Tipping in North America.

10-15% tip, more if they gave us the BEST service.

One restaurant ended up with something around a 50% tip or so from my group of friends as we probably had a good 8-10 people and we were loud and having a good time (In a happy family friendly I haven't seen you in years kind've deal, lots of jokes and giving each other a bad time.) In fact I think the person who was going to tell them how many of us there were to be seated told them we were going to be like this so we waited an additional 30-40min in an already pretty empty restaurant while we hanged out outside so they gave us our own little corner. By the time we had the food served the waiter felt comfortable enough to start giving us a bad time and even managed to poke fun at one of our friends and got him quite good. Quite certain they kept coming back around to us more often than usual as we always made them laugh, and that same waiter even admitted he wished he wasn't working so he could join in. They earned that tip for being extremely friendly and also being nice enough to set us up in our own little area (assuming my friend asked for that, not sure).

On the other hand I've been in a restaurant where it took over 3x as long to get food than usual, even on the busiest days. The waiter only came by to get an order for drinks and food, and had to track her down for refills, check, etc which is highly uncharacteristic of this restaurant and even that took a VERY long time to happen. There was no tip that day.

I give 15% tip on average to earn more I just thrown down more bills till it feels about right. The place that got a 50% tip earned it, that waiter was awesome (entertaining, kept us fully stocked up on all you can eat fries which was no simple feat, etc) and I have only had such service this good twice in my life. If someone tried to chase me into a 20% tip, I would ask for the credit card back and change it to 0%. Sorry but I do not reward greed. A tip is suppose to be there to reward good customer service and encourage it, it is not a requirement.
 
My tipping range is from 15% to 25%.

If the food is bad, I will talk to a manager to have the meal comped, but the server will still get their 15%+.

I have seen a server cover more than 10 tables simultaneously and still get all the food and drinks out to the correct people as fast as they could move. That is amazing service, even if it takes longer than normal.

That said, I rarely eat out.
 
Coming from someone who used to work in a place where I would receive quite large tips on a frequent basis:

I despise that tipping is almost mandatory in North America. These people are already getting paid. They are not buskers. I should not be expected to tip them. It encourages a sense of entitlement among what I already consider to be a spoiled working class.

That said, I usually do not tip unless I receive exceptional service. There is one restaurant my sister and I like to go to where the service is just fantastic. I will always tip at least 25% there, because the employees are awesome.

I have never tipped a taxi driver, nor will I ever, as they always strike me as cheap and willing to take detours to make me pay more. I usually also won't tip delivery folks, unless I see them a lot and I like them, and I'll tip them a dollar or two.

This whole tipping business is generally infuriating. I enjoyed receiving tips, but I NEVER expected them and got upset when I didn't get them like an entitled and spoiled child.
 
stvpourciau said:
Lots of people say 15%, that was cool 5 years ago, 10%'s a gip, it's movin to 20% man, inflation.

I generally don't even play percent i just give the money i dont have away, if my pizza total is $15 I'm out of a twenty dollar bill anyway so I just toss em the whole thing.
Click to expand...


That's not how inflation works...
15% is standard, I start there and go up or down based on the quality of service. I also also usually round the total to a round number, up for good service down for bad, but that's just so its easier for me to remember how much money I have without having to check.

P.S. As much as it doesn't make sense in some parts of the U.S. it is legal to pay a person the gets tips as part of their job below minimum wage expecting their tips to bring their hourly wage back above minimum wage.
 
I'd say it was about 10 years ago, when the tip percentage etiquette went from 15%, to 18%. Some still tipped 15%, most tipped 20%, because it was easier to calculate 20%, than 18%.
I have no problem with tipping someone extremely well, but i also don't have a problem with leaving 31 cents dipped in ketchup either.
Like most have said, it depends on the quality of service.
 
Such a shame that a kind gesture of gratitude has become an expectation and taken the kindness out of the equation.

I only tip it cafes, restaurants and occasionally taxis by way of keep the change. It's all about saying thank you and brightening someone's day for me but when it is expected I detest paying a tip.

If the culture of this country ever gets like the States I'll have to charge the catering / taxi industry a default 20% for my service, I'm sure they wouldn't mind.
 
