Tipping & waiters

*LOL* Only if the patient really, really likes him.

 

I think it's bull**** that waiters/waitress' don't even make half of minimum wage because they get tips. Of course some of them don't even deserve the **** amount that they get.

I typically leave 20% for average service. Exceptional service I'll leave a little more. Crap service and you're lucky if i leave a penny in the bottom of the glass.

 

A lot of the nicer asian dinners dont allow you to tip the server because they dont think you should tip for service.


Antony

 

when you pay with a credit card at the register like in a café or Mexican restaurant, how do they know if you tipped or they got stiffed?

 

Some resturants actually take the whatever amount of money right out from the register and give it to the waiter/waitress right the way.

 

What are you talking about? Nicer Asian Restaurants don't tip the servers...NOT in any restaurant that I've been to. Definitely not in America..Where have you been eating?

 

I have been to many restaurants in my area that don't allow you to tip. Maybe a more authentic restaurant than Asian Jims speedy Chinese

You don't have to get all worked up over it

PS- YES IN THE US

Antony

 

This is most likely to create an independent contractor relationship and circumvent the no smoking laws, which are in place to supposedly protect employees.

 

Living in Asia changed things, tipping is considered an insult in some places. Most of the "western" establishments have instituted a service charge to take advantage of the foreigners.

That said, I do tip well for good service and I won't go back to places that suck.

 

Having worked in all facets of the restaurant business in my college years....... If you dont like to tip fine, nowadays Im scared to be rude at the drive through. The work ethic nowadays is horrible and God knows what they do to your food if you are an ass.

If the service is bad, do not return. If the service is good Tipping is the best way to show your appreciation. These folks and their families live and die by this income whether you think they "deserve" it or not.

Its the system, love it or hate it you will never change it. Profit margins continue to tighten in this industry and the last they thing they want to do is pay waiters when avocados and produce skyrocket artificially every season.

I actually am more sympathetic for the folks at Dennys than the person at the trendy place with subpar service.

Share your concerns with the management or God help you with whatever bodily fluids you passively consume in your meal.

Fortunately there are more of those that understand this concept to offset the rest.


MM

 

Bad service.. 15% tip exactly... maybe they having/had a bad day.

Good/Great service 20% to 25%.

Restaurants would have to literally double their prices if they had to pay a wage to their waitstaff.

 

Last time I was in Japan I see no tipping policy in Restaurants.
In the 80's I went there a lot and in the hotel they literally ran away when I want to tip them if I ask for extra pillows etc. I don't know if this is still the policy right now.

I don't know which one is right or wrong but if anyone working their job and doing duties and still expecting a 20% tips everytime is nuts.

Do you tip your Ferrari salesman 10% extra because he is extremely nice to you and lets you test drive for 50 miles before you purchase the car?

 

Yeah, but keep in mind, the restuarant is obligated to make up the difference up to minimum wage if the tips are too meager. That ain't TX law, IIRC, that's Federal law.

One other thing to point out, for those that think the tips go only to the server, the server usually has to split his tips with the folks that bring the food, the busboys and sometimes the cooks.

 

Ever been in europe?? Most worse waiters in the world.
On my trip to US I learned what friendly waitering is.
In Europe most waiters just get a paycheck, hardworking or not.
I think the TIP system is much better. The waiter has to show how good he is in his work. Good waitering = good money.

Lots of people who travel to US often always talk about the differences in restaurants. Althought culinair it is mostly not high standard in US, the waiters are much better!!

Just my 0.02

 

I come to think of the Tarantino movie, "Reservoir Dogs", where Steve Buscini(?) aka mr Pink, refuses to tip.
He has a long rant about only tipping if they do something extra (extra what? give you a blow job?) and if they're not satified with the the minimum wages before tip, get another job.

That's how I feel about it too, in Sweden the tip is already included when you get the bill, but if the service have been good and the waiter/waitress nice then I tip up to 20% anyway.
If, however, the service and/or food has been lousy then I won't tip, no mather what.

 

I must confess, I havent read all of the posts in detail.

