is very rare, but HAS happened before to us a few times.
The Baby back ribs are $16.95 for the full rack, but on the pretend check, the customer was charged $17.25 What does this tell you? That you are an IDIOT that either cannot READ or just TOO LAZY AND UNCARING to do your job CORRECTLY to care about OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY IN ORDER FOR THEM TO CARE ABOUT YOURS WHEN TIP TIME COMES!!
Even if the drinks had listed prices, SO? Don’t you want a GOOD TIP? CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY BESIDES YOUR OWN!!
“Its not that server can just print up some new menus.”
CAN YOU READ OR ARE YOU ILLITERATE? This is your LAZINESS TALKING HERE!! The COMPUTER IS NOT WHERE WE ORDER FROM YOU IDIOTIC STUPID FOOL!! When *YOU* are a customer, do you order from a COMPUTER SCREEN or a MENU? Well, I am waiting? Isn’t it that ***ADVERTISED PRICE *** on the MENU where you order from? IT IS AND YOU KNOW IT!!
“Cut them some slack, especially when they DO write your order down.”
NOT when you can tell they NEVER ONCE COMPARED THEIR WRITTEN ORDER TO YOUR FOOD AND BROUGHT YOU THE COMPLETELY WRONG THING!! That’s just PURE LAZINESS!!
Also, if I order ONE appetizer and only add one side of ranch, then you can’t get ONE FREAKING PLATE RIGHT, WHAT KIND OF TIP DO YOU EXPECT? 12% or less is what you will get. You get what you give in EFFORT and NICENESS!! If you say you are sorry, you will get more than 12%, possibly 15% just for simply being NICE about the mistake instead of an uncaring bitch!! ADMITTING FAULT WHEN WE KNOW YOU ARE TAKES A LOT and WHEN SOMEONE DOES; TO ME THE TIP SHOULD SHOW THAT!! You don’t care about me; I don’t care about your money, plain and simple!!
I cut you some slack if you are nice about the mistake and it’s a MINOR mistake, if it’s major, it won’t be as harshly if you are nicer and depending on how you handle it(asking for a comp if it’s major), that will depend on how we tip. A good example, a waiter admitted he forgot to put our appetizer order in. The thing is, I saw he had time to HUG someone. I saw WHY he FORGOT. He PROFUSELY apologized twice and even offered us a certain appetizer for free that needed no cooking(chips n’ salsa). I told him we ordered plenty of food that we would rather have something off the bill instead. At first he came back to tell me his manager wouldn’t comp the appetizer, so I was like, “NO, I meant even a coke off the bill is fine, but we just have ordered too much food, so we don’t want more food.” Well, he ended up giving us $5 off the bill. He got himself a 16% tip BEFORE the $5 discount. WHY? BECAUSE **THE WAY HE HANDLED IT**!! I was pissed about that he hugged someone. He should have been doing his JOB, but we have NEVER had someone that actually GAVE A CARE like that, that wanted to MAKE-UP for his mess up. We usually have the ones that don’t care, don’t tell their managers, no comp., etc. We NEVER have someone that does all that. So he got a tip that really wasn’t deserved for the mistake, but it was 100% deserved for the making up for his mistake. My point is, I will cut you slack if you act like we are HUMAN BEINGS WITH FEELINGS as HE DID!! EVERY SERVER SHOULD ACT LIKE THAT IF THEY MAKE A MAJOR MESS UP!! You want a good tip, TRY to make-up for it. Heck, if the manager wouldn’t have comped anything, I would have honestly expected HIM to PAY for the soft drink. If he would have, we would have tipped the same, but if there was no comp, 5% tip, because as I said, I SAW he had time to PLAY, so he can decide to do what is right. I would rather get a tip than hardly any tip. I know I would pay for a coke if I were a server if I had done that KNOWING I HAD THE TIME, but PLAYED. I would be lucky if I didn’t get stiffed, because NOTHING can make-up for a TIME LOSS. Money doesn’t always make-up someone’s time; especially if they want to make a movie or something else they want to go afterwards and are late because of that type of thing.
I don't tip because it's a messed up concept. It doesn't take a genius to see that that waiters and waitresses are already payed minimum wage because the restaurants are obligated guarantee them at least that much.
I've talked to a lot of people and most tip even though they don't want to. How stupid is that....? What is this high school where people do things because of peer pressure just to fit in? Should we tip because we don't want to 'offend' someone even though it's optional? Or do we tip so that these trailer trash people don't piss in our food?
I don't feel tips are reasonable given the already high cost of food, the OK salary waiters/waitresses make, and their readiness to to get upset for 'little or no tip'...therefore I don't tip. If you don't like that idea.....move on. I'm not like the other politically correct tippers you see.
PS: I work for a financial company here in New York and am well off...so it's not like I'm cheap or bla bla. I simply don't agree with the concept and therefore don't tip.
You clearly have never worked in a restaurant or known anyone who has worked in a restaurant. To say "trailer trash" when referring to servers is a gross generalization and is HORRIBLY offensive. The single mom or college student that is busting their butt to get you that side of ranch dressing that you just NEEDED so desperately doesn't care about your "holier than thou" ideas about tipping. They're trying to make ends meet so that they can provide for themselves, and sometimes their family. There are A LOT of people in America that weren't afforded opportunities to work in the financial sector, and never had a single hand reach out to help them. Maybe you should think about the opportunities that you were given in life and count your blessings cause you don't know what kind of hand the person serving you has been dealt.
How rude of you... I wouldn't be surprised if you are a regular at a restaurant where they spit in your food because you don't tip. Haven't you seen the moving Waiting? Don't f*ck with people who cook and serve your food.
How about you don't f*ck with other peoples opinions. I don't see where she offended you for you to get so angry. Jackasses spitting in food is exactly the kind of reason why people probably don't tip. I hope someone shits on your food, u tip them, and end up in the hospital for e. coli infection.
Are you out of your mind? NYC has one of the highest cost of livings on the planet and you're not tipping your waiters? Educated people wait tables, Jen, and they'll be the first to tell you, a tip IS voluntary, but it's also a way to do your part for the economy, and don't try to hide the fact you're chintzy with the old "i don't want to" argument. What if your salad cost more than you want it too? you gonna leave 10 dollars instead of 11.50? you can't skimp on the bill, so don't skimp on the tip, spread the wealth, cheapskate
jen, i am sure i am speaking for most of the free speaking servers in ny alone, stay home, you are not doing anyone any favors by going out to eat, i have served for a number of years before finding my "career" job. and still to this day appreciate servers and all they do. when i was serving and putting my daughter through catholic school the schedule i had allowed me to work and care for her during the day. i am grateful for those that tipped as well as they did based on my level of service, which as stated previously never started out trying to be substandard. yes, there are things that are out of a servers control, ie the kitchen, or front of house seating problems, but we, the servers are the "face" of ther establishment and need to protect that "face" if we want to get paid. people used to say to me why don't you get a "real job" excuse me, i have a real job, making "real" money, do you typically bring home $300.00 a week (in the 70"s) i do, and i do not nor have i ever lived in a trailer. your mentality is at best, an excuse for you just being cheap.
People that do not tip, we do not do it because we cant afford it. We do it because we dont want to. It is a concious choice not to apply the "social norm". Some jobs are meant to pay bad. It is called a social ladder! climb up if you can. Plus, social norms are meant to change. dont you think it's abou time?
If you're so high up on the social ladder, don't you think you should be leaving a tip? How am I supposed to climb this "ladder" if cheap, or I guess in your case just selfish, people are at my table? I'm doing this job to help pay for my college, not because I desire $3.50 an hour. If you can't afford to tip, and ESPECIALLY if you just don't tip because "some jobs are meant to pay bad," then don't go out to eat. Cook it yourself, because tipping is part of the dining out experience. It is the reason servers are legally allowed to be paid less than minimum wage. People like you are the reason there's the saying, everyone should have to wait tables at some point in their life. Do me a favor, stay home.
Quality restaurants should have quality wait staff, service, and food. Patrons should leave a quality tip. I waited tables throughout college, and know what its like. If you wait tables at a chain middle-of-the-road restaurant that caters to non tipping, low class individuals, then that is obviously your choice...but don't gripe about not making money.
I've worked in jobs where if I have a bad day, I can get people killed. I have never had a "bad day" on those jobs. I went into it knowing exactly what needed to be done, and exactly how to get it done.
As long as you aren't blaming kitchen mistakes on a server, it's perfectly fine to not tip because of poor service.
I had an experience at a resturaunt in Texas, where the waitress not only got an awesome tip "Find another Job", she got fired for what happened at my table.
I tip big (30% or more) if I've been taken care of. If the waiter did his job, he automatically gets a big tip out of me. If I'm left wanting, he still gets his 15%. But if he/she screws up, they get a dollar or two. Now, if he pulls attitude with me when I inform him that he's messed up, I tend to write advice in the tip line, instead of a dollar ammount.
I've done it before.. BUT I would also be sure that I've taken steps BEFORE that to address the problem.. If it's a speed of service issue, that may not be my servers direct controllable issue.. as such, I'm not inclined to NOT tip, as that's not "punishing" the responsible party.. Part of my reluctance stems from the simple fact that not everything is controllable by your sever– who just by the process is the "face" to your experience.. So, if the kitchen is slow for whatever reason, or your food is prepared incorrectly, that may not be your servers "fault" but by leaving little or no tip, you've effectively punished them for something they had little or no ability to control. Tip pooling makes holding the responsible party hard as everyone is ultimately "tied" together for their performance..
I would, and have, asked to speak to the duty manager to express my concerns and asked him/her to address it– and also noted, that his/her actions would be reflected in my tip accordingly.. This isn't a threat and I try hard to express as such, and since the manager is most likely not a party to profiting from any tips left- s/he has no direct vested interest in my tip size anyway.. but they should be for their employees sake and the possible word of mouth issues.
What I don't like and refuse to do is to simply not leave a tip and not give that person(s) the opportunity to correct it.. I recognize that in many cases a servers wage structure is set up with the built-in assumption that s/he will derive a percentage of their total pay from discretionary tips– so I take any tip reduction or elimination seriously.. But in the end, I don't feel that I'm *obligated* to do so, and that if I've received what I perceive to be poor or sub-standard service *and* I've given that person a chance to correct it (assuming it's their issue and correctable) then I see no problems with leaving little or no tip..
WestCoastDiner
"your food is prepared incorrectly, that may not be your servers "fault" but by leaving little or no tip, you've effectively punished them for something they had little or no ability to control."
In MOST(not all, but MOST) situations, YOU CAN TELL if it's your server's fault or not. Think about it. If you can see something is wrong just by LOOKING at the food if they brought it out to you(such as the completely wrong food, side dish missing, missing side of ranch), you KNOW WHO IS AT FAULT, YOUR SERVER since they have a set of EYES TOO that can compare the written orders to the food BEFORE bringing it out to you.
If I see my server not going to the computer after taking my order and going to buss a table or going to 3 other tables without them calling him or her over, I can see WHY my food is going to get delayed. It's because they decided to hold my table's orders in their hands instead of putting it into the computer so the kitchen can get started on it just that much sooner.
MOST of the time, you know who is at fault. Sometimes, there are honest servers that admit fault. Most of the time, it's pretty obvious what has happened.
The times I am not sure such as an undercooked steak(not sure if my server put in the order correctly), I will blame the kitchen staff unless my server admits fault. In other words, I may be taking it out on the kitchen staff when my server put my order in wrong, but I would say something like that is usually the kitchen staff's fault, so I will go with that unless they admit fault.
Springs, yes I agree that in *MOST* situations that would hold true.. but my point and premise is that I am not going to hold the server responsible for it all and that there can be issue that s/he had little to no direct control over.. Yes, they have eyes and should be inspecting dishes before presentation.. that's a fair assessment of responsibility.. but it's not all encompassing.. there can be issues that aren't visible or measurable by eye.. over-salting for example..
The point is that not everything falls to the server.. Yes, they play a very large part in the whole event.. and they also represent the "face" of the restaurant to me– for good or bad.... and as such I am not prone to skip the tip when the issue fundamentally may not have been his/her fault *and* if they've done what can reasonably be expected to do to remedy it.. But I do expect that they be my advocate for an pleasant dining experience.
If the server has fundamentally not done the job, and I've given them a change to remedy it, then I'm totally OK with leaving little to no tip... but I do think that it's only fair and proper to assess– as best as possible– where the breakdown was, and what opportunities were available for recovery and who took them or not.
So ...., reading the debate thus far, I have come to the conclusion that yes, you are not entitled to a tip, and Yes leaving NO TIP is okay by me if it was truly that horrible, NOT if you are a cheapskate. I am sevrer who's worked in the industry for 15 years... and I have seen another shift in America besides "entitlement"
How about getting your Buy One Get One free coupons etc in the paper or val-pak , and then leaving a sorry ass tip because your bill is half of what is originally was? I think it's alright if you use it once because that's what they are intended for...not the repeaters who scour every paper/online deal and come in 2 -3 times a week to see how much they can get fror free.
When I started as a server people did this and still tipped according to the original amount BEFORE the coupon discount....now it's just sad to see what people can get for free and then not tip accordingly. That costs the restaurant money and the server too...that includes to go orders in my book as well.
Servers are taxed 2 ways...TOTAL yearly sales and tips declared.
I understand why some people wouldn't tip when the server is rude, but some customers are just plain assholes as soon as they walk in. I'm sorry, but if someone treats me like a subhuman before anything happened yet, I am not going to kiss their ass for a tip. I'll do what I need to do, but it's kind of hard to be in a good mood if you're being talked down to. So, in that way, I may seem rude, but seriously, some people walk in way too high and mighty.
I agree, but that goes for both sides of the table. Customers, servers, and many other people in America today have an egotistical false sense of entitlement. There will always be "those" people, unfortunately – but if you continue to do your job with courtesy, and respect yourself, things will turn out alright in the end!
"Walk in high and mighty"? Oh, puh-leeze. Who do you think you are? That's right: you work for me. We have a contract that says you have to bring what I order or I won't pay for it. You also have an implied obligation to be a good server or I will be released from any obligation to tip you, feeling that your employer has already chosen to compensate you for mediocrity. Does it make me "high and mighty" if I don't want to know your name or allow you to be rude to my guests by interrupting a conversation or failing to cater to our various needs? I don't think so. Get over yourself.
Common courtesy would be to pause your important conversation so your server can do his or her job. They are not interrupting you. They are doing their job.
I used to be a server. I must say that if you feel that I didn't serve you well enough, you shouldn't tip me, but there are those who are truely cheap. They want superior service, but want to treat you like dogs and not tip anything. This one girl said out loud "why should we tip them, it's their job?". Wow! is about all I have to say to that.
I have never been a server before, but I have absolutely no problem tipping someone an exceptional amount for doing exceptional work.
Recently, at an IHOP, there were two large parties (about 11 people) in front of our party of 3. Because it was a week day and the mangement thought it would be a relatively slow day, there was only 1 cook on premise and unfortunately no other cooks were available to come in. It took our food two hours to come, even just the appetizer. Our waitress was extremely nice and genuinely felt bad for us having to wait so long. She offered us a discount and anything we could've possibly asked for. Recognizing that it was clearly the fault of management and the kitchen, I tipped our waitress an astounding $8 on a $12 check. My other two friends, one being a waitress herself, left little to no tip.
Waiters make too much money as it is. don't give me that bullshit about how you make less than minimum wage. you are guaranteed minimum wage (restuarant will make up difference), and everyone knows you make $20 – $25 an hour working a job that should pay minimum wage. then you greedy bums come around here talking about we need tips....no you want tips so you can make $25 and hour. otherwise you get what your worth which is 7.25/hr.
by the way, the ppl whining here are the same ones that feel they are entitled to all kinds of special treatment yet they can spit in your food or complain about every stupid thing you tell them to do.
most ppl feel this way, the only ones b*tching are the loser waiters/waitresses (aka beggers). I work as a construction contractor and run my own business...bring home about 90k a year. I stiff everytime because i don't remember ppl tipping me with the exception of a few.
bottom line, waiters/waitresses just do your work and shut up about the tips. Restaurants and other businesses (like mine) with no tips generally have better service any way.
You just had to throw in how much money you bring home? Does this make you feel even bigger than you already are?
Any restaurant that you frequent and don't tip, be warned. Sounds to me like you are a little guy trying to fill some big shoes. Don't change BM people like you just the way you are.
BigMike, this is supposed to be a mature, reasonable debate. Your comments are exactly the type that exacerbate some bad stigmas. You are admitting to being a cheap customer, while you make a fair amount of money and can obviously afford tips. There are industries, such as construction, where tips are not a part of the job (but sometimes bonuses are). That has absolutely nothing to do with being a server, where constant customer service is a part of the job. Tips *are* a part of the job, but as I've stated before, they should be earned, and not given "no matter what".
While I don't give much respect to a self-admitted cheapskate such as yourself, what bothers me more is that you think you are better than others – you're calling people losers. You need a reality check, the world does not revolve around you.
To what Jaliska said in the article "They chose to work at that restaurant w/ minimum wage. They're not forced to live off that money. If they really wanted to, they could get a good-paying job somewhere else. It's not the customer's problem that the server doesn't earn enough money to fend for himself. We eat out to feed ourselves, not to worry about someone else."
It's a fact of life that sometimes people can't find any other work. Especially in this economy, having any kind of paying job is a blessing. I waited tables in college and can say that the experience has made me a more empathetic person. Everyone, no matter what you do, has to deal with some type of "customer" so we should all learn to exercise better "customer service". If you go to a restaurant and you're rude, you'll get bad service and if even if you do get bad service, there's no excuse to not leave a tip. Even a penny is better than no tip, that way your server will realize that maybe he/she needs to improve upon some things.
I have waited tables and been on the receiving end of a 1 penny tip, and I remember being devastated, because I couldn't understand what I had done wrong to displease my customers that badly. After a couple years bussing and waiting- it had made me an over-tipper anytime I went out. Even if I had what most would consider bad service, I would still leave between 15-20%. I never left a penny or no tip at all- until a couple weeks ago I was out with friends. The service was horrendous. We had 3 or 4 different people at our... one to seat us, one to take our order, another to deliver our order and one last person to bring us the wrong bill and finally our bill. We never really had a waitress (we saw the woman who had taken our order actually leave work in a hurry), no one checked on us and we had to fight to get someone's attention to get our bill. We left a 32-cent tip. Due to their lack of attention- I am sure they wouldn't even know who to give it to.
There are actually restaurants that provide this kind of service (called 'team service') where a different person is in charge of different aspects of the table service. It's weird and confusing and I don't know why restaurants do this. I don't know if this was anything like your experience, but it's seems to be a trend lately.
everyone that says that waiters should be paid more.. needs to think about that a bit. if they raised the minimum wage to, say, $10 an hour, roughly to handle inflation over the last decade or so, your $6 value meal at McDonalds would go up accordingly, so expect that to cost you $8 now. Just like if you go out to eat at a restaurant and they started paying waiters $12 an hour instead of $2, your $14 plate of pasta will now be more like $25. Restaurants pay servers $2 because they make their money through tips, when its dead, the restaurant isn't making any money, just like the servers. but if they're getting paid 12 an hour.. they'll take a loss, and have to make it up on the cost of food. so you can say they should be paid more, but it will cost you less to just give them a tip.
I've made over $30 an hour at restaurants when its busy.. but i've also made the $2/hr when its dead. working a 6 hr shift, even if its busy for 2 solid hours, thats 12 bucks an hour, which isn't bad.. but given that includes no benefits, and most likely doesn't happen every shift, waiters don't make a ton of money.
WAITERS MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY AS IT IS. DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT ABOUT HOW YOU MAKE LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE. YOU ARE GUARANTEED MINIMUM WAGE (RESTUARANT WILL MAKE UP DIFFERENCE), AND EVERYONE KNOWS YOU MAKE $20 – $25 AN HOUR WORKING A JOB THAT SHOULD PAY MINIMUM WAGE. THEN YOU GREEDY BUMS COME AROUND HERE TALKING ABOUT WE NEED TIPS....NO YOU WANT TIPS SO YOU CAN MAKE $25 AND HOUR. OTHERWISE YOU GET WHAT YOUR WORTH WHICH IS 7.25/HR.
BY THE WAY, THE PPL WHINING HERE ARE THE SAME ONES THAT FEEL THEY ARE ENTITLED TO ALL KINDS OF SPECIAL TREATMENT YET THEY CAN SPIT IN YOUR FOOD OR COMPLAIN ABOUT EVERY STUPID THING YOU TELL THEM TO DO.
BOTTOM LINE, WAITERS/WAITRESSES JUST DO YOUR WORK AND SHUT UP ABOUT THE TIPS. RESTAURANTS WITH NO TIP GENERALLY HAVE BETTER SERVICE ANY WAY.
I am a server, if you are rude to me, order me around and I have the feeling you are going to give me a bad tip. You must remember that I am bringing out your food and drinks, I have friends in the kitchen and bar staff. I can ask them to go light on the alcohol in your drinks you may get a smaller portion, you may get something extra added to your drink or your straw dropped on the floor then put in your drink. There are many ways a server can get back at a poor tipper or rude customer.
We servers have great memories. We remember who tips us great, so-so, who is nice, who is rude but will give you a good tip and we remember you when you don't tip or leave us little or nothing when you are just being cheap.
Mace, it is servers like you that made me ashamed to be a waiter. You feel entitled to a tip. Whats more if you "think" someone is not going to tip you give crappy service. Believe me Mace, as a customer if I saw "special" treatment to my food or drink, not only would I get your ass fired but if it was real bad I would press charges aginst you and the restraunt you worked for. Tip? Earn it I always did. As a server if I saw your treatments I would on the spot stop what you are doing and get management. you are tarnishing the restraunt you are working at and therefore my tips in the future.. Been there done exactly that.
There is no way you'd ever catch me doing anything to your drinks or food, a few words to the right people is all that is needed. You don't know what the cooks or chefs are doing and the bar is also to busy for you to see a short pour. Jump to sue, you can try it your case would go no where with no proof, one person's word against another. If you worked in the same place as I do and you saw some of these offenses and ran to the management. You'd loose face with your coworkers and you may feel better, but in a few weeks you'd be run out of that establishment. The kitchen staff would be on you like smell on poop. Hostile work environment . I hope I tarnish your tipping and you continue giving the same crappy tip at your favorite restaurant. We'll remember it and you.
I hope you go and feed the trolls.
The problem with all the non tippers is that they are just plain C-H-E-E-P. They feel that they are owed this service because they paid for a meal. It's the new generation....They feel they are owed everything. A waiter/waitress should have to address their whims and wishes and for less than mimimum wage.... After all they are slaves right? I've seen waitresses that would hump their butts off for $3.00/hr, going back and forth for differnt things and see a table of 4-6 leave $1.00 on a $60.00 bill .You should stay home to cook and wait on yourselves if that is what you feel is a sufficient tip. If the waiter or waitress doesn't do a sufficient job, maybe you should take a look at yourselves. It could be that you are actually the problem. You cop a bad attitude with them and you are probably not going to get very good service. If you have an off day at work on your job, does YOUR boss withhold a days pay and expect you to work for minimum or no wage?
PS...I'm not a waiter or waitress
To start with, the word is spelled C-H-E-A-P, for future reference. The issue we are debating is whether or not to leave a tip, WHEN SERVICE IS POOR. We're not talking about bad customers and cheap customers – they exist, and it sucks, but before you get all excited about this debate, let's be very clear on what is ACTUALLY being debated, and stick to that.
I find it interesting that you complain about people expecting everything nowadays – while I entirely agree with that, the servers here ALSO fall into that category. This argument has been made again and again. Please read previous comments on this.
You also fail to understand the nature of being a server. Your job is to provide service to the customer, or as you are claiming it to be, serving their "whims." What do you think being a server *is*? I'm not talking about the annoying customers who are finicky about everything (although they have *every* right to be that way and to enjoy eating out). As a server, that is your job. It's not unreasonable to expect that the customer would receive fair, friendly, competent service. It's not unreasonable for the customer to have specific tastes and/or preferences that they ask for. The server's job is to properly acquiesce, and provide the service for an enjoyable meal.
Yes, there ARE bad customers. However, it's not too common. Part of being a server is CUSTOMER SERVICE. Any person who has worked a customer service position knows how *some* people can be. But that's part of the job. It must be dealt with professionally.
You should never leave less than a 15% tip, for any reason. You don't know what is going on behind the scenes. Ask to see a manager if you feel you have had bad service. If your claim is legit, he/she will credit your bill and disipline the server.
There are a few reasons leaving no tip is perfectly fine. It would be nice if you would please read the logical and reasonable arguments already stated, prior to posting a biased one. Stating something like you should never leave less than 15% is an extreme statement, one that cannot be supported. Let me ask you this – if you were my server, and you:
-talked with your friends (non-working) while I waited for you to take my table's order (menu's placed on the table, all of us looking around for our server)
-took our order after 20 minutes by memory, and made 3 mistakes
-took another 30 minutes to fix our orders
-were never to be found during the meal
-all of my table watched you talking with your friends (as you looked over at us) and we were signaling you over, because we needed boxes and you still did not come over
-we signal another nearby server, and ask for the manager
-the manager talks to you, and you come and get in MY FACE and asking me literally, what my problem is
(while the manager sees this, btw)
Do you think you deserve a tip? 15%? Because if you do, you're clearly senile.
For servers who work in a place where the average cost of a meal for 2 people is $30. If that server is waiting on 5 tables and the turn over for the tables is 1 hour, then your looking at least $25/hr during busy periods. Pretty good pay.
"some people go out to eat thinking that no matter where they go, they should be treated like royalty, and a server who is working 15 tables at once should memorize their 4 person order and bring it out within a self-appointed "acceptable" amount of time and the server is further responsible for the condition of those orders"
Well, yes. I expect my server to remember my order either via memory or writing it down. I expect them to be aware of how long we have waited and to check on the order. I expect them to let me know if there is a problem. I expect them to keep my drinks filled whilst I wait and eat. I expect them to check the order before they bring it to me..
agreed. And if I cannot get all of those things, then dang, just let me go get my own refills. Let me get my plate from the kitchen. I really don't care. I just actually want my food. I want the environment to be nice and clean. And I would like to hear the person I'm sitting with.
If your electricity cut out, and your DVR didn't record last nights episode, and the check engine light appeared on your car you just wouldn't pay any of those bills...that being said TRULY bad service is bad service and should not be rewarded. But I don't think most people take your order because they WANT to give you bad service.
I've left a penny tip–under the teapot in a Chinese restaurant. Which was closed the next year, probably due to other customers voting with their feet. I live in NYC, don't know where the rest of you live, but BAD service tales are legendary here. I would no sooner tip these people (or tip them well) than I would maim myself. I will tip generously when the service rises to the level of Service. I was at a company dinner at a five-star restaurant, and witnessed first-hand what high-level service comprises. Most servers/waiters could never be employed in an establishment like this. Too many of us think that we are Chiefs, and not Indians. We're all Indians (sorry, Indians), and should treat each other well, always. I've had waiters who felt they were too good to do their jobs. I've had waiters who were so good, professional and friendly that I made sure I, and everyone at the table, tipped then handsomely. Tipping is a gratuity, not a requirement. It is a reward for service rendered. No service rendered, no tip. Another thing; bias does come into play. I'm a Black man, and clearly, anathema to some servers, who feel I'm genetically predisposed to leaving nothing, a penny, or maybe my phone # on a napkin instead of a tip. Not really. I'm a diner who wants a meal/drinks/service like anyone else. If I think you're ignoring me because I won't tip, well Bingo! You've now altered reality to fit your fantasy, and I won't tip. Won't come back either, and I'll tell my other professional friends (of all colors) what a hole your establishment is. Bottom line–most times, the power to receive a good/great tip lies in the hands of the waiter. I don't punish bad management, or so-so food, or even poor ambiance. I cannot disrespect myself, however, by rewarding someone who disrespects me, when all I wanted was to eat and drink.
Thing is, I actually enjoy tipping. It gives me a chance to thank the people who help me out and feel like I’ve made someone’s day. I actually found myself upset today because the maintenance guy at my apartment building left my place before I had the chance to pass him a ten-spot. I guess some people don’t get as much gratification from being nice to other members of the service industry as I do. I’ve found when I go out of my way to be nice to someone, they do so in return. Maybe that’s why I’ve never had a terribly scarring experience when going out to dinner. I find that when people are nasty from the start, or seem to be in a bad mood, the tip is going to be bad. No matter what I do. I’m not saying anyone is required to do anything. But I am saying it’s shitty. People should get off their high horse from time to time and just treat each other with mutual respect. We would all be better off.
1) While yes, this is an "extreme" example, it's not out of the question. It's an example of a situation where a certain level of service and competence is expected (regardless of the result being permanent or not). It's also an industry where giving a tip is pretty standard. If you receive the service (poorly) and not to your satisfaction. I guess I could change it to another industry – let's say you take your car to the mechanic because it's cutting off when you're at stoplights. He looks at it, maybe changes a sparkplug, and charges you a couple hours of work ~ $150. If your car dies on the way home, would you want your money back? Would you want him to fix it for free?
2) I do find it hard to believe you would actually pay + tip for a haircut you did not want or that you hate. I find it easier to believe you would say you would pay, for the sake of argument. I understand people don't read minds, this is why I specified a clear example where you could show a picture or at least assume you could tell your stylist what you wanted. Regardless, let's say you are being honest and you would pay + tip for the undesired haircut. I commend you, as most people would at least not provide a tip, even if they would pay.
I do know you wish to provide great service – as I've stated before, I was a server for a couple of years. I know what it's like on both sides of the coin. Keep in mind that the debate is starting to get too obfuscated – you're discussing quality of food, spilled drinks, etc. My argument (and the majority of the goose-egg crowd) is simply regarding service quality. Yes, things can happen – I'm sure you know. If a drink is spilled, apologize, do your thing. It sounds like you're a good server, one I would appreciate it. So this isn't anything personal – the argument is regarding poor, incompetent, lazy service that creates a bad dining experience. The first thing they told me when I started working at the restaurant:
1 bad review = 8 good reviews.
Things happen and it can't always be perfect, so I appreciate servers like you that actually put in the effort, even when things don't go as planned. Servers like you should be rewarded, but the tip should never be "expected." It's a very fine distinction that must be made. Also, I hope you don't take it the wrong way – there are horrible customers as well but that's outside of the debate. The issue at hand is whether or not it's OK to stiff a tip when service is bad. In my eyes, that means the service would have to be so bad, I would never want to return – that happened once to me at a Macaroni Grill. Another story.
Anyway – another thing to note is that most of the reasonable arguments about poor service and leaving no tip include the disclaimer that the management should be made aware. That's very important. Besides, in most cases, if management is made aware, a tip can be salvaged. I'm not talking about stiffing the tip if food is cooked improperly or something else, I'm only discussing poor, incompetent service. This also assumes I have brought my concerns to the server's attention as well – in no case do I wish to have a server stiffed for poor service if it was never communicated.
4) I can understand – I've been there. I served a large party (15) and after everyone claimed to have paid, and left a tip, I still owed $35. Turns out, one couple who had been eating there left early, and nobody else wanted to cover their tab. So instead of getting a nice $50 tip, I owed (the manager comped the meals on a one-time basis, but I would have been screwed) There ARE people like that, and it sucks. On the other hand, again, under no circumstances are you *ever* actually paying your customer to serve them (unless they skip out on the meal like they did to me). Your employer is responsible for paying you up to full minimum wage if your tips don't cover it.
I understand your compassion for this, and I see where you are coming from, but in the end, we will simply have to agree to disagree. I find it selfish to expect any tip at all, and you are on the other side of that coin. For the record, I've only not left a tip once – during the Macaroni Grill incident which was entirely the server's fault. The Manager comped our meals, gave us gift certificates so we would return, and fired the server on the spot. It was BAD.
My husband and I go out to eat pretty often and have only experienced really bad service on 4 or 5 occassions in the past 5 years. My husband has always been a good tipper, he always buys alot of food and beer and usually always tips 20% or more. When we do get a bad server I think, wow, you have no idea how much money you just lost. The worst server we ever had was at a place called the Troll in GA. The server sat us down, took our drink/food order, brought our drinks and then disappeared for about a half hour. We remained patient but were getting annoyed. Finally, she came by appologized and said our food would be out soon and said she'd bring us some chips/salsa to make-up for the delay. It took her another 25 or so minutes to refresh our drinks and bring us the chips. Now we're going on an hour and all we've gotten a couple of drinks and some chips. Other guests that were seated AFTER us had already eaten their food and we're paying their bills. I kept telling my husband, if she doesn't bring our food (sandwhiches) in 15 minutes, I'm leaving, but my husband kept saying just wait. Sometimes he gets on my nerves! Just as I was about to get up and leave (another half hour went by again), suddenly our food arrived. I was so mad I could barely eat and the food wasn't worth the almost 2 hours of waiting. This waitress gave no excuses or appologies. She could see that we we're pretty upset. I think that she originally forgot to place our order and when she finally realized her mistake, we'd already been waiting atleast an hour. Needless-to-say, she did NOT get any tip. She's lucky that we didn't go the manager to complain. We go to that area a lot but haven't been back to the Troll since and never will.
I am a waitress, and there are a few circumstance under which i would leave a low tip, for example if the server was deliberately rude. HOWEVER, i would NEVER leave no tip. here is why:
at a lot of restaurants, including the one i currently work at, servers are required to tip out the bartenders and busboys. i have to tip out the bartender 2%, and the bus boy 1%, of my total food sales. that might not sound like a lot, but it is. say i sell $1,000 of food in one night; that means i have to pay out a total of $30 from my tips, which makes a big difference to someone on a server's salary! so if you buy a $100 meal, that means i automatically have to pay the bartender and bus boy a total of $3 dollars, regardless of what you tip me. if you leave me no tip, i am actually losing money on your meal. and thats fucked up!
i don't like the system the way it is; i think that restaurants should pay their employees. this means customers shouldn't have to tip, and servers shouldn't have to pay their support staff. but, thats the way it is, and it isn't fair to punish servers for this system.
so next time you think of stiffing a waiter completely, wait a minute and realize that when you leave NO tip, you are actually costing the waiter money, and no service is so horrible that the waiter owes you money. always leave enough to cover the bartender/bus boy tip out, even if it is just a few dollars. the bottom line is that someone performed a service, and even if they did a shitty job, that doesn't mean they should have to lose their already hard earned money.
Dana Hart
"at a lot of restaurants, including the one i currently work at, servers are required to tip out the bartenders and busboys. i have to tip out the bartender 2%, and the bus boy 1%, of my total food sales. that might not sound like a lot, but it is. say i sell $1,000 of food in one night; that means i have to pay out a total of $30 from my tips, which makes a big difference to someone on a server's salary! so if you buy a $100 meal, that means i automatically have to pay the bartender and bus boy a total of $3 dollars, regardless of what you tip me. if you leave me no tip, i am actually losing money on your meal. and thats fucked up!"
Shouldn't the server SUFFER with that CONSEQUENCE by PAYING to SERVE US if they were RUDE and did a shitty job? To me, it's 100%, MILLION, TRILLION PERCENT DESERVED if they were really horrible or/and rude.
By paying them, you are just CONTRIBUTING to the problem of them doing it again and again. WHY do you think they have jail for example? It's so you LEARN from it, NOT to do the same things again. I will agree, some don't learn, but some do. With this, if all customers would tip the way me and my husband tip by tipping based on service(not at all based on servers tipping out), the servers would LEARN that they couldn't pay their bills if they didn't bust butt next times around.
It's fucked up if the customer stiffs you for no real reason except for being cheap. It's not at all fucked up if you truly deserve it by giving poor service.
I feel that waitress I talked about above DESERVED to lose her job and DESERVED to PAY to serve us. She didn't even TRY her best. It's not just bringing out what the kitchen staff gives you, it's verifying the obvious items BEFORE bringing them out, otherwise, WHY NOT LEAVE THE SERVER OUT OF THE EQUATION IF THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE BRINGING OUT?
"i don't like the system the way it is; i think that restaurants should pay their employees."
I love the system. I don't think restaurants should pay their employees, because then service will be NOTHING!! There will be NO INCENTIVE to do anything for the customer or get their order right. You think service is bad now a times, without tipping, why would you bother to get 5 sets of refills, getting people's order right, getting them extra ranch, napkins, mayo, etc.? It would be exactly like McDonald's where they hand you anything and don't give a care.
Positive and negative reinforcement truly does work. If someone gave you a $20 bill to do nothing or work for an hour serving customers at a fast food restaurant during lunch time(meaning you only get $20,not your hourly pay), which one would most people pick? I would pick to do nothing just as you would, be honest now. If I am going to get the $20 anyway, WHY would I lift a finger to do ANY WORK?
Tipping makes service better. If you do better, you can get more. If you do poorly, you get punished and LEARN to do the job BETTER. If you get a set pay, you NEVER will learn. It's kind of like if you get in trouble with the law, but always get a judge to let you off, you will most likely keep on doing it, whereas, if you are punished by getting jail time for example, you just maybe will learn not to keep doing that activity. This is the GOD'S TRUTH!! Tipping is the best thing for non-fast food restaurant service, because otherwise, if you think service is not good a lot now, there will be no reason for you to get a refill or a refill in timely manner. They may get it, but you may not see it for 10 minutes, because they know the pay is already there, whereas if you are tipping, they are going to GO ALL OUT for you to bust butt to get that tip. Now, some won't that are lazy and have the ENTITLEMENT mentality. Also, what cause the entitlement mentality is people like you that don't stiff for bad service. If you pay them 10% for terrible service for example like the one I mentioned above, you are PAYING them to RUIN your outing. If you want to do that, that's your business, but just know you are contributing to the actions they are doing. You want them to give you better service, CONTROL their service by punishing them with not paying them. That way, with no pay, they will LEARN(gee I can't pay my bills), so they will have no choice but to shape up or ship out!!
"servers shouldn't have to pay their support staff. but, thats the way it is, and it isn't fair to punish servers for this system."
It's unfair to have to tip out bussers and hostess, because they don't serve anybody. Bartenders on the other hand, I 100% disagree with you on that. If they are only making $2.13/hr like you are, then it's only fair they get a part of a tip for the drinks they make. Especially, if the customer stiffed you because of something completely your fault, the bartender should still get his or her fair share of the tip since it wasn't their fault you got stiffed. Now, when it is their fault you get stiffed, I can see it being not fair, but most of the time, it's the server's fault why they have bar drink issues. Sometimes the servers can see without touching anything something is wrong with the drink or forget to put in the order or put in the wrong order or forget to get the drink from the bar.
While it is unfair to have to tip the hostess and bussers, that's not OUR ISSUE as a customer and you shouldn't involve us in that. WE DON'T GIVE A CARE!! WHY SHOULD WE? We have NOTHING to do with the corporate/managers/owners policies of tipping out. That is YOUR ISSUE!! I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO TIP OUT ANYTHING OR TIP OUT $100 of your money. I care about if you give me GOOD SERVICE.
HAVING TO TIP OUT YOUR SUPPORT STAFF SHOULD MEAN NOTHING TO THE CUSTOMER AND IT MEANS NOTHING TO MOST CUSTOMERS OUT THERE!! Heck, most customers don't even know this, much less care!! That is YOUR ISSUE that you have to tip out. We have NOTHING to do with that.
In fact, that should make you try HARDER to get a huge tip if you know some of the tip will go to other employees. So if anything, that should make you a better, HARDER worker.
"wait a minute and realize that when you leave NO tip, you are actually costing the waiter money,"
So WHAT? That is YOUR ISSUE, NOT OURS!! If you suck, you shouldn't get anything!!
"no service is so horrible that the waiter owes you money."
It sure is. There are plenty of times where you should owe to serve us. TIPS ARE NOT ENTITLED TO YOU SERVERS!! YOU EARN YOUR PAY!! If you have to tip out other employees, how is that OUR PROBLEM if you RUINED OUR OUTING? YOU SHOULD PAY TO SERVE US IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE AN ASSHOLE!! What goes around, comes around. Maybe next time, you will learn NOT to do that behavior again.
woah! you have clearly had some pretty bad service in the past, and i sympathize! i read your first post, and i agree, if i had had that waitress, i would have given her no tip as well. however, my "no tip" would have been a small enough tip that she isn't actually losing money on my meal, i.e. i would leave a tip, it just would work out to be small enough that she sees no gain from it, because i disagree with you on one point; i really do not think a server should ever have to pay a customer to wait on them, even indirectly.
i agree, i think incentive works wonderfully. i like getting 20% tips, so i work hard and i'm a great waitress. luckily i have never, ever been stiffed. but i feel sympathetic to people who have been, because i know that "no tip" can actually quite often mean a negative income for the server on that table.
i also agree that not many customers know or care about what servers get paid and what they have to pay out at the end of their shift. i just wish that that wasn't the case: when i wait on a table, i genuinely care about the people i am serving, and i put real effort into understanding and meeting their needs. i would like to think that that mentality is reciprocated, and that my customers care, even just a little bit, about me. sadly, as i have known and as your response has reaffirmed, this is not always the case.
i hope your dining experiences in the future are more positive, and that you find yourself tipping big and feeling good about it!
Obviously you have never been a server.... and with your claims about busting butt to get better tip..realize it's not the bartender tip etc for his sales he gets tipped out...it's TOTAL sales.. so if i sell $100 and have to tip out $30 for bartender and busser... and your drink was wrong b/c the bartebder messed it up .. and I fixed it for you...you're saying I should be punished for poor service.?
Try being a single mom of two...recently divorced... and NOT on state or federal aid.Because the government in Texas says the poverty level for help is less than $ 2,000 a month for a familyof 3. Because i make too much money as a server, and this is the only job i can get in this economy is waiting tables....then talkj TO ME ABOUT NOT TIPPNING.
Dana
"The fact that you don't think of servers as human beings with feelings because they ruined your evening is absurd. Don't tip, stiff, whatever, but to say that you don't care about them, don't see them has human, don't care about their income or life situation, all simply because they 'ruined your evening" and served you your drink late...it sounds to me like you are dealing with some larger issues here than just deciding if someone deserves a tip or not."
It's the 100% complete OPPOSITE. I think of servers with feelings, that is why I put MYSELF in THEIR SHOES, WHAT WOULD SPRINGS1 DO? I sure as hell would think of someone's feelings and time by not kissing my significant other while I was taking an order. I also would COMPARE the WRITTEN ORDER with the food as well as the menu if I didn't know the menu well enough yet. I would TRY NOT TO RUIN SOMEONE'S OUTING. You don't seem to get that I am going by what and MOSTLY HOW they do it. Do they SAY THEY ARE SORRY? Are they being selfish(kissing someone while you are taking my order is extremely self-centered)? I treat them as human beings WHEN and IF they TREAT ME AS ONE!!! THEY ARE AT OUR MERCY, so if they want a good amount of money at the end, they need to TRY their BEST and BE NICE AS WELL AS CONSIDERATE of customer's time.
How is it "ABSURD" when they do such rude things like KISS their boyfriend during taking my order(WHILE I WAS TELLING MY ORDER)? It is rude to interrupt people in a casual conversation, so why would this be treated any differently?
WHY should I care about their income or life when they don't care about ours? They look at us as DOLLAR SIGNS. That is the truth. Customers are dollar signs to them. We aren't people to them, because otherwise, they wouldn't TREAT us in that type of manner. They would be NICE and CONSIDERATE people. They would try their VERY BEST and couldn't FATHOM interrupting someone ordering unless it was an EMERGENCY such as if someone died in her family or a fire, etc. I can understand those things, but to just kiss your boyfriend just to do it without ANY APOLOGY, FUCK YOUR TIP!! You want a tip, DON'T BE RUDE and INCONSIDERATE!! Do your best, be apologetic etc. if you want a good tip, don't be an inconsiderate person. I say I am sorry if I bump into someone by accident even, why couldn't she have said she was sorry for what she did? I know why, because she was an inconsiderate, lazy ass bitch that was only concerned about HERSELF. She didn't treat us as human beings with feelings, did she? Then WHY SHOULD WE TREAT HER ANY, ANY, ANY, ANY DIFFERENTLY? Well, I am waiting? It's only fair to give her what she deserves back, a zero tip and a letter to corporate as I did. When we went back some time later, she wasn't there anymore, I wonder why. Well duh, either she quit because she couldn't make any money due to her inconsiderate, piss poor service or she got fired.
Dana
"however, my "no tip" would have been a small enough tip that she isn't actually losing money on my meal, i.e. i would leave a tip, it just would work out to be small enough that she sees no gain from it, because i disagree with you on one point; i really do not think a server should ever have to pay a customer to wait on them, even indirectly."
It would have been a tip then if she didn't lose money.
As far as you thinking they shouldn't have to pay for a customer, maybe if you would EXPERIENCE the HELL we went through with some servers, you'd understand that they DESERVE to have to pay up. They will LEARN MUCH MORE if they LOSE money.
Also, WHY not stick it to them? Why treat them as if THEIR MONEY matters when it shouldn't if they have treated you so horribly RUINING your outing?
Why treat their income as if it matters to you if they have done a horrible job and were rude to you?
Another example of when we stiffed:
Have you EVER had 5 or more mistakes in ONE dining experience? This incident was at a Fox and Hound Restaurant. My husband and I have, which we left zero tip. The waitress was rude because she kissed her boyfriend bye and told him bye while she was getting my drink order interrupting me ordering my drink, but even if she didn't do that, sorry, but I can only take SO MUCH before I feel the server ISN'T TRYING AT ALL AND DOESN'T CARE AT ALL ABOUT HER CUSTOMERS. My husband's soft drink was wrong(root beer instead of diet coke) which she even told my husband root beer and he said "No, diet coke" when she brought it to the table(this happened because she was TOO BUSY kissing her boyfriend and chit-chatting), appetizer came with our entrees instead of as an appetizer, pickle with a toothpick on top of the bun(VISIBLE TO THE SERVER’S EYES)(ordered without pickles), cheese fries were supposed to come with ranch according to the MENU(ANOTHER VISABLE mistake on her part, because NO RANCH was there, NO mayonnaise was brought for my burger as I ordered. Backtracking here, when she had came back with my husband's soft drink she repeated the wrong margarita I ordered which means she didn't even put the order in yet for the margarita which I had to repeat my order again to her due to her worrying about her precious boyfriend instead of doing her JOB. She should have ALREADY PUT IN THE ORDER FOR THAT MARGARITA, ((((BEFORE))))) coming back to the table with the soft drinks. I also ordered the burger with no tomato, which there was a slice of tomato(the manager told me she didn't print the ticket correctly so that mistake was on her). Normally you can't see a tomato so I normally don't blame the server for things the server can’t control, but I could that time, because the order wasn’t put into the computer correctly the manager later told me) and the mayo packets I asked for when I ordered weren't there(ANOTHER VISIBLE MISTAKE). Sorry but when you have THAT MANY MISTAKES, YOU AREN'T TRYING YOUR BEST, YOU JUST DON’T GIVE A CARE! I don't feel that's even worth 10% tip. You didn't go through the bad experience, so you have no idea how it felt. It was aggravating to have to keep repeating my order constantly for things she wrote down and can you believe she wasn't going to write it down the food orders? I had to ask if she could please write the order down. I can't imagine what our meal would have come out like if she wouldn't have written it down. It would have been more screwed up more than likely. I feel that's a ZERO tip for not trying. 1-3 mistakes that are small is tolerable, but getting to the 5 mistakes area is a VERY BAD I feel. To begin with, she showed us lack of RESPECT by INTERRUPTING me ordering my margarita for her to kiss her boyfriend and chatted for a moment. I even get better service at MCDONALD'S than that. It's sad, but TRUE. At least the McDonald's cashier is NOT trying to kiss her boyfriend bye while taking my order. I feel you be rude to me, no tip for you. Also, you would have thought the waitress would have said she was sorry for interrupting me, which she DIDN'T. She did say she was sorry for one of the mistakes, but that's about it. To mess up so many times on drinks, is just really not trying at all. Having to ask a server to write orders down after they had made mistakes is RIDICULOUS as well. Even if she wouldn't have been rude to us at the beginning with the kissing her boyfriend issue, we would have still left nothing, because there were too many mistakes that were COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE. She really acted as if she could care LESS about her customer's happiness. If you went through this experience, I truly think you would have left nothing too. A server is NOT supposed to be INTERRUPTING you ordering to kiss someone. That is just SOOOO DAMN RUDE and a person like that doesn't have any manners to speak of.
Do you think kissing your significant other is appropriate when taking a drink order? To me, that's just as rude as a customer being on their cell phone or the customer ignoring their server. We didn't call over a manager. I just sent a letter to corporate instead. We wanted to just leave it was so horrible.
Don't you feel that if the server CARES ONLY ABOUT THEMSELVES they deserve ZERO for being so selfish and RUDE? Kissing your significant other while taking an order is rude. What she should have done is just waved by at the most and said "Sorry about that." See, but she didn't apologize. She was so SELFISH and SELF-CENTERED!!
That margarita order should have been in the computer when she came back the wrong drink. That was her fault that my margarita got delayed. She was so preoccupied with her boyfriend, she wasn't paying attention to her customers and wasn't doing her job. A job is a job, it's not playtime when you have customers. I can see if it's slow, but if that were her, she wouldn't have liked it if I had treated her in that manner, now would have she?
To not write drink orders and after messing up so much that you have to ask your server to write it down shows "I don't care" attitude. It also shows how LAZY she really was. Every server should be writing down every single solitary thing. I don't care if you have the best memory. We all mess up, so it's a greater chance you won't mess up if you write it down, then compare the written order to the food. She was even so lazy to bring me mayo packets instead of containers of mayo, which they do have at this restaurant. Packets are to-go. That's the LAZY way to do things. That's another thing she was lazy about.
To me, to interrupt me ordering, even if the service was perfect otherwise, was a stiff right there, unless she would have said she was sorry(I know I WOULD HAVE). If the service would have been perfect otherwise, 10% would be the most she would have gotten with an apology, because it is UNACCEPTABLE to kiss or hug someone while taking someone's order. You want our money, then just wave bye, then apologize. I can accept that a lot more than chatting(she said bye and something else to him along with the kiss). Honestly, she should have told him bye BEFORE she got to our table to greet us.
To me, it's just like being on the phone when a server is trying to take an order, but you are just talking away on the phone not paying attention to your server. It's RUDE!! Both situations are RUDE!! If I would be the type of person that would on the phone when greeted(I AM NEVER), I would tell the server I wouldn't be ready to order, that I need more time interrupting my conversation on the phone to do so. I am only on the phone during times when I am not ordering things such as if I am waiting for my food so I have plenty of time to chat.
What I am saying is, she should pay to serve me if she can't RESPECT other people's time and feelings to even simply APOLOGIZE for her RUDENESS.
I don't know how you can say anyone that treats people like that and RUINS your outing should be thought of as another human being with real feelings? WHY should anyone CARE, even YOU, about another person's money that is SO UNCARING, SELF-CENTERED, and VERY LAZY? It's not like she TRIED HER BEST during the service. Not writing down orders, not paying attention, playing around with her boyfriend, not verifying orders, etc. is what she did.
Do you really feel someone like that deserves anything, even enough to cover their tip outs? Why would you consider their money when they didn't EVEN ONCE, NOT ONCE, consider YOU as a person?
Springs1...i don't even know what to say. This is supposed to be a forum for discussing the issue of gratuity, and as someone with experience as a server, I threw in my two cents about it and tried to give some information that might shed light on the situation for others.
I have to say that I am offended by your comments. The fact that you don't think of servers as human beings with feelings because they ruined your evening is absurd. Don't tip, stiff, whatever, but to say that you don't care about them, don't see them has human, don't care about their income or life situation, all simply because they 'ruined your evening" and served you your drink late...it sounds to me like you are dealing with some larger issues here than just deciding if someone deserves a tip or not.
Good luck with your next dining experience and growing to a point where you can maintain a sense of humanity despite incredibly minor setbacks throughout your evening.
Also, the idea that it’s acceptable to leave someone a penny just so they feel the “sting” actually disgusts me. It’s cruel, it’s not funny. That person, no matter what happened at your precious dinner (did they verbally attack you or just never serve you at all?), just brought you food and water and tried to make you happy and clearly all you had to give was disrespect.
I've been a server for a few years and have had some horribly rude tables, but I've also had some amazing guests who I truly enjoyed serving. My WORST experience in regards to tipping was this: A busy weekend night, I had several large parties. One gentleman asked me for a glass of soda, and on my way to get it for him, a young girl at another one of my tables had a seizure. She fell down right in front of me, so instead of getting the soda, I helped the girl's mother hold the young girl while my manager called 911. Keep in mind, all of this happened right next to the gentleman who was waiting for his soda. Before the paramedics even left with the girl, the gentlemen made a huge fuss about his soda. My manager overheard him and brought him the soda while I closed out the other family's tab. After all of that... when I returned to the gentlemen to see if he needed anything else, he only made a rude comment about how I couldn't spare a moment of my time to do my job. I apologized and let my manager know that the guest was unhappy. But nothing my manager could say could change the guest's mind in leaving me a 0$ tip. Oh well... he must be a really pleasant person to interact with on a daily basis. I felt bad for his wife though. : /
I once left a $0 tip. The reason is because when I asked about some items on the menu she got upset and LITERALLY started yelling and screaming at my group just because we were teens. Teens or not, there was no reason to get into a fight. The manager had to come over and excuse the waitress and escort her away. We DEFINITELY did not tip. However, the manager felt awful and gave us a discount for the trouble.
Just an FYI – when restaurants use bussers and food runners, those employees are typically paid wait-staff minimum wage, somewhere around $2.15 in Virginia. Those employees are given a cut of the tips from the servers and bar at the end of the night. By law, they are required to report all tips made at the end of their shift, and are then taxed on what they report (same for servers and bartenders). Now, whether or not all employees (servers, bartender, runners, or bussers) report all tips all the time is "questionable."
May be in Virginia... but in Texas, back of House staff (bussers, food runners) get minimum WAGE and tips... so don't make sweeping generalizations about who gets paid what hourly wage... also it's a federal minimum GUIDELINE not minimum WAGE for tipped employees to be paid $2.13/hr... WV they make $1.45/ hour
I've left no tip a couple of times, but mostly only when the service was REALLLY terrible. Even if I'm really strapped for cash, if the service is good, I'll try to scrape up what I can for them. But if I don't, I don't feel too bad.
In some states, servers don't even make minimum wage, and they have to count their tips.
Here, you get minimum wage (at least!) PLUS tips, which for a good server/bartender can be upwards of $100-200 a night. Lol, THEY should feel sorry for ME!
My mom tells a story from when she was a waitress at a Chinese restaurant. Someone left her a tip for a penny.
So she put her own fortune in their cookies. That the guy needed to lose weight, and his wife was a b!tch. hehehe
Leslie
"4) Leaving a zero tip is unacceptable if you look at the facts. At most restaurants, waiters and waitresses are required to “tip-out” the rest of the front-of-the-house staff by paying a percentage of their cumulative sales to bussers (3%), foodrunners (1%) and bartenders (1%). If you tip us 0% or even 5%, we have to pay to wait on you. It doesn’t matter if we don’t get tipped on a table; we still have to tip-out on their sales even if the runners, bussers, or bar contributed to our lack of tip. There is no situation in which it is acceptable to make someone pay to wait on you hand-and-foot for up to three hours."
Don't you think that is an issue that is YOURS as the server as far as tipping out goes? That's not OUR PROBLEM, don't make it ours, because that has ZERO to do with us customers. We are tipping YOU, NOT them!!
"There is no situation in which it is acceptable to make someone pay to wait on you hand-and-foot for up to three hours."
While my husband and I don't usually dine out for 3 hours(more like an hour or an hour and a half at most, most of the time), there are PLENTY of situations that are VERY ACCEPTABLE!!
Being rude is one of them.
I have several stories that I can tell you, but for now, one, because each one is long and I don't want to overwhelm you with all of them at once.
My husband and I had a waitress at Chili’s. She wrote down my order, but SHE brought out my food with the most OBVIOUS things WRONG. I ordered “Grilled Baby Back Ribs with honey bbq sauce on them with substituting the bowl of cinnamon apples that the ribs came with it for extra fries, 2 sides of honey bbq sauce, 1 side of ranch, and 1 side of mayo. She comes out with the BIG BOWL of cinnamon apples on the plate with only my side of ranch as well as NO extra fries and has the audacity to ask me when she brought out our food “So what did you order” when she WROTE IT DOWN. That was just showing how VERY LAZY she was NOT to REREAD the order. Aren't we PAYING the server to *REREAD THE ORDER AS THEY WROTE IT DOWN TO GET IT AS OBVIOUSLY CORRECT AS FAR AS WHAT IS IN THEIR CONTROL TO NOTICE?*** She probably STUPIDLY threw the paper away. The manager told me she put in the order correctly. WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO TO PUT IN THE ORDER CORRECTLY IF THE FOOD IS OBVIOUSLY WRONG? The ticket being correct doesn't matter if my food is OBVIOUSLY wrong, I STILL have my food wrong. It's like whose fault is it for making my food wrong is NOT the issue; it's that the food is WRONG that's the issue. Bringing it to me like that makes the server look like a complete IDIOT when that BIG BOWL of cinnamon apples was on the plate since she took my order. If another server takes my food to me, that's an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT situation, but when it's the SAME SERVER that takes the order there should be some *EFFORT* to make sure my food is taken to the customer correctly as far as OBVIOUS mistakes go. It's like NO EFFORT on her part to make sure I had EXACTLY what I ordered. It makes me mad that they can’t REREAD the order BEFORE they take it to me and compare it to the food for obvious mistakes. At about 15 minutes(9:18pm.ordered at about 9:02p.m. )waiting for my margarita she asks if I had been brought it, which I told her no, but I couldn't help myself, I told her about all my complaints, because I was really getting SICK of her horrible service without ANY APOLOGIES. I had to ask for utensils TWICE. I told her about that I had to ask for utensils twice and she replied "That's the hostess's job" right to my face. I ended up reporting her to corporate and she got fired. Yes, we STIFFED the waitress, DESERVABLY SO. She could have gone to check on my margarita after the 10 minute mark(9:12p.m.), NOT almost 15 minutes which is what she did. My husband and I were WELL finished our meals even with the mistakes she made by the time my margarita arrived. I NEVER got ONE apology from her, NOT ONE. I had reported this situation to the manager due to the fact that I had waited for a half an hour for. Turns out they were out of shakers that the Presidente' margarita came in, so there was a mix up. The bartender made my margarita in the wrong glass. The bartender never told the server about the situation nor did she find out about it within a reasonable amount of time, therefore, I ended up getting my margarita from the manager after waiting literally a half an hour for it(9:02p.m.-9:35p.m.) way after me and my husband were done eating. Someone else apparently ended up getting the margarita that was mine. The waitress NEVER ONCE apologized for all those mistakes. That was one of the RUDEST waitresses I've EVER encountered. If she would have said she was sorry at least once even, I probably wouldn't have been so pissed off. Some servers are really UNCARING and MEAN. She could have apologized, went to check on my margarita sooner, could have compared the written order to the food BEFORE bringing out such obvious mistakes, not had asked me to repeat my order at the time of our food arriving all due because she was too lazy to do it herself, could have apologized for utensils as well not just the food/drink mistakes, etc.
This story is one of the few times when I lost my cool. I don't normally do that, but she made me so mad with her lack of apologies, lack of admitting fault, lack of effort, and lack of caring. The not apologizing honestly is what made me lose it.
This is one where a COMPLETE STIFF is deserved.
SO WHAT I GOT SERVED? The waitress wasn't nice, didn't care, was rude, etc.
By you saying that, you have that "ENTITLEMENT" mentality. You aren't "ENTITLED" to a tip, it is 100% EARNED(unless of course you have automatic gratuity added due to you are in a large party for example)!! You aren't entitled to money just because you serve me. You are entitled to money if you try your best, be nice, etc. You shouldn't get anything if the service was absolutely horrible. I will treat my server as they have treated us. THAT IS VERY FAIR!! So what you gave us food and drinks if it's not correct, not in a timely manner, and if the server isn't nice, does it matter if you gave us things at a table? If you are not giving us exactly what we want in a timely manner, you get what you gave in terms of EFFORT and MANNERS!! ZERO is what she did for both, so that's what she got. She also lost her job. She deserved it!! I am so proud that I prevented other people from getting the HELL we went through with her. She did the least she could do instead of trying her best. She was too lazy to even get her pad of paper out to find out what I ordered by making me repeat my order when she brought out our food. WHY should a server that isn't nice and lazy get anything?
You aren't "ENTITLED" to money just because you serve me. You EARN your money. If a server makes my dining experience a living hell, I sure have every right to make his or her tip a living hell by giving nothing. I treat people EXACTLY they way they have treated me. She treated us like shit, I treated her like shit in the tip. You earn your tip also by being nice. A simple "Sorry about that" would have calmed me down and not made me as pissed off. She acted like we had no feelings, I acted the same way in the tip by not caring about her 2.13/hr pay.
You must of not have had bad service like this I am assuming? My husband and I have quite a number of times.
There are PLENTY of situations where the server deserves absolutely nothing!! You are paying for someone to ruin your outing if you tip on a situation like the story above. WHY should anyone care about tipping out and them losing money when they were EXTREMELY UNCARING towards US? They didn't care about us, why should we care about them?
Don't you get why she got fired? She was a bitch and rude. I don't care if it's INITIALLY someone else's job, you are the person that has to get the utensils if no one else does. Customers shouldn't have to ask for that. It should be a common sense issue. A server that wanted a tip of some sort would have said "I'm very sorry about that and about all the things I messed up on." Instead, I got a complete BITCH that wanted to DEFEND HERSELF and be EXTREMELY LAZY, even too lazy to REREAD her WRITTEN ORDER. If you are that lazy, WHY did you become a server if you can't even REREAD an order? I mean seriously, we don't care about you servers tipping out if you don't care about US?
Treat us as if that were YOUR service. What if that were you in the customer's seat. A tip is EARNED, it's not a right!!
Leslie, a tip is a reward for good service. Your employer is responsible for paying your labor wages. Yes, many undercut minimum wage and expect you to make it up in tips – but that's why you work hard for the tips. Do your job right, and you won't have problems getting them.
Let me ask you this – if you go to the salon/barber, and you ask for a specific hairstyle, yet they cut your hair wrong and you hate it... do you pay? Do you tip? If you ask for a tattoo and they make some mistake (i.e. spelled incorrectly) or something equally horrible that could have been avoided if they paid attention – would you pay? Would you tip?
1) Having a tattoo incorrectly and permanently put onto your body is the most ridiculous experience to compare to dining out and not enjoying the meal that I can think of right now. Also, I’ve never had a tattoo so I don’t know.
2) Everyone doesn’t like a haircut from time to time and yeah, I pay and I tip. People can’t read minds and hair grows.
3) I have never tipped less than 20% in a restaurant. If I’m strapped for cash I either tell my friends I can’t eat out or I
calculate what I can afford on the menu after 10% tax and 20% tip. A server or bartender doesn’t deserve to suffer just because I don’t have enough money to pay them for waiting on me. Being cheap is different than being frugal, and is a much less attractive characteristic. Even if I get medioacre service, I give the server the benefit of the doubt and tip them anyway. If they’re truly bad people then oh well, its just a couple of bucks to me but it’s a lot over the whole night to them (as I know well). No one is asking their tables for personal validation, we’re just looking to see what you want to eat and make sure you enjoy it.
Despite what you think we actually do want to give you good service. But shit happens sometimes. Food gets overcooked. Drinks spill. People mishear what you say (especially in a bar/cocktail environment). Get over it and don’t be cheap. If you tell me there’s something wrong with your meal I’m going to do something to fix it, but you have to SAY something.
Going out to eat once a week and tipping 20% is probably 6 bucks to you (30 dollar bill… pretty nice meal) but to a server that’s what they depend on to get by and by going to a restaurant you’re participating in the culture that expects you to pay it.
4) No matter what you all would like to think, level of service simply doesn’t always have to do with a bad tip, which are the only situations that we as waiters have complaint about. Some people ARE just cheap. Those are the disheartening tables where you have the banter and the smiles and then comes the “verbal tip” where they tell you how great the service was, and then they leave you 10%. I have always stood by my rule that people have a right to tip what they want. It is their money. I will never intentionally give someone bad service if they have tipped me badly in the past (just a hint-- tipping someone badly will usually result in this if you are at one of their tables again. It’s a two way street. Why give good service to someone you know is going to short you?) but at the same time I believe it is not okay to tip below 5%. At that point, where I work, it is equivalent to making someone pay to wait on you which is unacceptable. No excuses. UNACCEPTABLE.
Actually Leslie, the definition of "TIP" is a GIFT. Your labor wages are paid by your employer. Just like my employer pays me for my labor. You do not pay me extra at my place of business just because they pay me too little. Now if I amaze you and make you feel extremely valued, then you may give me a little something extra (Tip, gift). Yes, we all should tip, IN GENERAL. Because it's the norm. However, my argument is that it's not an ENTITLEMENT. You earn it. That's what a tip is.
Nick
"Every time you leave a server no tip, not only does it ruin that person's night, mood, and future interactions with the remaining tables for the evening."
If you ruin our night, we ruin yours!! What goes around, comes around!! You treat us like GOLD, we will back in the tip 20%-25%, possibly even more depending on the service.
Sometimes servers deserve nothing if they are terrible and/or rude!!! I think it's only fair *YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE* in the service. If you didn't try your best and did extremely poorly, why should we care about your money when you didn't care about our dining experience? It's only fair!!
I have never "not tipped"- my mom was a waitress and I know how it hurts the pocket. I would though. For example, a waitress recently disappeared in the middle of our dinner. Thought she went home! 20 minutes, no one backed her up. When she finally came back, about 30 minutes later, she said it was incredibly busy and she apologized. Smelling like she was on a 30 minute smoke break. And the place was empty. She got a weak tip, but I should have given her less.
1) Wait staff are not paid minimum wage in America. We are paid below minimum wage.
2) If you choose to go out to eat and take advantage of the service we provide, not tipping is essentially stealing that service. Your bill covers your food and in no way pays for the service that the waiter, bussers, foodrunners, and bar have provided you.
3) Insulting us by saying that if we really needed money we should have another job is no excuse for not paying for services that you and the rest of the country enjoy on a day-to-day basis. If you want to go out to eat, you need to have waiters, and you’re going to have to pay them somehow. Many of us are working through college or have degrees and other jobs and merely wait tables to put food on our own tables at home. Don’t be patronizing, we may even be more educated than you.
4) Leaving a zero tip is unacceptable if you look at the facts. At most restaurants, waiters and waitresses are required to “tip-out” the rest of the front-of-the-house staff by paying a percentage of their cumulative sales to bussers (3%), foodrunners (1%) and bartenders (1%). If you tip us 0% or even 5%, we have to pay to wait on you. It doesn’t matter if we don’t get tipped on a table; we still have to tip-out on their sales even if the runners, bussers, or bar contributed to our lack of tip. There is no situation in which it is acceptable to make someone pay to wait on you hand-and-foot for up to three hours. No matter how bad the service (and trust me, even people who receive good service give bad tips sometimes).
5) We are also required at some restaurants to pay the service charge on any Credit or Debit charge payment, which is relatively small (less than 1% I believe) but still adds up if you have an all-plastic night. It is extremely noticeable at cash-out if it’s been an all-cash or all-plastic night.
6) You will be surprised how your service will be better and better the more respectful you are to those who are feeding you. Don’t get me wrong, I go out of my way to give good service to every table I encounter and people still stiff me from time to time despite my good intentions.
But let me tell you a final story. I had a table a couple of days ago and one of my fellow waiters (for the record, one of the best waiters in our restaurant. He’s extremely personable and always gets good comments) came to me and said “dude, Leslie, warning, don’t even bother with them. They’re rude, needy, and picky, and yesterday I ran my ass off for them and they not only didn’t tip, they scratched out the word ‘tip’ on the credit card slip. Seriously I’m so sorry you got them” …..
I decided to prove him wrong and tended to their every very needy need for two hours while they watched the world cup final. At the end of the game I asked them if they were ready to see the check and they were. Later when I brought back the slip I noted to them (they were French and spoke little English) that there was a line provided for them to fill in what they felt was an appropriate amount for the service they received. Our restaurant’s check printers also automatically calculate and print on the bottom of the receipt what a 15%, 18%, and 20% tip would be. They clearly read this and left me 18% which is honestly pretty darn good for foreigners. Sometimes people just don’t know.
So I guess my point is there should be less animosity between wait staff and guests. Don’t assume that because someone stiffs you once, that they’re assholes. Maybe you DID give bad service (still not an excuse for screwing someone over but hey, it’s a reason). Or maybe they don’t understand the system. And you have to understand as guests dining at an establishment that we are people too and not to go into the experience with a bad attitude. I want to see you happy with your dinner, and if you’re disrespectful to me that makes it difficult. Let me do my job. There’s also nothing wrong with helping us out with the little things like being clear and listening to us and the questions we ask you. If you intentionally make it hard on us to wait on you, of course your service will suffer! We’re only human! There are also a variety of reasons for what you may consider to be bad service that do not necessarily reflect the intentions of the server. Sometimes we get tables that “run” us so hard that it makes it physically difficult to tend to our nicer tables that we probably would rather wait on 30 times over than wait once on the needy one. Maybe the bar or kitchen are backed up. Maybe we had to pee at a really bad time. Maybe we’re on our period and are fighting through mad cramps. Were all people who clearly love food, so that’s all it should be about, right? The more easygoing and clear you are about what you want, the smoother your experience will go.
Leslie- as someone who goes out to eat often and tips very well, I will ask you this.
If you went to a local bar/ restaurant that closes at 1 am, and by 11 they were closing up- closing the kitchen so even finger foods were not available, then the waitress disappears for 20 minutes, turns off all the TVs in the place as people are watching baseball, stands around with the bartender, then comes over and grumpily says "you want anything else?", while holding the check in her hands, would you think she is providing the service she should? (I should add, I know the owner of the place, who is struggling, an was not there this night. Had he known she turned away food orders she would be canned. He was not there, so that is why she felt fine closing shop early, while there were customers...). She did not want to serve, she did not want to even try to be nice, and wanted everyone out. Was she deserving of a tip? And yes, she was this way with all customers, not just me and my date.
Hi Leslie. I very much enjoyed reading your comments and your honesty. I am positive that it is in your section that I would have the most ejoyable experience.
Please understand that it is Not servers such as yourself that I believe some of these folks take issue. There seems to be bad eggs on BOTH sides of the fence here. Bad servers and bad cuctomers. Perhaps cheapskates and lazy bums alike. It should be up to management to weed out the bad apples accordingly.
We should ALL take responsability and do our part. Communication might just be the key to it all. And somehow, this venue may help in some small way. Please, everyone, don't give up the faith.
And, thank you Leslie. For ALL that you do for us.
1) Correct – in most states (and where I was a server in the midwest), employers pay less than minimum wage. As a server, you are expected to make up the rest in tips, and of course report all tips with your wages to the IRS. But how hard is it, really, to meet minimum wage? If you have 2-3 tables in an hour, each leaving 3-4 bucks in tip, you're already covered. And if you are *unable* to meet minimum wage, your employer is required to pay the difference.
2) Unfortunately, Leslie, your argument here is entirely false. I can understand your compassion, being a server myself – unfortunately, you're looking at it from a rather naive view of false entitlement. Customers generally don't go out to eat to "take advantage" of your service, but we certainly expect reasonable service to be provided to us. Of course, if one doesn't leave a tip, there is no theft involved – otherwise, the cops would be called to the restaurant any time it happened (naturally, skipping on the *entire* bill is another story) The bill that we are provided as customers covers everything – the cost of food, your cut from the employer (whatever your hourly cut is), and whatever the restaurant's profit is. It's your job as the server to provide the quality service – if you have, then you will be rewarded with a reasonable or generous tip (depending on the customers), of which servers generally are also expected to donate to the bus pool for the rest of the staff.
3) I don't believe the intent for saying that you should get another job is to be patronizing – if you'll notice, the arguments where that has come up is for the people who have complained that they can't pay rent without a (singular) tip. If you, as a server, have a bad day and you provide sub-par or downright horrible service, and you get stiffed on the tip 1-2 times... if that is enough for you to not make rent, you need to evaluate your career options and do what you can. Life's tough, especially in this economy, but that doesn't mean you should *expect* a tip as a server, you still need to earn it.
4) Your statistics here in #4 indicate that you never made any tips all night. I find that highly unlikely. If it really has happened, you may be working either in the wrong profession, or at the wrong restaurant. Keep in mind as well, Leslie, that you are still being paid for the time you are serving the customer, even if they don't leave a tip. You are not paying someone to wait on them. Although it's low, you're still getting an hourly wage – and in the end, again, if you have not met minimum wage, your employer is legally obligated to make up the difference to you. You will never, ever be expected to work for less than minimum wage *over all*. There are bad tippers out there, I do know this – but that's why you don't have just one customer all afternoon or night. You'll generally have several tables to wait on over the course of your shift, which means several opportunites to please customers and receive a reasonable tip.
5) Credit card surcharge fees are the responsibility of the employer, period. If the employer advertises that they accept a certain brand of card, they are the ones paying the fee for each transaction with said card. If this charge is being passed on to you, you should check out your local laws – it's very likely that this is an illegal business practice you should rectify. Otherwise, let me know what employer is asking that of you, and I'll do the research.
6) Yes, the customer *should* always be courteous and treat you with respect. I disdain people who do not treat service workers with respect – nobody, I repeat NOBODY, is better than any other human being. However, you're also talking about two different things. You, as the server, should be treated with respect – yes. But you would not receive a tip until the meal is over, which means you should also have been treating the customer with respect. If you have, then more than likely everything will be fine.
I don't really have any qualms about your closing statement – each situation is unique and should be treated as such. Just keep in mind that a tip is still earned. Yes, sometimes you have a bad day – but even if there are problems with the customers/service, you should be able to save the situation and make the customer feel good. Then that's when you get the reward, because that's what it's there for.
Although I'm now financially comfortable, I've always identified with that line in the Cuban poem-turned-song "Guantanamera": "...With the poor people of the earth, I want to cast my lot..." There are a lot of struggling people waiting on tables and, unless the service was horrible, I don't stiff them on the 15% tip.
I wish we were like France: all the taxes, tips, etc. are included in the listed price of the meal and the menus are usually posted outside the batisseries and other restaurants: the price you see is EXACTLY what you pay.
We had a horrible experience at a Outback in Missoula, MT. We watched as our waitress AND the manager fawned over a table with a family while we waited in vain for our food to arrive. Not only that but we watched as our waitress came with our ticket, but passed it off to some other waitress. We didn't leave a tip and I didn't feel the least but guilty and, I will never step foot in another one of their restaurants.
No, but your religious views speak for themselves. As a self proclaimed holy roller, lecturing us, maybe you should reread (your favorite book that you quote underhandedly) that which you are attempting to preach. And while you are at it; live by it as well.
Everyone who thinks tipping is evil and they shouldn't have to do it are horrible human beings. Chances are that you're Christians to boot. What ever happened to helping your fellow man and making the world a better place? Way to be a hypocrite. Those of you that aren't religious are just plain self-centered jerks. And no I'm not a server.
I'm surprised, sarah. Tell me which do you think is better:
Handing out money for lazy, incompetent, and discourteous service
Rewarding an employee for friendly, sincere, pleasurable service
If we give out money for bad service, we're essentially rewarding someone for doing something bad. That's one of the many things wrong with the country today. Why would anyone ever give great service if they can simply skate on by, putting in minimal effort and not caring about customers – and get paid just as much as someone who's working hard and respecting their employer and their customers?
You referenced "Christian" in there, but I'd like you to show me anywhere in standard religious documentation, that we as human beings should give money as a direct result to being disrespected and walked on. What's the saying, "Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime"? Something like that? Well why don't we reward PROPER behavior, morals, and work ethic, instead of promoting lazy and incompetent work?
Let me preface this by saying I have bussed tables, waited tables and my wife used to wait table. In general I start out with a 20% tip for average service I have absolutely no problem tipping more for outstanding service and have even one time left a tip that was equal to the bill. That being said as a customer It is not my responsibility that you need to pay tuition, Car payment, rent etc. I go to a restaurant to eat. I pay the restaurant for the ability to have an enjoyable meal with great service. The service is why two places with the same type of food can charge such different amounts. If you provide me with crappy service, give me an attitude, make me feel like you are just there to pay your tuition, rent, car payment I can assure you I will reduce your tip. and if bad enough not leave you anything. The excuse that you are having a bad day is not my problem, you are being paid to perform a service and I am not your employer. I am paying you employer. If he/ She does not pay you what you need to live off of and you can't provide service up to the standards of the establishment that you work in to make up the difference then you should consider the line of work you are in. A tip is a reward and if I get even average service I will tip you but I will not tip you for being lazy, treating me like crap, or insulting me in any way.
Here's an idea. All tips come with a "pay card" that is turned in to the manager. Even if the tip is $0. That way ALL tips can be taxed and management can see who gets tipped and who doesn't. Anyone NOT getting tips gets lectured and maybe fired. Comments could also be added to the "pay card".
Conversely so, these "pay cards", and comments would need to be looked at by a third party before someone should be fired. Also, a carbon copy of the card should be given to the server for his/her records, and benefit as well.
I have plenty of friends in food service industry and its a constant arguement about the tip. Plain and simple its the job you choose so act right! Some things are out of your control but we can all do without the snide remarks and attitude. I work in the customer service industry so I have had my share of "special" customers but I suck it up to a point. It's my job to be nice if the customer insults me than I refer you to someone that can better assit your needs. I don't expect tips for doing my job it's MY JOB. Go to work to earn your pay and tips and more often then not quit complaining about tips and take it like a grain of salt. You don't report all of your earnings and when some not all people abuse some systems quite f"" frankly I don't care!
Good point. Too many bitch and moan. But yet have no problem cheating the system when its to their advantage and or they think they will get away with it.
I'm not buying the argument that if a server doesn't get tipped by someone, they can't pay their rent. If they are unable to pay their rent due to lack of tips, that probably means they are a REALLY bad server and should consider finding a new line of work. I'm sorry, but if it's obvious that the server is responsible for a poor experience at a restaurant, they get little or no tip from me. I've only had one or two experiences that were this bad, one of which was because our table was basically being ignored by a server who decided he would rather watch TV than do his job. In my opinion, tipping should be in place to ensure that a restaurant is giving good customer service and as a guage for employee performance. If a restaurant has a server on staff who is not receiving sufficient tips, that should be a sign to the management that this person is not a good quality employee.
You must be kidding people! This is so ridiculous, the level of vehemence about bad service on this site, when it's clear in the comments that most people are suggesting that they've ever only had terrible service that prompted a zero tip as few as two times in twenty years! Those must have been tremendously scarring experiences. As someone who waited tables throughout college I can say that I was an excellent and diligent server, but that most people couldn't care less about that. You could serve two tables the exact same way, get one okay tip and get shafted at the other table. People who are making statements that people are expecting some sort of handout when tips are taxed to the server are completely off-base here. Your bill at a restaurant is for the food, not for the service. If you don't feel like tipping, stay home, but don't expect someone to wait on you hand and foot for free.
sp. Most folks agree here that the bill covers all of the food and at least a portion of the server (that's why there is a $2.35 – $3.50 or so per hr pay from the establishment). The difference is in the performance of the server. And, I agree...the instance of occurance for really lowsy service is, thankfully, rare. Also, leaving out the fact that the, also rare, jerk that never tips should just be shot with a paintball gun... the rest of us should be allowed to tip according to service. Albeit, a mistake or two can be forgiven and the kitchen can at times be at fault as well, the server is our go-to person. Totaly fail us and, well, that's how it goes. Take care of us and we, well at least most of us, will take care of you.
Gee, another young one with the entitlement syndrome tooting their own horn; a legend in their own mind. Does your mommy wait on you hand and foot when you come over for food; lunch and or dinner. For free.
I find it hard to believe that you are consistently getting shafted, sp. If that's really the case, let's look at what is the same in each equation... you. Your clients change daily. I know there are bad customers, I've been there on the receiving end; however, statistically, if you're getting shafted that frequently, either you're doing something wrong or you are in the wrong area. You yourself even admit that the "goose egg" people are only stating that the service is poor once in a blue moon – so why would you expect us to pay a tip even then?
Also the comments about getting food tampered with or getting bad service for being a bad tipper goes to show how low class some of these people are. maybe the people coming out to eat bring their kids are minimum wage earners too . maybe they just dont believe in tipping. show respect .
So let me get this straight. I'm supposed to tip generously for lousy service just because she doesn't wear a bra and bents over far enough to show her belly button ring to my date. Whats next? Exercising at the pole?
That being said about all this – you have to wonder where this started from anyways! I get bad service at grocery stores, retail clerks, telephone servers....and none of these people nor I have to worry over whether I will be tipping them or not.
I think the owners should pay the staff normal like the rest of us, and if an employee is not very good – then its bad for business and let them do something else.
Where this gets good is when the waiters are in high-producing areas like cocktail waitresses, maitre'ds, waiters in high class steak resturants (for example)....they earn a lot, I know I did as a cocktail waitress and food server for a high-end Italian Dinner Resturant. So they may not be willing to give that up. But for fast food like a food chain resturant (Golden Griddle, Kelsey's, sports bars, etc. – maybe they don't fare as well except when really busy?
I don't know if I even like to have to worry about tipping. Its a lot easier when you are not expected to that's for sure. But I usually contribute to the tip jar anyways!
What do you waitstaff think you are actually worth per hour? Federal law in most states requires that your employer make up the difference between how much you make and the State minimum wage. Do you seriously think you are worth more than that per hour? I've waited tables before, it's not freakin' rocket science, and frankly, it's not worth much more than your States minimum wage....you waitstaff are overvalueing yourself.
I hate the entitlement waiters are having these days. I have seen them on oprah and other shows complaining about being stiffed and that people dont care about the bills they a Have etc. Not getting tipped is a hazard of the job. If you need more money or a definite set amount of money dont become a waiter. Nobody tips the kids at burger king and they provide a service as well and are all their feet all day. If you only make 2.50 per hour then get a minimum wage job. If it was so terrible and you get shafted on an hourly basis why would anyone be a waiter. I tip but i dont overly tip. When i was in college and wanted to go to sizzler to treat myself I went even if i didnt have a dime for a tip. In the end doesnt it equal itself out in some way ? we should be tipping garbage men and teachers – they provide a valuable service that alot of people are not interested in doing. Waiters are a dime a dozen. Waiters should spend their time seeking new employment for lobbying for higher base wages. The service you provide is more valuable to the restaurant then it is to the customer.
I have been on all 3 sides of this: waiter {from counter to cocktail waitress, food server}, manager of upscale resturant, and as a customer of all types of food places.
And I do not tip if the service clearly is lacking. Not everything is out of a waiter's control – I bitched loudly to get my plates up if they were slow in the kitchen, waiters in higher establishments often work together to make matters better...and I have seen poor performers in the waiting game.
The real trouble is the management and owners. THEY, need to be told that this sort of experience is not welcome. Otherwise, how often do you see middle of the road establishments hire a ineffectual manager (and I have seen friends being rewarded with these jobs!)...and after the initial honeymoon is over with the public, their service starts to show cracks. And they don't care as long as customers keep on coming in.
It may be that some franchises claim they are doing everything to win over the consumer...but I have been in a resturant that opened literally across the street from us 2 years ago – and within weeks, the napkins never looked really clean, the servers came with all kinds of experience, so some nights were good for service – and others, not so good. Half the time, the manager couldn't be seen! last time we went, they had a live performer (a man with a mic and a guitar in the corner belting out cover tunes) and simultaneously, the stereo playing on our opposite side – we complained that we weren't sure which side we were supposed to be listening to. But the waitress just laughed it off. The lettuce may arrive wilted, and I could just swear, the food tasted wonderful the first few weeks! Did they bring in a great cook for the opening weeks? Who knows – but things have changed! And we tip accordingly and speak up every time.
So my advice – Tell the management. Customer service is bad in other areas as well, and it will only get better when the consumer demands it.
I think there should be a standing rule, and every single person that will ever dine out must go through at least 2 weeks of being a server. I don't serve anymore, and didn't for long, but you ignorant, cheap, snobby people disgust me. You have no idea what it takes to serve other people, specifically the guests who think they own the world and deserve gold spoons. Did you ever think that maybe the reason your service is lacking, is becuase you're just a jack***. When you have had enough "bad experiences" maybe it's time to turn and look at yourself. You just may be the reason.
You may want to actually read some of these posts. Not only are most of the comments regarding pro-goose-egg from people who have been servers themselves (myself included – 2 years), but they are all valid, reasonable, and logical arguments. I have yet to see a single reasonable, well-thought argument regarding customers being forced to pay a tip. After all, if a tip were required, why not just add it into the bill? And if that were the case, then why would a server provide quality service if they get a tip no matter what?
It's sad that you are calling us ignorant when we've consistently been providing logical, intelligent argument – your argument has basically resorted to name-calling.
You then call us cheap and snobby – yet I fail to see how expecting friendly, competent service is anything menial. Can you point out ONE person who has stated they have stiffed so many times they can't count? The ones that seem to be complaining the most are the ones who have been stiffed. While understandable (it sucks to not get a tip when you work hard), simply expecting something that is gratuitous is a little unfair. It's much worse, though, if you (as a server) are repeatedly being stiffed. If that's sincerely the case, the true probability is that you may not be a great server.
There is a difference between an "off day" where maybe a waiter is a little slow or not as friendly as they could have been, and outright ignoring customers. I'm relativity easy going, I tip generously (50%+) when service is especially good, and tend to leave at least 10% for sub-par service. If the wait staff is obviously busy and I got sub-par service, then I'll still give about 20% because I see that as a management problem that wasn't the wait staff's fault.
But there is a difference between sub-par and flagrantly poor. I'm not going to give a meaningful tip when the wait staff ignores our table, is sitting and chatting with other staff while plates go cold, or if the wait staff disappears for 20-30 minutes at a time.
Last time I gave a penny tip was at a restaurant where they had 3 waiters on 5 tables. It took 25 minutes for them to come take the order. another 30 minutes for 3 of the 4 orders to show up (2 of them cold, one of them luke warm). The 4th didn't show up until three of us were well past being finished. We got our own water glasses and refills, the silverware was dirty, I pulled some disposable chopsticks from my purse and shared them instead of waiting for the non-existent staff to show up. After the 4th person was done eating it took another 35 minutes for the check to show up. We only stayed because at this point we just wanted to see how long it was going to take.
The other 4 tables in the restaurant? 2 left before their orders showed up (and the waiter started cussing loudly when he noticed that they weren't at the table), another ate some of the food and just left without paying. The last table was still waiting for their check by the time we got out of there.
And when we got out? The 3 waiters were out on the side door drinking from a paper bag and smoking.
Sure, there was probably something going wrong in the kitchen, I get that. Management was non-existent. I get that. But I don't think I even need to go explain why we left a penny on the table when we left.
Other than this one time, I've always tell the wait staff why I am not happy with the service, and if that fails a manager. Like I said, I get that there might be an under-staffing issue and things are slow coming out. I understand that a waiter can be having an off day. I won't even complain about that sort of thing and will still tip in the 10-15% range. But when we are being actively ignored – ask for something twice and it doesn't happen, clearly observe the wait staff lounging while tasks go un-fullfilled, etc well expect to hear about it and get a penny tip. Hell, I've even gone to the management and told them I'm leaving a 20% tip because while the service was piss-poor, the food was excellent and I want the tip to go straight to the chefs.
Seriously, it's not that hard to get a decent tip out of most people. Just show up 2 or 3 times to see if drinks need replacing and once to see if everything is alright with the food. Yeah it might be hard on a busy night, but you can't slack just because the place is half empty.
And yes, I have waited tables before, over summer break one year. I only got stiffed once. Sure I was a little peeved, because as far as I knew I had treated the table the same as I treated any other. Just figured they were cheapskates. I got complained about a couple of times early on when I was still learning the ropes: mixed orders up a couple of times and one night the manager had sat a table around a corner and I didn't realize they were there. Saw little to no tip each time and I thought it was perfectly fair. I also ended up working a harder than usual to make sure the tables I did have had excellent service and I just about made up what I lost out on from the tables I flubbed up. Once I figured out the ins and outs – smile, make eye contact, touch a shoulder, laugh at the jokes, get the manager approve sending a comp appetizer out if the kitchen is having trouble, etc.. the tips were great!
I refuse to tip for lousy service. If one waitress serves 4 tables an hour and each table left a tip of say $2., that's $8. plus their hourly wage. I don't even make that much an hour! I've also paid the bill with a credit card only to find out that after I left the resturant (leaving a cash tip on the table) they added a 15% tip to the bill. I call that double dipping!
A pet peeve of mine is having a waitress with a low cut top bending over and showing her breasts to my significant other as she is serving him, in the hopes of getting a bigger tip, I presume. I handle the decretionary money in our household and almost always take care of the check, so the "boobs in the face" trick has the opposite effect on me. No tip! I recently had to speak to the manager at a restaurant because the server's blouse was so low, her breasts nearly fell out and she was over flirtatious with my companion. So ladies, if you're hoping to increase your tip by showing off your boobs, save it for a table full of guys, not couples dining out. Chances are, the woman will control the tip!
Normally I tip, and think of my self has being generous. The one time I did not tip was when the waitress was rude. She shushed me to answer her cell phone while she was taking my order. She lingered at the bar and fixed her makeup, while our food was sitting on the counter getting cold. She was wearing a tank top and did not believe in shaving. Each time she refilled my ice tea glass she would reach over my plate to get the glass So I got a full view of her arm pits while I was trying to eat. The table was round, so she could have walked around to get my glass. I even moved the glass to the side of the table that she seemed to prefer only to have her approach the table from the other side. I asked to speak to the manager and she said he was not in that day. I paid the bill, wrote a letter to the manager and never visited the restraint again.
I have been on both sides of the fence, working in my parent's resturant during my teenage years and now visiting various establishments. Good service is good service and should be rewarded with glowing compliments to the manager and a generous tip when received. Mediocre or bad service should also be reported to the manager wit the accompanying tip.
I normally tip 15-20% for a meal. I have only walked out without tipping once. After we got our order the server disappeared and never came back to check on us once. After we had finished eating we waited 15 minutes for a bill while the server chatted to the kitchen staff. He looked several times at our table, made eye contact but never bothered to come back over and see if we waned the bill. There were only about 3 other tables eating that night so it was not busy. I finally got sick of waiting and went to get my bill at the cash, he got no tip that night.
Tipping 15-20% is common courtesy. No one has to tip, but it's respectable to do so. This is the way restaurants work in American society. The fact of the matter is most restaurants wouldn't be able to afford to pay servers $7.25 per hour and would go out of business if they were forced to do so.
In California servers earn the same minimum wage as other minimum wage earners and the employer may not use tips as a credit towards the minimum wage. You know what? We have many restaurants in California. The minimum wage in California? $8 an hour.
So's working at McDonald's, but you don't feel the need to tip them, do you? Why not? They're servin ya food. But no, society says don't tip these guys over here, but tip these guys over here. That's bull$#!+.
While I am of the mindset that one only tips for good service, your argument here Mr Pink is flawed. Let me pose it this way – when you walk into a McDonalds:
-are you greeted by someone at the door?
-are you shown to your seat?
-does someone come to explain the menu and take your order?
-does someone come to check up on you during the meal?
-does someone summarize the meal and provide you with the check, and then take care of payment for you?
Of course not. This is why we expect good service from a restaurant – this is why a server would get a tip if they perform their duties properly. They take care of the customer, and if they do it right (friendly, competent, etc.) then of course they should get a tip.
Jesus Christ – I mean these ladies aren't starving to death. They make minimum wage. You know, I used to work minimum wage. And when I did, I wasn't lucky enough to have a job society deemed tip-worthy.
Well said. There are plenty of minimum wage job. Many of them involve long or strange hours. Many of them are unpleasant. I am thinking of the guys who come to collect my garbage every Tuesday morning. They have a crappy job too, who's tipping them? Do they refuse to take your garbage if you don't leave a tip on your garbage can? Really the waiters/waitresses posting here are ridiculous. Do your frigging job and quit whining! Be thankful you HAVE a job. You think you can blackmail the public into giving you money to make up for how much you dislike your job?
I deplore tipping! Just because your job pays crap is no reason that I should be held hostage to pay more thant the stated cost for my meal. Where does it sotp? There is a tip jar at the coffee stand where the server simply fills a cup and puts a lid on it! Rediculous! At some resteraunts, they gratuitously include the gratuity. Why? Because they know that they won't get anything from some people because the service is usually the WORST ath these type places! I sincerely wish that all of us would just stop going to resteraunts until this madness can be reigned in.
Restaurants are usually allowed to pay less than minimum wage to keep operating costs relatively low. Obviously, that doesn't take care of *everything* but if full minimum wage is required in every state, you'd start seeing the price of eating out increase as those costs are passed along to you, the customer.
While I *only* condone tipping when it is warranted, I limit this field to service roles that ARE being paid less than state/federal minimum wage (or simply, server roles even in states that do not pay less than minimum wage). I, too, am severely annoyed by "tip jars" at coffee shops, delis, etc. I find it ludicrous that people who were performing the exact same duties 10 years ago for their normal wages, find it acceptable to now place tip jars near the register with cute phrases on them, goading tips out of customers. But this false sense of entitlement is what's wrong with the people here saying they should get a tip no matter what.
I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job.
Okay, I think I am starting to get it now. I probably should tip at least something even if the service was bad (except for maybe in the most rarest of occassions, then it's zilcho). However, to be able to apply that right I owe it to my server, the manager, and the next customer to at least explain my reasons to the server AND manager. Also, somewhere along the way I might somehow mention something to the server or give him/her some sort of a hint that I am concerned.
Should I really have to do all that? Well.....maybe. But, if it happened more than a time or two in the same restarant, I think I will just take my tip right on down the street.
No, you don't have to do anything – as many of these posts say other folks do. I just look at it like this – - if you're not going to speak up about the poor service there's not a whole lot you can expect as a patron to have happen as a result of it if your only action is to leave no tip. I mean, take school for example; if you turn in a paper and you get it back with a big F on it but nothing's marked to say what's wrong and your teacher doesn't talk to you (or your parents) about it, how does that help you to know what to fix or just to understand why you got the bad grade? That's all I'm saying – do something to improve upon your experience that actually could make a difference along the way.
I'm very sorry the government taxes their tips, that's f-d up. That ain't my fault. It would seem to me that waitresses are one of the many groups the government f-s in the @$$ on a regular basis. Look, if you ask me to sign something that says the government shouldn't do that, I'll sign it, put it to a vote, I'll vote for it, but what I won't do is play ball. And as for this non-college bull$#!+ I got two words for that: learn to f-in' type, 'cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent you're in for a big f-in' surprise.
If service is very good... I speak to the manager and compliment the waiter/waitress 7 leave a generous tip. If the service is bad, I speak to the manager about the poor service or poor quality and leave no tip. If it's extremely busy, it's understandable. If it's not, there's no excuse. it's that simple. They don't tip in Europe... too many Americans are too damn spoiled and want everything handed to them
Aside from the fact that I don't think tips should be a part of wages as a practice of employment –
What astounds me on this entire comment section is the number of people who say they don't leave a tip because of poor service (however they judge that to be) and then that's it... That you've made your point, and you sure showed him/her on that one because the person who so incompetantly waited on you for your entire meal will surely be able to figure out why you were so unimpressed with your service...
I'm not of the opinion that tips should be left no matter how poor the experience, I just don't see the point of not leaving a tip if you're not going to make a verbal or written complaint to the management about your experience. If you don't speak up to someone who's actually the one deciding who gets to keep the job for however long, how effective do you expect leaving no tip is going to be in getting that person out of the position (if that's what needs to happen)? If I were waiting tables and didn't receive a tip, I'm not necessarily going to go tell my manager that and then have him or her speculate with me on why that could be – I'm going to receive no tip, think you suck, and go on about my business. The fact of the matter is, performance issues are addressed by the employer, not by the tips.
