Do you consider tips to be something extra for a waitperson?

[Zuiderelle]

Or do you understand that waiting tables is an incredibly difficult thing to do, and that waitpersons are paid far less than minimum wage and depend on your tips for their survival?


(Yes, this is a push poll.)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Unless the service totally sucks, I always tip 20%.

I figure it's a tough job, the waiters/waitresses are horribly underpaid, and if I can afford to eat at that restaurant in the first place I can afford to leave a decent tip. I consider it to be part of their income, not an "extra."

[Zuiderelle]

2. Yay! I'm glad you're the first responder.

:thumbsup:

[mikita]

3. ditto

I'm even a softie if the service sucks, which it very rarely does...

Mikita

[bullwinkle428]

4. I'll always tip 15% minimum, and 20-25% for good service!

I spent enough time working shitty jobs when I was younger to appreciate how hard they have to work for little pay...

Edit to add that I'll define "good service" as something I receive 90-95% of the time. I've had very few truly lousy experiences from a service standpoint.

[philosophie_en_rose]

5. In Washington, they make minimum wage (almost $8 per hour).

So I don't feel that I'm stealing from a server, if I lower the tip.

With that said, I tip 20% - unless something terrible happens. (One time a waiter mocked my mother's accent.)

On edit: I know that $8 an hour is hardly a living wage. That's why I do tip!

[AlCzervik]

6. i always tip 20%

my mother was a waitress for 20 years and woefully underpaid.

[Zuiderelle]

8. Cheers to your mother!

:toast:

[stuntcat]

16. 20% especially because-

because when you're out to a restaurant it's your "night out" (i mean if you're like us, it's a once-a-month kinda thing) so you're already out for a Big Time, you should share a few bucks with the person who's at work, serving you.
It's such a hard job, the one time I worked at a restaurant I had to be the hostess because I couldn't handle juggling all the food and tables full of people, I totally respect people who can do it.

[Midlodemocrat]

49. Me, too.

Even if the service isn't up to par.


If it's really, really awful, I tip 10%

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. I tip 15%

Does that make me a cheapskate?

[Scarlett17]

9. I waited tables in college & I always tip at least 20%.

I taught my kids that you tip $1 for every $5 of the bill and round up. An extra dollar or two in the tip doesn't really make a difference in my wallet, but when you're waiting tables an extra dollar can be huge. For a server, your hourly wage barely covers your taxes. And Lord help you in you have to tip out bussers, bartenders, etc.

[Fran Kubelik]

10. Oh, now I understand that other thread.

:rofl:

[SeattleGirl]

11. I tip 15%-20% usually.

If I get exceptionally good service, I will tip a bit more.

[flamingyouth]

12. I tip 20%

Maybe less if the service isn't that great. But I'm pretty much a softie when it comes to tipping. Having worked in retail forever, I understand what it's like to have a crappy day and be understaffed, etc.

[unsavedtrash]

13. I always tip

If I can't afford a decent tip I don't eat out. But if the service sucks the tip is lower.
Being stiffed blows.

[Omphaloskepsis]

14. I tip 50%...

I eat at shitty places. A 50% tip is like four bucks. Not a big deal.

[Fran Kubelik]

15. I like you.

Very good perspective. :applause:

[LostinVA]

97. I'll do that in a really cheap place -- if it's $4, I'll tip $3 or so

[NashVegas]

17. I Tip a Minimum of 15%

More if I'm in a cheap place where the bill comes to under, say, $18. More if the service is good.

Because I am in a demographic (female) that has a reputation for not being a good tipper, when I dine on my own, I often get service that's nothing more than adequate, sometimes less than. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy on the wait staff's part. I know the difference between good, adequate, and lousy service and I'm not going over 15% for someone who performs the bare minimum requirements.

[susanna]

29. LOL, Crisco -

you reminded me back in the day of my co-workers at a bar telling me "those folks (insert gender/race here) don't tip, and I'm not waiting on them." I always looked at my co-workers like they'd grown two heads, took over the table, gave it the best service I could (which I did for everyone), and never had a problem.

The co-workers eventually shut up about their own prejudices, seeing I was getting tips they passed up in their "wisdom." So you have a good point - there is sometimes a self-fulfilling prophecy at work with waitstaff. :-(

on edit: bad bracketing

[Nicole]

18. Tips are part of their wages so I tip very well.

With that said, I think it's a damn shame that wait staff isn't paid minimum wage or better. I shouldn't have to pay their wages, the owners should. My tip should be extra for a job well done.

I was a waitress years ago. There were days I didn't make minimum wage because business was slow.

[Zuiderelle]

21. Exactly.

:thumbsup:

I've worked for a very short (and painful) time as a waitress, and I have complete sympathy for the difficulty of that job.