Jaytaylor said:
Such a shame that a kind gesture of gratitude has become an expectation and taken the kindness out of the equation.

I only tip it cafes, restaurants and occasionally taxis by way of keep the change. It's all about saying thank you and brightening someone's day for me but when it is expected I detest paying a tip.

If the culture of this country ever gets like the States I'll have to charge the catering / taxi industry a default 20% for my service, I'm sure they wouldn't mind.
Click to expand...

Gesture of gratitude became let's have businesses pay 2.15 per hour and let tips cover wages. That's how it is in many states. Restaurants get away with it because students need work.
 
Havana D said:
I'd say it was about 10 years ago, when the tip percentage etiquette went from 15%, to 18%. Some still tipped 15%, most tipped 20%, because it was easier to calculate 20%, than 18%.
Click to expand...

Who decides this? Is there some Senate Select Committee on Tipping Etiquette?
 
Haha, I grew up in Alaska and behind the times, 10% was the top for great service... I got taught that in the states 10% was an insult. I still disagree with the notion that me giving money is an insult.
 
There's a restaurant where I take the family that has a waitress that knows all of us by name. She knows what we want to drink without being told and does an awesome job. She gets anywhere from a 40-50% tip every time.

As another poster stated, at this place they make $2.15 an hour. This particular young lady is working to pay her college tuiton and she earns every penny of that tip.
 
Havana D said:
I'd say it was about 10 years ago, when the tip percentage etiquette went from 15%, to 18%. Some still tipped 15%, most tipped 20%, because it was easier to calculate 20%, than 18%.
Click to expand...

Yeah a normal tip is closer to 20% in my part of the country. If I'm eating out for breakfast I'll tip a much higher percentage because of the low meal cost.
 
I was over in Germany in the US Army. when we would go out to eat we would leave a tip. they would come running out with it and try to give it back to us. we had to explain it was a tip/Bonus that the server get's to keep it. you would never see that in the USA.
 
I'm in the U.S. and for me it is this:

Bad service 0% - 5%
Poor service 5% - 10% (person may be having a bad day, etc)
Average service - 15%
Good to Great service - 20%
 
I'm only 22, but I spent the majority of my high school and early college years waiting tables to help pay the bills. Most people here have it right, if the service sucks, don't tip, period. I've worked with a lot of morons who make far more than they deserve off tips because people just automatically add on a 20% tip because "that's how it's done these days." Pay the good ones well, forget the rest.
 
When in the US of A, I will start at 20% and go from there.
Great service can be a bit more, poor service or bad food will yield less.
Even though poor food aren't the waiters fault...

The thing that gets to me is when eating and drinking at finer restaurants, paying tips in the hundreds feel wrong somehow.
A Classy Michelin starred place should be able to hire a well paid and professional staff that makes good money from their pay-cheques.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
i stick with 20% if service is normal - $1 for every $5 of the total bill - in between and i just round up - in a bar i tip a dollar for every drink cash only as i get the drinks - i never run a tab in a bar , you can get screwed - i have had them alter the tip on me on the slip - so i just do cash only - have even had them try to short change me with cash , saying a gave a 10 dollar bill rather than a 20 , but this has been very few times in seedy type bars.
 
Fanglekai said:
Gesture of gratitude became let's have businesses pay 2.15 per hour and let tips cover wages. That's how it is in many states. Restaurants get away with it because students need work.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the servers need to organize and pressure the people who pass the laws. However, since that requires courage, persistence, and hard work, it's probably easier to just badger, shame, and pester the customers who are the reason they have jobs in the first place.
 
It depends on where you are. In Chicago, the widely accepted minimum in restaurants is 18%, and places that add the tip to your bill (some do) add 18%. The server at Earl's Dinner in Wahoo Center will be surprised to get 18%, but she won't feel insulted or try to return it.

On national average, hospitality workers (non-union) earn $23,000 a year without affordable health care benefits, and most need at least two jobs to survive. Most work without paid sick days, personal business days, or vacations. When they need time off, they have to find a colleague to "cover" for them, or they may not have a job to return to. Many retire on disability when their legs give out.

Do everyone a favor and stay home on Mother's Day: that is any server's worst day of the year.

Seattle_WaitressesUnion_1917.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top