Another reason I say not tipping is really quite worthless without speaking to management is that my aunt told me once that my cousin when he was a little boy had been swiping tips whenever they went out to eat. He thought the tips were "forgotten money" and "finders keepers" so... he was turning into a rich little boy. When my aunt found out, she went back to each of the restaurants (they always went to the same few) and apologized to each manager and had him apologize and, bc she didn't know how much should have been left at each place, she took the money he had collected and divvied it up to each of the restaurants. One of the managers actually said to her that she was recognized as a poor tipper and he wasn't really thrilled with her patronage because of it, so her explanation of what was going on when she found that out really went a long way to repairing her relationship with those restaurants. So, that little bit of story is to say if there's no tip left on your table it might not always be a statement that you had poor service; if you don't pair the "no tip practice" with a "complaining to the management practice" you're not really actively doing anything to improve your or others experiences of service.
The problem with most people who don't tip because of bad service is they don't inform either the server or manager that the service was bad. Like I said earlier good service is based on perception of the customer, as well as bad service. A server may be under the impression that they gave great service only to find a check written for the exact amount with a penny on top and no explanation why.
The restaurant owner should be the one compensating the servers. I do not think it is fair for the customer to pay twice for a meal by being forced to tip. Why isn't anybody holding the restaurant owners accountable for this?
Why does the customer have to pay twice for the meal? Leaving a tip is like paying twice for a meal. That is not fair.
I get hungry. I don't feel like cooking. I go to a restaurant. I pay $3 for a soda and on average $10 for a plate of food. That's $13 plus 9.75% sales tax, in Los Angeles where I live. Keep in mind that uncle Sam has already taxed me on that money too and taken it from my paycheck. So I don't understand why I still need to leave a tip. The restaurant is giving me a plate of warm food in exchange for my money. The price on the menu plus tax is all that I should be paying for that meal. The restaurant owner should be fairly paying the server, since I am fairly paying for the food the price listed on the menu.
You have to tip because your server is making below minimum wage. And since service is fluctuant, some is great, some, not so much, you control how much the server earns. If you don't like "paying for your meal" twice, go to McDonalds
I'm with Jay. Good service gets tips (usually 20%). I walk out on bad service. (Only two or three times in my life). The tip is the least of their problems.
The minimum wage issue is irrelevant. If you provide me service, I pay appropriately. If you do not provide me service, you do not get paid. Real simple.
Actually, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word 'tip' is a slang term that originated in the early 18th century. It's derived from an earlier sense of the word that meant "to give".
The acronym To Insure Proper Service is incorrect. Specifically, the word 'insure' means "to guarantee against loss or harm". I believe the correct word would be 'ensure' which means "to secure".
It's society in general. Just because little Billy played baseball doesn't mean he deserves a trophy! Just because you work as a waiter/waitress doesn't mean you deserve a 15% tip.
I did the waiter gig, it's simple if I screwed up I got screwed. Did I whine, no! I changed MY WAYS of doing business I didn't expect the customer to change THEIR WAYS.
You don't deserve squat! If I get bad service, surprise you get a bad tip. Not too hard to understand but most everyone is a product of the public school system and expects their trophy.
I used to tip 15% 100% of the time. When the service was lousy, I felt even worse when I left knowing that it cost me that much more. Now when I tip, it is for extraordinary service above and beyond. Taking my oder and delivering my food is factored into my cost. However, when I do tip, my tip is extraordinary as well. I typically tip 50 to 100%. So let me ask all the "tip no matter what" people, should I take from those that 'earn' it to just give it to those that don't? After all, If they 'lousy" servers get tipped anyway, what will encourage them to become extraordinary or even leave a profession that they are not successfull in? Performance is the factor.
I was a waiter for years. You all wanna not get stiffed? Give better service, seriously. Not that hard really. And if you're too busy, you have too many tables and can't handle it.
Since the staff is taxed on their sales, this should be easy to figure out – servers how much sales do you genereate per hour at a Friday's type restraunt. Not just good or bad nights over a typical week. Diveide it by 10 and multiple by 2 then add in your 2.35 from your employer. That is the expected hourly wage for you assuming a 20% tip. If that is over 15 an hour then 20%is really too high of tip to expect. I would really like to know answers
Two things: To cyberwarrior that comment about "blacks" not tippings is completely ridiculous. Regardless of whether or not your entire waiting experience has shown you that none of the black people who you have served have tipped, it's just an affront in itself that you could be comfortable with making such a glaringly stereotypical comment. Seriously. Problems all around. I get you're saying that not "all" black people don't tip ("brothers & sisters"? really...-__-?), but it seems as if you're saying that the only ones who would consider tipping are those who work in the service industry as well. I'm sure you must know this isn't true, so I'm not going to waste time detailing to you that it's impossible to make such a generalizing statement, becuase, obviously, you have not interacted with all the Black people in this country. Ugh.
Anywho, the major point that I wanted to make (before happening across the previous post) is that we shouldn't have to tip a certain amount because we feel guilty or we are ashamed about what people will think if we don't tip. That's happened to me a number of times when I've settled on a tip that I've decided is fair and a person I'm dining with will say "Oh, we should give them more." I should be able to discern what I think is a fair tip without other people telling me what I SHOULD do. In addition, I don't understand the idea that we should tip 15-20% (or more) of the BILL. What does the BILL (the physical amount that I paid for my food) have anything to do with what the waiter deserves? They didn't cook the food, so it's no tlike saying a waiter "deserves" more for serving me a lobster dinner vs. serving me a burger or a salad (or an appetizer). I don't think there's anything wrong with tipping (I understand that waiters don't make much and this helps supplement their income) but someone please explain the logic in this arbitray tipping system. I don't think the "value" of the food has ANYTHING to do with the vaule of my service and I'm TIPPING a waiter for the service not for how good/expensive the food was (if that's the case, we should be tipping the chef...). So, when I tip, I don't follow a strict 15-20% reigment. Sometimes, this is to the waiter's advantage because, say if I buy an $8 burger (w/water) I'd feel really awkward just leaivng the person a $1.60 for a tip, I'd probably leave something more along the lines of $3-4 (to make it worth their while, and becuase I don't like leaving change). However, I also don't think I should be forced to leave something like $10-15 just because my food costs more. I think tips should be a function of whatever a person feels inspired to give. Honestly, I assume (I really don't know) that waiters would be grateful for any tip because at the end of the day it's MONEY and the point is that the tips should be adding to their income. So if someone dares snub a tip, then I'll assume they don't really want it anyway. However, I've never left anything like a penny, or a quarter. I leave at least $2 if I go out to eat (I don't generally buy really expensive food), but that seems to not be enough for some people. Poor service is poor service–if I have to do my waiter's job FOR them (i.e.: go find utensils, napkins, a plate for my appetizers, a refill, etc, which I've had to do...) then I'm not quite sure what I'm paying them FOR. However, I have had really great waiters before. And as long as I leave the restaurant feeling neutral (as in, not hating my experience) my waiter will get a good tip.
At the end of the day, since tipping varies so much across the board, it would be better if there was a mandatory minimum wage for waiters. But, on the other side, I know some people who would adamantly disagree with that since they honestly make a lot MORE than people who have regular jobs BECAUSE tipping is so good. So, with this industry, it seems like it's a risk you'll have to take. You COULD make a lot of money ($200-300 a night, I've heard), but you also have to be willing to accept that you might leave making only $50 in one night. Hopefully it'll all balance out in the long run. Continue to do your jobs well, and more often than not you'll be rewareded for it. :)
I have waited tales and thought it to be both the hardest and most enjoyable work I have ever done. Simply hard work but working with the public was great most of the time. I prided myself on excellent service even when the hostess would tell me that a particular party usually did not tip well. Or in one instance an elderly couple just told me up front they did not believe in tipping and they would understand if I did not want to wait on them. I gave them especially great service; they very graciously "thanked" me. I was happy and proud.
P.S. this was a second job so I could pay my bills. I tip 20% as a rule but it can go up or down from there depending on the service and I never punish the server for something obviously not in their control.
I've worked at resorts where a low minimum wage is allowed assuming the server will make at least enough to bring the server's wage up to standard minimum wage. The server clocks in at the beginning of their shift and when they clock out at the end of their shift they enter the dollar amount earned in cash tips during the shift. They do not need to pay credit card service charges, that is the resorts overhead. If a server is showing low tips earned over a period of time (credit and cash) it usually means the server is providing poor service or that the server is providing false information on cash tips. Whether the cause of the low tips is resulting from the server performming poorly or providing false information the server would stand a good chance of being terminated. At our main dining room the servers would average $150 to $300 per night in tips. We had one server that would earn his $4 an hour plus average better than $500 a night in tips. One night this server earned a $450 tip on one table. Other servers would be sent on their way or leave on their own because they were not earning enough. At times we would host a large international event and we would let the guests know that a "service charge" of 15% would be added to their bills. Most of the guests understood since in many countries a service charge is added to a guest bill and if the diner felt the service was above par a diner would round the bill up to the next highest dollar.
If I am dining out and the service is poor – I let the manager know and leave a low to zero tip. If the food is bad I talk to the manager – if the manager comps the item or the meal the server gets a full tip based on the full cost of the meal. If the manager does nothing, I do not dine at the establishment again, but will not penalize the server if he/she makes an attempt to correct the problem.
To those servers that say they will mess with a diners food on a return visit if they don't tip, grow up and if it happens often to you look into the mirror for the person to blame. And if you are caught on a security camera say goodbye to your job and look forward to possible criminal charges.
My friend is a waiter at Olive Garden and he is black. He even said every time a group of black customers walk in, he would pray they don't sit at his section.
I work in the business, and I believe that low tips are deserved by poor service, but the penny or the out right stiff are not exceptable. If you are in a regular job making yearly salary, if you make a mistake or you are having an off day, does your daily wage get docked a percentage, or taken away all together? I didn't think so. First determine if the server or the kitchen made the mistake. If a server or bartender makes a mistake, make it known they have made a mistake and let them correct it. If the kitchen made the mistake, you still inform the waitstaff of the error and let them take it from there. If you are not happy with the results, then you ask to see the manager. All these steps should be taken care of before you even ask for the bill. If at that point, you are still unhappy, please think twice before stiffing or shaving the tip. We have mouths to feed and heads to keep roofs over. $2.32/hr plus tip means exactly that, we make $2.32 an hour and rely on our service to you for the rest of our income. Try living on $2.32/hr and tell me how far you get.
Lets see in a some positions if you have a bad day and perform poorly you may not get docked for that days work, but the next day you could be looking for a new job.
Well, Ed, obviously some customers are total jerks and will leave a pittance for even the best of service. BUT when you can watch your server dote and fawn all over other tables and ignore you as if you were not even there then the server should fully expect to receive a big fat stiff on the tip. She can tell her kids: Sorry you don't get to eat tonight but mommy was too busy making googly eyes at "Bud Stud" to pay attention to the rest of her tables for 20 minutes.
I was a waitress for my last two years of High School and I worked very hard for my customers. I treated them with the utmost respect. I received my training from a lady who had been a waitress for over 40 years. She said to always treat them as if they were your own family and I agreed with her. Never give bad service to someone that you wouldn't want as well. Always have a smile and be polite. To me if the service is bad let the waitress; waiter; or Manager know. I had to work one Sunday morning and I sat a family of 12 down and I gave them nothing but great service. I made sure they had everything they needed and kept their drinks full. The bill was way over $250.00. I thought I would at least get $40.00 but all they left me was $5.00. I ran out to them as other people were coming in and I told them that they could keep their $5.00 tip for the $250.00 bill. I also told them to never come back because I would spread it around how lousy they were as tippers and that they would only get the worst service possible.
I ordered out once and when I brought it home the food was terrible. The lobster was mushy, and the steaks were tough and burnt. I called the restaurant and asked to speak to the Manager and I let him know about it. He asked what I ordered so that he could verify the order and he then apologized to me. I thanked him and told him that I would give them another chance. He then told me that he would send me a gift certificate for the full amount. He kept to his word and sent me a $100.00 gift certificate. I went back and received a wonderful take out dinner and gave the waitress a 25% tip because she was attentive and kind and served me with a gracious smile. Everyone has good and bad days but try to keep your personal business to yourself and do your job. I also realize that not everyone can go to college so that they can get a better job but if it’s all you got try doing your best at whatever you do. Last night I went to this seafood restaurant for take out and I ordered from the bar area, while there another gentleman came in to order out as well. After I put in my order she didn’t ask me if I wanted a drink or ice water but with the gentleman she did. I thought how rude and then I preceded to ask for ice water, 8 minutes later she gave me ice water. Then to top it off she put his order in and forgot mine. He got up to leave and I asked how much longer it would take and she said about 15 minutes. I then told her to just cancel the order and that I would be going to another restaurant and give them my business. She said but you already ordered and I told her but I haven’t paid you either. I then asked her to go get her Manager. She was gone for about 5 minutes and both came back. He asked what the problem was and I informed him of what happened. She stood there staying nothing but rolling her eyes and he apologized for the incident. He then asked how this could be cleared up and I told him to only hire people who really want the job and who could be polite and attentive to their customers. The food I ordered was delivered by another lady so I looked at it and found it to look and smell great so I then decided to pay for it but only had to pay half price per the Manager and I told him that since she didn’t do her job that I wasn’t going to tip her and he agreed. If you receive a great tip it’s because you went out of your way for your customers, if you don’t get one then maybe you need to look at yourself at why you didn’t get tipped. If you don’t complain to the Manager; how are they to know that someone bad is working for them? How can they fix what they don’t know?
Some people serve because its the only job available to them while they are putting themselves through school, and trying to raise a kid on the side. Most serving jobs offer the flexibility needed. It is quite ignorant (Jaliska) to assume that the servers have simply "chosen" that job with lousy pay and should put up with rude and obviously ignorant flakes such as yourself. The hourly rate of pay is ridiculously low.. and yes these servers do need the tips. If you can afford to go out to feed your face you should assume the tip is part of that expense and not find a reason to justify a completely rude gesture like stiffing someone for whatever reason. Until restaurants start paying people an hourly rate that equals the work put in .. there should NEVER be a reason to stiff someone.
Sometimes good service is all about perception. Some customers are just so hard to please that it's almost not worth it to go the extra mile. If I need something I will ask for it but I try not to be too demanding and I try to be respectful. If I can tell the server is trying I will give him or her the benefit of the doubt. Unless it is obvious the server isn't trying to do a good job I will tip at least 20%.
From experience I've found that as a waiter sometimes you get tables that are very demanding and very inconsiderate. I've been in situations were I've had to choose to either neglect them or neglect all of my other tables because I was too busy to please everyone and help wasn't always available.
I was surprised that the minimum wage for servers did not go up with overall minimum wage. However, if restaurants were forced to pay servers more, many would not be able to stay open because labor costs would be too high for them to stay in business.
I was with a large group at a place that automatically adds tips for large groups. I guess our server felt that justified him ignoring us all night. We requested separate checks at the beginning of the meal, and he told us fine he would separate them when he brought them later, well later it was "too late" to separate them! Our drinks didn't come until well after our food was served. But the absolute worst was that we sat in an open air area, with a retractable awning. It started to rain, so we asked our server to close the awning, he put his hand out, said "I don't feel anything" and walked away. Another table requested the same of their server who immediately closed the awning. We spoke to the manager who discounted our meal, and needless to say there was no tip.
It has to be really catastrophic for me to leave a $0 tip. I would probably have already walked out of the restaurant. If it's pretty bad, I still leave 10%. I tip heavier on cheap meals b/c I don't think 20% is enough on an $8 lunch, where they still need a min of 5 trips to the table. I think 20% way too much on a $100 dinner, but I'm too cheap to go on those very often. I think it is important to vary your tip to send feedback. Someone who does a good job and makes themselves be pleasant when they don't feel like it should do better than someone that doesn't bother. My pet peave is physically attractive waitstaff that seem to know they don't have to work too hard.
Simple. When you go somewhere and there is a person who will 'bring you something'... 'serve you'.... they are paid by the proprietor to do this. The bar/restaurant/cafe/ice cream parlor owner does NOT owe the employee anything more.
Anything 'more'... or 'less'... that he server 'provides' is reason for a tip or lack thereof. It's SIMPLY a 'value added' service. Guaranteed, the better servers will get better tips....
When servers 'detract' from the basic, minimum service... they are SUBTRACTING from the consumers experience... and the tip becomes less and less deserved... to the point that INDEED some servers should suffer more than no tip...
Go to a club... get lousy service, slow service, cold food... inattentive servers... goofing around... waitresses flirting with bartenders... forgotten orders... wrong orders... incorrect bill... THESE PEOPLE WANT A TIP..??!!!
Years ago I had the opportunity to spend a summer working with a young woman from Germany. I asked her what she liked about the United States. She said she loved the service that waiters and waitresses give you in American restaurants. She couldn't believe that the wait staff always asks, "Is everything okay? Can I get you anything else?" She said that in Germany the wait staff essentially throws the food at patrons because the tip is always included in the bill. Consequently, no matter how good the service they provide, the tip will always be the same.
If servers were paid at least minimum wage and tipping was not common practice, the prices of menu items would be 15-20 percent higher. I try to keep this in mind when I dine out.
Being a former line cook i have no sympathy for servers, do you know how many times ive had to yell a servers name becuse the food had been sititng in the window for 10+ minutes. Cooks get blamed for things that sometimes..really are the servers fault. Yes there are good servers and you can see those servers, they try and are very nice no matter how bad their day has been. The customer doesnt care if you ran out of cigarettes, the customer wants to have an enjoyable experience that they are paying for. If a server puts a damper on their night the by all means make the tip commensurant to the service. Yes there are jerks that wont tip even if you went the whole nine yards and gave them an extra refill on a drink that doesnt have free refills. But most of the time if you dont get tipped well, you did something wrong. Bring back comment cards at the table!
Some of the posters were infuriated at people who don't leave a tip. One poster stated that "perhaps the waiter had a bad day, give them the benefit of the doubt."
I'm an aircraft mechanic. If I have a bad day, a plane could crash. So if you're a waiter, you get a free pass to have a bad day? I don't think so. If you are rude to me, I'm not going to pay you!!!
are you honestly claiming that you've never had a bad day at work before? because that sounds very unlikely. the fact is nobody is at their best every day. the only difference is you still get your full paycheck everyday, whereas the working class person waiting on you doesnt get the same benefit.
Now Stanley... Justin is simply saying that if he has a bad day, It is NOT acceptable to perform lowsy work. If he forgets to tighten the bolts on the wing of an aircraft, nobody would EVER forgive him if the excuse was "I just had a bad day." Think about it next time you get on an aircraft. That's why he gets paid his full salary even if he has a bad day. Servers, however, do what they can to make our meals enjoyable or live with getting NO TIP.
i understand completely what he saying... i just dont believe it. i doubt there is anyone here with a full time job that can claim to have never made an error while on the clock."to err is human", etc. everybody slips up sometimes, and its a lot more likely in a hectic environment with a lot of multitasking involved.
Agreed, we are not perfect. People do make errors and we should not reduce a tip because of a mistake or two. However, servers who flat out ignore customers or just want to do as little as possible and blame it on a bad day should not be rewarded with a gracious tip. I once heard a girl tell me that she will not bring anything to a table until she is asked for it. After watching her for a while, I noticed she didn't bring silverware, Ketchup (for a burger and fries), fill drinks, etc. I began reducung her tip everytime it happened to me. I shouldn't have to ask for the same things everytime. Also, I was a regular there.
Only time I ever left without tipping was when I was with my mother who was in her 80's, and wheel chair bound due to a stroke. We are both diabetic from birth. After waiting quite a while for service, our waitress finally came and took our orders and we both ordered unsweetened tea. The tea came back sweet and I politely explained that we had to have unsweetened tea because of our diabetes. The waitress literally rolled her eyes then finally brought back some tea when our meals came and she completely disappeared from that point until very near the end of our meal. I finally had to get her attention to get a refill on tea...which she tried to refill with sweet tea again before I stopped her. Finally Mom had to go to the restroom so I wheeled her in there only to find the handicapped stall occupied but none of the other stalls occupied. I noticed when we walked in that the room smelled like smoke, and I heard several women laughing in the stall. Then several minutes later the stall door opened and three waitresses came out with the cig packs and lighters in hand, including our waitress. Two had the sense to look ashamed to see an old lady in a wheel chair waiting for them to finish up. When we went into the stall there were three fully smoked butts in the toilet and two chairs had been pulled in there that I had to remove to accomodate Mom's wheelchair. When we came back out, our check was laying on our table with charges for 4 sweet teas and our server didn't even come to pick it up, but instead sent someone else. Needless to say the manager and I had a chat.
As a former waiter here's my two bits:
There are customers who will NEVER TIP regardless of the service they receive and are insulted at the idea of tipping.
Blacks who constantly expect you to resupply them with fresh napkins because they use the ones you've already provided them like toilet paper and calling on you every minute for one item or another at the expense of your other customers who do tip, leave NO TIP. That isn' t to say all brothers and sisters don't tip. Many brothers and sisters are themselves waiters/waitresses and no doubt have been on the receiving end of this black on black injustice.
Wait staff routinely juggle the demands of seating the customers, getting them their water and menus, cleaning the tables, bussing the tables, getting the customers' orders, placing the orders to the kitchen, and writing the checks. Anything fails in one area, it has a ripple effect on everything else. That's what waiters/waitresses have to put up with
for the customer's service.
The problem is the fact that restaurant are exempt from minimum wage. I would of liked to no tip a couple times but was basically guilted into leaving something because of I know they don't make anything. Normally I would tip around 15-20% but bad service gets below 10%. And thats just because I would feel guilty leaving anything less so my opinion doesn't change any.
But restaurants do have a nice little scam going, seriously how many other industries have their customers paying their employees. Its genius.
One of my major aggreavations is when wait staff takes my cash with the bill and asks, "Do you want change?" In many cases because I don't have smaller bills I will leave two $20 bills ($40) for say a $24 bill, so the change should be almost as much as the size of the bill. So when the wait staff asks this question I tend to translate it as, "I want double what you would ordinarily leave as a tip." So in those cases I say, "Yes, I want the change." I then leave them a 15 percent tip instead of my customary 20 percent. However, if the waiter or waitress says, "I'll be right back with your change," I will give him/her the full 20 percent tip.
William, that’s a pretty contrived reason. Usually, I find it rude to count the money someone has left me in front of their table to see if change will be necessary, so I always ask about change at the table if I see any cash in the bill. It also saves valuable time because if people do not need change, which is very common, I don’t waste time I could be using waiting on other tables making change in the server area or getting change for a large bill at the bar. People also usually have a specific way they want their change/bill handled so I always ask. I think maybe you’re reading into the semantics a little too much.
I have never waited tables – not something I would be good at, but most of my friends have at one time or another. I know they get paid less than minimum wage and that is with the expectation of a tip – for people to say a tip is not required – you're just lying to yourselves. I always leave a tip – somewhere between 15-20% – sometimes more. I am not a rich person but I know how hard it is to make ends meet. What gets me is restaurants that do not give the wait staff their tips when it is added to the credit card statement – that's stealing - or the crap about "pooling" tips – that's stealing too, a good waiter/ess is penalized because they work with a bunch of lazy people because their good tips are mixed with crappy or no tips and they don't get what they've earned. I'm not sure how to make things square with bus boys/girls and kitchen staff but in my opinion they should be paid a proper, full minimum wage and should not expect to partake of the tips the wait staff gets. The wait staff get's less than 1/2 the minimum wage and the tips are supposed to bring them up to at least (and hopefully more than) minimum wage. People on this comment section certainly seem to be holier than thou regarding tipping – I hope you never have to find out just how hard it is to wait tables.
I've been a server for many years and am currently a restaurant manager. I am appalled by some of the comments, "I would leave an INSULTINGLY low tip..." Why would you go out of your way to insult some one just because they aren't the best at their job or were having an off day. That's terrible!!! Bottom line is I understand the frustration of having bad service...but the facts are a server is there to bring you you drinks and food and to be a friendly representation of the restaurant. They are not your personal slave and are not there to wipe your ass for you. Treat them as human beings. Its sad that even has to be said!
Ohhh Jaliska, I think I have waited on you before. Screaming kids, husband that ignores you...ahhh yes you came and made a mess and didn't tip me! Oh well, my night went on and I was tipped accordingly by all the others who "came to feed themselves." I think you should consider sticking to the non tipping restaurants like McDonalds or perhaps Burger King when you really feel like splurging. Your comments are ignorant and you should be ashamed. By the way there is a 80 yr old woman who works at the Denny's in town. She lost her savings thanks to this wonderful economy and decided to go wait tables for fun!!! as we all do. You should go and stiff her, since she pays her bills with spilled soda and dirty plates.
I'm in public relations and a number of years ago I arranged a meeting for a couple of clients and a reporter who covered their industry. We went to a trendy Italian restaurant. The reporter had laid his winter coat on the seat next to him. When the waiter delivered the meal he wasn't paying attention and spilled a large quantity of sauce on the reporter's coat. I was mortified. The waiter tried to blame it on the reporter for putting the coat on the seat next to him. I paid with a credit card, but specifically left the tip blank. When I got my credit card statement, the cost of the meal was listed as 15 percent more than the slip I had signed. The waiter had written in his own tip. Obviously I called and complained and the restaurant gave me a free meal. Big deal. I was trying to help my client by introducing them to a key reporter, but the only thing the reporter remembered was having his coat doused with Marinara sauce.
I love how the majority of “always leave a tip” crew are waiters. I tend to tip just over 20% as long as the service was reasonable. With that said I have no idea how that became socially acceptable never mind the norm. If a table of 4 goes out and spends $20 a plate and each get 2 $5 drinks the bill comes to $120. The tip on that is $24. Add in the $2.13 wage that they always bring up as a mortal sin (basically a bonus) and the waiter made $26 on the single table in the hour that we were there. Let’s get super conservative and say they only work three tables at a time. The other two cover the tip out and maybe the extra 10-20 min over an hour a typical table stays. That’s a $50,000 a year unskilled job in air conditioning. Of course they only claim about $25,000 on their taxes which they have no shame doing. So it’s more like $60,000. I’m in sales. If something goes wrong I get nothing. Waiters are in sales, but they will blame everything in the world and still expect not just a tip, but a full one.
When I waited tables I always got tips-in fact I made more money per hour waiting tables than I did for years in my field, but I worked hard for that money and. I will still tip on below average service but if the waitstaff gives me attitude I will zero out the tip as fast as lightning.
if you are dining in or ordering home delivery, you should always tip your server. if you cant afford to tip, stay at home and prepare the food yourself. These people are providing you a service, with the expectation of being compensated for their work. Even if you feel the service is subpar, they still gave you some of their time and effort and it was still worth more than nothing. Nobody is perfect, everybody makes mistakes or has off days on the job. If you work in an office and are having a bad day, odds are you still get paid for your time. Why should a server should not be paid for his/her time? Service industry workers rely on customers to tip in order to support their household. Its never ok to not tip, tipping should be considered part of the bill just like the price of food.
Here's one for you... We enter a nice eatery in Vermont to only hear a child having an end of day melt-down. When the hostess asks where we'd like to sit, I respond "Some place quite". She then walks us to the table next to the kid. Now, what would you, a paying customer, say at that point?
Ask right then to be seated elsewhere. I've done that multiple times. I love kids, but I'm not always in the mood to deal with them at a restaurant so if I am in close proximity to a child who's misbehaving I ask to move and explain why. I've never had them tell me no and they always seat me elsewhere.
Alright, part of eating out is tipping. That is the real source of income for a server. Not tipping is the equivalent of any professional doing the job they are hired to do by their client and then not getting paid. When poor service is given, a tip is not always warranted. However, a 4-5 percent tip is acceptable as the server will most likely be paying that amount to support staff. If your bar drink was great and the food was also good, then why punish those staff members that did their job? Now, if you are the type that doesn't agree with tipping at any time, then eat at home. Where else would you be provided with a service for free? Nowhere.
Jeremiah, you said "part of eating out is tipping. That is the real source of income for a server."
Perhaps you should complain to the owner who hired you at $2.00 an hour – that SHOULD be the real source of income. Don't expect customers to support you. The owners are banking by not paying you a decent wage! Don't cut the throats of the customer, go after your boss.
Has it occured to anyone that waiters/waitresses make less money, because it's not exactly the most challenging job in the world? It seems like most of the pro tip points rely on the argument that the job is hard or the waiters need the money..... Maybe they should have worked harder to avoid relying on the will of the average customer to be generous. Tipping should be outlawed, restaurants should pay more, and restaurants should raise the price of food to cover it. If you disagree with this, than you can't argue that waiters should get a tip, even if they provide bad service.... THAT'S THE POINT! Low base + good tips = more money for good waiters.... IT CREATES MOTIVIATION!
My boss would love it if the customers paid me separately so that he would only have to pay me a pittance. Where else do you have to pay twice. I say raise the prices, and pay the staff a proper salary. In fact, I bet most waiters have limited or no benefits. If so many people are accustomed to pay a tip, then they shouldn't have any problem paying the higher prices that will result from paying a living wage.
I don't expect to be entertained, sung to, or to see special tricks. What I DO expect is good service. I expect silverware BEFORE I get my food, my drink refilled a time or two, to be asked if I need anything, and to not be ignored. I expect them to do their job. I, then, have NO problem, and am honored to compensate for my service. I don't give handouts though. If I get an a$$hole with a bad attitude, am ignored, served cold food, well, the tip is next to ZERO. The lowest I've left is a penny. I beleive you get what you put out. Of you give crappy service, you get pennies.
Let me start by saying that my grandmother was a waitress for over 25 years, so I know how difficult the job can be.
It is your job to make the dining experience pleasant for the customer. If my experience is subpar due to your service (or lack there of) then your tip will be subpar as well. There have been times when I've gone back to a restaurant and requested a different waiter due to the poor service I received before. On a few rare occassions I haven't left ANY tip, but I took the time to explain why to both the waiter and the manager.
If you do your job well and enhance my dining experience, you will be rewarded for it. One time my husband and I were so pleased with the service we received that we left a 50% tip.
Not everyone is cheap, we just expect you to do your job and actually earn the tip that is a part of your wages. That is how the job force works.
If you don't tip because you had bad service you are ignorant. Servers live off their tips if you had bad service tell the waiter/waitress and they will fix the problem it's not going to hurt there feelings if your drink is empty or your food is cold. They would rather know so your experience is better at the restaurant. Not saying a word till the end of the meal then stiffing them is Bu77S**t. You should stay home and be a cheap bast**d then go out.
I'm usually a very good tipper (20% is my norm, higher if I'm really impressed by the food/service). But there has been 1 time that not only didn't I tip, I didn't pay for my food or drinks.
We were sat on a moderately busy night. It was hopping, but there were also open tables. The gentleman who sat us took our drink order and said that "such and such will be over shortly with your drinks and to take your order". 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes passed. I flagged down a different waiter and explained that we had been seated but hadn't seen our waiter. The waiter was nice enough to run back and bring us some drinks and let us know that our waiter would be over shortly. He was so sorry, etc...
5, 10, 15 minutes pass, and still no service. Our drinks are long past drained. I hail the other waiter again and ask to have the manager come to our table. I explain to the manager what's going on, that we had been there almost 45 minutes, still haven't seen our waiter, and have had 1 drink each. He apologizes and goes over to a main who has been standing at the bar chatting with the bartender since we walked in. Apparently he was our waiter. He comes over, takes our order and disappears again (still no refills, despite me politely asking for one). 20 minutes later some one comes from the kitchen (not our waiter) carrying a couple of plates of food plus an appetizer. He asks "who ordered X". Neither of us had ordered that. "Well who ordered Y". ummm, I did, but the sides are wrong, and it's clearly weell done and not medium rare. He apologies, sets the appetizer on the table (which we didn't order either) and goes back to the kitchen. We eat the appetizer while we wait for our waiter to return... nothing. I flag down another waiter, again ask for the manager, and inform him that I will be leaving immediately, will not be paying for anything I ordered, and will not be returning. He apologized, asked what he can do to make it right, and offered free desserts (???). No thanks.
That's the only time it's been bad enough for me not to tip. I've gone as low as 10% for "bad" service, but it's never been close to as bad as that occassion was.
I generally tip very well. I've never worked food service, but I have worked customer service for many years. I know what it's like to have a bad day, and a bad string of customers. I have only never left a tip one time. The waitress visited our table twice during our entire meal. Never refilled our drinks. Took our order, brought our check. She didn't bring the food. She didn't bring our drinks. She didn't ask if things were fine. There were two larger party tables she was waiting on right behind us. I'm sure she got a good tip there. But it ruined my meal and our night our by her not paying attention. I caught the attention of another waitress, and SHE waited on us the entire night. She got our tip. Our waitress could have cared less about us, even when we complained to the manager about her rude behavior and lack of service. I understand bad nights. I also understand that you have to perform your job to the best of your ability. I pay for service when I tip. If the service was great, the server can expect a great tip. At least 18% even at a lower end restaurant. However, when you completely disregard me because I'm not going to be leaving a $20 tip like the table beside me, I have to draw the line somewhere.
I don't ever leave no tip, that means there may be some question on whether or not I was making a point or just forgot.
If service is really bad I'll leave the smallest coin I have on me as the tip. This takes some doing though, the wait staff have to be actively ignoring their duties. I won't penalize wait staff for kitchen errors (though I will complain to management), but if the wait staff can't be arsed to bring clean eating utensils (or any for that matter), leaves an order on the sill until it goes stone-cold, can't bring a check within 15 minutes of the end of a meal where it's obvious that we're done, and completely fails to follow up on drinks, well then why would I want to reward that sort of behavior?
Stuff happens, sure. Come and tell us about it then. Don't hide in the kitchen and refuse to make eye contact on the rare foray out of the back. If the dishwasher blew up and you are doing things by hand, tell us. Come ask if it'll be ok to bring out some of the food if the chef is having trouble with one of the table's orders (big bonus if some small side is comped for the goofed order).
Solution? Pay your workers enough so that they don't need a tip to survive. This means a tip is a just reward for going above and beyond and not a formality. Restaurants don't charge any less in non tipping countries on their menus so effectively it costs more to eat out in ones that expect a tip. Where is this money going? Into the pockets of the owner.
I have to admit, I am known for being very generous when the service is great. I have left $30 on a $50 tab, multiple times. My favorite bartender always gets atleast 50%. A decent waiter / waitress can expect anywhere from 20% – 25% from me. An excellent waiter / waitress can expect anywhere from 30% – 50%. But the tips are earned, not a right. My expectations are not ridiculous. Water and soda's refilled. Food brought out in a timely manner (I do account for busy nights at the restaurant). Mistakes corrected without hassle (if i asked for a medium rare burger and you bring me a piece of burnt beef, i expect that to be taken care of, if my salad is wilted and brown and gross, don't expect me to pay for it). If i'm in the middle of a conversation, wait for a semi-lull to interrupt, even if it is to ask how everything is. If you are genuinely busy, then I am more than happy to take that in to account. But if my table is the only table in your section and it takes me an hour to get a 2nd glass of water, you can expect no tip. A tip is earned, not a right. Yes, i understand that your minimum wage is ridiculously low, but if you're going to treat your customers like crap because of your minimum wage amount, get out of the service industry. BUT my biggest pet peeve, of all times, is when a waiter or waitress checks that tip amount at the table while I'm still sitting there. If you have no trust in your service, than most likely you don't deserve a tip. If you say you've been stiffed on checks before and that's why you don't trust your customers, get out of the service industry. I have been in the service industry for over 15 years. Respect your customers. Don't let one POS who stiffed you make you distrust every customer that sits in your section. Treat them the way you'd want to be treated. and maybe, just maybe, they'll tip like you would want to be tipped.
What do you consider is the proper way to tip?
Say, the bill is 20.00 dollars, tax is 2.00 total bill 22.00. I usually double the tax leaving 26.00 dollars; however some of my friends leave x% of the bill with out the tax figured in. Say, 20% of 20 dollars, equaling 24.00 dollars total.
Thoughts?
It depends on the tax rate in the state (or even municipality) you're in. For a state with 6% tax you would triple the tax.
Another problem is where food can be taxed but alcoholic beverages aren't.
To avoid these complications, I would usually take the amount before tax, divide by 10 and double this result, then add to the bill.
Are you kidding me? Unless you’re "dining" at a fast food restaurant, service is more important than the food. Dining out is a form of entertainment for my wife and I. In fact, we dine out on the average of four nights a week. I enjoy the occasional hole in the wall and have experienced some of the best restaurants in the world. Bottom line, whether you’re out at Jean Georges or the local Italian restaurant, service defines the experience. If the service is poor, the tip should follow. That said, if the service is outstanding... I have no problem leaving 30 or 40% at times. No excuses, service defines the experience. Poor food and great service, I may give it another try. Great food with pathetic service, I'll dine with a competitor. If you don’t get it, find another industry.
My assumption is that all the servers on this board who are arguing to leave tips....are AWESOME at what they do. I am a former waitress and I KNOW I did a great job. I think any of the servers out there who are the rude, lazy do nothing type would never comment on this article. Bad day, slammed busy, whatever...it's all in how you treat the guest. But...regardless of that....I still had times where people would run up a HUGE bill and tip 10% or less.
THAT is what I don't get. If you have the money to drop $150 on dinner, don't you have the money to tip 20% for good service??
I also don't appreciate the person at the top of the article who said that servers need to stop complaining and "get a better job". I'd love for someone to give me an idea for a better job that is pretty flexible, in the evening (so you can attend college classes during the day) and offers the opportunity to make a good bit of money in one night if you're slammed busy???
"I'd love for someone to give me an idea for a better job that is pretty flexible, in the evening (so you can attend college classes during the day) and offers the opportunity to make a good bit of money in one night if you're slammed busy???"
babysitter :)
I probably make a hell of a lot more than you a night and I get to decide when and who I babysit for. I pay for my rent, car, insurance (health, car, renters) as well as all my other bills babysitting and attend college.
I'm not dogging what you do, I can't be a waitress, but there are other jobs out there.
I waited tables for many years in college so I understand both sides of the issue. People who have not worked for tips before need to understand that 18- 20 percent is an average tip these days. Average service deserves average tips. Poor service does deserve less and in some circumstances it is allowable to leave no tip. I have left no tip once in my life, but I also left my phone number and a note to the server saying if he was mad he could call me and let me know how he felt. And for the love of God stop going into restraunts 30 minutes before and expecting good service.
Thank you! Do not go into a restaraunt 30-15 mins before closing and expect everything to be perfect. Closing time is hectic people rushing to get things done just to go home to see their families. I have stayed at work for over an hour waiting on ONE TABLE to leave. we closed at 9:00pm all the the other servers left at 9:45pm when their stations were done and me and the Kitchen and the dish room and the manager all had to wait around for ONE table to leave! They left at 10:30pm they entered the restaraunt at 8:15pm!!! I have had them complain to me because I was vacuuming the floor 10 tables away (With a quiet battery operated vacumm) and I had to stop so they didnt feel offended. Now I understand during normal hours but come on it was 10:00 at night and i was just trying to go home. Ohh then they had the nerve to tell me that I did a great job and even WRote it on a comment card and then STIFFED me so it just goes to show how cheap some people can really be.
Someone earlier said that anyone who was ever a waiter wouldn't not leave a tip. I disagree. I was a waiter in the summers while in college. There's a reason that waiters work for tips in this country. It's because tit gives them an incentive to provide superior service. This isn't the case in Europe, where tips are not routinely given. Service in the United States is much better in my opinion, and I have European friends who agree. A direct quote from a Finnish friend..."in Finland, if you go out to eat and are not abused by the server, that's good service!") But, let's get this straight, I won't give you a tip if you don't do your job. If you're a house contractor, and you build me a house with a cracked foundation, should I pay you because you were having a bad day? If you're my dentist, and you pull the wrong tooth? And, honestly, if you don't like it, then you should find another job, because I'm sure that there's another, more conscientious person that would gladly take your job.
Look there is no State, Federal or International Law requiring a person should pay extra for service in the form of a Tip period. If the service is bad you will expect zip. If you bring to work issues don't expect people to be gratuitous in the tipping. With the economy taking a hammering, more people can't afford tips.
I had a Pizza guy who had the guts to tell me that I need to pay a tip before I was going to pay him so I paid him the Pizza then gave him a tip "don't expect me to order pizza again from you, cause I don't tip rude jerks." I also called and turned him in for solicitation of a tip. I pay tips when I can but never tell me I owe you one or try to force me to pay one!
As a current attorney with money to spend who has waited many a table and tended many a bar in my life, I can tell you that I am the first person to tip poorly when service is truly bad, and the first person to tip between 25% and 40% when service is good - 20% is a standard tip for average service. I've left zero before when the waiter/waitress was not only incompetent, but also rude or plain lazy. Let them be rude, dumb and/or lazy at McDonald's if they want, but not at an expensive reastaurant.
All I can add is that I tip 20% on average, but if the establishment adds the gratiuity into the check due to party size or just by policy than I make sure not to add any more.
While it is true wait staff make their living off tips .. it's not a guarantee and if I am being forced to pay regardless of how good or bad the service is than that required amount is all they get.
I work at GOlden corral as a server and most people have the belief that just because I do not deliver the food I do not deserve a tip. Just the other morning I was one of only 2 servers on the floor and had a party of 20, a party of 40, and about 10 other tables come in to my section all at once. Now I was slammed and still made sure everyone had clean tables, clean dishes, and full drinks to the best of my ability. I was at times running through the restaruant to make sure everyone was fine. All 40 people (paid seperate) walked out and did not tip me!! So what did I do wrong? I have heard people tell each other that "I dont tip the people here, they dont do anything". WRONG! I have worked at a full service restaraunt where the server is the "bank" and now here and this job is harder. I handle 10 times as many dishes and glasses and have larger stations, on average I tend to serve at least 12 tables at a time and have to do silver throughout service as people dont want to use the same fork more than once during their meal. "Ill just get a new one!" I was even stiffed cause a guy wanted free soda. He told me that I obviously dont work for tips because I wont give him a free drink. Sorry but I am not going to get fired for a stupid SODA!!! I am tired of people thinking they can get stuff for free. I have served tables perfectly, full drinks, no trash (napkins ect), no dirty plates and no dirty cups on the table and was still stiffed. Why do you tip you hairdresser who gets paid WAY more than I do? Why your newspaper carrier? Why the repairmen who come to your home. You pay way more for these services than you do for your 30-40 meal and yet still tip these people but not your server who makes $4.24 now! I understand that for bad service YES dont leave a tip, I never expect a tip when I mess up. But I can be stiffed as much as 10 times a night and not have messed up, even had pleasant chats with these folks and still NO TIP!! WAKE UP AND REALIZE THAT SERVERS ARE HUMANS AND MAY MESS UP BUT IF THEY TRULY TRY TO MAKE THINGS OK AND ARE PLEASANT THEN LEAVE THEM SOMETHING! There are times that I am not feeling good and may not be at my best but I try. Also if you suck your drink done as soon as I give it to you then of course you may have to wait a few to get another one because I do have other tables and duties. I have to keep all the bars clean, floors clean, plate stations stocked, tables clean, people sat, lemons, bread, dishes, full drinks, do the silverware, restock napkins, sugars,ect! Ohh yeah and servers dont really get breaks. We are allowed to take them but if we do then someone ELSE has to watch our stations so dont think we are being lazy if someone else comes to give you stuff. On average I take maybe 2 breaks a week and it usually results in me being stiffed because the table didnt see me before they left. Where I work we dont close stations and we dont have a hostess you pick where you sit, so its virtually impossible to have an empty station. So just open your eyes and look around at what your server is doing, If he or she is running around trying then please be patient we are only human. But if your server is standing around goofing off then by all means STIFF AWAY! and COMPLAIN to not only the mananger but the server as well.
At a restaurant, the waitress proceeded to sit and chit chat with her friends at a table a few feet away, while our drink glasses were empty and she had forgotten to bring a few items. I did leave a tip... it was written on the bottom of the credit card receipt, and said "the waitress should be fired."
I refused to leave a tip because there were only 5 pieces of ravioli!!! Later on, I checked my credit card statement. The restaurant had put on a $10 tip (on a $70 bill, 3 persons). Now, that is FRAUD!!! I called the credit card company, and had the $10 tip taken off!!!
How does FIVE raviolis make the server bad??? How about telling him/her that there was only five! Not all mistakes are directly related to the server. I understand if you told her that it was like that and she ignored you, but in most cases they do try and fix it.
WOW. i worked in the food biz for many years before i started my own business and finished college. My mother is the type that won't leave good tips EVER. Me and my wife on the other hand leave 10 percent for bad service and up to 25 per cent for great service. To those who do think it is a "gratuity", be grateful that the standard hasn't been bumped up to 30 per cent. I'm not sure what the sadism is for, but throwing down an extra ten bucks can't be that bad if the service was even ok. For those who don't tip at all..... you run the risk of "special sauce" next time around. You don't play rough with the people who are feeding you. i suppose if you had a bad day at work and made some mistakes you should only get 5 per cent of your standard pay.
TY – you said we're "supposed to grateful the standard hasn't risen to 30%." The industry is already struggling with 20%, and raising that would really be a burden to both sides, don't you think? It would make people think twice about going out at all. Then where would tips come from?
Besides, people such as myself, don't return to restaurants that give bad service. Why would I go back? For MORE bad service? Don't think so, and I would also tell family, friends and co-workers the service was terrible and I wouldn't recommend it.
I consider myself one who tips, and the amount they get depends on the service they give. I have tipped less than 20% and more than 20%. I make it a point to go where I know the employees and therefore get good service and they look forward to seeing me because they know I am going to take care of them. Years ago, I was in a restaurant that was crowded, service was really bad. When time to leave, waitress was no where in sight. After waiting way too long, went to bar area to try to pay, again was totally ignored. I don't have to tell you what happened next, and I would do it again under the same circumstances. We tried numerous times to settle the check. Oh well!!
i like how the "server supporters" are saying "cmon leqave a damn tip anywya " as if it is charity...I could have 100k in the bank but because you do not do your job properly im supposed fork out....Tipping is expecting –yes..So is a competent, polite curteous server.....in the end i say bad service ...not tip....You dont make enough money...Starve people because i didn;t get to eat my runny eggs at breakfast.
T.I.P.S ==> To Insure Proper Service. I get proper service.....You get a Tip. It as simple at that.
By proper i mean- Curtious, atentive and kind. If the cause if my issue is not the servers fault - why punish the server by not leaving a tip.
Why blame the server if the kitchen screws up. Thats what managers and "How was your visit" cards are for :)
I went to a steakhouse one afternoon and I had a pretty decent waitress. That is, until she was supposed to go get my change and never came back to our table. She came out a few times to check on others and ignored me when I made eye contact with her to let her know I wanted her to come over. She had assumed my change was hers. I had planned to tip her a dollar or 2 over that, but she never came back. I let the manager know, I got my change back, and walked right out.
I find that most people who are hard-asses about tipping have never worked a day in their life in a restaurant. There are times where things are definitely the server's fault, but a lot of the time folks are just punishing the server for the sins of kitchen, back waiters, etc. Just be aware of the situation & make sure you are punishing the right person.
The best consistent service (at multiple places) I've ever gotten was in Australia. We ate at a wide variety of restaurants (from casual to relatively upscale, local places and chains) in a variety of cities and towns and with one exception the service was very friendly a very good to excellent. They don't expect tips there and the restaurants pay their staff a decent wage. For extremely good service a 10% is more than enough and most of the time just leaving a dollar or two will make the server's day. Sure the menu prices are a little bit higher than here, but that's not a problem since the servers aren't expecting to be handed a 15% tip no matter what they do like they are here in the U.S.
I'd be more than happy to pay higher prices at restaurants so that servers can get paid a real wage and not feel an obligation to give a tip to someone who doesn't deserve it.
I've left $100 tips, and I've left $0 tips... but typically 15%-20%. It all depends on the server and how they act. Doesn't bother me in the least to leave $0 if it doesn't bother them in the least to provide crappy wait service.
@glenlake doesn't hurt to tip for take-outs as well. It has never occurred to me that people don't tip. @Gary, surely you give teachers a christmas present or a present at the end of the year don't you? How about hair specialists? taxis? Are people so tight with their money they can't afford (or don't choose) to lay out a couple dollars when a service is provided for them? Try not tipping your mailman. Bet you don't get all your mail. I just don't get the no tipping thing at all.
In this culture, tipping has become an entitlement, even if the service is bad! Low wages paid by the company/restaurant is the one you should complain to. Don't expect the general public to support you; complain to your boss about the low wages! Go to Italy or China, you don't tip there. Believe it or not, the people in those countries make less than you do here, and they aren't complaining. If you don't do your job, why the hell should you get paid? If the service is good, we'll pay a VOLUNTARY tip for such, but if it's bad, then don't expect one. A tip is earned, it's not a right.
Thing is, waiters say if you don't tip, don't go to the restaurant, then complain they're hours are cut back or they don't have a job because no one's eating at the restaurant. I'd never not tip at a fancy, nice restaurant, but if the service at Applebees stinks- you bet. Better yet- I'll skip Applebees, BJs, and the rest of the so-so average restaurants and go to an upper scale fast food place like Corner Bakery or Sharkeys, with the same quality food and save 20% on the tip.
Waiters act like people have to eat out. They don't. Especially not when there are so many other options for quick take out food.
Tips are an expected cost of dining out. But it is a variable cost of the quality of service.
It's the nightmare stories of poor services that make people not tip for the most part. Just as much as a waiter/ess has an expectation of the tip, so does the customer expect a level of service.
My worse case scenario was a dinner withfriends at a decent big chain restaurant. It was packed, we were aware. It took them 30 minutes to take a drink order and another for food. Okay, no big deal really since we got a chance to talk. The food arrived first before the drinks. One of the orders could NOT be completed and we were informed when the other food arrived. The order came in not to specification (friend had allergies). I did not tip the server for one reason, poor effort to communicate.
I would not fault a person for factors out of their control like how food are cooked and prepared. I only require to be kept in the loop with some semblance of interest in my patronage. It doesn't matter what kind of day the server has and how much they need the money, they have to try and put out the effort. If a server has a bad day and it shows in their service, I say accept the loss in income and try better next time. At other types of job, poor attitude with a customer or not producing a report on time gets you FIRED. I not only have bosses to please and customers to please, but I have so much federal regulation watching over what I do. If I do not take my time or put in the effort, it'd be the last mistake I'd make professionally. I'd be happy if HABITUALLY bad service was fired, so that I both enjoy the food and the atmosphere.
In high school, I was one of the few 18 year olds working at a very popular chain of fast food burger joint. There were plenty of time where we expected a drop in activity so it would be myself and one other employee manning the whole store. Then suddenly we'd have a steady stream of cars from 9 pm till 1 am. That's two people cooking the burgers, fries, preparing said foods, taking orders, taking drinks, cleaning up enough to have space to work, making transactions, and ensuring the orders come out right. All of that in an hourly rate. It was fun, but definitely challenging. I appreciate waiters/esses for having similar experiences.
I am currently an attorney who spent 14 years in the restaurant industry while in school and during my job search for an attorney position.
I do not care how horrible the service – leave a tip!
You have no idea what it's like to have your salary be dependent on other people's whims. You also have no idea how many times someone "forgets" or just doesn't (because they're foreign) tip a great server! As a server, even if you do an excellent job, if someone is in a pissy mood – you're screwed. If they're foreign – you're double screwed.
The server can't go into your place of business where you're an attorney, doctor, postal worker (whatever) and say, "you know what, I waited in line longer than I wanted – I'm not going to pay you the full amount that you think I should." Have you ever said to your lawyer "you know, your attitude sucked today – I'm only paying you $80/hour as opposed to $250?" no. You haven't. Stop doing the same crap with servers. Good, bad... whatever. The proper response to bad service is to ask to speak with the manager once the problem appears. The manager will properly punish the server. It is NOT your place to punish the server. Pay your bill – tip at least 10% and move on with your day.
BS...appropriate name for you. So long as the service is adequate then yes a tip absolutely should be left since the low server wages are reflected in the menu prices. If the service stinks then there is no reason why that dissatisfaction should not show up in one place a server will be guaranteed to care about...the tip along...with letting the manager know. On the extremely rare occasions where I've left no tip because of bad service (i.e. rudeness, never checking on us, etc...things within the server's control) I've also left a note for the server and told the manager. Usually I've also ended up hunting down another server/food runner/bus boy who did get us refills or help us out because our server didn't do the job.
If you aren't going to do the work then you don't deserve to get paid. I work too hard for my money (and in some cases put myself in physical danger for people who frequently don't like me simply because I wear a uniform and a badge and will sue me in a heartbeat given the opportunity) to just give it away. I worked as a server and delivery driver to put myself through college so I know exactly what it's like to be dependent on tips to pay your bills and put food on the table. If your income is dependent on tips then you should probably at least try to fake a good attitude and do your job.
BS – you are delusional. I don't know what world you live in, but if the service is bad, I'm not leaving a tip. I don't care about your financial woes, that's really your business. Why would you burden the general public with your financial problems??? Most people on this blog agree that if the service is bad, you're not getting tipped, period, not even 10%.
After reading much of these comments and wasting my time doing so I came to the realization that most "servers" think they are entitled to this money no matter how bad their service is. I am sorry but a tip is earned and not entitled.
My best response to a poor server is to leave a small note saying the following. "your service sucked and that is just my 2 cents, so here is your 2 cent tip."
I tip 20-25%....cheaper places around 35%. I also, clear all the plates to one plate stack them and wipe the table down after my family eats. I do it at home, so why not when I'm out. I have even refilled my own drink. I don't think a waiter should do everything for me...I actually prefer if they didn't bother me while I'm eating.
My husband and I always tip 15% for ok service, 30% for incredible service and 0 for horrible service. I do understand when the kitchen makes an error. That is not the server's fault and I would never "punish" that. What goes zero tipped by us is; lack of attention, water glasses empty for 10-15 minutes. Apathy, the server no more cares to be there than the man in the moon and their attitude reflects it absolutely. Making excuses for bad service, if you have too many tables to render good service to your customers, it is YOUR responsibility to report that to your manager, not mine to accept that, "you're just overworked, sorry."
I am, quite frankly, shocked at all the entitlement noted here by servers, with comments like, "If you cannot tip (no matter what), then don't go out to eat." How about stepping up to the plate, taking responsibility for recognizing YOU work in the SERVICE industry with insane competition and people WILL speak with their pocketbooks if you cannot do the job well. If you cannot do the job well, find a job that allows you to be completely out of the public eye. If you work in the service industry you are expected to render SERVICE. It shocks me the servers posting here who seem to feel that they can just act whatever way they choose and should get a tip because "it is part of my salary and I have to pay the bills." Sorry. Not happening. If you are an exceptional server, you will be handsomely rewarded by us. If you are even an ok server, you will get the standard 15% from us. If you act like you are doing us a favor by waiting on us, are painfully slow in the service you do give, and generally just do not want to be in your job, you can expect zero. By the way, we always leave a note on the bill as to why we left zero so no one thinks we just "forgot". On some instances, with the worst of the worst, we have spoken to the manager. My gut tells me though, if you have one of those crappy attitudes, you know exactly why you got nothing–but of course, that is not your fault, right?
If my food comes, and they do not return in a few minutes to make sure it's correct/cooked properly, that is a deduction. Twice this week, we got our food, and never saw the wait staff until we were finished, I had to go the bar to get refills myself one time, my wife wanted butter, but no one came back. It's imperitive a wait staff person, comes after the food is served and been tasted/tried, returns for drink refills. I was at a local comedy club, and I didn't hear the waiter come by and ask if I wanted a refill; I complained "you saw the empty glass, it's just water, you should have just filled it anyway". No tip there. I paid $2.00 for water, an 8oz glass!
I can understand not tipping the "average" of 15%, I really can. But being a server for years, we find it very insulting when we don't get that amount. In Texas, we make $2.13 an hour. We do our best to take care of our guests and put up with a lot. It's frustrating when we know darn good and well that we gave you good service and you give us a 10% (or even less) tip! We do remember people when they don't tip... and you will get crap service next time!
So much more I could say, but bottom line is... if you can't afford to go out to eat, DON'T. If you feel the need to though, hit the drive thru somewhere PLEASE.
The comment "anyone who has ever been a server would never NOT leave a tip" is a completely RIDICULOUS statement. My parents owned a restaraunt through my entire childhood and into my college years. Guess what I did for them.......I was a waiter. And yes there is MANY times when I leave NO tip and then talk with the manager about the '0' tip.
For a server to expect a tip is obnoxious and selfish. Its called a TIP for a reason. It is not required unless you recieve good service. People go to a restaraunt to eat, they don't go so someone can make it through college.
It was not the patrons fault that I was a waiter, it was my choice. I could have joined the workforce and recieved a better paying job but that would have required very early mornings and stiff schedules. SO IT WAS MY FAULT that I was living off of $2.65 an hour + tips.
Guess what folks, I now have a college education and a good paying job. I didn't HAVE to wait tables. No one ever HAS to wait tables, its a choice they make..period!
I personally think tipping should go away. This is an antiquated system and serves no purpose. It is the server's job to serve the people eating and to do the best job they can. We don't tip our military who risk their lives nor do we tip our teachers who teach our future generations. Yet we tip those whose job it is to carry food and drinks to us, remember a menu, and try to keep that fake smile on their face as long as possible. I am sick of it, I don't feel I should pay more than I pay for the food to ensure the food arrives at my table and my drinks are refilled. If the servers are underpaid then lets go after the businesses and push them to pay like everyone else.
I have a great deal of sympathy for servers. The public is selfish, demanding, and often times...obnoxious. The salary for having to deal with that is ridiculously low. (I decided I couldn't be a medical doctor after my great epiphany working in a restaurant that dealing with the public is both complicated and unpleasant.) So, as a general rule, as long as the server wasn't malevolent and can get us the food, the server gets 15%. If the server does above average, the tip reflects that. The only time I haven't left a tip was that the food was so horrible (rotting food??) we had to leave without eating. I was mortified/embarrassed to have to do it and called the poor server (who was the owner) over to quietly and without a scene explain why we were leaving. They offered to comp the meal and we left about $40 of our own accord (for our wine plus what we guessed the out of pocket for the food). It wasn't a tip- I just wanted them to understand we weren't trying to get anything for free and hoped that they listened. (Chef Ramsey would have had a bird at this place.) This not-so-fine dining spot has since closed.
Anyway, having been in a servers shoes before...I think folks should cut them a little slack.
Rarely have I received bad service where it was because the waiter/waitress;
It's unfortunate that customers direct their angst on who they see – the wait staff.
What if I'm dis-satisfied because the food was cold, sub-par ?
What if they're short staffed and I watch my server running
around like craZy trying to help out with more than they should ?
Quite often the wait staff gets penaliZed for something over
which they have little control and yet petty petty people dump on them !!!
I'm a server myself and am completely aware that there are some servers that are very incompetent and don't deserved to be tipped at all. For those of you that think we should all just get another job because we only get paid 2.13 an hour please think carefully. When you are trying to put yourself through college and restataunts are the only place that are hiring then you really don't have that much of a choice. They are more flexible with your schedules so you can still go to your classes and work.
As for tipping, if your service is good and you have nothing to complain about, I would suggest leaving 10-15%. Obviously the server wants more but tip according to the service. I have given excellent services to tables and have been stiffed without any explanation and that gets frustrating. The most common thing people aren't aware of is that usually customers get mad because of their own mistakes. Don't take it out on your server because you misread the menu. A lot of restaurants do random table checks so servers won't give you a free salad just because you thought it came with the meal. I've seen people get fired over bringing out a croissant because the customer thought it came with the meal and wouldn't stop complaining even when they were shown the menu again. The customer is not always right so don't assume that just because you complain about something means your right and will get discounted/free food.
@Dave: When you go back to an eating establishment, I recommend you have your food checked by the Health Department for spit. It happens. You're waiter is paying taxes on money you did not pay because of your attitude. The IRS expects a certain amount of unreported tip to be declared.
Let's see...$2.65 an hour plus tips. any decent waitor can handle 4 tables an hour, right? So, depending on how fancy the restaurant is, a tip could average $10 -20.00 ( per couple ). Even at the lower end of the spectrum he's making $42.65 an hour,. And you're bitching if you do a bad job and one table doesn't tip?! Try finding any other job where you will make that kind of money!
1.) You are implying that no table takes over an hour to eat. 2.) Servers very rarely maintain a full section for more than 3 hours in most restaurants. 3.)With the exception of closers, most servers work 4-5 hours a night. 4.) The tables that do tip $10-$20 typically are seated for more than an hour.
How do you handle a friend who doesn't feel like they should tip?
The first few times I have left the tip for both of us (we always ask to have the check split) and after awhile paying for both hers and my tip gets old. I've tried talking to her about it and her attitude is she doesn't think she should tip, so I've gotten to the point where I simply don't go out with her. Any other ideas? Would a waiter get upset with me if I just paid for my tip and not hers as well?
I was a waiter for several years, to then become FOH manager. All the restaurants I have worked at have been high end, (200 usd plus) and have heard and seen it all. I have had waiters drop a tray full of water into costumers, I have seen oil spilled into a customer's thousand dollar wig. Yet, what costumers have to understand, is that waitering, and the restaurant business is not easy. Its consuming, tiring, and aging. Always keep in mind, that these people are handling your food. Speak out, tell them whats bugging you. Be firm, but always be nice...if you scream, or get belligerent, chances are..well you don't want to know..
What I hate the most about tipping are the (usually bad to begin with) waiters/waitresses who hang around the table after they give you your check and make themselves VERY uncomfortably visible. It's like I haven't seen you all night and all of a sudden you're hoovering around expecting a big tip? Get lost.
I've heard that "TIP" is actually an acronym for "To Improve Service." I'm told it's British, and that it was literally deposited noisily into a tin can at the front of a store in lieu of a bell.
These days, service workers toil in the expectation of a tip that may or may not be forthcoming. So here's an idea: next time you're out, put $20 on the table and tell the server it's theirs at the end of the evening if all goes well. I bet you get the best service you've ever had.
If the service is reasonably good, I leave a 20% tip. I have restaurants that I regularly patronize. The servers there know me and give me excellent service everytime.
However, I think servers who have a sense of entitlement to those tips – deserved or not, should think again. If I get lousy service, I will tip accordingly – like a job performance review.
If servers do not like that aspect of their profession, they should seriously consider a career change.
I go to a restuarant to buy food (as seldom as possible ) from the restuarant NOT to give someone a paycheck for working for that owner
I buy food from Jewel without paying directly for their employees
The reason I will not leave a zero tip is because I know that most restaurants require the servers to pool tips for bus boys, hosts, etc. The restaurant I worked at required you to tip out based on your sales, so even if you didn't get tipped you still had to contribute to the pool. That meant that if I got no tip I would end up paying money to serve that table.
And to everyone saying that they can get a better job, how is a full time college student supposed to find a better paying job when they go to school all day and only have sporadic nights free? Most of the servers I have worked with are also full time students. I'll admit that my parents told me that every part of my tuition was taken care of, but I kept a job so I could at least help them out monetarily. I have more respect for people that worked their a$$ off during school than the people that did nothing but go to class. It shows a hell of a lot more time management to graduate after working full time the whole time you were in college.
When I was a server (only about two years ago – so not too long) we were told we had to tip out the service people as well. We were told the amount of money we made reflected on the service we gave. If we got a bad tip, it was most likely our own fault. So what, you have to pay the busboy out of your check – you should give better service – think of it as a punishment or fine for doing a BAD job. That's what the owner of the large chain restaurant I worked in said when I got hired. When I first started working, I wasn't great at it and the tips showed. When I got better, the tips showed. The occasional person who always tips low didn't hurt my bottom line very much, so why all the whining on here from servers?
True....The restaurant I worked in wasn't exactly a high class restaurant. Usually I could make up for the bad tips, I tended to be one of the top 2 or 3 servers as far as tip percentage goes. It just depends on the restaurant.
I typically tip 20%. If the service is bad, I might round down slightly. If the service goes beyond call of duty I might round up. Once in a great while, I might leave a low tip, but never less than 15%. I have tipped much higher than 20% for great service. Just a reminder, that tips are taxable income. The best way to call attention to a service issue is to chat with the manager. To me, waiting a little while longer is NOT a service issue. I really cannot think of an example of a service issue – maybe being hateful? I've never had that problem and if people would just chill when they go out and eat, they'll find how easy it is to get good service.
If you don't tip (like Dave above or Jake the Bum) don't go to a sit-down full service restaurant–PERIOD. I wait part time, my service is impeccable and my guests frequently say so and yet, I've been stiffed on the odd occasion (likely by someone of Dave or Jake's ilk.) I tell the kids I work with that perhaps the stiffers will die in a catastrophic car fire on the way home along with all their children. And I read the griping by the posters here that say, "tipping isn't mandatory-a waiter shouldn't expect a tip". If this is you, then, don't go to a restaurant and expect to have your food and drinks delivered to you. Stay home. Go to the drive through. Go to the buffet. For those who say (like Richard) "You chose to be a waiter..." Well, YOU CHOSE to go to a full service restaurant. Why? So you can "get over" on the waiter by stiffing him or her?
You say: "Without tips there would be now sit-down restaurants, period."
Let me remind you that there are countries in which there is no tipping. They have sit down restaurants. How do they manage, I wonder?
You complain that waiting is a job with strange hours, a demanding and tiring job, etc etc. Would you like me to give you a complete list of all the jobs that are demanding, tiring, unpleasant, uncomfortable, inconvenient? Boohooo! Suck it up.
You say: "Second that not tip is a personal shame, and an insult as bad as bleep you from a random stranger."
That's because of your misplaced sense of entitlement. You are not entitled to a tip. You receive it out of the customer's good will. If you start seeing the tip in a more realistic perspective, you'll stop feeling insulted about not getting it.
You say customers who don't tip will be treated poorly. No problem, they'll go somewhere else. Oh and they'll tell all their friends how bad your place is. And they'll probably give it poor reviews in Internet too. So while the customer will simply have a 1 time bad experience, your business will lose customers and money. How clever do you feel now?
You say: "Oh and by the way if you leave a zero tip and think you won't get stopped at the door, think again. Servers and hosts do it all the time. No one will force you to pay, but we will mention if loudly and politely ask you if you wanted your three cents back or if you forgot to do math correctly, but if you just don't sign it we will put your tip through anyway with a description of you on the back of the check."
Any such behaviour would result in subtracting from the reputation of your establishment. Don't underestimate the power of Internet reviews. Potential clients use them a lot, and if they start seeing bad comments about the service and the treatment, they will steer clear of your restaurant. So at the end of the day, the only one hurting will be you.
You say: "Ever hear the phrase don't bite the hand that feeds you. "
I say WE the customers are the hands feeding YOU, buddy. Again, we can go eat anywhere else and be just as happy, or not go out to eat at all. YOU on the other hand, DEPEND on us not only eating out, but eating at YOUR place. So be careful, be very careful, with those who pay your bills.
Go work somewhere for 2.13 an hour, do everything the customer says, be run to the ground by some customers (who are trying to make you mess up so they get a free meal), and tell me that tips aren't expected.
Once again, do you think your job is the only unpleasant job on the planet? Do you think everybody has a cushy job, except you? Plenty of people have crappy job, plenty of people are underpaid. We don't come to you expecting you to give us money because our job sucks. You took that job, it was your decision, now don't take it on me. If your job is unpleasant or you feel you are underpaid, either find another job or come to terms with it. It is not my problem.
I took the job because it has the most flexible hours out of just about any job around. I am a full time engineering student and I worked full time in a restaurant to help my parents pay for college expenses. How am I supposed to pay for books and housing when people come in and don't leave a tip because A.) they are cheap or B.) they are spiteful. I know that job wasn't the only underpaid job on the planet, and I've had more than one underpaying job. But I worked my ass off at that job to make sure my tables were taken care of, went home at 10 on an early night, studied till 3 or 4 in the morning and woke up at 8 to get to class on time. Tell me that doing all of that wouldn't make you get irritated when people leave no tip and think that you can get by just fine on 2.13 an hour.
"You say: "Without tips there would be now sit-down restaurants, period."
Let me remind you that there are countries in which there is no tipping. They have sit down restaurants. How do they manage, I wonder?"
Obviously you've never been to any of these countries, because if you did, you'd know that food at those restaurants is more expensive in order for them to pay their servers a decent wage. You cannot seriously be this ignorant.
Yes Sy2502 tipping is illegal (but people still do it hmmm) in China, a communist country. In America where it is a capitalist country, it is needed and deserved for those who have to raise a family by serving while making often less than 20,000 a year. If you want to judge the U.S.A. by the merits of a third world country, then yes you may be disappointed in our practices, but if you want to run the numbers and figure out what it takes to run a restaurant without an under paid child labor force then yes you need tipping.
Your poor reviews don't affect a servers views on bad tipping and yes we will remember you at the new restaurant you chose to go to and yes we will tell them your a bad tipper. And yes we will tell you you forgot your change even if its only 3 cents because servers are not supposed to assume a tip and managers can't fire someone for following the rules.
Hey buddy, internet reviews are great when your online, but when your driving or not at home and people are hungry do you think everyone is gonna be all "oh wait lets not eat till we see who got the best review." No they go to the places that aren't packed, which according to your logic will be the ones with the worst service.
"I will drink it and always be full" Hootie and The Blowfish
So you are unaware that it is not just 3rd world countries who don't have tips, but also European countries, and Australia.
If you want to tell me I forgot my 3 cents change, fine with me, if you don't want the money it must mean you don't need it that bad after all. Do you think it's going to bother me in any way, shape or form? I see waiters come and go, I barely remember their faces, do you think I am going to care about how they feel? I didn't come to the restaurant to cheer you up!
And remember, disgruntled customers are by far more likely to take the time to write a crappy review of your restaurant than a happy customer. So if that's what you want, by all means keep up the attitude with the customers. Again, I do have the choice to eat at your restaurant or not. You on the other hand, don't have a choice whether to pay your bills or not.
Tipping is not required. Show me the law that says it is. In fact, the employer is legally obligated to ensure the employee makes at least minimum wage, so even if tips are bad, minimum wage will be met. Therefore, your argument that it is "needed" is incorrect. Yes it's tough making ends meet on minimum wage, but lots of people do it.
China is also not a 3rd world country – more like a 2nd world country, but that's meaningless in that the titles are really just relics of the cold war.
If a customer's poor reviews don't affect either you or management, neither of you have any business being in the restaurant business. After all, without customers, how does a restaurant stay in business, and how does a server keep his or her job?
Yelp is (now) a common way for people to find nearby restaurants with good reviews, and of course there are other options as well for finding a place to eat, not to mention fast food chains readily available. If you hope that your restaurant, with bad service and a bad reputation, will stay afloat with people "desperate" for a quick meal, you may want to re-think your business plan.
If your lifestyle depends on the tips you make, than you better work like it does. Everyone has a bad day and sometimes, you just have an off night. But I've worked in the service industry and just because you are a waiter doesn't mean you DESERVE a tip.
Both of my daughters work in the restaurant business. They feel if they do a great job and are very attentive to their customers they should receive the 20%. However, if I feel the service is sub par I will leave one dollar per person at the table for the server and not go back to that restaurant. To make my tipping easier I take the amount of tax, which in my state is 8.25 and double it. Example: the tax comes to $4.25, I will leave $8.50 makeing their tip 16.50%. So when my daughters and I go out to eat they are the ones that leave the tip!!
I have been a server for 3 years and it has been the best paying job I have ever had! In those years I have only had maybe 4 or 5 tables not leave me a tip...that is out of thousands of tables. I work very hard, am polite and give every single customer the same service. We tip out 2.5% of our total sales to the bar, bus and food runner....so if I sell $500 I have to give $12 of my tips to other employees. People that consider not tipping should think about that....even if you don't tip me I sill have to tip out on your bill.
I have waited tables off and on for 6 years. I take pride in being a good server and I truely care about not only providing excellent service, but an overall excellent experience. Servers do only make 2.00 to 3.00 dollars an hour, so tips our what we live on.
The thing is when you leave a server a bad tip you are only harming yourself. There are so many different reasons a person may not tip whether it be to prove a point, ingnorance, stupidity, or just being plain cheap. If you do not notify the server or management about the negative experience and just not leave a tip the server is naturally going to blame you for being cheap or too stupid to know any better.
It is only human nature to consider all other posibilities before a person put blame on themselves. I have never heard a server behind the wall say, wow I gave that table bad service and they stiffed me for it. Most of the time I hear those jerks stiffed me or those people were cheap a**es. Where it hurts you is, as I just point out, you now have a reputation of being one of the negatives about, which when you return might encourage the same server or a coworker they have told to intentionally provide you with bad service.
So for your own sake next time you think about stiffing a server consider the environment they are working in, their effort, and their attitude. Allot goes into making your experience a good one and the environment in a restaurant changes constantly. The general rule for tipping in todays society is 10% for bad service, 15% for average and 20% or above for excellent service. If you do have a bad experience a good server and restaurant would want to know about it, so we can at least try to correct our deficiencies. I would recommend tipping on the scale above and letting a manager or at least the server know of your displeasure, even a little note on the check can go a long way. I can't guarantee your next visit(if there is one) will be any better, but at least you have a chance.
That being said, I believe that a real server should always possess two qualities, effort and courtesy. If you do have a flat out rude server who doesn't at least attempt to make you happy they probably won't be servers very long and deserve to be stiffed, but once again you have to let them and the restaurant know because they probably won't take the hint.
When you ruin a night out for a person or persons, you should expect to recieve a low tip or nothing. Put yourself in the customers shoes, treat them as you expect to be treated. Waiters/Waitresses that hold personal grudges on customers and then return bad service on that returning customer should be replaced or fired. Its a privilege that you at least have a job in this country. I would love to replace some of these horrible waiters/waitresses with people who work on low wages. At least they would value the job. Remove the whole concept of waiters/waitress and have the cook come out. Great service = a returning customer and more and hey guess what? a better tip than before.
The time I remember leaving no tip, we left a message on a beverage napkin, advising that our "tip" is that you should not judge a customer by their appearance. I was dining with a tattoo artist, and the waiter literally tripped over a chair at a vacant table trying to get away from our table as fast as he could. We couldn't get anyone, let alone our waiter to serve us when we needed anything. They all acted like they were terrified when forced to approach or even walk past our table. My tattooed friend was a very generous man, and mindful of those who work hard for the money they make. He never left less than a 30% tip in my presence and would tip up to 50% for excellent service, except on this one occasion. We could have left and went somewhere else, but we stayed for the entire meal, to make our point, that we would not abide their prejudices. The waiter missed out on an opportunity to broaden his mind, and his wallet.
Sorry that happened to you all. It's super common for servers to do that; I use to hear all the time people complaining, and saying "man, I just got a ghetto-superstar table". I would hop on those and take their table. I don't know how many times I got more than 20%. After hearing staff complain about one of these tables, I chose to wait on a couple (the guy looked like warren sapp). His bill was about $60, and I got a $40 tip....Which I bragged to the other servers, never treat a table like crap.
I am generally a very generous tipper and rarely tip anything less than 20% even when service is mediocre. However, one afternoon, at a well known restaurant in Washington DC, my daughters and I had the absolute most pathetic service we had ever encountered. When the bill arrived, we debated what to do about the tip. I had never not tipped before (I know that's a double negative) but this was truly awful. There wasn't even a pretense of attempting to do her job. After much discussion on what tip to leave, I finally decided to write in the space for the tip, "Here's a tip: Find a new job."
As a member of the service industry, and of corporate America, I would like to point out to the comment posted by Jaliska that NO, some people CANNOT just find ANOTHER job that pays better, and NO, it's NOT minimum wage, it's $1.45 – $2.65 an hour in any median state in the country. So basically, YES, a tip is expected if you expect the individual to even begin to SERVE you. In this recession, finding even a decent job in the service industry can be tough, not to mention it's not something MOST people want to do, clean up after you and wait on you and your close-minded, irrational and indecisive friends. . . "Tips shouldn't even be expected unless a server demonstrates impeccable service and does extra things they aren't paid to do. This show of entitlement is a little obnoxious, to be honest."
HONESTLY: I am not going to do kart-wheels to your table for an extra 50 cents! That fact that I am going to basically babysit you while you eat your lunch period is enough to entitle some sort of recognition. I can understand not giving a tip if your service was outright HORRIBLE, I have been there, done it, even been that waitress on an off-day before, BUT I am NOT going to go "above and beyond" as you put it. I am already delivering your food to your table and cleaning up your mess. (This profession is often refereed to the last form of legal slavery as a joke) If you don't want to tip and you are annoyed that it's "expected" , go to Panera Bread (where the staff makes $7.75 / hour), Wait in a line, Find your own damn table, Pick up your own mess , throw away your own damn garbage, OH and don't forget to scrape your own plate too. THAT is why every single member of the service industry implies you tip. If you don't agree with it, I suggest you get off your high stool and try it for a day, you would be surprised. In my years of serving, bartending and managing, it's usually the person that has NO experience serving others that likes to point fingers. . . as a member of the HR / Staffing industry now, I can honestly say it's one of the first things we look for on a resume. It shows a sense of teamwork, hard work, and personal character, something you clearly LACK.
Right, it seems like many people are arguing but aren't proving anything whatsoever. Yes, servers do rely on tips to make pay, but, while the kitchen's actions aren't their responsability, they are the ones who are essentially acting as that resteraunt's face, so, whenever an event occurs, even if it's not their fault, it is their responability to do their best at resolving each issue that may come up, not pit the blame on others, which most servers do.
I've been in the food industry and serving industry for many years, and, I understand that it is not a waiter's choice or fault when the kitchen scREWS UP. BUT, it is their responsability as to how they act during that moment that will earn them their tips. So, in the end, while a waiter relies on tips, they have to truly earn it by maintaining a positive and problem solving behavior and demeanor under all circumstances. Only then do they really earn a tip.
I am 20 years old and have been serving tables since the age of 14. I would like to comment on Jaliska's horribly incompetent remark about how servers aren't forced to live off of that money that they do (or do not) make. most, if not all, servers are forced to work a minimum wage job in order to pay their way through college to further their education, so THEN they can get a good-paying job elsewhere. qualifications for high-paying jobs require certain education outside of high school, and degrees. Excuse me, but you come off as completely ignorant, stating that "if they really wanted to, they could get a good-paying job somewhere else." they are trying to!!!! but because of idiotic people such as yourself, they are unable to. and a last note: We work at restaurants to fend for ourselves, not because we want to be of service to such horrible people such as yourself.
After 4 decades & mucho dining , I can say about 95% of the time was adequate for the 15% or better .
( yesterday I left 25% )
One occasion that sticks in my mind tho , was having the waitress deliver a piece of pie that clearly had mold on it and leaving . After getting her back and pointing it out , she said "so now you don't want the pie ?" .
The very dumb ( like that ) warrant about 10% & I explain things to the supervisor / manager .
Only the ' I'm only working here because I'm forced to & don't give a fkkk get the 2 pennies .
If the service is great, which it is most times, I leave a 20% tip. If the service is adequate you get a 10%. Adequate to me is if I only have to ask a couple of times for a refill on my drink. I actually leave a 100% tip at my favorite restaurant, we get the same waiter every single time, he knows the order and converses with me about various things like our phones or his kid.
There was one time where I didn't leave a tip at all. We went to red lobster and the service was LOUSY. We were there at 11ish on a week day and the place was dead. I think there might have been 5 tables all together. The waitress we had also had one other table.....a table of about 5 men who ordered drinks and were in suits. Of course she loved that table, she knew she was getting a really nice tip. We saw her 3 times. When she took our order, when she dropped the food off and when she handed us the check. She didn't even come back for the check, I had to take it up to the front and have them run my card. I decided she didn't deserve a tip and I didn't leave one but I did leave her a note telling her exactly why she wasnt going to get a tip. I told her she never refilled our drinks, never asked if we were ok, never took my check, and never got us silverware, and was never available for me to ask for drinks, silverware etc
The only other time I get upset is when I pay with cash and never get my change back. I do not like the waiter to assume I'm giving them a tip (I always do but still) If my bill is 18.25 I expect to get ALL of my change back. Don't just give me a dollar back and dont just give me change back. I want it ALL back. I never give change as a tip, I save that for vacations. I always give bills so I want my change back. I've had that happen twice when my waiter wont give me my change back because they either A assume I will stiff them or B assume they will get a tip from me. When that happens I always act clueless and ask for my money back. One asshole told me he took it as his tip (the change was a quarter) I told him that I actually tip 20% but since he wanted a quarter I'd be glad to keep my money and I didn't give him a tip
Erik,
In Europe servers are paid far more than minimum wage. Could you live off of $2.13 an hour? Once again someone compares Apples to Oranges. I was an excellent server and bartender and would regularly walk with more money after a given evening than my coworkers. The restauranteurs are happy to pay me a minimum due to the expectation that I will live off of my tips. In europe I would expect to be paid $15-$20/hr to work in a restaurant. This is not the case here in the states. If you have a problem tipping, DO NOT GO OUT TO EAT. Think of how much money you will save as well as how much happier the restaurant world would be if you just eat at home. I can assure you that if you stiff a server, they will remember and you will probably not want to eat the food the next server brings you.
All of this being said, their is nothing wrong with only tipping %15. I have been broke and could only tip %15 for excellent service. I will leave that and make sure to tell the manager how excellent the food and service was. If I receive poor service I will leave the 15% and then talk with the server about their what I disliked about the service. I assure you this will modify behavior far faster than stiffing them.
This topic will NEVER get old, or go away. Part of the FALLACY behin d the whole situation, is that SOMEWHERE the whole viewpoint that since this person is getting EXTRA money from the customers, that we should not have to pay a full scale wage. Given that, good, bad or indifferent, ANYONE entering the waitstaff world KNOWS that is the rule. Waitperson function has been classified into the SERVICE industry, so therefore, you are getting paid for SERVICES rendered. A higher level of service will get you a high reward, and a lower level of service will get you a lower level of reward. Here's a real big clue for you from the customer's perspective: BE AWARE. Be aware that I need a refill.... WALK the floor and make eye contact with the patrons at your tables... If I need something and I catch your eye, I will signal you... you don't have to make it a point to ask me directly..... if you know my order is delayed, TELL ME, I'm OK with waiting IF I KNOW... don't hang out in the back, or disappear the entire meal..... I don't need you to kiss my arse, you are not my servant...... this is not a fast-food joint where I can get more napkins, or a new fork if mine drops, or refills on drinks.... those are in areas where I'm not allowed to go, so i will need you to get them for me. It is a partnership, I need you to be my advocate in the kitchen when something does not taste correct, is under-cooked or over-cooked, or incorrect on my order. Those are the services I'm paying for above the cost of the meal.
I feel sorry for those who feel that leaving a penny, nickel, dime, or quarter is acceptable. Just like the server, you as a guest in their establishment cannot even comprehend the many worries that person may have. You think the majority of servers want to be one and get diss-respected on a daily basis? To those of you that said, "They can get a better job somewhere else." How arrogant are you? If they could get a better job they would! Some people are not as fortunate and it really irritates me to read some of the comments that have been posted. Stay in your condo and quit thinking you are superior to servers and feel you have the right to belittle them. Everyone is a person and has feelings. For those that never leave anything, I will pray for you, you are just a horrible person, and it is sad because you have to live with yourself.
I nearly always leave 15-20% as a tip depending on the level of service; however, I do have a problem with tips being seen as wages. Businesses should price their menu to pay their staff a living wage. Tips should be seen as a "gratuity" that is a reward to the wait staff for paying attention and being friendly and helpful (but not smothering) to their customers. If my service is really lousy I don't feel obligated to leave a tip...sorry.
I was a server/bartender for over 10 years and I will never leave a tip less than 15%. It is silly to me how these supposed "Ex Servers" can even contemplate, let alone condone, this sort of behavior. The people who claim they will only stiff the server if the service is poor will go out of their way to find a reason to leave a poor tip instead of finding a reason to tip over 15%. The truth is that most of the people that are proud of stiffing some poor chap just trying to make ends meet can not afford to eat out in the first place. Everyone that has had to work lunch shift on a Sunday afternoon knows how HORRIBLE the tips are right after church. Horrible humans leave horrible tips.
Shows how much Jerry knows...I have stiffed the server of a tip ONE TIME AND ONE TIME ONLY!!! I used to be a server too! I never ever go out of my way to find poor service despite what he thinks. Even if I have minimal (not really good) service I still tip well.
You are so wrong Jerry, I usually tip above twenty percent, but if I get poor service and no satisfaction from management I will not hesitate to leave zero. And it takes more than I had to wait 30 seconds for my drink to be filled. I had a server wait on me at one establishment, she first apologized that she did not know the new menu that just came out that day since she had just returned from vacation. She later brought me the wrong item, she apologized. The manager came over and apologized to me (I did not even ask for him). A few others things went wrong. The server offered me a free dessert, I declined. After all was done she brought me the bill, I paid it and gave her a tip of over twenty percent. Errors were made, but they were taken care of, I was satisfied.
i waited table for years in different types of establishments, but mostly casual or upscale casual (no chains). i can tell you that every time i got a no tip/terrible "message tip" i knew exactly why and what i did wrong. most people are generous, but if you're screwing a table over by not being there, or being rude or something along those lines, there's no reason to get a good tip. or any tip, for that matter. if things go wrong because of the kitchen, or the hostess has it out for you and quadruple sat you while you're already in the weeds, then you can usually save the tip by being good at your job.
and i wholeheartedly agree that if you don't like to tip, or are looking to save money by not tipping as much, stay home. the argument that tips shouldn't be compulsory at restaurants and owners should pay their staff better is bullshit. how would you like to pay $22 for your chicken instead of $14 so the owner can make the difference on how much he pays the staff? there's always something that people can complain about.
Every working person should at one time have to serve. It would really open all of your eyes. I understand if you have bad service, that's fine. But teach them a lesson by talking to a manager, not by leaving them no tip. A minimum of 10% no matter how bad the service. I'm serving my way through college and it is horrible not getting a tip, especially when it is completely unwarranted. If you don't have money to tip, you don't have money to go out to eat. A lot of you are lucky you don't work a job where 80% of your income is based on tips. I take pride in doing my job well and JUST LIKE YOU, I sometimes (rarely) make a mistake, and it sucks not being tipped as a result. And yes, people do remember when you don't tip/tip well. My advice is don't risk going back to an establishment where you've burned a member of the wait staff...
If you don't tip you better not come back. Your food will definately get a second look. Jaliska if you don't think tips should be automatic for good service you should not think your food should not be fooled with.
To Mike at the top of the list of Anti-goose egg
When your main source of income comes from tips, then you better perform well enough to be compensated for it. If you don't then you lose. That is the business that you are in, and if you don't like it then find something else.
Sure everyone has a bad day, or it may not even be the waiter/waitresses fault for what is going on in say the kitchen/bar. They can't control that, so hopefully most people would understand when something like that happens. However you can't compare an hourly/salary job to a job that the person relies on tips for a living. If that were the case then most people would either be fired, demoted, or warned of their poor performance.
So if I were to work in a place that I relied on tips as my main source of income, then you can be sure I would not be having an off day in front of the customers. If it was the kitchen/bar that was off then I would explain that this is not how we normally operate, and sorry for any inconvenience that is has caused them.....
I do not and don't ever plan of leaving without tipping and never have, but the service does warrant the amount left behind. I will leave 20% or more unless the service stinks. Talking to the manager to let them know what is up is also a good way to maybe turn wait staff around to do a better job. We all work hard for our money, so no one really wants to lose out on the deal.
To Mark in the above articel regarding having an "off day": If your doctor or nurse in a hospital was having an off day and brought you the wrong medicine, how understanding would people be about that?
I would suggest that a doctor having an off day is also not trying to keep 20 people happy all at the same time, racing place to place and having everything dictated to them. A doctor having an off day is able to take an extra few minutes to make sure the right medication is prescribed. Back to comparing apples and oranges, I guess.
@Suz: its your hard earned money, but the waiter is working to make their money too. if you want to go out and not pay for a tip, go out somewhere that there isn't someone serving you food. waiters at restaurants let eachother know who stiffed them and who is a good tipper, next time you come in, they'll fight over which one gets to ignore you for the night
Example (This has actually happened to me and I felt terrible!):
You only brought enough for your half of the bill and tip and then friends failed to bring enough. Of course you pool enough money together to just BARELY make the bill, but are left with nothing for the waiter.
There's so many scenarios that could lead to getting no tip. Sure "If you don't have the money, don't eat out", but if you're a college student and all your friends are there eating at the table- shiet.
I don't think I've never left without leaving a tip on purpose though. I'd feel too bad. If I'm strapped for cash, I will leave you what I can. I also always leave a note on my receipt for my waiter/waitress. Smiley faces or Snakes that say "SSSsssuper Service". LOL!
if all restaurants added 20% automatically on, whether it was through the price of the meals, or as a tip at the end, no one would complain about anything on this post.
and if i ever went to a restaurant and had someone leave me no tip, and then come back and expect any kind of service, they better be dreaming. If you go to a restaurant that has waiters and waitresses... tipping should be required.
As a bartender, if someone gets a drink that costs 4.75 and leaves me a 5.. you better believe that drink is getting weaker everytime. you leave me a buck a drink, i'll make 'em good
I waited tables all through college and even some after until I found what my girl friend called “a man job”. We only made 2.13 an hour, like a lot of other states. I was, and still am a stickler when I go out to dinner, lunch, happy hour. I don’t complain too much, or make outrageous demands, but I know how a restaurant is supposed to work. I don’t doubt that in my tenure as a server that I gave someone bad service. We all have an off day from time to time. Leaving no tip is unacceptable! Leaving less than 15% we will get the idea. You have to understand that just because your steak came out well done, when your ordered medium rare, does not mean we did something wrong. There are a number reason why you received the wrong steak…maybe there was another order almost exactly like yours, and the chef put it on the wrong plate, maybe the food runner grabbed the wrong ticket, maybe your other servers were running the food and made a mistake. Anyone with a pair of eyes can tell if you are busy or not. If you came in and there was a wait…be considerate. In a proper establishment the manager should visit the tables and be visible on the floor. If something is bothering you about your food tell him or her, let them correct it, or tell your waiter, let us correct it. Don’t take it out on a poor tip, get what you are paying for. 9 times out of 10, you are going to get a free dessert out of the deal, unless of course you have been branded as “that” patron that always complains and expects to get something free. It happens! We have all seen it! @Jaliska, correct, we did choose to work for this wage. Its not as easy as you would think to go out and get a normal job with normal wages. The words you speak, “Tips shouldn't even be expected unless a server demonstrates impeccable service and does extra things they aren't paid to do.” Are you kidding me? If we made, let us say, 6.50 an hour, the chicken fried steak or cobb salad you love so dearly would cost you double, maybe triple the cost it is now. So would you rather pay 8 dollars for your dinner and tip us 20 to 25 percent, or pay 16 to 24 dollars? I do believe the cheaper route would be to tip. Yes, we are forced to live off that money, some of us already work 40 hours a week, some of us go to school full time and are single parents, some of us are taking care of our parents and need the extra money for medicine. “You eat out to feed yourselves, not to worry about someone else.” That is probably the most inconsiderate thing I have ever read from something of this nature. You should stick to drive-throughs and grocery stores!
Why do all the waiters/pro-tippers here keep saying our meals would go up so high? "If we made, let us say, 6.50 an hour, the chicken fried steak or cobb salad you love so dearly would cost you double, maybe triple the cost it is now." Can someone explain why to me, other than it would be a chance for restaurant owners to gouge customers? I understand my particular server isn't the only employee in the business, but I'm a little dubious that $4/hr per staff member == double/triple menu prices. (Again, unless it's seen as a chance to really slap overhead.)
Most people tip with the final total, after tax and drinks are entered. Taxes are passed straight through to the state, and drinks are nearly all profit, so that boosts the server's tip as it is. I think I'd take my chances on living wages being paid to staff, and thus the price on the menu being my final costs, thanks very much.
I can't imagine never leaving a tip. I mean maybe if you had an absolutely horrendous experience but I've never had service that poor. Quite frankly some of the descriptions of "poor" service people describe here, I have to wonder if they're just too demanding. It just seems rude and selfish to not leave a tip. It's part of eating out and expected, it's not a perk. My philosophy is I leave a tip and if the person is great then I leave extra tip but I've yet to meet the server who's so bad as to not deserve a tip. While there might be a few I worry that many rude and demanding people are simply living out a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Waiters who expect a tip regardless of the quality of service they provide can cry all they want. I'm the customer. It's my evening out, my hard-earned dollar and my decision whether I leave a tip. Don't expect what you haven't earned.
I just want to know one thing here. Where do all the waiters and waitresses who have posted here saying "we should tip regardless of how bad the service is" work? I want to know exactly at which restaurants and who the server is I should be avoiding. I wouldn't want to waist your time.
I am sorry you may have a bad day once in a while (hopefully that isn't too often). Just think! Maybe I have had a bad day and wish to just have a relaxing meal and to be treated fairly for the first time today. Perhaps my wife had a bad day waiting on customers at her job and instead of having her wait on our family, I hire a babysitter and take her out to be waited on for a change.
Let me put it this way. Do a good job and leave the whining out of it and you will be rewarded handsomely. If not, oh well. Don't expect anything out of me for lowsy service.
Now with all of that said (and boy do I feel better now), anyone who is just too cheap to tip should be shot with a paintball of lifetime gauranteed paint. Also, we who tip accordingly should be able to get a license to us the paintball gun. I don't want them EVER being classified with me!!!
I usually have tipped well. I was talk 40 years ago that 15% was appropriate. I'm really getting ticked by the recent trend to suggest 20% or more. And before you talk about inflation, remember that the inflation is covered by the cost of the meal. I can remember dinner and a movie for $10 bucks, including the 15% tip. Now that same meal and show will run 60 or so. The tip in the bad ole days may have been a buck, and today it may be six bucks. In both cases, it's about one hour of minimum wage. If I was the only customer, I might feel bad for the wait but when I'm one of five tables, they are making more than me.
I've been waiting tables and bartending since college and I truly truly enjoy the food service industry. If i feel i'm given poor service, I'll leave a 10% tip and talk to the manager.
One night I was out to eat with my boyfriend a male friend of his. Our server was a female about 19-22 I'd say. Now as a waitress myself I know the number one rule of waiting a table as a female with a female customer is to win her over from the start. This young lady did not even acknowledge me, and instead directed all of her attention (and flirtation) at my two male companions. She took their drink orders and walked off, my boyfriend had to flag her down to take mine. About ten minutes after our first drinks, she returned with two drinks for the men, and walked off. My glass was about empty, theirs were not. She was once again flagged down and asked why I wasnt offered another drink. Her response was "i figured she'd ask for one if she wanted it." Hmm. The night was downhill from there, ending with my eating my ice cream dessert and her walking over to the table saying "I cant believe you're eating all of that." I was stunned. I talked to a manager who seemed completely indifferent. I tipped her 10%. I have to say, the look on her face was priceless when she handed us the check and I whipped out my credit card. Wait staff should treat men AND women with the same respect and courtesy. This is 2010, you never know who's picking up the tab.
Conversely, as a waitress I will grossly over tip for great service, as it can be very hard to come by. Last night we ate out and our young (new) waitress was astounding. Despite a very full section, she interacted with everyone, had a great attitude, played with the kids and our drinks NEVER were below 3/4 full. I was blown away. She was tipped $20 on a $50 tab, was complimented by me in person. I also called after we left to talk to a manager to rave about her. He told me he'd had 3 compliments on her that day. Hard working students with awesome attitudes like that should be rewarded.
All that said, waiting tables can be some of the easiest money out there if wait staff will just take pride in their jobs and making a guests' visit there enjoyable.