[idgiehkt]

19. God no.

There is no way in hell I could ever wait tables. I tip well because they work really hard and I know they only make like two dollars an hour or something like that.

[MonkeyFunk]

20. I tip

800%....

but I'm an eccentric billionaire.

[Zuiderelle]

23. If you're a woman, would you marry me?

:)

[MonkeyFunk]

26. sorry

toots, I gots the outdoor plumbing.

But I'll let you know if the situation changes.

[Zuiderelle]

28. Just my luck.

:)

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

108. "Outdoor plumbing."

:)

[Control-Z]

22. Many states require

that a percentage of each tab be reported as income so if a waiter is stiffed they still pay taxes on the "assumed" tip.

I always tip at least 20% and if someone else is paying the tab (who is not so generous) I slip in some extra cash on the way out. (Discretely, of course, so the host is not insulted.)

[susanna]

32. Thank you, dancingAlone!

I mentioned upthread that I was an office manager for the restaurant I worked at. One of the not-so-lovely parts of the job was helping servers through the inevitable IRS audit (oh yes, the IRS just loves employees who get tipped.)

One thing I told new server trainees is that they must CLAIM at least 8% of their total sales as tips (this was back in the late 80s), or the IRS would be on them like ducks on a june bug. That was true even if they only made 5% in tips on their overall sales that evening. Many times they actually lost money working, in other words.

I am only guessing, but I guess the next generation of restaurant office folks are now counseling at least 10% of sales as tip claims to the taxing authorities. That is a serious issue for the tipped professions that many people do not know about, so I am glad you mentioned it.

[Turn CO Blue]

24. I tip 20% n/t

[Connonym]

25. I'm a good tipper (20+% depending on service) BUT

I really, really dislike the trend of tip boxes at the counter of a fast food joint. Handing me a cheeseburger does not deserve a tip IMO. Nobody tips the sales clerk at Target, you know? I'm torn when it comes to tipping my hair dresser. She's self-employed and supposedly you don't tip the owner...and she makes a helluva lot more money than I do. Same thing with the $100 an hour movers. I felt like I was getting the shakedown when they very pointedly showed me the case of beer their previous customer had tipped them. I really wish we'd just get to a point where everyone would earn a decent wage and tipping would no longer be necessary. Does that make me a heartless tightwad bitch?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

102. No, I too hate the tip boxes.

They're ridiculous, but you know what? If you put out a box, people will put money in it. So if you're them, why not put out the box?

[susanna]

27. Absolutely not.

Of course, I've been a server and a bartender. My friends think I overtip, but I don't care. I have been there and think that unless someone flat out ruins my meal, they deserve a decent tip (15-20%). When they ruin my meal, they still get at least 10%.

Part of it stems from the fact that I was also the office manager at the restaurant I worked for. I handed out paychecks. $100 isn't much for a weeks' work.

[Zuiderelle]

31. You're right. $100 isn't much for a week's work.

And if one can spare a few dollars here and there, why wouldn't they? 20 years ago, someone convinced me that if you put it out there, it might not necessarily come back to you, but it definitely won't hurt you, and it will assuredly help the one you're generous with. I can't imagine not tipping someone generously unless they throw food at me or something.

[susanna]

33. Oh yeah. That job taught me loads of things I would probably

prefer not to know.

I'm glad I am not in the minority - looks like DUers tip like I do! Yay. I will go tell my cheap friends to pound sand next time, LOL. :-)

[Cobalt Violet]

30. Tips are usually the only take home pay they get.

The 2.31 an hr. check is reduce by ss, medicare taxes, and fica taxes on tips. Some pay taxes on tips they are estimated to have made.

[susanna]

34. You're right. I was overestimating

the idea of a $100 paycheck, taking into account minimum wage states, etc. The actual number can be far lower. I remember, working full time as a server and part time as an office manager, bringing home $60.00 as a paycheck from my restaurant. Everything else came from tips.

on edit: complete thoughts are good.

[u4ic]

35. I don't know about the US

but in this province, the restaurant can charge up to 3% of a server's cash out under a 'spillage' fee.

So...if you don't tip a server, they could end up paying the restaurant owner to work there. :grr:


It's a crappy job in many cases, and one I couldn't do. I give them lots of respect.

[Texasgal]

36. Having paid my dues as

a waitress, I ALWAYS tip 20% OR MORE.

[swag]

37. 20% min

not optional, unless someone was a total shit

[rockymountaindem]

38. Look, if waiters were worth anything they'd have real jobs

:evilgrin:

Now that I have your attention, yes, I leave tips worth at least 15% of the bill, usually more. That's just the way my parents brought me up. And, as a college kid, lots of my friends have been or are waiters and since I hope people would tip my buds, I never hesitate to leave something for my wait-people.

