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Tips & tipping general discussion

I agree with Finder's findings.

Still, it shits me to see after 12 pages of discussion, someone say "They make the same as a McDonald's worker."

That's simply not true. In North America, servers make significantly less than a teenager working at McDonalds (sans tips)

For the sake of my sanity, I'll go ahead and assume that DiegoBlunt is from Australia.

Go ahead and close this if you want.
 
For your sanity's sake, kyk, diegoblunt was quoting Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs.
 
bad tippers vs. let me get my change purse sonny....

I was just watching this video on yahoo (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trendin...ncites-class-warfare-between-1-164624882.html) about some "wealthy banker" who left a 1% tip and a note on the receipt to "get a real job."

Anyway, obviously that's a douche bag thing to do, and probably didn't have anything to do with the service, but what do you do when you get bad service?

Lately (I'm not sure what it is, maybe I'm getting older or something) I've noticed that I've been getting a lot more attitude from servers and so-forth. To me, it's like, you don't have to suck up to me, but if your a condescending jerk to me then I definitely don't want to leave a tip at all. You know?

I've worked for tips before, and I normally tip well if I get an average amount of service, but yeah, I don't know if 0% is acceptable if I feel like you're being a jerk, or maybe 10% or what.

Help me out.
 
I tip based on how personable the server is. I know it's not totally fair, because when you're getting slammed with patrons, you don't necessarily have time to spend chatting or even interacting much with each table.

But if I crack a joke and the server doesn't even make an effort to play it off, then they've lost me completely.
 
If the service is so bad that you don't want to leave any tip, consider talking to the manager. If it's just shoddy service, I leave like 10% and make it clear that I'm not happy with my mannerisms.

Server here for appx. five years, for the record.
 
bad service, ime, is 9 times out of 10 something beyond the servers control-- like being assigned a section too big, or problems in the kitchen. I'm generally experienced enough to tell what the problem is, but if I need to, I'll ask my server what the trouble is ( a good, non accusatory way to convey the fact that i'm dissatisfied with my dining experience) and maybe things will get better with that communication. I VERY rarely dip beneath a 15 percent tip-- in fact I'm more likely to leave nothing after talking to a supervisor than leave 10 or less.
 
If your meal is $5-15 per plate, leave no less than 10%. If you are somewhere nicer than that and there is an issue, you need to speak with the manager. If you get comped stuff because the kitchen is behind or something, tip on the original amount. In a nicer restauarant, don't leave less than 15%, unless the service is unexcusable and the manager gives you no redress, in which case, you should just leave without finishing.
 
Pander Bear said:
bad service, ime, is 9 times out of 10 something beyond the servers control-- like being assigned a section too big, or problems in the kitchen. I'm generally experienced enough to tell what the problem is, but if I need to, I'll ask my server what the trouble is ( a good, non accusatory way to convey the fact that i'm dissatisfied with my dining experience) and maybe things will get better with that communication. I VERY rarely dip beneath a 15 percent tip-- in fact I'm more likely to leave nothing after talking to a supervisor than leave 10 or less.
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Exactly.

I should qualify that I also tip regardless of service. Being a server for 3 years myself makes it sort of hard not to.
 
I find all of this tipping business fascinating.. Living in Australia we don't tip at all, unless there is truly incredible service provided.

I think I would find it off-putting knowing it was expected that I give a tip, even of the service was sub-par.

Obviously this is a fairly ingrained cultural norm in America and wouldn't easily be changed, but I can't help but think we use a more fair system. I think employees should get a fair and honest wage, and tips for good service should be gravy. :)
 
CHiLD-0F-THE-BEAT said:
I find all of this tipping business fascinating.. Living in Australia we don't tip at all, unless there is truly incredible service provided.

I think I would find it off-putting knowing it was expected that I give a tip, even of the service was sub-par.

Obviously this is a fairly ingrained cultural norm in America and wouldn't easily be changed, but I can't help but think we use a more fair system. I think employees should get a fair and honest wage, and tips for good service should be gravy. :)
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Yeah, but, I mean, you guys call sprite lemonade, so there.
 
I also only tip decently if the service is good. If there is a group of us, whatever change is left over from a meal, we'll just leave - it's much easier than dividing it up between 8-10 people. If i'm ever by myself, i'll generally leave some change - but only if i've been really impressed. The things is, while the average waitstaff pay isn't amazing in Australia, it's actually not too bad. I lived on it when I was younger - and i could pay for rent/bills/food/a few party favours with it. If i'm not mistaken, in the US, the actual base pay is dismal, so tips are actually an expected supplementary part of the pay? We really don't need that here is Australia - a tip is a genuine show of appreciation for good service, not expected.
 
that is correct: where I live, waitstaff pay is about $2.15 per hour, and then, waiters are expected to share a percentage of their tips with other untipped front-of-house employees like food runners and bussers. Additionally, you are expected to file tips as taxable income. America's system isn't terrible if you're accustomed to it, and for some places (think nightclubs or very high end dining) you can make a very nice living, but it certainly isn't a very clear, or "democratic" system.