Wow, I went to school so I would not have to wait tables. If you think that a tip is right then maybe you should go to school too so you don't have to put up with folks who decide to rate their service by tip percentage. If you are too cool for school then I suggest you keep my water glass full. ;)
Jim, its unfair to assume everyone waiting tables is a lazy, degree-less hack. Almost all of my co-workers are near completion in their college educations, some even have degrees and are having trouble getting a job. I myself finished college with a double major and a minor with a 3.8. Sometimes its hard to find a job fresh out of school and you have to go back to waiting tables to support yourself until the right doors open.
Nic, you are absolutely correct. I did not mean to imply that all wait staff are lazy but rather that if you expect a tip the service needs to warrant it. It just seems reviewing some of these posts that many of these folks have choosen not to school yet they feel entitled to a tip regardless of service and I just don't agree with that.
I didn't mean to lump all server and wait staff into one bucket. :)
Wow I cannot believe how many waiters who seem to think they are entitled to a great tip when they are providing poor service and are crabby to the customers. The deal is, you provide good service and are pleasant, you WILL usually get a great tip. If you are crabby and are slow, BAD tip.... get it??? it's not that difficult. If you are the desperate to pay rent or pay bills, get a different job because obviously being a waiter isn't cutting it for you.
The tip should be proportionate to the server's attitude and attentiveness. If I have a rude waitress who's ignoring my table and screwing up my order, I'm going to leave little to no tip. Adversely, if the server is friendly and takes my order in a timely manner, I will give them a 30% tip or more.
Rudeness is the main factor in leaving a small tip; if the server were really friendly and screwing things up, I would still give at least 15%.
When I go to a restaurant, I (rightfully) assume the people working there receive a salary from the establishment to do a job. That job is to prepare the food in the case of the cook, to wash the dishes in the case of cleaning people, to prepare beverages in the case of the bartender, and to serve at the tables in the case of the waiters. Why in the world should I tip you for doing precisely the job you were hired for is beyond me. If I cause you more work (like I spill my drink and you have to clean up and bring me another, or if I have special dietary issues and start asking this on the side, and without that, etc) then I am glad to pay you for that extra work, in the form of a tip. I don't care how much the establishment pays you to do your job, IT IS NOT MY PROBLEM. Maybe I don't get paid as much as I'd like by my employer, does it mean I should come to you to get some extras?
Ok, I've been railing on some of these entitled servers, but you are a certifiable uneducated idiot. What do you not understand about service based businesses? Those people take jobs for a minimum wage of around 2-3 dollars on the expectation that if they serve their customers well they will be rewarded. Bartenders too. It's been going on for a long time. Would you rather pay more for your food like they do in overpriced Europe? I suppose you probably couldn't eat out then. What a selfish reflection of humanity you are. You should be ashamed of yourself.
I was a server for a number of years, and I've been stiffed by a table that I did a good job with, it was very upsetting. So I almost always leave between 15 and 20%... more if they were extra great. I think you should definitely leave a tip unless you got absolutely sub-par service. For the most part, tips are expected. I don't know why you wouldn't tip someone who did a good job! They are essentially working for you for your stay at the restaurant. You are paying for the food and the drink, and the tip is to pay for the serice. If you don't want to pay a server to give you your food and drink and make your experience more enjoyable, then you should go somewhere that doesn't have servers, like Burger King or McDonalds, or order in.
My mother has been a waitress before as is my wife. When a server does even an decent job, I tip and am willing to tip fairly well for really good service. If the service is really poor, I leave nothing.
I normally tip based on service. I once was at a resturant whith a large group of friends the celebrate one of their birhdays. We normally have large group dinners there because they normally have great service. On this one occaison, it was pretty dead, and so the wait staff were just standing around. I was a little late due to traffic, so by the time I was there everyone already had drinks and had ordered their appatizers. I had to wait 15 mins to get a menue, then I had to flag another waitress to order. Then it too us 45 mins from us asking for our checks to the time we actually got them. By the time we asked for our checks, there were only 3 other tables there and 3 waitresses! I normally tip very well, but this waitress only got $1.00 off of a $30 check from me. When I went to ask for the manager, I found out that he went home sick and another one was on her way in (who happens to be a friend one of the guests in my party). Needless to say, the waitress was just abusing not having management there, and she was fired the next day because my table wasn't the only one to complain, and her coworkers complained alongside us.
its easy as a server to be having a bad day, and everything to go wrong, to be as fake as can be in the front of the house, and grumpy as heck in the back. but when someone is plesant, smiles, serves you drinks and food, and cleans up after you.. 20%. i don't even know why this is an arguement. i'll leave a bad tip if someone does a bad job, but they shouldn't have to get on their knees to get more than 15%. everyone that says that they shoudlnt' have to pay extra for servers to do their jobs.. then don't pay extra, and see how your night out is next time you show up. the 20% will make your repeat visits more enjoyable
Tips are earned, period! If a waiter expects to come to "work" but is obviously lazy, why should I leave a tip? He/she didn't earn it. I was in a restaurant once, where our waitress ignored our table for 40 minutes! We finally had to get up and get someone's attention, only for it to happen again. We each had a soda, and our table shared an appetizer. That's all the service we got for the night. We didn't end up eating any dinner! We were fed up and finally left. We didn't leave a tip. I told everyone I knew what happened, and told them to NEVER go to that restaurant, or to recommend it to anyone. Sickens me that waiters automatically expect to be tipped. Trust me, if someone does a great job, they're tipped. If not, then no tip.
For those who commented that we should always leave a tip no matter what, I disagree. If I came to work and didn't do a damn thing, do you think my company would keep me?
A tip is given to someone for a good job. If someone hasn't done a good job for you then why do they deserve a tip? I've read all the comments about "Walk in the waiters shoes" and so on and I think its a load of rubbish. I worked retail for 10 years and dealt with more walks of life than I can even remember. I can tell you one thing for sure. It is almost always within your power to have a happy or angry customer on your hands.
These are some things that have caused me not to leave a tip:
1. The abandoner: Non-attentive servers in a virtually empty restaurant. Its understandable if your server isn't right there to fill that glass after your last swallow when you can look around and see the place packed and them balancing multiple tables. Its another thing to realize there are three waiters serving two tables and your waiter is no where to be seen for 15 minutes.
2. The expediter: This is the waiter who has forgone all pleasantries and etiquette in exchange for slipping you the check before you can even get the first fork full of food in your mouth. Nothing ticks me off more. I understand that on a busy night seats are a precious commodity but on the same token that isn't my or my dates problem. Slipping me a bill for something I haven't even tasted yet is a sure fire way of not getting a tip even if the meal was sublime.
3. The arrogant snob: Snooty and contrite waiters at expensive restaurants are always the most interesting. To put it simply, if I'm spending this kind of money I certainly won't tolerate McDonald's drive through attitudes. You get short and impatient with me, or act as though my money isn't green enough for your restaurant then I will quietly remind you of what you do for a living and leave you a fat goose egg.
I think its important to remember that we all have jobs. We all have roofs to keep over our heads. With that in mind we all come to work and perform a job that may not be the easiest, or if we are honest absolutely hate. At the end of the day we must perform these jobs well or someone else will take them over. Waiting tables is no exception to the rule. If you don't take care of the customer (which is your job), then don't expect the customer to take care of you.
Right on Tony, I get stuck with the number 3 character all the time, the "prima donna" waiter who thinks he is a movie star, gime a break, you are right you get these type of waiters specially and unfortunately in the fine restaurants.
Some place require the server to drop off the check early. This is done especially during lunch, to ensure that customers can get back to work on time. We use to call it the "2min. check back, check down". Meaning, we'd check back to see how the food was, and drop the check off, face down. Of course, you'd say something like, "take your time, I can add anything to the bill at any time. I'm not rushing you, it's for your convenience ".
I've been a server – a long time ago and not very good. I've been stiffed (and understandably so). My brother, who was a server longer than I was said the most offensive tip you can leave a server is $1.01. It tells them, "Yes, I know I'm supposed to tip, but you were a horrible server." I've left a tip of $1.01 twice – to the same server (not sure how we got him a second time). Otherwise I tip a minimum of $5 (for ANYTHING under $20), and make sure it's always between 20-25%.
I've worked in service industries where my wages depended on tips, so I get the perspective of both sides. That said, I've only once left without leaving any tip. In lieu of a tip we left a coin that my wife got from a friend that was made of wood and said something to the effect of "The value of this coin is equal to the value of the service you provided". It took an awful lot to get me that angry with a waitress. In most cases, poor service usually results in a small tip from me (as low as 2-3% in some cases). However give me good service and I'm a big tipper (I've tipped as much as 35% on a $100 dinner bill).
Why should I be obligated to leave a tip for someone who does what they're supposed to do in their job?? Tips are a GRATUITY- given FREELY by those who think they received exceptional service and that the server earned it. I rarely ever tip and usually it's not much. I don't make much money, either. Does that make me a bad person?
I'm a private ambulance company Paramedic. I have the same training, experience and responsibilities as my counterparts in the fire departments but I earn 1/3 to 1/2 of what they make for the same kind of ambulance work (I make $12 an hour and that's after having been in the industry for 20 years-I'm significantly hearing impaired; the fire services will not accept me because of that physical limitation, which is why I'm stuck in the private sector). I put in a lot of time rescuing people, being exposed to violence (people who scream, hit and spit at me) and diseases, dealing with death and having to tell people there's nothing more we can do to save their loved ones, enduring back breaking work, putting up with stress and weird hours (24 and 48 hour shifts), working in inclement weather and hazardous situations, getting someone's puke, piss and feces on me, doing repetitive meticulous equipment and supply inventory and cleaning, lifting and carrying heavy people up and down stairs, exhaustion, driving hundreds of miles every day (often long distance transports and driving with lights and siren in busy traffic or rain and snow at night), spending a lot of time and my own money doing required continuing medical education and testing for re-licensure every two years just to keep my job, every thing I do is scrutinized and reviewed for even the smallest mistakes that could be construed as lawsuit material, plus having to work with a variety of personalities, living with them for 24-48 hours straight at a time as well as adhering to paramilitary standards of work performance. There are times I go home and cry at night, getting no sleep, because I couldn't help save the life of someone's kid. Yeah, there are days I wonder if it's all really worth it.
There are times I go out of my way above and beyond what is expected of me because I know it's the right thing to do or that it makes me feel good that I can do a little bit more to help someone. I struggle to survive, financially, have few benefits (many EMTs and Medics I know of don't even have that) but it's solid, good work and I love helping people. I don't get tips. I don't think anyone else I work with gets tips. That doesn't mean tips haven't been offered to us. We usually refuse tips because we're here to serve and assist people in their time of need. If the customer insists, we tell them to make a donation to a charitable organization in our name or call our office to compliment them on the service they received from us instead. If my boss thinks I am doing an exceptional job, he will reward me.
YOU PEOPLE WHO WHINE AND BITCH ABOUT NOT GETTING TIPS SHOULD SHUT UP! Don't expect tips. If someone feels like you deserve extra, then you will be rewarded because they believe they can afford it and they will do it freely. Nobody should be obligated to give tips or be ostracized for not leaving a tip.
Try doing my job without tips for a change. I'll gladly take your job, waiting on or bussing tables or washing dishes for 12 hours a day without tips for the same kind of pay. At least I know I'm not going to catch someone's deadly disease, get beat up, break my back lifting someone who weighs 450 pounds, crawling under a wrecked car in the mud and rain at 2am, running 24 hours with only 1-3 hours' worth of sleep or breaks (before anyone gets any ideas about how any of this may be illegal-ambulance services are exempt from a lot of typical labor laws), being taken to court and sued or put in jail for doing something that someone thinks is dangerous to a person's health, no matter how innocuous it may seem, and so on.
Go ahead. Take my job and see how far you get without tips.
Workers should NEVER feel they're entitled to a tip. A tip is a GRATUITY. It is given out of free will and that's based purely on one's own opinion of your service. If you're expecting a tip, then maybe your boss should raise the prices a tiny bit to include the amount of a tip instead of browbeating or shaming a customer into leaving a tip. That's low. If someone is really pleased with your service and they leave a tip, be thankful for the extra money. If they don't leave a tip, for whatever reason, be thankful you have a steady J-O-B. If you think you don't make enough money, go to school and learn a new trade or go find a better paying job. That goes for everyone, including me.
Kay – When you tip out the others in your establishment it is a percentage of what you made in tips. If those that you tip out notice that you are not giving them a decent amout they will think 1) you are cheating them or 2) that you are not performing well and that you should leave and most likely they will not provide you with the support you need. Which ever the case if you are not tipping them out nicely they will probably talk with management about the issue and good management will compare your charge tips to cash tips (and compare those tips to your peers) and see if there is problem.
How many servers make $2 an hour? Really? Maybe in Mexico or China. Keep in mind that EMTs often make minimum wage or slightly more for similar work (although they're not held to the same training and certification standards as well as the same exact responsibilities as Paramedics).
Since all the servers are claiming its paying for books, schooling etc....you should be able to understand this....its from the California State Dept of Industrial Relations. In regards to tips...
What is a tip? A tip is money a customer leaves for an employee over the amount due for the goods sold or services rendered. Tips belong to the employee, not to the employer.
Are the tips I receive considered part of my "regular rate of pay" for overtime calculations? No. Since tips are voluntarily left for you by the customer of the business and are not being provided by the employer, they are not considered as part of your regular rate of pay when calculating overtime.
Is a mandatory service charge considered to be the same as a tip or gratuity? No, a tip is a voluntary amount left by a patron for an employee. A mandatory service charge is an amount that a patron is required to pay based on a contractual agreement or a specified required service amount listed on the menu of an establishment. An example of a mandatory service charge that is a contractual agreement would be a 10 or 15 percent charge added to the cost of a banquet. Such charges are considered as amounts owed by the patron to the establishment and are not gratuities voluntarily left for the employees. Therefore, when an employer distributes all or part of a service charge to its employees, the distribution may be at the discretion of the employer and the service charge, which would be in the nature of a bonus, would be included in the regular rate of pay when calculating overtime payments.
My employer pays me less than the minimum wage because he includes my tips in my hourly pay. Is this legal? No. Unlike under federal regulations, in California an employer cannot use an employee’s tips as a credit towards its obligation to pay the minimum wage. California law requires that employees receive the minimum wage plus any tips left for them by patrons of the employer’s business. Labor Code Section 351
I must have missed the part around it is required for the patron to pay this. Or the part where if the tip isnt to the servers liking, then I am obligated to get poor service next time they recognize me, as if they owned the restaurant.
Tips are also called gratuties. Let's look of the definition of this "obviously" mandatory practice.
gratuity: a small sum of money given as a reward for good service; a tip.
TO INSURE PROMPT SERVICE – "Tip" – Just like much of US society many servers have a sense of entitlement. You even see tip jars at take out pizza places! I have probably not left a tip four or five times in my life and have under-tipped many more times (10% or less) when servers have been outwardly rude – if you decide to sit down at another table and talk to friends and neglect us so I have to walk around and find a picther of water to refill my glass with then I assume you aren't trying to earn a tip or at least not a large one. If you give us attitude when we have to ask another server where our food is or if we can get another drink then assume the same. I have in very rare occassions tlaked to managers, but like most people I dont want to cause a scene and screw up my night even more so I will sometimes fill out comment card or just not leave much of a tip – I figure the person knows why they were undertipped. For those servers that think tipping is an entitlement I would suggest moving to certain countries in Europe where it is always included (10%), otherwise do a great job and reap the rewards of 15-20% tips most will repay good service with.
If you want more money then get a better job. why should i have to pay more because you don't have anything to qualify yourself for a better job. you all suck
Are you people serious? Do you want your waiter to suck your cock? People who don't tip on account of "poor service" need their heads examined. I pity them. They are the epitome of selfishness.
Sorry Tim, I think *you* need your head examined. Selfishness would be expecting a tip for providing little or no service (or lots of poor service). Can you explain to me in a logical and reasonable argument, why I, or anyone else, should pay extra for nothing?
Tim, are you an idiot, or do you just talk like one? Do you know that tips is an acronym? To insure proper service. Do you know what my boss would say if I told one of my clients essentially what you just said? It's no wonder we have such an entitlement society coming up through the ranks with comments like this. And our government reflects it everyday.
I'm an engineer that used to serve. Everything I do is by a formula, including tipping. Formula as follows:
Start at 20%
Each appetizer: + $1
Each alcoholic drink: + $1
Beverage never gets empty: + $1
Beverage never gets half way down: + $2
Each extra: + $1
>5 min between arrival and getting drink order: – $2
>10 min between arrival and getting drink order: – $5-$15 depending on duration
Order incorrect and it's obviously server's fault: – $2
Server does not check on table after food arrives: – $3
Server does not notice when the table is done and/or ready for check: – $1 to $5 depending on duration we have to wait
Server is rude: – $4 to all depending on severity
If you can't afford to tip, then you can't afford to eat out.
In response to Jaliska: I can't believe you would think that some of us who serve actually CHOSE that profession over a full time job. I had to pick up waitressing as a second job to my full time job when my husband was effected by the economy and laid off. I tried to even find a RETAIL job to make ends meet. Bottom line is I REALLY needed the money I was making. I always treated EVERY patron with respect and good service, and I enjoyed the social part of the waitressing environment – the people. I agree with a lot of you who feel that if you can't tip don't go out to eat!
For those who keep repeating the b.s. of "if you can't tip, then don't go out to eat" need to remember that people who go out to eat can afford to do so, and the fact that they tip is based on good service, period! I'm telling you, if you don't treat your customers well, then why should the customer treat their waiter well, especially when their service sucked?
Some patrons don't give good tips just like some servers don't give good service. Bottom line, you should always leave something that reflects the quality of service you were provided with.
I have worked in the service industry for 13 years. And I will remember someone who stiffs me just as easily as someone who tips graciously. And when that person comes back they will get the worst service i can provide as courteous as i can dish it out. The restaurant doesnt pay my bills, tips do. The turnover rate in the industry is so high I have no obligation or loyalty to a restaurant. And i could really care less about wether people like that come back or not. there is a reason why Mcdonnalds has a dollar menu. If I have five tables at once im going to focus on the table that is the most courteous to me and appears to be the best shot for the biggest tip. From there prioritizing downward. Cause thats the way for me to make the most money.
That's the worst logic in the world. You're the reason why some tables leave bad tips to all servers. Approaching a table like they wont tip you, is a sure way of not getting tipped. You were the kind of server that I enjoyed working with, because I would steal all of your customers. I'm sure you're the same type of server that cuts out on his side/closing work.
Congratulations, you are stating one reason why someone should *not* leave you a tip, and then going further by saying you would *intentionally* be rude to that person you were already rude to in the future. Way to go.
This argument isn't about the people that are cheap – this article is about people leaving zero tip because their service was THAT bad. I'm certainly glad you don't have loyalty and don't care what the CUSTOMER thinks, because I wouldn't hesitate to involve management if I came across the likes of you.
I can't believe all the idiots who leave tips even when the service is terrible. That just causes the jerkoff who's not doing his job to stay there longer. If that other guy isn't pulling his weight, it affected the rest of the staff. Better he/she be run off sooner than later...they might be replaced by somebody who can do a better job, which is better for everyone in the long run. Some people aren't cut out for waiting tables.
I have left no tip many times. I know how hard it was to be a server, because I was one for many years, BUT if the service is not there, from the server standpoint they do not deserve a tip.... And really I dont care if the server thinks i forgot or not, they did not deserve any of my money. They are in customer service, and they need to be friendly, and nice to the person who is paying their bills.
Restaurants exist for patrons who would like to be waited on, cooked for, served, cleaned up after, and basically treated better than they usually deserve.
If you don't feel your service was adequate for whatever reason, let the manager know, but leave 10%.
If you feel your service was above average, leave a good tip (15-20%)
If you feel your service was outstanding, leave an outstanding tip (25-30%)
If you don't agree with this, stay home, nobody wants you.
And remeber, never piss off anyone who is serving you food, that is just commopn sense.
I find it laughable that you expect people to leave a tip even if service was horrible. You say that if someone wants to leave nothing, they should stay home, nobody wants them. It's not that people go out to eat, intending to leave nothing. They go out to eat, receive poor service, and pay for the FOOD that they ate, but leave nothing for the poor or non-existent service.
Let's say I take someone out to a nice restaurant – after the appetizer, drinks, and the meal, the tab is maybe $150, for 90 minutes of being in the restaurant. You would expect me to pay you 10%, or $10 per hour, if you provided little or no service to me? You're dreaming.
With your job comes a certain level of expected competence and courtesy. IF you can provide that, then yes, I'll tip at least 10%. If you provide the minimum along with sincerity and a smile, you'll be getting 20%. If you go above and beyond, and help to create a great dining experience, out comes the 30-40% tip. Don't you ever, EVER, expect to get a minimum of 10% for shoddy service, and then look down on people if they don't provide it. You have your end of the bargain to keep up. It's your job, we expect you to do it.
You sound like a union member and a five year old all at the same time. "Stay home. Nobody wants you?" Can you even make the connection between your job and how it is that you get paid? Keep this up and I see living under a bridge in your future Mr. Entitlement.
some people are good tippers, some are bad, regardless of service. and when you have repeat customers that are bad tippers, they'll probably get treated as such.
I was a server for 5 years, throughout high school and college. I agree, if you dont get good service you shouldnt have to tip.... as much as you would normally. and by that i mean you still don't have the right ot leave a penny. We still do work for $3.00 an hour. HOWEVER, i have worked with some rude, terrible, lazy servers so i know that as servers–we come in all shapes and sizes.
Worked at as a server for three years; I worked my tail off to ensure people had a great time who were seated in my section. I always treated them like I would want my parents to be treated. Sometimes you get stiffed, other times you get more than you should. Bottom line, attitude goes along way. You'll always run into jerks, but that's at any job.
if your service is poor, you should reflect that in a tip. if your server is rude, or the food comes out wrong and they make no effort to fix it, then reflect it in their tip. if they do everything to make your experience enjoyable, a tip should be required. you shouldn't expect them to rub your feet or cut your food in order to make 20% off your meal.
I have refused to give a tip ONE time in all my years of dining out. My waitress finished her shift MID-MEAL and left without passing us on to another server, so she got exactly what she deserved, nothing, and was lucky i didn't get a manager over to complain about the absolute lack of service i had gotten.
In the tip box I wrote an arrow.
On the reverse side, I wrote
Full party arrived 7pm, first waiter contact 7:15, first drinks arriced 7:25 and we were ready to place our order.
Order taken 7:35. Second round ordered at 7:35 and after watching the bartender pour the drinks within minutes I went to get them myself at 7:45. Third round ordered at around 7:55, poured 7:57, picked up by myself at 8:05. Food arrived at 8:15. Done by 8:25. Final checkout time 8:45.
Do you really think that kind of service deserves a tip? Maybe some of it is the kitchen, but most of it was the server. If you honestly think that I should have tipped in that situation then you need to be committed. We normally tip quite well, rounding off to the highest $5, but in no way will I tip for going to get my own beer.
I find it laughable that the most adamant people (listed as examples) about leaving a tip no matter what, were servers. I was a server myself, after working up from being a busboy, and I would not hesitate to leave without tipping if the service warranted it. As mentioned by the pro-goose eggs, it's imperative though that you DO notify management. Not only will the manager understand why you are upset, they may also be able to alleviate the situation. It is NOT because someone is "cheap" to give a tip *cough* NIck *cough*. If you provide horrible service and don't even try to make an effort, you're not going to get a tip from me.
Yes, it's true – people have bad days... in ANY line of work. Most people can tell when you're having one, and in any case, your job as a server is to be of service to the customer. Yes, cooking mistakes are not your fault (unless you placed the order incorrectly). Yes, people have bad days and can't be 100% cheery 100% of the time. But make an EFFORT. Apologize, be sincere, show that you are trying. Accountability is important – if you make a mistake, own up to it and try to make amends – don't just say someone is cheap and ignore them and blab to your coworkers these falsehoods.
Tips for good service are a privilege. Period. It should *not* be "expected" unless you perform well. Mind you, this false sense of entitlement is really blaring in America – check out Europe sometime. Meals are serious events, and servers take their job seriously. You are not expected to tip. In fact, you are only supposed to tip if your service was hands down outstanding. Or check out China – most restaurants, tips are NOT ALLOWED, and a worker could be fired for accepting them. There are countless professions where the employee is expected to do their job well, without fail, day in and day out, and receive no tips. Some jobs (such as government posts) are unable to accept tips or even gifts around the holidays.
Bottom line? It's your choice to be a server, good or bad. However, you'll only be rewarded if you do your job well. Expecting tips for sub-par performance is greedy, and exactly what is wrong with much of America and this false sense of entitlement.
Any other restaurant industry workers out there find it incredibly easy to predict tips based on social stereotypes that we see on a daily basis? Let's be honest here. Sometimes no matter what you do, or how good service you provide to some people they will not tip. As a server in a very touristy location I see people from every background imaginable. With great accuracy I can predict how good my tip will be by the time I take a drink order (as I am sure most servers can, again let's be honest here). Two tables at the same time, get the same service, same food, same bill, one is from the north and the other from the south. I am willing to be that the southern table's tip will be SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the table from the north. I am not hating, I am just saying I see this time and time again on a daily basis. Some people just don't tip well no matter what.
I can see where you are coming from, Ralph, but keep in mind – if you are referring to foreign tourists that are visiting the States, tipping is not an international sensation. Across the many cultures of the world, tipping is only utilized in a select few, and in the States it is apparently "expected". There are also different lifestyles within the States – I was a server in an area with many farmers. Hard workers, very nice people, but anyone would be lucky to get a 10% tip to the penny, let alone 15%. That's life, and unfortunately you either need to deal with it and get a new job, or deal with it and handle each and every customer with the SAME respect and courtesy that you would want to receive yourself. After all, what if by some ironic twist of fate, you are the ONLY experience of our culture that foreign families are met with. If act like you don't care because you know you won't get a good tip, that just makes the whole country (to the tourist) look inadequate.
I am from the South and I tip 15% for average service and 20%+ for exceptional service. I am also a single 24 year old female college student. Stereotype that .. I wonder what type of stereotypes I could try and pass off on most of the waiters I've encountered??? At any rate, they would probably be just as ignorant and off the mark as yours .. so I won't bother. Ever seen the movie "Crash" .. it's a wonderful case study into the world of stereotypes that you so readily adhere to. Quit complaining/passing judgment and educate yourself. Acting like you know how the world operates and truly knowing are two very different realities.
If a waiter or waitress has an attitude and/or is incompetent they should get no tip or a very low tip. Should I leave a tip to a jerk just because he/she makes below minimum wage or because he/she is having a bad day? NO WAY! leave the attitude at home and treat the customer with some respect and do your job! If you don't want to worry that your attitude may cost you your tip than go work somewhere else. Lets put it this way, if you do a great job at waiting you can make a killing off tips but if you are not doing your job there should be consequences, this is not a charity!
Although I've never waited table, I have worked in restaurants and I know how hard the job can be. When my wife and I go out, we try to be very courteous and respectful to the wait staff and try to make it clear that we do not want to make their life harder. We view the whole dining experience as an interactive one and the wait staff are an important part of the process. We are careful to notice when the restaurant is really busy and consciously try to adapt our expectations of the experience to the circumstances. When making a request in those circumstance, we make sure that the waiter knows that we recognize how much pressue he is under and couch our requests in a way that tells him that we are not trying to add to the problem. It generally results in outstanding service. As a patron, you actually have a great deal of control over the situation.
At the end of the meal, we tip and we tip well. At least 20 percent, unless everything was really awful. Even then, we won't reduce the tip unless it is clear that the problem is solely with the waiter. But that has very seldom happened. In some cases, when the experience depends on a particularly careful preparation of the meal - like the doneness of a beef or tuna steak - we will take care of the waiter and then send a separate tip back to the cook who prepared the meal if it was perfect. Try that a couple of times and see why kind of service you get in the future. Believe me, it makes a huge difference.
My wife and I are gourmet cooks, so we do not eat out often, but when we do, we are looking for something we cannot get at home. Considering what we make at home, that really narrows the field. Wnen we go out, we are looking for a total experience and we recognize our role in making it happen. We don't have to go to a place many times before they recognize us and roll out the red carpet. If we cannot establish that kind of raport, we don't go back.
I believe that someone who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. We try not to be rude to the waiter and tip appropriately. As a result, we almost always get good service and good experience. If we don't, we do not go back and do not recommend the restaurant to others.
There is an unwritten social etiquette that if you (the server) provide me (the customer) with good service, including making sure the order is correct and paced properly, and make my dining experience a good one, then 15% tip is minimum, 20% tip and above, yes above, for exceptional service. This is all done on the honor system. At the end of the dining experience, if the server has kept up their end of this unwritten social contract, then it's your turn to hold up you end. For people who regularly don't tip or tip poorly regardless of quality service, that little act of anti-social behavior speaks volumes about you, and those of us in the know judge you for it.
I'm a very rare breed of customer, I honetly don't care if the waitstaff smiles at me or kisses my butt, all I want is the food and drinks I ordered in a reasonable time. I don't have an overinflated ego that makes me think I deserve to be treated like royalty just because I decided to grace them with my presence. There are only two reasons I wouldn't tip – if the server was blatantly and openly rude/hostile toward me (which has never happened) and if the server was someone I recognized as a rude customer from the place where I had been working at the time (it only happened once but it was justified. I was quite surprised that such a bad customer actually worked in customer service themselves, but it was nice to get back at them and let them know exactly why they were receiving the treatment I was giving them). Otherwise, I ALWAYS tip.
I just wanted to add, although I don't care if I receive service with a smile, I do like appreciate it and will return the kindness. But if the waiter or waitress doesn't want to have that kind of interaction with me and would prefer to just be an automaton that brings me my food and drinks then that's fine with me too. I go to a restaurant to eat, not interact with people.
That Nick in the story is the kind of guy who really makes you NOT want to tip for bad service. Arrogant ... and assumes the problem could never be one that he caused. Try living on less than $3 an hour and tips? Try dishing out for crappy service! I won't forget you, either.
I think the real problem is the restaurants paying people 1.45 /hr base pay... Except the citizens to pay for everything yet don't give the citizens very much money...
My experience with waiters/waitresses has been good for the most part. Occasionally we run into someone who seems does not want to be there, seems to hate everything, and has a bad attitude. You find this type in most places where service personnel are required to take care of the public's needs. At the restaurant we are very tolerant, to a point, but when the service is so bad that leaving no-tip seems warranted, we leave 7% along with a very visible note on the merchant's check saying: "BAD SERVICE RECEIVED FROM THIS EMPLOYEE, AND THE TIP REFLECTS HOW WE FELT ABOUT THE SERVICE RECEIVED." The manager will see that note. Then we go back there a few days later, and if the same happens again, we do not patronize that business ever again.
Seriously though, why the hell do people think they are entitled to tips? Isn't tips and expression of how great your service was really worth? If you aren't getting tips, it's probably a reality check!
Quit whining, and either deliver better service or get another job!
Stop acting like your are self righteous. Nobody gives a damn to those of you that suck at your job!
I get to eat out on occasion, I don't make much money, so, especially if it is a nice restaurant, I will leave a tip, but, only if they refilled my drink at least once and especially if you ask me how things are, that will get you a tip every time. I have been to the "hole in the wall" restaurants where I have seen people stealing my tip or others' tips. I try to reward my wait-person personally if at all possible. But, as was mentioned previously, if you suck, yer not gettin a tip!!!! If you suck AND you're expecting* a tip, well, you're sure not to get one then. Wait-persons, get off your high horses and do your job and do it well, and most of the time you will get a tip, but, if you slack off, you will not get one from me. there have been too many times when i was led to my table and was never waited on again. i understand busy restaurants, but, just because it's busy doesn't mean that you should treat me any different than anyone else. I have a choice as to which restaurant I patronize. You give me poor service, then, I won't come back. You give me decent service, I will come back and I will tip. To me, a T.I.P. is NOT an obligation, good service or not!!! However, you bringing me clean, decent food IS AND OBLIGATION!!!! I PAID FOR IT!!!! And, YOU have a JOB!!!! Keep all this fussin about tips up and I will eat at home more often!!!!!
About 5 or so times in my life service has been sooooooo awful ... no drink refills, no plate removals, cold food served, spilled drinks with no apology, chatting with co-workers or yakking on a cell phone while my water glass sits empty ... I have left a $20 bill, torn in half, such that just less than half the bill is there, folded so it looks like a nice tip. In this way, the waiter thinks they are getting a surprisingly huge tip, only to find out they got completely stiffed. Trust me, these 4 or 5 times I have done that, they absolutely deserved to get a kick in the pants, but I refrained. And I don't want to hear about service sector jobs and not leaving a tip ... I work in service and have for 15 years and I do not earn tips. You need to go above and beyond to EARN a GRATUITY. Look up the words in the dictionary folks! It is not a guarantee!! There is a reason Iced Tea costs $3 ... and it is not because of the price of tea or water ... it is because they have factored in basic service cost into the menu prices. Wisen up and be smart!
We are only having this conversation because the resturant industry has duped the customer and staff into believing we the customer OWE a tip on top of already paying top dollar for a cooked meal and drinks.
I do not owe you a tip at all.
It's not about $1 or $2. When you spend around $50 – $100 or more on a nice meal, you are paying for food, service, ambiance, etc. A wait person that never greet you, never smiles, and are absolutely not attentive to your needs, should NOT be rewarded for $10 to $20. Tip, by definition, is reward for service, compliments to the restaurant/chef/manager as well. If the wait person ruined it, don't leave a tip, AND tell the manager if you plan on going back to that restaurant. I am in a service industry, if I'm rude to my customers, I'm out of business, why should it be different for the wait person?
Exactly, you spend over a $120 dollars on a meal for 2, you don't get to sit where ever you want, you get a nasty "primma donna" waiter with an attitude and on top you expect a tip, gime a break!
I love these threats..."IF YOU DON'T TIP, DON'T GO OUT TO EAT!" or "JUST REMEMBER WHO IS BRINGING YOU YOUR FOOD" and my favorite "WE DON'T FORGET!"...hilarious. I guess now we know why tipping comes after service and not before.
Tipping is one of the few remaining ways we can show human decency! Servers are paid very little, and the Bible says "So as you done unto the least of them...!" I would tip a little even for bad service, then write a letter to the CEO, owner, or manager.
The tip is based on service and nothing else. Poor service gets a poor tip. I completely understand that there are things that are out of a waiter/waitresses' hands and that needs to be taken into consideration (ie: if my food comes out over/undercooked, I'll send it back and if it comes out correct, no harm, no foul) but when the service being provided by the waiter is sub-standard for the establishment (5 star restaurant = 5 star service, but wouldn't expect the same at a bar/pub), the tip should be a reflection of that. The waiters who chimed in with their opinions need to realize that they are being paid a salary and earning a tip. If you're in sales do you still get a commission if you do a sub-standard presentation and lose a lucrative contract? Same applies if you provide sub-standard service; you still get your salary but not the additional "bonus". Additionally, if the service is bad enough that I'm planning to leave less than 10%, or nothing, (I always tip 20-25% for good to excellent service, by the way) I'll always let the manager know so he/she can speak to the waiter/waitress privately and let them know the feedback. That way it solves the issue of me being seen as just being cheap and the waiter/waitress gets the feedback on what went wrong to hopefully remedy it in the future.
Just another instance of people wanting something for nothing. Some who don't tip (not all people fall into this category) want impeccable service because they feel it's owed to them for walking their butt into the restaurant to spend their money. Now, don't get me wrong, ANYONE who walks into a place of business with the intention of spending their hard earned money should expect some degree of good service, but the waiters and waitresses are not there to clean up the mess that some slobs make and put up with rude and nasty comments and groping.
On the other hand, Just because you wait tables, does not give you the right to my money beyond what my bill states I owe for my meal and drinks. Tips are at MY discression and not based on some "rule of thumb" percentage system. If you have your hand in my pocket when I walk in the door, you had better be worthy of it. Just because your name or employee number is on my check doesn't mean I have to tip you if I didn't see you all night.
Another note, If the restaurant you work at is poorly staffed and preventing you from providing quality service to it's patrons, you might want to discuss your wages with the manager. This is not my problem, however, if I see you're making the effort to satisfy all of your tables equally, I will most certainly throw some extra "percentages" your way. Just don't expect me to come back unless the food was phenominal.
Yet another comment to those of you who feel tipping is above you, I once watch a girl run her hind end off for a table of about 8 people at a club one night, their bill came to over $100 and they left her only a little more than a dollar. I saw her service and it was outstanding. These people simply didn't tip because they were cheap. I ended up tipping $70 on a $165 bill, the service was that good.
Also, current and past servers, correct me if I'm wrong... are single female smokers the worst tippers?
Normally, Mty husband and i are good tippers- we understand that servers survive off of thier tips.
that being said- there was only one time that we did not leave a tip- I think we did, but jsut to round our bill up to the next whole dollar...
this waiter was absolutley the worst waiter we have ever had!!! I don't think it was jsut a bad day for him (I can understand and sympathize when people are jsut having a bad and grumpy day- i usually try to tip those servers decently) but this waiter was just awful!! he took forever to even come over and say hello and ask for our drinks, he was very impatient when we were trying to figure out what we wanted to order, had a very bad attitude all night. then to top it off- it took him so long to bring us the check, we were waiting there for about 45 minutes when the manager came up to us and asked us if there was anything else we needed (we saw the waiter complaining to the manager a few minutes earlier) when we proclaimed to the manager, "Well a check might be nice so we could leave" then the manager must have realized what happened and got us the check in just a few minutes.... I look back and wished we would have just said to the manager "I guess we don't need anything else" and just got up and left without paying....
I am sorry but circumstances like this- the waiter does not deserve a tip as he was not doing his job of taking care of us.
And just as a side note- we are very happy customers and are easy to please- it takes a lot to piss us off to the point we start "docking" money from the tip...
Having lived off tips for many years, I have vowed to never live nothing so 10-15% is a minimum even for bad service. However, when returning to the restaurant I will make sure to not have a bad server wait on us again. Also, be extra nice on holidays and sundays, July 4th, Xmas, etc .. tip extra.
A) I was a waiter
B) I have left no tip 3 times - all 3 were for bad service.
C) If the food is bad, or the wrong order, I don't take it out against the waiter.... but I will also NEVER send something back because I don't like body fluids in my food.
TIP is an acronym for To Insure Performance. I noticed that the anti-zero tip people are pretty much servers. You have chosen to SERVE people. Y'all need to keep that in mind next time you whine about not being tipped. It is NOT an entitlement, it is EARNED.
Yeah, that's just not true. From the etymology section on Wikipedia's entry for tipping, which itself cites to the Oxford English Dictionary:
There are common inaccurate claims that "tip" (or "tips") is an acronym for a phrase such as "To Insure Prompt Service", "To Insure Proper Service", "To Improve Performance", or "To Insure Promptness." These false backronyms contradict the verifiable etymology, as follows.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word tip originated as a slang term, and its etymology is unclear. The term in the sense of "to give a gratuity" first appeared in the 18th century. It derived from an earlier sense of tip, meaning "to give; to hand, pass", which originated in the rogues' cant in the 17th century. This sense may have derived from the 16th-century tip meaning "to strike or hit smartly but lightly" (which may have derived from the Low German tippen, "to tap"), but this derivation is "very uncertain".
Jaliska
Why do people assume that everyone is obligated to give tips?
Tips shouldn't even be expected unless a server demonstrates impeccable service and does extra things they aren't paid to do. This show of entitlement is a little obnoxious, to be honest.
They chose to work at that restaurant w/ minimum wage. They're not forced to live off that money. If they really wanted to, they could get a good-paying job somewhere else. It's not the customer's problem that the server doesn't earn enough money to fend for himself. We eat out to feed ourselves, not to worry about someone else.
Jaliska, while I wouldn't say tips are required in every circumstance, the fact that you are requiring some "impeccable" level of service that is "above and beyond" for any tip shows that you are either (a) ignorant of the informal deal that exists between restaurant management, staff and patrons, or (b) don't care and are happy to take advantage of that circumstance.
As has been said many times here, servers make below the minimum wage in every state. The price of every item of food you purchase is based upon the idea that only a small percentage (somewhere between 25% and less than 1%, depending on the type of restaurant and location of the restaurant) of a server's pay comes in the form of salary. The rest comes in the form of gratuity. If gratuity was only for exceptional circumstances and server's received their salary through the restaurant directly, the cost of every single item on the menu would be raised 15 percent.
I'm not saying that not tipping is never reasonable. But average service deserves a tip in this country, because of the informal deal mentioned above. It doesn't deserve a great tip, but it deserves something that it is not just a meager token.
Beyond that, what is "above and beyond" in the restaurant business? To me being a server had just two clear priorities when I was one: (1) be polite and (2) provide people with efficient and effective service. When I served (and I'll admit I was only an above average server), I knew when I did those two things well. I also knew when something went wrong, and knew if it was my fault, the kitchen's fault or the bar's fault. If I fulfilled those goals and got less than 15%, I wasn't going to be very happy the next time I saw you. If you think you need to be given something for free or I need to sit with you to hear all about your day to get a tip, I was a server, not a giver of handouts and not a friend.
Quite honestly Jaliska, I was particuarly riled by your comments because they sound like they are coming from the mouth of a spoiled, entitled brat who has never had to work to put food on the table, nor has to worry about having enough money to eat out whenever you want – but who also does not care about the person serving them. Get your facts straight – they are not working for minimum wage, which is over $7 per hour, they are working for $2 per hour and hoping people will like their service enough to give them a little more. And are you not reading the newspaper or watching the news – people with college degrees are working as servers because there are no jobs out there!!! Wake up – many of these people do not have choices – if you are privledged – and it sounds like it – cut them a break – they are having a harder life than yours!!!!
sound like you are the one with the "entitlement" complex. apparently you expect to have people bring you food and drink and clean up after you, and yet you shouldnt have to pay them anything.
My wife and I used to eat out at least 1-2x per week. With the economy as it is we have reduced to 1-2x every 2-3 weeks. We have left no tip once and a penny tip once. The rest of the times usually 10% for okay service and usually 15-20% for good to excellent service. The no tip was before we heard about the penny tip idea. We left no tip because the server tried to overcharge us for our drinks. It was at Olive Garden and we ordered Grape Juice. The only reason I ordered it was because the menu said, free refills on all juice, soft drinks...etc. When I brought this to her attention she said something akin to, "well our manager says that we charge for each juice." I retorted with, "that's great but your menu says free refills." She said she wouldn't refund me. I asked to speak to the manager. The manager said that there were no free refills on juices. I grabbed a menu and said that he needs to change the menu my wife and I look at every 2 weeks (we love Olive Garden). I asked to speak to his manager, and he said he was THE manager. I asked for his boss' phone number. I contacted the boss (I think a district manager of some sort) and he sent me a $25 Gift card for the inconvenience. You're darn right I didn't leave a tip. I understand if I made a mistake and have no proof of what I saw then I am totally in the wrong and I'll grin and bear it but when I provide proof in black and white (or tan and gray in the case of the menu) then I expect a person to fix it. A managers job is to help calm the situation, not make it more difficult.
My penny tip was when I went to Denny's and my wife asked for mayonnaise with her fries (she's German). The server makes a rude comment about the fact that Mayonnaise with fries is disgusting, tells her coworkers about how gross it is and points at my wife like she did something wrong. After I calmly explained my wife is German the server responds, "So am I." I got tired of arguing with this imbecile and after we got our check we put a penny on the receipt of our credit card charge and the manager asked how everything was. She could obviously tell we were ticked off. I explained the situation and the server was gone by a week later.
Julez you're an idiot. Just like lots of waiters out there... who try to pull the "it's not our fault the food comes out wrong". Yes, I agree there are times where you get blamed for something that wasn't your fault, but it seems you wait staff are always looking to point the finger at someone else. Well let me ask you this then, is it our fault too that you didn't get a better job? Let's hear your excuses on that subject.
I love the rash of comments that anyone in the service industry is there strictly because they can't find a "good" job. I don't recall anywhere in the article this being a debate about the merits of serving. On the subject, bad service deserves a poor or no tip. That said, I wonder if any of the complainers have ever left an above-average tip for exceptional service. Then again, from just a few of the comments it seems that most of these people don't believe that servers are capable of such a thing. Pretty sad.
I have an issue with those that are saying if you don't want to leave a tip stay home & cook their own dinner...my grandparents were a very sweet old couple living on a very limited income. Once a month they would put on nice clothes & went out for a meal – usually to a place like Denny's, but once in a while they really splurged & went to Applebee's or Chili's. My point is that they tipped what they could which sometimes was 10 or 15% and sometimes less. One time they invited my husband & I out for dinner. They insisted that it was their treat. When we were finished, I headed to the Ladies room while they went outside. Knowing that they didn't tip as well as I might, I planned on sneaking back to our table and adding several dollars to the tip. On my way back to the table I overheard our server complaining to a co-worker about the "measly 10% tip from the old farts in the corner table" in full earshot of other customers! Needless to say she didn't get the extra $10 I was going to put on the table. Shame on the servers who are judgemental about their customers. You don't know what someone's situation is – you should be happy that they come out & spend any money that keeps you in a job. If the customers start staying home, you are out of work.
Think about it. If the waiter/waitress has only 5 tables and turns them in about an hour. This is longer than average. If they only get $2.00 a table that equates to $10 plus the minimum the restaurant has to pay. About 12.50 an hour. Hmm? The waiter/waitress is expected to EARN the difference. Next time the guy/girl comes to mow your grass and only makes one swipe across the front yard and then sticks out their hand. Make sure you fill it up with money because they deserve it even though they did a terrible job. What a no-brainer. If you have to think about this you probably make less than a waitress. I have had friends that love to work as a waiter/waitress because they know that great service means great rewards, not to mention a major portion of the tips never get claimed on taxes. Snow for the snowman!
You say you work hard to do a good job servicing your tables. That may be in your eyes, but not in the customer's eyes. If there are other issues that may be leading to a bad perception with the customer, then you can talk to your manager about that and say that is why you are getting bad tips. Having an off day, ok then you don't get good tips. The root cause is you and you suffer the consequences. Plenty of off days, find another job because you can't hack it. The world doesn't owe you a living, read the grasshopper and the ant. And to Mike in the Anti Goose Egg part who said, "How would you like to be "punished" at work by a complete stranger if you were having an off day? Most likely this was the cause behind your poor service." Well welcome to the real world pal. Its what everyone else gets, why are you so special? People who have the most direct contact with the customer are the ones who get the most immediate feedback. How you do your job directly impacts your rewards or punishment. In other words you reap what you sow. ie bad service means no or low tips. Also, remember you can't please everyone. Also, if you please 17 out of 20 customers, you should do fine and just forget about the other 3. It isn't worth it. If you stiff one waiter and they tell the others how bad you are, yet you tip them well because they do good. Then that reflects badly on you for complaining. Think about it.
A waiter(tress) isn't entitled to a decent tip when the service was far below what it should be.If everyone left a tip no matter the service and it was always the same then they have no reason to go out of their way to make ur dinner a enjoyable experience.I have never been a waiter but i have cooked for a crowd and been responsible for getting it done in a timely manner and i know what good service should be like.So waiters and waiteress listen up you want our money we are not not flea ridden animals shape up or ship out.If u don't like being a waiter or waiteress then get the heck out of the bussiness.
A lot of people who go out to eat are rude themselves and receive treatment from the waitstaff that is in response to that; unfortunately, those people will never understand that about themselves. Also, quite a lot of people have unrealistic expectations about what actually qualifies for good service – some people go out to eat thinking that no matter where they go, they should be treated like royalty, and a server who is working 15 tables at once should memorize their 4 person order and bring it out within a self-appointed "acceptable" amount of time and the server is further responsible for the condition of those orders, or no tip. ??? Get real – that type of service comes with eating at places 96% of Americans can't afford to look at let alone enter. Just because one thing was off does not mean the service was terrible. Yes, there are people out there waiting tables with rotten attitudes and/or obliviously inappropriate service skills, and if that is what you're experiencing unprovoked (I put "unprovoked" in there for the poorly mannered people I mentioned above) then you should respond in kind by not tipping, but talk to the manager as well so s/he can address the performance issue with that person in particular. If you feel so inclined to not leave a tip or an insultingly low tip, you should be able to speak with the people/person responsible for acting on the situation further and justify why you're not paying for that unsatisfactory service. If it was that bad, do the next customer(s) a favor and point it out to the managment so they won't have to suffer through the same ordeal you did. But just not tipping the staff, or leaving some ridiculously low amount, without an explanation to anyone proves no point but that you are passive aggressive and can't speak up for yourself when you feel mistreated. Likewise, you could be doing yourself a favor when you start explaining what's gone wrong with your service and hear yourself say that your order was incorrect even though you modified it 3 times before it came out to you...
JALISKA! you've got to be kidding me, everyone knows that waiting jobs are mainly paid for by tips, no one takes a waiting job to be paid 1.75 an hour . I make a substantial amount of money waiting tables giving great service everytime , if your too cheap to tip , then dont go out. We're not entitled to a tip? you find that obnoxious? well how about you get up and get your own food and drinks , or better yet just pull up to mcdonalds and get the same quality meal . yea . i think not. you've obviously never waited tables.
I take isuue with the "bad day" theory. Poor performance at work, often results in lower pay. I was a server in college & made terrific money because I worked my butt off. I currently make a very nice living in sales & if I have a "bad day" it most certainly costs me.
I love authentic Mexican restaurants...not just because of the food but because of the great service! Service is lacking in the restaurant industry. It is very sad!
I once had a waitress at IHOP literally walk out while I was eating. After taking our order she completely disappeared. Another brought out our food and a while after finishing we had to go to the cash register to get our check since no one seemed to be waiting on us anymore. On our way out we saw her waking back towards the restaurant from a car that had just dropped her off.
Yes, waiters have off days, but sometimes they just don't deserve a tip, much less employment as a waiter.
If I eat very efficiently and order politely at a restaurant, that doesn't obligate the restaurant to give me a discount, so therefore I don't feel obligated to tip when a waiter simply does their job. If they go above and beyond and change my mind, sure I don't mind tipping. But to just flat-out expect 15%+ tips is ludacris. In fact, the more my tip feels taken for granted, the less I'm inclined to tip.
I waited tables for years to support myself through college. I know the difference between someone having an off day and someone who is out back having a smoke-break or trying to knock out their end of shift work so they can leave as soon as their last tables leave. The latter, when we are left with dry glasses and wondering if we will ever get a check so we can leave, get little to nothing depending on the severity of neglect. I have no regrets.
I've been in two situations where there was no tip given. 1) Waiter is ignoring the table of guys in work clothes and fawning over the table with two co-ed's in low cut tops. 2) Waitress sits down for 20 minutes with "Biff The Body-Builder" while ignoring the rest of the tables. Both of these were VERY CLEARLY the choice of the server RESULTING in NO TIP. Whine if you want that I should have left something but when you write "0" in the tip line of the credit card receipt it is quite obvious you didn't forget. On the other side of the coin I have had several meals where I have left between 30% and 100+% tips. When my drink is NEVER empty (and I don't have to remind them what I'm having), when the server is friendly to EVERYBODY and not just a couple of select patrons. These, and others, are the times I leave a really good tip.
For those you who think tipping is required, I suggest you talk to the wizard to see if he can get you a brain. I really don't care how bad your day is or what's going on in your life, your job is to SERVE ME if your employer as as such. If you don't like it, get another job. If you treat me well, you'll earn at least a 20% tip. If It's really busy and something gets messed up or the service is somewhat slow, I can understand that as most people do. If the place is empty and the service is slow and the attitude is poor, sorry Charlie. Your going to pay for ruining my experience. I worked hard for my money.
Why Julez? because the guy wants decent service and will not pay if you have a shitty attitude? Can you point out what issue you had with what he said?
Julez, I love having people like you serve me. My meal is always 20% less and I enjoy speaking with Restaurant Mgmt as I am part of the industry. Trust me, they love to know who their slakers are and who's losing business for the. More than likely with an attitude like that, you'll be a flop no matter what career you choose.
Yep, and you treat me like that and I'll be sure to tell the manager in no uncertain terms just why I feel obligated to leave you ZERO tip. Treat me well no matter how bad your day has been and I'll be glad to tell the manager why I just left you a $50 for a $35 meal (That's over 40%). YOUR tip is up to YOU. I don't care if the cook is new on the job, make sure I'm taken care of and informed and you will more than earn your money. Treat me like you pridefully talk about on here and I'll figure out how to buy the restaurant just to fire you.
Exactly!!! These people saying tipping is required act like we don't have to work for our money. If I am lousy at work more then once or twice I would get fired! Suck it up and appreciate that you only lost $8 and learn from your mistakes.
you people break my heart. To think that I owe you money when I walk in the door is pathetic. Why don't you just stand on the street corner and beg for it.
If you want to be cheap and not tip then DO US SERVERS A FAVOR DON'T BOTHER GOING OUT TO DINNER. This is our job and it is not always are fault if your food comes out wrong. If we enter in correctly and the kitchen messes up, don't take it out on us. This is how we make a living off or "YOUR TIPS" so think about that the next time you go out to dinner. And remember who is bringing you your drinks and food, so don't piss us off !!!
Black people are the worst tippers and they run you to death. They always are complaining I have found and they ALWAYS want something for FREE. So take NOTE learn to TIP !! Tipping is 20% or higher people this is not the 80's anymore where 10% is good although it is better than being stiffed.
There are a couple things you need to know. First, tampering with someone's food can lead to more than just losing your job. Second, every patron that walks in the resturant is supporting your job even if they aren't your customer or they don't tip well. No customers means no resturant which means no job.
I appreciate a good waitress and can tell even when the kitchen messed up who is and who isn't. A good waitress will still have taken care of the table and will then make sure the problem is resolved. I don't expect to be waited on hand and foot, although a foot massage would be nice about now, but I do expect a couple simple things. Keep the drinks from going empty, and get my food to me while it is hot. If you are having a bad day, tell me and I might make a couple jokes to see if I can get you to smile.
I realize there are plenty of jerks out there who would love to yell about something being wrong, we all get to deal with those same jerks regardless of what industry we work in. I saw a man chew out a good waitress over something that may or may not have been her fault. She might not have gotten a tip from him, but she got a better one from me. Customers know when other customers are being idiots, but we can also tell when you simply don't care about your job and the very fact that you would tamper with someone's food means that your attitude is probably the source of any bad tips you get.
There was one time I almost had to walk out and not even pay for the meal. I went to lunch with a couple of coworkers, we let the waitress know that we only had an hour, there were only 2 other people in the place, so figured it wouldn't be a problem. She took our order, then it we waited for nearly 20 minutes for our food to come out. We found someone to let us know what was going on and they said our waitress was done for the day. Our food finally came another 10 minutes later. After we were finished we sat there for another 20 minutes, no one came to our table. At this point we were the only ones in the restaurant!! We went up to the front desk to see if anyone wanted us to pay for our meals and everyone just walked by, not paying any attention to the 3 people staring at them at the front desk. FINALLY we stopped one of the people and asked if they would like us to pay for our meal. They then asked what we had so they can calculate it. Needless to say, there was NO TIP GIVEN!
Tips, even if lower than normal, should certainly be left. Most often people will not tip even if the problems they experience are not the waitstaff's fault. If the drinks are not being filled or the bill is not brought in a timely fashion, certainly a low tip is warranted but not no tip. As many once waiters/waitresses said, the pay is very low and they may not have another option of employment, more so now in the current economic environment than ever. The insults of loose change are certainly not necessary and are petty. If the service is bad, tip low, 5% or something, and speak with the manager, but no need to be a jerk. You are no better than the poor server then. As a side note from a very good tipper and graduate student, to all the waitstaff out there, do not assume that students are not going to tip well and therefore not give good service. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Waiting tables is not an easy job at all. Adding an extra $1 or $2 over the standard % is not going to break anyone but it sure makes the day of the waitstaff. I'm a partner at a restaurant and frequently wait tables. I can assure everyone that the service is impeccable and not lacking in any way yet some people choose not to tip or will tip small amounts. One family with 4 wild children left a HUGE mess and $1.63. We had one lady in over the weekend that was demanding and panicked over "the black spots on the table." When I went to see about the black spots on the table I knew I had wiped off 2 times with sanitizer, I was surprised to see the source: 4 specks of black pepper. This lady was rude and horrible the entire night. She did tip but only because her husband, a mild mannered gentleman, insisted. One lady shorted one of our wait staff because there was no tablecloth on a table on our patio. Thing is, we don't have table cloths on any outside tables and this woman chose the table that she sat at. She came again and had another excuse for not tipping. One thing to remember: don't punish the waiter by tipping short for things they have no control over. Any issues, you should always speak with the manager.
I also refuse to leave a tip in those jars by the cash registers where you walk up to order at those smaller restaurants. I have to stand there at the counter to wait for my food, or come from my table to pick it up if I am eating in.
You people are ridiculous. I currently work a a restaurant where the servers only make $2.53 a hour. That is made up to minimum wage via tips. I may only be a hostess and get my hourly pay but these people are busting their butts off trying to get tips. You have to be ABSOLUTELY certain that your server was ignoring you or giving you horrible service to leave a tip less than 15%. It's social norm to leave a fine tip and you are just being the cheap Americans that the rest of the world thinks we are. If you don't like the server then leave a bad tip. Nick was right, if you plan on coming back don't expect good service. We remember you, and the servers WILL not be happy getting your table. This people are working just as hard to earn money as you people working in the corporate offices they just do a different job and they ear their money differently, your tips. So if you plan on leaving a 1 cent tip, don't come back. We've got other costumers, and waiting on you for a 1 cent tip, is not worth our time.
@Dancerrr93: Show me by YOUR bad attitude and service that YOU are the problem and then I will leave you absolutely no tip and WILL talk to the manager about why I am exercising my right to not tip. Show me by your attitude and service that you want make my experience a good one and then I'll tip you handsomely. Tips are EARNED not a right. Treat people right and they will treat you right. Treat me poorly and hopefully you keep your job but you won't get a tip out of me.
And you are exactly whats wrong with servers who expect a tip regardless. You just called anyone who doesnt 15% regardless of your effort cheap, and if you dare come back to the restaurant you WORK at, you will be geting bad service as punishment. So do you think the strip club, err restaurant you work at wants to hear that? YOU didnt get what YOU wanted so the customer who came and paid for the meal (at the listed menu price) doesnt deserve good service. Why is it about YOU and not the employer and his business that you are working for, or the customer who is paying for that food. Why are YOU more important than both those other components? Another selfish, over entitled whiny kid who thinks the world owes them everything after earning none of it. Live in this world a little longer and get a better view of it before passing judgement. In this world your compensation is tied to the amount of effort you are willing to put in, whether its school, work or life.
If the service is that bad, ask the manager for a new waiter. Let them know exactly why. I guarantee, telling the manager you want a new server will do more than stiffing the server.
Yes, absolutely ask for the m"anager. There is nothing worse than asking a person how everything was and they say "great" but later you find out they complained to friends about this or that. As a partenr at a restaurant, I want people to tell us the truth. If there is a problem, let us know right then so that we can fix it. If wait staff is not up to par, let us know. We don't want people working for us that don't make our customers happy.
I would never complain if I still intended to eat food at the place. I will leave if it is bad or complain to the manager as I leave and state I will not be back..
WHen service is terrible I tip $1. When service is mediocre I do 15%. When service is stellar I do 25%. This seems to be a good rule of thumb because if you treat me right, I'll treat you right, etc...
Too many people here think tipping is a part of the bill...it isn't (unless it's a place that includes the tip in the bill, which I think is insulting to both the servers and the diners)...that's why it's called tipping.
I've twice left no tip at all, but only because the service reached the point of being an insult. The first, my wife, who looks young but showed her ID, ordered a Strawberry Dacqueri, and they brought her what I'm sure was a V8 in a glass. On the second time, on top of bad service, the woman misquoted the price of the drink when I asked, and also charged us for an appetizer we didn't receive – okay, but when she corrected the bill, suddenly the bill was higher, and it was listed with 2 soups instead of 1. That was just unethical.
There should be no tip, waiters should be paid a decent amount by the restaurant. Like in Europe if the service is exceptional then you can leave a small tip.
I ordered something and specifically said "no peanuts -I'm allergic". The waiter brings bac the dish with peanuts. I point out the mistake and he says, "I'm gonna kill you". Helloooo?!?!?! And because of this pity-the-waiter culture I left him a dollar. I felt like a putz, I wouldn't do that again, I'd call the manager and leave him nothing. Also, I prefer to pay with cash because I have had "someone" write in a larger tip on the credit slip – this has happened to me more than once.
As a former waiter I agree that some people are just cheap and no matter how good your service is, its not good enough but also I have been in restaraunts where the waitress was absent and rude. certain places like pantry and east side marios has a "kids eat free' promotion from time to time and their staff is uninformed about it...many times I had to argue with the waitress that today is a kids eat free , or at discount day, everytime after speaking with their manager they come back "youre right about the promotion. " . after arguing with her and bad service I really dont want to leave a tip. if you want to argue with a customer then dont be a server, be a credit collector.
I've waited tables and bartended part time for 5 years, and getting stiffed is the worst. sometimes you accept it if you were really busy or you messed something up, but when you put in 100%, and they leave 5%.. you have every right to be mad about it. If you can't afford to leave a tip, then get take out or stay home, it is part of going out to eat. And if you can't handle a big tip, then dont' get expensive food or lots of drinks. If restaurants paid waiters $10+ an hour, your cheeseburger would be $15 instead of $10.. so factor that into your math, it still works out in the customers favor to leave a tip and not to want waiters to make more money per hour. If you stiff me, and then come back for another meal, you'll get your drinks, your food, and thats about it. and if i can, i'll stick the 18% automatic gratuity onto your check. my $3 an hour doesn't help pay any bills. waiters might not claim 100% of their tips, but do you really think that anyone getting paid with cash declares all of their earnings come tax time? if so, you need a reality check.
Interesting, about every other country in the world is paying their waiters better or includes a service fee which is basically the tip. Why do I have to give a waiter 15% – 20% of my bill as a tip? Give me a good reason. I tip 10% for ok service and 20% for great service. At the same time, why should we have to pay a waiters salary?
Its a gross generalization to say that every server knows the kind of tip they are going to get from a table from the second people sit down, but after 6 years of serving, I've got a pretty good idea. Then, there are those that come completely from left field and throughout the meal you've had awesome interactions and have been able to have a pretty reasonable conversation. You've recommended items from the menu which they enjoyed and even managed to get them a free dessert, then you get the bill at the end of the experience and there sits a 10% tip. It's not only insulting, but when I feel great about the service I've given you, all a 10% tip does is reflect how ungrateful you were for my hard work. If you're that table that sits down, requires little work besides the usual refills and small talk, and still manage to leave a 20% tip, you're a servers best friend. If the service is horrible, absolutely leave less than usual, but if it IS great service make sure that your tip is reflective of that, because THAT is how we make our living.
Since when has standard tip gone from 15 percent to 20 percent??? When I go to a restaurant, the waiter/waitress, can expect 15 percent from me at the door. It will go up or down from there based upon service/attitude.
If you don't like waiting on people, get out of the kitchen! I understand good/bad days, but it is your responsibility to provide the restaurants atmosphere. If you can't get my order straight, keep my glass filled, and check to see if I want anything more before you demand my money, then maybe you need to find another job. Ditch-digging doesn't require public contact!
I usually tip 20% and on small bills often tip more. I don't forgo giving a tip lightly.
But a tip is a gratuity - evidence that I am grateful for good service. It is not a surcharge. We, like many countries in Europe, have allowed ourselves to be put in a position where people EXPECT to be paid even if they do not do their job. For many, as evidenced by comments above, a gratuity is a RIGHT. I disagree.
Don't talk to me about minimum wage; a good waiter can earn good money in tips, especially at an upscale place. A good waiter works hard for that money and is entitled to it. But a waiter that is surly or disregards me as a customer isn't entitled to anything from me other than that I pay for the food at the price posted.
Tipping is not a requirement but like everything else today the younger generation feels entitled. So here's your tip...do your job in a way that will earn you a tip. If you don't like making $2 hr go get a different job or do your job in a way that will ensure you get the tips you deserve. I don't get a bonus for crappy work at my job, why should I give you one?
Also though it was funny that the only people in the story that spoke out against not leaving a tip were waiters or use to be.....
Spoken like someone who has never worked as a waiter. I've never waited tables, but I'm smart enough to see how hard it is for people in customer service.
Likening a tip to a "bonus" is inaccurate. What would be accurate would be someone telling you, "Your salary is $50,000 a year, but we're only going to pay you $25,000. You have to earn the rest in sales commission. Oh, and yes, we can do this legally."
Tips are not an obligation in most establishments, but rather a measure of the customer's satisfaction with the service and the food. If either is lacking, I think it is entirely appropriate to reflect it on the tip.
But the article just said that the establishments *expect* customers to make up the difference between what waiters are paid and what they should be paid. How can that NOT make the customer obligated to tip?
Re-Read the article. The GOVERNMENT expects the difference between the paid wage and minimum wage to be made up for by tips and IF IT ISN'T then the the establishment is on the hook for the difference.
Leaving a tip is, at some level a social norm; however, so is acceptable service. With that said, most people are able to use common sense to differentiate between situational factors which led to less than normal or acceptable service and flat-out poor service. Most people will be understanding and may perhaps lessen the tip slightly, but will still tip. I know I do. When the service is bad, obviously and flat-out poor (which seems to be happening more lately), then I speak my mind to management or to corporate (via email and phone) and let them know as well as through my tip.
Then there are people that just do not tip, or love to have a reason to short change or not tip at all.
To all of the waiters complaining about being stiffed. To those who say how dare you we only make 2.65. To all those who say it is not our fault. Let me tell you, I was a server for a number of years. I used it for school and a car. I made 2.65 an hour. I would someitme get very low tips and I would always know who would give the low tips. I still went out with a smile on my face and did the best job possible. If there was a problem in the kitchen I would alert my customers. Their drinks were always filled. If there was goign to be an issue with slow service I was proactive in getting a manager to make it better before they felt a need to complain. I did not take smoke breaks or screw off behind the counter with all the other wait staff (they are busy too). I never had a table walk out without leaving a tip. Wonder why? Because i gave them the service I wanted when I go out. At the end of the week I was bringing home more money than the managers and three times as much as the other servers who would grouse about their job, smoke or gossip rather than check on their customers, or basically take my bad day out on the person(s) who were supplimenting my income. When I go out to eat my minimum tip is 5 dollars (not bad for an 8 dollar meal), but I subtract a dollar everytime my glass sits empty for too long, other custimers have come and went since I arrived, food that is cold for sitting in a window too long, or my order being completely wrong. These are no the fault of other kitchen staff. You took the order you own the order. Make sure it is right, right on time, and right to the customer.
I usually tip generously (20% standard, more if the ticket amount is low), because I just feel so bad for waiters and waitresses. Most of them, if they could work somewhere else, would. They're waiting tables either because it's a job on the side, or they're in school, or it's really the best that they can get. With the exception of perhaps some high-end waitstaff, NO ONE aspires to wait tables.
I don't approve of restaurants paying minimum wage - much less BELOW minimum wage - and putting it on the customers to support their staff like it's some kind of charity. And the tip IS a donation if you think about it. With every other good and service, the production costs and costs of running the business are built into the product. With good service, it's only partially built in. The restaurant relies on customers to donate enough to the establishment tip pool to so that staff can continue to afford to work there. It's a really screwed up system.
@Jaliksa, from the bottom of my heart: Είστε η βασίλισσα και η πιο αλαζονική και μεγαλύτερο κομμάτι του shit μεταξύ όλων των άλλων αλαζονική κομμάτια από σκατά στον κόσμο. In this karmic universe, the adage rings true "What goes around comes around." So, look out girl, it's a comin'. I only wish that I could be there to see it.
I am a Server at Medieval Times, and have been for about 3 months now and trust me I've seen all of the highs and lows of serving. I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to disclose how much exactly we make an hour serving but must of us make sure that we tell the guest we live off your tips, which by all means we do. Me personally, I always treat the guest the way I want to be treated but even then, there are just some people....who simply don't leave a good tip. FOR EXAMPLE: 5 dollars for two people.....SUCKS!!!!! Excuse me language but I've been running up and down stairs for two hours, sweating, pouring drinks in virtual darkness, yelling at the top of my lungs....and all you give me is 5 dollars!!!! very frustrating, but hey, that's life I guess. Even when/if I get stiffed, I always tell my guest, I know its hard in the economy right now but the least you can do is write me a note telling me how god of a job I did. TIP YOU MIDIEVAL TIMES SERVERS WELLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE DESERVE IT!!
Every time I've been to Medieval Times it's always been a treat, and I've had a couple of servers who really got into character! You guys and gals have so much to deal with and do it with a smile, and next time I go I will bring extra to tip my server. =)
I like to tip. Just the fact that someone is there taking care of drinks and plates for me and is bringing my food is already an improvement on my evening because it means I don't have to – that alone justifies my 15%. When the waiter is actively adding to my evening, or is clearly trying to provide decent service in spite of being overwhelmingly busy, then I am happy to give them more. I will give a low (or even no) tip if the service is really bad, but in my experience this is truly rare. I'd rather look for reasons to increase a tip than look for reasons to decrease it – I leave feeling better when I have an opportunity to be generous, and I like being able to directly reward the server for their efforts. I truly don't understand people who resent tipping, and especially not those who make claims like "I shouldn't have to subsidize the waiter – it's the restaurant's job to pay them." Where do they think the restaurant's operating budget comes from? From noplace else but the money they charge the customers for the meals. So increasing waiters' salaries to eliminate tips just means that the price of the meal has to go up to cover the difference. You the customer won't save any money by eliminating tips, but you will deprive yourself of the opportunity to make the compensation meaningful to yourself and your server.
Yes, I would leave nothing...but ONLY if service was truly wretched/not the wait-staff's fault. Have done so 2x total, after which also said why to the manager. My husband and I usually tip at least 20%. It never hurts to be generous.
My daughter is a server and works very hard for her money. Every once in awhile someone will leave her a very low tip. It stinks and is unfair to her but she also understands that it comes with the territory. There have been many times where we have gone to eat and the service was terrible, the server never came back, the order was wrong etc. but we still left a few dollars even though we didn't get so much as an apology. To all the servers out there I say, it's like any other job; You're there to do a job. If you do a good job you can expect good rewards but if you don't you probably won't make very much money. I'm not a server but I know that if I don't give my customers good service they will no longer do business with me and I will make less money. So quit the whining, and do your best. If you give exceptional service you will probably get good tips most of the time!
This simply is not true. If you've ever served then you know there will be tables that no matter what you do they will tip next to nothing; especially considering the state of our economy. However, to that I say, if you're that tight on cash then what are you doing going out to eat anyways ?
You're right, there are those people that will not leave a very good tip no matter how good the service is. If they arent prepared to pay at least a 15% tip then they shouldn't go out to eat at a restaurant. I do think however, if the server goes above and beyond they will make an average higher tip and make more money per shift regardless if they get stiffed a couple of times by some cheapo. Just my opinion.
Used to be a waiter starting pay was $6.45/hr plus tips. I used to think that was bad until I read what everyone else is making. If the service is horrible I usually will say something and throw a $1 down no matter the size of the tab.
I go in expecting to leave a 15% minimum tip. That being said, I have no problem stiffing. If the food is terrible, I let the waiter/waitress know, and do not stiff them. If the service is bad, then no tip. I don't care if you only get paid $2 an hour. You chose to work their for those wages. Individuals who say you HAVE to tip because it's expected, or because they had that type of job them selves neeed to get over it. Tipping is NOT required. The worst service I've ever had, has always been at restraunts with automatic gratuity. The servers slack off and don't care, because they know that they're already getting a tip. When servers start expecting tips no matter what, they stop working for them. Complacency kills virtually any job. And when your job is customer service, it REALLY kills it. I had a job as a server and I worked my butt off for every tip. The fact is, not every server does. I can't justify tipping a terrible server JUST because they don't make that much without tips. If they need tips to increase their income, then maybe they should be a little more driven to earn them. I was, and I never got stiffed. Give me poor service, and I give you no tip as well as a talk with you manager so there is no question as to the lack of money on the table.
Rene
To Charlie, the one who thinks non-tippers have never waited tables.... Oh how wrong you are Charlie. I have left without tipping TWICE in the past 21 years. The first server, took our drink order, never saw her again, had her bus boy do everything else. She returned at tip time. I tipped the bus boy $20 and told her if she wanted a tip she should have been there. The second time was recently. I had to get up and refill my drink, and my family's drinks. I had to go to the kitchen window to request undelivered food. I found my waitress sitting, having dinner with other waitresses. NO TIP.
Having been a waiter, for years may I add, I know the value of great service. I understand subpar service and it will be dealt with according to the situation. Extremely busy restaurant? Am I being too picky? Did the kitchen mess up? Guess what, you still get 20%. Ignore me, and your tip begins to dwindle faster than Obama's popularity.
A lot of self-entitled pricks in this thread. I was a server for several years and I can safely say most of the people above who don't tip because the server was 'bad' is most likely due to the customer being a rude and obnoxious prick from the very beginning. Regardless of how much effort you put into that table, they won't be happy and will blame you for 'sub par' service.
I've never been stiffed, but, I've worked with people who have and they were not incompetent servers. It amazes me how some people feel justified in not tipping the college kid making 2.14 an hour. A lot of these people also don't realize that the server may have 4-5 tables all at once. However, the customers don't care and are usually supremely selfish and want their night to matter more than anyone else.
I ALWAYS tip at least 30 %, but then again my servers are always top notch. Gee, I wonder why that is. Hmm, probably because my girlfriend and I are extremely gracious and friendly to our server and it is reciprocated. If you treat your server right from the start then more than likely he/she will go the extra mile to ensure you have a fantastic night.
Having said all of that, I'm sure there has been some situations where the server was outright rude, but those will be few and far between. Quite simply, Americans feel entitled to great service and don't feel the need to treat their server with dignity or respect. They want it all handed to them and when they don't get it some poor college kid has to suffer.
To those of you who don't 'believe' in tipping, this only further proves my point. The way the system works is that waiters tips are ASSUMED to make up for their paltry 2.13 an hour they are making. Don't make the servers pay for your ignorance. Your job is paying you at least minimum wage or more, that's why you don't get tipped. The idiocy of some people is astounding.
You have not spent much time reading the comments then. There are 2 main camps in this thread. Those who say tip regardless of service and those who tip based on quality of service. There are not that many outside of those 2 groups.
I always leave an excellent tip even if the server was the worst on the planet. That being said, rude terrible servers aren't as far and few in between as you suggest. For awhile I liked to eat out lunch during workdays by myself so I could read my book and have peace and quiet. I wouldn't stay very long just long enough to eat.
More times then you would expect I have been completely and utterly ignored and left to eat my meal with no drink for the entirety of the meal or had no one even come by to take my order for 30 minutes or longer. Or on other occasions just sitting there with the menu while they take care of people who came in after me. I tried to get their attention but no luck as if I didn't exist. Probably because I was dining alone maybe and they didn't feel my tip would be worth their time I dunno.
I don't expect much at all. I'm quiet and always polite. If it is a place I frequent regularly and they figure out how well I tip the waiters fight over my table even though there is just one of me. But if I have to go find the pitcher to get myself tea and go to the owner to get my ticket so I can leave or sit for 30 minutes while others are getting served even though they came in well after me, I kinda feel like somebody dropped the ball.
Right on brother, it used to be tips were above and beyond but when the government expect you to make the difference then the tip is assumed. If you don't want to tip even a minimal tip then go to McDonalds or places where evreyone makes at least minimum wage.
So how much is enough? With 4 or 5 tables at 15% tips and the minimum $2 we're talking at least $10 or $15 an hour. Is that too much or too little? Do you deserve $20 an hour? $30? The problem with all of this arguing is that the unskilled workers want a skilled wage. Yes, i would like too see everyone make enough money to be comfortable. But, the truth is that some jobs and some workers don't deserve don't seserve the money they want. Take out the student loans, get a degree, and you can get a profession instead of a job.
Ignorance at its finest. To say that servingdoes not take skill is asinine. Jjuggling several tables while remembering everyone's order on top of special requests takes a lot of micro managing; you obviously have zero serving experience and I'm sure you could not do it.
As someone who tips 20% for standard service (I appreciate your position, wait staff, and the fact that you have to share that hard earned money with your bus staff, in many instances) I will give no tip for extremely bad service.
But, for those of you who leave no tip- please make sure the wait staff understands *why* so the behaviour can be corrected. Leave a note, fill out the comment card, or talk to the manager.
I have left a ZERO in the tip spot on one occasion, as did the two people enjoying the night with me. Our server was not only a poor server, but gave my mother a dirty look when she asked for more bread! We talked to the manager, the manager took care of us the remainder of the evening and the waitress never came back to apologize – heck, didn't even glance at our table. I'm sorry, but in situations where the service is bad and you say something to the manager, then we should be compensated – remove a drink, an appetizer, do something for us and then we'll throw you a bone mr. waiter/waitress! If you're taking a job in an industry such as that, then you need to remember that your customer doesn't know that you've had a bad day ... your customer doesn't know that the person before us was rude and disgusting to you ... treat each customer as your first and only, then you'll not only get a tip but a nice one too!
I think the whole idea of tipping is stupid. Why should I pay someone to do the job their employer hired them to do. The restaurant should pay their salery. And it's not just waitstaff, what about hairdressers and parking attendants, etc. I am an IT worker and I am not given a tip to perform the job I was hired to do.
It might be because you went to some sort of higher education that was paid for by mommy and daddy???? And you wouldn know the deffinition of a hard days work even if it was on your little computer screen un MARXist man! The ones who usual complain and not tip are fat obnoxious bastards who would prolly suffer from a heart disease anyway. good luck with your negative heart I hoope it helps you in the afterlife.. Dick.. aND Btw drinking five diet cokes with your meal w wont help you lose weight. oh yea P.S. Genius if the resturants did pay their waiters higher pay then you wouldn get your free refills and your meal price will be expected to jump 400%. Thought were you educated Mr IT professional. and please tip next time because us waiters hate smelling fat dudes who smell like they havent showered in weeks.
This is ignorant. I have worked in the IT industry for years but am also forced to work a second job serving tables. My husband has been laid off from his IT job for almost a year now I am am supporting our family. It's the simple nature of the service industry to tip. If it wasn't, your meal would be much more expensive in order to compensate the increase in staff wages. For many people, it is not their choice to work in restaurants. Many Americans have to because there are simply no better jobs out there. As members of the IT community, we are typically paid very well and work for companies with great benefits. Members of the restaurant industry rarely are offered the same perks as us. I urge you to understand this, and if you still believe tipping is stupid, do not go out to eat.
Mary, I hope this means that you tip the front desk clerk and maidstaff at the hotel/motels where you stay. I hope you tip your mail carrier, UPS and FedEx delivery person. I hope you are tipping the cashier and bagger at the stores you chose to shop. And I hope you are tipping all the other workers in the service industry.
Yes, actually I do tip the maid staff at the hotels I stay at. I also tip hairdressers, bellboys, pizza delivery guys, and cab drivers. The difference in these professions and mail men, for example is the minimum wages employees are paid. Servers are generally paid $2.15/hour. Dumbass.
Without tips there would be now sit-down restaurants, period. Tipping is a standard and it is factored into every decision a tip loving restaurant makes. Tipping exists; that makes it a standard, like a social contract and fifteen percent is the minimum. Forget about minimum wage or pay because the government takes that right back in taxes. Only cash tips can be undeclared in recent days. That means every credit tip gets taxed, and it gets taxed a lot more than your wages, since the pay is gratuitous that's the kind of tax it gets.
Furthermore, the people who work as servers are doing it at weird times, when people normally eat, yet people still want to see them at their most chipper and intelligent even while carrying five burning plates of food, at least 4 bills to be dropped or cashed and maybe a drink or two in their hands, Oh and before they put any of it down lets make sure to tell them how there is no napkin next to their food or that they sat down at a dirty table. Oh and you people who go into restaurants and sit at dirty tables go to Burger World or McDuffy's and be done with it. Don't come into a fine class-dining establishment, wait until there is no one at the door, then sneak in and sit down at dirty table when there are clearly clean ones around. Furthermore if you do for some logical reason do that and realize you did, please do not suddenly look up and get angry because a) no one noticed you, b) the table is dirty, c) Its to noisy, d) its to cold or hot or e) all of the above. Also if you sit at a dirty table, put up a fuss about it and then don't leave a tip you should be banned from everything restaurant, but fast food for the rest of your life, in fact I would like to see a real law to that effect.
No one serves because they want to. If they could get another job they would. If they just needed some extra cash, they wouldn't be hired in a restaurant as anything but a host. Restaurant workers work full-time, without adequate benefits, pays, and job security or sick time at all and very little vacation time. Some servers do so pregnant, until the day they give birth and are often back at work less than a week later. These people eat when they can and are required to be on their feet 99% of the time they are working. Servers are usually prettier than strong so this is not an easy task for those performing it and many end up with back-pain, ankle and wrist problems and permanent scarring from burns. Many of these people with not be able to achieve higher education and will be best suited for restaurant work their entire lives. Finally if a server has to work on a holiday there will be some customer their minutes before close till at least thirty minutes, but most of the time an hour after close. Yes even on Christmas and yes restaurant workers have family too. And lets not forget why restaurant workers do all this nonsense (mind, serving is one of the most popular, yet most often un-unionized with no federal state or local representation, jobs in the country), to serve you. And here 'you' represents those people who can afford to go out and eat, which most often servers can't.
Finally to those of you who think it is okay not to tip, here's a tip for you, to you not tipping is an amount of money saved that will pool over into some other account eventually and cause you to that much more of a personal asset value. To the server who you are not tipping that money represents first their food, a college textbook they need, a present for a loved one they now can't afford, or maybe some gas to make it from work back home. Second that not tip is a personal shame, and an insult as bad as bleep you from a random stranger. Third its a personal failure of a perceived inability to do ones job, even though that is never the case. Fourth it is a motivation to anger for the entire restaurant, yes the entire restaurant, yes even if you complained to the manager, yes even if you wrote and email, actually more so. Restaurant owners also hate non-tippers because they poorly affect the overall operation and atmosphere of the business. Fifth a no tip is actually negative money to a server because every bill a server takes makes them pay out of their tips at least the bartender and at most the bar, the kitchen, the bus boys, and the hosts. If you don't tip a server they actually have to pay these people for you because these people get a percentage of the overall gross for that night its usually 1-10% leaving as little as 5% for the server with an average 15% tip which by the way is no longer average. The average is now somewhere around 18% with many people tipping 20% like it is the new average. And finally for the no-tippers everything you saw in Fight Club is true; I have seen people do all of that, (except the fighting and craziness yes everything related to the food service industry is true.) Also everything in Waiting and Waiting 2 is true, not joking. If you don't tip this is what you get, not a threat a warning. Also you non-tippers think you can both get people fired and go to other restaurants to prevent bad service, hmmm I smell a logical err. As you see if you get a person fired for bad service and then go to another restaurant because of the bad service, just where in your town do you thing the fired restaurant employee is going to get another job, at another restaurant I suppose, perhaps the one you plan on taking your business to, yeah about that. Furthermore, no a manager is not going to fire an employee because you say so, actually that manager will probably help give you worse service next time, I quote from a manager "Sometimes messing with the checks food seems like too much work because its just one more step for no reason, but that's not going to stop me from doing it." And by the way non-tippers who think servers are uneducated, servers are actually former veterans of war, college students or graduates and managers, yes when their aren't enough servers managers put on the uniform and you non-tippers would never know, actually I know a few people who tried to complain about a manager server and get him fired, no it didn't work. You people who complain to managers, learn. Managers unlock the restaurant, lock it, fire people for stealing or lying and hire people, they don't care about your petty complaints. There are some people who care, but without an email to corporate or the owner nothing will happen and if the server has a good reputation, still nothing will happen. Servers mostly quit and rarely get fired. What kind of world do you live in Sy2502? Oh and by the way if you leave a zero tip and think you won't get stopped at the door, think again. Servers and hosts do it all the time. No one will force you to pay, but we will mention if loudly and politely ask you if you wanted your three cents back or if you forgot to do math correctly, but if you just don't sign it we will put your tip through anyway with a description of you on the back of the check. Finally think you might be a non-tipper, think again, we know who you are and often will add gratuity on to your checks just to spite you. Don't worry you won't catch it because those of you who we do it to are usually past the legal limit, because it only takes two even though we can usually serve you five or more sometimes. Finally did you not tip, did you forget your wallet, then did you walk back in thinking someone would have found it, no you didn't because you know they wouldn't say that they had. So if you are a non–tipper and you think that is okay, don't worry the restaurants know you, by how you look, act, talk, dress and dine and they know what you owe and how you will pay it, there's way more servers than their are non-tippers non-tippers are fed by servers. Ever hear the phrase don't bite the hand that feeds you.
"And I know no matter what the waitress brews I should drink it and always be full" Hootie and The Blowfish.
There is always a choice and many of the things you mention are part of the service that you pay for to eat there in the first place. I never waited tables or stocked shelves, I worked at an airport where I would put in 12-18 hours of physically demanding work. I worked when families were eating, I worked at 2am in the morning.. it was a choice. If I did a bad job, I would not be asked to come back.. if a waiter does a bad job, don't expect extra. It is that simple.
try waiting tables , running other srvers' food, doin a quick bathroom check and restocking whats needed, Getting ice, getting clean cups, dishes, and appitizer plates from the dishwashing area washing hands every fifteen mintues. being on your feet for 10-12 hours at a time. being neglected from the federal labor laws refering to breaks and meal times. Then think about not having a social live because all your weekend goes into working at the resturant cause thats when its busiest. and forget your fav. sports team cause your gonna miss all those games too.
Michael James Eza – you are so arrogant and go on and on about nothing!!! Even if you had a valid point, you lost all of us with your rambling nonsense.
Tipping IS a choice...it is something earned. I don't pay someone if they don't work – simple as that. I should point out however, that I do believe you should tip if you receive service. Non-tipping should ONLY occur with horrible or no service.
Quite a rant from an angry little man.
Like it or not, I have a choice to tip or not. I always tip appopriately for good – or bad – service. I seriously doubt if the public's decision not to tip would cause the entire restaurant industry to fold. They would simply have to start paying a living wage to their employees. And yes, prices would go up & then people would have to make a choice to eat out or not. Just like they do now.
As far as a servers attitude – I don't care if it's 5am or 5pm or noon or midnight, that is their job. It is a choice they made at some point in their life. I realize that not everyone can be at their best every minute of every day, but I expect a server to treat me with courtesy & to have a smile on their face when they greeet me at the very least. And guess what – I don't care if you're busy. I understand that there may be delays in seating or getting the drinks or meals out – reasonable delays are acceptable – but DO NOT be irritable with me because your manager planned the schedule poorly. As a matter of fact, if you are TRULY swamped & give me passable service with a smile on your face, I will probably tip you even better because you made an effort to be prompt & pleasant.
If I complain about your poor service, I am under no misguided impression that you will get fired – I know you probably won't...BUT if enough people complain, action may be taken to correct the problem. And if I get bad service more than once at the same establishment, I will contact the corporate offices or the owner (if it's independent) & make a complaint. I am very well acquainted with many people in all levels of the industry & know it will get their attention regardless of what you have to say. GOOD managers do care about their customers.
And do not threaten to change or add a tip to the credit card slip that I signed. I keep track of those & compare it to my statement. If it is different I WILL report it as a fraud to my bank & you WILL be prosecuted!! Because, guess what, more often than not, you're name is on the slip!
If I speak to your manager and do not get satisfaction about your lousy service that you seem to approve and you stop me at the door for not giving you an undeserved tip I will give you a strong verbal lashing that you will never forget. A tip is optional a service charge is not, so go whine to your manager and tell him you want a service charge added to your checks and while he is laughing don't forget your final check. You are in the service industry if you are not able to provide service find another job.
I tend to be very understanding of crowds and under-staffing, and as long as my server is putting in effort, even if service is extremely slow, they'll still get at least 20% from me. I've only not tipped once that I can think of.. the server came over and literally sat down next to me in the booth and before even asking about my drink order started complaining about how much her boss hates her for making her come into work when she tried to call in sick (I'm not making this up).. First, don't tell the customer you're sitting a foot away from that you tried to call in sick, that's gross and it made me want to wash my hands. Second, I'm your customer not your shrink. If you have problems with your boss, I don't need to know about it – well, unless its funny... then I'll laugh about it with you.
For every server that thinks they deserve the big tip, think again.
Here are my thoughts on this topic, restaurants should pay their servers a decent wage, say 10 bucks an hour, and then we Americans wont have to tip, unless service is superb, this would be more similar to European culture. This would give the money the servers need and no bickering about service. The only thing that would need to be done then is the managers keep on top of their staff to ensure they actually have compatent servers.
Lastly, some quick food for thought. Does everyone on here really think that the wait staff really claims all of their tips for taxes. I have known many individuals who just take the money and run, and only claim their salary at the end of the year. That being said (theoretically of course), that 10 bucks an hour (cash) that servers are taking home (salary plus tips) is much more like 13-14 bucks an hour, which is what a lot of us make, prior to the check coming to us. Anyone who has an argurment about that needing to pay for health care, dental, etc, etc, with a server income, you all knew going into that job that those benefits are not included (or very rarely included), so if you need them, being a waitor/waitress is not the career course you are looking for.
Think again sand. With the market the way it is and many older applicants applying for the same jobs as us college age workrs are. We cannon get the desired shifts to work around out school schedules so we have to take waiting jobs. There are many people who will sit aqt your table in your section for hours at a time and run up a $100+ tab and will only tip a dollar or two for your service and your five obnoxious children who do not know what they want and are constantly running arounjd the resturant and running into people. Many people simply dont tip you no matter how superb the service you give them. (JEWS and BLACKS) also those who get angry we wont serve alchohol too without an id or expired one. Im not going to jail, lose my job, be fined and not able to serve for 6months for your lousy tip anyway!! These are the ppl who make the servers act the way they do. If your going to take her on a date and order alot of the expensive stuff you should leave a tip and not complain how your food was cold because you were talking about jay z and president obama for 30 mintues before you even touched your food and not tip your waiter for your own doing.
To the people who say it is wrong to not tip a waiter or waitress who has performed poor service I have the following to say. Simply because I happened to be seated in your section of the restaurant, you are not entitled to my money. I certainly understand that there are issues out of the control of the server, and I would not hold that against them unfairly, but why should I have to pay someone more of my hard earned money for the priviledge of putting up with negative attitude or neglectful service? I don't see it very often, but when I do have a server who obviously hates their job and takes it out on me, don't tell me I am obligated to tipp them.
Try having 60 oz. of beer poured into the face of your new iPhone4 and your Blackberry, and then watching(and feeling) it cascade into the lap of your dress slacks. Only to be left sitting there wondering where the manager was and who was going to pay for the 1K plus in damages that was just racked up. When people refuse to take the time to execute the details of their job effectively they should in no wise be rewarded.
One of the great things about our Nation is the fact that you can be as successful as you want to be if you TRY. Why feed the already prevalent welfare mentality of the service industry any more? If you want an excellent tip from me...DO YOUR JOB and DO IT WELL. Otherwise expect a mediocre tip for mediocre service. If you make my table of guests feel welcome, at home and tended to....I tip well. Treat us like we are in a line at the local fast food joint and you can starve for all I care. I earned the money I tip with. If you want some of that cash you will have to earn it too!
When I go out to eat is because I want to be SERVED and CATER to not because I want to help the waiter pay their bills....that is not my train if thought when I don't feel like cooking or cleaning dishes. If tisp are to be expected, I expect the most of my dinner expierence, from the hostess to the manager. I had been a waitress too and I compared it to being a clown, you have to smile and be in caracther even though you are broken with problems, that is just the reality of the industry that you chosen at the time to work in. Tips should be included on the bill with the option to object... that way the "I forgot" client can be eliminated and bad service will be able to be corrected if mentioned.
The worst service I ever received was at an Applebee's. Everything was wrong, late, cold, and forgotten. The drinks were empty and had to be refilled by another server. The dessert never showed up and we had to hunt down the manager to get the item removed.
So before we left, I tore a corner off of a $5 dollar bill and tacked it to a note. Then I put the plate over the bill, with the corner sticking out, so it appeared that a tip had been left. The note said: "You'll get the rest of your tip, when I get the rest of my service. :) "
You need to get you facts correct for a story, WV pays $5.80 hrly for waiters they allow $1.45 fro the 20% recovery for the employer. It took me all of 30 seconds using google to find the correct minimum wage lawfor wv. DO your job that you are paid for in the future please
Here's a thought. Say your job is to babysit. You kick back and talk on the phone and forget all about the kids for large parts of the day and they run around and color on the walls and spill koolaid on the carpet and basically run amok. The parents come home to this disaster. Should you get paid? I mean you were physically here and she made sure they didn't die and occasionally watched them and you need the money. Doesn't that count?
Yes, not every time can a waiter please everyone and sometimes they are spread thin or the customer is difficult or the cooks or someone else was at fault for the poor experience. But if a waiter is doing a truly poor job and runs off a customer and maybe even more customers because of word of mouth of this bad experience?
What is a customers recourse if they have to give a good tip even if the service was truly and utterly atrocious? What if they are too scared to confront the waiter or to tattle to the manager while the waiter gives them the evil eye? How can you let the waiter know they did a poor job? Leave a note? Are they going to take it very seriously if they still got a generous tip? I mean really, wouldn't they just say "Beeotch" and pocket the tip and do the same thing to the next person? What motivation do they have to do better next table?
In a sociological study, it was found that many wait-people view tips not as a reflection of their services, but as the customer's level of generosity or economic standing. So a low tip may come off as 'cheap' or 'stingy.' Therefore, a lot of waiters and waitresses never get the clue. Instead of leaving a measly tip and looking cheap, its suggested that you eat more slowly or take your time during meals, thus reducing the times a wait-person can "turn" the table for new customers and taking away from other potential tips.
As a server & bartender for many years, a tip needs to be EARNED and not a give-me. On that note, please keep in mind that your server is paid based on a hourly rate ($2.35 average, plus tips), and must be TAXED on what they claim, usually a percentage of their sales...whatever the restaurant deems appropriate. For a large chain that I worked at, I had to claim 12% of my net sales, and then I had to TIP OUT 15% of this number to my host & bartender. So if you do not tip, we are still required to tip out and thus, you are costing us money to serve you.
Yes, if we are terrible we don't deserve a tip...but please look at the big picture (are we understaffed? Did the kitchen screw up? Did you have 18 separate checks at your table?) If we are lazy and sitting around smoking/laughing/reading the paper and your service is poor because of that, we deserve no tip.
And finally, if you can't afford to tip for good service, do not eat out–or get fast food and save your money. A "Thanks you were great, God Bless" on the back of a napkin will not pay my electric bill.
I've been a bartender for many years and I do agree with leaving at least a minimum tip for service, however if service is bad I would speak to manager and explain what POOR service was received. And based on that conversation I may or may not leave a tip.
I go out to enjoy myself and the ambiance if a server is rude or moody they should change jobs and work in the kitchen.
I have left with no tip and I would do it again.
I have done this several times. I have a severe food allergy. I always ask if dishes have the food I am allergic to. I make sure I order only food that does not have it. So when the waiter brings food full to the brim with something I cannot eat, yeah! he is not getting any tips. TIPS stands for "To Insure Prompt Service". That means my Tips are based on your quality of service. This IS NOT an entitlement. If you do not smile, mess up, spill food in my lap, brign me food that can kill me & you will get NOTHING. If you want great tips make sure the service is great. There is a direct relationship betweeen the two. I am sure there are cheapskates who do not pay tips for great service, but I let me tips talk about how I felt about the service. For Waitiers & Servers who say if you do not want to Tips , do not eat out, my reaction is, if you do not want to serve with a smile & pay attention to the customer, do not show up for work. Or at least be prepared for NO Tips.