Plus, this girl I have a huge crush on was a waitress this summer. She told me all the time how horrible it was to work there, and how they were paid less than minimum wage for sidework. Of course, I couldn't eat there since that would have been an awkward situation for her, but if I could have I'd have left her a $50 tip. Alas... our love can never be. Tips, however, are another story :)

[bigwillq]

39. I tip 20% no matter how bad

the service is....most times it's usually not the wait person's fault...like long time to get food...bad food, etc...

[Zuiderelle]

41. And that...

is exactly my point. Thanks. :)

[pokerfan]

40. My brother refuses to tip

and only does so grudgingly. It's very frustrating to share a tab with him. I will tip 20% on my share and he refuses to pay a cent towards a tip, so it turns into a 10% tip.

Easy solution: seperate checks.

But it drives his gf (who has waited tables) fuckin nuts. Every time we go out, they wind up in a big argument over the tip.

[Zuiderelle]

42. My father is that way. I end up slipping additional cash on the table as we leave.

Fortunately, I don't see him too often.

[Scarlett17]

43. Just curious. . .

what is his explanation for this? Obviously he takes a lot a heat over his refusal to tip from you and his girlfriend, so I would assume he has a pretty strong position. What is it?

[pokerfan]

47. He doesn't believe in it

He doesn't get tips at his job.

It's pretty much right out of the first five minutes of Reservoir Dogs.

[Drum]

44. I tip big...I'm a complete believer in karma....

:shrug:

[MedleyMisty]

45. We understand

My mother is not a good tipper. It's totally ignorance, though, not bad will. So whenever we go out to eat with her, my husband always makes sure he has some cash to supplement whatever tip she leaves.

And we always tip 15%, and go up from there based on service. And we're not exactly hard to please.

[OnionPatch]

46. Been there, so I know that tips are essential.

They get away with paying wait staff less than minimum wage because of tips, so they really are an important part of their pay. On top of that, the work is grueling. I would never stiff a waitperson. If I can't afford the tip, I don't go. I'll sneak back to the table to add to the tip if I feel my dining partner is stingy.

[Shine]

48. We tip 20% everytime we go out....unless the service sucks, then

we tip 15%.

I've been a waitress. I know how it works. :hi:

[Rhythm]

50. 20% as a baseline... has been as high as 50%!

I've worked in all kinds of restaurants, but have never waited tables myself.
I know how hard those folks work, though, and i know how shitty their base 'payrate' is.

"Best server ever" (a gal who knew me only from previous restaurant visits) earned a 50% tip from me a few years ago -- $200 -- when i took a group of our out-of-ton friends out to dinner. We came in just as she was winding down her shift. She saw me, asked her boss if she could stay for us, and even left her boyfriend waiting at the bar for about and hour while she took care of our group.

She deserved every penny.

[kedrys]

51. I tip a minimum of 20%

It's my small way of thanking the Big Giant Cat that I never had to wait tables a day in my life.

If I'm at my favorite sushi bar and the sake was extra good, I've been known to tip 50%.

[enigmatic]

52. absolutely

at least 20 percent most times.

[enigmatic]

55. God, I'm an idiot

I meant "absolutely not" and that I tip at least 20 percent most times:)

[Rabrrrrrr]

53. I think your position is asinine - one can easily and logically believe both

of your premises.

Also, I would like to point out that you are engaging in the kind of lying obfuscatory bullshittery of the rightwingers - waitstaff are NOT paid below minimum wage: the truth is that their minimum wage is lower than the minimum wage for other professions, but, it's still a legal minimum wage. To say they are paid less than minimum wage is absolutely a lie.

[Zuiderelle]

65. What bullshit. Ok, so their minimum wage is $2 /hour or thereabouts...

And somehow you think that it's ok just because it's a fucking "minimum"? Where did the anger come from in your post to me anyway? Weird.

[Little Wing]

80. He's always like that. And secretly eats at Olive Garden

[Zuiderelle]

105. Then he has my deepest sympathy.

On both counts. :rofl:

[Susang]

103. Don't worry about it too much

There's a lot of unprovoked anger going around DU lately. I witnessed a whole lot of it last night. :scared:

[Rabrrrrrr]

112. Why do you think that I think it's okay they get paid a low minimum wage?

I never said that.

You are making bad assumptions.

And the anger - which was over the top, I will admit, and embarrassing now that I read it today, and so I ask for your forgiveness - stemmed from the intentional obfuscation of your post. You can make the claim of the plight of the service person without resorting to lying - the truth itself is bad enough it doesn't need fictional melodrama to bolster it. Intentional obfuscation and invention of fiction is the methodology of the Jesus Crispies and others in the rightwing (and, sadly, liberals use it, too - but we should be better than that).

Seeing bullshit like that angers me, because it's so unnecessary.

