tipping

[diceman]

Yeah, 15% is standard, and tipping for carry out is not expected (unless you tip the kitchen).

 

[tyr_shadowblade]

Look, 20% is standard, absolute minimum, for average service. If you can't tip, stay home in the trailer park where you belong

That's funny! Below average service gets 10-15%, and shitty service gets NOTHING . . . hopefully they'll quit waiting tables and go back to washing dishes, where they belong.

If you think that "all they have to do on a takeout order is hand you a bag of food", who do you think takes the order and packs it up?

At the Chinese place, the folks behind the counter do it. I seldom get takeout elsewhere.

If you're in a bar, it's $1 a drink. If you think that's crazy, then die of thirst.

$1 a mixer is fair . . . for beer, it'll be less.

 

[Carl64]

There are 2 things to consider; The kitchen makes the food, not your waitstaff. Too many people punish the waiter for bad food. That is a matter that the manager should take up with the kitchen.

and yes, Waitstaff is paid below minimum wage; 2.15 an hour, my friend. On their feet for 6 to 8 hours a day, no breaks, Literally running for 8 hours, no benefits, and now they're taxed on tips.

So tips are partly making up for the wages the employer should otherwise be paying the employee at a LEGAL MINIMUM. No other business expects me to pay for the product and the employee seperately except for car repair, and don't get me ranting about that whole subject. A tip should be deserved. If every meal mandates 20% tipping*, the price of the food should be raised and paid to the employee. If they are better than that, I will pay them extra.

If the restaurant serves shitty food, why should I pay for their employing costs? If the employee gets screwed too much because their employer makes a shitty product, they can get a job somewhere else.

And isn't a "nice" waiter really an asshole if they smile and take your order for food they know is going to suck?

*EDIT:
As per your number. I don't think 20% is a fair assumption.

 

[locomike]

Firstly, some waitstaff may make $2.15, but not good ones. Good ones are rewarded by their employers for the quality of their work and get paid more. Good service is just as important to me as good food and restaurant managers know this. Secondly, if you tip lousy waiters 20%, what motivation to they have to get better, and how do they know that they are doing a crappy job. "Hell, they me tipped 20%, so they must not have minded me taking 30 minutes to bring them their check...".

Thirdly, in the immortal words of Mister Pink:

"I'm very sorry the government taxes their tips, that's f**ked up. That ain't my fault. It would seem to me that waitresses are one of the many groups the government f**ks in the ass 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 bulls**t I got two words for that: learn to f**kin' type, 'cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent you're in for a big f**kin' surprise."

 

[hlee]

T.I.P. That's right tip is an acronym, which stands for To Insure Promptness. Tips should be worked for, and not taken for granted. I didn't have to come out to eat at your restuarant. I could have just as easily gone across the street to one of a hunderd other ones. I base tips on whether or not the server met my expectations for good service. Good service gets 20%, exceptional service gets more, poor service gets less. The smallest tip I ever left was "Worst Service Ever" written on the receipt. This was at a restuarant that I frequented nearly twice a week. Its been my experience that servers with entitlement attitudes are poor servers. I don't tip for take out; I might as well start tipping the guy behind the counter at Wendy's.

Pet peeves of mine (in no particular order):

1. Servers that breathe down my neck while I'm looking at the menu, and then can't be found when I need a refill of tea.

2. Servers, including "my" server, that congregate in a corner and gossip (and/or leer in the general direction of my table) when I need a refill. Can't he see my empty glass? Would it help if I threw it at him?

3. Servers that don't use a pen and a pad, because they "can remember it," then screw up my order. How hard is ribeye- medium, baked potato- loaded, garden salad- ranch dressing anyway.

4. Meals that come out before salads or appetizers. You'd think they'd teach a class on "The order of a meal" somewhere in server training.

5. How hard is it to make a run through your section with a tea pitcher every 15 minutes or so? Corrollary; why does my drink come from "where ever" with a meager two cubes of ice? Is there some sort of global ice shortage? Must be global warming.

6. When "could I get a..." is followed by "sure, right away" and "it" show up somewhere between the end of the meal and never.

7. Servers that can't stand for half a second while I put my card in that receipt sleeve thingy and give it back to them. Yeah, I know, we're all busy.

8. And the one that will instantly shrivel a tip to single digit coppers... "Do you need change?" No you're not getting the leftovers from that $100, or whatever, not now anyway. It is so easy to say "I'll be right back with your change." Which can just as easily be followed by "That won't be necessary." Expectation, or an entitlement attitude, leads to poor service, and poorer tips.