People, Try and give the waiter/watress the benifit of the doubt. If the service is bad, talk to a manager and if it doesn't improve, leave a minimal tip and complain again. If the manager makes an effort to make it better or comp something then give them another chance. If things are bad again then send the ultimate message, DON'T COME BACK when the sales of restaraunt go down you better believe they will fix it or they will go out of buissnes.
I tip according to the service rendered. If the service is good I'll leave as much a 30%. If the service is terrible I have left a penny in the middle of the table. BUT that is only after the waiter had argued with me about the order. I know they are working for tips, but they should understand that my tip isn’t a given they need to earn it.
This is exactly why I dread you and your people coming into my restaurant. Hope McDonalds treats you right.
Jaliska
Why do people assume that everyone is obligated to give tips?
Tips shouldn't even be expected unless a server demonstrates impeccable service and does extra things they aren't paid to do. This show of entitlement is a little obnoxious, to be honest.
They chose to work at that restaurant w/ minimum wage. They're not forced to live off that money. If they really wanted to, they could get a good-paying job somewhere else. It's not the customer's problem that the server doesn't earn enough money to fend for himself. We eat out to feed ourselves, not to worry about someone else
My husband and I tip a standard of 20%. If service is bad, we'll round down rather than up. If service is REALLY bad, we'll tip 10%. There have only been 2 times where we left nothing. I believe if you are going to go out to dinner, you should budget in a tip. It's part of the expense of dining. However, a server should not expect that tip no matter what kind of service is given. That's kind of the point of the whole system – you treat me well, I reward you with money. If one leg of that system breaks down, the other leg will as well.
It is very justified to leave no tip or a penny to tell a truly horrible server they did a terrible job. If I feel so strongly that left a penny or no tip I will tell the manager why. This includes complete and total negligence, belligerence or repeated and inexcusable mistakes.
If the server is having an off day and doesn't give their best performance or if I am uncertain if the reason for the poor service is because someone is having a bad day, I will still leave an average tip.
In most cases though it is obvious if the server should not be a server and deserves nothing or the FU of a single penny and it is justified to give them what they deserve.
for the wait staff that says that i should stay home if i'm not going to tip-ask the owner of the restaurant if he would prefer I stay home, or would he rather you bitch and complain that you got a bad tip. better yet, why dont you get a job where you dont have to worry about tips. I work in sales and if my pitch doesnt work-I get judged by no bonus or commision, it doesnt matter how good I was. its the tipper's right to decide not the wait staffs entitlement, by the way-tips started as derogatory-to keep the peasants away from the rich
The archaic practice of tipping needs to cease. Restaurants should pay their workers a fair wage and build the cost into the prices of menu items. Diners should complain to management if they're dissatisfied with the service.
It is stupid to use the argument that servers get paid too little and work really hard so they deserve a tip. First, waiting tables is not working hard, it just working. You have to work at your job, we all do it, deal with it. Second, if bad tips are affecting you financially, GET A BETTER JOB! Serving tables is not a skilled position, anybody can do it. Pursue a vocation that an out of work high school dropout isn't qualified for and you will probably be paid better.
When you go to a restaurant, the price of the food is supposed to cover the restaurants costs, including the server's wage. Tips are supposed to be for the service you receive as a guest from when you enter the restaurant to when you leave. As someone who has served for a few years, I think I know how to qualify good service and if the service isn't up to where I think it should be, then I will appropriately tip the server. I have tipped zero before, but never have left a penny. I usually write a little blurb on why I didn't tip because I think the server should know why I thought the service didn't merit a tip and hopefully they want to make the change that I suggest so that they can get more tips. I think that people who just tip the normal 15-20% are not properly reinforcing the service. When I was a server and I got a zero tip, I knew why and I just accepted it – rarely was I surprised to get a bad tip. Tipping shouldn't be expected – it should reward those who deserve it.
If the service is really bad then I leave a 1% tip (I always use a credit card) and then I write a caption on the back of the receipt detailing why I felt the need to leave this level of a tip so that whoever reviews the receipts is notified of the poor service. Otherwise, I always tip 15% and 20% if the service is great!
I'm sure somewhere, sometime, there was a black person who tipped at some point. So you can't generalize. geesh!
Come on people! Wake up! Black people shouldn't have to be accountable for tipping – especially from a white waiter. They are oppressed! 400 years!!!! NAACP told me so!
Sorry, but get used to not getting tipped well if you cannot do your job. I understand people have bad days. However I do not go to a restaurant to be affected by your bad days. I am paying for the luxury of eating out, not to beg for service. Get lazy on your time, not mine. If you are a professional, do not let me see your bad days, and simply do your job. I am expected to at my job, regardless of the day I am having. I am not going to tip you to sulk over my table and ruin my night/lunch out. And to say a tip is expected is crap. Its that entitlement that has led to a generally declining level of (customer) service. If the person expects to be tipped, they often get lazy as there is nothing to work for...and simply mail the absolute minimum effort in. They feel they dont have to set themselves apart in how they do their jobs, because the reward for doing it is just expected and you are just re-enforcing it. Typical of this generation of kids that are being raised, entitled to the hilt by their parents who have told them their entire lives they are special. Probably have a shelf full of "participation" trophies too. If I have to waive an empty glass constantly for 10 minutes to get your attention for a refill, or it takes 20 min to get a check at the end of a meal, or you come back only once during an hours meal, or my favorite, I seem to get the wrong meal 6 out of 10 times, then sorry, youre tip will certainly be affected. Check the order, you took it. Take some pride and check it, instead of just taking what the kitchen hands you. And yes, I worked for tips for years when I was just out of college. I didnt expect them though, I earned them.
Here's a tip, If you are getting crappy service, use your cellphoen to call the restaraunt while you are sitting a the table. Ask for a manager, explain the problem and be sure to tell him/her that you want another server NOW and do not want to be confronted by your currently crappy server. If the manager is worth his salt, he will not only fix your problem but the waiter's as well. If he isnt worth his salt, you would probably be better off not going back to that restaraunt. My personal measure of a server's worth is that if you run out of something to drink, you don't have silverware before you start the meal, and you can't find your server or 20 minutes pass without them, then you are getting crappy service. I am all about tipping someone if they do well but I don't run a charity service for those waiters who expect freebies. I am also a big believer in finding the manager when you get EXCELLENT service to brag about your server...in my mind those folks need a leg up to be promoted to management and then they know from the ground floor up how a server is supposed to behave.
To the waiters that think it's horrible to leave a $0 tip: you have probably never deserved such a thing. Honestly, the lowest that I tip when I receive poor service is still 10%. However, there is a difference between poor service and dismal service. Twice in my life have I been in this boat, and that's out of probably 2000 trips into a restaurant.
One experience there was a group of around 8 of us, all college students, that were eating out of town on an expense account. The waiter literally came by twice throughout the entire experience. We got glasses of water at the beginning when he took our food order, and he came by with the check. He did not deliver the food, and when we needed more water we had to go looking for someone. Only 2 other tables in the restaurant were occupied. I can buy the "having an off night" argument, but not for this. As I said, we were on an expense account, so we left a $3 tip on a $90 bill, but handed another $5 to the busboy for his efforts. They both received what they earned.
The only other experience was in high school at an ice cream shop. We were a small (4) and well behaved group of national honor society students, but the server looked at us with disdain, was blatantly rude, and did everything she could to make it clear she did not want us there. She got a penny. Of course she put in more work than that, but if you don't like dealing with people, don't get a job as a server.
My point is this: there's a difference between not leaving or leaving an insultingly low tip when they are having an off day and it being clear that they are in the wrong profession.
I don't believe in tipping even though I do. Why should I tip someone for doing their job? I don't get tipped, and I work a whole lot harder than most waiters/waitresses I have seen. The food is already expensive, and honestly the customer service usually stinks. If they don't like the pay, the job duties, and hours worked, they need to get a different job. It's not that complicated. No sympathy. And yes, I have left a low tip, no tip, and have – rarely – talked to the manager.
"Furthermore, that person will remember you forever, and if you do go into that restaurant again, rest assured that person will tell all of their co-workers just exactly how cheap you are"
Extortion?
Tipping is a voluntary action. What about if I only have money to pay for the actual food... Then I can not eat?
The best solution will be to include every thing in the price and paid a better salary. I hate this tipping business.
Same with doorman, hair stylish and so on.... Every one providing a service is expecting a tip, hard to swallow for some of us working so hard to earn some money.
I've been to a restaurant where the bus boy was more attentive than my waiter. My son has been a bus boy and I know from him that waiters tend to be arrogant and stingy when it comes to sharing tips with a bus boy. More often than not, they get nothing. On this particular evening, I asked for the bus boy as I was leaving. He came to the table and was terrified. Poor kid. I handed him a $10 and told him how much I appreciated his assistance and that the tip was for HIM. NOT to be shared. The grin and light in his eyes was worth the $10. Tips should be earned not expected or demanded.
I llike to put what I think is going to be 20% on the table and explain to the waiter when he/she walks up that for every mistake that he/she makes $1 of that will go back into my pocket. It has never and I mean never failed, GREAT service all the time.
I would not stiff the waiter completely. There are enough cheapskates in the world where they might just write it off as bad manners. No I leave $0.02 under the plate. That tells them you know to tip but the service or food was so bad that is all you deserve. I also speak to the manager and tell him what you think. This will not make you popular at the restaurant and I would never make plans on coming back. In fact one time I had the chef follow me outside with a steak knife in his hand. Fortunately for me my two friends Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson and I got him to realize the error of his ways.
I've worked as a waiter before and can't condone bad service. Most people know when something isn't the waitperson's fault. However, a lot of times it is. A tip is like a bonus. In most jobs if you don't perform you don't get a bonus. Saying you need that money doesn't change the fact that a tip has to be earned. And that's the problem with this country as whole: everyone is entitled and has expectations of what they are owed. This world doesn't owe you crap. Work for it.
I waited tables and trained servers for 5 years on and off. As a server, you know that your bills are being paid through the kindness of strangers. And that is the mindset you have to have. I didn't take it personal when customers where nasty, b/c that person and I did not have a personal relationship – STRICTLY BUSINESS. And you had no way of knowing what kind of day that person has had.
I was an excellent server and now that I am on the other side, I expect the same. If you're busy then let the table know that you did not forget them. People are very understanding when they know what's going on. Don't talk about your personal lives when you're on the floor. CUSTOMERS DONT NEED TO KNOW. Don't stand and wait to see what your tip will be – it can turn your $5 to a $1 very quickly. DONT COMPLAIN ABOUT CUSTOMERS SO LOUDLY WHERE OTHER PATRONS CAN HEAR YOU.
I HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO PAY FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN MY MEAL. i HAVE NO PROBLEM LEAVING NOTHING. MAYBE A NOTE ABOUT WHAT YOU DID WRONG, CONTACTING THE MANAGER, OR CONTACTING THE RESTAURANTS WEBSITE.
Finally, take responsibility for your tables' experience. Don't focus on fault b/c cooks get paid regardless; so own the table. If the cooks are making a mess, get the manager out there. Get something for the kids to snack on or play with. A small salad or dessert can go a long way to showing how much you care. Remember, being rude to the customer doesn't hurt them (THEY ALREADY GOT PAID) – it hurts you.
I have never left w/o leaving a tip but have left low tips and have even had wait staff follow me out of the restaurant to tell me I left too little. On one occasion I was in a restaurant and the waitress was very diligent about asking if I'd like a refill on my soft drink. Not another drink mind you, a refill. When the bill came I found out that each refill was charged as a new drink. I first asked the waitress to point out to me where on the menu it indicated that there were no free refills. She was unable to find this notation as it did not appear on the menu. I then asked to see the manager who also refused to do anything about the additional charges on the bill. So I left a couple of dollars on the table and the waitress had the nerve to meet me at the door on my way out to tell me I hadn't left the customary amount for a tip. I told her to ask her manager to make up for it out of the profit they made off of the soft drinks she so diligently refilled.
It amazes me how many people go out and are looking for reasons not to tip their server. I have better things to do like enjoy my food and company when I am out than analyze the service I am receiving. 20% tip is our cultural norm for fair service. I will occassionally tip 25-30% for outstanding service. Poor service will generally result in a straight 15%. End of story. Anyone who looks into any further is a cheapskate who needs to stay home .
I think that most people fail to relalize that the wait staff isn't always to blame. If the kitchen is slow, you can't change that from the other side of the line. Before leaving a bad tip for your wait staff seriously consider if they gave you bad service or the restaurant gave you bad service. And BTW most waiters only make about $2 an hour and live on their tips.
Having been a waiter in my younger years, from age 16 – 23 (through college), I have had the displeasure of getting stiffed on several occassions. While I am sure that there were a very limited number of times that the patrons thought it was warranted. It was/is the people that are just down right cheap that are offensive. I do not begrudge anybody for not leaving a tip for bad service – whatever the reason/cause if the patron feels it is warranted. I loved waiting tables and for my age, made a lot of money doing it. Average $10-15/hr back in the 80s. I grew up dining out with my family a lot and do so now with my own family. My rules for tipping is simple: mediocre service: 10-12%, decent service: 15%, exceptional service 17-20% and yes, horrible service with no apology (rare) warrants no tip!
I don't feel right not tipping at all. Some things are beyond the waiter's control, and it's a tough, chaotic job. But sometimes I can't believe the insensitivity and oversights in restaurants. Last month we waited almost an hour for our check at On The Border. – It became a bit of a joke waiting to see if the waiter was going to rediscover us by accident. Then the manager approached our table asking how our evening was going. We asked after our waitress, Kaitee, and explained the situation. He responded, "Oh, I sent her to the bar for the evening." No communication there at all.
Getting paid no tip is just rude and uncalled for – how would you like to be paid $0 when you're having a bad day at work? "Sorry, you didn't get that report done on time, you won't be getting paid today"
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You don't lose a day of pay, just the tip for that table. And people in most salaried positions are penalized for not getting work in on time. They might have to stay late without getting paid for that extra time. I have to agree, the entitlement that some servers seem to possess is infuriating. With that said, I cannot seem to bring myself to stiff a member of the service industry, although I wish I could!
I come from a family of servers, caterers, and chefs. That being said I am a huge tipper. If i get average service I tip 20%. If I get great service i give upto 40% and mention the great service to their manager. How ever when I get poor service, not food, but service I will let the waiter\waitress know and if they do not fix the problem their tip goes down and down. When I go out to eat it is a luxury and and I expect my server to treat my table and company like we are important. If I am treated like my table and order isnt important then obviously that server doesnt really care about the money. Great service is rewarded with greater money and poor service is not rewarded at all.
My husband and I walked out with out leaving a tip because the waitress came over once and got us drinks and then never returned. Someone else brought our food and when my husbands drink was empty no one came by to fill it so he got up to get his own and the waitress was on the phone in the back and never came back to the table. So he wrote on the check that tips are earned not given. We did tell a manager when we walked out and he said that he would talk to her, since we have returned to this restraunt she seems not to work there anymore.
As a Delivery Driver I can tell you this, my living is depended on my service. I routinely give outstanding service only to be rewarded with next to nothing, (6% average tip). Even on days I am delivering in pooring ran I watch as customer after customer rewards me with a nickle on the dollar. The older and whiter the customer, the less and less I recieve. My ideal customer is a gay man between 20 and 27 years old, so far, they've tipped the best. Those are actual demographics for people taking count. I remember every house I deliver to and take note of every tip I've recieved. And to those arrogant people that have posted that we as servers are happy to work at 2.65 per hour, beat it. I use to manage multi million dollar businesses and have been driven into working as a delivery driver because there is no other work available. Obviously your comfy life allows you to spit on others but it makes me sick.
I've never failed to tip, but we once ate in a hotel restaurant in VA Beach that had a "dinner included" plan. Our waiter pushed at us to order more than we wanted because, "after all, it's included in your stay, and you want to get your money's worth," he said. Of course, we were expected to tip him based on the price of the dinner regardless of the fact that we weren't paying for it. Apparently, the waiter wasn't pleased with the size of our tip and CALLED OUR ROOM TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT! Needless to say, we've never been back, and we never, ever, stay in a Hilton Hotel.
I put myself through college by waiting tables. Classes all day, work all evening, study and reports late at night... then doing it all over again. Exhausting. I was a damn good waitress, but we all have our days.
I read a few of the comments about leaving a quarter, dime or penny tip and to that gesture I always took GREAT offense. Much more so than if they just stiff'd me. I had it happen to me once or twice when I was working at a diner. Corporate business suits come in for lunch and apparently got a thrill by humiliating the over worked, tired student waiting on them... Did they feel better about themselves? I still find it pathetic. On more than one occasion I actually took that dime, walked out to their car, knocked on the window and gave it back to them. I might have been a poor over worked college student, but they probably needed it more than me... and you better believe I told them that too.
Now im the one taking clients out for lunch on a corporate expense accounts. Never, ever would I do something so cheap and rude as leave a tip in change. Seriously, if it was that bad just stiff them; you don't have to be a jerk about it too.
"Excuse me sir, It appears to left your change on the table."
I'm sure If I pulled that at some of the high class restaurants i've worked at I would have been canned immediately, but then again, people tend to have a bit more refinement in those establishments. I did mention this was at a diner, right?!?
Seriously, leaving a penny tip shows little class.
As a former waiter who now works a 9-5 office job, I can personally say, waiting on people sucks. Most people who are waiters are only doing it part time to get through school, etc. No one wants to wait tables for a career. So many people who eat in restaurants don'd understand that alot of the common restaurant issues are out of the wiaters control. Just becasue your food ior drinks s taking a long time to be served, does not mean that the waiter messed up. What if the kitchen or bar is backed up? Does anyone ever take into consideration the fact that the restaurant probably has other guests eating in it as well? Most restaurants require their waiters to share tips with bussers, food runners, and bartenders, so when you leave a bad tip you are hurting everyone, not just the waiter. If you are the type of person who goes to restaurants with a mind set of leaving without a tip if the service is bad, STAY AT HOME! THE RESTAURANT CAN DO BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOUR PATRONAGE! Waiters make around $2.50 an hour, so think twice about screwing a waiter over beacuse you were upset with the sevice. TIP NO MATTER WHAT! If the service was that bad, talk to a manager, most places will do anything to avoid negative complaints by giving out gift cards, free meals, etc. TIP OR STAY HOME!
A lot of people have said something like this, but I'm just going to respond to your posting if that's okay. I think that most people recognize that many problems in restaurants are not under the server's control. In such situations, the server should check with the table frequently and explain the situation. I think many times, the server is scared to go to the table because the food's not ready. By and large, most people understand and appreciate the server's explaining the situation and at least filling their glasses when the kitchen's backed up.
Dude, its a restaurant, that is what they do.. they provide food for people.. It should not be a suprise when a lot of people come in to and order.. hopefully that is what they want.. if they cannot handle the amount of patrons.. they need to rethink their strategy, or find another line of work.. the restaurants lack of management is not my problem, it is the owners.. that is why most restaurants fail in the first 2 years.. lack of proper management
We travel lots. We tip most all, bellhops, valet, servers. However, when service is bad and you have to ask for it, you should consider not leaving a tip. I do know servers and well as everyone else have bad days. But, when you notice your server cutting up with other customers and employee's NOT paying attention to you, that is the time to NOT reward your server, managers are just as bad, call one over and they are normally one of the ones who are cutting up with the server. TIPS SHOULD BE EARNED * NOT EXPECTED. Also some companies require servers to pool the tips so that everyone is treated fairly? Good service given should be rewarded to that server.
"Nick" doesn't know how to write complete sentances "Every time you leave a server no tip, not only does it ruin that person's night, mood, and future interactions with the remaining tables for the evening."
Honestly, the last thing I worry about is the emotional state of the person who serves me dinner.
The tipping situation is out of control. Everybody believes that they know how the social construct of tipping works, but there are dozens of different ideas floating around out there. I don't like to hurt people's feelings and I don't like to pay 120% for my food. So I specifically look for eating establishments in the area that do not require tips. Or if I'm forced by friends to go out to eat at a restaurant that requires tips, I automatically get something about 20% cheaper than I want to spend then tip on that. When you look at it that way, most restaurants that require tips are way overpriced. If the tip should be given regardless of the level of service rendered, then why in the world don't you just put that price by the entree? It feels sneaky. I hate going out to eat. The only place that has shadier pricing is the car dealership.
I have only NEVER left a tip 3 times in my life, and they earned every penny of it. Having worked in food service during college I don't like to 'stiff' them, but I am not going to complain to them either, they know what kind of service they offered. I had an exasperated waitress tell me to "just eat it, I am not bringing you the dish you ordered, chef did not make it" AND SHE STILL CHARGED me for the meal she didn't bring me, even though I didn't eat the awful meal she wanted me to take. Another time, at another place, I was never given a meal! So I watched everyone else in my party eat. When my husband refused to pay for mine because it never came the waitress accused me of hiding it in my purse. {I didn't have a purse with me!?} The manager corrected it, but the tip I left was on a piece of paper "if you make a mistake own it". Another time I had "used" lemons in my shrimp. When I told him my dinner was half eaten and I would like a fresh one that was all mine he accused me of trying to get a free dinner, and when I complained to the manager he said "what is your problem the lemons have been through the dish washer so they are clean." I left an expired coupon for a tip. I'll very nicely for service, but I am not going to pay someone extra to treat me badly.
Tips are earned and rewarded by service and effort !
Terrible or bad food is answered by never returning to eat !
I would be willing to bet that any professional or just good waiters-waitresses would rarely have any regrets with TIP's.
To discuss wage structure and taxes to determine when to TIP and how much, is wrong
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To say that the bus boys, back sink, or anyone else shares in the TIP's to justify tipping or not is very creative.
All I can say is my tip or not is based upon effort and service by my waiter-waitress not the back of the house.
I would like to believe that poor service impacts tipping in the majority of cases when a token or no tip is collected. I know people can be jerks and some are really cheap, but I have to believe these are few enough when compared in total.
There were plenty of times where my wife and I ordered something and it comes out wrong or we order a diet coke with no ice and the person brings a sode with ice, whose fault is this? I say something to the waiter or waitress and the response I get is "well this is how it was made I'll take it back" or "sorry let me get another one for you. My response is "you took the order, your suppose to make sure it is correct".
Talking about leaving no tip, anytime you say something stupid like that, surely I will not leave a tip.
I actually don't think the opinions here are that different. Most of the people who are insulted by not leaving a tip at all (or a really low one) seem to be servers or know servers. They seem to take pride in their work and I will assume that when they write that they always give superior or at minor relatively decent service that they do. That being true, I don't think that anyone writing about leaving to little or no tip would have left them no tip. People that leave no/little tip, generally are saying they do this when the service is horrendous. Ignoring comments about allergies, orders which are wrong, waiting obscene amounts of time for their food with little to no interaction/explanation from the waiter, rude or onoxious comments. These types of things do warrant a reaction. Leaving a tip, rewards bad servers and elaves management unawares of any issues. It has a negative impact on the restraurant as a whole as people will not likely revisit or refer other people.
I have worked in and around restaurants for much of my working adult life. My first legal job was as a dish person at a fast food restaurant. I had worked other types of jobs before the age of 16 including other service and retail jobs, but most of the time after I turned 16, I was working the kitchen in some fashion. I have also worked in delivery jobs such as with Dominos and the last couple of restaurant jobs that I have had in the last 13 years have been server jobs. Every server out there has nights that just don't pay out. It could be the seating section you are assigned to or the table size or even the number of other servers on that time period, that make or break a servers stride. It could be outside influences such as things from home or other jobs that affect a servers abilities. The funny thing is that we all go through these times and have experienced tough times in our jobs and daily lives that affect how we work and function. I am currently serving in a decent restaurant in a nice upper middle class area that has great people and is close to a college town. I also have a full time job as many servers do to try and make ends meet or to try and save up and pay things off faster. Just last night, I was serving and had the last three tables of the night for me leave me with just about 10% each for tip. I hate to be upset over this, but it had nothing to do with the service or the food. Drinks were filled and the food was hot and on time and good. Why is it that many of those that receive even good service if not excellent still refuse to leave a decent tip. Folks need to learn some decent math skills and learn that 5 on 50 is not a good tip nor 20 on 140 comped from 170 due to issues unrelated to the server. This is where the folks that had good service get worse service the next time they return.
Here are my thoughts: If you had a bad experience with a server, fine. Tip them less. What I can't stand is people who don't think they shouldn't be obligated to tip, yet they're too lazy to go home and make a meal for themselves.
Restaurant servers should not expect tips unless service is outstanding. It is not commonplace to tip in fast food restaurants and waiters/waitresses do the same thing as fast food servers except they have to walk around rather than pass food over a counter. I'm not sure where this attitude of entitlement has come from – do you tip a salesperson who assists in a clothing store? I didn't think so.
I always leave a tip. If the service was poor speak with the manger. Put yourselves in these people places. As far as
getting a better paying job TODAY ; where are they living? Most of these people are there because of NEED MORE not by
choice. Have a heart, situations change it could be you, or a loved one tomorrow.
The public and the wait staff need to remember one thing: THE WAIT STAFF IS THE CUSTOMER'S LINK TO HTE KITCHEN.
The waiter knows what you ordered and should NOT deliver anything that is not correct. The excuse of "The kitchen made a mistake" is not acceptable. If I order a meal a certain way, the waiter should not bring me anything except what I ordered.
If they don't ............... then they shouldn't get a tip. Period!
Tipping no longer exists. It is a percentage of labor charge. Could I chose to pay my plumber or my lawyer, doctor or mechanic only for parts or matériel because I did not entirely like their personality or they had a setback while performing their service. I think it is we patrons who feel entitled as we can simply order someone around for awhile while we eat. What other job compares to a person who has to deal with the rudeness and impatience of hungry people while feeling that they must gravel to even be paid. 15 % is the minimum unless the situation is truly negative at which point settle it with a manager. I see diners, some of whom are my friends feel that they can take out there frustration on a server and act out a perceived sense of importance. Whatever the profession, we're all just trying to make a living people.
I live in Canada, little different than in the US. I went to the Texas Road House once when on vacation in Maine. The waitress was the best I ever had for service, she welcomed us since we were out of town, explained all the more popular choices on the menu and was happy and smiling the whole time. We left her 25% tip, it was definately worth it.
I won't tip if I get poor service, or I'll leave a small tip. I put myself through school and I support my family, nobody ever tipped me in 12 years of my working min wage jobs. I completed my education and have a really good paying job now. If you don't like the pay at your job, then leave, if you can't get another, i'm sorry thats not my fault. When I didn't like one job, I gave 2 weeks notice and moved on to another. Life isn't easy and you shouldn't expect free hand outs. One thing I do agree with is that the resteraunt should pay min wage.
To all you waiters/waitresses who claim low pay is what warrants a tip, I have news for you. A TIP (To Insure Prompt service) is something that is earned. Prompt, attentive service should get you a nice tip. Lousy service, whether it's because you're having a bad day or whatever, ruins My dining expericence and hence the tip will be low or non existant. But I agree, you and the manager should be told why that is the case. I've never given a "no tip" but I can understand why some people might do that if the service warrants it. I won't condone doing it for being cheap.
As a person with both a full time low paying government job (with good bennies) I also work a part time job as a waitress. Obviously, things are not so great, moneywise, or one would not "need" the additional income. Based off of that principal, needless to say, life is not overjoyous at the moment. However, when you have the opportunity to serve others, you must check all bad aspects of your life at the door when you walk in. Smile on, shoulders back ready to take on what the night brings. It's never all wine and roses. Things do and will happen. When you "give" of yourself in a positive, honest and hardworking way to others, you "hope" they will "give" back. It's a crapshoot. You can do your best and receive very little, which is the nature of this particular beast. I only wish that someone will "share" their thoughts of what I may have done incorrectly, or sometimes wonder if they believe they have really given you something "special". Interested in feedback on this one.
A few nights ago, a table left without tipping me.
When I began as a waitress, I will admit to my horrible service, but it was only because I was just learning the ways of serving. However the table I waited on Sunday gave me no tip because I had messed up on an order. When you point to something on a menu, I will take it that that is EXACTLY what you want. If you do not want a special ingredient, you let me know other wise I will assume that is how you want your order.
Well this table gave me attitude because the order had tortillas and they didn't want them. Honestly, it's not that hard to take the tortillas out, but whatever. Then they started telling me that everytime they come to the restaurant, they order the same meal and it doesn't come with tortillas. I am not a mind-reader so you have to let me know.
Someone above has put it very well – if the tip you had intended to pay was $8 – just think – would giving up $8 cause a dent in your finances? Rest assured – getting $8 will definitely help the waiter. So, the math is indeed very simple. One reason why I might not tip is if I am insulted or discriminated against, by the waiter.
This argument doesn't hold much water for me. Of course it will help the waiter. But it will also help me. There are, of course, waiters and other servestaff who don't make much money, but there are those kinds of people in all industries. I know too many waiters and waitresses at nice restaurants who make well more than me (I make a decent living), so just the fact that a person is a waiter/waitress doesn't mean they deserve it more than me.
Wait staff should think of themselves as a commission-based job. There are plenty of other commission-based people out there, and if they don't do their job, they don't get paid either. There's nothing special about the system. The better you are, the better you get paid.
As a waiter, the one truth about working in this industry is the people sitting at those tables are your money. Plain and simple. To give bad service means no money and every waiter I know wants that money. I do my job to make the customer want to come back. Once a customer likes a place, nine times out of ten they will leave a fantastic tip. They have a great night and you can go home and pay your rent.
If you as a customer want to be cheap and vindictive and leave a dime or a penny, good for you. Next time you pull that coin out remember one thing, these people are handling your food and drink. A little less money in their pockets is worth watching you eat something that has been tampered with. Trust me, it happens much more than you think.
The only time I have left a $0 tip is when the server left in the middle of service at an NYC restaurant. She literally walked off the premises and no one could find her.
I don't think that most people fully understand what a tip should be. In most countries, barring North American countries, a tip is something you give the server at the beginning of the meal to ensure fast and caring service. It is more like a bribe than a gift for good service. Here in America, because tipping is considered a necessary result of eating out, people feel more obligated (or in some cases forced) to pay a gratuity even if the service is bad...Next time, try giving a small tip to your server at the beginning of the meal and see how his/her service improves and then if the service is excellent you can give an additional "tip" for that service.
If a waiter is kind enough to apologize or otherwise make amends for a problem, I invariably tip as normal (I usually over-tip anyway in the 25%+ range). But if they act like nothing is wrong even when it CLEARLY is, it usually results in a chat with the manager and they might get 10% if I'm feeling decent that day. They are employees like any other. If I do a lousy job, I don't demand rewards...neither should servers.
In California, servers make tips ON TOP of minimum wage. Yes, they get taxed on it, but so do the rest of us on what we make!! If the server is bad, and I know they're already getting paid, why would I give them more money?? I've worked in non-tipped service jobs (at a hotel), so I don't exactly feel bad not tipping others in the service industry when I think their actions warrant it. If you do a great job, then I am HAPPY to tip 20%. It's that simple.
I have worked for tips and I refuse to leave nothing. I will leave a single coin, I know it is not much of a difference but it lets the server know that they are doing something wrong.
I feel the other side of this discussion isn't being touched on. If you will leave nothing for bad service do you leave lots more for great service? I have left 30% or more on a meal with three people because the service was so good, or the server was so personable and actually cared about us as a customer. If you are willing to leave a goose egg you should also be willing to fork it over if you are really taken care of.
And as for all of this "we don't choose to work for tips" or "how would you like to not get paid at your job," when you fill out the application you are saying you want to work for tips. If you don't want to you can work construction, secretary, call center, there are plenty of ways to make ends meet, there are retail stores everywhere. Don't boo-hoo because you aren't willing to work hard at your job, you had a choice and you made it.
Tipping is nothing more than an outdated cultural thing, that only still exists because it benefits the restaurant owners. It should end. Why should I pick up the lion's share of the restaurants payroll expense? Why is tipping only for waitresses, etc. What about the cook, bus boys, greeters ,etc. For the person who said that if I am going to leave nothing for bad service, that i should just just stay home, I will counter that by saying that I am out to feed my family, not you. The money that I am going to spend to feed my family of five is much desired by the restaurant owner. HE or SHE wants my business, especially in these lean economic times. It is not wise to recommend that people simply stay home because your service sucks. I tip 15 to 20% WHEN the service warrants it. If I have to fetch other waitresses or wait for refills, or get an attitude, etc., I am not leaving a tip. I recently left over 30% because the waitress absolutely made my day. I am not cheap. But, if you suck, don't expect anything. Period.
You start off with 15%. As long as the service is in the vicinity of average, you'll get at least that. If the service is REALLY bad, then yeah, I'll reduce the tip. On one occasion, we had to go to a waitstation to get our silverware, half the orders were wrong, and to top it off, even after I warned the server that I had a severe nut allergy and to please use a clean knife when cutting my dessert, he used the same knife that he had just used to cut a peanut butter pie and I had a bad reaction. We left a penny.
On the other hand, if we have out kids with us, you'll probably get *at least* 20%.
I'm actually much more likely to leave a bad tip in CA. I know California waiters make the regular minimum wage not $2.13. If they can't doa good job, I don't feel bad about leaving a penny.
I have left without tipping for service before. More importantly I am much more inclined to tip the customary 15% for service and 20%+ for service that goes above and beyond.
To those (no doubt servers themselves) who say, "If you don't want to tip then stay home." It is rather daft, presumptuous, and non-reflective to assume that not tipping equates with not wanting to tip. I eat out frequently and that experience should include a clean restaurant, an attentive/competent/efficient server, and good food. As a patron of a restaurant I don't feel that is too much to ask for.
At my job pulling the "That isn't in my job description" or "it was "x" departments responsibility" card would never fly. These are the standards I have for myself and my peers .. and servers should most definitely expect to be evaluated by equal standards. While I do understand that not everything is in a servers hands, many issues in a restaurant can be regulated and controlled via good communication and hard work by .. you guessed it .. a SERVER!
There is a reason why tipping is OPTIONAL .. and there is also a reason why that is hard to swallow for some servers .. because the truth sometimes hurts and especially if it may apply to yourself. On occasion some service simply does not merit further compensation.
Trust me patrons don't enjoy that reality any more than servers!!
General Question to all the "you have tip" people – At a fine dining establishment where the bill can easily exceed $125/person, what tip should I have given the server who dropped a glass of wine on my wife's head, laughed it off and then didn't even apologize. The wine soaked the back of her head, her blouse, her pants and underwear and the glass shattered all around her. On the way out I had to ask to speak to the floor manager who had not been made appraised of the situation. Just wondering what tip should have been left on this $280 bill for my wife's outift and evening being ruined (we had to cancel the after dinner plans so she could go put on dry clothes)? Believe me, I understand it was an accident, but no apology was offered, no dry cleaning was offered by the waiter, nor was her drink even comp'ed. He just smirked and laughed "oops it has to happen once every three years or so, let me get you a napkin"
I think that there is a difference between shattering a glass on someone's head/not apologizing and a server messing up your order. I would expect that whole meal to be comped by the manager thus relieving you of the "to tip or not to tip" quandary.
I saw a waitress drink from the water jug and minutes later, she came with the same jug to our table and filled our water glasses. I am sure she saw me looking at her when she was drinking from it, but there she was, serving it to us. I left her a penny. And I never tip less than 15% even for bad service topping it off at 20%.I nNever tip more than 20% either.
I have never had to leave a bad/no tip. Maybe I've been lucky or I have a high pain threshold however, I think it (no/low tipping) is a right that the customer can reserve for truly atrocious service. That being said, I know I have forgotten (drunk) or lowballed (suck at math) by mistake and feel horrible to this day. Sorry waitstaff! :-/
Some cheapskates will never EVER admit it, but they secretly enjoy (and exaggerate) when they are the "victim" of bad customer service...because in the back of their minds, they know that they're going to get to save a few bucks by leaving a smaller tip.
Bottom line (I believe):
Tipping is voluntary for the customer unless the law is changed (like in France).
Till that happens, some customers tip lower, some higher than normal (15%)
If above average service deserves more than 15%, then below average service
deserves less than 15%. Does that not make sense (no emotions involved).
If a waiter wants to complain about lower than normal tip, then lets see if he/she
would be willing to refuse any tip amount over 15%. They overlook that, dont they.
It IS a choice to be a waiter or waitress, and tipping should be in parallel to the quality of service received. This isn't about scrutinizing the waitstaff; it's about the exceptionally bad service that warrants no tip. I have to perform at my job to get paid. I don't think it is so unfair to expect the same from anyone else in any other job. In regards to the "bad" or "off" day, I have them too, but I have to keep myself in check to deal with my customers, and waitstaff should, too. It is not on the guest to figure out if someone is having an off day. How about keeping oneself in check to say, "Maybe I shouldn't take it out on these customers whose tip I need to help make up my income." And waitstaffers...you are all customers, too.
We always leave a 20% tip. Even if the service is sub par. However, recently we left a restaurant and left nothing. The service was very very bad and when we became frustrated with it, our server AND another one were very rude to us. Poor service (often times not related to the efforts of the server) are excusable, but under no circumstances should a patron be treated with rudeness. It was very off-putting to say the least. We won't have to worry about the server recognizing us should we happen to go back there, we wouldn't dream of going back there.
I am a server and let me tell you how the tipping situation breaks down. Generally, a server has to pay tip out and service charges for credit cards. The tip out is calculated based on the total sales number and not the tip amount. Usually that adds up to accounting for 10% of your sales. So for example, if you go to a restaurant as a customer and your bill is $50, then the server has to essentially spend $5 for serving you. Therefore, if you do not tip, then not only are you not paying for your service, but your server is–literally. So if your service was absolutely horrible, then you should tell a manager, but at least tip 10% so your paying for your half (i.e. the kitchen cooking your food, the hostess showing you your table). Please do not, leave $0.
Wow, Alexis. Unless the place you work is basically acting illegally (see the case against Starbucks a few years ago) with respect to how tips are paid out, you have your math completely wrong.
Of course you're going to provide some of the tips you earn as waitstaff to the cooks and bussers, but it is a percentage of your total tips. Thus, if you receive a $0 tip, you are expected to pay $0 to the cook/bus for said table. You don't go negative for receiving a $0 tip.
I have never been a waiter but let me tell you what I expect from a waiter/waittress:
Just show up with a smile, be pleasent; I am there with my companion to have a meal, I don't care about your life, do not engage me in a conversation, I am not there for you, I don't care about your life, I don't know you, if I ask you for a recomendation please give me your honest opinion, if I like my clams with cheese don't question my choice, after all I am the one eating the food.
Once you bring me my food and liquor, come by every once in a while to see if we need something else, that's it! you don't need to do anything else, no need to kiss ass, just do your job, the way I see it is simple.
You do that you get a good tip from me.
There it is, how to be the perfect the waiter in a paragraph or 2.
I've not read a response from anyone who worked as a cook about what goes on out on the floor, etc., but that might just be because there are SO many responses.
I was a cook in a mid-range steakhouse many years ago, and we received =some= tips, but there wasn't any kind of official pooling. We were only tipped when the customer told the server to send something from the tip back to us. For restaurants that pool with the rest of the staff, I dunno - I'd hope the restaurant pays more than the minimum the state allows.
In my entire life I've only tipped below the norm on perhaps three occasions. In some cases, I've tipped over the objections of the person receiving the tip. To me, the minimum - 15% - is for "reasonably expected service". You go to a restaurant on a busy night, you will get slow service. Sorry, that's life. But go when the place is mostly empty and I'm being ignored? No, you should get much better service than during a slow time.
That said, tips are earned for services rendered. They aren't earned just for showing up to work. If you provide exemplary service, you will be tipped well. The down side of people tipping well for excellent service is being tipped poorly for bad service. You can't have it both ways - a guaranteed minimum and no upper limit.
Having a bad day? Ask a co-worker to help a little. Like others, I've been left at a table with no silverware for entirely too long because my server was busy dealing with "... and I'd like that ON THE SIDE .. and could you ..." customers. I won't hold that against you, because some people shouldn't be allowed to dine out. But if I don't see you on the floor, and I'm missing silverware for 10 minutes, I'm not going to be a happy customer. If you need to take a restroom break, tell a co-worker to walk past your tables and see if anything is needed. Then ask what they did, and if they provided the missing silverware or drink refill, give them a dollar or two from the tip. They'll repay the kindness and net it'll be a wash, the customers will be happy, and they'll come back to tip another day.
Im am a great tipper, sometimes too much but if you are cool and take care of me and my table you get taken care of. In my life I dont believe I have ever stiffed the wait staff... And I have seen some bad ones.
Do I think you should stiff a bad waiter/waitress... Yes you should however they should know why but that requires more frustration after an allready dreadful dinner.
If you are in service your income should reflect the quality of service. For those who feel entitleld. You took the job, do a good job and you will get paid.
I just don't get the discussion about Tip or No Tip. The Tip should be an instrument to reward your server for good, better or best Service. If a server is providing bad Service he/she should expect to get a deduction!
But could somebody explain why we have the "norm" to give 15-20%?
I remember that like 15 years ago it used to be 10%, later the norm became 12%.
Why is the Tip based on the "value" of the meal? Why is the server who is bringing you a 30$-Steak deserving more than the guy who brought you the 9.99$, but both did the same job? Shouldn't be the Tip based on your evaluation of Service and not the "Standard Rates"?
Despite, I don't get tipped for doing my Job. And if you think you don't get paid enough and you need the tips; well, get a better job. It is not the your customer's responsibility to make sure you can run your lifestyle.
In other countries such "high" tips aren't the norm at all. I.e. in Europe it is custom to round up to the next full Euro if you were satisfied and if you loved the service you give an extra Euro. 15% tips are the exception over there.
Jaliska's was the only post that makes any damn sense. Most else seem to be whiny entitlement babies. "My job isn't great, so I'm entitled to your money, because you're by default rich if you make more than me". Get outta here.
If my waiter does well, they get a good tip. If they do poorly, then I'm glad to leave them nothing, or the classic 1cent. Conversely, a good waiter gets a good tip. This isn't rocket science people, do you job well if you want a tip. Get over yourselves, seriously.
Although I have been angry enough with my waiter/waitress service more than a couple of times, I never left without giving a tip, just because I know they make next to nothing. (I don't agree with the fact they are allowed to be paid next to nothing, relying on tips) but that's another topic all together. I have left without ordering because the service was bad. I the type of person who will leave unsatisfied having paid my tip, and to never return to that establishement. You have to earn my loyality I don't care how bad of a day you've had, it's your freaking job. :-)
Too much conflict and anger here.
We need a laugh break.
Check Youtube for "Third Rock from the Sun Tip", have your giggle and come back in a better mood. :)
youtube V1ZZWhSvOMI
Pizza hut, in Maryland, pays about $3 dollars an hour. We went there once the waitress completely ignored us for over an hour, she didn't get a dime. There was no one else in the restaurant. Lazy P.O.S.
I'm from Norway and we don't tip there. Once I moved to the U.S. and started dating my now ex-husband he would never leave tip so I thought it was optional. After I had lived here a bit I found out it was really rude and always had to scrap my pockets for tip when we went out since he refused to tip, because he didn't have to.
Waiters can be quite rude when it comes to tip, too. I once went to a restaurant/bar where I paid for my dinner and tipped 12%, then went to the bar area for drinks because some friends were there also. The waiter came up to us and asked what was wrong since I only gave a little bit of tip and said it wasn't right. Pissed me off that he would do that in front of my friends like that so I never went back. I always tip 22% now though.
In my care-free pre-marriage days, I ate out literally all the time–making coffee is about the limit of my culinary expertise–and I tended to extremes in tipping. Good waiters/bartenders could easily get a 100% tip from me, or more; bad ones, nothing. The "nothing" didn't happen often, but it did happen. (On the other end, my favourite bartender could count on about a total of $1500/year (this was back in the 80s–that was a noticeable fraction of her entire income) from me in tips, and, one year, I "loaned" her the price of a car so so she could keep working and go on being my favourite bartender. Lady bartenders, be nice to young, unmarried, guy customers: it can pay off. :-) )
I generally base tip 20%, and deduct off of that based on service. The only time I've ever not tipped due to poor service was at the specific request of the manager of the establishment. The waitress was heavily pregnant and obviously miserable, and it was New Year's Day and she clearly didn't want to be ther. Service was spotty – drinks not refilled, no silverware after multiple requests – that sort of thing, and then it got worse. I had cheese added to my 2 year old's burger, when she brought the food there was no cheese. I asked her to please take the burger back and add cheese to it. She returned with the burger and a cold slice of cheese. I asked her to please take the burger AND the cheese back and have the cooks melt the cheese onto the now cold burger. She brought the burger back on a hot plate and set it in front of my son who promptly burned his hand. I pulled it away and asked her to bring another plate and also a knife to cut the burger. She returned put the empty plate on the table and laid a serrated steak knife on my son's high chair tray. Even then I was still intending to leave her a modest tip, but as we were walking out the manager pleasantly asked how our meal was. So I told him. He asked if I had left a tip, I said yes. but only X number of dollars given the service – he called her over and had her give me back the tip money.
I work in software sales currently and put myself through school with a part-time waiting role.
Being a waiter isn't about serving food with a smile – it's about creating an experience for your clientèle. To create a positive experience you need to sell items on the menu that are going to leave your customers satisfied and increase the check size. The more satisfied a client is, the larger the tip they're going to leave. There is obviously the odd anomaly and exception, but a waiter shouldn't expect a hand out of 15% just because of their profession. Now that I work in software sales, I get punished for not being sharp in a business meeting by losing a sale to my competition. I don't expect handouts and I certainly don't respect order takers with a sense of entitlement.
If you're not prompt, courteous and knowledgeable you shouldn't get paid. This is the real world.
I feel like a lot of people keep saying they're disappointed in servers that aren't attentive enough or don't visit the table often enough. However, keep in mind that we're not mind readers. Some people have gotten VERY nasty towards me for coming to the table too often (even though I thought it was just enough), because they just don't want to be bothered. Sometimes it's obvious when a table needs something, like when a cup or plate is empty. Sometimes people want things mid meal, but sometimes they just want to be left alone to enjoy their meal. Communicate with your server. Total ignorance of a table is unacceptable, but do keep in mind we're not telepathic.
Rose, you can't just make up an acronym and expect it to be a definition. "Tip" is a word; not initials. Besides "Insure" in this sentence would be "ensure". So anyway, on that note, not sure what you were getting at anyway, but tips are a "Gift" according to the dictionary. Minimum wages NEED to be raised for waitstaff or this argument will go on forever.
Hmm....I don't mind tipping at all. And infact I generally tip well, couple dollars over 20%. But if my service is bad, I do feel it appropriate to leave a small tip or none at all. I make sure to express my distaste to the manager on duty. It is now thier issue to resolve the problem with the bad service. The Service industry does suck, and we've all worked jobs tha are terrible to make ends meet, but I don't think that we should reward poor attitudes and poor quality of work in any feild. (Retail – Fastfood – Serving – ETC) If I were performing subpar my supervisor would ensure I didnt get bonus' and ensure I didn't get a raise, or any benefits of pay. So Same should apply to anyone.
I have never not tipped, but have left low tips for poor service. II completely understand when it is the kitchen's fault vs. the waitstaff's fault. If the waiter/waitress is backup up with too many tables, all they have to do is say so. I'd rather them be honest and say I'm a little back up on tables or a big table just came in, then for them to completely ignore me. There have been many times that I cannot find my waiter and ask another waiter. Twice in my eating out experience has the waitress quit in the middle of her shift. No wonder she couldn't be found. Both meals were on the house.
This response is intended for Jaliska. I am not sure where you came from, but the silver spoon stuck in your mouth must come out. I would like you to understnd a few things about those who work in the service industry. I, like many others, have a good standing reputable job and am climbing my way up the corporate ladder. At night, and on weekends I serve and bartend. I do this for several reasons: I am in school as well and need the extra money for classes. This side job also serves as an income buffer while I am working my way up to better paying positions.
I also want you to know Jaliska, if a person is good at their job, in larger cities like chicago and NY, serving and bartending full time can warrant as much as 100K a year.
You are the type of person that needs to learn how to treat people. Serving and bartending could teach you the skills you clearly lack... Its called customer service.
black people are the subject to the very poor service because they naturally don't tip no matter what u do for them, sorry it's just the inconvenient truth.
I tip, as do my family and friends, who are all black, and we all tip well. That being said, if you are in the service industry, I would love to make an exception and bring my inconveniently truthful self to your place of business. Did it ever occur to you that your obviously bigoted viewpoint translates into your service and THAT'S why you don't receive tips?
In my experience dining out with black friends, it's mostly a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I've been to the exact same restaurant in an all-white crowd, and a mixed-race crowd, and the service I've received (I'm white) is sometimes worse when I'm with blacks than not. And guess what! When that happens, even =I= don't leave a good tip.
If you want to spout racist tripe, just say "I'm a racist" and be done with it.
I do not believe any server is entitled to a tip. I am happy to provide great tips to outstanding servers, standard tips for average service, and little to no tip to horrible service from the server. I understand about having a bad day at work, but if I were to be rude to my coworkers, as some servers have been to me, I would be reprimanded. If I were to not multitask and complete my projects in time, I may not receive an annual raise during my performance review. I work on salary and must provide good service everyday otherwise I could lost out on my "tip" at the end of the year. I also understand that a little over $2 an hour is not a wage to live on but I believe that anyone who chooses this type of job understands the money comes from providing good service. It is like any commission based job (real estate broker, sales, etc) where only hard work pays off. In many of these professions, no pay is provided whatsoever unless they do a good job and work hard. I assume that anyone who becomes a server believes that they have what it takes to provide good service and receive tips. Otherwise, there are plenty of jobs that will pay more per hour regardless of service (fast food, Wal-Mart, etc.).
Tipping has gotten out of control. Yes – waiters often make only 2.14 an hour – but they make a killing in tips because of the resent social norm of 15-20%. That's crazy! They litterally bring me a plate of food and a drink and are making an extra 8-20 dollars an hour PER TABLE! What really kills me is that the waiter working at some lower-end family restraunt makes significantly less than the waiter working at some high-class joint just because the price of the meals are three/four times more expensive (even though they often do the same job with the same amount of service). Finally, tips are taxable!?! Yeah – right. No waiter declares their actual tip nor pays taxes on their actual income. Look – bottom line – the definition of tip: a voluntary additional payment made for services rendered. So – you're darn right I'll leave a low or no tip if service is bad.
Amy, first off – I agree with you in that if you receive truly poor service then a lower tip is acceptable. However, as a former waitstaff member in a couple of Chicago restaurants I can tell you that restaurants often take the total ring of the server (meaning all of their "checks"), and tax their wages based on 17% of that ring. At the time I was making $2.10/hr, so what that meant was that I never received an actual paycheck – the only income I made was through my tips. Also, in addition to that, they would take 5% of my "ring" and that was what I owed to the pool of busboys and barbacks. There were, unfortunately, many times when I would walk out of the restaurant with $15 in my pocket after a 4.5 hr shift, because a large party left little or no tip. I also had a couple who were regulars. They loved me, and requested my section every time. And each time, they would leave $1 on the table for their $40 check. So not only did they not leave me a tip – their request for my section would cost me a dollar, which I had to pay to the busboy pool, regardless. So – be aware that whatever tip you do leave, the server is unlikely to receive that full amount.
I'll agree that it's unfortunate that tips are taxed, etc. However, that doesn't leave it up to me to leave a waiter more. I'm not there to pay their wage. I'm there to eat. The restaurant charges a certain price for each dish – that's what I've agreed to pay. If someone goes above and beyond in making me feel welcome and whatnot, then they get a nice tip. If you do the bare minimum of taking my order and bringing my drink, then you'll get a minimum tip mainly so I don't feel bad. Restaurants need to pay their staff more, the gov't needs to change their taxing practices on waitstaff, b
I cannot understand the audacity of waiters. Im a nurse and if i'm going to have a "off night" either cause something is on my mind or i'm just not feeling well then i lose a day of work and stay home. I as well work very hard for my money and have tuition and much higher bills to pay. As a nurse I am a patient advocate and fight for whatever my patients needs are. If I dont have the medication my patient needs I call and yell at the pharmacy for not having my patients medication here when my patients need it. As a waiter you are your patrons advocate when it comes to their service and food. If your patrons food isn't out then don't wait for them to say something.... go yell at the kitchen or tell the manager and let them tell the kitchen. If you did this then i know that it is not your fault and I will tip you at least 20%. I do not care that you have to share your tip either. It is a team effort, If one person fails the team fails. The best part of all of this is that we live in America and if you do not like the way your wages are calculated....STOP WHINING AND FIND A DIFFERENT JOB!!!
Let me say this very clearly, I will never, EVER tip for bad service. As a waiter, YOU CHOSE your job path. It doesn't matter how terrible the hospitality field may be, you have filled the application to get your job.
That being said, I would never be cheap enough to leave a bad tip if the waiter went out of their way to make your dinner a memorable moment. However, bad day or not, if you mess up, you have to reap the consequences of your actions. Stop crying because your JOB doesn't make any money without tips. IF YOU CANNOT DO YOUR JOB, YOU SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR YOUR MISCONDUCT. STOP COMPLAINING, AND FIND A NEW LINE OF WORK IF YOU ARE A LAZY WAITER THAT THINKS YOU DESERVE A BREAK.
PS we ALL deal with pissy people in our service oriented jobs, does that mean too I should get a tip? If so, I am putting out a tip jar tomorrow for my good service. Plan on about $150- $200 for the 15%-20% tip I should get for doing a good job, of which I might add, I do every day, because I am paid to do it!
HELLLLOOOO! Tips are optional-not required! If you chose to work as a waitress than it is your choice. To have me the consumer, make up the difference because of the choice you made in a profession, is just plain ridiculous! Change jobs if you don't like it! Yes I tip good and bad waitresses and waiters and very well if earned, however I will say I am sick of so many people offering a service with their hand out for a tip! Beauticians, nail salons, car washers, window cleaners, carpet cleaners, fast food restaurants, even the stupid Dairy Queen! I could go on and on! IN CALIFORNIA, WAITERS AND WAITRESSES ARE PAID THE SAME MINIMUM WAGE AS ANYONE ELSE IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY WORKING FOR MINIMUM WAGE . THEY ARE NOT PAID AT A LESSER AMOUNT IN THIS STATE, but they still have their hands out for a tip! So does this mean that everyone who provides a service should have their hand out for a tip, including me? I should say NOT! It is part of the job that I am paid to do, that I chose and that my company pays me to do each and every day. Each of us in some way provides a service- so should we start tipping everyone? How about when you go to the market, perhaps the cashier should have a tip jar out for tips or your dentist, doctor, the receptionist that answers your phone call, let's add a tip on those services too! After all, isn't he/she providing a service? For those of you that EXPECT a tip, I can only say that is why you are disappointed and call those that don't tip-Cheap! It is OPTIONAL and it is getting out of control!
One more thing.....If you do not want to tip then please stay home. We do not want to wait on you as much as you do not want to pay us for our service.
Every single person who said that tip should not be required should rethink this statement. If companies begin to pay servers the correct hourly wage and end the tipping system, your price for your dinner will go up to include the cost. The reason servers rely on tips is because in the states we assume that our people are generous enough to know how to tip. If you do not tip your server, then you have taken money out of their pocket. Why would a server want to give you the service you think you deserve, if you are not willing to pay them the wage they deserve. I wish the industry would change and no longer rely on customers to do simple math. There are plenty of people who get paid hourly, but do not work hard enough to deserve. I would like to take money out of their pocket when they are rude and lazy.
Servers are not your punching bag when you are having a bad day.
AND just because you do not make enough money to feel "wealthy" does not mean you can show up to a restaurant and expect to be treated like you are. You have to pay for the 5 star treatment you want.
ALOT of people who work the industry are students. We are not less educated or well off than you. I hope you enjoy taking money out of our college fund.
I eat out too and I know when i've seen good or bad service. I know when I have given good or bad service. I know when I give amazing service and these people do not know how to pay me for my good work.
FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW......SERVERS MAKE $2 to $3 AN HOUR......THERE IS A REASON FOR THIS......COMPANIES EXPECT THE SERVERS TO BE PAID BY THE CUSTOMERS.
It's been like this for years, so please don't pretend like you didn't know(unless you are a child).
If an 80 year old women/man can come in and tip then a 30 year old knows they are suppose to tip.
tipping is an outdated concept. my family and I don't tip. I encourage others to follow those steps....afterall, it is optional. the option I pick is to not tip.
Well, Michelle, Maybe you should "choose" to dine at home...or at McDonald's. Not tipping is a sign of no social grace and no class. You should enroll in an etiquette course.
Seriously? I was a waitress once. I tried my best and always got good tips. I think if you want to get a good tip then you do a good job. Its common sense. I have absolutely left without leaving a tip, on more than one occasion. I usually leave a very generous tip, and it gets lower depending on the service. If I leave you zero tip, you know you've done a terrible job. This is the real world, you reap what you sew. Although I had not thought of it until I read other comments on here, I do agree, why is it expected everyone will leave a tip? We pay good money for food when we go out, maybe your boss needs to be paying you more, but i don't have to, i choose to. I read that someone said it would "ruin their night" to get a bad tip....well how do you think your terrible service was for your patrons? Pretty sure it would ruin their night as well. Your terrible service may also cost your restaurant business. I almost always go online to check restaurant reviews before choosing to eat there. If the service was terrible, I dont go there at all.
Oh and it should be noted that I do believe good service should be rewarded. I was on a date once and the guy left a 2$ tip for a 50$ meal. When he wasn't looking I put more money down. Its really not attractive to not tip when you're on a date haha...unless the service was terrible and you discussed the tip prior to not leaving it.
I was a waitress, leaving no tip is wrong...very wrong. I now am in a much better financial place then I was when i was younger and almost never tip less then 20% and 10% and a note if it was really that bad. Not tipping is so rude.
i used to tip until the tips got higher and higher. now-a-days, you leave a $1 tip and you get rolling eyes. i say f u, you don't like that tip...the alternative is you get nothing. it's been 2.5 years now...haven't tipped anyone restaurant, barber, you name it. life is good and i can focus on more important things.
So wrong. Not helping out others improved your life. For some reason that does not sound right to me.
I generally leave 15% if service was adequate (i.e. my drinks don't stay empty for too long, orders are taken in a reasonably timely manner, etc.). If the restaurant is really busy, I understand that the wait for food might be a little bit longer and I'm a pretty understanding person. If the server admits a mistake, apologizes and fixes it, I will still leave a tip and probably a decent one. Truly great service gets a 20% or higher tip.
The only time that I left no tip was when the waitress was rude, sat at the bar talking with friends instead of refilling our drinks and check in with us, etc. She didn't write down our order and had it wrong when she repeated it back (badly wrong, not just saying medium instead of medium-rare). We asked if she'd like to write it down and she replied with a pissy "I don't need to write it down!". Clearly she did since the food we received bore no resemblance to what we ordered. After she took our order, we didn't see her again until she dropped off the bill where she had written in what a 20% tip would be at the bottom of the bill. Not bloody likely when we had to ask other servers for drinks and silverware! I spoke with the manager who comped our meal and then promptly fired the server. I felt bad for her at first, but the manager must have seen my face and reassured me that she'd been warned several times about her sub-par performance.
I used to wait tables, and bad day or not, I always treated my customers right. My bad day should not affect theirs.
I have left little or no tip when service was bad. And it really doesn't take much to please me; keep my drink glass filled, check and make sure everything's OK at least a couple times, be friendly, etc. Is that too much to ask?
agreed.
tipping will be outlawed soon enough. it's a messed up concept and continues to get out of hand. it causes complications and over pays people who shouldn't make that much......all at the expense of making customers uncomfortable. it's a fad on a one way trip to destruction.
if you tip but don't want to....take a stand for yoursekf. http://www.notips.org
stop tipping and supporting a system that's corrupt. if you have self dignity, you won't care what others might think....that's none of their business. it's between you and the servers. it's ur life, no one elses...and you only live it once. take control.
Sometimes poor service is the the waitstaffs' fault. It could be really busy. I had a female customer that was just horrid. We were two people short on the front of house and we did not have time for little stuff. I bought her everything that she needed, but it took a little longer because of being short staffed. So before she left she needed a togo box, but she paid out beforehand, and left me a 27 cent tip. I had a cold sore that day. So I rubbed my cold sore all over her togo box. I handed it to her with a smile and saying how I was sorry for the delays. Herpes, it's the gift that keeps on giving.
what a low class individual u are. childish things like that make u happy....u'll get fired soon enough...probably barely make minimum wage as is with that attitude.
I worked in 5 star restaurant for 5 years – so, I know what it's like to depend on tips to make a living. However, the amount of poor service out there is incredible. (Servers with their finger in your drink as they bring it to your table, serving men before ladies, not knowing your menu, wet or dirty tables, etc.) In most places, the wait staff isn't any better than the McDonald's crew.
If you are just an order taker and food deliverer, you aren't a waiter. When you anticipate my needs (a filled water glass, perhaps?) and provide a professional SERVICE, then you are a WAITER.
You don't deserve a tip unless you provide appropriate service.
And TIP jars? Please don't get me started.
A lot of these arguments for not leaving a tip or for a waiter needing to earn a tip would make sense if waiters were paid decently. The fact is, they are not. $2.13 an hour is not decent pay. The fact that many places require waiters to pool their tips makes it worse–suddenly, even if you do an amazing job and get great tips, you have to give away most of it. It's hardly incentive to provide more than adequate service. A waiter is expected to get 15% by default from you so that he or she can make the equivalent of minimum wage. Anything beyond that is earned. If you don't tip, that person is making less than minimum wage. In America, people are expected to tip and so it's built into the system of how waiters are paid. It's not fair and it's not right how little waiters are paid, and it does put an unfair burden on the customer. If you don't want that burden, you have two options: a) don't go out to eat or b) lobby to get a bill passed that requires restaurants to pay their waiters minimum wage as a base rate, but somehow I doubt that people who believe you can live off of less than minimum wage would agree to give fair pay to someone they so clearly see as beneath them.
actually, if you silly argument has been disproved a 100 times already. waitresses do make minimum wage...if your 2.13 hourly plus tips doesn't add up to minimume wage, the restaurant is obligated by law to make up the difference.
this never happens because these stupid wait staff already make well over minimum wage. probably anywhere between $15-$40 an hour (with tips). Then they have the audacity to come here and whine about people who don't tip.
please think before you type. wait staff are over paid and they don't want to receive a fair pay from their employers...because then they can stuff cash from customers and get rich. thank you and have a good day.
I've only left a low tip twice. In both cases, the server was condescending and rude. In one instance we went to a well-known restaurant to celebrate a job offer. My husband and I were in law school and we dressed nicely but not fashionably for the date. The server scowled at us, tried to push us into purchasing lower priced entrees, lied that the restaurant was out of the cocktail I wanted (I later saw him deliver it to another table) and then to top it all off would not let me order the dessert I wanted. He promised a special dessert even though I insisted that I wanted apple cake. He then brought out a hard chocolate chip cookie with a candle on top. To add insult to injury, he charged us $6 for it. Our bill with two bottles of wine was well over $200 and we left a ten dollar tip with a note that it was for the bus staff.
The other time, we were on our honeymoon and had ordered coffee. We waited a half hour in a nearly empty restaurant but the waiter never brought it. We asked for the bill and it included the coffee we never received; we asked the waiter to take it off our check. He refused insisting that he had brought the coffee–even though there were no coffee cups at our table. DH figured what a 12% tip would be and then subtracted the cost of the coffee. and then left that as the tip. The bill had the figures written on it. The manager must have heard the conversation b/c he apologized and brought us coffee. Our server stood a little ways away and glared at us while we finished up.
Christine, WHY in the world would you consider leaving a tip in those situations is beyond me? That's why service is so bad today, because you pay them ANYWAYS when they are beyond terrible. Charging you for something you didn't receive is ILLEGAL and I would not pay for something I didn't receive, period!! Nor would I tip on on the higher bill it would be based on that either.
You are causing your bad service by paying for it. My husband and I have stiffed many of times bad servers. If you pay them, HOW WILL THEY EVER LEARN TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS AND TRY THEIR BEST?
It's called POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT!! That's just like jail, some people do learn their lesson after being punished, well, if they don't have any money to pay their bills, they will have no choice to try harder or get another type of job.
Paying someone to steal is really crazy, why would you consider that, considering it was something INTENTIONALLY done and not a mistake?
Do you honestly think the buss boy got that money? HECK NO, the SERVER KEPT IT YOU IDIOT!! If you want to tip the busser yourself, you have to personally hand people money, otherwise, if you give it to someone else, they aren't going to give it to the right person in mostly all cases. You are an idiot that you did that. Were you born under a rock to think the busser actually got that tip? For real!!
When you leave a tip, you're tipping the waitress, the bus staff and, more than likely, the dishwasher. When I was in high school and college, I waited at local restaurants. Its miserable work. People work for less than minimum wage, little or no health benefits, and tips are essential.
I don't begrudge a waiter or waitress poor service because I understand they may be handling six-to-seven tables or subbing for another waiter who called in sick and handling an additional 2-3 tables. I've been in that position before when I worked as a waiter during high school and college. That's why I always tip 25% - no matter the service.
If the waiter or waitress's service has been deficient, I'll call them over and quietly tell them "I wasn't satisfied with your service, but I've been in your shoes before so I'm going to leave you a decent tip anyways. But the next customer may not be so understanding."
It's only happened 3-4 times in my life, and only once did a waiter, obviously very frazzled, tell me what I could do with my tip. Instead of following his advice, I refused to pay him and, instead, walked my son and daughter over to the hostess and handed her the bill and money. I then hoisted my daughter and told her to drop the tip - a $20 bill - in the charity jar seeking funds for an expansion of the local animal shelter.
Mark Richards
"When you leave a tip, you're tipping the waitress, the bus staff "
No, you are tipping your server and your server has to TIP OUT those employees, so NO, you aren't truly tipping the other people, YOUR SERVER IS!! If someone stiffs a server, the server still has to TIP OUT the others, therefore, the person that stiffed didn't tip anybody, the SERVER did!!
And one last note, I have been working in the service industry for years, mostly as a bartender and have been stiffed only one time (a freaking miracle I must admit). I have had bad days, but always smile and do the best to my ability. I make my money mostly on my personality and attentiveness, and have had people actually compliment me on how hard I work, even if their order was messed up or I may have forgotten a drink. They see me busting my ass, and I always appreciate compliments. I have never chased someone out of the door because of a low tip (I have seen others do this and I find it insulting) – I just deal with it and move on. It's part of the game. We, however, did not make up the rules of the low state wages, and do not feel entitled to be tipped, we depend on them. Believe any service industry worker, they will tell you that "this is not what I want to do" and are usually just doing it while in school, or for extra money, while they are looking (OR MOSTLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT) what they/we want to do for the rest of their lives.
If you receive bad service, leaving no tip at all usually accomplishes nothing – we usually just think you were too drunk to remember. Be sure to tell the manager or server/bartender themselves that you were unhappy with the service, or leave a really low tip – that, right there, gets the point across for the server to get their S**t together.....
Oh Jaliska, how stupid can you be?
If getting a great paying job somewhere else was as simple as it is to you, no one would be waiting tables, especially the large group of college aged kids who do this bull***t work because it is a job you can make good money at at different times, not between the hours of 9-5 or maybe when we are in school. But with a name like Jaliska I'll (maybe incorrectly) assume you are African American, in which case we just assume you are going to stiff us anyway. Which is really annoying, considering we all have some sort of "show of entitlement" as according to you. I'm sure the service you get when you go out is sub par, because believe it or not, as stupid as us service industry people are, we remember the bad tippers way more than we remember the great tippers.....
If you can't afford to tip, don't order out (or move to France, check out the service there!). In case you don't know, tipping is an insult in France and service is abysmal.
Simple. You are being provided a service that, in a restaurant environment is communal. Punishing the business would be more effective.
I'll steer this to home delivery. If you order food to be delivered to your home, most likely the driver took your order, helped make it and broke 13 traffic laws while risking their life (from accident and robbery) for your convenience. The rule is the GREATER of $5 OR %15, afterall that car does cost about 55 cents/mile to operate. Different animal, and some paid that slave labor mentioned in the article... and, yes, we do know who tips and doesn't... if you don't, don't complain... it would have made more economic sense for us to stay in the store folding boxes than to feed you. By the way, your address gets discussed in our community of drivers, no matter where we work.
A good tipper doesn't guarantee a good delivery time (hey, we don't make the schedule) but it does guarantee priority! Don't believe everything those order online websites tell ya' either.
Years ago, a comedienne named Elayne Boosler told the story of how she was at lunch with 2 men (her manager and someone else). The waiter paid attention to the men and all but ignored her. When the waiter brought the bill – and made some comment about hoping the MEN enjoyed their meals – she pulled out her credit card – and replied that since the waiter had "imagined 3 sets of balls at the table, he could also imagine his tip"!
On those occasions when I have take a male friend out to lunch or dinner and was treated like an appendage of the man, I only wished I had the nerve to quote her!
Ha! Darling, her server was just playing the odds. 2/3 decent tip. 1/3 2 bucks at best. If you can't afford to tip, don't order out.
Seen it time and time again... the waiter didn't imagine balls, just played the odds.
Women generally tip $2 at best (especially for lunch, or ridiculously late take-out)... you get what you pay for. I hear France has quite a fashion scene, maybe you should move there.
BTW... I'm sorry you have to take male friends out. Life sucks, huh?
i eat out at restaurants with my wife. when the bill comes I pay the exact amount, smile/thank the waiter, and leave. that food is too expensive as it is and the restaurant makes plenty of money and should pay their wait staff accordingly. you mean to tell me that when they charge $2 or $2.50 for a cup of fountain soda that costs them 6 cents that they cannot pay their workers. fast food places have twice as many workers or shift, pay them appropriate wages, and still charge like $1.
I'm not here to make wait staff rich, if they don't get tip, they get at least minimum wage. That's all they deserve.
Thankfully in some states wait staff does not get paid slave labor wages. Industry will pay the lowest it's allowed by law. I hope in your state this is a least $7.25/hour (if Penn, no) . Who? Could you live on $290/week. $15080 (40/hr/week/7.25/hour) per year? That's more than your wait staff gets, try $1032 at lowest wage per year. SLAVE LABOR! Getting rich... you tell me? Philly, ha! nice try.
Ever thought about the property taxes there being a bit too high? or did you move already?
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Restaurants pay their wait staff low salaries expecting to make their money in tips. If that isn't incentive for them to provide great service then they don't deserve tips, but you are just a cheapskate who doesn't see the value in what they do.
For the love of God, Joe Philly, I hope you don't eat at the same places all of the time – rest assured, you are hated wherever you go and do not deserve good service whatsoever. PA laws are one of the lowest minimum wages for the service industry, and you, sir, are an idiot.....
u sir, r an arse hole. now fuck off.
i don't eat at the same place all the time, but do come back to certain restaurants. if u don't like the money, find another job.
i take pride in my work....i'm a landscaper. i know what it means to work long hard hours and use my creativity. i don't bring drinks, food, smile, and expect tip. that is bullshit. lazy fuckers.
u remember bad customers more than good ones...sounds very negative to me. looks like your just looking for an excuse to cause drama. u got tip always except once and you'd rather focus on the one person than the other 500. hello ass hole.
that's y i don't tip. look at the attitude of entitlement. Plus u make good money, stop bitching. i make between 40k – 50k per year depending on business....u probably make more as a server.
I live in a country where tips are unneccessary because servers are paid very decent wages. Of course, the menu prices are adjusted acccordingly.
You only pay $2.50 for a soda? We pay double that! Evidently you don't understand how a business works, or the costs behind running a business, otherwise you would understand the mark-ups on seemingly cheap items. You see, you aren't paying just for some nice food. You are paying for someone to prepare and cook the food, for someone to bring it to you and run after you with drinks, and for someone to clean up after you when you leave. You are paying for a nice atmosephere for this to all happen in. You are paying for the experience, not just a meal. And It costs a lot of money to create that experience.
Perhaps you need to manage your money correctly so you can afford to eat out next time.
I don't like the percentage thing either. I mean, whether I go to Texas Roadhouse or Ruth's Chris, I get the same quality/cut of meat, cooked the same way. At Ruth's Chris, you get to pay an extra $25 – $30 for them to not give you two sides and unlimited peanuts & bread. On top of that, they want me to pay another extra $5 – $6 because they can't/won't pay their "super-trained" waiters a decent wage? that's crap, plain and simple, plus the dude/dudette at TX Roadhouse does a lot more work for their anticipated tip. Of course, for the better service I leave a better tip. I think Ruth might have gotten 10% from me...
I've never stiffed a server because I've never received service bad enough to warrant it But I have stiffed bartenders with bad attitudes, rude cab drivers, and other service people who seem to expect a gratuity without working for it.
But I do tip insultingly low when I receive bad service. A waitress followed me out of a restaurant because I left her a measly tip. "Excuse me, sir," she said, trying to embarrass me in front of my girlfriend, "was there something wrong with the service?"
"Yes," I replied. "It sucked. And you were rude, slow, and ugly." She turned tail and that was the end of that.
—The Bartender
http://www.thebartenderfiles.com
The staff at Goose Island STEALS from their customers – that's why I stiffed the waitress at Goose Island in Wrigley.
When she came back with my card, she said it was refused. She tried to make it out that I should be embarrassed. At first I brushed it off and gave her cash – but then I thought about it and asked for the receipt for the refusal of credit.
She said she did not have it and I demanded to see a manager – turns out she ran a few other tables tabs on my card before she ran my bill – no doubt she was pocketing their cash tabs. The manager was equally inept – I had to demand that he go into the trash and get my receipt. Needless to say, by this time – I was making quite a big deal about these thieves.
I got the credit card company on the phone and they said they thought it was stolen because there were 3 charges on the same card within a couple minutes.
The moral of the all this was that I make sure everyone I talk to knows that they are CROOKS at GOOSE ISLAND in WRIGLEY.
I'm not some waiter in an air conditioned/heated restaurant, I'm outside in the freezing cold or blistering heat all day trying to please people by "cleaning" the 2nd biggest investment of their lives. I worked at a car wash for 4 years, got stiffed every 1 out of 4 cars easily while only making 2.50$ an hour. I didn't cry or moan about it, I just accepted the fact that TIPS ARE A GRATUITY, or a VOLUNTARY ADDITIONAL PAYMENT made for services rendered. (Wikipedia on "Tip")
I think the problem is that most people think that tipping is a right, and an obligation by the customer. But let's think about that for a second. The person who is the waiter decided to go into an industry with low wages, while the upper echelon makes hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of dollars. Also, think about what a waiter does... s/he writes down an order, picks up food, and brings it to the table. There are a reason why these jobs are minimum wage... not alot of skill set involved, yet these people expect to make at least $30k or more a year. If tipping is the norm, then tip EVERYONE. I bet a doctor would love to get 20% on a 100k procedure.
I tip 20% normally and if the service is mediocre i leave 15%. I've had occasions where the service was truly deplorable, nothing to do with the kitchen, just rude terrible service. i have left $.01 and on one occasion just to make sure they got the point i wrote on the tip line "Not a Damn Dime". I have always informed the manager in such cases.
Having once been employed in the food industry, this reader makes it a practice to avoid eating anything prepared by strangers, whenever possible.
Caveat Emptor.
Yes, twice. Once in Las Vegas at a major hotel for a show. The waiter was surly and uncouth. I left the exact tab and he proceeded to yell to all the other waitstaff that I had 'stiffed' him. Security was called after I really did stiff him in the mouth.
The other only time I didn't tip was in Petaluma CA at a very nice restaurant. We were having a large family gathering for my daughter's BD. The waiter came over DURING dinner and explained that he was 'getting off' in a few minutes, and would I mind settling the bill before he left. I did and it did not include a tip. Other than those 2 occasions I always tip 20% and better if the service is outstanding.
There's a point that a lot of people are missing. When you go to a good restaurant, you're paying for the experience as well as the food. Bad service ruins that experience which means that you are not getting the full value you are paying for. This means that the server is effectively taking money out of your pocket. So if the server has really gone above and beyond to treat you like dirt, stiffing them on the tip merely rights this wrong.
I agree wholeheartedly.
I was a server and so all the more reason why I detest rude service. I understand mistakes happen, but how the server corrects it, is what matters when it comes to my tipping.
As for the customer, some are just awful and if you don't notify the server politely and just huff and puff, or don't tell the manager and just walk out without tipping then you shouldn't go out to restaurant, and instead try to work in one. Again, mistakes happen, it is the attitude that should count.
Scott Adams suggested in one of his tips, if you do have a rude server, but are in a position where you just have to tip, put the tip on the floor! Tipping a penny also works, but only if you have brought your dissatisfaction to the servers attentions and allowed for a change.
Finally, TIP IN CASH PEOPLE, nothing's better than to go home with a pocket full of cash at the end of the day, and really it is just classier.
I would love it if restaurants gave us the option of service or no service. I would gladly get my own drinks and pick up my plate when its ready from the kitchen window similar to fast food but without the crappy fast food quality. I would go to a place like that all the time if it meant I could get good food for good prices thanks to no tip.
GOOD NEWS 00000! All restaurants give you that option: either you can 1. cook, serve and clean up after yourself at home or 2. go out to a restaurant and pay the price to have someone else do it for you...
I always leave at least a 20% tip, but on occasion, not only have I not left a tip, but one time I walked out without even paying the bill, (it was under $10) the waitress was so bad. But, on those very rare occasions when I don't tip, I leave a note telling they WHY I didn't tip them. If people tip, no matter what, how will they learn about what they've done wrong?
You know what people? Restaurants are in a service based industry, the Hospitality industry, and a measure of their success or failure is the SERVICE received while customers are dining there. One should never go to a restaurant with the mindset of not tipping but one should also not go to a restaurant with the mindset that the server will automatically receive a 20% tip. The definition of gratuity is: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service. This means over and above what is required for services rendered. Servers must EARN their tips and should not expect to be tipped if service is poor. Cheeky Bastard is correct in that attitude is the most important aspect of the dining experience. (from the server-diner pov, apart from the food itself) There is a difference between a server who makes a few mistakes and one who simply does not care and this difference is usually very evident. The best advice is, make the effort and you will be rewarded for it.
thank you loser for laying the law and telling us that I need to pay $4 on a $20 tab. Maybe if this tip is so mandatory it should be written on the front door "SERVICE FEE, 20% OF ORDER." Tips are optional as they always have been. If you tip, good for you. Leave those who don't tip alone. I don't see any bad manners comming from the non-tippers here. Only people who expect tip or give large tips are the ones swearing, whining, etc. Everyone should just worry about their own life and what they need to do. Respect other people and people will respect you.
Most of the people posting here not only don't have a clue as to what it takes to be a truly good server, they wouldn't even be able to perform the job with minimum competency. If they had to serve mongoloids who only thought of them as their temporary indentured servant, and demonstrated the kind of attitudes that have been posted here, they'd run screaming from the place, looking for a place to lick their wounds in solitude. Inasmuch as I don't do everything perfectly all of the time, I can handle when a server makes a mistake, or even a few, as long as they genuinely make the effort (as someone who has served AND managed for nearly 30 years, I can recognize a server who hustles) to fix the error. To people who care, ATTITUDE is the most important aspect of service, but for the guest as WELL as the server. A server who acts like he/she is doing you a favor by serving you is a poor server, and has not earned what is considered the standard percentage (and it is okay to tell them their attitude was unacceptable). But a guest who enters an establishment in order to first criticize, then to dine, has no better an attitude than the surly server, and is not entitled to attentive service, as they most likely wouldn't recognize it anyway. If you walk in expecting poor service, YOU WILL GET IT. Try walking into a place thinking "I'd hate to have to run my butt off trying to keep a petty, tiny-minded jerk like ME happy", and you might have a more charitable attitude and understanding toward people who have to serve you to feed themselves. Very few of the posts above indicate that the writer actually thought of their server as a HUMAN BEING, and not just some tool to move around for their personal pleasure. No, there's no law that says you have to be a nice person (75% per cent of the people who posted here would be incarcerated if there were), but the nice people generally walk out satisfied, without complaint. I have waited on ignorant people, and rather than ignore them, I would feed them super-quick and get them the hell out so that I might seat someone who actually knows how to behave in a restaurant, that is, knows how to be served. Based on some of the ignorant remarks and assumptions made on this blog, just about everyone posting here (with the exception of the food service emplyees) definitely needs "guest training". To the person(s) who claimed to have demanded that their server be fired, you know even less about dining and service than you do about manners and breeding, which means LESS than nothing. Of course, YOU were so horribly wronged that the server who offended you should be dismissed immediately; remember that the next time you have a bad day at work (if you even work). Again, all of the whiners here who claim to know such much about the subject COULD NOT DO THE JOB without more whining and crying, and finally quitting.
It occurs to me, after reading these posts, that a good subtitle for this article would be "Dinner For Schmucks".
lame rant...your name fits you perfectly.
Ever actually stayed at a hotel?
I'm the gentleman that's at the desk, the guy who gets the call to dig through a cramped closet in the dead of the night to find a fluffier pillow, the guy who people scream at because we're sold out, the guy who gets screamed at because our in house restaurant has the audacity to close at 1AM. I'm the sucker who scoured the bar at 2AM to steal a carafe of milk and warm it for someone's child who had a nightmare... I'm the guy who'll run someone a tray of breakfast from our buffet to surprise their wife on their honeymoon. I'm the guy who calls your cabs, manages your phone calls, has your name, your credit card, your address... who secures your rest, obtains your entertainment, checks your flight, and deals with trying to piecemeal a dozen languages together that I don't actually speak.
Guess what?
I don't get tips, because people don't tip hotel staff (with the exception of running food or hauling luggage). I'm the desk guy who does every job at the hotel and some jobs I shouldn't... and probably even a few things I -really- shouldn't, just to make a guest happy.
And never once have I complained about someone being 'cheap' for not tipping me. In fact, I make it a point of personal pride to refuse tips. I'll take something if the person is -really- adamant, but my first answer is always "That's quite alright Sir/Madam, that's what we're here for".
So you'll excuse me when I say I'm pretty confident I could serve a dozen tables, after all, I'm serving 100 hotel rooms right now.
i freaking love you. most hotel staff are super nice and helpful. you guys rock so thank you:)
I remember being able to see the narrow kitchen window from my seat, with my pancakes sitting under the heat lamp. I was so tempted to get my own pancakes but my companion would not allow it. When I pointed out that my pancakes were cold and had been sitting on the shelf, the (formerly invisible) waitress denied it. I have no idea where she had been, since the restaurant was practically empty.
I don't remember what I did about the tip, but I probably left a buck.
I own a Catering company and I've worked in food service since I was 16 years old. I'm more shocked by how people treat those in the service industry than the way any waiter has ever treated me. I have never understood why people who are being served treat the server so poorly. I always reward good service with a substantial tip and poor service gets 15 to 20%. I know how hard even a poor server works and the sort of people they get to put up with day in and day out. If you don't like tipping, stick to fast food and take out... and oh ya... if you order take out from a restaurant tip the person who assembles your order, they deserve it! If you want to make a great servers day, try leaving a tip that's more than the cost of the meal. I once went to dinner with a millionaire, 20 of us were at the table. He payed the bill then asked us each to pay our portion as the tip because the service had been outstanding and really made the evening. What fun to leave behind a $1000 tip! When large groups come in more often than not the tip gets messed up and a lot of hard work goes unrewarded.... especially when people split the check.
hey genius, not every one is a millionare. tip your share and keep it to yourself. If someone cannot afford to tip, that's their own business as well. not everyone likes tossing money around like their loaded.
"Respect other people and people will respect you." - YOU ARE RIGHT BOB!
"If someone cannot afford to tip, that's their own business as well. not everyone likes tossing money around like their loaded." "Everyone should just worry about their own life and what they need to do."
SOUNDS LIKE YOU SHOULD COOK FOR YOURSELF, EAT AT HOME AND CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF. OTHERWISE YOU ARE BEING DISRESPECTFUL, BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR SERVICE, YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS DEMANDING IT, ESPECIALLY FROM SMEONE WHOSE SOLE BUSINESS IS TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE WHILE SERVING YOU.
ps: ever considered moving about 40 miles west of the CA coast, it's all you can eat sea food out there...
Ok so I am a cook, and I feel that the kitchen deserves a piece of that tip as much as the server and bus boy. Cause lets face it if the food sucks there would be no one in the seats in the first place. That being said I have left a penny and have walked out leaving not tip, I have also left $1. If someone is having an off day then they are usually apologetic, and nice and do not fall under my crappy tip rule. I find that servers that are inattentive and rude are usually like that all the time, no need to tell a manager since they probably already know this fact. The only time I bring a manager into a situation is if the food is miserable and I either want a replacement or I am not going to be returning to that establishment. Fact of the matter is that restaurant managers/general managers know that you are very likely to return to a place if the service is crappy and the food is good. So they care to a point but usually not enough to hire someone else. The next person could be worse and they have to spend time and effort training that person. I know that at the end of the night the servers that pool will get pissy with a lazy server letting them know they are taking money from them. If there is no pooling then that person will prob not stay there since it is a waste of time. So I am in favor of having a low base pay and let them keep there tips, I feel it makes hard workers work harder, and lazy people get filtered out.
I was already well aware of how waiters and waitresses often get stiffed on their checks. I usually leave a really good tip because of this, and because sometimes people get stiffed on tips even if they are great servers. If the service is really great, I will even leave up to a 50% tip and give praise to the manager. I usually try to cut servers some slack, but there are two times I left a penny as a tip. (I leave a penny instead of nothing so they know that it's not that I forgot to tip, I was just extremely unsatisfied.) The first time I was in a (not very busy) restaurant and it took 40 minutes just to take our drink order. Our waiter only stopped by twice (to take our order and deliver food and drinks at the same time). The second time I was in a restaurant where the waitress had 3 tables. I had to ask for a drink refill 4 times, my glass was empty when I got my food and was not filled til after I finished eating. Even then she brought me the wrong drink. Finally the waitress of the other section was kind enough to get me what I needed. I actually did leave a tip on the other waitress' table. I'm always polite to my servers, even when I'm upset about the food or service, I still handle it respectfully. I won't yell or get rude, but I will leave less of a tip and ask to see the manager. If the service is incredibly bad, I am not going to pay for a service I did not receive.
Doesn't is seem like the real problem is that there is this special minimum wage for waitstaff? If waiters/waitresses weren't so dependent on tips to just earn minimum wage, then maybe the issue wouldn't be so heated. The few times I've gotten truly terrible service I have given a low tip, my logic being that, no matter how bad one is at waiting tables, one does deserve at least minimum wage while on the job (like every one else in any other profession). However, I hate the assumption that I should be paying 20% to someone who is treating me like crap — that person is not getting anything beyond the bare minimum from me!
Restaurant staff do make minimum wage. If they don't mkae it in tips, the establishment makes up the rest. They are guaranteed minimum wage when they sign up for the job. The 2.13/hr is just a ploy to make customers feel bad and think they need to pay the wait staff's salary. It's just a trick. In the end, the wait staff make a lot more than minimum wage every pay check and the restaurant owners get away with almost no overhead costs.
I dont tip and usually go to restaurants with a no tipping policy. There is a saying that insanity cannot last forever. Tipping will gradually make it's way out of this world when people come to terms with how stupid of a concept it is. First the excuse was that if you get good service then you can give tip (if you want)...now it's "oh the wait staff don't make any money, they need tips" so you better tip or else *******. The amount of tip keeps going up too, from 10 to 15 and now 20%. Once the American public sees how silly it is to pay someones salary we will see changes. The cheap ones are not the ones who refuse to tip, the cheap ones are the wait staff who beg for a few bucks using threats even though they already make minimum wage.
Enough said.
"Tipping will gradually make it's way out of this world...." The only flaw in your grand master plan there Noel, is that there are more decent people out there than people like you. Might be best if you stay at home and learn to serve yourself first...
Most servers make WAY more than minimum wage. If its a popular restaurant they can easily make over $20 an hour, all thanks to tips. If you ask me servers are highly overpaid. Why do you think so many people wait tables for their whole lives? In order to make minimum wage they just need 2 tables that give a $2 tip an hour, obviously that is extremely easy to hit even on a slow day, usually one table is enough to put them past minimum wage. Havent you ever heard a waiter brag about making $500 every friday night in tips?
Here is the best "leave a penny" story I have ever heard. A friend went out to dinner and had a flagrantly awful waitress. He left her a penny. As he and his wife were walking out, she chased them down with the penny held high for all to see: "Sir, sir, you forgot this". He took the penny from her and pressed it into her hand: "No dear, this is for you. You EARNED it". Game, set, and match. You don't mess with a man after you've ruined his meal.
BTW, he has been a waiter and is generally a generous tipper. For him to do this the service had to be willfully bad with an extra helping of attitude.
Tipping well is my favorite affordable luxury – if I can afford to eat out, I can afford to pay an extra 20% on top of that – or 25%-30%-35%+, etc. if it's a cheap meal – I figure the staff worked just as hard to cook and serve a $5 entree as a $25 one, so it's a shame that a percentage-based tip reflects this. And although I sometimes choose not to revisit restaurants where I've had what I consider a less-than-optimal experience (which is the case with any type of business where I have a choice of provider), I would never mess with someone's paycheck by taking it upon myself to withhold a tip – which is, as an earlier poster pointed out, taxed by the IRS whether or not it is actually received (i.e. the IRS assumes you receive a certain percentage of your income in tips and taxes you accordingly). I wouldn't want everyone I encounter in the course of my job to have the power to decide whether or not I get to earn my paycheck, or whether they get to retain a portion of it themselves – I work for an elementary school, and although the kids like me well enough, I'm sure they'd much rather have my salary to spend on bubblegum. Luckily, I don't have to depend on the goodwill of the individual taxpayer (including myself, as I live and work in the same jurisdiction) to earn my paycheck, I just have to make sure my principal stays happy, which isn't always easy, but is much easier than having to read the minds of hundreds of random strangers.
Anyway, dropping a few bucks on tips each time I eat out makes me feel like I am at least trying to be a decent human being, whether or not it's been a total lovefest between me and the restaurant staff. Like the say in the Visa (or Mastercard?) commercials..."Not feeling like a dickweed...Priceless."
When I was growing up my Dad was a notoriously bad tipper. It didn't matter if the service was bad or good, he usually left no tip at all. One day we left a restaurant in Seattle, the waitress ran out after us and stopped my Dad asking him if there was a problem with the service or the food. He was so embarassed at being called on his bad tipping, he mumbled an apology and never failed to tip again after that. incident.
in Canada where minimum wage is over $10/hour, there seems to be a prevalent attitude of 'I deserve a huge tip for even coming near your table'. If I get attitude, the server gets attitude back, usually in the form of a low, or 0 tip. And that is exactly what should happen. How else are lousy servers culled from the herd? I'm doing them a favor; they figure out that this isn't the line of work for them and go get a government job where their lousy attitude is rewarded.
@nicole: If I knew where you and other 'servers' were who glory in screwing with people's meals, I'd turn your asses in for tampering with food, and fast. Anybody in 'the biz' who sees or hears this kind of 'mess with the food' crapola SHOULD. A tip? More like a reward from the health department!
So thanks–you just ENSURED that I won't be going out to eat, much less leaving the generous tips I always used to. Wouldn't surprise me if there are a whole lot more like me who make the same decision, either, and I hope they do.
I have walked out without paying the entire check. Im no sucker.
Actually I did it because the waiter decided to disappear for 20 minutes to talk to his friends. Thats fine I just walked out. Problem is many waiters expect to be tipped no matter what. I don't work that way. If you want to be an ass you will be tipped like an ass, with nothing or maybe a dollar.
My mother has waitressed for 20 years and I know when somebody just has a bad day or when someone is being an asshole. I understand maybe something happened and your not working 100% not everyone does anyway. Just shows more with waiters because they are in front of people in close range all the time. I will leave a decent tip but if it always happens then I will have to tip less and go somewhere else.
I am also not the type to make a scene at a restaurant and call managers because the job is tough and people shouldn't get fired for one event. I rather just tip badly and not go again. If they get mad I will just say bring me the manager or keep your mouth shut and keep your job.
Sure, I have had lousy service lots of times, but not to tip because of that? Oh, come on! Then, let's not pay for the item we purchased at the department store because the person who waited on us was rude, incompetent, etc. and let's not pay for the less-than courteous cab driver even though we did get to our destination in one piece, etc. It could go on and on.
I think that wait service is not good because so many people never learned how to serve or how to be polite or listen or not be intrusive, even, but this does not mean you are supposed be Mr. or Mrs. Cheapie Who Will Cheat the Waiter of a Job Imperfectly Done.
I have known too many cheapskates in this world to believe that the real reason someone won't tip is because of the lousy service. No, they are just waiting for an excuse to be cheap, that's all!
Not tipping is cheap? ....I don't think so. There are people who don't tip because they don't want to. I think your cheap for wanting the extra money. If someone comes and eats $20 worth of food and leaves no tip, why are you so cheap to be compulsively begging for those $3? Or whining about it on this forum. I thought you waiters/waitresses made top dollar and aren't cheap. Crying about 4 or 5 bucks or even 10 bucks sounds cheap to me. Shut up, do your job, and you'll get tips sometimes, other times you won't.
Since most of these waiters/waitresses make so much money...why beg for it from people who make less than them. May be the person you waiting on only makes $8 or $9 an hour. It's still their right to eat out when and if they want to. It isn't you right however, to be malicious or rude to them for not tipping. But we all know that when servers don't get their tips, their real personalities start showing.
Go anywhere in the world and I guarantee you will receive better service where tipping is not customary. There's hard working honest people, then their are trashy people who won't even lift an arm without asking for a buck. Cheap fucks.
jenny I don't understand your math....how would the IRS know what your customers' bills amounted to?
And as a solution to the tip pool...which I DESPISE and would never partake in ever again....I always give my waitresses their tips in an envelope with their names on it.
Giuseppe
If you go to Europe, correct – tips are not "expected," but the meal will cost more of course – not only due to currency conversion. Yes, tipping is part of our culture here because servers are paid less than minimum wage. European servers are not paid less than minimum wage. I get the point very well, but it appears you are going to be determined to be cheap. That is why I say you are the kind of customer I would hope I wouldn't get, because you feel that you deserve service without paying for it.
Go somewhere else where you are not waited on if you don't want to pay for it. While I condone absence of a tip if the service is sincerely that poor, by making a habit of not tipping at all, you're showing that you don't care whether the service is good or bad. You also are showing that you don't care about the wait staff at all. If that's the case, you're truly lucky that their job on the wait staff is to serve you and care for you, because you wouldn't be getting it otherwise.
The fact of the matter is that sometimes poor service deserves a poor tip- but a tip of zero dollars is actually a negative tip because of tip pooling arrangements and taxes. A waiter is assumed by the restaurant to have made a 15 to 20 percent tip and is usually required to give a certain percentage of their sales (at my restaurant 4%) to bussers and bartenders. Moreover a server is presumed by the IRS to have left the restaurant with 11% of their sales in tips and are taxed accordingly. So if your bill is $100 and you leave a $0 tip the server still has to give $4 to the busser and bartender, and is taxed on$11 of income. All in all your server has LOST $5-7 simply for having waited on you.
Before you leave a $0 tip consider the fact that no matter how horrible the service was they really shouldn't be forced to PAY for the pleasure of waiting on you, and then think about cutting them a little slack.
A quick talk with the manager is a much more effective solution and is highly likely to result in getting a few items taken off your bill- then tip 15% on the reduced price- the server loses a tip on items taken off the bill and gets a smaller (15% ought to be the minimum tip) tip on the items remaining.
Tipping is a gesture of gratitude (hence Gratuities) for going above the expectations of your job. You speak of social norm. The social norm is as follows. Good service = good tip. Poor service = poor tip. Its the line of work you chose.Accept the job you chose and get over it, or get a new one. Do not try to make me feel guilty for your lot in life. The ones you should be mad at is your employer. I wish I got a tip for doing my job. Next time you go to the doctor maybe you should tip him too. Lol.
its not the money that matters but the theory behind it. NO ONE SHOULD PROMOTES LAZINESS. we all work hard for our money PERIOD!