And again, apologies to you for how I worded my post: I'm embarrassed by the nastiness of it.

[Zuiderelle]

122. Thanks for the response. I posted this because of another thread..

that was going on at the same time insinuating that tips were not required. I admit that my OP was a bit obfuscacious and even melodramatic because of my emotional reaction to the other. Thanks again for the response. I understand your post much better now. :)

[Rabrrrrrr]

129. You're welcome.

I'm glad it makes more sense to you now, and I apologize again for making my case so.... vigorously. :-)

While I agree with those who say that tips are optional - since that's merely a fact; tips are, in all cases, optional - I get pissed off, too, when people are dismissive of tips because the person is just a cheapo (I have an aunt like that) or they view the tip as the bone they toss to the waitrons for being an especially good puppy for them.

[CBGLuthier]

115. speaking of bullshit

OK, they are paid a sub par minimum wage.

But since the federal governemnt assumes they get 8% of the receipts in tips and then they get taxed on that amount which reduces their already meager checks to almost nothing it can truly be said they are paid below minimum wage.

And honestly, your argument sounds more RW than anything the OP stated. In fact, mean, stingy, outrageous and stupid. Somehow I supect you have never had to really work for a living in your life.

[Rabrrrrrr]

119. And just precisely how do you get mean and stingy out of it?

The only thing I said in my post was the FACT - mind you, FACT, not OPINION - that service people ARE making minimum wage, but that it's a lower minimum wage than for non-waitstaff people.

I made absolutely no judgments in my post, except to judge the original post for obfuscating the truth.

Perhaps boning up on either your reading skills or your logic skills would be of help to you.

My argument sounds more rightwing than anything the OP stated? How? I said nothing of judgment - unless you mean that stating facts is a rightwing tactic, which I hope you don't mean because I disagree with stance, and I'm sure you do. I accuse, in this post, the rightwing of lying and obfuscation - the very things I accused the original post of doing.

And then you say that you suspect I've never had to really work for a living - based, I guess, on the fact that I made a post about a fact? Gosh, so if I offer another fact - let's say, "George Washington was the first president of the United States" - what will you conclude? That I have a Nazi flag in my living room? That I contracted herpes from my Uncle Don when I was six? That I have five fingers? That I don't support our troops? I'll bne curious to see what kind of non sequitor "conclusion" you come to based solely on my recitation of a fact.

I find your conclusion hilarious - I point a fact, and you accuse me of never having had to work. :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

I say plenty of things on here: I am very free with my OPINIONS, with which you can disagree and attack me - but attacking me for pointing out a fact, in a post that offers no opinion whatsoever on that fact, isn't one of them.

[Hosnon]

54. 20% unless the service is absolutely abysmal. Then, 15%. NT.

[reyd reid reed]

56. I always tip...I was a waitress for too long

not to. I know how hard they work, how little they're paid, and the shit they have to put up with.

[riverdale]

57. Why?

I have always noticed that people give pretty much the same tips regardless of the service level, and I don't get that.
For me, it will vary depending on the quality of service.

[Zuiderelle]

66. Of course it varies. I give a minimum of 15%, usually 20-25%, sometimes 30%

If the service is absolutely horrible, I might give 10% or less, but I cannot remember the last time I've ever had service bad enough to stiff a waitperson out of their hard-earned money.

[riverdale]

77. 8

Why would you give 10% if the service was absolutely horrible? They aren't earning their money if that is the case.

[Zuiderelle]

85. Honestly, I have never had "absolutely horrible" service...

though by some people's definition, it might have been. I have had waiters that have too many tables and aren't able to spend as much time, not their fault, I have had waiters that I don't like, should I not tip them because I don't like them? I have had waiters who are irritable, maybe they had to work late the night before, or maybe their feet hurt, should I punish them further? I have had waiters who take forever getting back to me with the bill when I'm in a hurry to leave, should I not pay for all the service they provided prior to that, or should I just go to the cashier myself? I have had waiters who are downright rude... they get 10%, because a low tip makes more of a statement than none.

When I go to a restaurant, I assume that I will be tipping at least 20%. I hate people who think they are doing waiters a favor by tipping them. They are doing us a favor by serving us.