Essentially, this is a cultural thing. I have dated American women in the past (I'm a Brit) and the tipping culture if very very different in the US to possibly anywhere else in the world.

If I get lousy service, whether you're earning less than the minimum wage or not, then you dont get a tip (or a good one, at least).

I'm not a "cheap b@5tard", I just think that servers should work for the tips they earn.

If I got bad service in the UK (poor food, untimely etc) then I would not think twice about not tipping. If its good service, then 10%, more if it is exceptional.

In the US, terrible service still leaves you obligated to give 10%. IMO, thats pathetic.

Oh, the joys of cultural differences.

Jamie

PS I remember my first tipping experience in the US. I stayed in a hotel in Chicago a few years back and the bellhop got the door, and virtually had his hand out before letting the door go (I'm a big boy, I can get the door myself for free!). Anyway, I looked, and uncomfortably said "I only have a $20" as I had just landed. "Not a problem sir" he said, pulling out a HUGE roll of notes. He gave me $17 change.

Granted, $3 isnt a massive amount of money, but for opening a door? Puh-lease!

 

If you know what you're doing, a tip isn't money being thrown out the window.

I've been to many 'unique' places and met some interesting people by giving extraordinarily large tips. My favorite bartender remembers my drink and has it ready (comped of course) when I walk in; I learn exactly what place is going on at X time and which places to avoid.

My food generally arrives on time and I don't worry about it being messed with. I'm with Steve R on this; I'm going to start using the "pay it forward" technique to deal with rude/abusive in-laws and relatives from now on. There's nothing that makes me want to hide under the table faster than someone complaining about something that A) isn't wrong or B) is easy to fix.

C.

 

Yup

 

The waitor doesn't cook the food, or control the bar tender screwing off. He has nothing to do with seating selection or the location of the noisy kitchen. The establishment as a whole should be judged at one time as in you like it or don't. You could have a great waitor and lousy food and no drinks from the bar and your pissed. I say put the total price on the menue and if I like it I will come back.
In reality I tip no matter what. Most people working that job seem to try. What the hell, a few bucks isn't going to kill me. Tips can get real big in south florida with larger groups and lots to drink. How much to tip on a $900 or 1500 nite? I usually go 15%.

 

But surely They know this before They take the job!!!!!!!I also have no problem tipping for good service but the point is why are We tipping when it"s bad?

 

Spot on. Any place you go to regularly, OVER tip, that money will come back to you ten fold.

One should never feel obligated to tip for bad service, but don't mistake that for not tipping generously when the service is acceptable.

As several have mentioned, waiters do not keep all the tips to themselves, they have to share them with the bus people and bartender. What has not been mentioned is opening and closing work, usually an hour-and-a-half or more of work before and after each shift getting things ready/cleaning things up for the next shift (polishing silverware, folding napkins, restocking glasses, etc), all of which is paid at whatever meager wage they get, without tips.

"Don't blame us because your acting career never took off, you're doing dumbass hardly skilled work and are probably making more then others who work much harder then you. "

All I will say to that is it is really hard work, as well as degrading and subservient. Those people earn every penny they make.

"My uncle has a goodway of giving "tips" for bad service. When the waiter just downright sucks, and I mean the service has to be absolutely terrible, he tips a penny. Except he puts it in a full glass of water, puts a plate over the glass, flips it over and slides the inverted glass onto the table. There is no way to avoid spilling all the water, just to get the penny. It may be a little mean, but is only used when the waiter really deserves it."

Interesting method, although it seems to me that this would piss off the bus boy more than anyone else.

 

If I receive extremely poor service when dining out, at the end of the meal I will ask for the owner or manager. It is to them that I will explain why I am not leaving a tip. If you leave a 2-5% tip when you get poor service, you just look like a cheap ba$tard.

As for having the restaurant pay their employees more, that will never happen. My guess is that 95% of restaurants would never be able to afford that.

I tip a bit more in states where the wait staff earns sub-minimum wage, such as Colorado.

If you get good service in a place where you cannot tip (Grocery / hardware store and even when receiving excellent customer service over the phone), I always seek out a manager to give praise for the employee that took good care of me.