Commodore, thank you for a thoughtful take on the business of tipping. It should absolutely be for the services provided.
And because we rely on tips to supplement our paltry wage, I go the extra mile to please all of my guests. That's how I make my money. My dear Mother always said, " You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar". Still holds true.
It is very rare I do not tip a person in a restaraunt. In fact the only time I dont tip is if I leave the restaraunt in a hurry before ordering or something came up. I try to leave 15% for a tip (if financialy capable, with the recession and all), but to be honest I love tipping big. In a restaraunt, hair salon, and anywhere else tipping is expected. My father both believe that everyone in a restaraunt should be paid more than federal minimum wage. Working at a restaraunt is a hard business, and when you have an owner or a manager who prefer to keep all of the money for themselves, and let the customers make the rest of the wage for the employees; the employees can get taken advantage of. That is way its rare or sometimes never do I leave without tipping. But if the service is great and if I see that everyone is showing great teamwork, then I tip big. The waiter/waitress/host/ess might be the few people the customers interact with but when I see the managers, cooking staff, busboys, cleaning maintenance all working their hardest to provide a great night for everyone in the restaraunt then the tip gets big, and maybe even bigger.
I work in the service industry, -behind- the servers. (I'm an auditor for a hotel, the guy that balances the floats on a nightly basis, so I see -exactly- how much people are leaving the hotel with and have a hands-on relationship with the wait staff). Some servers at our in-house restaurant make $4-500 PER NIGHT in tips, so kindly drop the "*sniffle-sniffle, poor me, I only make $2.00 an hour*" act. Consider that "most" people leave an average of 15%, and most servers are managing between 5 and 10 tables at a given time, in a place that's averaging a meager $10 a plate you're likely to average $6-7 per table in tips. Provided you're not tipping out 2/3 of that to your kitchen and bussers, you're probably raking $5 a table and clearing down 7 or 8 tables an hour.
Math = 8 tables * 8 hours * $5 = $320 (And this is for a small restaurant with a low-value menu. When the average plate rises up to about $15, or you're serving liquor, or you're hav ing a busy night, these numbers shoot skyward)
I've worked in the industry for years, I can't even remember the last time I've left less than 10% to someone. And I actually leave a HIGHER tip if my waiter or waitress is having a terrible night. I actually left 25% to someone that poured coffee on my leg because she genuinely was concerned and really appologetic.
It just absoluetely disgusts me to see greedy, incompetant servers drag out the excuse that they're underpaid. If you're not making money... GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. Our servers at the restaurant have been here since they got out of school, some of them have been at this restaurant for over a decade because its so lucrative... some of them even have university degrees that they put together while waiting tables, but they don't want to leave the industry because they would be taking a 50% pay cut to take what most people consider a well-paying desk job.
I agree 100%
I work in banking, I have customers that bring in tips that are far more than I make in a week. Of course there are others that can't make a living and having been waited on by them I see why.
Just like any commission based job you truely get what your worth MOST of the time. There are exceptions either way. I'm a big tipper. I go to places around where I work, and the staff sees me coming. I'm seated quickly, have a drink in seconds, and if I've been in several times often get asked if I'd like my usual (I sometimes get stuck on something)
I'm not a problem, and the wait staff know that the better service I get the bigger the tip. I'm even there off peak about 3pm.
I like your math, I've been thinking along those lines as I browsed the other entries. Good service realy does add up, even average service.
I think it is sorry, that a waitperson would get on here and say that if they don't do their job very well, they should still get a tip.
I have tipped poor service well, because on one instance, there were two waiters and a dishwasher running a busy restaurant. I have tipped a waitperson that wasn't assigned to me, because they covered for my waitperson.
I have delivered pizza, also a tipped job, and had no tip on speedy impeccable service, and great tips on late service(no fault of my own during a lowstaffed rush).
I thank the Lord for what I get, and leave out all the rest. It is not my business to know anyone's budget or circumstances. If you say that a person can't afford the tip so don't go out, maybe with good service they would give their last dollar, with crappy they would stiff on payday, either way, why should fast food be the choice of people that don't want to go out and get bad service. Maybe bad waitpeople should suck it up and go work fast food. At least in fast food, I expect stuff to be forgotten and messed up.
Atip is gratuity, for good service, a waiter or waitress's attitude has a direct reflection on the tip. I have told some that when they come to my table with a scowl on their chops. No one is obligated to tip to a ill mannered waiter.
Went to dinner with the wife & decided to have a drink at the bar first , sat at the bar for a while before the bar-maid waited on us took our order but never wiped the the bar off there was some kind of drinks spilled on the bar .I ask her if she would clean off the puddle that was in front of us she did, but kind of half- ass . knew this was not my night, so I ordered (1) mug of beer, by the way had to wait a while before she brought to me my drink , so I drank the the beer paid her. Tip the glass of beer upside down with still some beer in it . left a (1) penny under the glass she was not worth 2 cents. & walk out First time I every left with out leaving a tip.
As a career professional server for over 35 years, I have honed my serving and people skills to an art. I have been employed at my present job for over 12 years. It is a fine-dining (I hate that term) seafood restaurant and I'm one of the top trainers and my wine & food knowledge is extensive.
I am proud of my ability to offer polished service to all guests. In fact, I am the "go-to" person whenever there's a difficult guest to deal with. I have started off with some truly awful people, but by the end of their meal, I have them eating out of the palm of my hand. I consider it a failure if I cannot turn them around. And, of course, there are failures! Some folks just want to be miserable, which is a sad way to go through life. But I would never let them know how I really felt about their behavior. We are actors after all !
So I get really upset when I read about the non-tippers. If you honestly feel you received poor service, then I would agree that you may not want to tip that person. Personally, I couldn't do this because of my obvious bias. But a consumer has that prerogative. I am only human and honest mistakes are made. When dining out, I try to look at the whole picture of what's happening in the restaurant when things aren't going smoothly. I believe in giving someone the benefit of the doubt. There are so many things that are happening behind the scenes that the guest never sees. It's actually controlled chaos ! An oxymoron if there ever was one!
If you don't "believe" in tipping, then there is nothing I can say or do to change your mindset. I just hope we never cross paths. And I'm a firm believer in karma.
Side note: I have been reading the ravings of Springs1 on several different blogs over the years. It does absolutely no good to try and reason with this tortured individual.
I travel a lot – or used to before the economy tanked – for work. At the end of a full day of travel from the west to the east, I arrived at my destination city and right after leaving the airport, I went to what was at the time my favorite restaurant in the city. It was mid-afternoon and there wasn't a lot of other customers. I sat at the bar and was in the line of sight of the barkeep, who was on the phone. No big deal, I thought, it'll just be a few minutes. I was wrong; it turned into 20 minutes. Throughout that time, I tried to make eye contact and to get somebody's attention – all to no avail. I walked toward the barkeep to get her attention but she was wrapped up in her phone conversation, which was personal. When she hung up, she came over to take my order – without explanation or apology. I played along and ordered. When it came time to pay the tab, I had exact change -$28 – to cover the bill and motioned her over. I handed her the cash and the bill along with a quarter, explaining "This'll cover the cost of your phone call" and walked out. I later relayed the episode to the manager in an e-mail. He replied he was going to "talk" with her. I haven't been back since.
it's quite apparent that waiters/waitresses have bad math. tips at the end of each pay period, they are guaranteed to make 7.25 * hours worked. Even if you get no tips. What's sad is you probably make like over $20 an hour. That's a lot of money for a bitching, whining, snobby attitude person who smiles and laugh fake yet is ready to bite u in the arse for $2 tip.
If they make so little....why don't we see how many waiters would like to work for $15 an hour with no tips???? ....any takers. Probably not because these honkeys are already making more that with tips. They don't deserve it. Tips should be banned. 2.13 w/tips is just a ploy to have customers pay your $20 salaries.
I stiff a lot unless I get unconditional service in which case i tip like $1. working for a club for disabled people i know what it means to take care of ppl. I don't beg for tips.
bill, you appear to be a whiny jerk. if you don't like your job, then maybe you can start waiting tables for a living
He make some valid points. Do you feel better about your self after insulting someone who just voices their opinion. This shows the f'd up character of the people we're supposed to be tipping. People like you should be stiffed with something else.
Only one time have I not left money as a tip. Usually, I tip between 20% to 25% when eating out. However, for poor service, I'll end up around the 10%-15% range.
Why did I not leave money on the table for the service? My waiter sucked. My best friend, who is male, and I went out to eat at moderately priced restaurant. My best friend just lost his job, so I was treating him to a meal to make him feel a bit better. Our waiter showed nothing but contempt for me from the first moment he visited our table. After he came for our orders, I went first and my friend second. After we ordered, the waiter asked my partner what I wanted to eat even though I just told him. We ordered soda with our meals. I complained mine was flat and asked if I could get a different beverage. Our waiter told me that it was in my head because he just drank some a few hours ago. He then asked my best friend to sample from my glass to see if it was "really" flat. He confirmed that it was flat without tasting it. The waiter stalked off and slammed another drink down in front of me so hard that it spilled all over the table. When our food was delivered, our waiter just dropped my plate, turned his back on me and told my friend to enjoy. After finished, he handed my friend the check – without even asking if we wanted to split the cost. Since I was treating, I took the check and paid with my credit card. I have "See ID" written on my card, and handed off my driver's with the card. I was told "I don't need your ID" by the waiter as he stalked off. Ten minutes later, he arrived AGAIN in snit because he wanted my ID to "prove that the card was mine." As a tip, on the bill, I wrote "you really shouldn't be a bitch to the one paying the bill." I've never been more uncomfortable or angry in a restaurant before. The guy was rude and nasty.
Sorry about your experience. I am professional and never really see myself getting upset with a customer for something since i know there will be another customer like him in an hour. Most of my brethren try to be as courteous as possible, 'cause tips are important. Tips are actually what this blog is about, but it's wild how everyone wants to bitch about waiters or some waiter, and justify some bad tip they left us. Get over it, we got over it. once in a while we get to vent via youtube or this CNN EatOcracy thing, but for the most part, our voices go unheard, so how about leaving a nice story.anyone? anyone? Bueler?
I've given a $5 tip on a $1.25 grilled cheese sandwich (that's 400%) just because the service was awesome. My waitress thought I made a mistake and ran out to the parking lot after me. I told her I meant it when I had said it was the best service I've ever had. (it really was)
This is just one of many great dinning experiences I've had. But unfortunately Mac, there are those bad apples out there.
I'm in the biz, as I'm sure this article on CNN has attracted most of us to respond. I over-tip for obvious reasons, also i give a little too much leeway when things aren't going right at a table. Bad nights happen for waitstaff and because they're human, they handle what's going on in different ways. ways you may not get. I've never stiffed, but if the waiter was just not interested, whatever.happens. If the waiter was just not interested and it hurt the experience, then I'll try and let him know, " I can wait tables better than you, so you better try harder" with a standard tip, but i don't know if they'll get that message from that.......
As I understand it, here in Ontario Canada sales taxes are factored into the restaurant bill before presentation to the customer, who can then enter the tip amount, but I would expect that if, in the european fashion the tip were incorporated into the bill, the sales taxes here, and they are not small, would apply to the bill total, including tip, and thus significantly reduce the proceeds to the server(s) and thwart the good intentions of the customer.
I say it's about the service you get from the server, and it should not be added on the check that creates lazy servers that don't get motivated to increase the tip
I've been in the restaurant industry for years. Bad tips happen. Some times it's been my fault but most of the time I'd guess not. I think people who refuse to tip should really just stay home. Unfortunately people get grouchy when they're hungry and often forget that they aren't the only ones in the restaurant. It's nothing personal people! Unless you stiffed me last time....
I thinking tipping is according service , also it should not be added to the check this can cause for servers not to be motivated for more tips
I am currently working as a server in an airport restaurant, the idea that people have an issue with tipping is just silly. Sure there may be a situation where a lesser tip is called for. However simply NOT tipping a person is outrageous, I would honestly say 99% of the time if your experience is not great it may be an issue that is out of the hands of the server. It is a shame that we are usually blamed for most issues, ie. taste of the food, how long the order has taken, prices of the items, I could go on and on but you get the picture. It is true pretty much all servers make around 2.13 an hour. That fact alone should be enough to get everyone to tip at least 10%, great service should get 18-20%, amazing service should get over 20%. If you have an issue with your server mention it to them, also keep in mind that while yes you are our customer we do have other tables and other duties to attend to. Please be kind to your servers, we work very very hard to ensure that your dining experience is enjoyable and we deal with alot of crap for the wages we make.
This article is regarding servers who *don't* work hard or make an effort. You seem like a good server, so this article doesn't apply to you. Most people can tell when the issue is the server vs. the kitchen, so this is also assumed within the debate. Please keep in mind we are *only* referring to leaving no tip for poor service, nothing else.
Tipping...tipping....what is with this tipping issue...
Did you understand that this tipping etiquette (which is not an etiquette at all but it's actually forced) exist only in the United States. Only 1 Country in the whole world.
This system is in favor of the restaurant owners, not the waiters.
Why am i even arguing with you, you don't get the point, you think I should add extra money to my check to pay the waiter, are you stupid? If you think they don't get paid enough, split the bill in 2, show on the top CHECK and on the bottom PAY THE WAITER SO THE RESTAURANT OWNER DOESN'T HAVE TO.
Or simply, let's see how much a waiter makes and compare it to a mail man, if it's the same, let's put a 20% of what the mail man is delivering to you as tip.
Are you in?
I have worked in the food/ service industry for over ten years as a server and bartender. I consider myself a very good server, however there are times when I don't receive a tip for my service. These times are few and far in between so I don't make a big issue of it. Even when I don't receive a tip, I still feel rewarded when a guest verbally tells me they enjoy my service. What most consumers don't know is most restaurants and bars have websites, and good reviews often result in rewards for themselves and their server. So when no tips come, but compliments do, I simply ask for good marks on the company website.
Also the way I see it, to all the waiters/waitresses out there, don't you feel like a Gypsy on the street asking for a tip considering that you are already getting paid? If you feel they are not paying you enough, go work somewhere else. Working in a restaurant it's not the only job available.
You expect me to give you extra money tp the money I'm already spending in food, and you are already getting paid!
It's just a bad system in favor of restaurant owners.
I am already getting paid 2.33 an hour. Not minimum wage. So that extra money you leave ensures that I actually get paid minimum wage. Go get another job? Are you aware of the economic downturn in our country? I am so thankful to have the job that I have! Its not that easy to just go out and get a new job.
There are millions of people right now picking up tomatoes in a field and they don't complain. Your boss should pay you a realistic wage, why do you ask me to pay you the rest? This tip thing is only in America do you understand?
Giuseppe
Show me the "millions" picking tomatoes right now. Show me that they live in the US, legally, and pay taxes. Part of your dining experience at a restaurant is the service. If you don't want to pay for the service, then fine – don't eat there. There are plenty of fast-food and self-serve (i.e. buffet) restaurants available to you.
Your penny-pinching is part of the downside of this debate. This debate is ONLY about stiffing tips for poor service, not people like you who don't appreciate service at all. Yes, employers are obligated to ensure employees make at least minimum wage, but the payment structure is *designed* so the meal you are enjoying costs less, and you can tip the server accordingly. If you want the "tip" to be automatically factored in, you'd be surprised at how quickly things will add up.
Considering your "attitude" about tipping, I would wager you have never been to a nice restaurant. These aren't kids that are serving you – they are mature adults. You *will* be called out if you leave no tip (without good reason) and more than likely the restaurant will return the favor the next time you return. You should really learn some class.
Youre thankful you have a job that pays more than double minimum wage, dont lie, you have NEVER made less than minimum wage in your life. The only way a waiter can make less than minimum wage is at a restaurant that cant even come close to supporting itself and will eventually shut down, it is economically impossible for a waiter to make less than minimum wage at a restaurant that is making enough money to stay open.
You can very easily get a fast food job regardless of the economy, another lie, you wont take a job that actually pays minimum wage though because youd have to take a huge pay cut.
if you feel this way then go to Mcdonalds for all your meals, when you go to a sit down restaurant and have a server you are expecting to be served that is our job, it would not be possible for most restaurants to pay servers full wages, that is why it is a tipped job, we provide you with a service( bringing you drinks and food, making sure you have everything you want and or need) and in return for that service you leave us a small percentage of your bill. It is a system that works most of the time, the exceptions being when people like you show up, and think that you are better than everyone, do yourself a favor and work in this industry for a short time and your views will change. Go find another job?? Have you seen the unemployment rates these days? besides if everyone left the service industry no one would ever be able to go to a restaurant or bar and enjoy what they have to offer.
First, i leave 30% of my bill when I go to a restaurant, but not because I want to, but because I'm forced to. Your claim of "it would not be possible for most restaurants to pay servers full wages" it's just ridiculous, get your facts straight. If I work at the post office and I make $5.25/hr and I help you lifting your box, would you tip me? C'mon. The reality is that you believe that I have to pitch in where your boss doesn't. He makes all the money, he doesn't pay you enough, and you think it's right that the extra is on me.
It's just a bad habit here in the United States. Again, read what I wrote, only in the United States. Why? because you guys only think about what happens in this Country and never look at the other places in the world.
You think that "not tipping" is just silly. Next time the UPS guy shows up at your door carrying your package, tip him 20% of the value of what you have purchased, after all he has to drive in a hot truck all day for 5 buck/hr. You do that, and I'll respect your opinion.
I personally have yet to NOT tip a waiter or waitress. There have been times where I have only left 10% tip for overall bad service with a restaurant, but for my issues, they weren't entirely the server's fault so I still left them something.
As a waiter in Upstate New York, I am amazed by how many Canadians that don't check to see what servers make in New York State. We make $4.65 an hour. A far cry from Ontario and Quebec servers who make over $8 an hour PLUS tips. Granted, in Canada...tipping is done between 10 and 15%. Many Canadians will say they had great service and are very pleasant, only to walk out and leave nothing. I have chased anyone out the door, but I know a few waitresses who have and the Canadians said they thought it was included. I wish we could have something on our menu or on our tables kindly informing people from out of state that in most cases (with exceptions of large parties) the tip is NOT included. In a perfect world, I'd like to see all servers making minimum wage and expecting 10% to 15% in tips for good to exceptional service. Tipping should not be added into a check. It's something a server earns.
Why don't you go to the root of the problem? This "Tipping Etiquette" applies only to the United States. You are "forced" to leave a tip, while in ANY other Country in the World, tipping is based on 'Quality of Service".
WHY? Because Restaurant Owners came up with this incredible idea of paying waiters minimum and drop the rest of the responsability to the client. Which other field requires this? Do you thip the guy at the Mc Donalds Drive thru? He's on minimum wage too. No you don't.
I remember a case in Florida where this restaurant owner my friend knew was paying $1 per hr more his waiters but he would collect all the tips.
It's the same when you go to a bar and everytime the bartender opens a beer bottle for you you have to give him an extra buck. Why? If you believe what you make is not enough, go get another job.
In the rest of the world, tipping is a very honest reaction to a service, and you know, again, tipping here is just in favour of restaurant owners so that they can pay less their waiters.
I am so surprised I am hearing this from folks who are working everyday jobs and work just as hard as those in the food industry. Also, Jaliska you mentioned that people choose to work a job that pays minimum wage; well I hate to be the one who informs you of this but wait staff only make $2.50 an hour and if that is minimum wage then we are all screwed. They also have to declare 100% of their tips. By making comments like this you are showing how ignorant you are. They also have to put up with people who are arrogant and condescending like you and for that no amount of compensation is enough. Most people who work in the restaurant industry are doing so to put themselves through school so one day they can get a high paying job, or are working there as a second job so they can support their family or be home during the day with their children. People who work in this industry are probably some of the hardest working people you will every meet. If you ever took the silver spoon out of your "you know what" and bothered to get to know a server then you would probably eat your own words. Both of us put ourselves through school and worked two jobs waitressing while going to school and now have $100k a year jobs. It is those work ethics we learned while waitressing that make us so successful in our jobs today.
i hate to be the one to break this to you, but waiters and and waitresses make at least minimum wage since the restaurant will pay them the difference if their total doesn't equal at least minimum wage. You never make 2.13, that's illegal. You make 7.25/hr or more.
you don't sound like someone with a 100k job. Those jobs aren't handed to fresh college grads...they 10 – 20 years experience after college to obtain and are often administrator level jobs. If you really held one of these jobs I doubt you would say the same redundant garbage about "only make 2.13/hr" that these other waiters/waitresses are saying.
And reality is, you ppl don't bust your butt so hard. What's so hard about your job???? Bring food and drinks to tables...sometimes 2 or 3 tables at a time. It's not rocket science. What about those ppl that bust their buns stocking shelves at walmart all day. I used to work freight at walmart and lowes where myself and 2 others would pull boxes out of a huge truck and stock the shelves for 8 hours a day. They just work hard and make a reasonable check.
i tip from time to time, but only for good service. It's not obligatory, and you do make minimum wage anyway. ppl like you make ppl not want to tip at all.
You really do not have a clue. Try waiting tables. I used to train people and explain to them that they have a difficult job, because we get people at their worst. We get them at the end of the workday when they are tired, hungry, in a hurry, have whining, crying kids, and have to make them feel as if they are guests in my living room/dining room. To really be good, the server has to have expertise with food, alcohol, the wine list, food allergies, customer service, balance and coordination (or you end up with a coffee down your back), patience of a saint, a sense of humour, be a salesperson in track shoes...
In a quality restaurant, I would sometimes have 5-7 tables on a Saturday night. That is drinks, food, dirty plates, orders, etc for as many as 35 people who all want something quickly. I would go 5-10:30 or 11 without slowing down... all quick, knowing the faster I got my job done, the more potential to make money.
Try that and tell me it is easy. I work in retail management now... waiting tables is a lot tougher than stocking shelves at Walmart... if for no other reason than stocking shelves you deal with far fewer people.
Try getting food out for a party of 6 or 8 or 10 with kids running in the aisles.
On the other hand... a good $150 night balances with a couple of $35 lunch shifts...
By the way... restaurants avoid paying the difference if you make short money because they space it over a pay period. If you have a shift and make $10 .. holiday shift, slow night in the lounge, whatever... plus $2.13/hour, minus tips for bus and bar... the restaurants look at what you make for the week. How would you like to go to work and ...slow day... you aren't going to get paid?
If you are making 100K a year... how difficult is an extra couple of dollars? Easy work.. put an apron and bowtie on and belly up to the line with me... see if you can do the job, without poisoning someone with a shellfish allergy or spilling drinks on someone, moving at pace and yet being calm and smiling at every table.
As has been mentioned... I remember the bad tippers. Next time in my station.. they get slower service because I am going to pay attention to the people who pay me. The best nights... my station filled with requests. You lose. Stay out of my table. I guarantee that if there were people at my tables I made more than minimum wage. I also used to work 70+ hours per week on my feet. Waitstaff in a good restaurant are not lazy or ignorant...
You really think the restaurant makes up the difference? FAT CHANCE! I have worked in 3 different restaurants over the past 3 years and not a single one did that. Just because its the law doesnt mean that its enforced. THINK ABOUT THAT THE NEXT TIME YOU DONT LEAVE A TIP!
@Jaliska – I couldn't have said it better myself – +1
99.9% of the time I DO NOT leave a tip. I don't need to throw money away on someone who "brings" me my food or "refills" my drink – I'd much rather do it myself. It's a bunch of crap – if you don't make enough money, get a new (or second) job and stop whining...You decided to be a server!
Throw money away on someone bringing you food or refilling your drink?
Tell you what... sit in a restaurant and tell them before you eat that you don't plan on tipping because you don't need to pay for service.. See if your drink ever arrives. If you don't want to engage in the contract, paying for service given, eat at home or eat drive through. Do you pay the people who mow your lawn, because you don't need to throw money away on keeping your grass trimmed? That is also surely something you can do yourself.
Do you think jobs grow on trees?
I've left 125% tip (on a $20 order), and frequently leave 20-30% in tip.
But I do not like receiving bad service. When I am convinced the waiter is treating me badly (and believe me, as a person of color I do have this problem), I leave no tip. This is very rare though.
I cannot believe how many people are demeaning servers in this comment thread. The amount of venom that people are spitting out about eating out and tipping is unbelievable. You think serving is easy!?! Try remembering 10 things that you just got asked for in about 30 seconds from 7 different people. Think you could do it? Guess again! There is ABSOLUTELY a difference between a good server and a bad server, and hopefully restaurants will recognize that bad server and they will no longer be at the merciless hands of YOU horrible, judgmental people. You think all servers wouldn't serve if they didn't have to? That they wouldn't be serving with college degrees? NO WAY. I graduated college in 3 years with honors in 2007. I entered one of the bleakest job markets ever. I have a full time good paying job now. But back then I didn't, and I served to help keep my head above water. Has it ever occurred to the diner that maybe the server is there, not because they have to be, but because they WANT to be? I serve now because it's something that I LOVE to do. The people who come in and act like their server is "beneath" them are the people who slowly turn something I love to do into something I hate to do. Next time you're eating out maybe show a little but of compassion for someone that is working VERY hard to make your life just a little bit easier and cut them some slack.
SD Server
"Try remembering 10 things that you just got asked for in about 30 seconds from 7 different people. Think you could do it? Guess again!"
Not by memory alone, WHO COULD, NOBODY just about. I could very much do it if I ***WROTE EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY REQUEST DOWN, I SURE COULD, WHY DON'T YOU TRY TO **WRITE IT DOWN*** YOU LAZY ASS PERSON?
There's no way I could do it without writing it down. You are stupid if you think you can.
If you make a list, you just follow your list. Now, it's possible you might overlook something, but in general, if you write it down and REREAD YOUR LIST OF TASKS, you won't have to "REMEMBER" anything, now will you?
There is NO EXCUSE IN THE WORLD, NO EXCUSE, NO EXCUSE NOT TO **WRITE IT REQUESTS AND ORDERS DOWN**!!
I have had to-go boxes, checks, to-cups, to-go condiment containers, extra napkins, refills, etc. FORGOTTEN all because of people like YOU that are TOO FUCKING LAZY ASS TO **WRITE IT THE FUCK DOWN**~~
When you come to the table, you should have a pad and pen READY!! If you have dirty dishes in your hand, you will tell the customer you will be right back, because you won't be able to remember it unless you can write it down. They would rather you get it right, than get it wrong.Also, if it's something simple like a couple of refills, while you are putting those dishes away that were in your hands, you write it down in the kitchen if you know there are other requests ahead of that person.
"cut them some slack."
I cut slack when I see that you have TRIED to remember what I said by WRITING IT DOWN!!
I don't cut you slack even when I told you "You might want to write this down", then get turned down, then the stupid lazy ass server forgets things. WELL I TOLD YOU TO WRITE IT DOWN!!! Now, you get a bad tip(even lower than if you made the same mistakes, but wrote it down, because of your lack of EFFORT to write things down to TRY to remember them.) Then you complain, well you only have to blame yourself if you messed up when you didn't write it down.
"The people who come in and act like their server is "beneath" them"
Don't act like I am beneath you, meaning don't bring me the completely wrong food. LOOK AT WTF you hand people!! Don't act so dumb. There are some dumb ass servers out there where I knew MORE about the menu than they did and I never worked there even one second worth. It's all because they didn't even TRY to READ the menu themselves.
Don't blame someone else when I can see the mistake without touching anything within 2 seconds of the food or drinks hitting the table. I am not stupid. Anyone that does blame the kitchen staff or bartender for a mistake that is very obvious that the customer can see it within 2 seconds without touching anything, that's why we are above you. You can't admit fault, can't apologize, can't be honest, and don't have enough common sense to know that we already know who is at fault, so why bother trying to hide it when it's going to hurt your tip more in most cases. If you don't know that, then we are above you, because you are that stupid. Don't act like we are stupid.
I had a waiter tell me a wrong price was a misprint. Sorry dude, but there is no such thing. You consent to that price on the menu, therefore, since the customer can notice this, the SERVER can and could have gotten it fixed from their manager BEFORE handing the check to the customer. Don't act like we are stupid, because saying "misprint" shows how stupid you are to blame a MENU instead of yourself. You have a set of eyes too. Unless you are illiterate or need glasses, there is no reason why a server can't see a wrong price, but a customer can. Don't tell me you don't have time, because you have time to get refills, ranch, napkins, etc. ALL of that is JUST AS IMPORTANT and in fact, someone's money being right is WAYYYY more important than those things.
Why should I cut someone slack that acts like they don't care and doesn't even apologize when they mess up or tries to blame the mistake on someone else when it is THEIR FAULT?
WHY should I cut someone slacked that didn't **TRY** to REMEMBER things I said by WRITING IT DOWN if they messes up?
You must think servers have some ounce of control of what happens in a restaurant. I work in a place where we are merely messengers between the kitchen and the customers. Do not hold a server accountable for a misprint in a menu that a manager or owner might think is no big deal. Its not that server can just print up some new menus. Seriously, servers are treated poorly by customers, but in many cases, they are also treated poorly by their own employers. Cut them some slack, especially when they DO write your order down.
If your server never writes anything down, and constantly makes mistakes, then he/she won't be working there very long. i have worked with people that have never written stuff down at a table. it's kind of inspiring. Pricks like you, however, are more the type to try and trip up some waiter because he told you he can remember what you say so you give him a bunch of pointless demands to foil him. Pathetic. all so you can whine to management and your friends and blogs like this that this waiter sucked. Trying to feel better about ourselves, are we?
Mac Grurry
"trip up some waiter because he told you he can remember what you say so you give him a bunch of pointless demands to foil him. Pathetic. all so you can whine to management and your friends and blogs like this that this waiter sucked. Trying to feel better about ourselves, are we?"
NO, I just want **PERFECT SERVICE*** if I can have it. It's not about the money, it's about having a GOOD TIME!! I don't want the mess ups. I find if the server writes it down I have a much better chance it coming out correctly than when they don't in general. It's really not about the money. I would rather give the server 25% and up, just give me good service. Don't hand me anything under the sun per say. Once, my husband and I had an appetizer with some bar drinks, no entrées at around 2:30p.m. on a Saturday afternoon when it was slow. The waiter handed us another table's order all because he was TOO LAZY to WRITE THE ORDER DOWN and then was TOO LAZY to COMPARE THE TICKET TO THE FOOD which table had which thing. He handed us a side of beans and something else when we ordered quesadilllas adding a side of ranch. Anyway, my point is, I would TRULY RATHER have gave him a 20% plus tip than for him to do that. Do you understand it's about not having problems and about the server TRYING THEIR BEST, which this waiter was clearly LAZY as can be? I reported him to the manager and he saw how, JUST AN APPETIZER how he 100% messed that up by not writing it down or even comparing the ticket to the food. He apparently put the item in correctly, possibly not the ranch, but either way, ranch could have been brought out ahead of time regardless of WHO brought out the food.
NO, it's not pointless demands, it's just getting WHAT YOU ORDERED OR ASKED FOR!! I am TIRED OF THE servers like that. Those are the lazy one and uncaring ones that think they are ENTITLED to a tip.
Alli
"You must think servers have some ounce of control of what happens in a restaurant."
They have LOTS of control over what you get at your table. Think about it.
They control when they put in your order, what order they put in, what they bring you as far as obvious mistakes are concerned if they bring you your food, they control what they charge you as far as what the product is, price(on the menu or what their manager requires if it’s not on the menu such as extra condiments or extra items), noticing if you have utensils, getting you refills, asking if you need anything like refills, etc.
You are stupid to think they have ZERO CONTROL, when they have 90% of control of what happens at your table and YOU KNOW THAT IS THE GOD’S TRUTH!!
"I work in a place where we are merely messengers between the kitchen and the customers."
No, you are responsible for what you BRING to the person if it’s something you can tell just by LOOKING at it if it’s wrong or not. Use your common sense. I had a stupid waiter bring me quesadillas when I ordered bbq chicken nachos. He even wrote it down. Turns out, he put the order in wrong and didn’t obviously compare his written order to the food to try to catch his own initial mistake.
Look at these plates:
http://www.jenzcorner.com/gallery/chilis.jpg
You can tell in the 3rd picture to the right, they have guacamole , sour cream, jalapenos, tomatoes, etc.
Let’s say the customer ordered no jalapenos. HOW IS THAT A MESSENGER ISSUE EVEN IF YOU PUT IN THE ORDER CORRECTLY, but you also brought out the food, you can CLEALY SEE WITH YOUR EYES THERE ARE JALAPENOS ON THE NACHOS?
The last plate on the right side has corn, let’s say if the person substituted fries, well you can clearly see there is CORN. Get what I am saying here?
YOU AREN’T “JUST THE MESSENGER” YOU ARE THE PERSON THAT IS IN CHARGE OF ****BRINGING IT OUT CORRECTLY***!! If another server delivers the food, if you put in the order correctly, that other is not responsible for any condiments, because the SERVER is since they are making the tip. The other server brings you corn instead of fries when the order was put in correctly, no it wouldn’t be your fault, nor would it be the kitchen staff’s fault, it would be the fault of the LAST PERSON THAT COULD HAVE ***COMPARED THE TICKET TO THE FOOD***, so since the order was in correctly, the person bringing it out would be at fault. It’s still in the service though that person, because they are still “SERVING” you so OF COURSE it should go against the tip. That other server isn’t making a tip since it’s not their table to care, so what do you expect? TEAM WORK, YEAH RIGHT? That never hardly happens since there is no tip involved with that from the customer.
If YOU are my server and bring me that last plate on the right if let’s say I ask for gravy on the side, if you didn’t take ANY ***EFFORT**** to COMPARE THE WRITTEN ORDER TO THE FOOD, then, if you STUPIDLY BRING IT TO ME WITH GRAVY and even the corn when I substituted fries, then IT’S 100% YOUR FAULT FOR WASTING MY TIME ********BRINGING ME THE WRONG FOOD AND WRONGLY PREPARED FOOD THAT IS OBVIOUS WITHOUT HAVING TO TOUCH A THING TO NOTICE THE MISTAKE***!! YOU ARE NOT JUST THE MESSENGER IN 90% of the cases, HONESTLY!!
If you forget my side of bbq sauce, GEE, I can see that in the middle picture, there is no bbq sauce, IS THERE? ARE YOU BLIND? YOU WROTE IT DOWN HOPEFULLY!!
My husband and I have had a waiter put in front of my husband fried shrimp w/fries when he ordered crawfish au gratin w/baked potato. It was only the 2 of us, which mine wasn’t even a complicated order as it usually is. It was because he admitted he grabbed the WRONG ENTRÉE from the kitchen as well as I SAW with MY OWN TWO EYES, he didn’t EVER compare the written orders to WHICH TABLE HAD WHICH ENTRÉE!! HE WAS A LAZY AND UNCARING WAITER!!
THERE WAS NO MESSENGER INVOLVED AND THE KITCHEN STAFF HAD ZERO TO DO WITH WHAT HAD HAPPENED!! So you see, STOP BLAMING EVERYONE ELSE WHEN YOU HAVE 90% CONTROL OF WHAT WE GET AND WHEN WE GET IT!!
Continued next post:
Alli
Continued:
“Do not hold a server accountable for a misprint in a menu that a manager or owner might think is no big deal.”
IT IS NOT A MISPRINT YOU IDIOT!! WE ORDER FROM THE MENU, THE MENU, THE MENU, NOT THE COMPUTER FOR THAT TO BE CORRECT YOU IDIOT!! The computer price means NOTHING and isn’t correct. The menu price is the ONLY PRICE that is correct since the customer LEGALLY CONSENTED WHEN THEY ORDERED TO THAT PRICE ONLY!! They didn’t order from the computer screen .
This is the type of UNCARING, LAZY attitude I am talking about that the waiter had. If I, the CUSTOMER, can COMPARE A MENU TO THE CHECK PRICES, SO CAN THE SERVER!! WE DON’T ORDER FROM THE DAMN COMPUTER!! The server is making a tip and doesn’t have to go to a shelf to find each price. They got a little booklet called a menu, which honestly doesn’t take that long to compare the prices since a lot of prices aren’t even on the menus today at a lot of restaurants such as soft drinks or places like Chili’s don’t even have their alcohol prices listed.
The owner has ZERO to do with this, because even if the owner decides not to fix it(which I have NEVER HAD HAPPEN BEFORE, they all fixed it, because it is STEALING if they don’t), you can’t make the CUSTOMER pay it. IT should come out of your pocket if you want a tip at all. Overcharging INTENTIONALLY IS STEALING and if you know the check isn’t correct, then you are just as bad as the manager.
You can still TRY to get it fixed from the manager *********BEFORE*********** handing me the check.
Here's a pretend check for let's say typically what me and my husband would get:
Bloomin Onion $6.25
Baby Back Ribs (Full) $17.25
Add Side Salad to Entrée $2.50
Ribeye 14oz. $19.95
2 Cold Beverages $2.50 (NOT LISTED ON THE MENU)(that's how they list soft drinks and tea)
Miller Lite – not listed
Down Under Rita – Not Listed
http://www.outback.com/menu/pdf/C10.pdf
Can you find the item with the wrong price? I sure can, so can the SERVER. HOW CAN YOU SAY THE SERVER HAS NO "CONTROL" over this when ANYONE, even a 6 yr old could find a difference in a price? It's just a simple COMPARISON of the MENU to the CHECK prices, that's IT. There isn't anything to say the server wouldn't have control over unless they didn't hand the customer their check, which is very rare, but HAS happened before to us a few times.
The Baby back ribs are $16.95 for the full rack, but on the pretend check, the customer was charged $17.25 What does this tell you? That you are an IDIOT that either cannot READ or just TOO LAZY AND UNCARING to do your job CORRECTLY to care about OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY IN ORDER FOR THEM TO CARE ABOUT YOURS WHEN TIP TIME COMES!!
Even if the drinks had listed prices, SO? Don’t you want a GOOD TIP? CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY BESIDES YOUR OWN!!
“Its not that server can just print up some new menus.”
CAN YOU READ OR ARE YOU ILLITERATE? This is your LAZINESS TALKING HERE!! The COMPUTER IS NOT WHERE WE ORDER FROM YOU IDIOTIC STUPID FOOL!! When *YOU* are a customer, do you order from a COMPUTER SCREEN or a MENU? Well, I am waiting? Isn’t it that ***ADVERTISED PRICE *** on the MENU where you order from? IT IS AND YOU KNOW IT!!
“Cut them some slack, especially when they DO write your order down.”
NOT when you can tell they NEVER ONCE COMPARED THEIR WRITTEN ORDER TO YOUR FOOD AND BROUGHT YOU THE COMPLETELY WRONG THING!! That’s just PURE LAZINESS!!
Also, if I order ONE appetizer and only add one side of ranch, then you can’t get ONE FREAKING PLATE RIGHT, WHAT KIND OF TIP DO YOU EXPECT? 12% or less is what you will get. You get what you give in EFFORT and NICENESS!! If you say you are sorry, you will get more than 12%, possibly 15% just for simply being NICE about the mistake instead of an uncaring bitch!! ADMITTING FAULT WHEN WE KNOW YOU ARE TAKES A LOT and WHEN SOMEONE DOES; TO ME THE TIP SHOULD SHOW THAT!! You don’t care about me; I don’t care about your money, plain and simple!!
I cut you some slack if you are nice about the mistake and it’s a MINOR mistake, if it’s major, it won’t be as harshly if you are nicer and depending on how you handle it(asking for a comp if it’s major), that will depend on how we tip. A good example, a waiter admitted he forgot to put our appetizer order in. The thing is, I saw he had time to HUG someone. I saw WHY he FORGOT. He PROFUSELY apologized twice and even offered us a certain appetizer for free that needed no cooking(chips n’ salsa). I told him we ordered plenty of food that we would rather have something off the bill instead. At first he came back to tell me his manager wouldn’t comp the appetizer, so I was like, “NO, I meant even a coke off the bill is fine, but we just have ordered too much food, so we don’t want more food.” Well, he ended up giving us $5 off the bill. He got himself a 16% tip BEFORE the $5 discount. WHY? BECAUSE **THE WAY HE HANDLED IT**!! I was pissed about that he hugged someone. He should have been doing his JOB, but we have NEVER had someone that actually GAVE A CARE like that, that wanted to MAKE-UP for his mess up. We usually have the ones that don’t care, don’t tell their managers, no comp., etc. We NEVER have someone that does all that. So he got a tip that really wasn’t deserved for the mistake, but it was 100% deserved for the making up for his mistake. My point is, I will cut you slack if you act like we are HUMAN BEINGS WITH FEELINGS as HE DID!! EVERY SERVER SHOULD ACT LIKE THAT IF THEY MAKE A MAJOR MESS UP!! You want a good tip, TRY to make-up for it. Heck, if the manager wouldn’t have comped anything, I would have honestly expected HIM to PAY for the soft drink. If he would have, we would have tipped the same, but if there was no comp, 5% tip, because as I said, I SAW he had time to PLAY, so he can decide to do what is right. I would rather get a tip than hardly any tip. I know I would pay for a coke if I were a server if I had done that KNOWING I HAD THE TIME, but PLAYED. I would be lucky if I didn’t get stiffed, because NOTHING can make-up for a TIME LOSS. Money doesn’t always make-up someone’s time; especially if they want to make a movie or something else they want to go afterwards and are late because of that type of thing.
I don't tip because it's a messed up concept. It doesn't take a genius to see that that waiters and waitresses are already payed minimum wage because the restaurants are obligated guarantee them at least that much.
I've talked to a lot of people and most tip even though they don't want to. How stupid is that....? What is this high school where people do things because of peer pressure just to fit in? Should we tip because we don't want to 'offend' someone even though it's optional? Or do we tip so that these trailer trash people don't piss in our food?
I don't feel tips are reasonable given the already high cost of food, the OK salary waiters/waitresses make, and their readiness to to get upset for 'little or no tip'...therefore I don't tip. If you don't like that idea.....move on. I'm not like the other politically correct tippers you see.
PS: I work for a financial company here in New York and am well off...so it's not like I'm cheap or bla bla. I simply don't agree with the concept and therefore don't tip.
You clearly have never worked in a restaurant or known anyone who has worked in a restaurant. To say "trailer trash" when referring to servers is a gross generalization and is HORRIBLY offensive. The single mom or college student that is busting their butt to get you that side of ranch dressing that you just NEEDED so desperately doesn't care about your "holier than thou" ideas about tipping. They're trying to make ends meet so that they can provide for themselves, and sometimes their family. There are A LOT of people in America that weren't afforded opportunities to work in the financial sector, and never had a single hand reach out to help them. Maybe you should think about the opportunities that you were given in life and count your blessings cause you don't know what kind of hand the person serving you has been dealt.
How rude of you... I wouldn't be surprised if you are a regular at a restaurant where they spit in your food because you don't tip. Haven't you seen the moving Waiting? Don't f*ck with people who cook and serve your food.
How about you don't f*ck with other peoples opinions. I don't see where she offended you for you to get so angry. Jackasses spitting in food is exactly the kind of reason why people probably don't tip. I hope someone shits on your food, u tip them, and end up in the hospital for e. coli infection.
u waste of space.
Are you out of your mind? NYC has one of the highest cost of livings on the planet and you're not tipping your waiters? Educated people wait tables, Jen, and they'll be the first to tell you, a tip IS voluntary, but it's also a way to do your part for the economy, and don't try to hide the fact you're chintzy with the old "i don't want to" argument. What if your salad cost more than you want it too? you gonna leave 10 dollars instead of 11.50? you can't skimp on the bill, so don't skimp on the tip, spread the wealth, cheapskate
jen, i am sure i am speaking for most of the free speaking servers in ny alone, stay home, you are not doing anyone any favors by going out to eat, i have served for a number of years before finding my "career" job. and still to this day appreciate servers and all they do. when i was serving and putting my daughter through catholic school the schedule i had allowed me to work and care for her during the day. i am grateful for those that tipped as well as they did based on my level of service, which as stated previously never started out trying to be substandard. yes, there are things that are out of a servers control, ie the kitchen, or front of house seating problems, but we, the servers are the "face" of ther establishment and need to protect that "face" if we want to get paid. people used to say to me why don't you get a "real job" excuse me, i have a real job, making "real" money, do you typically bring home $300.00 a week (in the 70"s) i do, and i do not nor have i ever lived in a trailer. your mentality is at best, an excuse for you just being cheap.
People that do not tip, we do not do it because we cant afford it. We do it because we dont want to. It is a concious choice not to apply the "social norm". Some jobs are meant to pay bad. It is called a social ladder! climb up if you can. Plus, social norms are meant to change. dont you think it's abou time?
If you're so high up on the social ladder, don't you think you should be leaving a tip? How am I supposed to climb this "ladder" if cheap, or I guess in your case just selfish, people are at my table? I'm doing this job to help pay for my college, not because I desire $3.50 an hour. If you can't afford to tip, and ESPECIALLY if you just don't tip because "some jobs are meant to pay bad," then don't go out to eat. Cook it yourself, because tipping is part of the dining out experience. It is the reason servers are legally allowed to be paid less than minimum wage. People like you are the reason there's the saying, everyone should have to wait tables at some point in their life. Do me a favor, stay home.
Quality restaurants should have quality wait staff, service, and food. Patrons should leave a quality tip. I waited tables throughout college, and know what its like. If you wait tables at a chain middle-of-the-road restaurant that caters to non tipping, low class individuals, then that is obviously your choice...but don't gripe about not making money.
I've worked in jobs where if I have a bad day, I can get people killed. I have never had a "bad day" on those jobs. I went into it knowing exactly what needed to be done, and exactly how to get it done.
As long as you aren't blaming kitchen mistakes on a server, it's perfectly fine to not tip because of poor service.
I had an experience at a resturaunt in Texas, where the waitress not only got an awesome tip "Find another Job", she got fired for what happened at my table.
I tip big (30% or more) if I've been taken care of. If the waiter did his job, he automatically gets a big tip out of me. If I'm left wanting, he still gets his 15%. But if he/she screws up, they get a dollar or two. Now, if he pulls attitude with me when I inform him that he's messed up, I tend to write advice in the tip line, instead of a dollar ammount.
I've done it before.. BUT I would also be sure that I've taken steps BEFORE that to address the problem.. If it's a speed of service issue, that may not be my servers direct controllable issue.. as such, I'm not inclined to NOT tip, as that's not "punishing" the responsible party.. Part of my reluctance stems from the simple fact that not everything is controllable by your sever– who just by the process is the "face" to your experience.. So, if the kitchen is slow for whatever reason, or your food is prepared incorrectly, that may not be your servers "fault" but by leaving little or no tip, you've effectively punished them for something they had little or no ability to control. Tip pooling makes holding the responsible party hard as everyone is ultimately "tied" together for their performance..
I would, and have, asked to speak to the duty manager to express my concerns and asked him/her to address it– and also noted, that his/her actions would be reflected in my tip accordingly.. This isn't a threat and I try hard to express as such, and since the manager is most likely not a party to profiting from any tips left- s/he has no direct vested interest in my tip size anyway.. but they should be for their employees sake and the possible word of mouth issues.
What I don't like and refuse to do is to simply not leave a tip and not give that person(s) the opportunity to correct it.. I recognize that in many cases a servers wage structure is set up with the built-in assumption that s/he will derive a percentage of their total pay from discretionary tips– so I take any tip reduction or elimination seriously.. But in the end, I don't feel that I'm *obligated* to do so, and that if I've received what I perceive to be poor or sub-standard service *and* I've given that person a chance to correct it (assuming it's their issue and correctable) then I see no problems with leaving little or no tip..
WestCoastDiner
"your food is prepared incorrectly, that may not be your servers "fault" but by leaving little or no tip, you've effectively punished them for something they had little or no ability to control."
In MOST(not all, but MOST) situations, YOU CAN TELL if it's your server's fault or not. Think about it. If you can see something is wrong just by LOOKING at the food if they brought it out to you(such as the completely wrong food, side dish missing, missing side of ranch), you KNOW WHO IS AT FAULT, YOUR SERVER since they have a set of EYES TOO that can compare the written orders to the food BEFORE bringing it out to you.
If I see my server not going to the computer after taking my order and going to buss a table or going to 3 other tables without them calling him or her over, I can see WHY my food is going to get delayed. It's because they decided to hold my table's orders in their hands instead of putting it into the computer so the kitchen can get started on it just that much sooner.
MOST of the time, you know who is at fault. Sometimes, there are honest servers that admit fault. Most of the time, it's pretty obvious what has happened.
The times I am not sure such as an undercooked steak(not sure if my server put in the order correctly), I will blame the kitchen staff unless my server admits fault. In other words, I may be taking it out on the kitchen staff when my server put my order in wrong, but I would say something like that is usually the kitchen staff's fault, so I will go with that unless they admit fault.
Springs, yes I agree that in *MOST* situations that would hold true.. but my point and premise is that I am not going to hold the server responsible for it all and that there can be issue that s/he had little to no direct control over.. Yes, they have eyes and should be inspecting dishes before presentation.. that's a fair assessment of responsibility.. but it's not all encompassing.. there can be issues that aren't visible or measurable by eye.. over-salting for example..
The point is that not everything falls to the server.. Yes, they play a very large part in the whole event.. and they also represent the "face" of the restaurant to me– for good or bad.... and as such I am not prone to skip the tip when the issue fundamentally may not have been his/her fault *and* if they've done what can reasonably be expected to do to remedy it.. But I do expect that they be my advocate for an pleasant dining experience.
If the server has fundamentally not done the job, and I've given them a change to remedy it, then I'm totally OK with leaving little to no tip... but I do think that it's only fair and proper to assess– as best as possible– where the breakdown was, and what opportunities were available for recovery and who took them or not.
So ...., reading the debate thus far, I have come to the conclusion that yes, you are not entitled to a tip, and Yes leaving NO TIP is okay by me if it was truly that horrible, NOT if you are a cheapskate. I am sevrer who's worked in the industry for 15 years... and I have seen another shift in America besides "entitlement"
How about getting your Buy One Get One free coupons etc in the paper or val-pak , and then leaving a sorry ass tip because your bill is half of what is originally was? I think it's alright if you use it once because that's what they are intended for...not the repeaters who scour every paper/online deal and come in 2 -3 times a week to see how much they can get fror free.
When I started as a server people did this and still tipped according to the original amount BEFORE the coupon discount....now it's just sad to see what people can get for free and then not tip accordingly. That costs the restaurant money and the server too...that includes to go orders in my book as well.
Servers are taxed 2 ways...TOTAL yearly sales and tips declared.
I understand why some people wouldn't tip when the server is rude, but some customers are just plain assholes as soon as they walk in. I'm sorry, but if someone treats me like a subhuman before anything happened yet, I am not going to kiss their ass for a tip. I'll do what I need to do, but it's kind of hard to be in a good mood if you're being talked down to. So, in that way, I may seem rude, but seriously, some people walk in way too high and mighty.
I agree, but that goes for both sides of the table. Customers, servers, and many other people in America today have an egotistical false sense of entitlement. There will always be "those" people, unfortunately – but if you continue to do your job with courtesy, and respect yourself, things will turn out alright in the end!
"Walk in high and mighty"? Oh, puh-leeze. Who do you think you are? That's right: you work for me. We have a contract that says you have to bring what I order or I won't pay for it. You also have an implied obligation to be a good server or I will be released from any obligation to tip you, feeling that your employer has already chosen to compensate you for mediocrity. Does it make me "high and mighty" if I don't want to know your name or allow you to be rude to my guests by interrupting a conversation or failing to cater to our various needs? I don't think so. Get over yourself.
Common courtesy would be to pause your important conversation so your server can do his or her job. They are not interrupting you. They are doing their job.
I used to be a server. I must say that if you feel that I didn't serve you well enough, you shouldn't tip me, but there are those who are truely cheap. They want superior service, but want to treat you like dogs and not tip anything. This one girl said out loud "why should we tip them, it's their job?". Wow! is about all I have to say to that.
I have never been a server before, but I have absolutely no problem tipping someone an exceptional amount for doing exceptional work.
Recently, at an IHOP, there were two large parties (about 11 people) in front of our party of 3. Because it was a week day and the mangement thought it would be a relatively slow day, there was only 1 cook on premise and unfortunately no other cooks were available to come in. It took our food two hours to come, even just the appetizer. Our waitress was extremely nice and genuinely felt bad for us having to wait so long. She offered us a discount and anything we could've possibly asked for. Recognizing that it was clearly the fault of management and the kitchen, I tipped our waitress an astounding $8 on a $12 check. My other two friends, one being a waitress herself, left little to no tip.
Just be sincere, that's all anyone asks.
Waiters make too much money as it is. don't give me that bullshit about how you make less than minimum wage. you are guaranteed minimum wage (restuarant will make up difference), and everyone knows you make $20 – $25 an hour working a job that should pay minimum wage. then you greedy bums come around here talking about we need tips....no you want tips so you can make $25 and hour. otherwise you get what your worth which is 7.25/hr.
by the way, the ppl whining here are the same ones that feel they are entitled to all kinds of special treatment yet they can spit in your food or complain about every stupid thing you tell them to do.
most ppl feel this way, the only ones b*tching are the loser waiters/waitresses (aka beggers). I work as a construction contractor and run my own business...bring home about 90k a year. I stiff everytime because i don't remember ppl tipping me with the exception of a few.
bottom line, waiters/waitresses just do your work and shut up about the tips. Restaurants and other businesses (like mine) with no tips generally have better service any way.
You just had to throw in how much money you bring home? Does this make you feel even bigger than you already are?
Any restaurant that you frequent and don't tip, be warned. Sounds to me like you are a little guy trying to fill some big shoes. Don't change BM people like you just the way you are.
BigMike, this is supposed to be a mature, reasonable debate. Your comments are exactly the type that exacerbate some bad stigmas. You are admitting to being a cheap customer, while you make a fair amount of money and can obviously afford tips. There are industries, such as construction, where tips are not a part of the job (but sometimes bonuses are). That has absolutely nothing to do with being a server, where constant customer service is a part of the job. Tips *are* a part of the job, but as I've stated before, they should be earned, and not given "no matter what".
While I don't give much respect to a self-admitted cheapskate such as yourself, what bothers me more is that you think you are better than others – you're calling people losers. You need a reality check, the world does not revolve around you.
To what Jaliska said in the article "They chose to work at that restaurant w/ minimum wage. They're not forced to live off that money. If they really wanted to, they could get a good-paying job somewhere else. It's not the customer's problem that the server doesn't earn enough money to fend for himself. We eat out to feed ourselves, not to worry about someone else."
It's a fact of life that sometimes people can't find any other work. Especially in this economy, having any kind of paying job is a blessing. I waited tables in college and can say that the experience has made me a more empathetic person. Everyone, no matter what you do, has to deal with some type of "customer" so we should all learn to exercise better "customer service". If you go to a restaurant and you're rude, you'll get bad service and if even if you do get bad service, there's no excuse to not leave a tip. Even a penny is better than no tip, that way your server will realize that maybe he/she needs to improve upon some things.
I have waited tables and been on the receiving end of a 1 penny tip, and I remember being devastated, because I couldn't understand what I had done wrong to displease my customers that badly. After a couple years bussing and waiting- it had made me an over-tipper anytime I went out. Even if I had what most would consider bad service, I would still leave between 15-20%. I never left a penny or no tip at all- until a couple weeks ago I was out with friends. The service was horrendous. We had 3 or 4 different people at our... one to seat us, one to take our order, another to deliver our order and one last person to bring us the wrong bill and finally our bill. We never really had a waitress (we saw the woman who had taken our order actually leave work in a hurry), no one checked on us and we had to fight to get someone's attention to get our bill. We left a 32-cent tip. Due to their lack of attention- I am sure they wouldn't even know who to give it to.
There are actually restaurants that provide this kind of service (called 'team service') where a different person is in charge of different aspects of the table service. It's weird and confusing and I don't know why restaurants do this. I don't know if this was anything like your experience, but it's seems to be a trend lately.
everyone that says that waiters should be paid more.. needs to think about that a bit. if they raised the minimum wage to, say, $10 an hour, roughly to handle inflation over the last decade or so, your $6 value meal at McDonalds would go up accordingly, so expect that to cost you $8 now. Just like if you go out to eat at a restaurant and they started paying waiters $12 an hour instead of $2, your $14 plate of pasta will now be more like $25. Restaurants pay servers $2 because they make their money through tips, when its dead, the restaurant isn't making any money, just like the servers. but if they're getting paid 12 an hour.. they'll take a loss, and have to make it up on the cost of food. so you can say they should be paid more, but it will cost you less to just give them a tip.
I've made over $30 an hour at restaurants when its busy.. but i've also made the $2/hr when its dead. working a 6 hr shift, even if its busy for 2 solid hours, thats 12 bucks an hour, which isn't bad.. but given that includes no benefits, and most likely doesn't happen every shift, waiters don't make a ton of money.
WAITERS MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY AS IT IS. DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT ABOUT HOW YOU MAKE LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE. YOU ARE GUARANTEED MINIMUM WAGE (RESTUARANT WILL MAKE UP DIFFERENCE), AND EVERYONE KNOWS YOU MAKE $20 – $25 AN HOUR WORKING A JOB THAT SHOULD PAY MINIMUM WAGE. THEN YOU GREEDY BUMS COME AROUND HERE TALKING ABOUT WE NEED TIPS....NO YOU WANT TIPS SO YOU CAN MAKE $25 AND HOUR. OTHERWISE YOU GET WHAT YOUR WORTH WHICH IS 7.25/HR.
BY THE WAY, THE PPL WHINING HERE ARE THE SAME ONES THAT FEEL THEY ARE ENTITLED TO ALL KINDS OF SPECIAL TREATMENT YET THEY CAN SPIT IN YOUR FOOD OR COMPLAIN ABOUT EVERY STUPID THING YOU TELL THEM TO DO.
BOTTOM LINE, WAITERS/WAITRESSES JUST DO YOUR WORK AND SHUT UP ABOUT THE TIPS. RESTAURANTS WITH NO TIP GENERALLY HAVE BETTER SERVICE ANY WAY.
I am a server, if you are rude to me, order me around and I have the feeling you are going to give me a bad tip. You must remember that I am bringing out your food and drinks, I have friends in the kitchen and bar staff. I can ask them to go light on the alcohol in your drinks you may get a smaller portion, you may get something extra added to your drink or your straw dropped on the floor then put in your drink. There are many ways a server can get back at a poor tipper or rude customer.
We servers have great memories. We remember who tips us great, so-so, who is nice, who is rude but will give you a good tip and we remember you when you don't tip or leave us little or nothing when you are just being cheap.
Mace, it is servers like you that made me ashamed to be a waiter. You feel entitled to a tip. Whats more if you "think" someone is not going to tip you give crappy service. Believe me Mace, as a customer if I saw "special" treatment to my food or drink, not only would I get your ass fired but if it was real bad I would press charges aginst you and the restraunt you worked for. Tip? Earn it I always did. As a server if I saw your treatments I would on the spot stop what you are doing and get management. you are tarnishing the restraunt you are working at and therefore my tips in the future.. Been there done exactly that.
There is no way you'd ever catch me doing anything to your drinks or food, a few words to the right people is all that is needed. You don't know what the cooks or chefs are doing and the bar is also to busy for you to see a short pour. Jump to sue, you can try it your case would go no where with no proof, one person's word against another. If you worked in the same place as I do and you saw some of these offenses and ran to the management. You'd loose face with your coworkers and you may feel better, but in a few weeks you'd be run out of that establishment. The kitchen staff would be on you like smell on poop. Hostile work environment . I hope I tarnish your tipping and you continue giving the same crappy tip at your favorite restaurant. We'll remember it and you.
I hope you go and feed the trolls.
The problem with all the non tippers is that they are just plain C-H-E-E-P. They feel that they are owed this service because they paid for a meal. It's the new generation....They feel they are owed everything. A waiter/waitress should have to address their whims and wishes and for less than mimimum wage.... After all they are slaves right? I've seen waitresses that would hump their butts off for $3.00/hr, going back and forth for differnt things and see a table of 4-6 leave $1.00 on a $60.00 bill .You should stay home to cook and wait on yourselves if that is what you feel is a sufficient tip. If the waiter or waitress doesn't do a sufficient job, maybe you should take a look at yourselves. It could be that you are actually the problem. You cop a bad attitude with them and you are probably not going to get very good service. If you have an off day at work on your job, does YOUR boss withhold a days pay and expect you to work for minimum or no wage?
PS...I'm not a waiter or waitress
Get a life deadbeats
You're clearly missing the point.
To start with, the word is spelled C-H-E-A-P, for future reference. The issue we are debating is whether or not to leave a tip, WHEN SERVICE IS POOR. We're not talking about bad customers and cheap customers – they exist, and it sucks, but before you get all excited about this debate, let's be very clear on what is ACTUALLY being debated, and stick to that.
I find it interesting that you complain about people expecting everything nowadays – while I entirely agree with that, the servers here ALSO fall into that category. This argument has been made again and again. Please read previous comments on this.
You also fail to understand the nature of being a server. Your job is to provide service to the customer, or as you are claiming it to be, serving their "whims." What do you think being a server *is*? I'm not talking about the annoying customers who are finicky about everything (although they have *every* right to be that way and to enjoy eating out). As a server, that is your job. It's not unreasonable to expect that the customer would receive fair, friendly, competent service. It's not unreasonable for the customer to have specific tastes and/or preferences that they ask for. The server's job is to properly acquiesce, and provide the service for an enjoyable meal.
Yes, there ARE bad customers. However, it's not too common. Part of being a server is CUSTOMER SERVICE. Any person who has worked a customer service position knows how *some* people can be. But that's part of the job. It must be dealt with professionally.
You should never leave less than a 15% tip, for any reason. You don't know what is going on behind the scenes. Ask to see a manager if you feel you have had bad service. If your claim is legit, he/she will credit your bill and disipline the server.
dan,
There are a few reasons leaving no tip is perfectly fine. It would be nice if you would please read the logical and reasonable arguments already stated, prior to posting a biased one. Stating something like you should never leave less than 15% is an extreme statement, one that cannot be supported. Let me ask you this – if you were my server, and you:
-talked with your friends (non-working) while I waited for you to take my table's order (menu's placed on the table, all of us looking around for our server)
-took our order after 20 minutes by memory, and made 3 mistakes
-took another 30 minutes to fix our orders
-were never to be found during the meal
-all of my table watched you talking with your friends (as you looked over at us) and we were signaling you over, because we needed boxes and you still did not come over
-we signal another nearby server, and ask for the manager
-the manager talks to you, and you come and get in MY FACE and asking me literally, what my problem is
(while the manager sees this, btw)
Do you think you deserve a tip? 15%? Because if you do, you're clearly senile.
For servers who work in a place where the average cost of a meal for 2 people is $30. If that server is waiting on 5 tables and the turn over for the tables is 1 hour, then your looking at least $25/hr during busy periods. Pretty good pay.
"some people go out to eat thinking that no matter where they go, they should be treated like royalty, and a server who is working 15 tables at once should memorize their 4 person order and bring it out within a self-appointed "acceptable" amount of time and the server is further responsible for the condition of those orders"
Well, yes. I expect my server to remember my order either via memory or writing it down. I expect them to be aware of how long we have waited and to check on the order. I expect them to let me know if there is a problem. I expect them to keep my drinks filled whilst I wait and eat. I expect them to check the order before they bring it to me..
Sorry if I am expecting too much..
agreed. And if I cannot get all of those things, then dang, just let me go get my own refills. Let me get my plate from the kitchen. I really don't care. I just actually want my food. I want the environment to be nice and clean. And I would like to hear the person I'm sitting with.
If your electricity cut out, and your DVR didn't record last nights episode, and the check engine light appeared on your car you just wouldn't pay any of those bills...that being said TRULY bad service is bad service and should not be rewarded. But I don't think most people take your order because they WANT to give you bad service.
I've left a penny tip–under the teapot in a Chinese restaurant. Which was closed the next year, probably due to other customers voting with their feet. I live in NYC, don't know where the rest of you live, but BAD service tales are legendary here. I would no sooner tip these people (or tip them well) than I would maim myself. I will tip generously when the service rises to the level of Service. I was at a company dinner at a five-star restaurant, and witnessed first-hand what high-level service comprises. Most servers/waiters could never be employed in an establishment like this. Too many of us think that we are Chiefs, and not Indians. We're all Indians (sorry, Indians), and should treat each other well, always. I've had waiters who felt they were too good to do their jobs. I've had waiters who were so good, professional and friendly that I made sure I, and everyone at the table, tipped then handsomely. Tipping is a gratuity, not a requirement. It is a reward for service rendered. No service rendered, no tip. Another thing; bias does come into play. I'm a Black man, and clearly, anathema to some servers, who feel I'm genetically predisposed to leaving nothing, a penny, or maybe my phone # on a napkin instead of a tip. Not really. I'm a diner who wants a meal/drinks/service like anyone else. If I think you're ignoring me because I won't tip, well Bingo! You've now altered reality to fit your fantasy, and I won't tip. Won't come back either, and I'll tell my other professional friends (of all colors) what a hole your establishment is. Bottom line–most times, the power to receive a good/great tip lies in the hands of the waiter. I don't punish bad management, or so-so food, or even poor ambiance. I cannot disrespect myself, however, by rewarding someone who disrespects me, when all I wanted was to eat and drink.
Thing is, I actually enjoy tipping. It gives me a chance to thank the people who help me out and feel like I’ve made someone’s day. I actually found myself upset today because the maintenance guy at my apartment building left my place before I had the chance to pass him a ten-spot. I guess some people don’t get as much gratification from being nice to other members of the service industry as I do. I’ve found when I go out of my way to be nice to someone, they do so in return. Maybe that’s why I’ve never had a terribly scarring experience when going out to dinner. I find that when people are nasty from the start, or seem to be in a bad mood, the tip is going to be bad. No matter what I do. I’m not saying anyone is required to do anything. But I am saying it’s shitty. People should get off their high horse from time to time and just treat each other with mutual respect. We would all be better off.
Leslie,
my responses:
1) While yes, this is an "extreme" example, it's not out of the question. It's an example of a situation where a certain level of service and competence is expected (regardless of the result being permanent or not). It's also an industry where giving a tip is pretty standard. If you receive the service (poorly) and not to your satisfaction. I guess I could change it to another industry – let's say you take your car to the mechanic because it's cutting off when you're at stoplights. He looks at it, maybe changes a sparkplug, and charges you a couple hours of work ~ $150. If your car dies on the way home, would you want your money back? Would you want him to fix it for free?
2) I do find it hard to believe you would actually pay + tip for a haircut you did not want or that you hate. I find it easier to believe you would say you would pay, for the sake of argument. I understand people don't read minds, this is why I specified a clear example where you could show a picture or at least assume you could tell your stylist what you wanted. Regardless, let's say you are being honest and you would pay + tip for the undesired haircut. I commend you, as most people would at least not provide a tip, even if they would pay.
I do know you wish to provide great service – as I've stated before, I was a server for a couple of years. I know what it's like on both sides of the coin. Keep in mind that the debate is starting to get too obfuscated – you're discussing quality of food, spilled drinks, etc. My argument (and the majority of the goose-egg crowd) is simply regarding service quality. Yes, things can happen – I'm sure you know. If a drink is spilled, apologize, do your thing. It sounds like you're a good server, one I would appreciate it. So this isn't anything personal – the argument is regarding poor, incompetent, lazy service that creates a bad dining experience. The first thing they told me when I started working at the restaurant:
1 bad review = 8 good reviews.
Things happen and it can't always be perfect, so I appreciate servers like you that actually put in the effort, even when things don't go as planned. Servers like you should be rewarded, but the tip should never be "expected." It's a very fine distinction that must be made. Also, I hope you don't take it the wrong way – there are horrible customers as well but that's outside of the debate. The issue at hand is whether or not it's OK to stiff a tip when service is bad. In my eyes, that means the service would have to be so bad, I would never want to return – that happened once to me at a Macaroni Grill. Another story.
Anyway – another thing to note is that most of the reasonable arguments about poor service and leaving no tip include the disclaimer that the management should be made aware. That's very important. Besides, in most cases, if management is made aware, a tip can be salvaged. I'm not talking about stiffing the tip if food is cooked improperly or something else, I'm only discussing poor, incompetent service. This also assumes I have brought my concerns to the server's attention as well – in no case do I wish to have a server stiffed for poor service if it was never communicated.
4) I can understand – I've been there. I served a large party (15) and after everyone claimed to have paid, and left a tip, I still owed $35. Turns out, one couple who had been eating there left early, and nobody else wanted to cover their tab. So instead of getting a nice $50 tip, I owed (the manager comped the meals on a one-time basis, but I would have been screwed) There ARE people like that, and it sucks. On the other hand, again, under no circumstances are you *ever* actually paying your customer to serve them (unless they skip out on the meal like they did to me). Your employer is responsible for paying you up to full minimum wage if your tips don't cover it.
I understand your compassion for this, and I see where you are coming from, but in the end, we will simply have to agree to disagree. I find it selfish to expect any tip at all, and you are on the other side of that coin. For the record, I've only not left a tip once – during the Macaroni Grill incident which was entirely the server's fault. The Manager comped our meals, gave us gift certificates so we would return, and fired the server on the spot. It was BAD.
My husband and I go out to eat pretty often and have only experienced really bad service on 4 or 5 occassions in the past 5 years. My husband has always been a good tipper, he always buys alot of food and beer and usually always tips 20% or more. When we do get a bad server I think, wow, you have no idea how much money you just lost. The worst server we ever had was at a place called the Troll in GA. The server sat us down, took our drink/food order, brought our drinks and then disappeared for about a half hour. We remained patient but were getting annoyed. Finally, she came by appologized and said our food would be out soon and said she'd bring us some chips/salsa to make-up for the delay. It took her another 25 or so minutes to refresh our drinks and bring us the chips. Now we're going on an hour and all we've gotten a couple of drinks and some chips. Other guests that were seated AFTER us had already eaten their food and we're paying their bills. I kept telling my husband, if she doesn't bring our food (sandwhiches) in 15 minutes, I'm leaving, but my husband kept saying just wait. Sometimes he gets on my nerves! Just as I was about to get up and leave (another half hour went by again), suddenly our food arrived. I was so mad I could barely eat and the food wasn't worth the almost 2 hours of waiting. This waitress gave no excuses or appologies. She could see that we we're pretty upset. I think that she originally forgot to place our order and when she finally realized her mistake, we'd already been waiting atleast an hour. Needless-to-say, she did NOT get any tip. She's lucky that we didn't go the manager to complain. We go to that area a lot but haven't been back to the Troll since and never will.
I am a waitress, and there are a few circumstance under which i would leave a low tip, for example if the server was deliberately rude. HOWEVER, i would NEVER leave no tip. here is why:
at a lot of restaurants, including the one i currently work at, servers are required to tip out the bartenders and busboys. i have to tip out the bartender 2%, and the bus boy 1%, of my total food sales. that might not sound like a lot, but it is. say i sell $1,000 of food in one night; that means i have to pay out a total of $30 from my tips, which makes a big difference to someone on a server's salary! so if you buy a $100 meal, that means i automatically have to pay the bartender and bus boy a total of $3 dollars, regardless of what you tip me. if you leave me no tip, i am actually losing money on your meal. and thats fucked up!
i don't like the system the way it is; i think that restaurants should pay their employees. this means customers shouldn't have to tip, and servers shouldn't have to pay their support staff. but, thats the way it is, and it isn't fair to punish servers for this system.
so next time you think of stiffing a waiter completely, wait a minute and realize that when you leave NO tip, you are actually costing the waiter money, and no service is so horrible that the waiter owes you money. always leave enough to cover the bartender/bus boy tip out, even if it is just a few dollars. the bottom line is that someone performed a service, and even if they did a shitty job, that doesn't mean they should have to lose their already hard earned money.
Dana Hart
"at a lot of restaurants, including the one i currently work at, servers are required to tip out the bartenders and busboys. i have to tip out the bartender 2%, and the bus boy 1%, of my total food sales. that might not sound like a lot, but it is. say i sell $1,000 of food in one night; that means i have to pay out a total of $30 from my tips, which makes a big difference to someone on a server's salary! so if you buy a $100 meal, that means i automatically have to pay the bartender and bus boy a total of $3 dollars, regardless of what you tip me. if you leave me no tip, i am actually losing money on your meal. and thats fucked up!"
Shouldn't the server SUFFER with that CONSEQUENCE by PAYING to SERVE US if they were RUDE and did a shitty job? To me, it's 100%, MILLION, TRILLION PERCENT DESERVED if they were really horrible or/and rude.
By paying them, you are just CONTRIBUTING to the problem of them doing it again and again. WHY do you think they have jail for example? It's so you LEARN from it, NOT to do the same things again. I will agree, some don't learn, but some do. With this, if all customers would tip the way me and my husband tip by tipping based on service(not at all based on servers tipping out), the servers would LEARN that they couldn't pay their bills if they didn't bust butt next times around.
It's fucked up if the customer stiffs you for no real reason except for being cheap. It's not at all fucked up if you truly deserve it by giving poor service.
I feel that waitress I talked about above DESERVED to lose her job and DESERVED to PAY to serve us. She didn't even TRY her best. It's not just bringing out what the kitchen staff gives you, it's verifying the obvious items BEFORE bringing them out, otherwise, WHY NOT LEAVE THE SERVER OUT OF THE EQUATION IF THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE BRINGING OUT?
"i don't like the system the way it is; i think that restaurants should pay their employees."
I love the system. I don't think restaurants should pay their employees, because then service will be NOTHING!! There will be NO INCENTIVE to do anything for the customer or get their order right. You think service is bad now a times, without tipping, why would you bother to get 5 sets of refills, getting people's order right, getting them extra ranch, napkins, mayo, etc.? It would be exactly like McDonald's where they hand you anything and don't give a care.
Positive and negative reinforcement truly does work. If someone gave you a $20 bill to do nothing or work for an hour serving customers at a fast food restaurant during lunch time(meaning you only get $20,not your hourly pay), which one would most people pick? I would pick to do nothing just as you would, be honest now. If I am going to get the $20 anyway, WHY would I lift a finger to do ANY WORK?
Tipping makes service better. If you do better, you can get more. If you do poorly, you get punished and LEARN to do the job BETTER. If you get a set pay, you NEVER will learn. It's kind of like if you get in trouble with the law, but always get a judge to let you off, you will most likely keep on doing it, whereas, if you are punished by getting jail time for example, you just maybe will learn not to keep doing that activity. This is the GOD'S TRUTH!! Tipping is the best thing for non-fast food restaurant service, because otherwise, if you think service is not good a lot now, there will be no reason for you to get a refill or a refill in timely manner. They may get it, but you may not see it for 10 minutes, because they know the pay is already there, whereas if you are tipping, they are going to GO ALL OUT for you to bust butt to get that tip. Now, some won't that are lazy and have the ENTITLEMENT mentality. Also, what cause the entitlement mentality is people like you that don't stiff for bad service. If you pay them 10% for terrible service for example like the one I mentioned above, you are PAYING them to RUIN your outing. If you want to do that, that's your business, but just know you are contributing to the actions they are doing. You want them to give you better service, CONTROL their service by punishing them with not paying them. That way, with no pay, they will LEARN(gee I can't pay my bills), so they will have no choice but to shape up or ship out!!
"servers shouldn't have to pay their support staff. but, thats the way it is, and it isn't fair to punish servers for this system."
It's unfair to have to tip out bussers and hostess, because they don't serve anybody. Bartenders on the other hand, I 100% disagree with you on that. If they are only making $2.13/hr like you are, then it's only fair they get a part of a tip for the drinks they make. Especially, if the customer stiffed you because of something completely your fault, the bartender should still get his or her fair share of the tip since it wasn't their fault you got stiffed. Now, when it is their fault you get stiffed, I can see it being not fair, but most of the time, it's the server's fault why they have bar drink issues. Sometimes the servers can see without touching anything something is wrong with the drink or forget to put in the order or put in the wrong order or forget to get the drink from the bar.
While it is unfair to have to tip the hostess and bussers, that's not OUR ISSUE as a customer and you shouldn't involve us in that. WE DON'T GIVE A CARE!! WHY SHOULD WE? We have NOTHING to do with the corporate/managers/owners policies of tipping out. That is YOUR ISSUE!! I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO TIP OUT ANYTHING OR TIP OUT $100 of your money. I care about if you give me GOOD SERVICE.
HAVING TO TIP OUT YOUR SUPPORT STAFF SHOULD MEAN NOTHING TO THE CUSTOMER AND IT MEANS NOTHING TO MOST CUSTOMERS OUT THERE!! Heck, most customers don't even know this, much less care!! That is YOUR ISSUE that you have to tip out. We have NOTHING to do with that.
In fact, that should make you try HARDER to get a huge tip if you know some of the tip will go to other employees. So if anything, that should make you a better, HARDER worker.
"wait a minute and realize that when you leave NO tip, you are actually costing the waiter money,"
So WHAT? That is YOUR ISSUE, NOT OURS!! If you suck, you shouldn't get anything!!
"no service is so horrible that the waiter owes you money."
It sure is. There are plenty of times where you should owe to serve us. TIPS ARE NOT ENTITLED TO YOU SERVERS!! YOU EARN YOUR PAY!! If you have to tip out other employees, how is that OUR PROBLEM if you RUINED OUR OUTING? YOU SHOULD PAY TO SERVE US IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE AN ASSHOLE!! What goes around, comes around. Maybe next time, you will learn NOT to do that behavior again.
woah! you have clearly had some pretty bad service in the past, and i sympathize! i read your first post, and i agree, if i had had that waitress, i would have given her no tip as well. however, my "no tip" would have been a small enough tip that she isn't actually losing money on my meal, i.e. i would leave a tip, it just would work out to be small enough that she sees no gain from it, because i disagree with you on one point; i really do not think a server should ever have to pay a customer to wait on them, even indirectly.
i agree, i think incentive works wonderfully. i like getting 20% tips, so i work hard and i'm a great waitress. luckily i have never, ever been stiffed. but i feel sympathetic to people who have been, because i know that "no tip" can actually quite often mean a negative income for the server on that table.
i also agree that not many customers know or care about what servers get paid and what they have to pay out at the end of their shift. i just wish that that wasn't the case: when i wait on a table, i genuinely care about the people i am serving, and i put real effort into understanding and meeting their needs. i would like to think that that mentality is reciprocated, and that my customers care, even just a little bit, about me. sadly, as i have known and as your response has reaffirmed, this is not always the case.
i hope your dining experiences in the future are more positive, and that you find yourself tipping big and feeling good about it!
Obviously you have never been a server.... and with your claims about busting butt to get better tip..realize it's not the bartender tip etc for his sales he gets tipped out...it's TOTAL sales.. so if i sell $100 and have to tip out $30 for bartender and busser... and your drink was wrong b/c the bartebder messed it up .. and I fixed it for you...you're saying I should be punished for poor service.?
Try being a single mom of two...recently divorced... and NOT on state or federal aid.Because the government in Texas says the poverty level for help is less than $ 2,000 a month for a familyof 3. Because i make too much money as a server, and this is the only job i can get in this economy is waiting tables....then talkj TO ME ABOUT NOT TIPPNING.
Dana
"The fact that you don't think of servers as human beings with feelings because they ruined your evening is absurd. Don't tip, stiff, whatever, but to say that you don't care about them, don't see them has human, don't care about their income or life situation, all simply because they 'ruined your evening" and served you your drink late...it sounds to me like you are dealing with some larger issues here than just deciding if someone deserves a tip or not."
It's the 100% complete OPPOSITE. I think of servers with feelings, that is why I put MYSELF in THEIR SHOES, WHAT WOULD SPRINGS1 DO? I sure as hell would think of someone's feelings and time by not kissing my significant other while I was taking an order. I also would COMPARE the WRITTEN ORDER with the food as well as the menu if I didn't know the menu well enough yet. I would TRY NOT TO RUIN SOMEONE'S OUTING. You don't seem to get that I am going by what and MOSTLY HOW they do it. Do they SAY THEY ARE SORRY? Are they being selfish(kissing someone while you are taking my order is extremely self-centered)? I treat them as human beings WHEN and IF they TREAT ME AS ONE!!! THEY ARE AT OUR MERCY, so if they want a good amount of money at the end, they need to TRY their BEST and BE NICE AS WELL AS CONSIDERATE of customer's time.
How is it "ABSURD" when they do such rude things like KISS their boyfriend during taking my order(WHILE I WAS TELLING MY ORDER)? It is rude to interrupt people in a casual conversation, so why would this be treated any differently?
WHY should I care about their income or life when they don't care about ours? They look at us as DOLLAR SIGNS. That is the truth. Customers are dollar signs to them. We aren't people to them, because otherwise, they wouldn't TREAT us in that type of manner. They would be NICE and CONSIDERATE people. They would try their VERY BEST and couldn't FATHOM interrupting someone ordering unless it was an EMERGENCY such as if someone died in her family or a fire, etc. I can understand those things, but to just kiss your boyfriend just to do it without ANY APOLOGY, FUCK YOUR TIP!! You want a tip, DON'T BE RUDE and INCONSIDERATE!! Do your best, be apologetic etc. if you want a good tip, don't be an inconsiderate person. I say I am sorry if I bump into someone by accident even, why couldn't she have said she was sorry for what she did? I know why, because she was an inconsiderate, lazy ass bitch that was only concerned about HERSELF. She didn't treat us as human beings with feelings, did she? Then WHY SHOULD WE TREAT HER ANY, ANY, ANY, ANY DIFFERENTLY? Well, I am waiting? It's only fair to give her what she deserves back, a zero tip and a letter to corporate as I did. When we went back some time later, she wasn't there anymore, I wonder why. Well duh, either she quit because she couldn't make any money due to her inconsiderate, piss poor service or she got fired.
Dana
"however, my "no tip" would have been a small enough tip that she isn't actually losing money on my meal, i.e. i would leave a tip, it just would work out to be small enough that she sees no gain from it, because i disagree with you on one point; i really do not think a server should ever have to pay a customer to wait on them, even indirectly."
It would have been a tip then if she didn't lose money.
As far as you thinking they shouldn't have to pay for a customer, maybe if you would EXPERIENCE the HELL we went through with some servers, you'd understand that they DESERVE to have to pay up. They will LEARN MUCH MORE if they LOSE money.
Also, WHY not stick it to them? Why treat them as if THEIR MONEY matters when it shouldn't if they have treated you so horribly RUINING your outing?
Why treat their income as if it matters to you if they have done a horrible job and were rude to you?
Another example of when we stiffed:
Have you EVER had 5 or more mistakes in ONE dining experience? This incident was at a Fox and Hound Restaurant. My husband and I have, which we left zero tip. The waitress was rude because she kissed her boyfriend bye and told him bye while she was getting my drink order interrupting me ordering my drink, but even if she didn't do that, sorry, but I can only take SO MUCH before I feel the server ISN'T TRYING AT ALL AND DOESN'T CARE AT ALL ABOUT HER CUSTOMERS. My husband's soft drink was wrong(root beer instead of diet coke) which she even told my husband root beer and he said "No, diet coke" when she brought it to the table(this happened because she was TOO BUSY kissing her boyfriend and chit-chatting), appetizer came with our entrees instead of as an appetizer, pickle with a toothpick on top of the bun(VISIBLE TO THE SERVER’S EYES)(ordered without pickles), cheese fries were supposed to come with ranch according to the MENU(ANOTHER VISABLE mistake on her part, because NO RANCH was there, NO mayonnaise was brought for my burger as I ordered. Backtracking here, when she had came back with my husband's soft drink she repeated the wrong margarita I ordered which means she didn't even put the order in yet for the margarita which I had to repeat my order again to her due to her worrying about her precious boyfriend instead of doing her JOB. She should have ALREADY PUT IN THE ORDER FOR THAT MARGARITA, ((((BEFORE))))) coming back to the table with the soft drinks. I also ordered the burger with no tomato, which there was a slice of tomato(the manager told me she didn't print the ticket correctly so that mistake was on her). Normally you can't see a tomato so I normally don't blame the server for things the server can’t control, but I could that time, because the order wasn’t put into the computer correctly the manager later told me) and the mayo packets I asked for when I ordered weren't there(ANOTHER VISIBLE MISTAKE). Sorry but when you have THAT MANY MISTAKES, YOU AREN'T TRYING YOUR BEST, YOU JUST DON’T GIVE A CARE! I don't feel that's even worth 10% tip. You didn't go through the bad experience, so you have no idea how it felt. It was aggravating to have to keep repeating my order constantly for things she wrote down and can you believe she wasn't going to write it down the food orders? I had to ask if she could please write the order down. I can't imagine what our meal would have come out like if she wouldn't have written it down. It would have been more screwed up more than likely. I feel that's a ZERO tip for not trying. 1-3 mistakes that are small is tolerable, but getting to the 5 mistakes area is a VERY BAD I feel. To begin with, she showed us lack of RESPECT by INTERRUPTING me ordering my margarita for her to kiss her boyfriend and chatted for a moment. I even get better service at MCDONALD'S than that. It's sad, but TRUE. At least the McDonald's cashier is NOT trying to kiss her boyfriend bye while taking my order. I feel you be rude to me, no tip for you. Also, you would have thought the waitress would have said she was sorry for interrupting me, which she DIDN'T. She did say she was sorry for one of the mistakes, but that's about it. To mess up so many times on drinks, is just really not trying at all. Having to ask a server to write orders down after they had made mistakes is RIDICULOUS as well. Even if she wouldn't have been rude to us at the beginning with the kissing her boyfriend issue, we would have still left nothing, because there were too many mistakes that were COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE. She really acted as if she could care LESS about her customer's happiness. If you went through this experience, I truly think you would have left nothing too. A server is NOT supposed to be INTERRUPTING you ordering to kiss someone. That is just SOOOO DAMN RUDE and a person like that doesn't have any manners to speak of.
Do you think kissing your significant other is appropriate when taking a drink order? To me, that's just as rude as a customer being on their cell phone or the customer ignoring their server. We didn't call over a manager. I just sent a letter to corporate instead. We wanted to just leave it was so horrible.
Don't you feel that if the server CARES ONLY ABOUT THEMSELVES they deserve ZERO for being so selfish and RUDE? Kissing your significant other while taking an order is rude. What she should have done is just waved by at the most and said "Sorry about that." See, but she didn't apologize. She was so SELFISH and SELF-CENTERED!!
That margarita order should have been in the computer when she came back the wrong drink. That was her fault that my margarita got delayed. She was so preoccupied with her boyfriend, she wasn't paying attention to her customers and wasn't doing her job. A job is a job, it's not playtime when you have customers. I can see if it's slow, but if that were her, she wouldn't have liked it if I had treated her in that manner, now would have she?
To not write drink orders and after messing up so much that you have to ask your server to write it down shows "I don't care" attitude. It also shows how LAZY she really was. Every server should be writing down every single solitary thing. I don't care if you have the best memory. We all mess up, so it's a greater chance you won't mess up if you write it down, then compare the written order to the food. She was even so lazy to bring me mayo packets instead of containers of mayo, which they do have at this restaurant. Packets are to-go. That's the LAZY way to do things. That's another thing she was lazy about.
To me, to interrupt me ordering, even if the service was perfect otherwise, was a stiff right there, unless she would have said she was sorry(I know I WOULD HAVE). If the service would have been perfect otherwise, 10% would be the most she would have gotten with an apology, because it is UNACCEPTABLE to kiss or hug someone while taking someone's order. You want our money, then just wave bye, then apologize. I can accept that a lot more than chatting(she said bye and something else to him along with the kiss). Honestly, she should have told him bye BEFORE she got to our table to greet us.
To me, it's just like being on the phone when a server is trying to take an order, but you are just talking away on the phone not paying attention to your server. It's RUDE!! Both situations are RUDE!! If I would be the type of person that would on the phone when greeted(I AM NEVER), I would tell the server I wouldn't be ready to order, that I need more time interrupting my conversation on the phone to do so. I am only on the phone during times when I am not ordering things such as if I am waiting for my food so I have plenty of time to chat.
What I am saying is, she should pay to serve me if she can't RESPECT other people's time and feelings to even simply APOLOGIZE for her RUDENESS.
I don't know how you can say anyone that treats people like that and RUINS your outing should be thought of as another human being with real feelings? WHY should anyone CARE, even YOU, about another person's money that is SO UNCARING, SELF-CENTERED, and VERY LAZY? It's not like she TRIED HER BEST during the service. Not writing down orders, not paying attention, playing around with her boyfriend, not verifying orders, etc. is what she did.
Do you really feel someone like that deserves anything, even enough to cover their tip outs? Why would you consider their money when they didn't EVEN ONCE, NOT ONCE, consider YOU as a person?
Springs1...i don't even know what to say. This is supposed to be a forum for discussing the issue of gratuity, and as someone with experience as a server, I threw in my two cents about it and tried to give some information that might shed light on the situation for others.
I have to say that I am offended by your comments. The fact that you don't think of servers as human beings with feelings because they ruined your evening is absurd. Don't tip, stiff, whatever, but to say that you don't care about them, don't see them has human, don't care about their income or life situation, all simply because they 'ruined your evening" and served you your drink late...it sounds to me like you are dealing with some larger issues here than just deciding if someone deserves a tip or not.
Good luck with your next dining experience and growing to a point where you can maintain a sense of humanity despite incredibly minor setbacks throughout your evening.
Also, the idea that it’s acceptable to leave someone a penny just so they feel the “sting” actually disgusts me. It’s cruel, it’s not funny. That person, no matter what happened at your precious dinner (did they verbally attack you or just never serve you at all?), just brought you food and water and tried to make you happy and clearly all you had to give was disrespect.
I've been a server for a few years and have had some horribly rude tables, but I've also had some amazing guests who I truly enjoyed serving. My WORST experience in regards to tipping was this: A busy weekend night, I had several large parties. One gentleman asked me for a glass of soda, and on my way to get it for him, a young girl at another one of my tables had a seizure. She fell down right in front of me, so instead of getting the soda, I helped the girl's mother hold the young girl while my manager called 911. Keep in mind, all of this happened right next to the gentleman who was waiting for his soda. Before the paramedics even left with the girl, the gentlemen made a huge fuss about his soda. My manager overheard him and brought him the soda while I closed out the other family's tab. After all of that... when I returned to the gentlemen to see if he needed anything else, he only made a rude comment about how I couldn't spare a moment of my time to do my job. I apologized and let my manager know that the guest was unhappy. But nothing my manager could say could change the guest's mind in leaving me a 0$ tip. Oh well... he must be a really pleasant person to interact with on a daily basis. I felt bad for his wife though. : /
I once left a $0 tip. The reason is because when I asked about some items on the menu she got upset and LITERALLY started yelling and screaming at my group just because we were teens. Teens or not, there was no reason to get into a fight. The manager had to come over and excuse the waitress and escort her away. We DEFINITELY did not tip. However, the manager felt awful and gave us a discount for the trouble.
Just an FYI – when restaurants use bussers and food runners, those employees are typically paid wait-staff minimum wage, somewhere around $2.15 in Virginia. Those employees are given a cut of the tips from the servers and bar at the end of the night. By law, they are required to report all tips made at the end of their shift, and are then taxed on what they report (same for servers and bartenders). Now, whether or not all employees (servers, bartender, runners, or bussers) report all tips all the time is "questionable."
May be in Virginia... but in Texas, back of House staff (bussers, food runners) get minimum WAGE and tips... so don't make sweeping generalizations about who gets paid what hourly wage... also it's a federal minimum GUIDELINE not minimum WAGE for tipped employees to be paid $2.13/hr... WV they make $1.45/ hour
I've left no tip a couple of times, but mostly only when the service was REALLLY terrible. Even if I'm really strapped for cash, if the service is good, I'll try to scrape up what I can for them. But if I don't, I don't feel too bad.
In some states, servers don't even make minimum wage, and they have to count their tips.
Here, you get minimum wage (at least!) PLUS tips, which for a good server/bartender can be upwards of $100-200 a night. Lol, THEY should feel sorry for ME!
My mom tells a story from when she was a waitress at a Chinese restaurant. Someone left her a tip for a penny.
So she put her own fortune in their cookies. That the guy needed to lose weight, and his wife was a b!tch. hehehe
Leslie
"4) Leaving a zero tip is unacceptable if you look at the facts. At most restaurants, waiters and waitresses are required to “tip-out” the rest of the front-of-the-house staff by paying a percentage of their cumulative sales to bussers (3%), foodrunners (1%) and bartenders (1%). If you tip us 0% or even 5%, we have to pay to wait on you. It doesn’t matter if we don’t get tipped on a table; we still have to tip-out on their sales even if the runners, bussers, or bar contributed to our lack of tip. There is no situation in which it is acceptable to make someone pay to wait on you hand-and-foot for up to three hours."
Don't you think that is an issue that is YOURS as the server as far as tipping out goes? That's not OUR PROBLEM, don't make it ours, because that has ZERO to do with us customers. We are tipping YOU, NOT them!!
"There is no situation in which it is acceptable to make someone pay to wait on you hand-and-foot for up to three hours."
While my husband and I don't usually dine out for 3 hours(more like an hour or an hour and a half at most, most of the time), there are PLENTY of situations that are VERY ACCEPTABLE!!
Being rude is one of them.
I have several stories that I can tell you, but for now, one, because each one is long and I don't want to overwhelm you with all of them at once.
My husband and I had a waitress at Chili’s. She wrote down my order, but SHE brought out my food with the most OBVIOUS things WRONG. I ordered “Grilled Baby Back Ribs with honey bbq sauce on them with substituting the bowl of cinnamon apples that the ribs came with it for extra fries, 2 sides of honey bbq sauce, 1 side of ranch, and 1 side of mayo. She comes out with the BIG BOWL of cinnamon apples on the plate with only my side of ranch as well as NO extra fries and has the audacity to ask me when she brought out our food “So what did you order” when she WROTE IT DOWN. That was just showing how VERY LAZY she was NOT to REREAD the order. Aren't we PAYING the server to *REREAD THE ORDER AS THEY WROTE IT DOWN TO GET IT AS OBVIOUSLY CORRECT AS FAR AS WHAT IS IN THEIR CONTROL TO NOTICE?*** She probably STUPIDLY threw the paper away. The manager told me she put in the order correctly. WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO TO PUT IN THE ORDER CORRECTLY IF THE FOOD IS OBVIOUSLY WRONG? The ticket being correct doesn't matter if my food is OBVIOUSLY wrong, I STILL have my food wrong. It's like whose fault is it for making my food wrong is NOT the issue; it's that the food is WRONG that's the issue. Bringing it to me like that makes the server look like a complete IDIOT when that BIG BOWL of cinnamon apples was on the plate since she took my order. If another server takes my food to me, that's an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT situation, but when it's the SAME SERVER that takes the order there should be some *EFFORT* to make sure my food is taken to the customer correctly as far as OBVIOUS mistakes go. It's like NO EFFORT on her part to make sure I had EXACTLY what I ordered. It makes me mad that they can’t REREAD the order BEFORE they take it to me and compare it to the food for obvious mistakes. At about 15 minutes(9:18pm.ordered at about 9:02p.m. )waiting for my margarita she asks if I had been brought it, which I told her no, but I couldn't help myself, I told her about all my complaints, because I was really getting SICK of her horrible service without ANY APOLOGIES. I had to ask for utensils TWICE. I told her about that I had to ask for utensils twice and she replied "That's the hostess's job" right to my face. I ended up reporting her to corporate and she got fired. Yes, we STIFFED the waitress, DESERVABLY SO. She could have gone to check on my margarita after the 10 minute mark(9:12p.m.), NOT almost 15 minutes which is what she did. My husband and I were WELL finished our meals even with the mistakes she made by the time my margarita arrived. I NEVER got ONE apology from her, NOT ONE. I had reported this situation to the manager due to the fact that I had waited for a half an hour for. Turns out they were out of shakers that the Presidente' margarita came in, so there was a mix up. The bartender made my margarita in the wrong glass. The bartender never told the server about the situation nor did she find out about it within a reasonable amount of time, therefore, I ended up getting my margarita from the manager after waiting literally a half an hour for it(9:02p.m.-9:35p.m.) way after me and my husband were done eating. Someone else apparently ended up getting the margarita that was mine. The waitress NEVER ONCE apologized for all those mistakes. That was one of the RUDEST waitresses I've EVER encountered. If she would have said she was sorry at least once even, I probably wouldn't have been so pissed off. Some servers are really UNCARING and MEAN. She could have apologized, went to check on my margarita sooner, could have compared the written order to the food BEFORE bringing out such obvious mistakes, not had asked me to repeat my order at the time of our food arriving all due because she was too lazy to do it herself, could have apologized for utensils as well not just the food/drink mistakes, etc.