[bridgit]

58. if by 'something extra' you have meant; tips are a gratuity then they are

gratuity

1. a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip.
2. something given without claim or demand.
3. British. a. a bonus granted to war veterans by the government.

if by this however: "waitpersons are paid far less than minimum wage and depend on your tips for their survival" you have suggested that i pay for a wage that an employer should have been paying all along then i disagree, as it plays into the artificial suppression of a living wage for all americans

"Or do you understand that waiting tables is an incredibly difficult thing to do" can be a specious notion as well, if when then i should be paid for having to go round-up our 'waitperson' for updates onto items orders, drinks, service, or our check so we can get the heck out of there:(

[Zuiderelle]

101. I am so glad to not have to work as a waitperson.

if by this however: "waitpersons are paid far less than minimum wage and depend on your tips for their survival" you have suggested that i pay for a wage that an employer should have been paying all along then i disagree, as it plays into the artificial suppression of a living wage for all americans

True, we should require employers to pay EVERYONE a living wage, but until they do, are you saying that you will use them to manipulate employers to do the right thing? Do you think that by withholding tips you are doing something effective, something that will generate a change? Isn't there a better way to do that than by making them suffer in the process? Maybe boycotting any restaurant that doesn't pay their servers well? Maybe, like another poster on this thread, only patronizing owner-operated restaurants that pay a living wage?

"Or do you understand that waiting tables is an incredibly difficult thing to do" can be a specious notion as well, if when then i should be paid for having to go round-up our 'waitperson' for updates onto items orders, drinks, service, or our check so we can get the heck out of there :(

Specious? In your example, I would probably tip less. Maybe that server has too many tables to handle and cannot be at your beck and call every moment. How do you feel about tipping for average service, knowing that that person is working on their feet for several hours and making only $2 an hour?

[bridgit]

117. coming from a line of cocktail lounge/restaurateurs hubby is very generous...

he rarely, if ever leaves less than 20%. i've seen him leave 35-40% depending,

i'm the stinker, i'll make him put money back in his wallet if the service is sub-par...but i dealt blackjack at CalNeva to assist my college tuition so i understand as well,

it's just that some people, and i hope you might agree OMG!!! :eyes: it is as you've mentioned, table service can be daunting and if some folks don't want to do it, or are somehow less inclined; then maybe they shouldn't

and in the example i refer to...would that it were so, but they were just standing round shooting the shit :shrug:

hubby used to administer survey samples, and spoke with a very sweet, young, single mother in alabama...she mentioned she was a waitress and that she only made $2.30 per hour two dollars and thirty cents per hour!!!

she said she depends on her tips, and there are clearly times when that must be so :cry:

insofar as "manipulation"...if that is the craft they have chosen, and it is a craft, then they would do well to practice their craft in a manner that befits said gratuity in a world where little is carved in stone, and little will sooner be sacred

our son-in-law worked as a server when just married with hubby girl #1; he worked at it, was good at it as well, made good tips; but now designs software from his home

hubby's uncle bagged groceries working his way through college, now he's a retired Prof. of Eng Lit/Marine Biology...

these are the things we sometimes do, to get to where we may end up :thumbsup:

hubby's mother told him that if you cannot afford a tip, the least you can do is stack your plates and make it easier to bus the table again :shrug:

average service may well yield and average tip that much is a given

[NC_Nurse]

59. I always tip 20%

I waitressed and all my kids have at one time or another. My husband did pizza delivery for a while.
We all know the importance of tips.

[trof]

60. Maybe you can 'splain me something.

Back in the 60s the 'standard' tip was 10%.
Sometime in the 80s, I guess, it went to 15%.
Now it's 20%.

Since restaurant prices have risen with everything else over the years, so 10% is more $$$ than it was, how come the percentage of the tip has gone up?

[Zuiderelle]

67. Because their wages have not.

[Chan790]

118. Because the government started taxing assumed tips.

You (as representative of the average consumer) go out to dinner and spend $100. The IRS assumes that you tipped and taxes your server on what they amount they assumed you tipped (15%, in this case $15. So your server gets income-taxed for 20%-30% of $15.).

Not everybody does tip though so your waiter is being taxed on more than they made. Thus the expected tip rose to cover that shortfall. Now there are grumblings that since the average tip is 20% that the IRS should assume 20%, at which point average expected tip will probably rise to 30%. It's what the Catholic social philosopher and writer G.K. Chesterton called "beat the prophet." That is, make sure the reality always outpaces the expectation.

It really sucks if you're a barista (the person who makes and/or serves drinks at a coffeehouse. Like a coffee-bartender, except the server is not usually the maker.) because you get taxed on assumed 15% of sales. Problem is that whatever tip is left, gets split between the server and the preparer who both get taxed on 15% of assumed tips even though they're only getting 1/2 the tip. Worse, the average person tips their barista the coin change from their drink.

It's not uncommon for me to get taxed on 15%($30) of $200 worth of sales for a week and bring home $20 in tips. For those keeping track...I just got taxed 150% of what I actually made in tips. :nuke:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

61. I usually tip at least 25%.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

62. wow! i generally tip 20 for food and 25% for salons.