You can pretty much expect at least one of these whenever you go to a restuarant, especially the deal breaker. And, "average service," is usually a combination of at least 3 of the above, normally: no refills, no ice, and no change.

Yes, I know you make lousy wages, and the government taxes your tips. I've never known a server that reported more than 10% of their tips anyway. I wish I could hide >80% of my income from the government. There is no one holding a gun to your head making you work at restuarant X. From what I can tell, you signed on th restuarant X with full knowledge of the wage that you would be making. Everybody has a hard job, and everybody works with people that don't pull their weight. Even the slackers think that they work with people that don't pull their weight.

Life's hard, get a helmet.

 

[tyr_shadowblade]

T.I.P. That's right tip is an acronym, which stands for To Insure Promptness. Tips should be worked for, and not taken for granted.

Everyone has forgotten this acronym, and lousy waiters feel entitled to undeserved tips . . . like some folks feel entitled to panhandle in the parking lot outside the restaurant. If you consistantly fail to provide satisfactory service, then you need to find another line of work -- like scrubbing toilets or washing cars.

why does my drink come from "where ever" with a meager two cubes of ice? Is there some sort of global ice shortage? Must be global warming.

Wow -- opposite problem here. I usually request NO ICE. I once was at a place where I ordered a couple of brandies -- dipshit put ice in it. Ice will screw up a bloody mary or martini as well. When you order a drink down here, glass is overflowing with cubes, with a swallow or two of fluid at the bottom.

And the one that will instantly shrivel a tip to single digit coppers... "Do you need change?" No you're not getting the leftovers from that $100, or whatever, not now anyway. It is so easy to say "I'll be right back with your change." Which can just as easily be followed by "That won't be necessary." Expectation, or an entitlement attitude, leads to poor service, and poorer tips.

Good servers quickly learn that discourtesy is seldom rewarded.

 

[fruitbat]

One of my pet peeves is the tip jar at the mall cookie stands. All this guy did was put a few overpriced cookies in a bag. Then he wants a tip. :thumbdn:

 

[JCaswell]

20% or nothing. (I almost never skip a tip, unless there's good reason) I use sort of a "go-no go" scale.

 

[DaveH]

Originally this was about take out, has since morphed into general tipping.

I usually just tip 20% for decent service and above in a sit down situation. It's doesn't materially effect the bill. If I'm going out, then I should pay for it and not cheapskate out.

I've on maybe one or two occasions gone as high as 100% tip, and on more occasions asked for the manager and demanded items be taken off and or given them 6 kinds of shit for their managerial prowess. :barf:

Here's a question, how much to tip the pizza delivery guy?

I round up the food cost to the nearest $ and add $5 minimum, more for large orders. I usually get my pizza in about 15 minutes too.

 

[ronsec]

I don't tip per se for take out, but will put my change in a tip jar if there is one. When I eat out I tip minimum of 20%. The pizza delivery guy gets 20% also, minimum $3.00.

 

[Gollnick]

Here's a question, how much to tip the pizza delivery guy?

I don't.

There is no good delivery pizza in Oregon, none. So, mine comes Fed Ex from Chicago. And I don't tip the Fed Ex man.

 

[JCaswell]

I usually tip pizza delivery guys well. At least 20%, sometimes more. (I don't cut out change. If the Pizza charge is $15, They get a $20 and that's that, for example.

At the take out counter of a 'real' restaurant, I'll tip if I think I've been well treated. If service is mediocre or indifferent, then forget it. If there's a tip, it's 20% in this situation.

On a different note: I'm always amazed how people will sometimes give their food servers trouble (undeservedly) or a superior attitude or whatever. I feel like telling them, "Hey! They HANDLE your FOOD!" It's not wise to antagonize people that HANDLE your FOOD, if you get what I'm saying.