This story is one of the few times when I lost my cool. I don't normally do that, but she made me so mad with her lack of apologies, lack of admitting fault, lack of effort, and lack of caring. The not apologizing honestly is what made me lose it.
This is one where a COMPLETE STIFF is deserved.
SO WHAT I GOT SERVED? The waitress wasn't nice, didn't care, was rude, etc.
By you saying that, you have that "ENTITLEMENT" mentality. You aren't "ENTITLED" to a tip, it is 100% EARNED(unless of course you have automatic gratuity added due to you are in a large party for example)!! You aren't entitled to money just because you serve me. You are entitled to money if you try your best, be nice, etc. You shouldn't get anything if the service was absolutely horrible. I will treat my server as they have treated us. THAT IS VERY FAIR!! So what you gave us food and drinks if it's not correct, not in a timely manner, and if the server isn't nice, does it matter if you gave us things at a table? If you are not giving us exactly what we want in a timely manner, you get what you gave in terms of EFFORT and MANNERS!! ZERO is what she did for both, so that's what she got. She also lost her job. She deserved it!! I am so proud that I prevented other people from getting the HELL we went through with her. She did the least she could do instead of trying her best. She was too lazy to even get her pad of paper out to find out what I ordered by making me repeat my order when she brought out our food. WHY should a server that isn't nice and lazy get anything?
You aren't "ENTITLED" to money just because you serve me. You EARN your money. If a server makes my dining experience a living hell, I sure have every right to make his or her tip a living hell by giving nothing. I treat people EXACTLY they way they have treated me. She treated us like shit, I treated her like shit in the tip. You earn your tip also by being nice. A simple "Sorry about that" would have calmed me down and not made me as pissed off. She acted like we had no feelings, I acted the same way in the tip by not caring about her 2.13/hr pay.
You must of not have had bad service like this I am assuming? My husband and I have quite a number of times.
There are PLENTY of situations where the server deserves absolutely nothing!! You are paying for someone to ruin your outing if you tip on a situation like the story above. WHY should anyone care about tipping out and them losing money when they were EXTREMELY UNCARING towards US? They didn't care about us, why should we care about them?
Don't you get why she got fired? She was a bitch and rude. I don't care if it's INITIALLY someone else's job, you are the person that has to get the utensils if no one else does. Customers shouldn't have to ask for that. It should be a common sense issue. A server that wanted a tip of some sort would have said "I'm very sorry about that and about all the things I messed up on." Instead, I got a complete BITCH that wanted to DEFEND HERSELF and be EXTREMELY LAZY, even too lazy to REREAD her WRITTEN ORDER. If you are that lazy, WHY did you become a server if you can't even REREAD an order? I mean seriously, we don't care about you servers tipping out if you don't care about US?
Treat us as if that were YOUR service. What if that were you in the customer's seat. A tip is EARNED, it's not a right!!
WORD!!!!
Ps: Tipping is not a gift or a handout. It’s a payment for labor, and you’re expected by society to pay it because free labor is illegal here.
Leslie, a tip is a reward for good service. Your employer is responsible for paying your labor wages. Yes, many undercut minimum wage and expect you to make it up in tips – but that's why you work hard for the tips. Do your job right, and you won't have problems getting them.
Let me ask you this – if you go to the salon/barber, and you ask for a specific hairstyle, yet they cut your hair wrong and you hate it... do you pay? Do you tip? If you ask for a tattoo and they make some mistake (i.e. spelled incorrectly) or something equally horrible that could have been avoided if they paid attention – would you pay? Would you tip?
1) Having a tattoo incorrectly and permanently put onto your body is the most ridiculous experience to compare to dining out and not enjoying the meal that I can think of right now. Also, I’ve never had a tattoo so I don’t know.
2) Everyone doesn’t like a haircut from time to time and yeah, I pay and I tip. People can’t read minds and hair grows.
3) I have never tipped less than 20% in a restaurant. If I’m strapped for cash I either tell my friends I can’t eat out or I
calculate what I can afford on the menu after 10% tax and 20% tip. A server or bartender doesn’t deserve to suffer just because I don’t have enough money to pay them for waiting on me. Being cheap is different than being frugal, and is a much less attractive characteristic. Even if I get medioacre service, I give the server the benefit of the doubt and tip them anyway. If they’re truly bad people then oh well, its just a couple of bucks to me but it’s a lot over the whole night to them (as I know well). No one is asking their tables for personal validation, we’re just looking to see what you want to eat and make sure you enjoy it.
Despite what you think we actually do want to give you good service. But shit happens sometimes. Food gets overcooked. Drinks spill. People mishear what you say (especially in a bar/cocktail environment). Get over it and don’t be cheap. If you tell me there’s something wrong with your meal I’m going to do something to fix it, but you have to SAY something.
Going out to eat once a week and tipping 20% is probably 6 bucks to you (30 dollar bill… pretty nice meal) but to a server that’s what they depend on to get by and by going to a restaurant you’re participating in the culture that expects you to pay it.
4) No matter what you all would like to think, level of service simply doesn’t always have to do with a bad tip, which are the only situations that we as waiters have complaint about. Some people ARE just cheap. Those are the disheartening tables where you have the banter and the smiles and then comes the “verbal tip” where they tell you how great the service was, and then they leave you 10%. I have always stood by my rule that people have a right to tip what they want. It is their money. I will never intentionally give someone bad service if they have tipped me badly in the past (just a hint-- tipping someone badly will usually result in this if you are at one of their tables again. It’s a two way street. Why give good service to someone you know is going to short you?) but at the same time I believe it is not okay to tip below 5%. At that point, where I work, it is equivalent to making someone pay to wait on you which is unacceptable. No excuses. UNACCEPTABLE.
Actually Leslie, the definition of "TIP" is a GIFT. Your labor wages are paid by your employer. Just like my employer pays me for my labor. You do not pay me extra at my place of business just because they pay me too little. Now if I amaze you and make you feel extremely valued, then you may give me a little something extra (Tip, gift). Yes, we all should tip, IN GENERAL. Because it's the norm. However, my argument is that it's not an ENTITLEMENT. You earn it. That's what a tip is.
Nick
"Every time you leave a server no tip, not only does it ruin that person's night, mood, and future interactions with the remaining tables for the evening."
If you ruin our night, we ruin yours!! What goes around, comes around!! You treat us like GOLD, we will back in the tip 20%-25%, possibly even more depending on the service.
Sometimes servers deserve nothing if they are terrible and/or rude!!! I think it's only fair *YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE* in the service. If you didn't try your best and did extremely poorly, why should we care about your money when you didn't care about our dining experience? It's only fair!!
I have never "not tipped"- my mom was a waitress and I know how it hurts the pocket. I would though. For example, a waitress recently disappeared in the middle of our dinner. Thought she went home! 20 minutes, no one backed her up. When she finally came back, about 30 minutes later, she said it was incredibly busy and she apologized. Smelling like she was on a 30 minute smoke break. And the place was empty. She got a weak tip, but I should have given her less.
1) Wait staff are not paid minimum wage in America. We are paid below minimum wage.
2) If you choose to go out to eat and take advantage of the service we provide, not tipping is essentially stealing that service. Your bill covers your food and in no way pays for the service that the waiter, bussers, foodrunners, and bar have provided you.
3) Insulting us by saying that if we really needed money we should have another job is no excuse for not paying for services that you and the rest of the country enjoy on a day-to-day basis. If you want to go out to eat, you need to have waiters, and you’re going to have to pay them somehow. Many of us are working through college or have degrees and other jobs and merely wait tables to put food on our own tables at home. Don’t be patronizing, we may even be more educated than you.
4) Leaving a zero tip is unacceptable if you look at the facts. At most restaurants, waiters and waitresses are required to “tip-out” the rest of the front-of-the-house staff by paying a percentage of their cumulative sales to bussers (3%), foodrunners (1%) and bartenders (1%). If you tip us 0% or even 5%, we have to pay to wait on you. It doesn’t matter if we don’t get tipped on a table; we still have to tip-out on their sales even if the runners, bussers, or bar contributed to our lack of tip. There is no situation in which it is acceptable to make someone pay to wait on you hand-and-foot for up to three hours. No matter how bad the service (and trust me, even people who receive good service give bad tips sometimes).
5) We are also required at some restaurants to pay the service charge on any Credit or Debit charge payment, which is relatively small (less than 1% I believe) but still adds up if you have an all-plastic night. It is extremely noticeable at cash-out if it’s been an all-cash or all-plastic night.
6) You will be surprised how your service will be better and better the more respectful you are to those who are feeding you. Don’t get me wrong, I go out of my way to give good service to every table I encounter and people still stiff me from time to time despite my good intentions.
But let me tell you a final story. I had a table a couple of days ago and one of my fellow waiters (for the record, one of the best waiters in our restaurant. He’s extremely personable and always gets good comments) came to me and said “dude, Leslie, warning, don’t even bother with them. They’re rude, needy, and picky, and yesterday I ran my ass off for them and they not only didn’t tip, they scratched out the word ‘tip’ on the credit card slip. Seriously I’m so sorry you got them” …..
I decided to prove him wrong and tended to their every very needy need for two hours while they watched the world cup final. At the end of the game I asked them if they were ready to see the check and they were. Later when I brought back the slip I noted to them (they were French and spoke little English) that there was a line provided for them to fill in what they felt was an appropriate amount for the service they received. Our restaurant’s check printers also automatically calculate and print on the bottom of the receipt what a 15%, 18%, and 20% tip would be. They clearly read this and left me 18% which is honestly pretty darn good for foreigners. Sometimes people just don’t know.
So I guess my point is there should be less animosity between wait staff and guests. Don’t assume that because someone stiffs you once, that they’re assholes. Maybe you DID give bad service (still not an excuse for screwing someone over but hey, it’s a reason). Or maybe they don’t understand the system. And you have to understand as guests dining at an establishment that we are people too and not to go into the experience with a bad attitude. I want to see you happy with your dinner, and if you’re disrespectful to me that makes it difficult. Let me do my job. There’s also nothing wrong with helping us out with the little things like being clear and listening to us and the questions we ask you. If you intentionally make it hard on us to wait on you, of course your service will suffer! We’re only human! There are also a variety of reasons for what you may consider to be bad service that do not necessarily reflect the intentions of the server. Sometimes we get tables that “run” us so hard that it makes it physically difficult to tend to our nicer tables that we probably would rather wait on 30 times over than wait once on the needy one. Maybe the bar or kitchen are backed up. Maybe we had to pee at a really bad time. Maybe we’re on our period and are fighting through mad cramps. Were all people who clearly love food, so that’s all it should be about, right? The more easygoing and clear you are about what you want, the smoother your experience will go.
Leslie- as someone who goes out to eat often and tips very well, I will ask you this.
If you went to a local bar/ restaurant that closes at 1 am, and by 11 they were closing up- closing the kitchen so even finger foods were not available, then the waitress disappears for 20 minutes, turns off all the TVs in the place as people are watching baseball, stands around with the bartender, then comes over and grumpily says "you want anything else?", while holding the check in her hands, would you think she is providing the service she should? (I should add, I know the owner of the place, who is struggling, an was not there this night. Had he known she turned away food orders she would be canned. He was not there, so that is why she felt fine closing shop early, while there were customers...). She did not want to serve, she did not want to even try to be nice, and wanted everyone out. Was she deserving of a tip? And yes, she was this way with all customers, not just me and my date.
Hi Leslie. I very much enjoyed reading your comments and your honesty. I am positive that it is in your section that I would have the most ejoyable experience.
Please understand that it is Not servers such as yourself that I believe some of these folks take issue. There seems to be bad eggs on BOTH sides of the fence here. Bad servers and bad cuctomers. Perhaps cheapskates and lazy bums alike. It should be up to management to weed out the bad apples accordingly.
We should ALL take responsability and do our part. Communication might just be the key to it all. And somehow, this venue may help in some small way. Please, everyone, don't give up the faith.
And, thank you Leslie. For ALL that you do for us.
Leslie,
I would like to address your arguments as listed:
1) Correct – in most states (and where I was a server in the midwest), employers pay less than minimum wage. As a server, you are expected to make up the rest in tips, and of course report all tips with your wages to the IRS. But how hard is it, really, to meet minimum wage? If you have 2-3 tables in an hour, each leaving 3-4 bucks in tip, you're already covered. And if you are *unable* to meet minimum wage, your employer is required to pay the difference.
2) Unfortunately, Leslie, your argument here is entirely false. I can understand your compassion, being a server myself – unfortunately, you're looking at it from a rather naive view of false entitlement. Customers generally don't go out to eat to "take advantage" of your service, but we certainly expect reasonable service to be provided to us. Of course, if one doesn't leave a tip, there is no theft involved – otherwise, the cops would be called to the restaurant any time it happened (naturally, skipping on the *entire* bill is another story) The bill that we are provided as customers covers everything – the cost of food, your cut from the employer (whatever your hourly cut is), and whatever the restaurant's profit is. It's your job as the server to provide the quality service – if you have, then you will be rewarded with a reasonable or generous tip (depending on the customers), of which servers generally are also expected to donate to the bus pool for the rest of the staff.
3) I don't believe the intent for saying that you should get another job is to be patronizing – if you'll notice, the arguments where that has come up is for the people who have complained that they can't pay rent without a (singular) tip. If you, as a server, have a bad day and you provide sub-par or downright horrible service, and you get stiffed on the tip 1-2 times... if that is enough for you to not make rent, you need to evaluate your career options and do what you can. Life's tough, especially in this economy, but that doesn't mean you should *expect* a tip as a server, you still need to earn it.
4) Your statistics here in #4 indicate that you never made any tips all night. I find that highly unlikely. If it really has happened, you may be working either in the wrong profession, or at the wrong restaurant. Keep in mind as well, Leslie, that you are still being paid for the time you are serving the customer, even if they don't leave a tip. You are not paying someone to wait on them. Although it's low, you're still getting an hourly wage – and in the end, again, if you have not met minimum wage, your employer is legally obligated to make up the difference to you. You will never, ever be expected to work for less than minimum wage *over all*. There are bad tippers out there, I do know this – but that's why you don't have just one customer all afternoon or night. You'll generally have several tables to wait on over the course of your shift, which means several opportunites to please customers and receive a reasonable tip.
5) Credit card surcharge fees are the responsibility of the employer, period. If the employer advertises that they accept a certain brand of card, they are the ones paying the fee for each transaction with said card. If this charge is being passed on to you, you should check out your local laws – it's very likely that this is an illegal business practice you should rectify. Otherwise, let me know what employer is asking that of you, and I'll do the research.
6) Yes, the customer *should* always be courteous and treat you with respect. I disdain people who do not treat service workers with respect – nobody, I repeat NOBODY, is better than any other human being. However, you're also talking about two different things. You, as the server, should be treated with respect – yes. But you would not receive a tip until the meal is over, which means you should also have been treating the customer with respect. If you have, then more than likely everything will be fine.
I don't really have any qualms about your closing statement – each situation is unique and should be treated as such. Just keep in mind that a tip is still earned. Yes, sometimes you have a bad day – but even if there are problems with the customers/service, you should be able to save the situation and make the customer feel good. Then that's when you get the reward, because that's what it's there for.
Good God man! Obsessive compulsive or simply too many words on a subject you obviously consider yourself a genius!
Although I'm now financially comfortable, I've always identified with that line in the Cuban poem-turned-song "Guantanamera": "...With the poor people of the earth, I want to cast my lot..." There are a lot of struggling people waiting on tables and, unless the service was horrible, I don't stiff them on the 15% tip.
I wish we were like France: all the taxes, tips, etc. are included in the listed price of the meal and the menus are usually posted outside the batisseries and other restaurants: the price you see is EXACTLY what you pay.
We had a horrible experience at a Outback in Missoula, MT. We watched as our waitress AND the manager fawned over a table with a family while we waited in vain for our food to arrive. Not only that but we watched as our waitress came with our ticket, but passed it off to some other waitress. We didn't leave a tip and I didn't feel the least but guilty and, I will never step foot in another one of their restaurants.
No, but your religious views speak for themselves. As a self proclaimed holy roller, lecturing us, maybe you should reread (your favorite book that you quote underhandedly) that which you are attempting to preach. And while you are at it; live by it as well.
Everyone who thinks tipping is evil and they shouldn't have to do it are horrible human beings. Chances are that you're Christians to boot. What ever happened to helping your fellow man and making the world a better place? Way to be a hypocrite. Those of you that aren't religious are just plain self-centered jerks. And no I'm not a server.
I'm surprised, sarah. Tell me which do you think is better:
Handing out money for lazy, incompetent, and discourteous service
Rewarding an employee for friendly, sincere, pleasurable service
If we give out money for bad service, we're essentially rewarding someone for doing something bad. That's one of the many things wrong with the country today. Why would anyone ever give great service if they can simply skate on by, putting in minimal effort and not caring about customers – and get paid just as much as someone who's working hard and respecting their employer and their customers?
You referenced "Christian" in there, but I'd like you to show me anywhere in standard religious documentation, that we as human beings should give money as a direct result to being disrespected and walked on. What's the saying, "Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime"? Something like that? Well why don't we reward PROPER behavior, morals, and work ethic, instead of promoting lazy and incompetent work?
Let me preface this by saying I have bussed tables, waited tables and my wife used to wait table. In general I start out with a 20% tip for average service I have absolutely no problem tipping more for outstanding service and have even one time left a tip that was equal to the bill. That being said as a customer It is not my responsibility that you need to pay tuition, Car payment, rent etc. I go to a restaurant to eat. I pay the restaurant for the ability to have an enjoyable meal with great service. The service is why two places with the same type of food can charge such different amounts. If you provide me with crappy service, give me an attitude, make me feel like you are just there to pay your tuition, rent, car payment I can assure you I will reduce your tip. and if bad enough not leave you anything. The excuse that you are having a bad day is not my problem, you are being paid to perform a service and I am not your employer. I am paying you employer. If he/ She does not pay you what you need to live off of and you can't provide service up to the standards of the establishment that you work in to make up the difference then you should consider the line of work you are in. A tip is a reward and if I get even average service I will tip you but I will not tip you for being lazy, treating me like crap, or insulting me in any way.
Here's an idea. All tips come with a "pay card" that is turned in to the manager. Even if the tip is $0. That way ALL tips can be taxed and management can see who gets tipped and who doesn't. Anyone NOT getting tips gets lectured and maybe fired. Comments could also be added to the "pay card".
Conversely so, these "pay cards", and comments would need to be looked at by a third party before someone should be fired. Also, a carbon copy of the card should be given to the server for his/her records, and benefit as well.
There, I fixed it. Now what?
I have plenty of friends in food service industry and its a constant arguement about the tip. Plain and simple its the job you choose so act right! Some things are out of your control but we can all do without the snide remarks and attitude. I work in the customer service industry so I have had my share of "special" customers but I suck it up to a point. It's my job to be nice if the customer insults me than I refer you to someone that can better assit your needs. I don't expect tips for doing my job it's MY JOB. Go to work to earn your pay and tips and more often then not quit complaining about tips and take it like a grain of salt. You don't report all of your earnings and when some not all people abuse some systems quite f"" frankly I don't care!
Good point. Too many bitch and moan. But yet have no problem cheating the system when its to their advantage and or they think they will get away with it.
I'm not buying the argument that if a server doesn't get tipped by someone, they can't pay their rent. If they are unable to pay their rent due to lack of tips, that probably means they are a REALLY bad server and should consider finding a new line of work. I'm sorry, but if it's obvious that the server is responsible for a poor experience at a restaurant, they get little or no tip from me. I've only had one or two experiences that were this bad, one of which was because our table was basically being ignored by a server who decided he would rather watch TV than do his job. In my opinion, tipping should be in place to ensure that a restaurant is giving good customer service and as a guage for employee performance. If a restaurant has a server on staff who is not receiving sufficient tips, that should be a sign to the management that this person is not a good quality employee.
You must be kidding people! This is so ridiculous, the level of vehemence about bad service on this site, when it's clear in the comments that most people are suggesting that they've ever only had terrible service that prompted a zero tip as few as two times in twenty years! Those must have been tremendously scarring experiences. As someone who waited tables throughout college I can say that I was an excellent and diligent server, but that most people couldn't care less about that. You could serve two tables the exact same way, get one okay tip and get shafted at the other table. People who are making statements that people are expecting some sort of handout when tips are taxed to the server are completely off-base here. Your bill at a restaurant is for the food, not for the service. If you don't feel like tipping, stay home, but don't expect someone to wait on you hand and foot for free.
sp. Most folks agree here that the bill covers all of the food and at least a portion of the server (that's why there is a $2.35 – $3.50 or so per hr pay from the establishment). The difference is in the performance of the server. And, I agree...the instance of occurance for really lowsy service is, thankfully, rare. Also, leaving out the fact that the, also rare, jerk that never tips should just be shot with a paintball gun... the rest of us should be allowed to tip according to service. Albeit, a mistake or two can be forgiven and the kitchen can at times be at fault as well, the server is our go-to person. Totaly fail us and, well, that's how it goes. Take care of us and we, well at least most of us, will take care of you.
Gee, another young one with the entitlement syndrome tooting their own horn; a legend in their own mind. Does your mommy wait on you hand and foot when you come over for food; lunch and or dinner. For free.
I find it hard to believe that you are consistently getting shafted, sp. If that's really the case, let's look at what is the same in each equation... you. Your clients change daily. I know there are bad customers, I've been there on the receiving end; however, statistically, if you're getting shafted that frequently, either you're doing something wrong or you are in the wrong area. You yourself even admit that the "goose egg" people are only stating that the service is poor once in a blue moon – so why would you expect us to pay a tip even then?
Also the comments about getting food tampered with or getting bad service for being a bad tipper goes to show how low class some of these people are. maybe the people coming out to eat bring their kids are minimum wage earners too . maybe they just dont believe in tipping. show respect .
So let me get this straight. I'm supposed to tip generously for lousy service just because she doesn't wear a bra and bents over far enough to show her belly button ring to my date. Whats next? Exercising at the pole?
That being said about all this – you have to wonder where this started from anyways! I get bad service at grocery stores, retail clerks, telephone servers....and none of these people nor I have to worry over whether I will be tipping them or not.
I think the owners should pay the staff normal like the rest of us, and if an employee is not very good – then its bad for business and let them do something else.
Where this gets good is when the waiters are in high-producing areas like cocktail waitresses, maitre'ds, waiters in high class steak resturants (for example)....they earn a lot, I know I did as a cocktail waitress and food server for a high-end Italian Dinner Resturant. So they may not be willing to give that up. But for fast food like a food chain resturant (Golden Griddle, Kelsey's, sports bars, etc. – maybe they don't fare as well except when really busy?
I don't know if I even like to have to worry about tipping. Its a lot easier when you are not expected to that's for sure. But I usually contribute to the tip jar anyways!
What do you waitstaff think you are actually worth per hour? Federal law in most states requires that your employer make up the difference between how much you make and the State minimum wage. Do you seriously think you are worth more than that per hour? I've waited tables before, it's not freakin' rocket science, and frankly, it's not worth much more than your States minimum wage....you waitstaff are overvalueing yourself.
I hate the entitlement waiters are having these days. I have seen them on oprah and other shows complaining about being stiffed and that people dont care about the bills they a Have etc. Not getting tipped is a hazard of the job. If you need more money or a definite set amount of money dont become a waiter. Nobody tips the kids at burger king and they provide a service as well and are all their feet all day. If you only make 2.50 per hour then get a minimum wage job. If it was so terrible and you get shafted on an hourly basis why would anyone be a waiter. I tip but i dont overly tip. When i was in college and wanted to go to sizzler to treat myself I went even if i didnt have a dime for a tip. In the end doesnt it equal itself out in some way ? we should be tipping garbage men and teachers – they provide a valuable service that alot of people are not interested in doing. Waiters are a dime a dozen. Waiters should spend their time seeking new employment for lobbying for higher base wages. The service you provide is more valuable to the restaurant then it is to the customer.
I have been on all 3 sides of this: waiter {from counter to cocktail waitress, food server}, manager of upscale resturant, and as a customer of all types of food places.
And I do not tip if the service clearly is lacking. Not everything is out of a waiter's control – I bitched loudly to get my plates up if they were slow in the kitchen, waiters in higher establishments often work together to make matters better...and I have seen poor performers in the waiting game.
The real trouble is the management and owners. THEY, need to be told that this sort of experience is not welcome. Otherwise, how often do you see middle of the road establishments hire a ineffectual manager (and I have seen friends being rewarded with these jobs!)...and after the initial honeymoon is over with the public, their service starts to show cracks. And they don't care as long as customers keep on coming in.
It may be that some franchises claim they are doing everything to win over the consumer...but I have been in a resturant that opened literally across the street from us 2 years ago – and within weeks, the napkins never looked really clean, the servers came with all kinds of experience, so some nights were good for service – and others, not so good. Half the time, the manager couldn't be seen! last time we went, they had a live performer (a man with a mic and a guitar in the corner belting out cover tunes) and simultaneously, the stereo playing on our opposite side – we complained that we weren't sure which side we were supposed to be listening to. But the waitress just laughed it off. The lettuce may arrive wilted, and I could just swear, the food tasted wonderful the first few weeks! Did they bring in a great cook for the opening weeks? Who knows – but things have changed! And we tip accordingly and speak up every time.
So my advice – Tell the management. Customer service is bad in other areas as well, and it will only get better when the consumer demands it.
I think there should be a standing rule, and every single person that will ever dine out must go through at least 2 weeks of being a server. I don't serve anymore, and didn't for long, but you ignorant, cheap, snobby people disgust me. You have no idea what it takes to serve other people, specifically the guests who think they own the world and deserve gold spoons. Did you ever think that maybe the reason your service is lacking, is becuase you're just a jack***. When you have had enough "bad experiences" maybe it's time to turn and look at yourself. You just may be the reason.
BigCountry,
You may want to actually read some of these posts. Not only are most of the comments regarding pro-goose-egg from people who have been servers themselves (myself included – 2 years), but they are all valid, reasonable, and logical arguments. I have yet to see a single reasonable, well-thought argument regarding customers being forced to pay a tip. After all, if a tip were required, why not just add it into the bill? And if that were the case, then why would a server provide quality service if they get a tip no matter what?
It's sad that you are calling us ignorant when we've consistently been providing logical, intelligent argument – your argument has basically resorted to name-calling.
You then call us cheap and snobby – yet I fail to see how expecting friendly, competent service is anything menial. Can you point out ONE person who has stated they have stiffed so many times they can't count? The ones that seem to be complaining the most are the ones who have been stiffed. While understandable (it sucks to not get a tip when you work hard), simply expecting something that is gratuitous is a little unfair. It's much worse, though, if you (as a server) are repeatedly being stiffed. If that's sincerely the case, the true probability is that you may not be a great server.
There is a difference between an "off day" where maybe a waiter is a little slow or not as friendly as they could have been, and outright ignoring customers. I'm relativity easy going, I tip generously (50%+) when service is especially good, and tend to leave at least 10% for sub-par service. If the wait staff is obviously busy and I got sub-par service, then I'll still give about 20% because I see that as a management problem that wasn't the wait staff's fault.
But there is a difference between sub-par and flagrantly poor. I'm not going to give a meaningful tip when the wait staff ignores our table, is sitting and chatting with other staff while plates go cold, or if the wait staff disappears for 20-30 minutes at a time.
Last time I gave a penny tip was at a restaurant where they had 3 waiters on 5 tables. It took 25 minutes for them to come take the order. another 30 minutes for 3 of the 4 orders to show up (2 of them cold, one of them luke warm). The 4th didn't show up until three of us were well past being finished. We got our own water glasses and refills, the silverware was dirty, I pulled some disposable chopsticks from my purse and shared them instead of waiting for the non-existent staff to show up. After the 4th person was done eating it took another 35 minutes for the check to show up. We only stayed because at this point we just wanted to see how long it was going to take.
The other 4 tables in the restaurant? 2 left before their orders showed up (and the waiter started cussing loudly when he noticed that they weren't at the table), another ate some of the food and just left without paying. The last table was still waiting for their check by the time we got out of there.
And when we got out? The 3 waiters were out on the side door drinking from a paper bag and smoking.
Sure, there was probably something going wrong in the kitchen, I get that. Management was non-existent. I get that. But I don't think I even need to go explain why we left a penny on the table when we left.
Other than this one time, I've always tell the wait staff why I am not happy with the service, and if that fails a manager. Like I said, I get that there might be an under-staffing issue and things are slow coming out. I understand that a waiter can be having an off day. I won't even complain about that sort of thing and will still tip in the 10-15% range. But when we are being actively ignored – ask for something twice and it doesn't happen, clearly observe the wait staff lounging while tasks go un-fullfilled, etc well expect to hear about it and get a penny tip. Hell, I've even gone to the management and told them I'm leaving a 20% tip because while the service was piss-poor, the food was excellent and I want the tip to go straight to the chefs.
Seriously, it's not that hard to get a decent tip out of most people. Just show up 2 or 3 times to see if drinks need replacing and once to see if everything is alright with the food. Yeah it might be hard on a busy night, but you can't slack just because the place is half empty.
And yes, I have waited tables before, over summer break one year. I only got stiffed once. Sure I was a little peeved, because as far as I knew I had treated the table the same as I treated any other. Just figured they were cheapskates. I got complained about a couple of times early on when I was still learning the ropes: mixed orders up a couple of times and one night the manager had sat a table around a corner and I didn't realize they were there. Saw little to no tip each time and I thought it was perfectly fair. I also ended up working a harder than usual to make sure the tables I did have had excellent service and I just about made up what I lost out on from the tables I flubbed up. Once I figured out the ins and outs – smile, make eye contact, touch a shoulder, laugh at the jokes, get the manager approve sending a comp appetizer out if the kitchen is having trouble, etc.. the tips were great!
I refuse to tip for lousy service. If one waitress serves 4 tables an hour and each table left a tip of say $2., that's $8. plus their hourly wage. I don't even make that much an hour! I've also paid the bill with a credit card only to find out that after I left the resturant (leaving a cash tip on the table) they added a 15% tip to the bill. I call that double dipping!
Did you dispute the charge? I sure would. And call the better business bureau too.
China – No tips allowed anywhere! People won't accept tips even if you offer them.
A pet peeve of mine is having a waitress with a low cut top bending over and showing her breasts to my significant other as she is serving him, in the hopes of getting a bigger tip, I presume. I handle the decretionary money in our household and almost always take care of the check, so the "boobs in the face" trick has the opposite effect on me. No tip! I recently had to speak to the manager at a restaurant because the server's blouse was so low, her breasts nearly fell out and she was over flirtatious with my companion. So ladies, if you're hoping to increase your tip by showing off your boobs, save it for a table full of guys, not couples dining out. Chances are, the woman will control the tip!
Normally I tip, and think of my self has being generous. The one time I did not tip was when the waitress was rude. She shushed me to answer her cell phone while she was taking my order. She lingered at the bar and fixed her makeup, while our food was sitting on the counter getting cold. She was wearing a tank top and did not believe in shaving. Each time she refilled my ice tea glass she would reach over my plate to get the glass So I got a full view of her arm pits while I was trying to eat. The table was round, so she could have walked around to get my glass. I even moved the glass to the side of the table that she seemed to prefer only to have her approach the table from the other side. I asked to speak to the manager and she said he was not in that day. I paid the bill, wrote a letter to the manager and never visited the restraint again.
I have been on both sides of the fence, working in my parent's resturant during my teenage years and now visiting various establishments. Good service is good service and should be rewarded with glowing compliments to the manager and a generous tip when received. Mediocre or bad service should also be reported to the manager wit the accompanying tip.
I normally tip 15-20% for a meal. I have only walked out without tipping once. After we got our order the server disappeared and never came back to check on us once. After we had finished eating we waited 15 minutes for a bill while the server chatted to the kitchen staff. He looked several times at our table, made eye contact but never bothered to come back over and see if we waned the bill. There were only about 3 other tables eating that night so it was not busy. I finally got sick of waiting and went to get my bill at the cash, he got no tip that night.
this person obviously didnt want a tip. thats how i look at it. sometimes its so obvious.
Tipping 15-20% is common courtesy. No one has to tip, but it's respectable to do so. This is the way restaurants work in American society. The fact of the matter is most restaurants wouldn't be able to afford to pay servers $7.25 per hour and would go out of business if they were forced to do so.
In California servers earn the same minimum wage as other minimum wage earners and the employer may not use tips as a credit towards the minimum wage. You know what? We have many restaurants in California. The minimum wage in California? $8 an hour.
Last I checked, you're state was bankrupt and had one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation.
When you guys walk into a restaurant, servers of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds are arguing over who gets stuck serving your getto asses
So's working at McDonald's, but you don't feel the need to tip them, do you? Why not? They're servin ya food. But no, society says don't tip these guys over here, but tip these guys over here. That's bull$#!+.
While I am of the mindset that one only tips for good service, your argument here Mr Pink is flawed. Let me pose it this way – when you walk into a McDonalds:
-are you greeted by someone at the door?
-are you shown to your seat?
-does someone come to explain the menu and take your order?
-does someone come to check up on you during the meal?
-does someone summarize the meal and provide you with the check, and then take care of payment for you?
Of course not. This is why we expect good service from a restaurant – this is why a server would get a tip if they perform their duties properly. They take care of the customer, and if they do it right (friendly, competent, etc.) then of course they should get a tip.
Jesus Christ – I mean these ladies aren't starving to death. They make minimum wage. You know, I used to work minimum wage. And when I did, I wasn't lucky enough to have a job society deemed tip-worthy.
Well said. There are plenty of minimum wage job. Many of them involve long or strange hours. Many of them are unpleasant. I am thinking of the guys who come to collect my garbage every Tuesday morning. They have a crappy job too, who's tipping them? Do they refuse to take your garbage if you don't leave a tip on your garbage can? Really the waiters/waitresses posting here are ridiculous. Do your frigging job and quit whining! Be thankful you HAVE a job. You think you can blackmail the public into giving you money to make up for how much you dislike your job?
I deplore tipping! Just because your job pays crap is no reason that I should be held hostage to pay more thant the stated cost for my meal. Where does it sotp? There is a tip jar at the coffee stand where the server simply fills a cup and puts a lid on it! Rediculous! At some resteraunts, they gratuitously include the gratuity. Why? Because they know that they won't get anything from some people because the service is usually the WORST ath these type places! I sincerely wish that all of us would just stop going to resteraunts until this madness can be reigned in.
Hi Gary,
Restaurants are usually allowed to pay less than minimum wage to keep operating costs relatively low. Obviously, that doesn't take care of *everything* but if full minimum wage is required in every state, you'd start seeing the price of eating out increase as those costs are passed along to you, the customer.
While I *only* condone tipping when it is warranted, I limit this field to service roles that ARE being paid less than state/federal minimum wage (or simply, server roles even in states that do not pay less than minimum wage). I, too, am severely annoyed by "tip jars" at coffee shops, delis, etc. I find it ludicrous that people who were performing the exact same duties 10 years ago for their normal wages, find it acceptable to now place tip jars near the register with cute phrases on them, goading tips out of customers. But this false sense of entitlement is what's wrong with the people here saying they should get a tip no matter what.
The words "too f–king busy" shouldn't be in a waitress's vocabulary
Don't give me that. She don't make enough money that she can quit.
I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job.
Okay, I think I am starting to get it now. I probably should tip at least something even if the service was bad (except for maybe in the most rarest of occassions, then it's zilcho). However, to be able to apply that right I owe it to my server, the manager, and the next customer to at least explain my reasons to the server AND manager. Also, somewhere along the way I might somehow mention something to the server or give him/her some sort of a hint that I am concerned.
Should I really have to do all that? Well.....maybe. But, if it happened more than a time or two in the same restarant, I think I will just take my tip right on down the street.
No, you don't have to do anything – as many of these posts say other folks do. I just look at it like this – - if you're not going to speak up about the poor service there's not a whole lot you can expect as a patron to have happen as a result of it if your only action is to leave no tip. I mean, take school for example; if you turn in a paper and you get it back with a big F on it but nothing's marked to say what's wrong and your teacher doesn't talk to you (or your parents) about it, how does that help you to know what to fix or just to understand why you got the bad grade? That's all I'm saying – do something to improve upon your experience that actually could make a difference along the way.
I'm very sorry the government taxes their tips, that's f-d up. That ain't my fault. It would seem to me that waitresses are one of the many groups the government f-s in the @$$ on a regular basis. Look, if you ask me to sign something that says the government shouldn't do that, I'll sign it, put it to a vote, I'll vote for it, but what I won't do is play ball. And as for this non-college bull$#!+ I got two words for that: learn to f-in' type, 'cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent you're in for a big f-in' surprise.
If service is very good... I speak to the manager and compliment the waiter/waitress 7 leave a generous tip. If the service is bad, I speak to the manager about the poor service or poor quality and leave no tip. If it's extremely busy, it's understandable. If it's not, there's no excuse. it's that simple. They don't tip in Europe... too many Americans are too damn spoiled and want everything handed to them
Good point. If you are willing to complain also be willing to compliment.
Aside from the fact that I don't think tips should be a part of wages as a practice of employment –
What astounds me on this entire comment section is the number of people who say they don't leave a tip because of poor service (however they judge that to be) and then that's it... That you've made your point, and you sure showed him/her on that one because the person who so incompetantly waited on you for your entire meal will surely be able to figure out why you were so unimpressed with your service...
I'm not of the opinion that tips should be left no matter how poor the experience, I just don't see the point of not leaving a tip if you're not going to make a verbal or written complaint to the management about your experience. If you don't speak up to someone who's actually the one deciding who gets to keep the job for however long, how effective do you expect leaving no tip is going to be in getting that person out of the position (if that's what needs to happen)? If I were waiting tables and didn't receive a tip, I'm not necessarily going to go tell my manager that and then have him or her speculate with me on why that could be – I'm going to receive no tip, think you suck, and go on about my business. The fact of the matter is, performance issues are addressed by the employer, not by the tips.
Another reason I say not tipping is really quite worthless without speaking to management is that my aunt told me once that my cousin when he was a little boy had been swiping tips whenever they went out to eat. He thought the tips were "forgotten money" and "finders keepers" so... he was turning into a rich little boy. When my aunt found out, she went back to each of the restaurants (they always went to the same few) and apologized to each manager and had him apologize and, bc she didn't know how much should have been left at each place, she took the money he had collected and divvied it up to each of the restaurants. One of the managers actually said to her that she was recognized as a poor tipper and he wasn't really thrilled with her patronage because of it, so her explanation of what was going on when she found that out really went a long way to repairing her relationship with those restaurants. So, that little bit of story is to say if there's no tip left on your table it might not always be a statement that you had poor service; if you don't pair the "no tip practice" with a "complaining to the management practice" you're not really actively doing anything to improve your or others experiences of service.
Does anyone else here get irritated at the tip jars at places (e.g. coffee chains) where it is not a sit-down-and-be-served establishment?
The problem with most people who don't tip because of bad service is they don't inform either the server or manager that the service was bad. Like I said earlier good service is based on perception of the customer, as well as bad service. A server may be under the impression that they gave great service only to find a check written for the exact amount with a penny on top and no explanation why.
The restaurant owner should be the one compensating the servers. I do not think it is fair for the customer to pay twice for a meal by being forced to tip. Why isn't anybody holding the restaurant owners accountable for this?
Wow! We just crashed the system. Anyone else get a 408 ERROR sayiong the web server was overloaded? CNN stirred up a hornet's nest here, eh?
Why does the customer have to pay twice for the meal? Leaving a tip is like paying twice for a meal. That is not fair.
I get hungry. I don't feel like cooking. I go to a restaurant. I pay $3 for a soda and on average $10 for a plate of food. That's $13 plus 9.75% sales tax, in Los Angeles where I live. Keep in mind that uncle Sam has already taxed me on that money too and taken it from my paycheck. So I don't understand why I still need to leave a tip. The restaurant is giving me a plate of warm food in exchange for my money. The price on the menu plus tax is all that I should be paying for that meal. The restaurant owner should be fairly paying the server, since I am fairly paying for the food the price listed on the menu.
You have to tip because your server is making below minimum wage. And since service is fluctuant, some is great, some, not so much, you control how much the server earns. If you don't like "paying for your meal" twice, go to McDonalds
"You have to tip because your server is making below minimum wage."
How is that the customer's problem?
It's simple: TIPS stands for "To Insure Proper Service". No proper service= No Tips (This is Not rocket science folks...)
I'm with Jay. Good service gets tips (usually 20%). I walk out on bad service. (Only two or three times in my life). The tip is the least of their problems.
The minimum wage issue is irrelevant. If you provide me service, I pay appropriately. If you do not provide me service, you do not get paid. Real simple.
Actually, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word 'tip' is a slang term that originated in the early 18th century. It's derived from an earlier sense of the word that meant "to give".
The acronym To Insure Proper Service is incorrect. Specifically, the word 'insure' means "to guarantee against loss or harm". I believe the correct word would be 'ensure' which means "to secure".
BTW, waiting tables paid for my college degree.
It's society in general. Just because little Billy played baseball doesn't mean he deserves a trophy! Just because you work as a waiter/waitress doesn't mean you deserve a 15% tip.
I did the waiter gig, it's simple if I screwed up I got screwed. Did I whine, no! I changed MY WAYS of doing business I didn't expect the customer to change THEIR WAYS.
You don't deserve squat! If I get bad service, surprise you get a bad tip. Not too hard to understand but most everyone is a product of the public school system and expects their trophy.
I used to tip 15% 100% of the time. When the service was lousy, I felt even worse when I left knowing that it cost me that much more. Now when I tip, it is for extraordinary service above and beyond. Taking my oder and delivering my food is factored into my cost. However, when I do tip, my tip is extraordinary as well. I typically tip 50 to 100%. So let me ask all the "tip no matter what" people, should I take from those that 'earn' it to just give it to those that don't? After all, If they 'lousy" servers get tipped anyway, what will encourage them to become extraordinary or even leave a profession that they are not successfull in? Performance is the factor.
I was a waiter for years. You all wanna not get stiffed? Give better service, seriously. Not that hard really. And if you're too busy, you have too many tables and can't handle it.
Since the staff is taxed on their sales, this should be easy to figure out – servers how much sales do you genereate per hour at a Friday's type restraunt. Not just good or bad nights over a typical week. Diveide it by 10 and multiple by 2 then add in your 2.35 from your employer. That is the expected hourly wage for you assuming a 20% tip. If that is over 15 an hour then 20%is really too high of tip to expect. I would really like to know answers
Two things: To cyberwarrior that comment about "blacks" not tippings is completely ridiculous. Regardless of whether or not your entire waiting experience has shown you that none of the black people who you have served have tipped, it's just an affront in itself that you could be comfortable with making such a glaringly stereotypical comment. Seriously. Problems all around. I get you're saying that not "all" black people don't tip ("brothers & sisters"? really...-__-?), but it seems as if you're saying that the only ones who would consider tipping are those who work in the service industry as well. I'm sure you must know this isn't true, so I'm not going to waste time detailing to you that it's impossible to make such a generalizing statement, becuase, obviously, you have not interacted with all the Black people in this country. Ugh.
Anywho, the major point that I wanted to make (before happening across the previous post) is that we shouldn't have to tip a certain amount because we feel guilty or we are ashamed about what people will think if we don't tip. That's happened to me a number of times when I've settled on a tip that I've decided is fair and a person I'm dining with will say "Oh, we should give them more." I should be able to discern what I think is a fair tip without other people telling me what I SHOULD do. In addition, I don't understand the idea that we should tip 15-20% (or more) of the BILL. What does the BILL (the physical amount that I paid for my food) have anything to do with what the waiter deserves? They didn't cook the food, so it's no tlike saying a waiter "deserves" more for serving me a lobster dinner vs. serving me a burger or a salad (or an appetizer). I don't think there's anything wrong with tipping (I understand that waiters don't make much and this helps supplement their income) but someone please explain the logic in this arbitray tipping system. I don't think the "value" of the food has ANYTHING to do with the vaule of my service and I'm TIPPING a waiter for the service not for how good/expensive the food was (if that's the case, we should be tipping the chef...). So, when I tip, I don't follow a strict 15-20% reigment. Sometimes, this is to the waiter's advantage because, say if I buy an $8 burger (w/water) I'd feel really awkward just leaivng the person a $1.60 for a tip, I'd probably leave something more along the lines of $3-4 (to make it worth their while, and becuase I don't like leaving change). However, I also don't think I should be forced to leave something like $10-15 just because my food costs more. I think tips should be a function of whatever a person feels inspired to give. Honestly, I assume (I really don't know) that waiters would be grateful for any tip because at the end of the day it's MONEY and the point is that the tips should be adding to their income. So if someone dares snub a tip, then I'll assume they don't really want it anyway. However, I've never left anything like a penny, or a quarter. I leave at least $2 if I go out to eat (I don't generally buy really expensive food), but that seems to not be enough for some people. Poor service is poor service–if I have to do my waiter's job FOR them (i.e.: go find utensils, napkins, a plate for my appetizers, a refill, etc, which I've had to do...) then I'm not quite sure what I'm paying them FOR. However, I have had really great waiters before. And as long as I leave the restaurant feeling neutral (as in, not hating my experience) my waiter will get a good tip.
At the end of the day, since tipping varies so much across the board, it would be better if there was a mandatory minimum wage for waiters. But, on the other side, I know some people who would adamantly disagree with that since they honestly make a lot MORE than people who have regular jobs BECAUSE tipping is so good. So, with this industry, it seems like it's a risk you'll have to take. You COULD make a lot of money ($200-300 a night, I've heard), but you also have to be willing to accept that you might leave making only $50 in one night. Hopefully it'll all balance out in the long run. Continue to do your jobs well, and more often than not you'll be rewareded for it. :)
I have waited tales and thought it to be both the hardest and most enjoyable work I have ever done. Simply hard work but working with the public was great most of the time. I prided myself on excellent service even when the hostess would tell me that a particular party usually did not tip well. Or in one instance an elderly couple just told me up front they did not believe in tipping and they would understand if I did not want to wait on them. I gave them especially great service; they very graciously "thanked" me. I was happy and proud.
P.S. this was a second job so I could pay my bills. I tip 20% as a rule but it can go up or down from there depending on the service and I never punish the server for something obviously not in their control.
I've worked at resorts where a low minimum wage is allowed assuming the server will make at least enough to bring the server's wage up to standard minimum wage. The server clocks in at the beginning of their shift and when they clock out at the end of their shift they enter the dollar amount earned in cash tips during the shift. They do not need to pay credit card service charges, that is the resorts overhead. If a server is showing low tips earned over a period of time (credit and cash) it usually means the server is providing poor service or that the server is providing false information on cash tips. Whether the cause of the low tips is resulting from the server performming poorly or providing false information the server would stand a good chance of being terminated. At our main dining room the servers would average $150 to $300 per night in tips. We had one server that would earn his $4 an hour plus average better than $500 a night in tips. One night this server earned a $450 tip on one table. Other servers would be sent on their way or leave on their own because they were not earning enough. At times we would host a large international event and we would let the guests know that a "service charge" of 15% would be added to their bills. Most of the guests understood since in many countries a service charge is added to a guest bill and if the diner felt the service was above par a diner would round the bill up to the next highest dollar.
If I am dining out and the service is poor – I let the manager know and leave a low to zero tip. If the food is bad I talk to the manager – if the manager comps the item or the meal the server gets a full tip based on the full cost of the meal. If the manager does nothing, I do not dine at the establishment again, but will not penalize the server if he/she makes an attempt to correct the problem.
To those servers that say they will mess with a diners food on a return visit if they don't tip, grow up and if it happens often to you look into the mirror for the person to blame. And if you are caught on a security camera say goodbye to your job and look forward to possible criminal charges.
I have left small tips, and on the receipt I would write 'Service was horrible, I expect much better as customer' or soemthing like that....
My friend is a waiter at Olive Garden and he is black. He even said every time a group of black customers walk in, he would pray they don't sit at his section.
I work in the business, and I believe that low tips are deserved by poor service, but the penny or the out right stiff are not exceptable. If you are in a regular job making yearly salary, if you make a mistake or you are having an off day, does your daily wage get docked a percentage, or taken away all together? I didn't think so. First determine if the server or the kitchen made the mistake. If a server or bartender makes a mistake, make it known they have made a mistake and let them correct it. If the kitchen made the mistake, you still inform the waitstaff of the error and let them take it from there. If you are not happy with the results, then you ask to see the manager. All these steps should be taken care of before you even ask for the bill. If at that point, you are still unhappy, please think twice before stiffing or shaving the tip. We have mouths to feed and heads to keep roofs over. $2.32/hr plus tip means exactly that, we make $2.32 an hour and rely on our service to you for the rest of our income. Try living on $2.32/hr and tell me how far you get.
Lets see in a some positions if you have a bad day and perform poorly you may not get docked for that days work, but the next day you could be looking for a new job.
Well, Ed, obviously some customers are total jerks and will leave a pittance for even the best of service. BUT when you can watch your server dote and fawn all over other tables and ignore you as if you were not even there then the server should fully expect to receive a big fat stiff on the tip. She can tell her kids: Sorry you don't get to eat tonight but mommy was too busy making googly eyes at "Bud Stud" to pay attention to the rest of her tables for 20 minutes.
I was a waitress for my last two years of High School and I worked very hard for my customers. I treated them with the utmost respect. I received my training from a lady who had been a waitress for over 40 years. She said to always treat them as if they were your own family and I agreed with her. Never give bad service to someone that you wouldn't want as well. Always have a smile and be polite. To me if the service is bad let the waitress; waiter; or Manager know. I had to work one Sunday morning and I sat a family of 12 down and I gave them nothing but great service. I made sure they had everything they needed and kept their drinks full. The bill was way over $250.00. I thought I would at least get $40.00 but all they left me was $5.00. I ran out to them as other people were coming in and I told them that they could keep their $5.00 tip for the $250.00 bill. I also told them to never come back because I would spread it around how lousy they were as tippers and that they would only get the worst service possible.
I ordered out once and when I brought it home the food was terrible. The lobster was mushy, and the steaks were tough and burnt. I called the restaurant and asked to speak to the Manager and I let him know about it. He asked what I ordered so that he could verify the order and he then apologized to me. I thanked him and told him that I would give them another chance. He then told me that he would send me a gift certificate for the full amount. He kept to his word and sent me a $100.00 gift certificate. I went back and received a wonderful take out dinner and gave the waitress a 25% tip because she was attentive and kind and served me with a gracious smile. Everyone has good and bad days but try to keep your personal business to yourself and do your job. I also realize that not everyone can go to college so that they can get a better job but if it’s all you got try doing your best at whatever you do. Last night I went to this seafood restaurant for take out and I ordered from the bar area, while there another gentleman came in to order out as well. After I put in my order she didn’t ask me if I wanted a drink or ice water but with the gentleman she did. I thought how rude and then I preceded to ask for ice water, 8 minutes later she gave me ice water. Then to top it off she put his order in and forgot mine. He got up to leave and I asked how much longer it would take and she said about 15 minutes. I then told her to just cancel the order and that I would be going to another restaurant and give them my business. She said but you already ordered and I told her but I haven’t paid you either. I then asked her to go get her Manager. She was gone for about 5 minutes and both came back. He asked what the problem was and I informed him of what happened. She stood there staying nothing but rolling her eyes and he apologized for the incident. He then asked how this could be cleared up and I told him to only hire people who really want the job and who could be polite and attentive to their customers. The food I ordered was delivered by another lady so I looked at it and found it to look and smell great so I then decided to pay for it but only had to pay half price per the Manager and I told him that since she didn’t do her job that I wasn’t going to tip her and he agreed. If you receive a great tip it’s because you went out of your way for your customers, if you don’t get one then maybe you need to look at yourself at why you didn’t get tipped. If you don’t complain to the Manager; how are they to know that someone bad is working for them? How can they fix what they don’t know?
Some people serve because its the only job available to them while they are putting themselves through school, and trying to raise a kid on the side. Most serving jobs offer the flexibility needed. It is quite ignorant (Jaliska) to assume that the servers have simply "chosen" that job with lousy pay and should put up with rude and obviously ignorant flakes such as yourself. The hourly rate of pay is ridiculously low.. and yes these servers do need the tips. If you can afford to go out to feed your face you should assume the tip is part of that expense and not find a reason to justify a completely rude gesture like stiffing someone for whatever reason. Until restaurants start paying people an hourly rate that equals the work put in .. there should NEVER be a reason to stiff someone.
Sometimes good service is all about perception. Some customers are just so hard to please that it's almost not worth it to go the extra mile. If I need something I will ask for it but I try not to be too demanding and I try to be respectful. If I can tell the server is trying I will give him or her the benefit of the doubt. Unless it is obvious the server isn't trying to do a good job I will tip at least 20%.
From experience I've found that as a waiter sometimes you get tables that are very demanding and very inconsiderate. I've been in situations were I've had to choose to either neglect them or neglect all of my other tables because I was too busy to please everyone and help wasn't always available.
I was surprised that the minimum wage for servers did not go up with overall minimum wage. However, if restaurants were forced to pay servers more, many would not be able to stay open because labor costs would be too high for them to stay in business.
I was with a large group at a place that automatically adds tips for large groups. I guess our server felt that justified him ignoring us all night. We requested separate checks at the beginning of the meal, and he told us fine he would separate them when he brought them later, well later it was "too late" to separate them! Our drinks didn't come until well after our food was served. But the absolute worst was that we sat in an open air area, with a retractable awning. It started to rain, so we asked our server to close the awning, he put his hand out, said "I don't feel anything" and walked away. Another table requested the same of their server who immediately closed the awning. We spoke to the manager who discounted our meal, and needless to say there was no tip.
It has to be really catastrophic for me to leave a $0 tip. I would probably have already walked out of the restaurant. If it's pretty bad, I still leave 10%. I tip heavier on cheap meals b/c I don't think 20% is enough on an $8 lunch, where they still need a min of 5 trips to the table. I think 20% way too much on a $100 dinner, but I'm too cheap to go on those very often. I think it is important to vary your tip to send feedback. Someone who does a good job and makes themselves be pleasant when they don't feel like it should do better than someone that doesn't bother. My pet peave is physically attractive waitstaff that seem to know they don't have to work too hard.
Simple. When you go somewhere and there is a person who will 'bring you something'... 'serve you'.... they are paid by the proprietor to do this. The bar/restaurant/cafe/ice cream parlor owner does NOT owe the employee anything more.
Anything 'more'... or 'less'... that he server 'provides' is reason for a tip or lack thereof. It's SIMPLY a 'value added' service. Guaranteed, the better servers will get better tips....
When servers 'detract' from the basic, minimum service... they are SUBTRACTING from the consumers experience... and the tip becomes less and less deserved... to the point that INDEED some servers should suffer more than no tip...
Go to a club... get lousy service, slow service, cold food... inattentive servers... goofing around... waitresses flirting with bartenders... forgotten orders... wrong orders... incorrect bill... THESE PEOPLE WANT A TIP..??!!!
Grow up you whiners..!!!!!
Tipping WILL be a CHOICE, when food service workers ALL get paid AT LEAST MINIMUM WAGE. So Sy2502 you must be quite the SADIST.
Years ago I had the opportunity to spend a summer working with a young woman from Germany. I asked her what she liked about the United States. She said she loved the service that waiters and waitresses give you in American restaurants. She couldn't believe that the wait staff always asks, "Is everything okay? Can I get you anything else?" She said that in Germany the wait staff essentially throws the food at patrons because the tip is always included in the bill. Consequently, no matter how good the service they provide, the tip will always be the same.
If servers were paid at least minimum wage and tipping was not common practice, the prices of menu items would be 15-20 percent higher. I try to keep this in mind when I dine out.
Being a former line cook i have no sympathy for servers, do you know how many times ive had to yell a servers name becuse the food had been sititng in the window for 10+ minutes. Cooks get blamed for things that sometimes..really are the servers fault. Yes there are good servers and you can see those servers, they try and are very nice no matter how bad their day has been. The customer doesnt care if you ran out of cigarettes, the customer wants to have an enjoyable experience that they are paying for. If a server puts a damper on their night the by all means make the tip commensurant to the service. Yes there are jerks that wont tip even if you went the whole nine yards and gave them an extra refill on a drink that doesnt have free refills. But most of the time if you dont get tipped well, you did something wrong. Bring back comment cards at the table!
doesn't anyone realize that TIPS stands for TO INSURE PROPER SERVICE – Bad service – no tip
Some of the posters were infuriated at people who don't leave a tip. One poster stated that "perhaps the waiter had a bad day, give them the benefit of the doubt."
I'm an aircraft mechanic. If I have a bad day, a plane could crash. So if you're a waiter, you get a free pass to have a bad day? I don't think so. If you are rude to me, I'm not going to pay you!!!
are you honestly claiming that you've never had a bad day at work before? because that sounds very unlikely. the fact is nobody is at their best every day. the only difference is you still get your full paycheck everyday, whereas the working class person waiting on you doesnt get the same benefit.
Now Stanley... Justin is simply saying that if he has a bad day, It is NOT acceptable to perform lowsy work. If he forgets to tighten the bolts on the wing of an aircraft, nobody would EVER forgive him if the excuse was "I just had a bad day." Think about it next time you get on an aircraft. That's why he gets paid his full salary even if he has a bad day. Servers, however, do what they can to make our meals enjoyable or live with getting NO TIP.
i understand completely what he saying... i just dont believe it. i doubt there is anyone here with a full time job that can claim to have never made an error while on the clock."to err is human", etc. everybody slips up sometimes, and its a lot more likely in a hectic environment with a lot of multitasking involved.
Agreed, we are not perfect. People do make errors and we should not reduce a tip because of a mistake or two. However, servers who flat out ignore customers or just want to do as little as possible and blame it on a bad day should not be rewarded with a gracious tip. I once heard a girl tell me that she will not bring anything to a table until she is asked for it. After watching her for a while, I noticed she didn't bring silverware, Ketchup (for a burger and fries), fill drinks, etc. I began reducung her tip everytime it happened to me. I shouldn't have to ask for the same things everytime. Also, I was a regular there.
Only time I ever left without tipping was when I was with my mother who was in her 80's, and wheel chair bound due to a stroke. We are both diabetic from birth. After waiting quite a while for service, our waitress finally came and took our orders and we both ordered unsweetened tea. The tea came back sweet and I politely explained that we had to have unsweetened tea because of our diabetes. The waitress literally rolled her eyes then finally brought back some tea when our meals came and she completely disappeared from that point until very near the end of our meal. I finally had to get her attention to get a refill on tea...which she tried to refill with sweet tea again before I stopped her. Finally Mom had to go to the restroom so I wheeled her in there only to find the handicapped stall occupied but none of the other stalls occupied. I noticed when we walked in that the room smelled like smoke, and I heard several women laughing in the stall. Then several minutes later the stall door opened and three waitresses came out with the cig packs and lighters in hand, including our waitress. Two had the sense to look ashamed to see an old lady in a wheel chair waiting for them to finish up. When we went into the stall there were three fully smoked butts in the toilet and two chairs had been pulled in there that I had to remove to accomodate Mom's wheelchair. When we came back out, our check was laying on our table with charges for 4 sweet teas and our server didn't even come to pick it up, but instead sent someone else. Needless to say the manager and I had a chat.
As a former waiter here's my two bits:
There are customers who will NEVER TIP regardless of the service they receive and are insulted at the idea of tipping.
Blacks who constantly expect you to resupply them with fresh napkins because they use the ones you've already provided them like toilet paper and calling on you every minute for one item or another at the expense of your other customers who do tip, leave NO TIP. That isn' t to say all brothers and sisters don't tip. Many brothers and sisters are themselves waiters/waitresses and no doubt have been on the receiving end of this black on black injustice.
Wait staff routinely juggle the demands of seating the customers, getting them their water and menus, cleaning the tables, bussing the tables, getting the customers' orders, placing the orders to the kitchen, and writing the checks. Anything fails in one area, it has a ripple effect on everything else. That's what waiters/waitresses have to put up with
for the customer's service.
The problem is the fact that restaurant are exempt from minimum wage. I would of liked to no tip a couple times but was basically guilted into leaving something because of I know they don't make anything. Normally I would tip around 15-20% but bad service gets below 10%. And thats just because I would feel guilty leaving anything less so my opinion doesn't change any.
But restaurants do have a nice little scam going, seriously how many other industries have their customers paying their employees. Its genius.
One of my major aggreavations is when wait staff takes my cash with the bill and asks, "Do you want change?" In many cases because I don't have smaller bills I will leave two $20 bills ($40) for say a $24 bill, so the change should be almost as much as the size of the bill. So when the wait staff asks this question I tend to translate it as, "I want double what you would ordinarily leave as a tip." So in those cases I say, "Yes, I want the change." I then leave them a 15 percent tip instead of my customary 20 percent. However, if the waiter or waitress says, "I'll be right back with your change," I will give him/her the full 20 percent tip.
William, that’s a pretty contrived reason. Usually, I find it rude to count the money someone has left me in front of their table to see if change will be necessary, so I always ask about change at the table if I see any cash in the bill. It also saves valuable time because if people do not need change, which is very common, I don’t waste time I could be using waiting on other tables making change in the server area or getting change for a large bill at the bar. People also usually have a specific way they want their change/bill handled so I always ask. I think maybe you’re reading into the semantics a little too much.
I have never waited tables – not something I would be good at, but most of my friends have at one time or another. I know they get paid less than minimum wage and that is with the expectation of a tip – for people to say a tip is not required – you're just lying to yourselves. I always leave a tip – somewhere between 15-20% – sometimes more. I am not a rich person but I know how hard it is to make ends meet. What gets me is restaurants that do not give the wait staff their tips when it is added to the credit card statement – that's stealing - or the crap about "pooling" tips – that's stealing too, a good waiter/ess is penalized because they work with a bunch of lazy people because their good tips are mixed with crappy or no tips and they don't get what they've earned. I'm not sure how to make things square with bus boys/girls and kitchen staff but in my opinion they should be paid a proper, full minimum wage and should not expect to partake of the tips the wait staff gets. The wait staff get's less than 1/2 the minimum wage and the tips are supposed to bring them up to at least (and hopefully more than) minimum wage. People on this comment section certainly seem to be holier than thou regarding tipping – I hope you never have to find out just how hard it is to wait tables.
I do leave a tip for extremely poor service:
a message that says "Here's your tip: Find another line of work."
I've been a server for many years and am currently a restaurant manager. I am appalled by some of the comments, "I would leave an INSULTINGLY low tip..." Why would you go out of your way to insult some one just because they aren't the best at their job or were having an off day. That's terrible!!! Bottom line is I understand the frustration of having bad service...but the facts are a server is there to bring you you drinks and food and to be a friendly representation of the restaurant. They are not your personal slave and are not there to wipe your ass for you. Treat them as human beings. Its sad that even has to be said!
Ohhh Jaliska, I think I have waited on you before. Screaming kids, husband that ignores you...ahhh yes you came and made a mess and didn't tip me! Oh well, my night went on and I was tipped accordingly by all the others who "came to feed themselves." I think you should consider sticking to the non tipping restaurants like McDonalds or perhaps Burger King when you really feel like splurging. Your comments are ignorant and you should be ashamed. By the way there is a 80 yr old woman who works at the Denny's in town. She lost her savings thanks to this wonderful economy and decided to go wait tables for fun!!! as we all do. You should go and stiff her, since she pays her bills with spilled soda and dirty plates.
I'm in public relations and a number of years ago I arranged a meeting for a couple of clients and a reporter who covered their industry. We went to a trendy Italian restaurant. The reporter had laid his winter coat on the seat next to him. When the waiter delivered the meal he wasn't paying attention and spilled a large quantity of sauce on the reporter's coat. I was mortified. The waiter tried to blame it on the reporter for putting the coat on the seat next to him. I paid with a credit card, but specifically left the tip blank. When I got my credit card statement, the cost of the meal was listed as 15 percent more than the slip I had signed. The waiter had written in his own tip. Obviously I called and complained and the restaurant gave me a free meal. Big deal. I was trying to help my client by introducing them to a key reporter, but the only thing the reporter remembered was having his coat doused with Marinara sauce.
I love how the majority of “always leave a tip” crew are waiters. I tend to tip just over 20% as long as the service was reasonable. With that said I have no idea how that became socially acceptable never mind the norm. If a table of 4 goes out and spends $20 a plate and each get 2 $5 drinks the bill comes to $120. The tip on that is $24. Add in the $2.13 wage that they always bring up as a mortal sin (basically a bonus) and the waiter made $26 on the single table in the hour that we were there. Let’s get super conservative and say they only work three tables at a time. The other two cover the tip out and maybe the extra 10-20 min over an hour a typical table stays. That’s a $50,000 a year unskilled job in air conditioning. Of course they only claim about $25,000 on their taxes which they have no shame doing. So it’s more like $60,000. I’m in sales. If something goes wrong I get nothing. Waiters are in sales, but they will blame everything in the world and still expect not just a tip, but a full one.
When I waited tables I always got tips-in fact I made more money per hour waiting tables than I did for years in my field, but I worked hard for that money and. I will still tip on below average service but if the waitstaff gives me attitude I will zero out the tip as fast as lightning.
if you are dining in or ordering home delivery, you should always tip your server. if you cant afford to tip, stay at home and prepare the food yourself. These people are providing you a service, with the expectation of being compensated for their work. Even if you feel the service is subpar, they still gave you some of their time and effort and it was still worth more than nothing. Nobody is perfect, everybody makes mistakes or has off days on the job. If you work in an office and are having a bad day, odds are you still get paid for your time. Why should a server should not be paid for his/her time? Service industry workers rely on customers to tip in order to support their household. Its never ok to not tip, tipping should be considered part of the bill just like the price of food.
Here's one for you... We enter a nice eatery in Vermont to only hear a child having an end of day melt-down. When the hostess asks where we'd like to sit, I respond "Some place quite". She then walks us to the table next to the kid. Now, what would you, a paying customer, say at that point?
Ask right then to be seated elsewhere. I've done that multiple times. I love kids, but I'm not always in the mood to deal with them at a restaurant so if I am in close proximity to a child who's misbehaving I ask to move and explain why. I've never had them tell me no and they always seat me elsewhere.
Alright, part of eating out is tipping. That is the real source of income for a server. Not tipping is the equivalent of any professional doing the job they are hired to do by their client and then not getting paid. When poor service is given, a tip is not always warranted. However, a 4-5 percent tip is acceptable as the server will most likely be paying that amount to support staff. If your bar drink was great and the food was also good, then why punish those staff members that did their job? Now, if you are the type that doesn't agree with tipping at any time, then eat at home. Where else would you be provided with a service for free? Nowhere.
Jeremiah, you said "part of eating out is tipping. That is the real source of income for a server."
Perhaps you should complain to the owner who hired you at $2.00 an hour – that SHOULD be the real source of income. Don't expect customers to support you. The owners are banking by not paying you a decent wage! Don't cut the throats of the customer, go after your boss.
Has it occured to anyone that waiters/waitresses make less money, because it's not exactly the most challenging job in the world? It seems like most of the pro tip points rely on the argument that the job is hard or the waiters need the money..... Maybe they should have worked harder to avoid relying on the will of the average customer to be generous. Tipping should be outlawed, restaurants should pay more, and restaurants should raise the price of food to cover it. If you disagree with this, than you can't argue that waiters should get a tip, even if they provide bad service.... THAT'S THE POINT! Low base + good tips = more money for good waiters.... IT CREATES MOTIVIATION!
My boss would love it if the customers paid me separately so that he would only have to pay me a pittance. Where else do you have to pay twice. I say raise the prices, and pay the staff a proper salary. In fact, I bet most waiters have limited or no benefits. If so many people are accustomed to pay a tip, then they shouldn't have any problem paying the higher prices that will result from paying a living wage.
I don't expect to be entertained, sung to, or to see special tricks. What I DO expect is good service. I expect silverware BEFORE I get my food, my drink refilled a time or two, to be asked if I need anything, and to not be ignored. I expect them to do their job. I, then, have NO problem, and am honored to compensate for my service. I don't give handouts though. If I get an a$$hole with a bad attitude, am ignored, served cold food, well, the tip is next to ZERO. The lowest I've left is a penny. I beleive you get what you put out. Of you give crappy service, you get pennies.
Let me start by saying that my grandmother was a waitress for over 25 years, so I know how difficult the job can be.
It is your job to make the dining experience pleasant for the customer. If my experience is subpar due to your service (or lack there of) then your tip will be subpar as well. There have been times when I've gone back to a restaurant and requested a different waiter due to the poor service I received before. On a few rare occassions I haven't left ANY tip, but I took the time to explain why to both the waiter and the manager.
If you do your job well and enhance my dining experience, you will be rewarded for it. One time my husband and I were so pleased with the service we received that we left a 50% tip.
Not everyone is cheap, we just expect you to do your job and actually earn the tip that is a part of your wages. That is how the job force works.
If you don't tip because you had bad service you are ignorant. Servers live off their tips if you had bad service tell the waiter/waitress and they will fix the problem it's not going to hurt there feelings if your drink is empty or your food is cold. They would rather know so your experience is better at the restaurant. Not saying a word till the end of the meal then stiffing them is Bu77S**t. You should stay home and be a cheap bast**d then go out.
I'm usually a very good tipper (20% is my norm, higher if I'm really impressed by the food/service). But there has been 1 time that not only didn't I tip, I didn't pay for my food or drinks.
We were sat on a moderately busy night. It was hopping, but there were also open tables. The gentleman who sat us took our drink order and said that "such and such will be over shortly with your drinks and to take your order". 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes passed. I flagged down a different waiter and explained that we had been seated but hadn't seen our waiter. The waiter was nice enough to run back and bring us some drinks and let us know that our waiter would be over shortly. He was so sorry, etc...
5, 10, 15 minutes pass, and still no service. Our drinks are long past drained. I hail the other waiter again and ask to have the manager come to our table. I explain to the manager what's going on, that we had been there almost 45 minutes, still haven't seen our waiter, and have had 1 drink each. He apologizes and goes over to a main who has been standing at the bar chatting with the bartender since we walked in. Apparently he was our waiter. He comes over, takes our order and disappears again (still no refills, despite me politely asking for one). 20 minutes later some one comes from the kitchen (not our waiter) carrying a couple of plates of food plus an appetizer. He asks "who ordered X". Neither of us had ordered that. "Well who ordered Y". ummm, I did, but the sides are wrong, and it's clearly weell done and not medium rare. He apologies, sets the appetizer on the table (which we didn't order either) and goes back to the kitchen. We eat the appetizer while we wait for our waiter to return... nothing. I flag down another waiter, again ask for the manager, and inform him that I will be leaving immediately, will not be paying for anything I ordered, and will not be returning. He apologized, asked what he can do to make it right, and offered free desserts (???). No thanks.
That's the only time it's been bad enough for me not to tip. I've gone as low as 10% for "bad" service, but it's never been close to as bad as that occassion was.
I generally tip very well. I've never worked food service, but I have worked customer service for many years. I know what it's like to have a bad day, and a bad string of customers. I have only never left a tip one time. The waitress visited our table twice during our entire meal. Never refilled our drinks. Took our order, brought our check. She didn't bring the food. She didn't bring our drinks. She didn't ask if things were fine. There were two larger party tables she was waiting on right behind us. I'm sure she got a good tip there. But it ruined my meal and our night our by her not paying attention. I caught the attention of another waitress, and SHE waited on us the entire night. She got our tip. Our waitress could have cared less about us, even when we complained to the manager about her rude behavior and lack of service. I understand bad nights. I also understand that you have to perform your job to the best of your ability. I pay for service when I tip. If the service was great, the server can expect a great tip. At least 18% even at a lower end restaurant. However, when you completely disregard me because I'm not going to be leaving a $20 tip like the table beside me, I have to draw the line somewhere.
I don't ever leave no tip, that means there may be some question on whether or not I was making a point or just forgot.
If service is really bad I'll leave the smallest coin I have on me as the tip. This takes some doing though, the wait staff have to be actively ignoring their duties. I won't penalize wait staff for kitchen errors (though I will complain to management), but if the wait staff can't be arsed to bring clean eating utensils (or any for that matter), leaves an order on the sill until it goes stone-cold, can't bring a check within 15 minutes of the end of a meal where it's obvious that we're done, and completely fails to follow up on drinks, well then why would I want to reward that sort of behavior?
Stuff happens, sure. Come and tell us about it then. Don't hide in the kitchen and refuse to make eye contact on the rare foray out of the back. If the dishwasher blew up and you are doing things by hand, tell us. Come ask if it'll be ok to bring out some of the food if the chef is having trouble with one of the table's orders (big bonus if some small side is comped for the goofed order).
Solution? Pay your workers enough so that they don't need a tip to survive. This means a tip is a just reward for going above and beyond and not a formality. Restaurants don't charge any less in non tipping countries on their menus so effectively it costs more to eat out in ones that expect a tip. Where is this money going? Into the pockets of the owner.
I have to admit, I am known for being very generous when the service is great. I have left $30 on a $50 tab, multiple times. My favorite bartender always gets atleast 50%. A decent waiter / waitress can expect anywhere from 20% – 25% from me. An excellent waiter / waitress can expect anywhere from 30% – 50%. But the tips are earned, not a right. My expectations are not ridiculous. Water and soda's refilled. Food brought out in a timely manner (I do account for busy nights at the restaurant). Mistakes corrected without hassle (if i asked for a medium rare burger and you bring me a piece of burnt beef, i expect that to be taken care of, if my salad is wilted and brown and gross, don't expect me to pay for it). If i'm in the middle of a conversation, wait for a semi-lull to interrupt, even if it is to ask how everything is. If you are genuinely busy, then I am more than happy to take that in to account. But if my table is the only table in your section and it takes me an hour to get a 2nd glass of water, you can expect no tip. A tip is earned, not a right. Yes, i understand that your minimum wage is ridiculously low, but if you're going to treat your customers like crap because of your minimum wage amount, get out of the service industry. BUT my biggest pet peeve, of all times, is when a waiter or waitress checks that tip amount at the table while I'm still sitting there. If you have no trust in your service, than most likely you don't deserve a tip. If you say you've been stiffed on checks before and that's why you don't trust your customers, get out of the service industry. I have been in the service industry for over 15 years. Respect your customers. Don't let one POS who stiffed you make you distrust every customer that sits in your section. Treat them the way you'd want to be treated. and maybe, just maybe, they'll tip like you would want to be tipped.
What do you consider is the proper way to tip?
Say, the bill is 20.00 dollars, tax is 2.00 total bill 22.00. I usually double the tax leaving 26.00 dollars; however some of my friends leave x% of the bill with out the tax figured in. Say, 20% of 20 dollars, equaling 24.00 dollars total.
Thoughts?
Richard – if you then add the $2.00 for tax your final bill again comes to 26.00 – I don't understand your problem.
Susan, basically I'm asking do you calculate tip on total bill or before tax.
It depends on the tax rate in the state (or even municipality) you're in. For a state with 6% tax you would triple the tax.
Another problem is where food can be taxed but alcoholic beverages aren't.
To avoid these complications, I would usually take the amount before tax, divide by 10 and double this result, then add to the bill.
Tipper, so you are saying on a 100 bill you would leave a 30 dollar tip?
Are you kidding me? Unless you’re "dining" at a fast food restaurant, service is more important than the food. Dining out is a form of entertainment for my wife and I. In fact, we dine out on the average of four nights a week. I enjoy the occasional hole in the wall and have experienced some of the best restaurants in the world. Bottom line, whether you’re out at Jean Georges or the local Italian restaurant, service defines the experience. If the service is poor, the tip should follow. That said, if the service is outstanding... I have no problem leaving 30 or 40% at times. No excuses, service defines the experience. Poor food and great service, I may give it another try. Great food with pathetic service, I'll dine with a competitor. If you don’t get it, find another industry.
My assumption is that all the servers on this board who are arguing to leave tips....are AWESOME at what they do. I am a former waitress and I KNOW I did a great job. I think any of the servers out there who are the rude, lazy do nothing type would never comment on this article. Bad day, slammed busy, whatever...it's all in how you treat the guest. But...regardless of that....I still had times where people would run up a HUGE bill and tip 10% or less.
THAT is what I don't get. If you have the money to drop $150 on dinner, don't you have the money to tip 20% for good service??
I also don't appreciate the person at the top of the article who said that servers need to stop complaining and "get a better job". I'd love for someone to give me an idea for a better job that is pretty flexible, in the evening (so you can attend college classes during the day) and offers the opportunity to make a good bit of money in one night if you're slammed busy???
"I'd love for someone to give me an idea for a better job that is pretty flexible, in the evening (so you can attend college classes during the day) and offers the opportunity to make a good bit of money in one night if you're slammed busy???"
babysitter :)
I probably make a hell of a lot more than you a night and I get to decide when and who I babysit for. I pay for my rent, car, insurance (health, car, renters) as well as all my other bills babysitting and attend college.
I'm not dogging what you do, I can't be a waitress, but there are other jobs out there.
I waited tables for many years in college so I understand both sides of the issue. People who have not worked for tips before need to understand that 18- 20 percent is an average tip these days. Average service deserves average tips. Poor service does deserve less and in some circumstances it is allowable to leave no tip. I have left no tip once in my life, but I also left my phone number and a note to the server saying if he was mad he could call me and let me know how he felt. And for the love of God stop going into restraunts 30 minutes before and expecting good service.
Thank you! Do not go into a restaraunt 30-15 mins before closing and expect everything to be perfect. Closing time is hectic people rushing to get things done just to go home to see their families. I have stayed at work for over an hour waiting on ONE TABLE to leave. we closed at 9:00pm all the the other servers left at 9:45pm when their stations were done and me and the Kitchen and the dish room and the manager all had to wait around for ONE table to leave! They left at 10:30pm they entered the restaraunt at 8:15pm!!! I have had them complain to me because I was vacuuming the floor 10 tables away (With a quiet battery operated vacumm) and I had to stop so they didnt feel offended. Now I understand during normal hours but come on it was 10:00 at night and i was just trying to go home. Ohh then they had the nerve to tell me that I did a great job and even WRote it on a comment card and then STIFFED me so it just goes to show how cheap some people can really be.
Someone earlier said that anyone who was ever a waiter wouldn't not leave a tip. I disagree. I was a waiter in the summers while in college. There's a reason that waiters work for tips in this country. It's because tit gives them an incentive to provide superior service. This isn't the case in Europe, where tips are not routinely given. Service in the United States is much better in my opinion, and I have European friends who agree. A direct quote from a Finnish friend..."in Finland, if you go out to eat and are not abused by the server, that's good service!") But, let's get this straight, I won't give you a tip if you don't do your job. If you're a house contractor, and you build me a house with a cracked foundation, should I pay you because you were having a bad day? If you're my dentist, and you pull the wrong tooth? And, honestly, if you don't like it, then you should find another job, because I'm sure that there's another, more conscientious person that would gladly take your job.
Look there is no State, Federal or International Law requiring a person should pay extra for service in the form of a Tip period. If the service is bad you will expect zip. If you bring to work issues don't expect people to be gratuitous in the tipping. With the economy taking a hammering, more people can't afford tips.
I had a Pizza guy who had the guts to tell me that I need to pay a tip before I was going to pay him so I paid him the Pizza then gave him a tip "don't expect me to order pizza again from you, cause I don't tip rude jerks." I also called and turned him in for solicitation of a tip. I pay tips when I can but never tell me I owe you one or try to force me to pay one!
As a current attorney with money to spend who has waited many a table and tended many a bar in my life, I can tell you that I am the first person to tip poorly when service is truly bad, and the first person to tip between 25% and 40% when service is good - 20% is a standard tip for average service. I've left zero before when the waiter/waitress was not only incompetent, but also rude or plain lazy. Let them be rude, dumb and/or lazy at McDonald's if they want, but not at an expensive reastaurant.
David
All I can add is that I tip 20% on average, but if the establishment adds the gratiuity into the check due to party size or just by policy than I make sure not to add any more.
While it is true wait staff make their living off tips .. it's not a guarantee and if I am being forced to pay regardless of how good or bad the service is than that required amount is all they get.
I work at GOlden corral as a server and most people have the belief that just because I do not deliver the food I do not deserve a tip. Just the other morning I was one of only 2 servers on the floor and had a party of 20, a party of 40, and about 10 other tables come in to my section all at once. Now I was slammed and still made sure everyone had clean tables, clean dishes, and full drinks to the best of my ability. I was at times running through the restaruant to make sure everyone was fine. All 40 people (paid seperate) walked out and did not tip me!! So what did I do wrong? I have heard people tell each other that "I dont tip the people here, they dont do anything". WRONG! I have worked at a full service restaraunt where the server is the "bank" and now here and this job is harder. I handle 10 times as many dishes and glasses and have larger stations, on average I tend to serve at least 12 tables at a time and have to do silver throughout service as people dont want to use the same fork more than once during their meal. "Ill just get a new one!" I was even stiffed cause a guy wanted free soda. He told me that I obviously dont work for tips because I wont give him a free drink. Sorry but I am not going to get fired for a stupid SODA!!! I am tired of people thinking they can get stuff for free. I have served tables perfectly, full drinks, no trash (napkins ect), no dirty plates and no dirty cups on the table and was still stiffed. Why do you tip you hairdresser who gets paid WAY more than I do? Why your newspaper carrier? Why the repairmen who come to your home. You pay way more for these services than you do for your 30-40 meal and yet still tip these people but not your server who makes $4.24 now! I understand that for bad service YES dont leave a tip, I never expect a tip when I mess up. But I can be stiffed as much as 10 times a night and not have messed up, even had pleasant chats with these folks and still NO TIP!! WAKE UP AND REALIZE THAT SERVERS ARE HUMANS AND MAY MESS UP BUT IF THEY TRULY TRY TO MAKE THINGS OK AND ARE PLEASANT THEN LEAVE THEM SOMETHING! There are times that I am not feeling good and may not be at my best but I try. Also if you suck your drink done as soon as I give it to you then of course you may have to wait a few to get another one because I do have other tables and duties. I have to keep all the bars clean, floors clean, plate stations stocked, tables clean, people sat, lemons, bread, dishes, full drinks, do the silverware, restock napkins, sugars,ect! Ohh yeah and servers dont really get breaks. We are allowed to take them but if we do then someone ELSE has to watch our stations so dont think we are being lazy if someone else comes to give you stuff. On average I take maybe 2 breaks a week and it usually results in me being stiffed because the table didnt see me before they left. Where I work we dont close stations and we dont have a hostess you pick where you sit, so its virtually impossible to have an empty station. So just open your eyes and look around at what your server is doing, If he or she is running around trying then please be patient we are only human. But if your server is standing around goofing off then by all means STIFF AWAY! and COMPLAIN to not only the mananger but the server as well.
I always leave a tip of 15-20% no matter what. If the food or service was bad I simply don't return to that restaurant.
At a restaurant, the waitress proceeded to sit and chit chat with her friends at a table a few feet away, while our drink glasses were empty and she had forgotten to bring a few items. I did leave a tip... it was written on the bottom of the credit card receipt, and said "the waitress should be fired."
I refused to leave a tip because there were only 5 pieces of ravioli!!! Later on, I checked my credit card statement. The restaurant had put on a $10 tip (on a $70 bill, 3 persons). Now, that is FRAUD!!! I called the credit card company, and had the $10 tip taken off!!!
How does FIVE raviolis make the server bad??? How about telling him/her that there was only five! Not all mistakes are directly related to the server. I understand if you told her that it was like that and she ignored you, but in most cases they do try and fix it.
WOW. i worked in the food biz for many years before i started my own business and finished college. My mother is the type that won't leave good tips EVER. Me and my wife on the other hand leave 10 percent for bad service and up to 25 per cent for great service. To those who do think it is a "gratuity", be grateful that the standard hasn't been bumped up to 30 per cent. I'm not sure what the sadism is for, but throwing down an extra ten bucks can't be that bad if the service was even ok. For those who don't tip at all..... you run the risk of "special sauce" next time around. You don't play rough with the people who are feeding you. i suppose if you had a bad day at work and made some mistakes you should only get 5 per cent of your standard pay.
TY – you said we're "supposed to grateful the standard hasn't risen to 30%." The industry is already struggling with 20%, and raising that would really be a burden to both sides, don't you think? It would make people think twice about going out at all. Then where would tips come from?
Besides, people such as myself, don't return to restaurants that give bad service. Why would I go back? For MORE bad service? Don't think so, and I would also tell family, friends and co-workers the service was terrible and I wouldn't recommend it.
I consider myself one who tips, and the amount they get depends on the service they give. I have tipped less than 20% and more than 20%. I make it a point to go where I know the employees and therefore get good service and they look forward to seeing me because they know I am going to take care of them. Years ago, I was in a restaurant that was crowded, service was really bad. When time to leave, waitress was no where in sight. After waiting way too long, went to bar area to try to pay, again was totally ignored. I don't have to tell you what happened next, and I would do it again under the same circumstances. We tried numerous times to settle the check. Oh well!!
i like how the "server supporters" are saying "cmon leqave a damn tip anywya " as if it is charity...I could have 100k in the bank but because you do not do your job properly im supposed fork out....Tipping is expecting –yes..So is a competent, polite curteous server.....in the end i say bad service ...not tip....You dont make enough money...Starve people because i didn;t get to eat my runny eggs at breakfast.
T.I.P.S ==> To Insure Proper Service. I get proper service.....You get a Tip. It as simple at that.
By proper i mean- Curtious, atentive and kind. If the cause if my issue is not the servers fault - why punish the server by not leaving a tip.
Why blame the server if the kitchen screws up. Thats what managers and "How was your visit" cards are for :)
I went to a steakhouse one afternoon and I had a pretty decent waitress. That is, until she was supposed to go get my change and never came back to our table. She came out a few times to check on others and ignored me when I made eye contact with her to let her know I wanted her to come over. She had assumed my change was hers. I had planned to tip her a dollar or 2 over that, but she never came back. I let the manager know, I got my change back, and walked right out.
I find that most people who are hard-asses about tipping have never worked a day in their life in a restaurant. There are times where things are definitely the server's fault, but a lot of the time folks are just punishing the server for the sins of kitchen, back waiters, etc. Just be aware of the situation & make sure you are punishing the right person.
The best consistent service (at multiple places) I've ever gotten was in Australia. We ate at a wide variety of restaurants (from casual to relatively upscale, local places and chains) in a variety of cities and towns and with one exception the service was very friendly a very good to excellent. They don't expect tips there and the restaurants pay their staff a decent wage. For extremely good service a 10% is more than enough and most of the time just leaving a dollar or two will make the server's day. Sure the menu prices are a little bit higher than here, but that's not a problem since the servers aren't expecting to be handed a 15% tip no matter what they do like they are here in the U.S.
I'd be more than happy to pay higher prices at restaurants so that servers can get paid a real wage and not feel an obligation to give a tip to someone who doesn't deserve it.
never tip, these fools won't tell you that they're actually making $20 an hour. look at these posts and see what type of sick ppl they really are.
"This young lady did not even acknowledge me, and instead directed all of her attention (and flirtation) at my two male companions."
I don't even need to read anymore after this. I had a bitch of a girlfriend who had the same thought process as you do. Insecure much???
Actually the question is, how long have you been a misogynist?
Sorry if the harsh truth seems misogynistic to you. Apparently I must have said something about this girl that you can relate to.
I've left $100 tips, and I've left $0 tips... but typically 15%-20%. It all depends on the server and how they act. Doesn't bother me in the least to leave $0 if it doesn't bother them in the least to provide crappy wait service.
@glenlake doesn't hurt to tip for take-outs as well. It has never occurred to me that people don't tip. @Gary, surely you give teachers a christmas present or a present at the end of the year don't you? How about hair specialists? taxis? Are people so tight with their money they can't afford (or don't choose) to lay out a couple dollars when a service is provided for them? Try not tipping your mailman. Bet you don't get all your mail. I just don't get the no tipping thing at all.
In this culture, tipping has become an entitlement, even if the service is bad! Low wages paid by the company/restaurant is the one you should complain to. Don't expect the general public to support you; complain to your boss about the low wages! Go to Italy or China, you don't tip there. Believe it or not, the people in those countries make less than you do here, and they aren't complaining. If you don't do your job, why the hell should you get paid? If the service is good, we'll pay a VOLUNTARY tip for such, but if it's bad, then don't expect one. A tip is earned, it's not a right.
Thing is, waiters say if you don't tip, don't go to the restaurant, then complain they're hours are cut back or they don't have a job because no one's eating at the restaurant. I'd never not tip at a fancy, nice restaurant, but if the service at Applebees stinks- you bet. Better yet- I'll skip Applebees, BJs, and the rest of the so-so average restaurants and go to an upper scale fast food place like Corner Bakery or Sharkeys, with the same quality food and save 20% on the tip.
Waiters act like people have to eat out. They don't. Especially not when there are so many other options for quick take out food.
Tips are an expected cost of dining out. But it is a variable cost of the quality of service.
It's the nightmare stories of poor services that make people not tip for the most part. Just as much as a waiter/ess has an expectation of the tip, so does the customer expect a level of service.
My worse case scenario was a dinner withfriends at a decent big chain restaurant. It was packed, we were aware. It took them 30 minutes to take a drink order and another for food. Okay, no big deal really since we got a chance to talk. The food arrived first before the drinks. One of the orders could NOT be completed and we were informed when the other food arrived. The order came in not to specification (friend had allergies). I did not tip the server for one reason, poor effort to communicate.
I would not fault a person for factors out of their control like how food are cooked and prepared. I only require to be kept in the loop with some semblance of interest in my patronage. It doesn't matter what kind of day the server has and how much they need the money, they have to try and put out the effort. If a server has a bad day and it shows in their service, I say accept the loss in income and try better next time. At other types of job, poor attitude with a customer or not producing a report on time gets you FIRED. I not only have bosses to please and customers to please, but I have so much federal regulation watching over what I do. If I do not take my time or put in the effort, it'd be the last mistake I'd make professionally. I'd be happy if HABITUALLY bad service was fired, so that I both enjoy the food and the atmosphere.
In high school, I was one of the few 18 year olds working at a very popular chain of fast food burger joint. There were plenty of time where we expected a drop in activity so it would be myself and one other employee manning the whole store. Then suddenly we'd have a steady stream of cars from 9 pm till 1 am. That's two people cooking the burgers, fries, preparing said foods, taking orders, taking drinks, cleaning up enough to have space to work, making transactions, and ensuring the orders come out right. All of that in an hourly rate. It was fun, but definitely challenging. I appreciate waiters/esses for having similar experiences.
I am currently an attorney who spent 14 years in the restaurant industry while in school and during my job search for an attorney position.
I do not care how horrible the service – leave a tip!
You have no idea what it's like to have your salary be dependent on other people's whims. You also have no idea how many times someone "forgets" or just doesn't (because they're foreign) tip a great server! As a server, even if you do an excellent job, if someone is in a pissy mood – you're screwed. If they're foreign – you're double screwed.
The server can't go into your place of business where you're an attorney, doctor, postal worker (whatever) and say, "you know what, I waited in line longer than I wanted – I'm not going to pay you the full amount that you think I should." Have you ever said to your lawyer "you know, your attitude sucked today – I'm only paying you $80/hour as opposed to $250?" no. You haven't. Stop doing the same crap with servers. Good, bad... whatever. The proper response to bad service is to ask to speak with the manager once the problem appears. The manager will properly punish the server. It is NOT your place to punish the server. Pay your bill – tip at least 10% and move on with your day.
BS...appropriate name for you. So long as the service is adequate then yes a tip absolutely should be left since the low server wages are reflected in the menu prices. If the service stinks then there is no reason why that dissatisfaction should not show up in one place a server will be guaranteed to care about...the tip along...with letting the manager know. On the extremely rare occasions where I've left no tip because of bad service (i.e. rudeness, never checking on us, etc...things within the server's control) I've also left a note for the server and told the manager. Usually I've also ended up hunting down another server/food runner/bus boy who did get us refills or help us out because our server didn't do the job.
If you aren't going to do the work then you don't deserve to get paid. I work too hard for my money (and in some cases put myself in physical danger for people who frequently don't like me simply because I wear a uniform and a badge and will sue me in a heartbeat given the opportunity) to just give it away. I worked as a server and delivery driver to put myself through college so I know exactly what it's like to be dependent on tips to pay your bills and put food on the table. If your income is dependent on tips then you should probably at least try to fake a good attitude and do your job.
BS – you are delusional. I don't know what world you live in, but if the service is bad, I'm not leaving a tip. I don't care about your financial woes, that's really your business. Why would you burden the general public with your financial problems??? Most people on this blog agree that if the service is bad, you're not getting tipped, period, not even 10%.
Nobody likes you because you don't leave tips. You probably take money from your grandmas money jar
After reading much of these comments and wasting my time doing so I came to the realization that most "servers" think they are entitled to this money no matter how bad their service is. I am sorry but a tip is earned and not entitled.
My best response to a poor server is to leave a small note saying the following. "your service sucked and that is just my 2 cents, so here is your 2 cent tip."
I tip 20-25%....cheaper places around 35%. I also, clear all the plates to one plate stack them and wipe the table down after my family eats. I do it at home, so why not when I'm out. I have even refilled my own drink. I don't think a waiter should do everything for me...I actually prefer if they didn't bother me while I'm eating.
My husband and I always tip 15% for ok service, 30% for incredible service and 0 for horrible service. I do understand when the kitchen makes an error. That is not the server's fault and I would never "punish" that. What goes zero tipped by us is; lack of attention, water glasses empty for 10-15 minutes. Apathy, the server no more cares to be there than the man in the moon and their attitude reflects it absolutely. Making excuses for bad service, if you have too many tables to render good service to your customers, it is YOUR responsibility to report that to your manager, not mine to accept that, "you're just overworked, sorry."
I am, quite frankly, shocked at all the entitlement noted here by servers, with comments like, "If you cannot tip (no matter what), then don't go out to eat." How about stepping up to the plate, taking responsibility for recognizing YOU work in the SERVICE industry with insane competition and people WILL speak with their pocketbooks if you cannot do the job well. If you cannot do the job well, find a job that allows you to be completely out of the public eye. If you work in the service industry you are expected to render SERVICE. It shocks me the servers posting here who seem to feel that they can just act whatever way they choose and should get a tip because "it is part of my salary and I have to pay the bills." Sorry. Not happening. If you are an exceptional server, you will be handsomely rewarded by us. If you are even an ok server, you will get the standard 15% from us. If you act like you are doing us a favor by waiting on us, are painfully slow in the service you do give, and generally just do not want to be in your job, you can expect zero. By the way, we always leave a note on the bill as to why we left zero so no one thinks we just "forgot". On some instances, with the worst of the worst, we have spoken to the manager. My gut tells me though, if you have one of those crappy attitudes, you know exactly why you got nothing–but of course, that is not your fault, right?
If my food comes, and they do not return in a few minutes to make sure it's correct/cooked properly, that is a deduction. Twice this week, we got our food, and never saw the wait staff until we were finished, I had to go the bar to get refills myself one time, my wife wanted butter, but no one came back. It's imperitive a wait staff person, comes after the food is served and been tasted/tried, returns for drink refills. I was at a local comedy club, and I didn't hear the waiter come by and ask if I wanted a refill; I complained "you saw the empty glass, it's just water, you should have just filled it anyway". No tip there. I paid $2.00 for water, an 8oz glass!