[NewJeffCT]

63. 15% or so for poor service, 20% for standard, more for excellent

My daughter and I go to a local Friendly's in Unionville, CT every Monday night. (My wife often gets home late from work, and we have a long drive home... so, we usually stop for a quick meal on weeknights because I don't want her falling asleep on the way home with no dinner)

But, we have one server that we get that is just terrific - we went in there one time, and she told my daughter that they had a new book for her... and, when my daughter turned 4 last week, this young woman had a birthday card for her and brought out balloons to our table, and then later spelled out "Happy Birthday Grace" in hot fudge in her dessert. Even though the bill for the two of us is around $14 or so, I always give her $20 - and I gave her a $20 tip right before Christmas and also a little extra for the birthday extravaganza. And, even though Friendly's provides a free ice cream with the kid's meal, I always tell my daughter that she only gets the ice cream if she finishes her dinner and eats her vegetable, and this woman plays along with that as well.

[RiffRandell]

64. I tip minimum 20%.

I waited tables. God, do I have stories.

[myrna minx]

68. I always tip *at least* 20% but I usually tip more.

While I have never been a server, many friends of mine have been servers for years. I know what a tough job it is, whether it's at Perkins or a 4 star. If I'm treated to a meal from a friend or a relative and their tip may be under 20%, I'll discreetly add to the tip. I know that servers have to claim tips on their tax returns, so it's awful if you're taxed on income that you never received.

[northzax]

69. yes, something extra. no question

but then I regularly only patronize places that pay a living wage as part of the deal. I find the whole tipping thing to be humiliating for both the tipper and the tippee.

but then at my local watering hole, I usually tip 100-150% of the tab (seriously) of course, most of my drinks manage to vanish from the tab, so it's only fair.

[Zuiderelle]

71. I don't know of many restaurants that pay waitstaff a living wage.

Where are they? I'd like to know of them, as I would definitely patronize them. Of course, I'd still tip on top of it.

[northzax]

73. i go to owner/operated places

most often.

[Zuiderelle]

75. What do you do on the occasions when you go to places that pay less than min wage?

I'm sure you can't always go to owner-operated places that pay living wages.

[northzax]

76. why? I wouldn't hire an accountant

who I have to tip, I don't want to have to slip a surgeon a Benjamin after he take out my appendix. pay your employees a decent wage, or I won't patronize your business.

[Zuiderelle]

84. So you never step foot in a Denny's or, god forbid, Olive Garden?

[northzax]

88. i wouldn't even know where to find one

in this town.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

126. That doesn't mean their employees make a living wage.

Do you ask the staff what their salaries are?

[Bill McBlueState]

86. "humiliating for both the tipper and the tippee"

Exactly. It's uncomfortable for me, a low-wage worker, to be in the position of evaluating the server, another low-wage worker, and deciding how easily he or she will be able to pay the bills this week. That should be the boss's job.

Having said that, I understand the practical need for tipping, and I leave between 15 and 20%, regardless of service.

[northzax]

94. right, I don't mind paying more

it certainly isn't the money, it's the concept. I shouldn't have to pay someone for them to be nice to me, it's their job to be nice to me. when forced to tip, I tip well, it just makes the whole thing icky for me.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

125. Tipping is humiliating?

What world do you live in?

[northzax]

131. um, yeah. it is, kinda

what am I, some sort of prince, that I judge people's pay on how well they wait on me? on how big their boobs are? on how much they flirt with me? come on. their job is to bring me food and drinks, and educate me about what they are serving if needed, and take my money. It is the job of their boss to determine if they are doing their job well, not me. I evaluate the restaurant as a whole to determine if I want to continue to give them money, not the individual. I can't eat my food and then refuse to pay for it, right? I can't take a ride in a taxi and refuse to pay, right? why can I use a service from someone and then refuse to pay? how much does that suck?

and yes, it is humiliating to think that people are being nice to you for money. Don't you get embarrassed watching people grovel?

[terrya]

70. No, tips aren't extra

Unless waitpersons make an average of $100,000 a year, which they sure as hell don't, those tips are necessary to subsidize their wages.

BTW: I once dated a guy who, when we would go out to restaurants, would NEVER leave a tip. Ever. I cringed in embarrassment and added an extra amount to the tip that *I* always had to give. This is remarkable, given that he was a hairdresser, which, if I'm not mistaken, are also tipped for their services.

[seemunkee]

72. 15-20%, more for really good service

My father-in-law gives 15% and not a penny more, even when we have big family dinners out and we are the only table the waiter can handle. And with my in-laws it really is all they can handle.

[1gobluedem]

74. I ALWAYS tip 20%

Unless the service is really, really bad. Then I tip about 12%. A former roommate who was a waitress says that if people don't tip at all, they're just marked off as cheap jackasses but if it's below the standard then they get the message that the service was poor.

And I am talking about really poor service. Happily, I almost never encounter that.