For me, it only gets truly confusing elsewhere, like when youre picking up carry-out food, getting a haircut, riding a cab, or fucking a prostitute. *rubs temples* sooo many faux pases.
 
carry-out food gets usually a buck or 2 in the tip jar if there's one out or if there's a spot to leave a tip on the bill if paying by credit card. haircut depends on how well i like my services and who is performing them (owners vs. stylists). cab depends on how fast and how safe i get somewhere and also if i'm a tourist and they give me a sort of history lesson that helps too. not sure about a prostitute...

generally, i always tip. service might be shitty, but as said before that's usually not the server's fault and if it is there could be circumstances outside of working causing that (stress, etc.). no matter what, i'd rather be the nice person that gives someone a few extra bucks than the bitch that doesn't give shit.

fwiw, i did work as a food delivery driver for a while so i know what it's like to rely on tips.
 
I never understood tipping in cabs. Charge more if you want more money.

I will actually add one thing on tipping in restaurants - if the meal is under $20 for two people, tip 25% as a base and go up or down from there. At this italian restaurant I frequent, it is not uncommon to leave 50%, but us degos stick together so idk.

If you ever take your kids skiing or snowboarding and put them in lessons, it is absolutely expected that you tip the coach or instructor. $7.50 an hour living in Aspen is insane.
 
I rarely don't leave at LEAST 15%. Even if it was a shitty experience I'll tip 15%.

Also, you know what they say more flies with honey... I ate at Rock Bottom last week and the runner told us they burnt the fries so he'd bring them out when a new batch was done. We had finished our meal and the fries still hadn't come. I asked my waitress when she came to refill our waters "hey, we were wondering, are the fries almost ready?" (in a friendly, non-accusatory manner) and she first looked confused then asked "omg did they not come on the plate???" I said "oh, no, I think they were accidentally burnt so we were just waiting for them." She apologized profusely and said she didn't even know there was a problem, which we had figured out. We said "No problem, don't worry about it." Anyway, she brought us a shit ton of fries AND comped my beer. What would have happened if I got pissed? She would have been in a much worse mood, I would have been in a much worse mood, probably wouldn't have gotten the fry quantity and probably not comped my beer. We gave 25%. Well worth it.

Anyway, tangent, but it reflects how I think you should deal with 'crappy' service rather than affecting the tip much, if at all.
 
Bad service I just leave some pennies. I think that sends a message. If you're in a state that pays minimum wage to servers I'd be a lot less forgiving about not being waited adequately. Basically all I expect is one check mid meal and the check within reasonable range of finishing. So if I leave pennies, you really suck.

I only tip haircuts if they do it correctly and use talc when they brush the hair away so that shit doesn't go down my neck. No talc No tip.

Fuck Cabs I'll walk
Don't fuck prostitutes you can do better.
 
hiphophippy said:
Bad service I just leave some pennies. I think that sends a message. If you're in a state that pays minimum wage to servers I'd be a lot less forgiving about not being waited adequately. Basically all I expect is one check mid meal and the check within reasonable range of finishing. So if I leave pennies, you really suck.

I only tip haircuts if they do it correctly and use talc when they brush the hair away so that shit doesn't go down my neck. No talc No tip.

Fuck Cabs I'll walk
Don't fuck prostitutes you can do better.
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I'm in the nw too, so maybe we get the snarky servers up here. But I've just had a lot of bad experiences lately, and not like my food is cold or whatever,; like, wow, this servers a dick.

I went to this cafe the other day on a lunch break from school, and ordered this 10$ burrito (!) and the cashier just gave me some snooty attitude so i didn't leave anything in the tip jar. Boring story, but I wasn't sure how big of a dick I was being.

I mean, I want to let them know that I didn't tip you because they were snooty with me, but I don't want to be a dick myself. It's like, they could have easily had 2$ for the like zero amount of effort it would have taken to be just even neutral with me.
 
hiphophippy said:
Bad service I just leave some pennies. I think that sends a message.
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unfortunately, i think the message it sends is that you're cheap.

i try to never penalize a server for something that isn't their fault and i try to be generous. i am sure that sometimes i screw someone over but i am equally sure i am getting screwed over sometimes. shit happens.
 
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