I can understand not tipping the "average" of 15%, I really can. But being a server for years, we find it very insulting when we don't get that amount. In Texas, we make $2.13 an hour. We do our best to take care of our guests and put up with a lot. It's frustrating when we know darn good and well that we gave you good service and you give us a 10% (or even less) tip! We do remember people when they don't tip... and you will get crap service next time!
So much more I could say, but bottom line is... if you can't afford to go out to eat, DON'T. If you feel the need to though, hit the drive thru somewhere PLEASE.
Let's talk about the real jerks who order apps and drinks then tip 10% no matter how good the service is.
I always have take-out food to avoid tips. Simple! Do we have to give tips to massage therapists?
well, actually, yes
The comment "anyone who has ever been a server would never NOT leave a tip" is a completely RIDICULOUS statement. My parents owned a restaraunt through my entire childhood and into my college years. Guess what I did for them.......I was a waiter. And yes there is MANY times when I leave NO tip and then talk with the manager about the '0' tip.
For a server to expect a tip is obnoxious and selfish. Its called a TIP for a reason. It is not required unless you recieve good service. People go to a restaraunt to eat, they don't go so someone can make it through college.
It was not the patrons fault that I was a waiter, it was my choice. I could have joined the workforce and recieved a better paying job but that would have required very early mornings and stiff schedules. SO IT WAS MY FAULT that I was living off of $2.65 an hour + tips.
Guess what folks, I now have a college education and a good paying job. I didn't HAVE to wait tables. No one ever HAS to wait tables, its a choice they make..period!
I personally think tipping should go away. This is an antiquated system and serves no purpose. It is the server's job to serve the people eating and to do the best job they can. We don't tip our military who risk their lives nor do we tip our teachers who teach our future generations. Yet we tip those whose job it is to carry food and drinks to us, remember a menu, and try to keep that fake smile on their face as long as possible. I am sick of it, I don't feel I should pay more than I pay for the food to ensure the food arrives at my table and my drinks are refilled. If the servers are underpaid then lets go after the businesses and push them to pay like everyone else.
Correction: meant to say TIP = "To Insure Promptness"...brain fart.
I have a great deal of sympathy for servers. The public is selfish, demanding, and often times...obnoxious. The salary for having to deal with that is ridiculously low. (I decided I couldn't be a medical doctor after my great epiphany working in a restaurant that dealing with the public is both complicated and unpleasant.) So, as a general rule, as long as the server wasn't malevolent and can get us the food, the server gets 15%. If the server does above average, the tip reflects that. The only time I haven't left a tip was that the food was so horrible (rotting food??) we had to leave without eating. I was mortified/embarrassed to have to do it and called the poor server (who was the owner) over to quietly and without a scene explain why we were leaving. They offered to comp the meal and we left about $40 of our own accord (for our wine plus what we guessed the out of pocket for the food). It wasn't a tip- I just wanted them to understand we weren't trying to get anything for free and hoped that they listened. (Chef Ramsey would have had a bird at this place.) This not-so-fine dining spot has since closed.
Anyway, having been in a servers shoes before...I think folks should cut them a little slack.
Rarely have I received bad service where it was because the waiter/waitress;
It's unfortunate that customers direct their angst on who they see – the wait staff.
What if I'm dis-satisfied because the food was cold, sub-par ?
What if they're short staffed and I watch my server running
around like craZy trying to help out with more than they should ?
Quite often the wait staff gets penaliZed for something over
which they have little control and yet petty petty people dump on them !!!
I'm a server myself and am completely aware that there are some servers that are very incompetent and don't deserved to be tipped at all. For those of you that think we should all just get another job because we only get paid 2.13 an hour please think carefully. When you are trying to put yourself through college and restataunts are the only place that are hiring then you really don't have that much of a choice. They are more flexible with your schedules so you can still go to your classes and work.
As for tipping, if your service is good and you have nothing to complain about, I would suggest leaving 10-15%. Obviously the server wants more but tip according to the service. I have given excellent services to tables and have been stiffed without any explanation and that gets frustrating. The most common thing people aren't aware of is that usually customers get mad because of their own mistakes. Don't take it out on your server because you misread the menu. A lot of restaurants do random table checks so servers won't give you a free salad just because you thought it came with the meal. I've seen people get fired over bringing out a croissant because the customer thought it came with the meal and wouldn't stop complaining even when they were shown the menu again. The customer is not always right so don't assume that just because you complain about something means your right and will get discounted/free food.
@Dave: When you go back to an eating establishment, I recommend you have your food checked by the Health Department for spit. It happens. You're waiter is paying taxes on money you did not pay because of your attitude. The IRS expects a certain amount of unreported tip to be declared.
Let's see...$2.65 an hour plus tips. any decent waitor can handle 4 tables an hour, right? So, depending on how fancy the restaurant is, a tip could average $10 -20.00 ( per couple ). Even at the lower end of the spectrum he's making $42.65 an hour,. And you're bitching if you do a bad job and one table doesn't tip?! Try finding any other job where you will make that kind of money!
1.) You are implying that no table takes over an hour to eat. 2.) Servers very rarely maintain a full section for more than 3 hours in most restaurants. 3.)With the exception of closers, most servers work 4-5 hours a night. 4.) The tables that do tip $10-$20 typically are seated for more than an hour.
How do you handle a friend who doesn't feel like they should tip?
The first few times I have left the tip for both of us (we always ask to have the check split) and after awhile paying for both hers and my tip gets old. I've tried talking to her about it and her attitude is she doesn't think she should tip, so I've gotten to the point where I simply don't go out with her. Any other ideas? Would a waiter get upset with me if I just paid for my tip and not hers as well?
I was a waiter for several years, to then become FOH manager. All the restaurants I have worked at have been high end, (200 usd plus) and have heard and seen it all. I have had waiters drop a tray full of water into costumers, I have seen oil spilled into a customer's thousand dollar wig. Yet, what costumers have to understand, is that waitering, and the restaurant business is not easy. Its consuming, tiring, and aging. Always keep in mind, that these people are handling your food. Speak out, tell them whats bugging you. Be firm, but always be nice...if you scream, or get belligerent, chances are..well you don't want to know..
What I hate the most about tipping are the (usually bad to begin with) waiters/waitresses who hang around the table after they give you your check and make themselves VERY uncomfortably visible. It's like I haven't seen you all night and all of a sudden you're hoovering around expecting a big tip? Get lost.
I've heard that "TIP" is actually an acronym for "To Improve Service." I'm told it's British, and that it was literally deposited noisily into a tin can at the front of a store in lieu of a bell.
These days, service workers toil in the expectation of a tip that may or may not be forthcoming. So here's an idea: next time you're out, put $20 on the table and tell the server it's theirs at the end of the evening if all goes well. I bet you get the best service you've ever had.
Correction: meant to say "To Insure Promptness"...sorry...brain fart.
If the service is reasonably good, I leave a 20% tip. I have restaurants that I regularly patronize. The servers there know me and give me excellent service everytime.
However, I think servers who have a sense of entitlement to those tips – deserved or not, should think again. If I get lousy service, I will tip accordingly – like a job performance review.
If servers do not like that aspect of their profession, they should seriously consider a career change.
I go to a restuarant to buy food (as seldom as possible ) from the restuarant NOT to give someone a paycheck for working for that owner
I buy food from Jewel without paying directly for their employees
The reason I will not leave a zero tip is because I know that most restaurants require the servers to pool tips for bus boys, hosts, etc. The restaurant I worked at required you to tip out based on your sales, so even if you didn't get tipped you still had to contribute to the pool. That meant that if I got no tip I would end up paying money to serve that table.
And to everyone saying that they can get a better job, how is a full time college student supposed to find a better paying job when they go to school all day and only have sporadic nights free? Most of the servers I have worked with are also full time students. I'll admit that my parents told me that every part of my tuition was taken care of, but I kept a job so I could at least help them out monetarily. I have more respect for people that worked their a$$ off during school than the people that did nothing but go to class. It shows a hell of a lot more time management to graduate after working full time the whole time you were in college.
When I was a server (only about two years ago – so not too long) we were told we had to tip out the service people as well. We were told the amount of money we made reflected on the service we gave. If we got a bad tip, it was most likely our own fault. So what, you have to pay the busboy out of your check – you should give better service – think of it as a punishment or fine for doing a BAD job. That's what the owner of the large chain restaurant I worked in said when I got hired. When I first started working, I wasn't great at it and the tips showed. When I got better, the tips showed. The occasional person who always tips low didn't hurt my bottom line very much, so why all the whining on here from servers?
True....The restaurant I worked in wasn't exactly a high class restaurant. Usually I could make up for the bad tips, I tended to be one of the top 2 or 3 servers as far as tip percentage goes. It just depends on the restaurant.
I typically tip 20%. If the service is bad, I might round down slightly. If the service goes beyond call of duty I might round up. Once in a great while, I might leave a low tip, but never less than 15%. I have tipped much higher than 20% for great service. Just a reminder, that tips are taxable income. The best way to call attention to a service issue is to chat with the manager. To me, waiting a little while longer is NOT a service issue. I really cannot think of an example of a service issue – maybe being hateful? I've never had that problem and if people would just chill when they go out and eat, they'll find how easy it is to get good service.
Never left a tip, never will. For those of you who do, thanks for subsidizing my meal.
POW!!! I just shot Dave with my paintball gun.
Here is a perfect example of my idea. Dave, and others, go back and read my post. It's back a ways, but it's there.
Dave, I would be ashamed to eat with you.....I hope you like suprises in your food! We all talk............
If you don't tip (like Dave above or Jake the Bum) don't go to a sit-down full service restaurant–PERIOD. I wait part time, my service is impeccable and my guests frequently say so and yet, I've been stiffed on the odd occasion (likely by someone of Dave or Jake's ilk.) I tell the kids I work with that perhaps the stiffers will die in a catastrophic car fire on the way home along with all their children. And I read the griping by the posters here that say, "tipping isn't mandatory-a waiter shouldn't expect a tip". If this is you, then, don't go to a restaurant and expect to have your food and drinks delivered to you. Stay home. Go to the drive through. Go to the buffet. For those who say (like Richard) "You chose to be a waiter..." Well, YOU CHOSE to go to a full service restaurant. Why? So you can "get over" on the waiter by stiffing him or her?
@Michael James Eza
You say: "Without tips there would be now sit-down restaurants, period."
Let me remind you that there are countries in which there is no tipping. They have sit down restaurants. How do they manage, I wonder?
You complain that waiting is a job with strange hours, a demanding and tiring job, etc etc. Would you like me to give you a complete list of all the jobs that are demanding, tiring, unpleasant, uncomfortable, inconvenient? Boohooo! Suck it up.
You say: "Second that not tip is a personal shame, and an insult as bad as bleep you from a random stranger."
That's because of your misplaced sense of entitlement. You are not entitled to a tip. You receive it out of the customer's good will. If you start seeing the tip in a more realistic perspective, you'll stop feeling insulted about not getting it.
You say customers who don't tip will be treated poorly. No problem, they'll go somewhere else. Oh and they'll tell all their friends how bad your place is. And they'll probably give it poor reviews in Internet too. So while the customer will simply have a 1 time bad experience, your business will lose customers and money. How clever do you feel now?
You say: "Oh and by the way if you leave a zero tip and think you won't get stopped at the door, think again. Servers and hosts do it all the time. No one will force you to pay, but we will mention if loudly and politely ask you if you wanted your three cents back or if you forgot to do math correctly, but if you just don't sign it we will put your tip through anyway with a description of you on the back of the check."
Any such behaviour would result in subtracting from the reputation of your establishment. Don't underestimate the power of Internet reviews. Potential clients use them a lot, and if they start seeing bad comments about the service and the treatment, they will steer clear of your restaurant. So at the end of the day, the only one hurting will be you.
You say: "Ever hear the phrase don't bite the hand that feeds you. "
I say WE the customers are the hands feeding YOU, buddy. Again, we can go eat anywhere else and be just as happy, or not go out to eat at all. YOU on the other hand, DEPEND on us not only eating out, but eating at YOUR place. So be careful, be very careful, with those who pay your bills.
Go work somewhere for 2.13 an hour, do everything the customer says, be run to the ground by some customers (who are trying to make you mess up so they get a free meal), and tell me that tips aren't expected.
Once again, do you think your job is the only unpleasant job on the planet? Do you think everybody has a cushy job, except you? Plenty of people have crappy job, plenty of people are underpaid. We don't come to you expecting you to give us money because our job sucks. You took that job, it was your decision, now don't take it on me. If your job is unpleasant or you feel you are underpaid, either find another job or come to terms with it. It is not my problem.
I took the job because it has the most flexible hours out of just about any job around. I am a full time engineering student and I worked full time in a restaurant to help my parents pay for college expenses. How am I supposed to pay for books and housing when people come in and don't leave a tip because A.) they are cheap or B.) they are spiteful. I know that job wasn't the only underpaid job on the planet, and I've had more than one underpaying job. But I worked my ass off at that job to make sure my tables were taken care of, went home at 10 on an early night, studied till 3 or 4 in the morning and woke up at 8 to get to class on time. Tell me that doing all of that wouldn't make you get irritated when people leave no tip and think that you can get by just fine on 2.13 an hour.
"You say: "Without tips there would be now sit-down restaurants, period."
Let me remind you that there are countries in which there is no tipping. They have sit down restaurants. How do they manage, I wonder?"
Obviously you've never been to any of these countries, because if you did, you'd know that food at those restaurants is more expensive in order for them to pay their servers a decent wage. You cannot seriously be this ignorant.
Then it's obvious that YOU have never been there.
Yes Sy2502 tipping is illegal (but people still do it hmmm) in China, a communist country. In America where it is a capitalist country, it is needed and deserved for those who have to raise a family by serving while making often less than 20,000 a year. If you want to judge the U.S.A. by the merits of a third world country, then yes you may be disappointed in our practices, but if you want to run the numbers and figure out what it takes to run a restaurant without an under paid child labor force then yes you need tipping.
Your poor reviews don't affect a servers views on bad tipping and yes we will remember you at the new restaurant you chose to go to and yes we will tell them your a bad tipper. And yes we will tell you you forgot your change even if its only 3 cents because servers are not supposed to assume a tip and managers can't fire someone for following the rules.
Hey buddy, internet reviews are great when your online, but when your driving or not at home and people are hungry do you think everyone is gonna be all "oh wait lets not eat till we see who got the best review." No they go to the places that aren't packed, which according to your logic will be the ones with the worst service.
"I will drink it and always be full" Hootie and The Blowfish
So you are unaware that it is not just 3rd world countries who don't have tips, but also European countries, and Australia.
If you want to tell me I forgot my 3 cents change, fine with me, if you don't want the money it must mean you don't need it that bad after all. Do you think it's going to bother me in any way, shape or form? I see waiters come and go, I barely remember their faces, do you think I am going to care about how they feel? I didn't come to the restaurant to cheer you up!
And remember, disgruntled customers are by far more likely to take the time to write a crappy review of your restaurant than a happy customer. So if that's what you want, by all means keep up the attitude with the customers. Again, I do have the choice to eat at your restaurant or not. You on the other hand, don't have a choice whether to pay your bills or not.
Tipping is not required. Show me the law that says it is. In fact, the employer is legally obligated to ensure the employee makes at least minimum wage, so even if tips are bad, minimum wage will be met. Therefore, your argument that it is "needed" is incorrect. Yes it's tough making ends meet on minimum wage, but lots of people do it.
China is also not a 3rd world country – more like a 2nd world country, but that's meaningless in that the titles are really just relics of the cold war.
If a customer's poor reviews don't affect either you or management, neither of you have any business being in the restaurant business. After all, without customers, how does a restaurant stay in business, and how does a server keep his or her job?
Yelp is (now) a common way for people to find nearby restaurants with good reviews, and of course there are other options as well for finding a place to eat, not to mention fast food chains readily available. If you hope that your restaurant, with bad service and a bad reputation, will stay afloat with people "desperate" for a quick meal, you may want to re-think your business plan.
I, for one, can live without this person's patronage. And, btw, tell your friends. –We don't want them around either.
If your lifestyle depends on the tips you make, than you better work like it does. Everyone has a bad day and sometimes, you just have an off night. But I've worked in the service industry and just because you are a waiter doesn't mean you DESERVE a tip.
Both of my daughters work in the restaurant business. They feel if they do a great job and are very attentive to their customers they should receive the 20%. However, if I feel the service is sub par I will leave one dollar per person at the table for the server and not go back to that restaurant. To make my tipping easier I take the amount of tax, which in my state is 8.25 and double it. Example: the tax comes to $4.25, I will leave $8.50 makeing their tip 16.50%. So when my daughters and I go out to eat they are the ones that leave the tip!!
I have been a server for 3 years and it has been the best paying job I have ever had! In those years I have only had maybe 4 or 5 tables not leave me a tip...that is out of thousands of tables. I work very hard, am polite and give every single customer the same service. We tip out 2.5% of our total sales to the bar, bus and food runner....so if I sell $500 I have to give $12 of my tips to other employees. People that consider not tipping should think about that....even if you don't tip me I sill have to tip out on your bill.
I have waited tables off and on for 6 years. I take pride in being a good server and I truely care about not only providing excellent service, but an overall excellent experience. Servers do only make 2.00 to 3.00 dollars an hour, so tips our what we live on.
The thing is when you leave a server a bad tip you are only harming yourself. There are so many different reasons a person may not tip whether it be to prove a point, ingnorance, stupidity, or just being plain cheap. If you do not notify the server or management about the negative experience and just not leave a tip the server is naturally going to blame you for being cheap or too stupid to know any better.
It is only human nature to consider all other posibilities before a person put blame on themselves. I have never heard a server behind the wall say, wow I gave that table bad service and they stiffed me for it. Most of the time I hear those jerks stiffed me or those people were cheap a**es. Where it hurts you is, as I just point out, you now have a reputation of being one of the negatives about, which when you return might encourage the same server or a coworker they have told to intentionally provide you with bad service.
So for your own sake next time you think about stiffing a server consider the environment they are working in, their effort, and their attitude. Allot goes into making your experience a good one and the environment in a restaurant changes constantly. The general rule for tipping in todays society is 10% for bad service, 15% for average and 20% or above for excellent service. If you do have a bad experience a good server and restaurant would want to know about it, so we can at least try to correct our deficiencies. I would recommend tipping on the scale above and letting a manager or at least the server know of your displeasure, even a little note on the check can go a long way. I can't guarantee your next visit(if there is one) will be any better, but at least you have a chance.
That being said, I believe that a real server should always possess two qualities, effort and courtesy. If you do have a flat out rude server who doesn't at least attempt to make you happy they probably won't be servers very long and deserve to be stiffed, but once again you have to let them and the restaurant know because they probably won't take the hint.
When you ruin a night out for a person or persons, you should expect to recieve a low tip or nothing. Put yourself in the customers shoes, treat them as you expect to be treated. Waiters/Waitresses that hold personal grudges on customers and then return bad service on that returning customer should be replaced or fired. Its a privilege that you at least have a job in this country. I would love to replace some of these horrible waiters/waitresses with people who work on low wages. At least they would value the job. Remove the whole concept of waiters/waitress and have the cook come out. Great service = a returning customer and more and hey guess what? a better tip than before.
The time I remember leaving no tip, we left a message on a beverage napkin, advising that our "tip" is that you should not judge a customer by their appearance. I was dining with a tattoo artist, and the waiter literally tripped over a chair at a vacant table trying to get away from our table as fast as he could. We couldn't get anyone, let alone our waiter to serve us when we needed anything. They all acted like they were terrified when forced to approach or even walk past our table. My tattooed friend was a very generous man, and mindful of those who work hard for the money they make. He never left less than a 30% tip in my presence and would tip up to 50% for excellent service, except on this one occasion. We could have left and went somewhere else, but we stayed for the entire meal, to make our point, that we would not abide their prejudices. The waiter missed out on an opportunity to broaden his mind, and his wallet.
Sorry that happened to you all. It's super common for servers to do that; I use to hear all the time people complaining, and saying "man, I just got a ghetto-superstar table". I would hop on those and take their table. I don't know how many times I got more than 20%. After hearing staff complain about one of these tables, I chose to wait on a couple (the guy looked like warren sapp). His bill was about $60, and I got a $40 tip....Which I bragged to the other servers, never treat a table like crap.
I am generally a very generous tipper and rarely tip anything less than 20% even when service is mediocre. However, one afternoon, at a well known restaurant in Washington DC, my daughters and I had the absolute most pathetic service we had ever encountered. When the bill arrived, we debated what to do about the tip. I had never not tipped before (I know that's a double negative) but this was truly awful. There wasn't even a pretense of attempting to do her job. After much discussion on what tip to leave, I finally decided to write in the space for the tip, "Here's a tip: Find a new job."
I can only hope she followed my advice.
As a member of the service industry, and of corporate America, I would like to point out to the comment posted by Jaliska that NO, some people CANNOT just find ANOTHER job that pays better, and NO, it's NOT minimum wage, it's $1.45 – $2.65 an hour in any median state in the country. So basically, YES, a tip is expected if you expect the individual to even begin to SERVE you. In this recession, finding even a decent job in the service industry can be tough, not to mention it's not something MOST people want to do, clean up after you and wait on you and your close-minded, irrational and indecisive friends. . . "Tips shouldn't even be expected unless a server demonstrates impeccable service and does extra things they aren't paid to do. This show of entitlement is a little obnoxious, to be honest."
HONESTLY: I am not going to do kart-wheels to your table for an extra 50 cents! That fact that I am going to basically babysit you while you eat your lunch period is enough to entitle some sort of recognition. I can understand not giving a tip if your service was outright HORRIBLE, I have been there, done it, even been that waitress on an off-day before, BUT I am NOT going to go "above and beyond" as you put it. I am already delivering your food to your table and cleaning up your mess. (This profession is often refereed to the last form of legal slavery as a joke) If you don't want to tip and you are annoyed that it's "expected" , go to Panera Bread (where the staff makes $7.75 / hour), Wait in a line, Find your own damn table, Pick up your own mess , throw away your own damn garbage, OH and don't forget to scrape your own plate too. THAT is why every single member of the service industry implies you tip. If you don't agree with it, I suggest you get off your high stool and try it for a day, you would be surprised. In my years of serving, bartending and managing, it's usually the person that has NO experience serving others that likes to point fingers. . . as a member of the HR / Staffing industry now, I can honestly say it's one of the first things we look for on a resume. It shows a sense of teamwork, hard work, and personal character, something you clearly LACK.
Right, it seems like many people are arguing but aren't proving anything whatsoever. Yes, servers do rely on tips to make pay, but, while the kitchen's actions aren't their responsability, they are the ones who are essentially acting as that resteraunt's face, so, whenever an event occurs, even if it's not their fault, it is their responability to do their best at resolving each issue that may come up, not pit the blame on others, which most servers do.
I've been in the food industry and serving industry for many years, and, I understand that it is not a waiter's choice or fault when the kitchen scREWS UP. BUT, it is their responsability as to how they act during that moment that will earn them their tips. So, in the end, while a waiter relies on tips, they have to truly earn it by maintaining a positive and problem solving behavior and demeanor under all circumstances. Only then do they really earn a tip.
I am 20 years old and have been serving tables since the age of 14. I would like to comment on Jaliska's horribly incompetent remark about how servers aren't forced to live off of that money that they do (or do not) make. most, if not all, servers are forced to work a minimum wage job in order to pay their way through college to further their education, so THEN they can get a good-paying job elsewhere. qualifications for high-paying jobs require certain education outside of high school, and degrees. Excuse me, but you come off as completely ignorant, stating that "if they really wanted to, they could get a good-paying job somewhere else." they are trying to!!!! but because of idiotic people such as yourself, they are unable to. and a last note: We work at restaurants to fend for ourselves, not because we want to be of service to such horrible people such as yourself.
After 4 decades & mucho dining , I can say about 95% of the time was adequate for the 15% or better .
( yesterday I left 25% )
One occasion that sticks in my mind tho , was having the waitress deliver a piece of pie that clearly had mold on it and leaving . After getting her back and pointing it out , she said "so now you don't want the pie ?" .
The very dumb ( like that ) warrant about 10% & I explain things to the supervisor / manager .
Only the ' I'm only working here because I'm forced to & don't give a fkkk get the 2 pennies .
If the service is great, which it is most times, I leave a 20% tip. If the service is adequate you get a 10%. Adequate to me is if I only have to ask a couple of times for a refill on my drink. I actually leave a 100% tip at my favorite restaurant, we get the same waiter every single time, he knows the order and converses with me about various things like our phones or his kid.
There was one time where I didn't leave a tip at all. We went to red lobster and the service was LOUSY. We were there at 11ish on a week day and the place was dead. I think there might have been 5 tables all together. The waitress we had also had one other table.....a table of about 5 men who ordered drinks and were in suits. Of course she loved that table, she knew she was getting a really nice tip. We saw her 3 times. When she took our order, when she dropped the food off and when she handed us the check. She didn't even come back for the check, I had to take it up to the front and have them run my card. I decided she didn't deserve a tip and I didn't leave one but I did leave her a note telling her exactly why she wasnt going to get a tip. I told her she never refilled our drinks, never asked if we were ok, never took my check, and never got us silverware, and was never available for me to ask for drinks, silverware etc
The only other time I get upset is when I pay with cash and never get my change back. I do not like the waiter to assume I'm giving them a tip (I always do but still) If my bill is 18.25 I expect to get ALL of my change back. Don't just give me a dollar back and dont just give me change back. I want it ALL back. I never give change as a tip, I save that for vacations. I always give bills so I want my change back. I've had that happen twice when my waiter wont give me my change back because they either A assume I will stiff them or B assume they will get a tip from me. When that happens I always act clueless and ask for my money back. One asshole told me he took it as his tip (the change was a quarter) I told him that I actually tip 20% but since he wanted a quarter I'd be glad to keep my money and I didn't give him a tip
It's called a TIP for a reason. Go to Europe and tipping isn't expected at all.
Erik,
In Europe servers are paid far more than minimum wage. Could you live off of $2.13 an hour? Once again someone compares Apples to Oranges. I was an excellent server and bartender and would regularly walk with more money after a given evening than my coworkers. The restauranteurs are happy to pay me a minimum due to the expectation that I will live off of my tips. In europe I would expect to be paid $15-$20/hr to work in a restaurant. This is not the case here in the states. If you have a problem tipping, DO NOT GO OUT TO EAT. Think of how much money you will save as well as how much happier the restaurant world would be if you just eat at home. I can assure you that if you stiff a server, they will remember and you will probably not want to eat the food the next server brings you.
All of this being said, their is nothing wrong with only tipping %15. I have been broke and could only tip %15 for excellent service. I will leave that and make sure to tell the manager how excellent the food and service was. If I receive poor service I will leave the 15% and then talk with the server about their what I disliked about the service. I assure you this will modify behavior far faster than stiffing them.
My 2cents
This topic will NEVER get old, or go away. Part of the FALLACY behin d the whole situation, is that SOMEWHERE the whole viewpoint that since this person is getting EXTRA money from the customers, that we should not have to pay a full scale wage. Given that, good, bad or indifferent, ANYONE entering the waitstaff world KNOWS that is the rule. Waitperson function has been classified into the SERVICE industry, so therefore, you are getting paid for SERVICES rendered. A higher level of service will get you a high reward, and a lower level of service will get you a lower level of reward. Here's a real big clue for you from the customer's perspective: BE AWARE. Be aware that I need a refill.... WALK the floor and make eye contact with the patrons at your tables... If I need something and I catch your eye, I will signal you... you don't have to make it a point to ask me directly..... if you know my order is delayed, TELL ME, I'm OK with waiting IF I KNOW... don't hang out in the back, or disappear the entire meal..... I don't need you to kiss my arse, you are not my servant...... this is not a fast-food joint where I can get more napkins, or a new fork if mine drops, or refills on drinks.... those are in areas where I'm not allowed to go, so i will need you to get them for me. It is a partnership, I need you to be my advocate in the kitchen when something does not taste correct, is under-cooked or over-cooked, or incorrect on my order. Those are the services I'm paying for above the cost of the meal.
I feel sorry for those who feel that leaving a penny, nickel, dime, or quarter is acceptable. Just like the server, you as a guest in their establishment cannot even comprehend the many worries that person may have. You think the majority of servers want to be one and get diss-respected on a daily basis? To those of you that said, "They can get a better job somewhere else." How arrogant are you? If they could get a better job they would! Some people are not as fortunate and it really irritates me to read some of the comments that have been posted. Stay in your condo and quit thinking you are superior to servers and feel you have the right to belittle them. Everyone is a person and has feelings. For those that never leave anything, I will pray for you, you are just a horrible person, and it is sad because you have to live with yourself.
I nearly always leave 15-20% as a tip depending on the level of service; however, I do have a problem with tips being seen as wages. Businesses should price their menu to pay their staff a living wage. Tips should be seen as a "gratuity" that is a reward to the wait staff for paying attention and being friendly and helpful (but not smothering) to their customers. If my service is really lousy I don't feel obligated to leave a tip...sorry.
I was a server/bartender for over 10 years and I will never leave a tip less than 15%. It is silly to me how these supposed "Ex Servers" can even contemplate, let alone condone, this sort of behavior. The people who claim they will only stiff the server if the service is poor will go out of their way to find a reason to leave a poor tip instead of finding a reason to tip over 15%. The truth is that most of the people that are proud of stiffing some poor chap just trying to make ends meet can not afford to eat out in the first place. Everyone that has had to work lunch shift on a Sunday afternoon knows how HORRIBLE the tips are right after church. Horrible humans leave horrible tips.
Jerry
Shows how much Jerry knows...I have stiffed the server of a tip ONE TIME AND ONE TIME ONLY!!! I used to be a server too! I never ever go out of my way to find poor service despite what he thinks. Even if I have minimal (not really good) service I still tip well.
Jerry~
Right on. I couldn't have said it better regarding the "church crowd".
You are so wrong Jerry, I usually tip above twenty percent, but if I get poor service and no satisfaction from management I will not hesitate to leave zero. And it takes more than I had to wait 30 seconds for my drink to be filled. I had a server wait on me at one establishment, she first apologized that she did not know the new menu that just came out that day since she had just returned from vacation. She later brought me the wrong item, she apologized. The manager came over and apologized to me (I did not even ask for him). A few others things went wrong. The server offered me a free dessert, I declined. After all was done she brought me the bill, I paid it and gave her a tip of over twenty percent. Errors were made, but they were taken care of, I was satisfied.
i waited table for years in different types of establishments, but mostly casual or upscale casual (no chains). i can tell you that every time i got a no tip/terrible "message tip" i knew exactly why and what i did wrong. most people are generous, but if you're screwing a table over by not being there, or being rude or something along those lines, there's no reason to get a good tip. or any tip, for that matter. if things go wrong because of the kitchen, or the hostess has it out for you and quadruple sat you while you're already in the weeds, then you can usually save the tip by being good at your job.
and i wholeheartedly agree that if you don't like to tip, or are looking to save money by not tipping as much, stay home. the argument that tips shouldn't be compulsory at restaurants and owners should pay their staff better is bullshit. how would you like to pay $22 for your chicken instead of $14 so the owner can make the difference on how much he pays the staff? there's always something that people can complain about.
Every working person should at one time have to serve. It would really open all of your eyes. I understand if you have bad service, that's fine. But teach them a lesson by talking to a manager, not by leaving them no tip. A minimum of 10% no matter how bad the service. I'm serving my way through college and it is horrible not getting a tip, especially when it is completely unwarranted. If you don't have money to tip, you don't have money to go out to eat. A lot of you are lucky you don't work a job where 80% of your income is based on tips. I take pride in doing my job well and JUST LIKE YOU, I sometimes (rarely) make a mistake, and it sucks not being tipped as a result. And yes, people do remember when you don't tip/tip well. My advice is don't risk going back to an establishment where you've burned a member of the wait staff...
If you don't tip you better not come back. Your food will definately get a second look. Jaliska if you don't think tips should be automatic for good service you should not think your food should not be fooled with.
To Mike at the top of the list of Anti-goose egg
When your main source of income comes from tips, then you better perform well enough to be compensated for it. If you don't then you lose. That is the business that you are in, and if you don't like it then find something else.
Sure everyone has a bad day, or it may not even be the waiter/waitresses fault for what is going on in say the kitchen/bar. They can't control that, so hopefully most people would understand when something like that happens. However you can't compare an hourly/salary job to a job that the person relies on tips for a living. If that were the case then most people would either be fired, demoted, or warned of their poor performance.
So if I were to work in a place that I relied on tips as my main source of income, then you can be sure I would not be having an off day in front of the customers. If it was the kitchen/bar that was off then I would explain that this is not how we normally operate, and sorry for any inconvenience that is has caused them.....
I do not and don't ever plan of leaving without tipping and never have, but the service does warrant the amount left behind. I will leave 20% or more unless the service stinks. Talking to the manager to let them know what is up is also a good way to maybe turn wait staff around to do a better job. We all work hard for our money, so no one really wants to lose out on the deal.
To Mark in the above articel regarding having an "off day": If your doctor or nurse in a hospital was having an off day and brought you the wrong medicine, how understanding would people be about that?
You really can't compare giving someone the wrong medicine with giving someone the wrong food. Except iin the case of food allergies I guess.
I would suggest that a doctor having an off day is also not trying to keep 20 people happy all at the same time, racing place to place and having everything dictated to them. A doctor having an off day is able to take an extra few minutes to make sure the right medication is prescribed. Back to comparing apples and oranges, I guess.
@Suz: its your hard earned money, but the waiter is working to make their money too. if you want to go out and not pay for a tip, go out somewhere that there isn't someone serving you food. waiters at restaurants let eachother know who stiffed them and who is a good tipper, next time you come in, they'll fight over which one gets to ignore you for the night
Example (This has actually happened to me and I felt terrible!):
You only brought enough for your half of the bill and tip and then friends failed to bring enough. Of course you pool enough money together to just BARELY make the bill, but are left with nothing for the waiter.
There's so many scenarios that could lead to getting no tip. Sure "If you don't have the money, don't eat out", but if you're a college student and all your friends are there eating at the table- shiet.
I don't think I've never left without leaving a tip on purpose though. I'd feel too bad. If I'm strapped for cash, I will leave you what I can. I also always leave a note on my receipt for my waiter/waitress. Smiley faces or Snakes that say "SSSsssuper Service". LOL!
I've had tables not have enough to tip...They were awesome enough to tell me and then come back with an envelope with a tip.
if all restaurants added 20% automatically on, whether it was through the price of the meals, or as a tip at the end, no one would complain about anything on this post.
and if i ever went to a restaurant and had someone leave me no tip, and then come back and expect any kind of service, they better be dreaming. If you go to a restaurant that has waiters and waitresses... tipping should be required.
As a bartender, if someone gets a drink that costs 4.75 and leaves me a 5.. you better believe that drink is getting weaker everytime. you leave me a buck a drink, i'll make 'em good
I waited tables all through college and even some after until I found what my girl friend called “a man job”. We only made 2.13 an hour, like a lot of other states. I was, and still am a stickler when I go out to dinner, lunch, happy hour. I don’t complain too much, or make outrageous demands, but I know how a restaurant is supposed to work. I don’t doubt that in my tenure as a server that I gave someone bad service. We all have an off day from time to time. Leaving no tip is unacceptable! Leaving less than 15% we will get the idea. You have to understand that just because your steak came out well done, when your ordered medium rare, does not mean we did something wrong. There are a number reason why you received the wrong steak…maybe there was another order almost exactly like yours, and the chef put it on the wrong plate, maybe the food runner grabbed the wrong ticket, maybe your other servers were running the food and made a mistake. Anyone with a pair of eyes can tell if you are busy or not. If you came in and there was a wait…be considerate. In a proper establishment the manager should visit the tables and be visible on the floor. If something is bothering you about your food tell him or her, let them correct it, or tell your waiter, let us correct it. Don’t take it out on a poor tip, get what you are paying for. 9 times out of 10, you are going to get a free dessert out of the deal, unless of course you have been branded as “that” patron that always complains and expects to get something free. It happens! We have all seen it! @Jaliska, correct, we did choose to work for this wage. Its not as easy as you would think to go out and get a normal job with normal wages. The words you speak, “Tips shouldn't even be expected unless a server demonstrates impeccable service and does extra things they aren't paid to do.” Are you kidding me? If we made, let us say, 6.50 an hour, the chicken fried steak or cobb salad you love so dearly would cost you double, maybe triple the cost it is now. So would you rather pay 8 dollars for your dinner and tip us 20 to 25 percent, or pay 16 to 24 dollars? I do believe the cheaper route would be to tip. Yes, we are forced to live off that money, some of us already work 40 hours a week, some of us go to school full time and are single parents, some of us are taking care of our parents and need the extra money for medicine. “You eat out to feed yourselves, not to worry about someone else.” That is probably the most inconsiderate thing I have ever read from something of this nature. You should stick to drive-throughs and grocery stores!
Why do all the waiters/pro-tippers here keep saying our meals would go up so high? "If we made, let us say, 6.50 an hour, the chicken fried steak or cobb salad you love so dearly would cost you double, maybe triple the cost it is now." Can someone explain why to me, other than it would be a chance for restaurant owners to gouge customers? I understand my particular server isn't the only employee in the business, but I'm a little dubious that $4/hr per staff member == double/triple menu prices. (Again, unless it's seen as a chance to really slap overhead.)
Most people tip with the final total, after tax and drinks are entered. Taxes are passed straight through to the state, and drinks are nearly all profit, so that boosts the server's tip as it is. I think I'd take my chances on living wages being paid to staff, and thus the price on the menu being my final costs, thanks very much.
I can't imagine never leaving a tip. I mean maybe if you had an absolutely horrendous experience but I've never had service that poor. Quite frankly some of the descriptions of "poor" service people describe here, I have to wonder if they're just too demanding. It just seems rude and selfish to not leave a tip. It's part of eating out and expected, it's not a perk. My philosophy is I leave a tip and if the person is great then I leave extra tip but I've yet to meet the server who's so bad as to not deserve a tip. While there might be a few I worry that many rude and demanding people are simply living out a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Waiters who expect a tip regardless of the quality of service they provide can cry all they want. I'm the customer. It's my evening out, my hard-earned dollar and my decision whether I leave a tip. Don't expect what you haven't earned.
I just want to know one thing here. Where do all the waiters and waitresses who have posted here saying "we should tip regardless of how bad the service is" work? I want to know exactly at which restaurants and who the server is I should be avoiding. I wouldn't want to waist your time.
I am sorry you may have a bad day once in a while (hopefully that isn't too often). Just think! Maybe I have had a bad day and wish to just have a relaxing meal and to be treated fairly for the first time today. Perhaps my wife had a bad day waiting on customers at her job and instead of having her wait on our family, I hire a babysitter and take her out to be waited on for a change.
Let me put it this way. Do a good job and leave the whining out of it and you will be rewarded handsomely. If not, oh well. Don't expect anything out of me for lowsy service.
Now with all of that said (and boy do I feel better now), anyone who is just too cheap to tip should be shot with a paintball of lifetime gauranteed paint. Also, we who tip accordingly should be able to get a license to us the paintball gun. I don't want them EVER being classified with me!!!
I usually have tipped well. I was talk 40 years ago that 15% was appropriate. I'm really getting ticked by the recent trend to suggest 20% or more. And before you talk about inflation, remember that the inflation is covered by the cost of the meal. I can remember dinner and a movie for $10 bucks, including the 15% tip. Now that same meal and show will run 60 or so. The tip in the bad ole days may have been a buck, and today it may be six bucks. In both cases, it's about one hour of minimum wage. If I was the only customer, I might feel bad for the wait but when I'm one of five tables, they are making more than me.
I've been waiting tables and bartending since college and I truly truly enjoy the food service industry. If i feel i'm given poor service, I'll leave a 10% tip and talk to the manager.
One night I was out to eat with my boyfriend a male friend of his. Our server was a female about 19-22 I'd say. Now as a waitress myself I know the number one rule of waiting a table as a female with a female customer is to win her over from the start. This young lady did not even acknowledge me, and instead directed all of her attention (and flirtation) at my two male companions. She took their drink orders and walked off, my boyfriend had to flag her down to take mine. About ten minutes after our first drinks, she returned with two drinks for the men, and walked off. My glass was about empty, theirs were not. She was once again flagged down and asked why I wasnt offered another drink. Her response was "i figured she'd ask for one if she wanted it." Hmm. The night was downhill from there, ending with my eating my ice cream dessert and her walking over to the table saying "I cant believe you're eating all of that." I was stunned. I talked to a manager who seemed completely indifferent. I tipped her 10%. I have to say, the look on her face was priceless when she handed us the check and I whipped out my credit card. Wait staff should treat men AND women with the same respect and courtesy. This is 2010, you never know who's picking up the tab.
Conversely, as a waitress I will grossly over tip for great service, as it can be very hard to come by. Last night we ate out and our young (new) waitress was astounding. Despite a very full section, she interacted with everyone, had a great attitude, played with the kids and our drinks NEVER were below 3/4 full. I was blown away. She was tipped $20 on a $50 tab, was complimented by me in person. I also called after we left to talk to a manager to rave about her. He told me he'd had 3 compliments on her that day. Hard working students with awesome attitudes like that should be rewarded.
All that said, waiting tables can be some of the easiest money out there if wait staff will just take pride in their jobs and making a guests' visit there enjoyable.
"This young lady did not even acknowledge me, and instead directed all of her attention (and flirtation) at my two male companions."
I don't even need to read anymore after this. I had a bitch of a girlfriend who had the same thought process as you do. Insecure much???
Wow, I went to school so I would not have to wait tables. If you think that a tip is right then maybe you should go to school too so you don't have to put up with folks who decide to rate their service by tip percentage. If you are too cool for school then I suggest you keep my water glass full. ;)
Jim, its unfair to assume everyone waiting tables is a lazy, degree-less hack. Almost all of my co-workers are near completion in their college educations, some even have degrees and are having trouble getting a job. I myself finished college with a double major and a minor with a 3.8. Sometimes its hard to find a job fresh out of school and you have to go back to waiting tables to support yourself until the right doors open.
Nic, you are absolutely correct. I did not mean to imply that all wait staff are lazy but rather that if you expect a tip the service needs to warrant it. It just seems reviewing some of these posts that many of these folks have choosen not to school yet they feel entitled to a tip regardless of service and I just don't agree with that.
I didn't mean to lump all server and wait staff into one bucket. :)
Wow I cannot believe how many waiters who seem to think they are entitled to a great tip when they are providing poor service and are crabby to the customers. The deal is, you provide good service and are pleasant, you WILL usually get a great tip. If you are crabby and are slow, BAD tip.... get it??? it's not that difficult. If you are the desperate to pay rent or pay bills, get a different job because obviously being a waiter isn't cutting it for you.
Comprende????
The tip should be proportionate to the server's attitude and attentiveness. If I have a rude waitress who's ignoring my table and screwing up my order, I'm going to leave little to no tip. Adversely, if the server is friendly and takes my order in a timely manner, I will give them a 30% tip or more.
Rudeness is the main factor in leaving a small tip; if the server were really friendly and screwing things up, I would still give at least 15%.
When I go to a restaurant, I (rightfully) assume the people working there receive a salary from the establishment to do a job. That job is to prepare the food in the case of the cook, to wash the dishes in the case of cleaning people, to prepare beverages in the case of the bartender, and to serve at the tables in the case of the waiters. Why in the world should I tip you for doing precisely the job you were hired for is beyond me. If I cause you more work (like I spill my drink and you have to clean up and bring me another, or if I have special dietary issues and start asking this on the side, and without that, etc) then I am glad to pay you for that extra work, in the form of a tip. I don't care how much the establishment pays you to do your job, IT IS NOT MY PROBLEM. Maybe I don't get paid as much as I'd like by my employer, does it mean I should come to you to get some extras?
Ok, I've been railing on some of these entitled servers, but you are a certifiable uneducated idiot. What do you not understand about service based businesses? Those people take jobs for a minimum wage of around 2-3 dollars on the expectation that if they serve their customers well they will be rewarded. Bartenders too. It's been going on for a long time. Would you rather pay more for your food like they do in overpriced Europe? I suppose you probably couldn't eat out then. What a selfish reflection of humanity you are. You should be ashamed of yourself.
I was a server for a number of years, and I've been stiffed by a table that I did a good job with, it was very upsetting. So I almost always leave between 15 and 20%... more if they were extra great. I think you should definitely leave a tip unless you got absolutely sub-par service. For the most part, tips are expected. I don't know why you wouldn't tip someone who did a good job! They are essentially working for you for your stay at the restaurant. You are paying for the food and the drink, and the tip is to pay for the serice. If you don't want to pay a server to give you your food and drink and make your experience more enjoyable, then you should go somewhere that doesn't have servers, like Burger King or McDonalds, or order in.
My mother has been a waitress before as is my wife. When a server does even an decent job, I tip and am willing to tip fairly well for really good service. If the service is really poor, I leave nothing.
I normally tip based on service. I once was at a resturant whith a large group of friends the celebrate one of their birhdays. We normally have large group dinners there because they normally have great service. On this one occaison, it was pretty dead, and so the wait staff were just standing around. I was a little late due to traffic, so by the time I was there everyone already had drinks and had ordered their appatizers. I had to wait 15 mins to get a menue, then I had to flag another waitress to order. Then it too us 45 mins from us asking for our checks to the time we actually got them. By the time we asked for our checks, there were only 3 other tables there and 3 waitresses! I normally tip very well, but this waitress only got $1.00 off of a $30 check from me. When I went to ask for the manager, I found out that he went home sick and another one was on her way in (who happens to be a friend one of the guests in my party). Needless to say, the waitress was just abusing not having management there, and she was fired the next day because my table wasn't the only one to complain, and her coworkers complained alongside us.
its easy as a server to be having a bad day, and everything to go wrong, to be as fake as can be in the front of the house, and grumpy as heck in the back. but when someone is plesant, smiles, serves you drinks and food, and cleans up after you.. 20%. i don't even know why this is an arguement. i'll leave a bad tip if someone does a bad job, but they shouldn't have to get on their knees to get more than 15%. everyone that says that they shoudlnt' have to pay extra for servers to do their jobs.. then don't pay extra, and see how your night out is next time you show up. the 20% will make your repeat visits more enjoyable
Tips are earned, period! If a waiter expects to come to "work" but is obviously lazy, why should I leave a tip? He/she didn't earn it. I was in a restaurant once, where our waitress ignored our table for 40 minutes! We finally had to get up and get someone's attention, only for it to happen again. We each had a soda, and our table shared an appetizer. That's all the service we got for the night. We didn't end up eating any dinner! We were fed up and finally left. We didn't leave a tip. I told everyone I knew what happened, and told them to NEVER go to that restaurant, or to recommend it to anyone. Sickens me that waiters automatically expect to be tipped. Trust me, if someone does a great job, they're tipped. If not, then no tip.
For those who commented that we should always leave a tip no matter what, I disagree. If I came to work and didn't do a damn thing, do you think my company would keep me?
A tip is given to someone for a good job. If someone hasn't done a good job for you then why do they deserve a tip? I've read all the comments about "Walk in the waiters shoes" and so on and I think its a load of rubbish. I worked retail for 10 years and dealt with more walks of life than I can even remember. I can tell you one thing for sure. It is almost always within your power to have a happy or angry customer on your hands.
These are some things that have caused me not to leave a tip:
1. The abandoner: Non-attentive servers in a virtually empty restaurant. Its understandable if your server isn't right there to fill that glass after your last swallow when you can look around and see the place packed and them balancing multiple tables. Its another thing to realize there are three waiters serving two tables and your waiter is no where to be seen for 15 minutes.
2. The expediter: This is the waiter who has forgone all pleasantries and etiquette in exchange for slipping you the check before you can even get the first fork full of food in your mouth. Nothing ticks me off more. I understand that on a busy night seats are a precious commodity but on the same token that isn't my or my dates problem. Slipping me a bill for something I haven't even tasted yet is a sure fire way of not getting a tip even if the meal was sublime.
3. The arrogant snob: Snooty and contrite waiters at expensive restaurants are always the most interesting. To put it simply, if I'm spending this kind of money I certainly won't tolerate McDonald's drive through attitudes. You get short and impatient with me, or act as though my money isn't green enough for your restaurant then I will quietly remind you of what you do for a living and leave you a fat goose egg.
I think its important to remember that we all have jobs. We all have roofs to keep over our heads. With that in mind we all come to work and perform a job that may not be the easiest, or if we are honest absolutely hate. At the end of the day we must perform these jobs well or someone else will take them over. Waiting tables is no exception to the rule. If you don't take care of the customer (which is your job), then don't expect the customer to take care of you.
Right on Tony, I get stuck with the number 3 character all the time, the "prima donna" waiter who thinks he is a movie star, gime a break, you are right you get these type of waiters specially and unfortunately in the fine restaurants.
Some place require the server to drop off the check early. This is done especially during lunch, to ensure that customers can get back to work on time. We use to call it the "2min. check back, check down". Meaning, we'd check back to see how the food was, and drop the check off, face down. Of course, you'd say something like, "take your time, I can add anything to the bill at any time. I'm not rushing you, it's for your convenience ".
um, "contrite" means "regretful." Did you mean "condescending"?
I've been a server – a long time ago and not very good. I've been stiffed (and understandably so). My brother, who was a server longer than I was said the most offensive tip you can leave a server is $1.01. It tells them, "Yes, I know I'm supposed to tip, but you were a horrible server." I've left a tip of $1.01 twice – to the same server (not sure how we got him a second time). Otherwise I tip a minimum of $5 (for ANYTHING under $20), and make sure it's always between 20-25%.
Tips are for good service. If the service is no good neither is my tip. I work on commission, if my work is sub-par so is my pay. Same as a server.
I've worked in service industries where my wages depended on tips, so I get the perspective of both sides. That said, I've only once left without leaving any tip. In lieu of a tip we left a coin that my wife got from a friend that was made of wood and said something to the effect of "The value of this coin is equal to the value of the service you provided". It took an awful lot to get me that angry with a waitress. In most cases, poor service usually results in a small tip from me (as low as 2-3% in some cases). However give me good service and I'm a big tipper (I've tipped as much as 35% on a $100 dinner bill).
Why should I be obligated to leave a tip for someone who does what they're supposed to do in their job?? Tips are a GRATUITY- given FREELY by those who think they received exceptional service and that the server earned it. I rarely ever tip and usually it's not much. I don't make much money, either. Does that make me a bad person?
I'm a private ambulance company Paramedic. I have the same training, experience and responsibilities as my counterparts in the fire departments but I earn 1/3 to 1/2 of what they make for the same kind of ambulance work (I make $12 an hour and that's after having been in the industry for 20 years-I'm significantly hearing impaired; the fire services will not accept me because of that physical limitation, which is why I'm stuck in the private sector). I put in a lot of time rescuing people, being exposed to violence (people who scream, hit and spit at me) and diseases, dealing with death and having to tell people there's nothing more we can do to save their loved ones, enduring back breaking work, putting up with stress and weird hours (24 and 48 hour shifts), working in inclement weather and hazardous situations, getting someone's puke, piss and feces on me, doing repetitive meticulous equipment and supply inventory and cleaning, lifting and carrying heavy people up and down stairs, exhaustion, driving hundreds of miles every day (often long distance transports and driving with lights and siren in busy traffic or rain and snow at night), spending a lot of time and my own money doing required continuing medical education and testing for re-licensure every two years just to keep my job, every thing I do is scrutinized and reviewed for even the smallest mistakes that could be construed as lawsuit material, plus having to work with a variety of personalities, living with them for 24-48 hours straight at a time as well as adhering to paramilitary standards of work performance. There are times I go home and cry at night, getting no sleep, because I couldn't help save the life of someone's kid. Yeah, there are days I wonder if it's all really worth it.
There are times I go out of my way above and beyond what is expected of me because I know it's the right thing to do or that it makes me feel good that I can do a little bit more to help someone. I struggle to survive, financially, have few benefits (many EMTs and Medics I know of don't even have that) but it's solid, good work and I love helping people. I don't get tips. I don't think anyone else I work with gets tips. That doesn't mean tips haven't been offered to us. We usually refuse tips because we're here to serve and assist people in their time of need. If the customer insists, we tell them to make a donation to a charitable organization in our name or call our office to compliment them on the service they received from us instead. If my boss thinks I am doing an exceptional job, he will reward me.
YOU PEOPLE WHO WHINE AND BITCH ABOUT NOT GETTING TIPS SHOULD SHUT UP! Don't expect tips. If someone feels like you deserve extra, then you will be rewarded because they believe they can afford it and they will do it freely. Nobody should be obligated to give tips or be ostracized for not leaving a tip.
Try doing my job without tips for a change. I'll gladly take your job, waiting on or bussing tables or washing dishes for 12 hours a day without tips for the same kind of pay. At least I know I'm not going to catch someone's deadly disease, get beat up, break my back lifting someone who weighs 450 pounds, crawling under a wrecked car in the mud and rain at 2am, running 24 hours with only 1-3 hours' worth of sleep or breaks (before anyone gets any ideas about how any of this may be illegal-ambulance services are exempt from a lot of typical labor laws), being taken to court and sued or put in jail for doing something that someone thinks is dangerous to a person's health, no matter how innocuous it may seem, and so on.
Go ahead. Take my job and see how far you get without tips.
you fail to realize, that we dont make as much as you do, especially after we tip everyone ELSE out and after YOU dont tip us.
Workers should NEVER feel they're entitled to a tip. A tip is a GRATUITY. It is given out of free will and that's based purely on one's own opinion of your service. If you're expecting a tip, then maybe your boss should raise the prices a tiny bit to include the amount of a tip instead of browbeating or shaming a customer into leaving a tip. That's low. If someone is really pleased with your service and they leave a tip, be thankful for the extra money. If they don't leave a tip, for whatever reason, be thankful you have a steady J-O-B. If you think you don't make enough money, go to school and learn a new trade or go find a better paying job. That goes for everyone, including me.
Kay – When you tip out the others in your establishment it is a percentage of what you made in tips. If those that you tip out notice that you are not giving them a decent amout they will think 1) you are cheating them or 2) that you are not performing well and that you should leave and most likely they will not provide you with the support you need. Which ever the case if you are not tipping them out nicely they will probably talk with management about the issue and good management will compare your charge tips to cash tips (and compare those tips to your peers) and see if there is problem.
It sounds like you're grossly undercompensated for what you do but even still, $12 an hour still beats $2 an hour.
How many servers make $2 an hour? Really? Maybe in Mexico or China. Keep in mind that EMTs often make minimum wage or slightly more for similar work (although they're not held to the same training and certification standards as well as the same exact responsibilities as Paramedics).
Since all the servers are claiming its paying for books, schooling etc....you should be able to understand this....its from the California State Dept of Industrial Relations. In regards to tips...
What is a tip? A tip is money a customer leaves for an employee over the amount due for the goods sold or services rendered. Tips belong to the employee, not to the employer.
Are the tips I receive considered part of my "regular rate of pay" for overtime calculations? No. Since tips are voluntarily left for you by the customer of the business and are not being provided by the employer, they are not considered as part of your regular rate of pay when calculating overtime.
Is a mandatory service charge considered to be the same as a tip or gratuity? No, a tip is a voluntary amount left by a patron for an employee. A mandatory service charge is an amount that a patron is required to pay based on a contractual agreement or a specified required service amount listed on the menu of an establishment. An example of a mandatory service charge that is a contractual agreement would be a 10 or 15 percent charge added to the cost of a banquet. Such charges are considered as amounts owed by the patron to the establishment and are not gratuities voluntarily left for the employees. Therefore, when an employer distributes all or part of a service charge to its employees, the distribution may be at the discretion of the employer and the service charge, which would be in the nature of a bonus, would be included in the regular rate of pay when calculating overtime payments.
My employer pays me less than the minimum wage because he includes my tips in my hourly pay. Is this legal? No. Unlike under federal regulations, in California an employer cannot use an employee’s tips as a credit towards its obligation to pay the minimum wage. California law requires that employees receive the minimum wage plus any tips left for them by patrons of the employer’s business. Labor Code Section 351
I must have missed the part around it is required for the patron to pay this. Or the part where if the tip isnt to the servers liking, then I am obligated to get poor service next time they recognize me, as if they owned the restaurant.
Tips are also called gratuties. Let's look of the definition of this "obviously" mandatory practice.
gratuity: a small sum of money given as a reward for good service; a tip.
TO INSURE PROMPT SERVICE – "Tip" – Just like much of US society many servers have a sense of entitlement. You even see tip jars at take out pizza places! I have probably not left a tip four or five times in my life and have under-tipped many more times (10% or less) when servers have been outwardly rude – if you decide to sit down at another table and talk to friends and neglect us so I have to walk around and find a picther of water to refill my glass with then I assume you aren't trying to earn a tip or at least not a large one. If you give us attitude when we have to ask another server where our food is or if we can get another drink then assume the same. I have in very rare occassions tlaked to managers, but like most people I dont want to cause a scene and screw up my night even more so I will sometimes fill out comment card or just not leave much of a tip – I figure the person knows why they were undertipped. For those servers that think tipping is an entitlement I would suggest moving to certain countries in Europe where it is always included (10%), otherwise do a great job and reap the rewards of 15-20% tips most will repay good service with.
If you want more money then get a better job. why should i have to pay more because you don't have anything to qualify yourself for a better job. you all suck
Are you people serious? Do you want your waiter to suck your cock? People who don't tip on account of "poor service" need their heads examined. I pity them. They are the epitome of selfishness.
Sorry Tim, I think *you* need your head examined. Selfishness would be expecting a tip for providing little or no service (or lots of poor service). Can you explain to me in a logical and reasonable argument, why I, or anyone else, should pay extra for nothing?
Tim, are you an idiot, or do you just talk like one? Do you know that tips is an acronym? To insure proper service. Do you know what my boss would say if I told one of my clients essentially what you just said? It's no wonder we have such an entitlement society coming up through the ranks with comments like this. And our government reflects it everyday.
I'm an engineer that used to serve. Everything I do is by a formula, including tipping. Formula as follows:
Start at 20%
Each appetizer: + $1
Each alcoholic drink: + $1
Beverage never gets empty: + $1
Beverage never gets half way down: + $2
Each extra: + $1
>5 min between arrival and getting drink order: – $2
>10 min between arrival and getting drink order: – $5-$15 depending on duration
Order incorrect and it's obviously server's fault: – $2
Server does not check on table after food arrives: – $3
Server does not notice when the table is done and/or ready for check: – $1 to $5 depending on duration we have to wait
Server is rude: – $4 to all depending on severity
If you can't afford to tip, then you can't afford to eat out.
In response to Jaliska: I can't believe you would think that some of us who serve actually CHOSE that profession over a full time job. I had to pick up waitressing as a second job to my full time job when my husband was effected by the economy and laid off. I tried to even find a RETAIL job to make ends meet. Bottom line is I REALLY needed the money I was making. I always treated EVERY patron with respect and good service, and I enjoyed the social part of the waitressing environment – the people. I agree with a lot of you who feel that if you can't tip don't go out to eat!
For those who keep repeating the b.s. of "if you can't tip, then don't go out to eat" need to remember that people who go out to eat can afford to do so, and the fact that they tip is based on good service, period! I'm telling you, if you don't treat your customers well, then why should the customer treat their waiter well, especially when their service sucked?
Some patrons don't give good tips just like some servers don't give good service. Bottom line, you should always leave something that reflects the quality of service you were provided with.
I have worked in the service industry for 13 years. And I will remember someone who stiffs me just as easily as someone who tips graciously. And when that person comes back they will get the worst service i can provide as courteous as i can dish it out. The restaurant doesnt pay my bills, tips do. The turnover rate in the industry is so high I have no obligation or loyalty to a restaurant. And i could really care less about wether people like that come back or not. there is a reason why Mcdonnalds has a dollar menu. If I have five tables at once im going to focus on the table that is the most courteous to me and appears to be the best shot for the biggest tip. From there prioritizing downward. Cause thats the way for me to make the most money.
That's the worst logic in the world. You're the reason why some tables leave bad tips to all servers. Approaching a table like they wont tip you, is a sure way of not getting tipped. You were the kind of server that I enjoyed working with, because I would steal all of your customers. I'm sure you're the same type of server that cuts out on his side/closing work.
Congratulations, you are stating one reason why someone should *not* leave you a tip, and then going further by saying you would *intentionally* be rude to that person you were already rude to in the future. Way to go.
This argument isn't about the people that are cheap – this article is about people leaving zero tip because their service was THAT bad. I'm certainly glad you don't have loyalty and don't care what the CUSTOMER thinks, because I wouldn't hesitate to involve management if I came across the likes of you.
If you want more money then get a better job. why should i have to pay more because you don't have anything to qualify yourself for a better job.
I can't believe all the idiots who leave tips even when the service is terrible. That just causes the jerkoff who's not doing his job to stay there longer. If that other guy isn't pulling his weight, it affected the rest of the staff. Better he/she be run off sooner than later...they might be replaced by somebody who can do a better job, which is better for everyone in the long run. Some people aren't cut out for waiting tables.
The last waitress I had was gorgeous and flirty, but I'm kind of taken, so I gave her just the tip.
I have left no tip many times. I know how hard it was to be a server, because I was one for many years, BUT if the service is not there, from the server standpoint they do not deserve a tip.... And really I dont care if the server thinks i forgot or not, they did not deserve any of my money. They are in customer service, and they need to be friendly, and nice to the person who is paying their bills.
Listen Up People...
Restaurants exist for patrons who would like to be waited on, cooked for, served, cleaned up after, and basically treated better than they usually deserve.
If you don't feel your service was adequate for whatever reason, let the manager know, but leave 10%.
If you feel your service was above average, leave a good tip (15-20%)
If you feel your service was outstanding, leave an outstanding tip (25-30%)
If you don't agree with this, stay home, nobody wants you.
And remeber, never piss off anyone who is serving you food, that is just commopn sense.
I find it laughable that you expect people to leave a tip even if service was horrible. You say that if someone wants to leave nothing, they should stay home, nobody wants them. It's not that people go out to eat, intending to leave nothing. They go out to eat, receive poor service, and pay for the FOOD that they ate, but leave nothing for the poor or non-existent service.
Let's say I take someone out to a nice restaurant – after the appetizer, drinks, and the meal, the tab is maybe $150, for 90 minutes of being in the restaurant. You would expect me to pay you 10%, or $10 per hour, if you provided little or no service to me? You're dreaming.
With your job comes a certain level of expected competence and courtesy. IF you can provide that, then yes, I'll tip at least 10%. If you provide the minimum along with sincerity and a smile, you'll be getting 20%. If you go above and beyond, and help to create a great dining experience, out comes the 30-40% tip. Don't you ever, EVER, expect to get a minimum of 10% for shoddy service, and then look down on people if they don't provide it. You have your end of the bargain to keep up. It's your job, we expect you to do it.
You sound like a union member and a five year old all at the same time. "Stay home. Nobody wants you?" Can you even make the connection between your job and how it is that you get paid? Keep this up and I see living under a bridge in your future Mr. Entitlement.
some people are good tippers, some are bad, regardless of service. and when you have repeat customers that are bad tippers, they'll probably get treated as such.
I was a server for 5 years, throughout high school and college. I agree, if you dont get good service you shouldnt have to tip.... as much as you would normally. and by that i mean you still don't have the right ot leave a penny. We still do work for $3.00 an hour. HOWEVER, i have worked with some rude, terrible, lazy servers so i know that as servers–we come in all shapes and sizes.
Worked at as a server for three years; I worked my tail off to ensure people had a great time who were seated in my section. I always treated them like I would want my parents to be treated. Sometimes you get stiffed, other times you get more than you should. Bottom line, attitude goes along way. You'll always run into jerks, but that's at any job.
if your service is poor, you should reflect that in a tip. if your server is rude, or the food comes out wrong and they make no effort to fix it, then reflect it in their tip. if they do everything to make your experience enjoyable, a tip should be required. you shouldn't expect them to rub your feet or cut your food in order to make 20% off your meal.
I have refused to give a tip ONE time in all my years of dining out. My waitress finished her shift MID-MEAL and left without passing us on to another server, so she got exactly what she deserved, nothing, and was lucky i didn't get a manager over to complain about the absolute lack of service i had gotten.
In the tip box I wrote an arrow.
On the reverse side, I wrote
Full party arrived 7pm, first waiter contact 7:15, first drinks arriced 7:25 and we were ready to place our order.
Order taken 7:35. Second round ordered at 7:35 and after watching the bartender pour the drinks within minutes I went to get them myself at 7:45. Third round ordered at around 7:55, poured 7:57, picked up by myself at 8:05. Food arrived at 8:15. Done by 8:25. Final checkout time 8:45.
Do you really think that kind of service deserves a tip? Maybe some of it is the kitchen, but most of it was the server. If you honestly think that I should have tipped in that situation then you need to be committed. We normally tip quite well, rounding off to the highest $5, but in no way will I tip for going to get my own beer.
I find it laughable that the most adamant people (listed as examples) about leaving a tip no matter what, were servers. I was a server myself, after working up from being a busboy, and I would not hesitate to leave without tipping if the service warranted it. As mentioned by the pro-goose eggs, it's imperative though that you DO notify management. Not only will the manager understand why you are upset, they may also be able to alleviate the situation. It is NOT because someone is "cheap" to give a tip *cough* NIck *cough*. If you provide horrible service and don't even try to make an effort, you're not going to get a tip from me.
Yes, it's true – people have bad days... in ANY line of work. Most people can tell when you're having one, and in any case, your job as a server is to be of service to the customer. Yes, cooking mistakes are not your fault (unless you placed the order incorrectly). Yes, people have bad days and can't be 100% cheery 100% of the time. But make an EFFORT. Apologize, be sincere, show that you are trying. Accountability is important – if you make a mistake, own up to it and try to make amends – don't just say someone is cheap and ignore them and blab to your coworkers these falsehoods.
Tips for good service are a privilege. Period. It should *not* be "expected" unless you perform well. Mind you, this false sense of entitlement is really blaring in America – check out Europe sometime. Meals are serious events, and servers take their job seriously. You are not expected to tip. In fact, you are only supposed to tip if your service was hands down outstanding. Or check out China – most restaurants, tips are NOT ALLOWED, and a worker could be fired for accepting them. There are countless professions where the employee is expected to do their job well, without fail, day in and day out, and receive no tips. Some jobs (such as government posts) are unable to accept tips or even gifts around the holidays.
Bottom line? It's your choice to be a server, good or bad. However, you'll only be rewarded if you do your job well. Expecting tips for sub-par performance is greedy, and exactly what is wrong with much of America and this false sense of entitlement.
Any other restaurant industry workers out there find it incredibly easy to predict tips based on social stereotypes that we see on a daily basis? Let's be honest here. Sometimes no matter what you do, or how good service you provide to some people they will not tip. As a server in a very touristy location I see people from every background imaginable. With great accuracy I can predict how good my tip will be by the time I take a drink order (as I am sure most servers can, again let's be honest here). Two tables at the same time, get the same service, same food, same bill, one is from the north and the other from the south. I am willing to be that the southern table's tip will be SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the table from the north. I am not hating, I am just saying I see this time and time again on a daily basis. Some people just don't tip well no matter what.
I can see where you are coming from, Ralph, but keep in mind – if you are referring to foreign tourists that are visiting the States, tipping is not an international sensation. Across the many cultures of the world, tipping is only utilized in a select few, and in the States it is apparently "expected". There are also different lifestyles within the States – I was a server in an area with many farmers. Hard workers, very nice people, but anyone would be lucky to get a 10% tip to the penny, let alone 15%. That's life, and unfortunately you either need to deal with it and get a new job, or deal with it and handle each and every customer with the SAME respect and courtesy that you would want to receive yourself. After all, what if by some ironic twist of fate, you are the ONLY experience of our culture that foreign families are met with. If act like you don't care because you know you won't get a good tip, that just makes the whole country (to the tourist) look inadequate.
I am from the South and I tip 15% for average service and 20%+ for exceptional service. I am also a single 24 year old female college student. Stereotype that .. I wonder what type of stereotypes I could try and pass off on most of the waiters I've encountered??? At any rate, they would probably be just as ignorant and off the mark as yours .. so I won't bother. Ever seen the movie "Crash" .. it's a wonderful case study into the world of stereotypes that you so readily adhere to. Quit complaining/passing judgment and educate yourself. Acting like you know how the world operates and truly knowing are two very different realities.
If a waiter or waitress has an attitude and/or is incompetent they should get no tip or a very low tip. Should I leave a tip to a jerk just because he/she makes below minimum wage or because he/she is having a bad day? NO WAY! leave the attitude at home and treat the customer with some respect and do your job! If you don't want to worry that your attitude may cost you your tip than go work somewhere else. Lets put it this way, if you do a great job at waiting you can make a killing off tips but if you are not doing your job there should be consequences, this is not a charity!
Although I've never waited table, I have worked in restaurants and I know how hard the job can be. When my wife and I go out, we try to be very courteous and respectful to the wait staff and try to make it clear that we do not want to make their life harder. We view the whole dining experience as an interactive one and the wait staff are an important part of the process. We are careful to notice when the restaurant is really busy and consciously try to adapt our expectations of the experience to the circumstances. When making a request in those circumstance, we make sure that the waiter knows that we recognize how much pressue he is under and couch our requests in a way that tells him that we are not trying to add to the problem. It generally results in outstanding service. As a patron, you actually have a great deal of control over the situation.
At the end of the meal, we tip and we tip well. At least 20 percent, unless everything was really awful. Even then, we won't reduce the tip unless it is clear that the problem is solely with the waiter. But that has very seldom happened. In some cases, when the experience depends on a particularly careful preparation of the meal - like the doneness of a beef or tuna steak - we will take care of the waiter and then send a separate tip back to the cook who prepared the meal if it was perfect. Try that a couple of times and see why kind of service you get in the future. Believe me, it makes a huge difference.
My wife and I are gourmet cooks, so we do not eat out often, but when we do, we are looking for something we cannot get at home. Considering what we make at home, that really narrows the field. Wnen we go out, we are looking for a total experience and we recognize our role in making it happen. We don't have to go to a place many times before they recognize us and roll out the red carpet. If we cannot establish that kind of raport, we don't go back.
I believe that someone who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. We try not to be rude to the waiter and tip appropriately. As a result, we almost always get good service and good experience. If we don't, we do not go back and do not recommend the restaurant to others.
There is an unwritten social etiquette that if you (the server) provide me (the customer) with good service, including making sure the order is correct and paced properly, and make my dining experience a good one, then 15% tip is minimum, 20% tip and above, yes above, for exceptional service. This is all done on the honor system. At the end of the dining experience, if the server has kept up their end of this unwritten social contract, then it's your turn to hold up you end. For people who regularly don't tip or tip poorly regardless of quality service, that little act of anti-social behavior speaks volumes about you, and those of us in the know judge you for it.
I'm a very rare breed of customer, I honetly don't care if the waitstaff smiles at me or kisses my butt, all I want is the food and drinks I ordered in a reasonable time. I don't have an overinflated ego that makes me think I deserve to be treated like royalty just because I decided to grace them with my presence. There are only two reasons I wouldn't tip – if the server was blatantly and openly rude/hostile toward me (which has never happened) and if the server was someone I recognized as a rude customer from the place where I had been working at the time (it only happened once but it was justified. I was quite surprised that such a bad customer actually worked in customer service themselves, but it was nice to get back at them and let them know exactly why they were receiving the treatment I was giving them). Otherwise, I ALWAYS tip.
I just wanted to add, although I don't care if I receive service with a smile, I do like appreciate it and will return the kindness. But if the waiter or waitress doesn't want to have that kind of interaction with me and would prefer to just be an automaton that brings me my food and drinks then that's fine with me too. I go to a restaurant to eat, not interact with people.
That Nick in the story is the kind of guy who really makes you NOT want to tip for bad service. Arrogant ... and assumes the problem could never be one that he caused. Try living on less than $3 an hour and tips? Try dishing out for crappy service! I won't forget you, either.
I think the real problem is the restaurants paying people 1.45 /hr base pay... Except the citizens to pay for everything yet don't give the citizens very much money...
My experience with waiters/waitresses has been good for the most part. Occasionally we run into someone who seems does not want to be there, seems to hate everything, and has a bad attitude. You find this type in most places where service personnel are required to take care of the public's needs. At the restaurant we are very tolerant, to a point, but when the service is so bad that leaving no-tip seems warranted, we leave 7% along with a very visible note on the merchant's check saying: "BAD SERVICE RECEIVED FROM THIS EMPLOYEE, AND THE TIP REFLECTS HOW WE FELT ABOUT THE SERVICE RECEIVED." The manager will see that note. Then we go back there a few days later, and if the same happens again, we do not patronize that business ever again.
Seriously though, why the hell do people think they are entitled to tips? Isn't tips and expression of how great your service was really worth? If you aren't getting tips, it's probably a reality check!
Quit whining, and either deliver better service or get another job!
Stop acting like your are self righteous. Nobody gives a damn to those of you that suck at your job!
Enough Said!
I get to eat out on occasion, I don't make much money, so, especially if it is a nice restaurant, I will leave a tip, but, only if they refilled my drink at least once and especially if you ask me how things are, that will get you a tip every time. I have been to the "hole in the wall" restaurants where I have seen people stealing my tip or others' tips. I try to reward my wait-person personally if at all possible. But, as was mentioned previously, if you suck, yer not gettin a tip!!!! If you suck AND you're expecting* a tip, well, you're sure not to get one then. Wait-persons, get off your high horses and do your job and do it well, and most of the time you will get a tip, but, if you slack off, you will not get one from me. there have been too many times when i was led to my table and was never waited on again. i understand busy restaurants, but, just because it's busy doesn't mean that you should treat me any different than anyone else. I have a choice as to which restaurant I patronize. You give me poor service, then, I won't come back. You give me decent service, I will come back and I will tip. To me, a T.I.P. is NOT an obligation, good service or not!!! However, you bringing me clean, decent food IS AND OBLIGATION!!!! I PAID FOR IT!!!! And, YOU have a JOB!!!! Keep all this fussin about tips up and I will eat at home more often!!!!!
About 5 or so times in my life service has been sooooooo awful ... no drink refills, no plate removals, cold food served, spilled drinks with no apology, chatting with co-workers or yakking on a cell phone while my water glass sits empty ... I have left a $20 bill, torn in half, such that just less than half the bill is there, folded so it looks like a nice tip. In this way, the waiter thinks they are getting a surprisingly huge tip, only to find out they got completely stiffed. Trust me, these 4 or 5 times I have done that, they absolutely deserved to get a kick in the pants, but I refrained. And I don't want to hear about service sector jobs and not leaving a tip ... I work in service and have for 15 years and I do not earn tips. You need to go above and beyond to EARN a GRATUITY. Look up the words in the dictionary folks! It is not a guarantee!! There is a reason Iced Tea costs $3 ... and it is not because of the price of tea or water ... it is because they have factored in basic service cost into the menu prices. Wisen up and be smart!
We are only having this conversation because the resturant industry has duped the customer and staff into believing we the customer OWE a tip on top of already paying top dollar for a cooked meal and drinks.
I do not owe you a tip at all.
It's not about $1 or $2. When you spend around $50 – $100 or more on a nice meal, you are paying for food, service, ambiance, etc. A wait person that never greet you, never smiles, and are absolutely not attentive to your needs, should NOT be rewarded for $10 to $20. Tip, by definition, is reward for service, compliments to the restaurant/chef/manager as well. If the wait person ruined it, don't leave a tip, AND tell the manager if you plan on going back to that restaurant. I am in a service industry, if I'm rude to my customers, I'm out of business, why should it be different for the wait person?
Exactly, you spend over a $120 dollars on a meal for 2, you don't get to sit where ever you want, you get a nasty "primma donna" waiter with an attitude and on top you expect a tip, gime a break!
I love these threats..."IF YOU DON'T TIP, DON'T GO OUT TO EAT!" or "JUST REMEMBER WHO IS BRINGING YOU YOUR FOOD" and my favorite "WE DON'T FORGET!"...hilarious. I guess now we know why tipping comes after service and not before.
Tipping is one of the few remaining ways we can show human decency! Servers are paid very little, and the Bible says "So as you done unto the least of them...!" I would tip a little even for bad service, then write a letter to the CEO, owner, or manager.
The tip is based on service and nothing else. Poor service gets a poor tip. I completely understand that there are things that are out of a waiter/waitresses' hands and that needs to be taken into consideration (ie: if my food comes out over/undercooked, I'll send it back and if it comes out correct, no harm, no foul) but when the service being provided by the waiter is sub-standard for the establishment (5 star restaurant = 5 star service, but wouldn't expect the same at a bar/pub), the tip should be a reflection of that. The waiters who chimed in with their opinions need to realize that they are being paid a salary and earning a tip. If you're in sales do you still get a commission if you do a sub-standard presentation and lose a lucrative contract? Same applies if you provide sub-standard service; you still get your salary but not the additional "bonus". Additionally, if the service is bad enough that I'm planning to leave less than 10%, or nothing, (I always tip 20-25% for good to excellent service, by the way) I'll always let the manager know so he/she can speak to the waiter/waitress privately and let them know the feedback. That way it solves the issue of me being seen as just being cheap and the waiter/waitress gets the feedback on what went wrong to hopefully remedy it in the future.
Just another instance of people wanting something for nothing. Some who don't tip (not all people fall into this category) want impeccable service because they feel it's owed to them for walking their butt into the restaurant to spend their money. Now, don't get me wrong, ANYONE who walks into a place of business with the intention of spending their hard earned money should expect some degree of good service, but the waiters and waitresses are not there to clean up the mess that some slobs make and put up with rude and nasty comments and groping.
On the other hand, Just because you wait tables, does not give you the right to my money beyond what my bill states I owe for my meal and drinks. Tips are at MY discression and not based on some "rule of thumb" percentage system. If you have your hand in my pocket when I walk in the door, you had better be worthy of it. Just because your name or employee number is on my check doesn't mean I have to tip you if I didn't see you all night.
Another note, If the restaurant you work at is poorly staffed and preventing you from providing quality service to it's patrons, you might want to discuss your wages with the manager. This is not my problem, however, if I see you're making the effort to satisfy all of your tables equally, I will most certainly throw some extra "percentages" your way. Just don't expect me to come back unless the food was phenominal.
Yet another comment to those of you who feel tipping is above you, I once watch a girl run her hind end off for a table of about 8 people at a club one night, their bill came to over $100 and they left her only a little more than a dollar. I saw her service and it was outstanding. These people simply didn't tip because they were cheap. I ended up tipping $70 on a $165 bill, the service was that good.
Also, current and past servers, correct me if I'm wrong... are single female smokers the worst tippers?
Normally, Mty husband and i are good tippers- we understand that servers survive off of thier tips.
that being said- there was only one time that we did not leave a tip- I think we did, but jsut to round our bill up to the next whole dollar...
this waiter was absolutley the worst waiter we have ever had!!! I don't think it was jsut a bad day for him (I can understand and sympathize when people are jsut having a bad and grumpy day- i usually try to tip those servers decently) but this waiter was just awful!! he took forever to even come over and say hello and ask for our drinks, he was very impatient when we were trying to figure out what we wanted to order, had a very bad attitude all night. then to top it off- it took him so long to bring us the check, we were waiting there for about 45 minutes when the manager came up to us and asked us if there was anything else we needed (we saw the waiter complaining to the manager a few minutes earlier) when we proclaimed to the manager, "Well a check might be nice so we could leave" then the manager must have realized what happened and got us the check in just a few minutes.... I look back and wished we would have just said to the manager "I guess we don't need anything else" and just got up and left without paying....
I am sorry but circumstances like this- the waiter does not deserve a tip as he was not doing his job of taking care of us.
And just as a side note- we are very happy customers and are easy to please- it takes a lot to piss us off to the point we start "docking" money from the tip...
Having lived off tips for many years, I have vowed to never live nothing so 10-15% is a minimum even for bad service. However, when returning to the restaurant I will make sure to not have a bad server wait on us again. Also, be extra nice on holidays and sundays, July 4th, Xmas, etc .. tip extra.
A) I was a waiter
B) I have left no tip 3 times - all 3 were for bad service.
C) If the food is bad, or the wrong order, I don't take it out against the waiter.... but I will also NEVER send something back because I don't like body fluids in my food.
TIP is an acronym for To Insure Performance. I noticed that the anti-zero tip people are pretty much servers. You have chosen to SERVE people. Y'all need to keep that in mind next time you whine about not being tipped. It is NOT an entitlement, it is EARNED.
Yeah, that's just not true. From the etymology section on Wikipedia's entry for tipping, which itself cites to the Oxford English Dictionary:
There are common inaccurate claims that "tip" (or "tips") is an acronym for a phrase such as "To Insure Prompt Service", "To Insure Proper Service", "To Improve Performance", or "To Insure Promptness." These false backronyms contradict the verifiable etymology, as follows.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word tip originated as a slang term, and its etymology is unclear. The term in the sense of "to give a gratuity" first appeared in the 18th century. It derived from an earlier sense of tip, meaning "to give; to hand, pass", which originated in the rogues' cant in the 17th century. This sense may have derived from the 16th-century tip meaning "to strike or hit smartly but lightly" (which may have derived from the Low German tippen, "to tap"), but this derivation is "very uncertain".
Great service = great tip.
Average service = average tip.
Poop service = poop tip.
You will get out of it what you put into it.
Jaliska
Why do people assume that everyone is obligated to give tips?
Tips shouldn't even be expected unless a server demonstrates impeccable service and does extra things they aren't paid to do. This show of entitlement is a little obnoxious, to be honest.
They chose to work at that restaurant w/ minimum wage. They're not forced to live off that money. If they really wanted to, they could get a good-paying job somewhere else. It's not the customer's problem that the server doesn't earn enough money to fend for himself. We eat out to feed ourselves, not to worry about someone else.
Jaliska, while I wouldn't say tips are required in every circumstance, the fact that you are requiring some "impeccable" level of service that is "above and beyond" for any tip shows that you are either (a) ignorant of the informal deal that exists between restaurant management, staff and patrons, or (b) don't care and are happy to take advantage of that circumstance.
As has been said many times here, servers make below the minimum wage in every state. The price of every item of food you purchase is based upon the idea that only a small percentage (somewhere between 25% and less than 1%, depending on the type of restaurant and location of the restaurant) of a server's pay comes in the form of salary. The rest comes in the form of gratuity. If gratuity was only for exceptional circumstances and server's received their salary through the restaurant directly, the cost of every single item on the menu would be raised 15 percent.
I'm not saying that not tipping is never reasonable. But average service deserves a tip in this country, because of the informal deal mentioned above. It doesn't deserve a great tip, but it deserves something that it is not just a meager token.
Beyond that, what is "above and beyond" in the restaurant business? To me being a server had just two clear priorities when I was one: (1) be polite and (2) provide people with efficient and effective service. When I served (and I'll admit I was only an above average server), I knew when I did those two things well. I also knew when something went wrong, and knew if it was my fault, the kitchen's fault or the bar's fault. If I fulfilled those goals and got less than 15%, I wasn't going to be very happy the next time I saw you. If you think you need to be given something for free or I need to sit with you to hear all about your day to get a tip, I was a server, not a giver of handouts and not a friend.
Quite honestly Jaliska, I was particuarly riled by your comments because they sound like they are coming from the mouth of a spoiled, entitled brat who has never had to work to put food on the table, nor has to worry about having enough money to eat out whenever you want – but who also does not care about the person serving them. Get your facts straight – they are not working for minimum wage, which is over $7 per hour, they are working for $2 per hour and hoping people will like their service enough to give them a little more. And are you not reading the newspaper or watching the news – people with college degrees are working as servers because there are no jobs out there!!! Wake up – many of these people do not have choices – if you are privledged – and it sounds like it – cut them a break – they are having a harder life than yours!!!!
sound like you are the one with the "entitlement" complex. apparently you expect to have people bring you food and drink and clean up after you, and yet you shouldnt have to pay them anything.
My wife and I used to eat out at least 1-2x per week. With the economy as it is we have reduced to 1-2x every 2-3 weeks. We have left no tip once and a penny tip once. The rest of the times usually 10% for okay service and usually 15-20% for good to excellent service. The no tip was before we heard about the penny tip idea. We left no tip because the server tried to overcharge us for our drinks. It was at Olive Garden and we ordered Grape Juice. The only reason I ordered it was because the menu said, free refills on all juice, soft drinks...etc. When I brought this to her attention she said something akin to, "well our manager says that we charge for each juice." I retorted with, "that's great but your menu says free refills." She said she wouldn't refund me. I asked to speak to the manager. The manager said that there were no free refills on juices. I grabbed a menu and said that he needs to change the menu my wife and I look at every 2 weeks (we love Olive Garden). I asked to speak to his manager, and he said he was THE manager. I asked for his boss' phone number. I contacted the boss (I think a district manager of some sort) and he sent me a $25 Gift card for the inconvenience. You're darn right I didn't leave a tip. I understand if I made a mistake and have no proof of what I saw then I am totally in the wrong and I'll grin and bear it but when I provide proof in black and white (or tan and gray in the case of the menu) then I expect a person to fix it. A managers job is to help calm the situation, not make it more difficult.
My penny tip was when I went to Denny's and my wife asked for mayonnaise with her fries (she's German). The server makes a rude comment about the fact that Mayonnaise with fries is disgusting, tells her coworkers about how gross it is and points at my wife like she did something wrong. After I calmly explained my wife is German the server responds, "So am I." I got tired of arguing with this imbecile and after we got our check we put a penny on the receipt of our credit card charge and the manager asked how everything was. She could obviously tell we were ticked off. I explained the situation and the server was gone by a week later.
Julez you're an idiot. Just like lots of waiters out there... who try to pull the "it's not our fault the food comes out wrong". Yes, I agree there are times where you get blamed for something that wasn't your fault, but it seems you wait staff are always looking to point the finger at someone else. Well let me ask you this then, is it our fault too that you didn't get a better job? Let's hear your excuses on that subject.
I love the rash of comments that anyone in the service industry is there strictly because they can't find a "good" job. I don't recall anywhere in the article this being a debate about the merits of serving. On the subject, bad service deserves a poor or no tip. That said, I wonder if any of the complainers have ever left an above-average tip for exceptional service. Then again, from just a few of the comments it seems that most of these people don't believe that servers are capable of such a thing. Pretty sad.
I have an issue with those that are saying if you don't want to leave a tip stay home & cook their own dinner...my grandparents were a very sweet old couple living on a very limited income. Once a month they would put on nice clothes & went out for a meal – usually to a place like Denny's, but once in a while they really splurged & went to Applebee's or Chili's. My point is that they tipped what they could which sometimes was 10 or 15% and sometimes less. One time they invited my husband & I out for dinner. They insisted that it was their treat. When we were finished, I headed to the Ladies room while they went outside. Knowing that they didn't tip as well as I might, I planned on sneaking back to our table and adding several dollars to the tip. On my way back to the table I overheard our server complaining to a co-worker about the "measly 10% tip from the old farts in the corner table" in full earshot of other customers! Needless to say she didn't get the extra $10 I was going to put on the table. Shame on the servers who are judgemental about their customers. You don't know what someone's situation is – you should be happy that they come out & spend any money that keeps you in a job. If the customers start staying home, you are out of work.
Think about it. If the waiter/waitress has only 5 tables and turns them in about an hour. This is longer than average. If they only get $2.00 a table that equates to $10 plus the minimum the restaurant has to pay. About 12.50 an hour. Hmm? The waiter/waitress is expected to EARN the difference. Next time the guy/girl comes to mow your grass and only makes one swipe across the front yard and then sticks out their hand. Make sure you fill it up with money because they deserve it even though they did a terrible job. What a no-brainer. If you have to think about this you probably make less than a waitress. I have had friends that love to work as a waiter/waitress because they know that great service means great rewards, not to mention a major portion of the tips never get claimed on taxes. Snow for the snowman!
You say you work hard to do a good job servicing your tables. That may be in your eyes, but not in the customer's eyes. If there are other issues that may be leading to a bad perception with the customer, then you can talk to your manager about that and say that is why you are getting bad tips. Having an off day, ok then you don't get good tips. The root cause is you and you suffer the consequences. Plenty of off days, find another job because you can't hack it. The world doesn't owe you a living, read the grasshopper and the ant. And to Mike in the Anti Goose Egg part who said, "How would you like to be "punished" at work by a complete stranger if you were having an off day? Most likely this was the cause behind your poor service." Well welcome to the real world pal. Its what everyone else gets, why are you so special? People who have the most direct contact with the customer are the ones who get the most immediate feedback. How you do your job directly impacts your rewards or punishment. In other words you reap what you sow. ie bad service means no or low tips. Also, remember you can't please everyone. Also, if you please 17 out of 20 customers, you should do fine and just forget about the other 3. It isn't worth it. If you stiff one waiter and they tell the others how bad you are, yet you tip them well because they do good. Then that reflects badly on you for complaining. Think about it.
A waiter(tress) isn't entitled to a decent tip when the service was far below what it should be.If everyone left a tip no matter the service and it was always the same then they have no reason to go out of their way to make ur dinner a enjoyable experience.I have never been a waiter but i have cooked for a crowd and been responsible for getting it done in a timely manner and i know what good service should be like.So waiters and waiteress listen up you want our money we are not not flea ridden animals shape up or ship out.If u don't like being a waiter or waiteress then get the heck out of the bussiness.
A lot of people who go out to eat are rude themselves and receive treatment from the waitstaff that is in response to that; unfortunately, those people will never understand that about themselves. Also, quite a lot of people have unrealistic expectations about what actually qualifies for good service – some people go out to eat thinking that no matter where they go, they should be treated like royalty, and a server who is working 15 tables at once should memorize their 4 person order and bring it out within a self-appointed "acceptable" amount of time and the server is further responsible for the condition of those orders, or no tip. ??? Get real – that type of service comes with eating at places 96% of Americans can't afford to look at let alone enter. Just because one thing was off does not mean the service was terrible. Yes, there are people out there waiting tables with rotten attitudes and/or obliviously inappropriate service skills, and if that is what you're experiencing unprovoked (I put "unprovoked" in there for the poorly mannered people I mentioned above) then you should respond in kind by not tipping, but talk to the manager as well so s/he can address the performance issue with that person in particular. If you feel so inclined to not leave a tip or an insultingly low tip, you should be able to speak with the people/person responsible for acting on the situation further and justify why you're not paying for that unsatisfactory service. If it was that bad, do the next customer(s) a favor and point it out to the managment so they won't have to suffer through the same ordeal you did. But just not tipping the staff, or leaving some ridiculously low amount, without an explanation to anyone proves no point but that you are passive aggressive and can't speak up for yourself when you feel mistreated. Likewise, you could be doing yourself a favor when you start explaining what's gone wrong with your service and hear yourself say that your order was incorrect even though you modified it 3 times before it came out to you...
JALISKA! you've got to be kidding me, everyone knows that waiting jobs are mainly paid for by tips, no one takes a waiting job to be paid 1.75 an hour . I make a substantial amount of money waiting tables giving great service everytime , if your too cheap to tip , then dont go out. We're not entitled to a tip? you find that obnoxious? well how about you get up and get your own food and drinks , or better yet just pull up to mcdonalds and get the same quality meal . yea . i think not. you've obviously never waited tables.
I take isuue with the "bad day" theory. Poor performance at work, often results in lower pay. I was a server in college & made terrific money because I worked my butt off. I currently make a very nice living in sales & if I have a "bad day" it most certainly costs me.
I love authentic Mexican restaurants...not just because of the food but because of the great service! Service is lacking in the restaurant industry. It is very sad!
I once had a waitress at IHOP literally walk out while I was eating. After taking our order she completely disappeared. Another brought out our food and a while after finishing we had to go to the cash register to get our check since no one seemed to be waiting on us anymore. On our way out we saw her waking back towards the restaurant from a car that had just dropped her off.
Yes, waiters have off days, but sometimes they just don't deserve a tip, much less employment as a waiter.
If I eat very efficiently and order politely at a restaurant, that doesn't obligate the restaurant to give me a discount, so therefore I don't feel obligated to tip when a waiter simply does their job. If they go above and beyond and change my mind, sure I don't mind tipping. But to just flat-out expect 15%+ tips is ludacris. In fact, the more my tip feels taken for granted, the less I'm inclined to tip.
Dont go out to eat then. You pay us by us doing our job just like you going to work and someone pays you. Grow up
You obviously don't understand the difference between giving PAYMENT for a service rendered and TIPPING for a pleasant experience.
Probably just one of the reasons you're a waitress? Just a guess.
Actually, I heard that Ludacris is a good tipper. To think otherwise would be ludicrous.
I waited tables for years to support myself through college. I know the difference between someone having an off day and someone who is out back having a smoke-break or trying to knock out their end of shift work so they can leave as soon as their last tables leave. The latter, when we are left with dry glasses and wondering if we will ever get a check so we can leave, get little to nothing depending on the severity of neglect. I have no regrets.
I've been in two situations where there was no tip given. 1) Waiter is ignoring the table of guys in work clothes and fawning over the table with two co-ed's in low cut tops. 2) Waitress sits down for 20 minutes with "Biff The Body-Builder" while ignoring the rest of the tables. Both of these were VERY CLEARLY the choice of the server RESULTING in NO TIP. Whine if you want that I should have left something but when you write "0" in the tip line of the credit card receipt it is quite obvious you didn't forget. On the other side of the coin I have had several meals where I have left between 30% and 100+% tips. When my drink is NEVER empty (and I don't have to remind them what I'm having), when the server is friendly to EVERYBODY and not just a couple of select patrons. These, and others, are the times I leave a really good tip.
For those you who think tipping is required, I suggest you talk to the wizard to see if he can get you a brain. I really don't care how bad your day is or what's going on in your life, your job is to SERVE ME if your employer as as such. If you don't like it, get another job. If you treat me well, you'll earn at least a 20% tip. If It's really busy and something gets messed up or the service is somewhat slow, I can understand that as most people do. If the place is empty and the service is slow and the attitude is poor, sorry Charlie. Your going to pay for ruining my experience. I worked hard for my money.
I love waiting on people like you, don't ever get a lemon with your drink if I were to wait on you!! Or a drink for that matter.
Why Julez? because the guy wants decent service and will not pay if you have a shitty attitude? Can you point out what issue you had with what he said?
Julez, I love having people like you serve me. My meal is always 20% less and I enjoy speaking with Restaurant Mgmt as I am part of the industry. Trust me, they love to know who their slakers are and who's losing business for the. More than likely with an attitude like that, you'll be a flop no matter what career you choose.
Yep, and you treat me like that and I'll be sure to tell the manager in no uncertain terms just why I feel obligated to leave you ZERO tip. Treat me well no matter how bad your day has been and I'll be glad to tell the manager why I just left you a $50 for a $35 meal (That's over 40%). YOUR tip is up to YOU. I don't care if the cook is new on the job, make sure I'm taken care of and informed and you will more than earn your money. Treat me like you pridefully talk about on here and I'll figure out how to buy the restaurant just to fire you.
Exactly!!! These people saying tipping is required act like we don't have to work for our money. If I am lousy at work more then once or twice I would get fired! Suck it up and appreciate that you only lost $8 and learn from your mistakes.
you people break my heart. To think that I owe you money when I walk in the door is pathetic. Why don't you just stand on the street corner and beg for it.
If you want to be cheap and not tip then DO US SERVERS A FAVOR DON'T BOTHER GOING OUT TO DINNER. This is our job and it is not always are fault if your food comes out wrong. If we enter in correctly and the kitchen messes up, don't take it out on us. This is how we make a living off or "YOUR TIPS" so think about that the next time you go out to dinner. And remember who is bringing you your drinks and food, so don't piss us off !!!
Black people are the worst tippers and they run you to death. They always are complaining I have found and they ALWAYS want something for FREE. So take NOTE learn to TIP !! Tipping is 20% or higher people this is not the 80's anymore where 10% is good although it is better than being stiffed.