[Zuiderelle]

100. Glad I'm not alone.

:thumbsup:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

78. In Brazil, the minimum wage laws don't discriminate against waiters.

On the other hand, the customary tip is only 10%. I usually round it up to the nearest integer R$ and, once in a blue moon, when service really, really, REALLY sucks, I give less. But that doesn't happen often.

[Bill McBlueState]

87. that's a good point

Americans, as usual, could benefit from understanding how things work in the rest of the world.

Elsewhere, customers aren't given the HUGE responsibility of determining whether a restaurant employee will have an easy or a hard time paying that week's bills.

[Zuiderelle]

89. It's like that in many other countries as well. I wish it was like that here.

Then servers wouldn't be dependent on the whim of their customers to earn a living.

[Little Wing]

79. The older I get, the more I tip

:shrug:

[TommyO]

81. Depending on the service, I have tipped up to 50%!

I frequently dine alone and consider 20% a bare minimum unless the service is completely horrible. If I order medium-rare and it comes well-done, that's not bad service, that's a bad kitchen staff and I don't take it out on the service staff. I will speak with the manager and let them know the circumstances however.

[guitar man]

82. generally 25-35% or so

For good service, less for averege to poor service. On rare occasions where the service has been abyssmal enough, I won't leave a tip, but when I have done that, I have always had a talk with the server and explained why I wasn't leaving a tip. It's just chickenshit to not leave a tip and run out with no explanation.

I have tended bar and waited tables myself, so I know what they go through. Yesterday, I picked up a check for $15.14. Service was really good, so I left a $20 on the table with the check. That's a pretty typical tipping rate for me.

[guitar man]

83. delete

dupe

[Bill McBlueState]

90. Yes, but they shouldn't be.

I challenge the premise of the question -- waitpersons should *not* be exempt from the minimum wage law that applies to everyone else. It sucks that a waiter's well-being depends so critically on the judgment of the customers, plenty of whom are always going to be two-bit assholes who won't leave a good tip.

Further, it's humiliating for both parties that the customers are supposed to decide whether the server will have a hard time or an easy time meeting her expenses for the month. It should be incumbent on the employer to offer fair wages and benefits, not people who are just looking for a meal. In a society that valued labor, that would certainly be the case.

Having said all that, I recognize the importance of tipping. But I think it's arrogant to make a value judgment of the server, so I leave 15-20% regardless of the quality of service.

[Zuiderelle]

95. I agree with you, but until it changes, my question is valid.

I see you agree with me too. :)

[Gormy Cuss]

110. The good news is that in some states they aren't exempt.

The west coast states and a few others have no sub-minimum wage for servers. Their base pay can't be any lower than the minimum wage. I think it's time for the whole country to do the same, and abolish tipping as a standard practice at the same time. A tip should be an extra for extraordinary service, not a hidden way to transfer owner responsibility for paying wages.

[izzybeans]

91. I tip 15% if the service sucks and a sliding scale upward depending on service.

Somebody's got to pay their wages if their employer won't.

[bleedingheart]

92. I tip well...even if the service is shitty because I know that sometimes

people have crappy days...and waiting tables is hard work and sometimes the reason for crappy service is because the customers prior to you have been real assholes.

[Zuiderelle]

98. Very true. One never knows why someone might be in a bad mood.

They are still providing a service. If the service is poor, I may tip less, but I never don't tip at all.

[MissMillie]

93. 15% for adequate service

less than that for poor service... more than that for excellent service.

It's not often that I tip less than 15%, but sometimes I do.

[LostinVA]

96. I start at 20%, and it goes up or down from there

They are taxed on tips, even if they don't EARN that amount of tips. They live on their tips, which I don't think some people know -- or maybe don't care.

If you can't tip at least 15% for good service, you shouldn't eat out.

[Fleshdancer]

99. service has to be extremely bad for me to tip less than 20%

and at the cheap places, the percentage goes up.

on edit: my first job was waiting tables and yes, it's not easy.

[Zavulon]

104. I do not consider a tip to be a given.

The fact that "waiting tables is an incredibly difficult thing to do, and that waitpersons are paid far less than minimum wage and depend on your tips for their survival" does not relieve a waitperson of the repsonsibility to provide decent service. If they do, I tip at standard Washington levels (25% or higher). If they don't, they don't get shit. Just because they're having a shitty day doesn't give them the right to shit on mine.

[montanto]

106. Speaking of tips, I've got a question.

BTW generally I tip 20% or more. This came up just last night: We went to a nice steak house but all we wanted was their Kobe beef burger. I spent $40 on the burgers and $65 on a bottle of wine. Do I tip 20% on the total? On the food? What? I mean, if I buy a $20 appetizer and a $200 bottle of wine am I expected to tip 20% of the cost of the bottle that only gets opened once?