 

[falnovice]

Firstly, some waitstaff may make $2.15, but not good ones. Good ones are rewarded by their employers for the quality of their work and get paid more. Good service is just as important to me as good food and restaurant managers know this.
[/I]

I hate to disagree with you, but this is complete bull$hit. I have worked the industry up and down the east coast, and when I was waiting tables I NEVER made more than the legal minimum wage for waitstaff....varying state to state. I while you will have to take my word for this, I am an incredible server. Classic trained and Chef trained. I went from cooking to serving when I woke up to the fact that I was killing myself in a hot kitchen while waitstaff that made as much a week as I did with half the hours got to work in a air conditioned dining room. That sort of background had a serrious effect on my approach though.....everything has to be done right. When your glass in 3/4 empty you will see me at your shoulder and you will never hear me. Not talking to other servers, not stomping through the dining room.....nothing.
Also, whether it be semi casual Italian Bistro of Classic French fine dining I make certain I know the food backwards and forwards.....to the point that I could actually prepare it.
Having said all of that, I believe my average for the years I was a server was around 30%. I've been a floor manager/shift leader/captain/ lead server or what have you in several restaurants, never have they paid me more than what the law forced them too. And really, I am alright with that. I made great money because I wanted to, therefore I put forth the effort.

I am the worst critic for service though. I can tell if they are having a bad day, or if the kitchen is screwing them over.....but if I need another drink and my server is TOO GODDAMN BUSY because they have to chat in the corner with other servers, or hosts, or RETURN A DAMN TEXT MESSAGE(yup, I was really told to "wait a sec, I'm texting).....I get steamed! I have no problem calling a manager over(many are no better than the servers in chain restaurants) and explaining to them the issues I have with the service.
To answer the question, I use 20% as a baseline.....I'll go up to 50 for great service, and down to 0 for bad service.

Currently I am a restaurant manager. For those that have never worked the upper end of the industry, or may have never worked food service at all, here are a few items of note.
Truly professional server in a good restaurant can make 50,000 a year. Some will even break six digits. No, I am serious.
Servers often work doubles.....that can be 12-16 hours with NO BREAK! Not for eating, smoking, sitting or anything else. You are on your feet and moving. Yes, it is perfectly legal unless banned by the state they are in. Few professions will work these kind of non-stop hours.
Finally, with a managers perspective now. Most servers are Phucktards. That goes double for drivers. You can never do enough for them, all they want to do it take take take! Maybe it is just this generation....I don't know.

Rant off.

 

[falnovice]

Secondly, if you tip lousy waiters 20%, what motivation to they have to get better, and how do they know that they are doing a crappy job. "Hell, they me tipped 20%, so they must not have minded me taking 30 minutes to bring them their check...".

[/I]

Sadly, I do agree with this statement.

 

[Prince of Peace]

Moms rule of thumb.

Move the decimal point over one digit to the left, then double that.

Peace.

 

[locomike]

I hate to disagree with you, but this is complete bull$hit...

My friend's sister makes about $7 plus tips. No bull$hit. I am not saying you are wrong, but my experiences are different than yours. Maybe there is shortage of good waitstaff in my area of the country so they have to pay more.

 

[tyr_shadowblade]

My friend's sister makes about $7 plus tips.

Depends on the restaurant. Most bartenders make that much -- which is why they get tipped less than 20%. A few smaller, family-owned restaurants also tend to pay their servers better. Most places, it's only about $3 an hour . . . which should be more incentive for them to polish their skills and make a favorable impression.

 

[mycroftt]

I recommend that those who are too cheap to tip make sure the server knows that you don't think it's your responsibility to pay them a living wage, and if they aren't getting one from the restaurant they should get a job somewhere else. Once this is cleared up you should be very demanding of the server, returning all entrees for even the most minor flaws, and demanding repeated refills of water glasses, extra condiments and napkins, and always demand substitutions from the combinations listed on the menu. Exacting demands on the food preparation, especially when delivered in an authoritative or condescending tone will also help to ensure those in the kitchen pay special attention to your order.

Make sure you eat at that restaurant regularly so the staff gets to know you - but make sure you repeat your no-tip philosophy and demands every time so there will be no mistaking you. Above all, don't "cave in" and leave a tip unless it just happens to be a couple of pennies that come with your change. Stick to your guns.

Bon appetit!

 

[silenthunterstudios]

Some places I have sat down, ordered take out, drank a beer, and left a tip FOR THE BEER, with no problems. Other times, I have called an order in, once I was on my way to work on a weekend, called in an order, picked it up, and the waitress who brought the food out to me looked at me like I just stiffed her for not giving her a tip. I always tip for good service. Any bad service I get, I just pay the bill, and don't say a word. The restaurants I frequent have never given me bad service, so I haven't made bad blood by not tipping.

 

[chickenfried]

Who said they're too cheap to tip their server? Do you think people should still give a tip for crappy service?

I recommend that those who are too cheap to tip make sure the server .....[/i]