Julez,
There are a couple things you need to know. First, tampering with someone's food can lead to more than just losing your job. Second, every patron that walks in the resturant is supporting your job even if they aren't your customer or they don't tip well. No customers means no resturant which means no job.
I appreciate a good waitress and can tell even when the kitchen messed up who is and who isn't. A good waitress will still have taken care of the table and will then make sure the problem is resolved. I don't expect to be waited on hand and foot, although a foot massage would be nice about now, but I do expect a couple simple things. Keep the drinks from going empty, and get my food to me while it is hot. If you are having a bad day, tell me and I might make a couple jokes to see if I can get you to smile.
I realize there are plenty of jerks out there who would love to yell about something being wrong, we all get to deal with those same jerks regardless of what industry we work in. I saw a man chew out a good waitress over something that may or may not have been her fault. She might not have gotten a tip from him, but she got a better one from me. Customers know when other customers are being idiots, but we can also tell when you simply don't care about your job and the very fact that you would tamper with someone's food means that your attitude is probably the source of any bad tips you get.
There was one time I almost had to walk out and not even pay for the meal. I went to lunch with a couple of coworkers, we let the waitress know that we only had an hour, there were only 2 other people in the place, so figured it wouldn't be a problem. She took our order, then it we waited for nearly 20 minutes for our food to come out. We found someone to let us know what was going on and they said our waitress was done for the day. Our food finally came another 10 minutes later. After we were finished we sat there for another 20 minutes, no one came to our table. At this point we were the only ones in the restaurant!! We went up to the front desk to see if anyone wanted us to pay for our meals and everyone just walked by, not paying any attention to the 3 people staring at them at the front desk. FINALLY we stopped one of the people and asked if they would like us to pay for our meal. They then asked what we had so they can calculate it. Needless to say, there was NO TIP GIVEN!
Tips, even if lower than normal, should certainly be left. Most often people will not tip even if the problems they experience are not the waitstaff's fault. If the drinks are not being filled or the bill is not brought in a timely fashion, certainly a low tip is warranted but not no tip. As many once waiters/waitresses said, the pay is very low and they may not have another option of employment, more so now in the current economic environment than ever. The insults of loose change are certainly not necessary and are petty. If the service is bad, tip low, 5% or something, and speak with the manager, but no need to be a jerk. You are no better than the poor server then. As a side note from a very good tipper and graduate student, to all the waitstaff out there, do not assume that students are not going to tip well and therefore not give good service. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Waiting tables is not an easy job at all. Adding an extra $1 or $2 over the standard % is not going to break anyone but it sure makes the day of the waitstaff. I'm a partner at a restaurant and frequently wait tables. I can assure everyone that the service is impeccable and not lacking in any way yet some people choose not to tip or will tip small amounts. One family with 4 wild children left a HUGE mess and $1.63. We had one lady in over the weekend that was demanding and panicked over "the black spots on the table." When I went to see about the black spots on the table I knew I had wiped off 2 times with sanitizer, I was surprised to see the source: 4 specks of black pepper. This lady was rude and horrible the entire night. She did tip but only because her husband, a mild mannered gentleman, insisted. One lady shorted one of our wait staff because there was no tablecloth on a table on our patio. Thing is, we don't have table cloths on any outside tables and this woman chose the table that she sat at. She came again and had another excuse for not tipping. One thing to remember: don't punish the waiter by tipping short for things they have no control over. Any issues, you should always speak with the manager.
I also refuse to leave a tip in those jars by the cash registers where you walk up to order at those smaller restaurants. I have to stand there at the counter to wait for my food, or come from my table to pick it up if I am eating in.
You people are ridiculous. I currently work a a restaurant where the servers only make $2.53 a hour. That is made up to minimum wage via tips. I may only be a hostess and get my hourly pay but these people are busting their butts off trying to get tips. You have to be ABSOLUTELY certain that your server was ignoring you or giving you horrible service to leave a tip less than 15%. It's social norm to leave a fine tip and you are just being the cheap Americans that the rest of the world thinks we are. If you don't like the server then leave a bad tip. Nick was right, if you plan on coming back don't expect good service. We remember you, and the servers WILL not be happy getting your table. This people are working just as hard to earn money as you people working in the corporate offices they just do a different job and they ear their money differently, your tips. So if you plan on leaving a 1 cent tip, don't come back. We've got other costumers, and waiting on you for a 1 cent tip, is not worth our time.
Judging by your name you should be used to $1 tips.
@Dancerrr93: Show me by YOUR bad attitude and service that YOU are the problem and then I will leave you absolutely no tip and WILL talk to the manager about why I am exercising my right to not tip. Show me by your attitude and service that you want make my experience a good one and then I'll tip you handsomely. Tips are EARNED not a right. Treat people right and they will treat you right. Treat me poorly and hopefully you keep your job but you won't get a tip out of me.
And you are exactly whats wrong with servers who expect a tip regardless. You just called anyone who doesnt 15% regardless of your effort cheap, and if you dare come back to the restaurant you WORK at, you will be geting bad service as punishment. So do you think the strip club, err restaurant you work at wants to hear that? YOU didnt get what YOU wanted so the customer who came and paid for the meal (at the listed menu price) doesnt deserve good service. Why is it about YOU and not the employer and his business that you are working for, or the customer who is paying for that food. Why are YOU more important than both those other components? Another selfish, over entitled whiny kid who thinks the world owes them everything after earning none of it. Live in this world a little longer and get a better view of it before passing judgement. In this world your compensation is tied to the amount of effort you are willing to put in, whether its school, work or life.
If the service is that bad, ask the manager for a new waiter. Let them know exactly why. I guarantee, telling the manager you want a new server will do more than stiffing the server.
Yes, absolutely ask for the m"anager. There is nothing worse than asking a person how everything was and they say "great" but later you find out they complained to friends about this or that. As a partenr at a restaurant, I want people to tell us the truth. If there is a problem, let us know right then so that we can fix it. If wait staff is not up to par, let us know. We don't want people working for us that don't make our customers happy.
I would never complain if I still intended to eat food at the place. I will leave if it is bad or complain to the manager as I leave and state I will not be back..
WHen service is terrible I tip $1. When service is mediocre I do 15%. When service is stellar I do 25%. This seems to be a good rule of thumb because if you treat me right, I'll treat you right, etc...
Too many people here think tipping is a part of the bill...it isn't (unless it's a place that includes the tip in the bill, which I think is insulting to both the servers and the diners)...that's why it's called tipping.
I've twice left no tip at all, but only because the service reached the point of being an insult. The first, my wife, who looks young but showed her ID, ordered a Strawberry Dacqueri, and they brought her what I'm sure was a V8 in a glass. On the second time, on top of bad service, the woman misquoted the price of the drink when I asked, and also charged us for an appetizer we didn't receive – okay, but when she corrected the bill, suddenly the bill was higher, and it was listed with 2 soups instead of 1. That was just unethical.
There should be no tip, waiters should be paid a decent amount by the restaurant. Like in Europe if the service is exceptional then you can leave a small tip.
I ordered something and specifically said "no peanuts -I'm allergic". The waiter brings bac the dish with peanuts. I point out the mistake and he says, "I'm gonna kill you". Helloooo?!?!?! And because of this pity-the-waiter culture I left him a dollar. I felt like a putz, I wouldn't do that again, I'd call the manager and leave him nothing. Also, I prefer to pay with cash because I have had "someone" write in a larger tip on the credit slip – this has happened to me more than once.
As a former waiter I agree that some people are just cheap and no matter how good your service is, its not good enough but also I have been in restaraunts where the waitress was absent and rude. certain places like pantry and east side marios has a "kids eat free' promotion from time to time and their staff is uninformed about it...many times I had to argue with the waitress that today is a kids eat free , or at discount day, everytime after speaking with their manager they come back "youre right about the promotion. " . after arguing with her and bad service I really dont want to leave a tip. if you want to argue with a customer then dont be a server, be a credit collector.
I've waited tables and bartended part time for 5 years, and getting stiffed is the worst. sometimes you accept it if you were really busy or you messed something up, but when you put in 100%, and they leave 5%.. you have every right to be mad about it. If you can't afford to leave a tip, then get take out or stay home, it is part of going out to eat. And if you can't handle a big tip, then dont' get expensive food or lots of drinks. If restaurants paid waiters $10+ an hour, your cheeseburger would be $15 instead of $10.. so factor that into your math, it still works out in the customers favor to leave a tip and not to want waiters to make more money per hour. If you stiff me, and then come back for another meal, you'll get your drinks, your food, and thats about it. and if i can, i'll stick the 18% automatic gratuity onto your check. my $3 an hour doesn't help pay any bills. waiters might not claim 100% of their tips, but do you really think that anyone getting paid with cash declares all of their earnings come tax time? if so, you need a reality check.
Interesting, about every other country in the world is paying their waiters better or includes a service fee which is basically the tip. Why do I have to give a waiter 15% – 20% of my bill as a tip? Give me a good reason. I tip 10% for ok service and 20% for great service. At the same time, why should we have to pay a waiters salary?
Its a gross generalization to say that every server knows the kind of tip they are going to get from a table from the second people sit down, but after 6 years of serving, I've got a pretty good idea. Then, there are those that come completely from left field and throughout the meal you've had awesome interactions and have been able to have a pretty reasonable conversation. You've recommended items from the menu which they enjoyed and even managed to get them a free dessert, then you get the bill at the end of the experience and there sits a 10% tip. It's not only insulting, but when I feel great about the service I've given you, all a 10% tip does is reflect how ungrateful you were for my hard work. If you're that table that sits down, requires little work besides the usual refills and small talk, and still manage to leave a 20% tip, you're a servers best friend. If the service is horrible, absolutely leave less than usual, but if it IS great service make sure that your tip is reflective of that, because THAT is how we make our living.
Since when has standard tip gone from 15 percent to 20 percent??? When I go to a restaurant, the waiter/waitress, can expect 15 percent from me at the door. It will go up or down from there based upon service/attitude.
If you don't like waiting on people, get out of the kitchen! I understand good/bad days, but it is your responsibility to provide the restaurants atmosphere. If you can't get my order straight, keep my glass filled, and check to see if I want anything more before you demand my money, then maybe you need to find another job. Ditch-digging doesn't require public contact!
I usually tip 20% and on small bills often tip more. I don't forgo giving a tip lightly.
But a tip is a gratuity - evidence that I am grateful for good service. It is not a surcharge. We, like many countries in Europe, have allowed ourselves to be put in a position where people EXPECT to be paid even if they do not do their job. For many, as evidenced by comments above, a gratuity is a RIGHT. I disagree.
Don't talk to me about minimum wage; a good waiter can earn good money in tips, especially at an upscale place. A good waiter works hard for that money and is entitled to it. But a waiter that is surly or disregards me as a customer isn't entitled to anything from me other than that I pay for the food at the price posted.
If black people stick to KFC and McDonald's, tipping at restaurants will no longer be an issue.
Tipping is not a requirement but like everything else today the younger generation feels entitled. So here's your tip...do your job in a way that will earn you a tip. If you don't like making $2 hr go get a different job or do your job in a way that will ensure you get the tips you deserve. I don't get a bonus for crappy work at my job, why should I give you one?
Also though it was funny that the only people in the story that spoke out against not leaving a tip were waiters or use to be.....
Spoken like someone who has never worked as a waiter. I've never waited tables, but I'm smart enough to see how hard it is for people in customer service.
Likening a tip to a "bonus" is inaccurate. What would be accurate would be someone telling you, "Your salary is $50,000 a year, but we're only going to pay you $25,000. You have to earn the rest in sales commission. Oh, and yes, we can do this legally."
Tips are not an obligation in most establishments, but rather a measure of the customer's satisfaction with the service and the food. If either is lacking, I think it is entirely appropriate to reflect it on the tip.
But the article just said that the establishments *expect* customers to make up the difference between what waiters are paid and what they should be paid. How can that NOT make the customer obligated to tip?
Re-Read the article. The GOVERNMENT expects the difference between the paid wage and minimum wage to be made up for by tips and IF IT ISN'T then the the establishment is on the hook for the difference.
Leaving a tip is, at some level a social norm; however, so is acceptable service. With that said, most people are able to use common sense to differentiate between situational factors which led to less than normal or acceptable service and flat-out poor service. Most people will be understanding and may perhaps lessen the tip slightly, but will still tip. I know I do. When the service is bad, obviously and flat-out poor (which seems to be happening more lately), then I speak my mind to management or to corporate (via email and phone) and let them know as well as through my tip.
Then there are people that just do not tip, or love to have a reason to short change or not tip at all.
To all of the waiters complaining about being stiffed. To those who say how dare you we only make 2.65. To all those who say it is not our fault. Let me tell you, I was a server for a number of years. I used it for school and a car. I made 2.65 an hour. I would someitme get very low tips and I would always know who would give the low tips. I still went out with a smile on my face and did the best job possible. If there was a problem in the kitchen I would alert my customers. Their drinks were always filled. If there was goign to be an issue with slow service I was proactive in getting a manager to make it better before they felt a need to complain. I did not take smoke breaks or screw off behind the counter with all the other wait staff (they are busy too). I never had a table walk out without leaving a tip. Wonder why? Because i gave them the service I wanted when I go out. At the end of the week I was bringing home more money than the managers and three times as much as the other servers who would grouse about their job, smoke or gossip rather than check on their customers, or basically take my bad day out on the person(s) who were supplimenting my income. When I go out to eat my minimum tip is 5 dollars (not bad for an 8 dollar meal), but I subtract a dollar everytime my glass sits empty for too long, other custimers have come and went since I arrived, food that is cold for sitting in a window too long, or my order being completely wrong. These are no the fault of other kitchen staff. You took the order you own the order. Make sure it is right, right on time, and right to the customer.
I usually tip generously (20% standard, more if the ticket amount is low), because I just feel so bad for waiters and waitresses. Most of them, if they could work somewhere else, would. They're waiting tables either because it's a job on the side, or they're in school, or it's really the best that they can get. With the exception of perhaps some high-end waitstaff, NO ONE aspires to wait tables.
I don't approve of restaurants paying minimum wage - much less BELOW minimum wage - and putting it on the customers to support their staff like it's some kind of charity. And the tip IS a donation if you think about it. With every other good and service, the production costs and costs of running the business are built into the product. With good service, it's only partially built in. The restaurant relies on customers to donate enough to the establishment tip pool to so that staff can continue to afford to work there. It's a really screwed up system.
@Jaliksa, from the bottom of my heart: Είστε η βασίλισσα και η πιο αλαζονική και μεγαλύτερο κομμάτι του shit μεταξύ όλων των άλλων αλαζονική κομμάτια από σκατά στον κόσμο. In this karmic universe, the adage rings true "What goes around comes around." So, look out girl, it's a comin'. I only wish that I could be there to see it.
I am a Server at Medieval Times, and have been for about 3 months now and trust me I've seen all of the highs and lows of serving. I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to disclose how much exactly we make an hour serving but must of us make sure that we tell the guest we live off your tips, which by all means we do. Me personally, I always treat the guest the way I want to be treated but even then, there are just some people....who simply don't leave a good tip. FOR EXAMPLE: 5 dollars for two people.....SUCKS!!!!! Excuse me language but I've been running up and down stairs for two hours, sweating, pouring drinks in virtual darkness, yelling at the top of my lungs....and all you give me is 5 dollars!!!! very frustrating, but hey, that's life I guess. Even when/if I get stiffed, I always tell my guest, I know its hard in the economy right now but the least you can do is write me a note telling me how god of a job I did. TIP YOU MIDIEVAL TIMES SERVERS WELLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE DESERVE IT!!
Every time I've been to Medieval Times it's always been a treat, and I've had a couple of servers who really got into character! You guys and gals have so much to deal with and do it with a smile, and next time I go I will bring extra to tip my server. =)
I like to tip. Just the fact that someone is there taking care of drinks and plates for me and is bringing my food is already an improvement on my evening because it means I don't have to – that alone justifies my 15%. When the waiter is actively adding to my evening, or is clearly trying to provide decent service in spite of being overwhelmingly busy, then I am happy to give them more. I will give a low (or even no) tip if the service is really bad, but in my experience this is truly rare. I'd rather look for reasons to increase a tip than look for reasons to decrease it – I leave feeling better when I have an opportunity to be generous, and I like being able to directly reward the server for their efforts. I truly don't understand people who resent tipping, and especially not those who make claims like "I shouldn't have to subsidize the waiter – it's the restaurant's job to pay them." Where do they think the restaurant's operating budget comes from? From noplace else but the money they charge the customers for the meals. So increasing waiters' salaries to eliminate tips just means that the price of the meal has to go up to cover the difference. You the customer won't save any money by eliminating tips, but you will deprive yourself of the opportunity to make the compensation meaningful to yourself and your server.
Yes, I would leave nothing...but ONLY if service was truly wretched/not the wait-staff's fault. Have done so 2x total, after which also said why to the manager. My husband and I usually tip at least 20%. It never hurts to be generous.
My daughter is a server and works very hard for her money. Every once in awhile someone will leave her a very low tip. It stinks and is unfair to her but she also understands that it comes with the territory. There have been many times where we have gone to eat and the service was terrible, the server never came back, the order was wrong etc. but we still left a few dollars even though we didn't get so much as an apology. To all the servers out there I say, it's like any other job; You're there to do a job. If you do a good job you can expect good rewards but if you don't you probably won't make very much money. I'm not a server but I know that if I don't give my customers good service they will no longer do business with me and I will make less money. So quit the whining, and do your best. If you give exceptional service you will probably get good tips most of the time!
This simply is not true. If you've ever served then you know there will be tables that no matter what you do they will tip next to nothing; especially considering the state of our economy. However, to that I say, if you're that tight on cash then what are you doing going out to eat anyways ?
You're right, there are those people that will not leave a very good tip no matter how good the service is. If they arent prepared to pay at least a 15% tip then they shouldn't go out to eat at a restaurant. I do think however, if the server goes above and beyond they will make an average higher tip and make more money per shift regardless if they get stiffed a couple of times by some cheapo. Just my opinion.
Used to be a waiter starting pay was $6.45/hr plus tips. I used to think that was bad until I read what everyone else is making. If the service is horrible I usually will say something and throw a $1 down no matter the size of the tab.
I go in expecting to leave a 15% minimum tip. That being said, I have no problem stiffing. If the food is terrible, I let the waiter/waitress know, and do not stiff them. If the service is bad, then no tip. I don't care if you only get paid $2 an hour. You chose to work their for those wages. Individuals who say you HAVE to tip because it's expected, or because they had that type of job them selves neeed to get over it. Tipping is NOT required. The worst service I've ever had, has always been at restraunts with automatic gratuity. The servers slack off and don't care, because they know that they're already getting a tip. When servers start expecting tips no matter what, they stop working for them. Complacency kills virtually any job. And when your job is customer service, it REALLY kills it. I had a job as a server and I worked my butt off for every tip. The fact is, not every server does. I can't justify tipping a terrible server JUST because they don't make that much without tips. If they need tips to increase their income, then maybe they should be a little more driven to earn them. I was, and I never got stiffed. Give me poor service, and I give you no tip as well as a talk with you manager so there is no question as to the lack of money on the table.
Rene
To Charlie, the one who thinks non-tippers have never waited tables.... Oh how wrong you are Charlie. I have left without tipping TWICE in the past 21 years. The first server, took our drink order, never saw her again, had her bus boy do everything else. She returned at tip time. I tipped the bus boy $20 and told her if she wanted a tip she should have been there. The second time was recently. I had to get up and refill my drink, and my family's drinks. I had to go to the kitchen window to request undelivered food. I found my waitress sitting, having dinner with other waitresses. NO TIP.
Having been a waiter, for years may I add, I know the value of great service. I understand subpar service and it will be dealt with according to the situation. Extremely busy restaurant? Am I being too picky? Did the kitchen mess up? Guess what, you still get 20%. Ignore me, and your tip begins to dwindle faster than Obama's popularity.
I knew Obama had his hands in this!!
I never leave no tip. If the service is terrible I leave a penny and a nickle to send a message.
A lot of self-entitled pricks in this thread. I was a server for several years and I can safely say most of the people above who don't tip because the server was 'bad' is most likely due to the customer being a rude and obnoxious prick from the very beginning. Regardless of how much effort you put into that table, they won't be happy and will blame you for 'sub par' service.
I've never been stiffed, but, I've worked with people who have and they were not incompetent servers. It amazes me how some people feel justified in not tipping the college kid making 2.14 an hour. A lot of these people also don't realize that the server may have 4-5 tables all at once. However, the customers don't care and are usually supremely selfish and want their night to matter more than anyone else.
I ALWAYS tip at least 30 %, but then again my servers are always top notch. Gee, I wonder why that is. Hmm, probably because my girlfriend and I are extremely gracious and friendly to our server and it is reciprocated. If you treat your server right from the start then more than likely he/she will go the extra mile to ensure you have a fantastic night.
Having said all of that, I'm sure there has been some situations where the server was outright rude, but those will be few and far between. Quite simply, Americans feel entitled to great service and don't feel the need to treat their server with dignity or respect. They want it all handed to them and when they don't get it some poor college kid has to suffer.
To those of you who don't 'believe' in tipping, this only further proves my point. The way the system works is that waiters tips are ASSUMED to make up for their paltry 2.13 an hour they are making. Don't make the servers pay for your ignorance. Your job is paying you at least minimum wage or more, that's why you don't get tipped. The idiocy of some people is astounding.
"A lot of self-entitled pricks in this thread."
You have not spent much time reading the comments then. There are 2 main camps in this thread. Those who say tip regardless of service and those who tip based on quality of service. There are not that many outside of those 2 groups.
I always leave an excellent tip even if the server was the worst on the planet. That being said, rude terrible servers aren't as far and few in between as you suggest. For awhile I liked to eat out lunch during workdays by myself so I could read my book and have peace and quiet. I wouldn't stay very long just long enough to eat.
More times then you would expect I have been completely and utterly ignored and left to eat my meal with no drink for the entirety of the meal or had no one even come by to take my order for 30 minutes or longer. Or on other occasions just sitting there with the menu while they take care of people who came in after me. I tried to get their attention but no luck as if I didn't exist. Probably because I was dining alone maybe and they didn't feel my tip would be worth their time I dunno.
I don't expect much at all. I'm quiet and always polite. If it is a place I frequent regularly and they figure out how well I tip the waiters fight over my table even though there is just one of me. But if I have to go find the pitcher to get myself tea and go to the owner to get my ticket so I can leave or sit for 30 minutes while others are getting served even though they came in well after me, I kinda feel like somebody dropped the ball.
Right on brother, it used to be tips were above and beyond but when the government expect you to make the difference then the tip is assumed. If you don't want to tip even a minimal tip then go to McDonalds or places where evreyone makes at least minimum wage.
So how much is enough? With 4 or 5 tables at 15% tips and the minimum $2 we're talking at least $10 or $15 an hour. Is that too much or too little? Do you deserve $20 an hour? $30? The problem with all of this arguing is that the unskilled workers want a skilled wage. Yes, i would like too see everyone make enough money to be comfortable. But, the truth is that some jobs and some workers don't deserve don't seserve the money they want. Take out the student loans, get a degree, and you can get a profession instead of a job.
waiters and waitresses need to realize that tips are tips..not pay. dont like it, get a job that takes skill. don't like that who cares.
servers that think gratuity is a given is an idiot.
Ignorance at its finest. To say that servingdoes not take skill is asinine. Jjuggling several tables while remembering everyone's order on top of special requests takes a lot of micro managing; you obviously have zero serving experience and I'm sure you could not do it.
As someone who tips 20% for standard service (I appreciate your position, wait staff, and the fact that you have to share that hard earned money with your bus staff, in many instances) I will give no tip for extremely bad service.
But, for those of you who leave no tip- please make sure the wait staff understands *why* so the behaviour can be corrected. Leave a note, fill out the comment card, or talk to the manager.
I have left a ZERO in the tip spot on one occasion, as did the two people enjoying the night with me. Our server was not only a poor server, but gave my mother a dirty look when she asked for more bread! We talked to the manager, the manager took care of us the remainder of the evening and the waitress never came back to apologize – heck, didn't even glance at our table. I'm sorry, but in situations where the service is bad and you say something to the manager, then we should be compensated – remove a drink, an appetizer, do something for us and then we'll throw you a bone mr. waiter/waitress! If you're taking a job in an industry such as that, then you need to remember that your customer doesn't know that you've had a bad day ... your customer doesn't know that the person before us was rude and disgusting to you ... treat each customer as your first and only, then you'll not only get a tip but a nice one too!
I think the whole idea of tipping is stupid. Why should I pay someone to do the job their employer hired them to do. The restaurant should pay their salery. And it's not just waitstaff, what about hairdressers and parking attendants, etc. I am an IT worker and I am not given a tip to perform the job I was hired to do.
It might be because you went to some sort of higher education that was paid for by mommy and daddy???? And you wouldn know the deffinition of a hard days work even if it was on your little computer screen un MARXist man! The ones who usual complain and not tip are fat obnoxious bastards who would prolly suffer from a heart disease anyway. good luck with your negative heart I hoope it helps you in the afterlife.. Dick.. aND Btw drinking five diet cokes with your meal w wont help you lose weight. oh yea P.S. Genius if the resturants did pay their waiters higher pay then you wouldn get your free refills and your meal price will be expected to jump 400%. Thought were you educated Mr IT professional. and please tip next time because us waiters hate smelling fat dudes who smell like they havent showered in weeks.
Marxman –
This is ignorant. I have worked in the IT industry for years but am also forced to work a second job serving tables. My husband has been laid off from his IT job for almost a year now I am am supporting our family. It's the simple nature of the service industry to tip. If it wasn't, your meal would be much more expensive in order to compensate the increase in staff wages. For many people, it is not their choice to work in restaurants. Many Americans have to because there are simply no better jobs out there. As members of the IT community, we are typically paid very well and work for companies with great benefits. Members of the restaurant industry rarely are offered the same perks as us. I urge you to understand this, and if you still believe tipping is stupid, do not go out to eat.
Mary, I hope this means that you tip the front desk clerk and maidstaff at the hotel/motels where you stay. I hope you tip your mail carrier, UPS and FedEx delivery person. I hope you are tipping the cashier and bagger at the stores you chose to shop. And I hope you are tipping all the other workers in the service industry.
RoqDawg~
Yes, actually I do tip the maid staff at the hotels I stay at. I also tip hairdressers, bellboys, pizza delivery guys, and cab drivers. The difference in these professions and mail men, for example is the minimum wages employees are paid. Servers are generally paid $2.15/hour. Dumbass.
Tipping is a non-choice.
Without tips there would be now sit-down restaurants, period. Tipping is a standard and it is factored into every decision a tip loving restaurant makes. Tipping exists; that makes it a standard, like a social contract and fifteen percent is the minimum. Forget about minimum wage or pay because the government takes that right back in taxes. Only cash tips can be undeclared in recent days. That means every credit tip gets taxed, and it gets taxed a lot more than your wages, since the pay is gratuitous that's the kind of tax it gets.
Furthermore, the people who work as servers are doing it at weird times, when people normally eat, yet people still want to see them at their most chipper and intelligent even while carrying five burning plates of food, at least 4 bills to be dropped or cashed and maybe a drink or two in their hands, Oh and before they put any of it down lets make sure to tell them how there is no napkin next to their food or that they sat down at a dirty table. Oh and you people who go into restaurants and sit at dirty tables go to Burger World or McDuffy's and be done with it. Don't come into a fine class-dining establishment, wait until there is no one at the door, then sneak in and sit down at dirty table when there are clearly clean ones around. Furthermore if you do for some logical reason do that and realize you did, please do not suddenly look up and get angry because a) no one noticed you, b) the table is dirty, c) Its to noisy, d) its to cold or hot or e) all of the above. Also if you sit at a dirty table, put up a fuss about it and then don't leave a tip you should be banned from everything restaurant, but fast food for the rest of your life, in fact I would like to see a real law to that effect.
No one serves because they want to. If they could get another job they would. If they just needed some extra cash, they wouldn't be hired in a restaurant as anything but a host. Restaurant workers work full-time, without adequate benefits, pays, and job security or sick time at all and very little vacation time. Some servers do so pregnant, until the day they give birth and are often back at work less than a week later. These people eat when they can and are required to be on their feet 99% of the time they are working. Servers are usually prettier than strong so this is not an easy task for those performing it and many end up with back-pain, ankle and wrist problems and permanent scarring from burns. Many of these people with not be able to achieve higher education and will be best suited for restaurant work their entire lives. Finally if a server has to work on a holiday there will be some customer their minutes before close till at least thirty minutes, but most of the time an hour after close. Yes even on Christmas and yes restaurant workers have family too. And lets not forget why restaurant workers do all this nonsense (mind, serving is one of the most popular, yet most often un-unionized with no federal state or local representation, jobs in the country), to serve you. And here 'you' represents those people who can afford to go out and eat, which most often servers can't.
Finally to those of you who think it is okay not to tip, here's a tip for you, to you not tipping is an amount of money saved that will pool over into some other account eventually and cause you to that much more of a personal asset value. To the server who you are not tipping that money represents first their food, a college textbook they need, a present for a loved one they now can't afford, or maybe some gas to make it from work back home. Second that not tip is a personal shame, and an insult as bad as bleep you from a random stranger. Third its a personal failure of a perceived inability to do ones job, even though that is never the case. Fourth it is a motivation to anger for the entire restaurant, yes the entire restaurant, yes even if you complained to the manager, yes even if you wrote and email, actually more so. Restaurant owners also hate non-tippers because they poorly affect the overall operation and atmosphere of the business. Fifth a no tip is actually negative money to a server because every bill a server takes makes them pay out of their tips at least the bartender and at most the bar, the kitchen, the bus boys, and the hosts. If you don't tip a server they actually have to pay these people for you because these people get a percentage of the overall gross for that night its usually 1-10% leaving as little as 5% for the server with an average 15% tip which by the way is no longer average. The average is now somewhere around 18% with many people tipping 20% like it is the new average. And finally for the no-tippers everything you saw in Fight Club is true; I have seen people do all of that, (except the fighting and craziness yes everything related to the food service industry is true.) Also everything in Waiting and Waiting 2 is true, not joking. If you don't tip this is what you get, not a threat a warning. Also you non-tippers think you can both get people fired and go to other restaurants to prevent bad service, hmmm I smell a logical err. As you see if you get a person fired for bad service and then go to another restaurant because of the bad service, just where in your town do you thing the fired restaurant employee is going to get another job, at another restaurant I suppose, perhaps the one you plan on taking your business to, yeah about that. Furthermore, no a manager is not going to fire an employee because you say so, actually that manager will probably help give you worse service next time, I quote from a manager "Sometimes messing with the checks food seems like too much work because its just one more step for no reason, but that's not going to stop me from doing it." And by the way non-tippers who think servers are uneducated, servers are actually former veterans of war, college students or graduates and managers, yes when their aren't enough servers managers put on the uniform and you non-tippers would never know, actually I know a few people who tried to complain about a manager server and get him fired, no it didn't work. You people who complain to managers, learn. Managers unlock the restaurant, lock it, fire people for stealing or lying and hire people, they don't care about your petty complaints. There are some people who care, but without an email to corporate or the owner nothing will happen and if the server has a good reputation, still nothing will happen. Servers mostly quit and rarely get fired. What kind of world do you live in Sy2502? Oh and by the way if you leave a zero tip and think you won't get stopped at the door, think again. Servers and hosts do it all the time. No one will force you to pay, but we will mention if loudly and politely ask you if you wanted your three cents back or if you forgot to do math correctly, but if you just don't sign it we will put your tip through anyway with a description of you on the back of the check. Finally think you might be a non-tipper, think again, we know who you are and often will add gratuity on to your checks just to spite you. Don't worry you won't catch it because those of you who we do it to are usually past the legal limit, because it only takes two even though we can usually serve you five or more sometimes. Finally did you not tip, did you forget your wallet, then did you walk back in thinking someone would have found it, no you didn't because you know they wouldn't say that they had. So if you are a non–tipper and you think that is okay, don't worry the restaurants know you, by how you look, act, talk, dress and dine and they know what you owe and how you will pay it, there's way more servers than their are non-tippers non-tippers are fed by servers. Ever hear the phrase don't bite the hand that feeds you.
"And I know no matter what the waitress brews I should drink it and always be full" Hootie and The Blowfish.
There is always a choice and many of the things you mention are part of the service that you pay for to eat there in the first place. I never waited tables or stocked shelves, I worked at an airport where I would put in 12-18 hours of physically demanding work. I worked when families were eating, I worked at 2am in the morning.. it was a choice. If I did a bad job, I would not be asked to come back.. if a waiter does a bad job, don't expect extra. It is that simple.
try waiting tables , running other srvers' food, doin a quick bathroom check and restocking whats needed, Getting ice, getting clean cups, dishes, and appitizer plates from the dishwashing area washing hands every fifteen mintues. being on your feet for 10-12 hours at a time. being neglected from the federal labor laws refering to breaks and meal times. Then think about not having a social live because all your weekend goes into working at the resturant cause thats when its busiest. and forget your fav. sports team cause your gonna miss all those games too.
You're absolutely right; "DON'T BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU!!!"
When you can quote the law that states I have to tip, let me know.
Michael James Eza – you are so arrogant and go on and on about nothing!!! Even if you had a valid point, you lost all of us with your rambling nonsense.
Tipping IS a choice...it is something earned. I don't pay someone if they don't work – simple as that. I should point out however, that I do believe you should tip if you receive service. Non-tipping should ONLY occur with horrible or no service.
Ohh an insult from a no-tipper. Soo scary.
Quite a rant from an angry little man.
Like it or not, I have a choice to tip or not. I always tip appopriately for good – or bad – service. I seriously doubt if the public's decision not to tip would cause the entire restaurant industry to fold. They would simply have to start paying a living wage to their employees. And yes, prices would go up & then people would have to make a choice to eat out or not. Just like they do now.
As far as a servers attitude – I don't care if it's 5am or 5pm or noon or midnight, that is their job. It is a choice they made at some point in their life. I realize that not everyone can be at their best every minute of every day, but I expect a server to treat me with courtesy & to have a smile on their face when they greeet me at the very least. And guess what – I don't care if you're busy. I understand that there may be delays in seating or getting the drinks or meals out – reasonable delays are acceptable – but DO NOT be irritable with me because your manager planned the schedule poorly. As a matter of fact, if you are TRULY swamped & give me passable service with a smile on your face, I will probably tip you even better because you made an effort to be prompt & pleasant.
If I complain about your poor service, I am under no misguided impression that you will get fired – I know you probably won't...BUT if enough people complain, action may be taken to correct the problem. And if I get bad service more than once at the same establishment, I will contact the corporate offices or the owner (if it's independent) & make a complaint. I am very well acquainted with many people in all levels of the industry & know it will get their attention regardless of what you have to say. GOOD managers do care about their customers.
And do not threaten to change or add a tip to the credit card slip that I signed. I keep track of those & compare it to my statement. If it is different I WILL report it as a fraud to my bank & you WILL be prosecuted!! Because, guess what, more often than not, you're name is on the slip!
If I speak to your manager and do not get satisfaction about your lousy service that you seem to approve and you stop me at the door for not giving you an undeserved tip I will give you a strong verbal lashing that you will never forget. A tip is optional a service charge is not, so go whine to your manager and tell him you want a service charge added to your checks and while he is laughing don't forget your final check. You are in the service industry if you are not able to provide service find another job.
I tend to be very understanding of crowds and under-staffing, and as long as my server is putting in effort, even if service is extremely slow, they'll still get at least 20% from me. I've only not tipped once that I can think of.. the server came over and literally sat down next to me in the booth and before even asking about my drink order started complaining about how much her boss hates her for making her come into work when she tried to call in sick (I'm not making this up).. First, don't tell the customer you're sitting a foot away from that you tried to call in sick, that's gross and it made me want to wash my hands. Second, I'm your customer not your shrink. If you have problems with your boss, I don't need to know about it – well, unless its funny... then I'll laugh about it with you.
For every server that thinks they deserve the big tip, think again.
Here are my thoughts on this topic, restaurants should pay their servers a decent wage, say 10 bucks an hour, and then we Americans wont have to tip, unless service is superb, this would be more similar to European culture. This would give the money the servers need and no bickering about service. The only thing that would need to be done then is the managers keep on top of their staff to ensure they actually have compatent servers.
Lastly, some quick food for thought. Does everyone on here really think that the wait staff really claims all of their tips for taxes. I have known many individuals who just take the money and run, and only claim their salary at the end of the year. That being said (theoretically of course), that 10 bucks an hour (cash) that servers are taking home (salary plus tips) is much more like 13-14 bucks an hour, which is what a lot of us make, prior to the check coming to us. Anyone who has an argurment about that needing to pay for health care, dental, etc, etc, with a server income, you all knew going into that job that those benefits are not included (or very rarely included), so if you need them, being a waitor/waitress is not the career course you are looking for.
Think again sand. With the market the way it is and many older applicants applying for the same jobs as us college age workrs are. We cannon get the desired shifts to work around out school schedules so we have to take waiting jobs. There are many people who will sit aqt your table in your section for hours at a time and run up a $100+ tab and will only tip a dollar or two for your service and your five obnoxious children who do not know what they want and are constantly running arounjd the resturant and running into people. Many people simply dont tip you no matter how superb the service you give them. (JEWS and BLACKS) also those who get angry we wont serve alchohol too without an id or expired one. Im not going to jail, lose my job, be fined and not able to serve for 6months for your lousy tip anyway!! These are the ppl who make the servers act the way they do. If your going to take her on a date and order alot of the expensive stuff you should leave a tip and not complain how your food was cold because you were talking about jay z and president obama for 30 mintues before you even touched your food and not tip your waiter for your own doing.
To the people who say it is wrong to not tip a waiter or waitress who has performed poor service I have the following to say. Simply because I happened to be seated in your section of the restaurant, you are not entitled to my money. I certainly understand that there are issues out of the control of the server, and I would not hold that against them unfairly, but why should I have to pay someone more of my hard earned money for the priviledge of putting up with negative attitude or neglectful service? I don't see it very often, but when I do have a server who obviously hates their job and takes it out on me, don't tell me I am obligated to tipp them.
Try having 60 oz. of beer poured into the face of your new iPhone4 and your Blackberry, and then watching(and feeling) it cascade into the lap of your dress slacks. Only to be left sitting there wondering where the manager was and who was going to pay for the 1K plus in damages that was just racked up. When people refuse to take the time to execute the details of their job effectively they should in no wise be rewarded.
One of the great things about our Nation is the fact that you can be as successful as you want to be if you TRY. Why feed the already prevalent welfare mentality of the service industry any more? If you want an excellent tip from me...DO YOUR JOB and DO IT WELL. Otherwise expect a mediocre tip for mediocre service. If you make my table of guests feel welcome, at home and tended to....I tip well. Treat us like we are in a line at the local fast food joint and you can starve for all I care. I earned the money I tip with. If you want some of that cash you will have to earn it too!
When I go out to eat is because I want to be SERVED and CATER to not because I want to help the waiter pay their bills....that is not my train if thought when I don't feel like cooking or cleaning dishes. If tisp are to be expected, I expect the most of my dinner expierence, from the hostess to the manager. I had been a waitress too and I compared it to being a clown, you have to smile and be in caracther even though you are broken with problems, that is just the reality of the industry that you chosen at the time to work in. Tips should be included on the bill with the option to object... that way the "I forgot" client can be eliminated and bad service will be able to be corrected if mentioned.
The worst service I ever received was at an Applebee's. Everything was wrong, late, cold, and forgotten. The drinks were empty and had to be refilled by another server. The dessert never showed up and we had to hunt down the manager to get the item removed.
So before we left, I tore a corner off of a $5 dollar bill and tacked it to a note. Then I put the plate over the bill, with the corner sticking out, so it appeared that a tip had been left. The note said: "You'll get the rest of your tip, when I get the rest of my service. :) "
Poor service should not be rewarded. Period.
You need to get you facts correct for a story, WV pays $5.80 hrly for waiters they allow $1.45 fro the 20% recovery for the employer. It took me all of 30 seconds using google to find the correct minimum wage lawfor wv. DO your job that you are paid for in the future please
Here's a thought. Say your job is to babysit. You kick back and talk on the phone and forget all about the kids for large parts of the day and they run around and color on the walls and spill koolaid on the carpet and basically run amok. The parents come home to this disaster. Should you get paid? I mean you were physically here and she made sure they didn't die and occasionally watched them and you need the money. Doesn't that count?
Yes, not every time can a waiter please everyone and sometimes they are spread thin or the customer is difficult or the cooks or someone else was at fault for the poor experience. But if a waiter is doing a truly poor job and runs off a customer and maybe even more customers because of word of mouth of this bad experience?
What is a customers recourse if they have to give a good tip even if the service was truly and utterly atrocious? What if they are too scared to confront the waiter or to tattle to the manager while the waiter gives them the evil eye? How can you let the waiter know they did a poor job? Leave a note? Are they going to take it very seriously if they still got a generous tip? I mean really, wouldn't they just say "Beeotch" and pocket the tip and do the same thing to the next person? What motivation do they have to do better next table?
In a sociological study, it was found that many wait-people view tips not as a reflection of their services, but as the customer's level of generosity or economic standing. So a low tip may come off as 'cheap' or 'stingy.' Therefore, a lot of waiters and waitresses never get the clue. Instead of leaving a measly tip and looking cheap, its suggested that you eat more slowly or take your time during meals, thus reducing the times a wait-person can "turn" the table for new customers and taking away from other potential tips.
As a server & bartender for many years, a tip needs to be EARNED and not a give-me. On that note, please keep in mind that your server is paid based on a hourly rate ($2.35 average, plus tips), and must be TAXED on what they claim, usually a percentage of their sales...whatever the restaurant deems appropriate. For a large chain that I worked at, I had to claim 12% of my net sales, and then I had to TIP OUT 15% of this number to my host & bartender. So if you do not tip, we are still required to tip out and thus, you are costing us money to serve you.
Yes, if we are terrible we don't deserve a tip...but please look at the big picture (are we understaffed? Did the kitchen screw up? Did you have 18 separate checks at your table?) If we are lazy and sitting around smoking/laughing/reading the paper and your service is poor because of that, we deserve no tip.
And finally, if you can't afford to tip for good service, do not eat out–or get fast food and save your money. A "Thanks you were great, God Bless" on the back of a napkin will not pay my electric bill.
I've been a bartender for many years and I do agree with leaving at least a minimum tip for service, however if service is bad I would speak to manager and explain what POOR service was received. And based on that conversation I may or may not leave a tip.
I go out to enjoy myself and the ambiance if a server is rude or moody they should change jobs and work in the kitchen.
I have left with no tip and I would do it again.
I have done this several times. I have a severe food allergy. I always ask if dishes have the food I am allergic to. I make sure I order only food that does not have it. So when the waiter brings food full to the brim with something I cannot eat, yeah! he is not getting any tips. TIPS stands for "To Insure Prompt Service". That means my Tips are based on your quality of service. This IS NOT an entitlement. If you do not smile, mess up, spill food in my lap, brign me food that can kill me & you will get NOTHING. If you want great tips make sure the service is great. There is a direct relationship betweeen the two. I am sure there are cheapskates who do not pay tips for great service, but I let me tips talk about how I felt about the service. For Waitiers & Servers who say if you do not want to Tips , do not eat out, my reaction is, if you do not want to serve with a smile & pay attention to the customer, do not show up for work. Or at least be prepared for NO Tips.
People, Try and give the waiter/watress the benifit of the doubt. If the service is bad, talk to a manager and if it doesn't improve, leave a minimal tip and complain again. If the manager makes an effort to make it better or comp something then give them another chance. If things are bad again then send the ultimate message, DON'T COME BACK when the sales of restaraunt go down you better believe they will fix it or they will go out of buissnes.
I tip according to the service rendered. If the service is good I'll leave as much a 30%. If the service is terrible I have left a penny in the middle of the table. BUT that is only after the waiter had argued with me about the order. I know they are working for tips, but they should understand that my tip isn’t a given they need to earn it.
This is exactly why I dread you and your people coming into my restaurant. Hope McDonalds treats you right.
Jaliska
Why do people assume that everyone is obligated to give tips?
Tips shouldn't even be expected unless a server demonstrates impeccable service and does extra things they aren't paid to do. This show of entitlement is a little obnoxious, to be honest.
They chose to work at that restaurant w/ minimum wage. They're not forced to live off that money. If they really wanted to, they could get a good-paying job somewhere else. It's not the customer's problem that the server doesn't earn enough money to fend for himself. We eat out to feed ourselves, not to worry about someone else
My husband and I tip a standard of 20%. If service is bad, we'll round down rather than up. If service is REALLY bad, we'll tip 10%. There have only been 2 times where we left nothing. I believe if you are going to go out to dinner, you should budget in a tip. It's part of the expense of dining. However, a server should not expect that tip no matter what kind of service is given. That's kind of the point of the whole system – you treat me well, I reward you with money. If one leg of that system breaks down, the other leg will as well.
For those who regularly don't tip – shame on you.
It is very justified to leave no tip or a penny to tell a truly horrible server they did a terrible job. If I feel so strongly that left a penny or no tip I will tell the manager why. This includes complete and total negligence, belligerence or repeated and inexcusable mistakes.
If the server is having an off day and doesn't give their best performance or if I am uncertain if the reason for the poor service is because someone is having a bad day, I will still leave an average tip.
In most cases though it is obvious if the server should not be a server and deserves nothing or the FU of a single penny and it is justified to give them what they deserve.
for the wait staff that says that i should stay home if i'm not going to tip-ask the owner of the restaurant if he would prefer I stay home, or would he rather you bitch and complain that you got a bad tip. better yet, why dont you get a job where you dont have to worry about tips. I work in sales and if my pitch doesnt work-I get judged by no bonus or commision, it doesnt matter how good I was. its the tipper's right to decide not the wait staffs entitlement, by the way-tips started as derogatory-to keep the peasants away from the rich
The archaic practice of tipping needs to cease. Restaurants should pay their workers a fair wage and build the cost into the prices of menu items. Diners should complain to management if they're dissatisfied with the service.
It is stupid to use the argument that servers get paid too little and work really hard so they deserve a tip. First, waiting tables is not working hard, it just working. You have to work at your job, we all do it, deal with it. Second, if bad tips are affecting you financially, GET A BETTER JOB! Serving tables is not a skilled position, anybody can do it. Pursue a vocation that an out of work high school dropout isn't qualified for and you will probably be paid better.
When you go to a restaurant, the price of the food is supposed to cover the restaurants costs, including the server's wage. Tips are supposed to be for the service you receive as a guest from when you enter the restaurant to when you leave. As someone who has served for a few years, I think I know how to qualify good service and if the service isn't up to where I think it should be, then I will appropriately tip the server. I have tipped zero before, but never have left a penny. I usually write a little blurb on why I didn't tip because I think the server should know why I thought the service didn't merit a tip and hopefully they want to make the change that I suggest so that they can get more tips. I think that people who just tip the normal 15-20% are not properly reinforcing the service. When I was a server and I got a zero tip, I knew why and I just accepted it – rarely was I surprised to get a bad tip. Tipping shouldn't be expected – it should reward those who deserve it.
If the service is really bad then I leave a 1% tip (I always use a credit card) and then I write a caption on the back of the receipt detailing why I felt the need to leave this level of a tip so that whoever reviews the receipts is notified of the poor service. Otherwise, I always tip 15% and 20% if the service is great!
Clearly employment laws should be amended to protect wait staff from people like me who will not reward for bad service.
I'm sure somewhere, sometime, there was a black person who tipped at some point. So you can't generalize. geesh!
Come on people! Wake up! Black people shouldn't have to be accountable for tipping – especially from a white waiter. They are oppressed! 400 years!!!! NAACP told me so!
Sorry, but get used to not getting tipped well if you cannot do your job. I understand people have bad days. However I do not go to a restaurant to be affected by your bad days. I am paying for the luxury of eating out, not to beg for service. Get lazy on your time, not mine. If you are a professional, do not let me see your bad days, and simply do your job. I am expected to at my job, regardless of the day I am having. I am not going to tip you to sulk over my table and ruin my night/lunch out. And to say a tip is expected is crap. Its that entitlement that has led to a generally declining level of (customer) service. If the person expects to be tipped, they often get lazy as there is nothing to work for...and simply mail the absolute minimum effort in. They feel they dont have to set themselves apart in how they do their jobs, because the reward for doing it is just expected and you are just re-enforcing it. Typical of this generation of kids that are being raised, entitled to the hilt by their parents who have told them their entire lives they are special. Probably have a shelf full of "participation" trophies too. If I have to waive an empty glass constantly for 10 minutes to get your attention for a refill, or it takes 20 min to get a check at the end of a meal, or you come back only once during an hours meal, or my favorite, I seem to get the wrong meal 6 out of 10 times, then sorry, youre tip will certainly be affected. Check the order, you took it. Take some pride and check it, instead of just taking what the kitchen hands you. And yes, I worked for tips for years when I was just out of college. I didnt expect them though, I earned them.
Here's a tip, If you are getting crappy service, use your cellphoen to call the restaraunt while you are sitting a the table. Ask for a manager, explain the problem and be sure to tell him/her that you want another server NOW and do not want to be confronted by your currently crappy server. If the manager is worth his salt, he will not only fix your problem but the waiter's as well. If he isnt worth his salt, you would probably be better off not going back to that restaraunt. My personal measure of a server's worth is that if you run out of something to drink, you don't have silverware before you start the meal, and you can't find your server or 20 minutes pass without them, then you are getting crappy service. I am all about tipping someone if they do well but I don't run a charity service for those waiters who expect freebies. I am also a big believer in finding the manager when you get EXCELLENT service to brag about your server...in my mind those folks need a leg up to be promoted to management and then they know from the ground floor up how a server is supposed to behave.
To the waiters that think it's horrible to leave a $0 tip: you have probably never deserved such a thing. Honestly, the lowest that I tip when I receive poor service is still 10%. However, there is a difference between poor service and dismal service. Twice in my life have I been in this boat, and that's out of probably 2000 trips into a restaurant.
One experience there was a group of around 8 of us, all college students, that were eating out of town on an expense account. The waiter literally came by twice throughout the entire experience. We got glasses of water at the beginning when he took our food order, and he came by with the check. He did not deliver the food, and when we needed more water we had to go looking for someone. Only 2 other tables in the restaurant were occupied. I can buy the "having an off night" argument, but not for this. As I said, we were on an expense account, so we left a $3 tip on a $90 bill, but handed another $5 to the busboy for his efforts. They both received what they earned.
The only other experience was in high school at an ice cream shop. We were a small (4) and well behaved group of national honor society students, but the server looked at us with disdain, was blatantly rude, and did everything she could to make it clear she did not want us there. She got a penny. Of course she put in more work than that, but if you don't like dealing with people, don't get a job as a server.
My point is this: there's a difference between not leaving or leaving an insultingly low tip when they are having an off day and it being clear that they are in the wrong profession.
I don't believe in tipping even though I do. Why should I tip someone for doing their job? I don't get tipped, and I work a whole lot harder than most waiters/waitresses I have seen. The food is already expensive, and honestly the customer service usually stinks. If they don't like the pay, the job duties, and hours worked, they need to get a different job. It's not that complicated. No sympathy. And yes, I have left a low tip, no tip, and have – rarely – talked to the manager.
"Furthermore, that person will remember you forever, and if you do go into that restaurant again, rest assured that person will tell all of their co-workers just exactly how cheap you are"
Extortion?
Tipping is a voluntary action. What about if I only have money to pay for the actual food... Then I can not eat?
The best solution will be to include every thing in the price and paid a better salary. I hate this tipping business.
Same with doorman, hair stylish and so on.... Every one providing a service is expecting a tip, hard to swallow for some of us working so hard to earn some money.
then do things for yourself.
I've been to a restaurant where the bus boy was more attentive than my waiter. My son has been a bus boy and I know from him that waiters tend to be arrogant and stingy when it comes to sharing tips with a bus boy. More often than not, they get nothing. On this particular evening, I asked for the bus boy as I was leaving. He came to the table and was terrified. Poor kid. I handed him a $10 and told him how much I appreciated his assistance and that the tip was for HIM. NOT to be shared. The grin and light in his eyes was worth the $10. Tips should be earned not expected or demanded.
Amen sister
I llike to put what I think is going to be 20% on the table and explain to the waiter when he/she walks up that for every mistake that he/she makes $1 of that will go back into my pocket. It has never and I mean never failed, GREAT service all the time.
That is an old Saturday Night Live skit.
I would not stiff the waiter completely. There are enough cheapskates in the world where they might just write it off as bad manners. No I leave $0.02 under the plate. That tells them you know to tip but the service or food was so bad that is all you deserve. I also speak to the manager and tell him what you think. This will not make you popular at the restaurant and I would never make plans on coming back. In fact one time I had the chef follow me outside with a steak knife in his hand. Fortunately for me my two friends Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson and I got him to realize the error of his ways.
I've worked as a waiter before and can't condone bad service. Most people know when something isn't the waitperson's fault. However, a lot of times it is. A tip is like a bonus. In most jobs if you don't perform you don't get a bonus. Saying you need that money doesn't change the fact that a tip has to be earned. And that's the problem with this country as whole: everyone is entitled and has expectations of what they are owed. This world doesn't owe you crap. Work for it.
I waited tables and trained servers for 5 years on and off. As a server, you know that your bills are being paid through the kindness of strangers. And that is the mindset you have to have. I didn't take it personal when customers where nasty, b/c that person and I did not have a personal relationship – STRICTLY BUSINESS. And you had no way of knowing what kind of day that person has had.
I was an excellent server and now that I am on the other side, I expect the same. If you're busy then let the table know that you did not forget them. People are very understanding when they know what's going on. Don't talk about your personal lives when you're on the floor. CUSTOMERS DONT NEED TO KNOW. Don't stand and wait to see what your tip will be – it can turn your $5 to a $1 very quickly. DONT COMPLAIN ABOUT CUSTOMERS SO LOUDLY WHERE OTHER PATRONS CAN HEAR YOU.
I HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO PAY FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN MY MEAL. i HAVE NO PROBLEM LEAVING NOTHING. MAYBE A NOTE ABOUT WHAT YOU DID WRONG, CONTACTING THE MANAGER, OR CONTACTING THE RESTAURANTS WEBSITE.
Finally, take responsibility for your tables' experience. Don't focus on fault b/c cooks get paid regardless; so own the table. If the cooks are making a mess, get the manager out there. Get something for the kids to snack on or play with. A small salad or dessert can go a long way to showing how much you care. Remember, being rude to the customer doesn't hurt them (THEY ALREADY GOT PAID) – it hurts you.
I have never left w/o leaving a tip but have left low tips and have even had wait staff follow me out of the restaurant to tell me I left too little. On one occasion I was in a restaurant and the waitress was very diligent about asking if I'd like a refill on my soft drink. Not another drink mind you, a refill. When the bill came I found out that each refill was charged as a new drink. I first asked the waitress to point out to me where on the menu it indicated that there were no free refills. She was unable to find this notation as it did not appear on the menu. I then asked to see the manager who also refused to do anything about the additional charges on the bill. So I left a couple of dollars on the table and the waitress had the nerve to meet me at the door on my way out to tell me I hadn't left the customary amount for a tip. I told her to ask her manager to make up for it out of the profit they made off of the soft drinks she so diligently refilled.
It amazes me how many people go out and are looking for reasons not to tip their server. I have better things to do like enjoy my food and company when I am out than analyze the service I am receiving. 20% tip is our cultural norm for fair service. I will occassionally tip 25-30% for outstanding service. Poor service will generally result in a straight 15%. End of story. Anyone who looks into any further is a cheapskate who needs to stay home .
I think that most people fail to relalize that the wait staff isn't always to blame. If the kitchen is slow, you can't change that from the other side of the line. Before leaving a bad tip for your wait staff seriously consider if they gave you bad service or the restaurant gave you bad service. And BTW most waiters only make about $2 an hour and live on their tips.
Having been a waiter in my younger years, from age 16 – 23 (through college), I have had the displeasure of getting stiffed on several occassions. While I am sure that there were a very limited number of times that the patrons thought it was warranted. It was/is the people that are just down right cheap that are offensive. I do not begrudge anybody for not leaving a tip for bad service – whatever the reason/cause if the patron feels it is warranted. I loved waiting tables and for my age, made a lot of money doing it. Average $10-15/hr back in the 80s. I grew up dining out with my family a lot and do so now with my own family. My rules for tipping is simple: mediocre service: 10-12%, decent service: 15%, exceptional service 17-20% and yes, horrible service with no apology (rare) warrants no tip!
I don't feel right not tipping at all. Some things are beyond the waiter's control, and it's a tough, chaotic job. But sometimes I can't believe the insensitivity and oversights in restaurants. Last month we waited almost an hour for our check at On The Border. – It became a bit of a joke waiting to see if the waiter was going to rediscover us by accident. Then the manager approached our table asking how our evening was going. We asked after our waitress, Kaitee, and explained the situation. He responded, "Oh, I sent her to the bar for the evening." No communication there at all.
Getting paid no tip is just rude and uncalled for – how would you like to be paid $0 when you're having a bad day at work? "Sorry, you didn't get that report done on time, you won't be getting paid today"
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You don't lose a day of pay, just the tip for that table. And people in most salaried positions are penalized for not getting work in on time. They might have to stay late without getting paid for that extra time. I have to agree, the entitlement that some servers seem to possess is infuriating. With that said, I cannot seem to bring myself to stiff a member of the service industry, although I wish I could!
I come from a family of servers, caterers, and chefs. That being said I am a huge tipper. If i get average service I tip 20%. If I get great service i give upto 40% and mention the great service to their manager. How ever when I get poor service, not food, but service I will let the waiter\waitress know and if they do not fix the problem their tip goes down and down. When I go out to eat it is a luxury and and I expect my server to treat my table and company like we are important. If I am treated like my table and order isnt important then obviously that server doesnt really care about the money. Great service is rewarded with greater money and poor service is not rewarded at all.
I would imagine that most people engage in the same practices, although I can only speak for myself. I do the exact same thing.
My husband and I walked out with out leaving a tip because the waitress came over once and got us drinks and then never returned. Someone else brought our food and when my husbands drink was empty no one came by to fill it so he got up to get his own and the waitress was on the phone in the back and never came back to the table. So he wrote on the check that tips are earned not given. We did tell a manager when we walked out and he said that he would talk to her, since we have returned to this restraunt she seems not to work there anymore.
As a Delivery Driver I can tell you this, my living is depended on my service. I routinely give outstanding service only to be rewarded with next to nothing, (6% average tip). Even on days I am delivering in pooring ran I watch as customer after customer rewards me with a nickle on the dollar. The older and whiter the customer, the less and less I recieve. My ideal customer is a gay man between 20 and 27 years old, so far, they've tipped the best. Those are actual demographics for people taking count. I remember every house I deliver to and take note of every tip I've recieved. And to those arrogant people that have posted that we as servers are happy to work at 2.65 per hour, beat it. I use to manage multi million dollar businesses and have been driven into working as a delivery driver because there is no other work available. Obviously your comfy life allows you to spit on others but it makes me sick.
I've never failed to tip, but we once ate in a hotel restaurant in VA Beach that had a "dinner included" plan. Our waiter pushed at us to order more than we wanted because, "after all, it's included in your stay, and you want to get your money's worth," he said. Of course, we were expected to tip him based on the price of the dinner regardless of the fact that we weren't paying for it. Apparently, the waiter wasn't pleased with the size of our tip and CALLED OUR ROOM TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT! Needless to say, we've never been back, and we never, ever, stay in a Hilton Hotel.
I put myself through college by waiting tables. Classes all day, work all evening, study and reports late at night... then doing it all over again. Exhausting. I was a damn good waitress, but we all have our days.
I read a few of the comments about leaving a quarter, dime or penny tip and to that gesture I always took GREAT offense. Much more so than if they just stiff'd me. I had it happen to me once or twice when I was working at a diner. Corporate business suits come in for lunch and apparently got a thrill by humiliating the over worked, tired student waiting on them... Did they feel better about themselves? I still find it pathetic. On more than one occasion I actually took that dime, walked out to their car, knocked on the window and gave it back to them. I might have been a poor over worked college student, but they probably needed it more than me... and you better believe I told them that too.
Now im the one taking clients out for lunch on a corporate expense accounts. Never, ever would I do something so cheap and rude as leave a tip in change. Seriously, if it was that bad just stiff them; you don't have to be a jerk about it too.
APPARENTLY, YOU DIDN'T GO TO THE RIGHT PERSON'S CAR. OR YOU WOULD HAVE PLAYED THAT CARD ONLY ONCE.
"Excuse me sir, It appears to left your change on the table."
I'm sure If I pulled that at some of the high class restaurants i've worked at I would have been canned immediately, but then again, people tend to have a bit more refinement in those establishments. I did mention this was at a diner, right?!?
Seriously, leaving a penny tip shows little class.
As a former waiter who now works a 9-5 office job, I can personally say, waiting on people sucks. Most people who are waiters are only doing it part time to get through school, etc. No one wants to wait tables for a career. So many people who eat in restaurants don'd understand that alot of the common restaurant issues are out of the wiaters control. Just becasue your food ior drinks s taking a long time to be served, does not mean that the waiter messed up. What if the kitchen or bar is backed up? Does anyone ever take into consideration the fact that the restaurant probably has other guests eating in it as well? Most restaurants require their waiters to share tips with bussers, food runners, and bartenders, so when you leave a bad tip you are hurting everyone, not just the waiter. If you are the type of person who goes to restaurants with a mind set of leaving without a tip if the service is bad, STAY AT HOME! THE RESTAURANT CAN DO BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOUR PATRONAGE! Waiters make around $2.50 an hour, so think twice about screwing a waiter over beacuse you were upset with the sevice. TIP NO MATTER WHAT! If the service was that bad, talk to a manager, most places will do anything to avoid negative complaints by giving out gift cards, free meals, etc. TIP OR STAY HOME!
A lot of people have said something like this, but I'm just going to respond to your posting if that's okay. I think that most people recognize that many problems in restaurants are not under the server's control. In such situations, the server should check with the table frequently and explain the situation. I think many times, the server is scared to go to the table because the food's not ready. By and large, most people understand and appreciate the server's explaining the situation and at least filling their glasses when the kitchen's backed up.
Dude, its a restaurant, that is what they do.. they provide food for people.. It should not be a suprise when a lot of people come in to and order.. hopefully that is what they want.. if they cannot handle the amount of patrons.. they need to rethink their strategy, or find another line of work.. the restaurants lack of management is not my problem, it is the owners.. that is why most restaurants fail in the first 2 years.. lack of proper management
We travel lots. We tip most all, bellhops, valet, servers. However, when service is bad and you have to ask for it, you should consider not leaving a tip. I do know servers and well as everyone else have bad days. But, when you notice your server cutting up with other customers and employee's NOT paying attention to you, that is the time to NOT reward your server, managers are just as bad, call one over and they are normally one of the ones who are cutting up with the server. TIPS SHOULD BE EARNED * NOT EXPECTED. Also some companies require servers to pool the tips so that everyone is treated fairly? Good service given should be rewarded to that server.
"Nick" doesn't know how to write complete sentances "Every time you leave a server no tip, not only does it ruin that person's night, mood, and future interactions with the remaining tables for the evening."
Honestly, the last thing I worry about is the emotional state of the person who serves me dinner.
The tipping situation is out of control. Everybody believes that they know how the social construct of tipping works, but there are dozens of different ideas floating around out there. I don't like to hurt people's feelings and I don't like to pay 120% for my food. So I specifically look for eating establishments in the area that do not require tips. Or if I'm forced by friends to go out to eat at a restaurant that requires tips, I automatically get something about 20% cheaper than I want to spend then tip on that. When you look at it that way, most restaurants that require tips are way overpriced. If the tip should be given regardless of the level of service rendered, then why in the world don't you just put that price by the entree? It feels sneaky. I hate going out to eat. The only place that has shadier pricing is the car dealership.
I have only NEVER left a tip 3 times in my life, and they earned every penny of it. Having worked in food service during college I don't like to 'stiff' them, but I am not going to complain to them either, they know what kind of service they offered. I had an exasperated waitress tell me to "just eat it, I am not bringing you the dish you ordered, chef did not make it" AND SHE STILL CHARGED me for the meal she didn't bring me, even though I didn't eat the awful meal she wanted me to take. Another time, at another place, I was never given a meal! So I watched everyone else in my party eat. When my husband refused to pay for mine because it never came the waitress accused me of hiding it in my purse. {I didn't have a purse with me!?} The manager corrected it, but the tip I left was on a piece of paper "if you make a mistake own it". Another time I had "used" lemons in my shrimp. When I told him my dinner was half eaten and I would like a fresh one that was all mine he accused me of trying to get a free dinner, and when I complained to the manager he said "what is your problem the lemons have been through the dish washer so they are clean." I left an expired coupon for a tip. I'll very nicely for service, but I am not going to pay someone extra to treat me badly.
Tips are earned and rewarded by service and effort !
Terrible or bad food is answered by never returning to eat !
I would be willing to bet that any professional or just good waiters-waitresses would rarely have any regrets with TIP's.
To discuss wage structure and taxes to determine when to TIP and how much, is wrong
.
To say that the bus boys, back sink, or anyone else shares in the TIP's to justify tipping or not is very creative.
All I can say is my tip or not is based upon effort and service by my waiter-waitress not the back of the house.
I would like to believe that poor service impacts tipping in the majority of cases when a token or no tip is collected. I know people can be jerks and some are really cheap, but I have to believe these are few enough when compared in total.
There were plenty of times where my wife and I ordered something and it comes out wrong or we order a diet coke with no ice and the person brings a sode with ice, whose fault is this? I say something to the waiter or waitress and the response I get is "well this is how it was made I'll take it back" or "sorry let me get another one for you. My response is "you took the order, your suppose to make sure it is correct".
Talking about leaving no tip, anytime you say something stupid like that, surely I will not leave a tip.
My wife, thankfully agrees with me.
I actually don't think the opinions here are that different. Most of the people who are insulted by not leaving a tip at all (or a really low one) seem to be servers or know servers. They seem to take pride in their work and I will assume that when they write that they always give superior or at minor relatively decent service that they do. That being true, I don't think that anyone writing about leaving to little or no tip would have left them no tip. People that leave no/little tip, generally are saying they do this when the service is horrendous. Ignoring comments about allergies, orders which are wrong, waiting obscene amounts of time for their food with little to no interaction/explanation from the waiter, rude or onoxious comments. These types of things do warrant a reaction. Leaving a tip, rewards bad servers and elaves management unawares of any issues. It has a negative impact on the restraurant as a whole as people will not likely revisit or refer other people.
I have worked in and around restaurants for much of my working adult life. My first legal job was as a dish person at a fast food restaurant. I had worked other types of jobs before the age of 16 including other service and retail jobs, but most of the time after I turned 16, I was working the kitchen in some fashion. I have also worked in delivery jobs such as with Dominos and the last couple of restaurant jobs that I have had in the last 13 years have been server jobs. Every server out there has nights that just don't pay out. It could be the seating section you are assigned to or the table size or even the number of other servers on that time period, that make or break a servers stride. It could be outside influences such as things from home or other jobs that affect a servers abilities. The funny thing is that we all go through these times and have experienced tough times in our jobs and daily lives that affect how we work and function. I am currently serving in a decent restaurant in a nice upper middle class area that has great people and is close to a college town. I also have a full time job as many servers do to try and make ends meet or to try and save up and pay things off faster. Just last night, I was serving and had the last three tables of the night for me leave me with just about 10% each for tip. I hate to be upset over this, but it had nothing to do with the service or the food. Drinks were filled and the food was hot and on time and good. Why is it that many of those that receive even good service if not excellent still refuse to leave a decent tip. Folks need to learn some decent math skills and learn that 5 on 50 is not a good tip nor 20 on 140 comped from 170 due to issues unrelated to the server. This is where the folks that had good service get worse service the next time they return.
Here are my thoughts: If you had a bad experience with a server, fine. Tip them less. What I can't stand is people who don't think they shouldn't be obligated to tip, yet they're too lazy to go home and make a meal for themselves.
Restaurant servers should not expect tips unless service is outstanding. It is not commonplace to tip in fast food restaurants and waiters/waitresses do the same thing as fast food servers except they have to walk around rather than pass food over a counter. I'm not sure where this attitude of entitlement has come from – do you tip a salesperson who assists in a clothing store? I didn't think so.
I always leave a tip. If the service was poor speak with the manger. Put yourselves in these people places. As far as
getting a better paying job TODAY ; where are they living? Most of these people are there because of NEED MORE not by
choice. Have a heart, situations change it could be you, or a loved one tomorrow.
The public and the wait staff need to remember one thing: THE WAIT STAFF IS THE CUSTOMER'S LINK TO HTE KITCHEN.
The waiter knows what you ordered and should NOT deliver anything that is not correct. The excuse of "The kitchen made a mistake" is not acceptable. If I order a meal a certain way, the waiter should not bring me anything except what I ordered.
If they don't ............... then they shouldn't get a tip. Period!
Tipping no longer exists. It is a percentage of labor charge. Could I chose to pay my plumber or my lawyer, doctor or mechanic only for parts or matériel because I did not entirely like their personality or they had a setback while performing their service. I think it is we patrons who feel entitled as we can simply order someone around for awhile while we eat. What other job compares to a person who has to deal with the rudeness and impatience of hungry people while feeling that they must gravel to even be paid. 15 % is the minimum unless the situation is truly negative at which point settle it with a manager. I see diners, some of whom are my friends feel that they can take out there frustration on a server and act out a perceived sense of importance. Whatever the profession, we're all just trying to make a living people.
I live in Canada, little different than in the US. I went to the Texas Road House once when on vacation in Maine. The waitress was the best I ever had for service, she welcomed us since we were out of town, explained all the more popular choices on the menu and was happy and smiling the whole time. We left her 25% tip, it was definately worth it.
I won't tip if I get poor service, or I'll leave a small tip. I put myself through school and I support my family, nobody ever tipped me in 12 years of my working min wage jobs. I completed my education and have a really good paying job now. If you don't like the pay at your job, then leave, if you can't get another, i'm sorry thats not my fault. When I didn't like one job, I gave 2 weeks notice and moved on to another. Life isn't easy and you shouldn't expect free hand outs. One thing I do agree with is that the resteraunt should pay min wage.
To all you waiters/waitresses who claim low pay is what warrants a tip, I have news for you. A TIP (To Insure Prompt service) is something that is earned. Prompt, attentive service should get you a nice tip. Lousy service, whether it's because you're having a bad day or whatever, ruins My dining expericence and hence the tip will be low or non existant. But I agree, you and the manager should be told why that is the case. I've never given a "no tip" but I can understand why some people might do that if the service warrants it. I won't condone doing it for being cheap.
Ensure people, ensure.
As a person with both a full time low paying government job (with good bennies) I also work a part time job as a waitress. Obviously, things are not so great, moneywise, or one would not "need" the additional income. Based off of that principal, needless to say, life is not overjoyous at the moment. However, when you have the opportunity to serve others, you must check all bad aspects of your life at the door when you walk in. Smile on, shoulders back ready to take on what the night brings. It's never all wine and roses. Things do and will happen. When you "give" of yourself in a positive, honest and hardworking way to others, you "hope" they will "give" back. It's a crapshoot. You can do your best and receive very little, which is the nature of this particular beast. I only wish that someone will "share" their thoughts of what I may have done incorrectly, or sometimes wonder if they believe they have really given you something "special". Interested in feedback on this one.
A few nights ago, a table left without tipping me.
When I began as a waitress, I will admit to my horrible service, but it was only because I was just learning the ways of serving. However the table I waited on Sunday gave me no tip because I had messed up on an order. When you point to something on a menu, I will take it that that is EXACTLY what you want. If you do not want a special ingredient, you let me know other wise I will assume that is how you want your order.
Well this table gave me attitude because the order had tortillas and they didn't want them. Honestly, it's not that hard to take the tortillas out, but whatever. Then they started telling me that everytime they come to the restaurant, they order the same meal and it doesn't come with tortillas. I am not a mind-reader so you have to let me know.
Someone above has put it very well – if the tip you had intended to pay was $8 – just think – would giving up $8 cause a dent in your finances? Rest assured – getting $8 will definitely help the waiter. So, the math is indeed very simple. One reason why I might not tip is if I am insulted or discriminated against, by the waiter.
This argument doesn't hold much water for me. Of course it will help the waiter. But it will also help me. There are, of course, waiters and other servestaff who don't make much money, but there are those kinds of people in all industries. I know too many waiters and waitresses at nice restaurants who make well more than me (I make a decent living), so just the fact that a person is a waiter/waitress doesn't mean they deserve it more than me.
Wait staff should think of themselves as a commission-based job. There are plenty of other commission-based people out there, and if they don't do their job, they don't get paid either. There's nothing special about the system. The better you are, the better you get paid.
As a waiter, the one truth about working in this industry is the people sitting at those tables are your money. Plain and simple. To give bad service means no money and every waiter I know wants that money. I do my job to make the customer want to come back. Once a customer likes a place, nine times out of ten they will leave a fantastic tip. They have a great night and you can go home and pay your rent.
If you as a customer want to be cheap and vindictive and leave a dime or a penny, good for you. Next time you pull that coin out remember one thing, these people are handling your food and drink. A little less money in their pockets is worth watching you eat something that has been tampered with. Trust me, it happens much more than you think.
The only time I have left a $0 tip is when the server left in the middle of service at an NYC restaurant. She literally walked off the premises and no one could find her.
I don't think that most people fully understand what a tip should be. In most countries, barring North American countries, a tip is something you give the server at the beginning of the meal to ensure fast and caring service. It is more like a bribe than a gift for good service. Here in America, because tipping is considered a necessary result of eating out, people feel more obligated (or in some cases forced) to pay a gratuity even if the service is bad...Next time, try giving a small tip to your server at the beginning of the meal and see how his/her service improves and then if the service is excellent you can give an additional "tip" for that service.
If a waiter is kind enough to apologize or otherwise make amends for a problem, I invariably tip as normal (I usually over-tip anyway in the 25%+ range). But if they act like nothing is wrong even when it CLEARLY is, it usually results in a chat with the manager and they might get 10% if I'm feeling decent that day. They are employees like any other. If I do a lousy job, I don't demand rewards...neither should servers.
In California, servers make tips ON TOP of minimum wage. Yes, they get taxed on it, but so do the rest of us on what we make!! If the server is bad, and I know they're already getting paid, why would I give them more money?? I've worked in non-tipped service jobs (at a hotel), so I don't exactly feel bad not tipping others in the service industry when I think their actions warrant it. If you do a great job, then I am HAPPY to tip 20%. It's that simple.
I have worked for tips and I refuse to leave nothing. I will leave a single coin, I know it is not much of a difference but it lets the server know that they are doing something wrong.
I feel the other side of this discussion isn't being touched on. If you will leave nothing for bad service do you leave lots more for great service? I have left 30% or more on a meal with three people because the service was so good, or the server was so personable and actually cared about us as a customer. If you are willing to leave a goose egg you should also be willing to fork it over if you are really taken care of.
And as for all of this "we don't choose to work for tips" or "how would you like to not get paid at your job," when you fill out the application you are saying you want to work for tips. If you don't want to you can work construction, secretary, call center, there are plenty of ways to make ends meet, there are retail stores everywhere. Don't boo-hoo because you aren't willing to work hard at your job, you had a choice and you made it.
Tipping is nothing more than an outdated cultural thing, that only still exists because it benefits the restaurant owners. It should end. Why should I pick up the lion's share of the restaurants payroll expense? Why is tipping only for waitresses, etc. What about the cook, bus boys, greeters ,etc. For the person who said that if I am going to leave nothing for bad service, that i should just just stay home, I will counter that by saying that I am out to feed my family, not you. The money that I am going to spend to feed my family of five is much desired by the restaurant owner. HE or SHE wants my business, especially in these lean economic times. It is not wise to recommend that people simply stay home because your service sucks. I tip 15 to 20% WHEN the service warrants it. If I have to fetch other waitresses or wait for refills, or get an attitude, etc., I am not leaving a tip. I recently left over 30% because the waitress absolutely made my day. I am not cheap. But, if you suck, don't expect anything. Period.
You start off with 15%. As long as the service is in the vicinity of average, you'll get at least that. If the service is REALLY bad, then yeah, I'll reduce the tip. On one occasion, we had to go to a waitstation to get our silverware, half the orders were wrong, and to top it off, even after I warned the server that I had a severe nut allergy and to please use a clean knife when cutting my dessert, he used the same knife that he had just used to cut a peanut butter pie and I had a bad reaction. We left a penny.
On the other hand, if we have out kids with us, you'll probably get *at least* 20%.
I'm actually much more likely to leave a bad tip in CA. I know California waiters make the regular minimum wage not $2.13. If they can't doa good job, I don't feel bad about leaving a penny.
I have left without tipping for service before. More importantly I am much more inclined to tip the customary 15% for service and 20%+ for service that goes above and beyond.
To those (no doubt servers themselves) who say, "If you don't want to tip then stay home." It is rather daft, presumptuous, and non-reflective to assume that not tipping equates with not wanting to tip. I eat out frequently and that experience should include a clean restaurant, an attentive/competent/efficient server, and good food. As a patron of a restaurant I don't feel that is too much to ask for.
At my job pulling the "That isn't in my job description" or "it was "x" departments responsibility" card would never fly. These are the standards I have for myself and my peers .. and servers should most definitely expect to be evaluated by equal standards. While I do understand that not everything is in a servers hands, many issues in a restaurant can be regulated and controlled via good communication and hard work by .. you guessed it .. a SERVER!
There is a reason why tipping is OPTIONAL .. and there is also a reason why that is hard to swallow for some servers .. because the truth sometimes hurts and especially if it may apply to yourself. On occasion some service simply does not merit further compensation.
Trust me patrons don't enjoy that reality any more than servers!!
General Question to all the "you have tip" people – At a fine dining establishment where the bill can easily exceed $125/person, what tip should I have given the server who dropped a glass of wine on my wife's head, laughed it off and then didn't even apologize. The wine soaked the back of her head, her blouse, her pants and underwear and the glass shattered all around her. On the way out I had to ask to speak to the floor manager who had not been made appraised of the situation. Just wondering what tip should have been left on this $280 bill for my wife's outift and evening being ruined (we had to cancel the after dinner plans so she could go put on dry clothes)? Believe me, I understand it was an accident, but no apology was offered, no dry cleaning was offered by the waiter, nor was her drink even comp'ed. He just smirked and laughed "oops it has to happen once every three years or so, let me get you a napkin"
I think that there is a difference between shattering a glass on someone's head/not apologizing and a server messing up your order. I would expect that whole meal to be comped by the manager thus relieving you of the "to tip or not to tip" quandary.
I saw a waitress drink from the water jug and minutes later, she came with the same jug to our table and filled our water glasses. I am sure she saw me looking at her when she was drinking from it, but there she was, serving it to us. I left her a penny. And I never tip less than 15% even for bad service topping it off at 20%.I nNever tip more than 20% either.
I have never had to leave a bad/no tip. Maybe I've been lucky or I have a high pain threshold however, I think it (no/low tipping) is a right that the customer can reserve for truly atrocious service. That being said, I know I have forgotten (drunk) or lowballed (suck at math) by mistake and feel horrible to this day. Sorry waitstaff! :-/
Some cheapskates will never EVER admit it, but they secretly enjoy (and exaggerate) when they are the "victim" of bad customer service...because in the back of their minds, they know that they're going to get to save a few bucks by leaving a smaller tip.
Bottom line (I believe):
Tipping is voluntary for the customer unless the law is changed (like in France).
Till that happens, some customers tip lower, some higher than normal (15%)
If above average service deserves more than 15%, then below average service
deserves less than 15%. Does that not make sense (no emotions involved).
If a waiter wants to complain about lower than normal tip, then lets see if he/she
would be willing to refuse any tip amount over 15%. They overlook that, dont they.
You are paying for a service, and if you don't get said service why should you have to pay.
It IS a choice to be a waiter or waitress, and tipping should be in parallel to the quality of service received. This isn't about scrutinizing the waitstaff; it's about the exceptionally bad service that warrants no tip. I have to perform at my job to get paid. I don't think it is so unfair to expect the same from anyone else in any other job. In regards to the "bad" or "off" day, I have them too, but I have to keep myself in check to deal with my customers, and waitstaff should, too. It is not on the guest to figure out if someone is having an off day. How about keeping oneself in check to say, "Maybe I shouldn't take it out on these customers whose tip I need to help make up my income." And waitstaffers...you are all customers, too.
We always leave a 20% tip. Even if the service is sub par. However, recently we left a restaurant and left nothing. The service was very very bad and when we became frustrated with it, our server AND another one were very rude to us. Poor service (often times not related to the efforts of the server) are excusable, but under no circumstances should a patron be treated with rudeness. It was very off-putting to say the least. We won't have to worry about the server recognizing us should we happen to go back there, we wouldn't dream of going back there.
I am a server and let me tell you how the tipping situation breaks down. Generally, a server has to pay tip out and service charges for credit cards. The tip out is calculated based on the total sales number and not the tip amount. Usually that adds up to accounting for 10% of your sales. So for example, if you go to a restaurant as a customer and your bill is $50, then the server has to essentially spend $5 for serving you. Therefore, if you do not tip, then not only are you not paying for your service, but your server is–literally. So if your service was absolutely horrible, then you should tell a manager, but at least tip 10% so your paying for your half (i.e. the kitchen cooking your food, the hostess showing you your table). Please do not, leave $0.
Wow, Alexis. Unless the place you work is basically acting illegally (see the case against Starbucks a few years ago) with respect to how tips are paid out, you have your math completely wrong.
Of course you're going to provide some of the tips you earn as waitstaff to the cooks and bussers, but it is a percentage of your total tips. Thus, if you receive a $0 tip, you are expected to pay $0 to the cook/bus for said table. You don't go negative for receiving a $0 tip.
If that's not the case, I'd see a lawyer.
I have never been a waiter but let me tell you what I expect from a waiter/waittress:
Just show up with a smile, be pleasent; I am there with my companion to have a meal, I don't care about your life, do not engage me in a conversation, I am not there for you, I don't care about your life, I don't know you, if I ask you for a recomendation please give me your honest opinion, if I like my clams with cheese don't question my choice, after all I am the one eating the food.
Once you bring me my food and liquor, come by every once in a while to see if we need something else, that's it! you don't need to do anything else, no need to kiss ass, just do your job, the way I see it is simple.
You do that you get a good tip from me.
There it is, how to be the perfect the waiter in a paragraph or 2.
I've not read a response from anyone who worked as a cook about what goes on out on the floor, etc., but that might just be because there are SO many responses.
I was a cook in a mid-range steakhouse many years ago, and we received =some= tips, but there wasn't any kind of official pooling. We were only tipped when the customer told the server to send something from the tip back to us. For restaurants that pool with the rest of the staff, I dunno - I'd hope the restaurant pays more than the minimum the state allows.
In my entire life I've only tipped below the norm on perhaps three occasions. In some cases, I've tipped over the objections of the person receiving the tip. To me, the minimum - 15% - is for "reasonably expected service". You go to a restaurant on a busy night, you will get slow service. Sorry, that's life. But go when the place is mostly empty and I'm being ignored? No, you should get much better service than during a slow time.
That said, tips are earned for services rendered. They aren't earned just for showing up to work. If you provide exemplary service, you will be tipped well. The down side of people tipping well for excellent service is being tipped poorly for bad service. You can't have it both ways - a guaranteed minimum and no upper limit.
Having a bad day? Ask a co-worker to help a little. Like others, I've been left at a table with no silverware for entirely too long because my server was busy dealing with "... and I'd like that ON THE SIDE .. and could you ..." customers. I won't hold that against you, because some people shouldn't be allowed to dine out. But if I don't see you on the floor, and I'm missing silverware for 10 minutes, I'm not going to be a happy customer. If you need to take a restroom break, tell a co-worker to walk past your tables and see if anything is needed. Then ask what they did, and if they provided the missing silverware or drink refill, give them a dollar or two from the tip. They'll repay the kindness and net it'll be a wash, the customers will be happy, and they'll come back to tip another day.
Im am a great tipper, sometimes too much but if you are cool and take care of me and my table you get taken care of. In my life I dont believe I have ever stiffed the wait staff... And I have seen some bad ones.
Do I think you should stiff a bad waiter/waitress... Yes you should however they should know why but that requires more frustration after an allready dreadful dinner.
If you are in service your income should reflect the quality of service. For those who feel entitleld. You took the job, do a good job and you will get paid.
I just don't get the discussion about Tip or No Tip. The Tip should be an instrument to reward your server for good, better or best Service. If a server is providing bad Service he/she should expect to get a deduction!
But could somebody explain why we have the "norm" to give 15-20%?
I remember that like 15 years ago it used to be 10%, later the norm became 12%.
Why is the Tip based on the "value" of the meal? Why is the server who is bringing you a 30$-Steak deserving more than the guy who brought you the 9.99$, but both did the same job? Shouldn't be the Tip based on your evaluation of Service and not the "Standard Rates"?
Despite, I don't get tipped for doing my Job. And if you think you don't get paid enough and you need the tips; well, get a better job. It is not the your customer's responsibility to make sure you can run your lifestyle.
In other countries such "high" tips aren't the norm at all. I.e. in Europe it is custom to round up to the next full Euro if you were satisfied and if you loved the service you give an extra Euro. 15% tips are the exception over there.
Jaliska's was the only post that makes any damn sense. Most else seem to be whiny entitlement babies. "My job isn't great, so I'm entitled to your money, because you're by default rich if you make more than me". Get outta here.
If my waiter does well, they get a good tip. If they do poorly, then I'm glad to leave them nothing, or the classic 1cent. Conversely, a good waiter gets a good tip. This isn't rocket science people, do you job well if you want a tip. Get over yourselves, seriously.
Although I have been angry enough with my waiter/waitress service more than a couple of times, I never left without giving a tip, just because I know they make next to nothing. (I don't agree with the fact they are allowed to be paid next to nothing, relying on tips) but that's another topic all together. I have left without ordering because the service was bad. I the type of person who will leave unsatisfied having paid my tip, and to never return to that establishement. You have to earn my loyality I don't care how bad of a day you've had, it's your freaking job. :-)
Too much conflict and anger here.
We need a laugh break.
Check Youtube for "Third Rock from the Sun Tip", have your giggle and come back in a better mood. :)
youtube V1ZZWhSvOMI
Hey, it's on-topic.
Pizza hut, in Maryland, pays about $3 dollars an hour. We went there once the waitress completely ignored us for over an hour, she didn't get a dime. There was no one else in the restaurant. Lazy P.O.S.
I'm from Norway and we don't tip there. Once I moved to the U.S. and started dating my now ex-husband he would never leave tip so I thought it was optional. After I had lived here a bit I found out it was really rude and always had to scrap my pockets for tip when we went out since he refused to tip, because he didn't have to.
Waiters can be quite rude when it comes to tip, too. I once went to a restaurant/bar where I paid for my dinner and tipped 12%, then went to the bar area for drinks because some friends were there also. The waiter came up to us and asked what was wrong since I only gave a little bit of tip and said it wasn't right. Pissed me off that he would do that in front of my friends like that so I never went back. I always tip 22% now though.
In my care-free pre-marriage days, I ate out literally all the time–making coffee is about the limit of my culinary expertise–and I tended to extremes in tipping. Good waiters/bartenders could easily get a 100% tip from me, or more; bad ones, nothing. The "nothing" didn't happen often, but it did happen. (On the other end, my favourite bartender could count on about a total of $1500/year (this was back in the 80s–that was a noticeable fraction of her entire income) from me in tips, and, one year, I "loaned" her the price of a car so so she could keep working and go on being my favourite bartender. Lady bartenders, be nice to young, unmarried, guy customers: it can pay off. :-) )
I generally base tip 20%, and deduct off of that based on service. The only time I've ever not tipped due to poor service was at the specific request of the manager of the establishment. The waitress was heavily pregnant and obviously miserable, and it was New Year's Day and she clearly didn't want to be ther. Service was spotty – drinks not refilled, no silverware after multiple requests – that sort of thing, and then it got worse. I had cheese added to my 2 year old's burger, when she brought the food there was no cheese. I asked her to please take the burger back and add cheese to it. She returned with the burger and a cold slice of cheese. I asked her to please take the burger AND the cheese back and have the cooks melt the cheese onto the now cold burger. She brought the burger back on a hot plate and set it in front of my son who promptly burned his hand. I pulled it away and asked her to bring another plate and also a knife to cut the burger. She returned put the empty plate on the table and laid a serrated steak knife on my son's high chair tray. Even then I was still intending to leave her a modest tip, but as we were walking out the manager pleasantly asked how our meal was. So I told him. He asked if I had left a tip, I said yes. but only X number of dollars given the service – he called her over and had her give me back the tip money.
I work in software sales currently and put myself through school with a part-time waiting role.
Being a waiter isn't about serving food with a smile – it's about creating an experience for your clientèle. To create a positive experience you need to sell items on the menu that are going to leave your customers satisfied and increase the check size. The more satisfied a client is, the larger the tip they're going to leave. There is obviously the odd anomaly and exception, but a waiter shouldn't expect a hand out of 15% just because of their profession. Now that I work in software sales, I get punished for not being sharp in a business meeting by losing a sale to my competition. I don't expect handouts and I certainly don't respect order takers with a sense of entitlement.
If you're not prompt, courteous and knowledgeable you shouldn't get paid. This is the real world.
I feel like a lot of people keep saying they're disappointed in servers that aren't attentive enough or don't visit the table often enough. However, keep in mind that we're not mind readers. Some people have gotten VERY nasty towards me for coming to the table too often (even though I thought it was just enough), because they just don't want to be bothered. Sometimes it's obvious when a table needs something, like when a cup or plate is empty. Sometimes people want things mid meal, but sometimes they just want to be left alone to enjoy their meal. Communicate with your server. Total ignorance of a table is unacceptable, but do keep in mind we're not telepathic.
T.I.P.S = To Insure Proper Service
Rose, you can't just make up an acronym and expect it to be a definition. "Tip" is a word; not initials. Besides "Insure" in this sentence would be "ensure". So anyway, on that note, not sure what you were getting at anyway, but tips are a "Gift" according to the dictionary. Minimum wages NEED to be raised for waitstaff or this argument will go on forever.
Hmm....I don't mind tipping at all. And infact I generally tip well, couple dollars over 20%. But if my service is bad, I do feel it appropriate to leave a small tip or none at all. I make sure to express my distaste to the manager on duty. It is now thier issue to resolve the problem with the bad service. The Service industry does suck, and we've all worked jobs tha are terrible to make ends meet, but I don't think that we should reward poor attitudes and poor quality of work in any feild. (Retail – Fastfood – Serving – ETC) If I were performing subpar my supervisor would ensure I didnt get bonus' and ensure I didn't get a raise, or any benefits of pay. So Same should apply to anyone.
I have never not tipped, but have left low tips for poor service. II completely understand when it is the kitchen's fault vs. the waitstaff's fault. If the waiter/waitress is backup up with too many tables, all they have to do is say so. I'd rather them be honest and say I'm a little back up on tables or a big table just came in, then for them to completely ignore me. There have been many times that I cannot find my waiter and ask another waiter. Twice in my eating out experience has the waitress quit in the middle of her shift. No wonder she couldn't be found. Both meals were on the house.
This response is intended for Jaliska. I am not sure where you came from, but the silver spoon stuck in your mouth must come out. I would like you to understnd a few things about those who work in the service industry. I, like many others, have a good standing reputable job and am climbing my way up the corporate ladder. At night, and on weekends I serve and bartend. I do this for several reasons: I am in school as well and need the extra money for classes. This side job also serves as an income buffer while I am working my way up to better paying positions.
I also want you to know Jaliska, if a person is good at their job, in larger cities like chicago and NY, serving and bartending full time can warrant as much as 100K a year.
You are the type of person that needs to learn how to treat people. Serving and bartending could teach you the skills you clearly lack... Its called customer service.
dwight is part of said racial group.
I'll have what Jaliska's having
black people are the subject to the very poor service because they naturally don't tip no matter what u do for them, sorry it's just the inconvenient truth.
I tip, as do my family and friends, who are all black, and we all tip well. That being said, if you are in the service industry, I would love to make an exception and bring my inconveniently truthful self to your place of business. Did it ever occur to you that your obviously bigoted viewpoint translates into your service and THAT'S why you don't receive tips?
In my experience dining out with black friends, it's mostly a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I've been to the exact same restaurant in an all-white crowd, and a mixed-race crowd, and the service I've received (I'm white) is sometimes worse when I'm with blacks than not. And guess what! When that happens, even =I= don't leave a good tip.
If you want to spout racist tripe, just say "I'm a racist" and be done with it.
i never tip someone for doing something i can do myself
At least you tip your proctologist.
I do not believe any server is entitled to a tip. I am happy to provide great tips to outstanding servers, standard tips for average service, and little to no tip to horrible service from the server. I understand about having a bad day at work, but if I were to be rude to my coworkers, as some servers have been to me, I would be reprimanded. If I were to not multitask and complete my projects in time, I may not receive an annual raise during my performance review. I work on salary and must provide good service everyday otherwise I could lost out on my "tip" at the end of the year. I also understand that a little over $2 an hour is not a wage to live on but I believe that anyone who chooses this type of job understands the money comes from providing good service. It is like any commission based job (real estate broker, sales, etc) where only hard work pays off. In many of these professions, no pay is provided whatsoever unless they do a good job and work hard. I assume that anyone who becomes a server believes that they have what it takes to provide good service and receive tips. Otherwise, there are plenty of jobs that will pay more per hour regardless of service (fast food, Wal-Mart, etc.).
"Remember you are our guest, we are not your servants"
Err, no, we are not YOUR guest. We are paying for food, drink and service from the restaurant owner. You are providing the 'service' part.
Tipping has gotten out of control. Yes – waiters often make only 2.14 an hour – but they make a killing in tips because of the resent social norm of 15-20%. That's crazy! They litterally bring me a plate of food and a drink and are making an extra 8-20 dollars an hour PER TABLE! What really kills me is that the waiter working at some lower-end family restraunt makes significantly less than the waiter working at some high-class joint just because the price of the meals are three/four times more expensive (even though they often do the same job with the same amount of service). Finally, tips are taxable!?! Yeah – right. No waiter declares their actual tip nor pays taxes on their actual income. Look – bottom line – the definition of tip: a voluntary additional payment made for services rendered. So – you're darn right I'll leave a low or no tip if service is bad.
Amy, first off – I agree with you in that if you receive truly poor service then a lower tip is acceptable. However, as a former waitstaff member in a couple of Chicago restaurants I can tell you that restaurants often take the total ring of the server (meaning all of their "checks"), and tax their wages based on 17% of that ring. At the time I was making $2.10/hr, so what that meant was that I never received an actual paycheck – the only income I made was through my tips. Also, in addition to that, they would take 5% of my "ring" and that was what I owed to the pool of busboys and barbacks. There were, unfortunately, many times when I would walk out of the restaurant with $15 in my pocket after a 4.5 hr shift, because a large party left little or no tip. I also had a couple who were regulars. They loved me, and requested my section every time. And each time, they would leave $1 on the table for their $40 check. So not only did they not leave me a tip – their request for my section would cost me a dollar, which I had to pay to the busboy pool, regardless. So – be aware that whatever tip you do leave, the server is unlikely to receive that full amount.
I'll agree that it's unfortunate that tips are taxed, etc. However, that doesn't leave it up to me to leave a waiter more. I'm not there to pay their wage. I'm there to eat. The restaurant charges a certain price for each dish – that's what I've agreed to pay. If someone goes above and beyond in making me feel welcome and whatnot, then they get a nice tip. If you do the bare minimum of taking my order and bringing my drink, then you'll get a minimum tip mainly so I don't feel bad. Restaurants need to pay their staff more, the gov't needs to change their taxing practices on waitstaff, b