[Zuiderelle]

109. Good question. I would. It's the same principal as the food.

If I can't afford to tip 20% on the food, I would order something cheaper, or go to a less expensive restaurant. Same thing with the wine.

I'm a bit over the top myself, I usually tip on the total (including tax) amount, and I usually tip 25% to 30%. I'm generous because I can be, and because I've known what it's like to live paycheck to paycheck. I really do believe that putting it out there benefits everyone. ("It" being money, humor, compassion, love, anything that's beneficial to the person receiving it.)

[enigmatic]

116. Tip on the total

If there's a wine steward that serves you the bottle I would tip that person instead of the food server, but the amount is completely up to you.

[pitohui]

121. i was taught you tip 10 percent on wine, however, this may be dated

in older times, you tipped 10 percent on the bottle of wine, 15 percent (or 20 if you wished) on everything else

however, this rule of thumb is from before the days when the IRS started taking out taxes based on what they "thought" the person was tipped

these days i'm leary to tip only 10% on a bottle of wine, i'm worried the person might end up being taxed out of any profit from the tip -- 20% might be a little high to tip on the wine tho

i understand why you have that question tho, it seems like they changed the rules of etiquette on us somewhere down the line

also when calculating the tip there is no reason to include sales tax!

i mostly try to keep wine orders down to under $100 a bottle but it's hard sometimes in these wicked inflationary times :-)

[Gormy Cuss]

123. You are correct on both the wine and the tax

There is no reason to figure tip after tax. The 10% standard on wine is still considered the starting point however if there is a sommelier, or the server makes the recommendation and follows through with service (topping off the glasses, clearing the empty in a timely manner) then the tip should be closer to the tip percent left for the food portion because after all, you got good service.

The IRS assumes a 12% tip on the total of the food and wine, so if you're drinking expensive wine with cheap food a 10% tip would be stiffing the server.

[Strawman]

107. Always 20% unless it's bad service, more if it's good service

Usually the difference between being a cheapskate and a fair tipper is a buck or two, sometimes less than a buck. If you need that buck that badly, don't eat somewhere with waitstaff.

I hate eating with people who don't tip at least 15%. It's just shitty. I think it says alot about a person.

[Left Is Write]

111. Yes, it's extra, and yes, I understand they need that extra.

It's "extra" because I'm not bound to pay it - I'm only bound to pay what I'm charged. That's why tips are an "extra."

However, I'd be a pretty cold human being if I didn't understand that servers depend on the extra money from tips.

My baseline is 20% (more if it's a very small tab). If the service is outstanding, the tip will definitely be higher. If the server is rude or otherwise does a poor job, the tip will be lower.

I also make sure to tell management when I think servers are doing an outstanding job. Too many people only want to point out complaints; not that many are willing to give praise where it is due.

[Q3JR4]

113. Unless the service provided by the waitperson

is absolutely horrible, I take the amount of taxes I have to pay, multiply it by 4 and round up to the next dollar. In Idaho we pay 6% sales tax, that makes for at least a 24% tip. That, for me, is the minimum.

I've been in situations where there were only two people to wait on 30 customers. We waited for 40 minutes for someone to come to our table, and then we waited an hour to get our food. She was friendly, but tired, and she nicely explained the situation to us. In that particular instance, I tipped 50%.

I've never worked in the industry, but I'm more than willing to support my fellow human beings. For the work they do, they should be able to support themselves and their families.

[Orsino]

114. My wife and I always tip at least 30%...

...unless something gets seriously effed up. Neither of us ever waited tables, but we've both worked in fast food. Wait-folks count on tips. They get 'em from us.

[Shell Beau]

120. No!! That is how they make their money!

I never waited tables (just not in my DNA to do so, people are assholes) but yeah I ALWAYS tip lots. Unless the waiter is a total jerk! Which actually never happens to me! I mean, they are trying to make money.

[GalleryGod]

124. No !!! 20% mimimum for Us!

:loveya: :donut: :loveya:

[Zookeeper]

127. No! It's part of the cost of dining out....

I usually tip at least 20 percent. When I've had horrendous service that actually was the fault of the waiter, I've tipped 10% (very seldom). If my check is small, like at a chinese restaurant I go to that has meals for $5.00 or if I just go out for pie and coffee, I always tip more than 20%.

Having been a waiter, I'm very aware of tipping.

[donheld]

128. I gladly tip at least 20%

It's just the right thing to do.

[Dora]

130. $1 per head at the table, or 20%.

Whichever is greater.

[buddhamama]

132. i tip 20%

always even if the service isn't so good, we all have our off days. the difference with waitfolks is that their job requires them to be 'on' all the time and that just isn't fair.

most of us can have a bad day or two at our jobs and not have it come out of our paychecks at the end of the week.