Are you a good tipper?

[tobby4]

well yea, but i think that rudeness falls into the same category... you know? there are things you can do to read your tables and that is what makes the difference in a good server and one that sucks honestly...

if you cannot read your guest then you really do not know how to serve them..

 

[UFGators]

Usually tip 20 percent unless the server is rude or unattentive.

 

[DocLogic77]

well yea, but i think that rudeness falls into the same category... you know? there are things you can do to read your tables and that is what makes the difference in a good server and one that sucks honestly...

if you cannot read your guest then you really do not know how to serve them..

That right there is very true. A great server can read my mood and the mood of my children. Sometimes I want in and out, refills, hot food, check on the table without asking and out the door. A server that senses that and delivers will be very happy. Sometimes a server will see my kids exploding and drag their legs to get things done (that's my biggest pet peeve). Sometimes, I don't mind the joking and small talk. I had a good server the other day that knew I was in a good enough mood to BS. By the way, he recently moved from Jersey. It's all about reading your customer in just about any industry. Serving tables is no different.

 

[tobby4]

Exactly... i make my bills every month off of my regulars... they know everything about me really... and i know about them and thier kids, but there are other tables that i wait on all the time that barely know my name, and it is better that way...

but that is what all of business is about, being able to read customers...

 

[the nub]

Tipping is not about good service or good food. It is about perceived obligation. If it were about good service, then people would be tipping at McDonald's or other fast food joints. If it was about good food, then it would be common practice in every society. There are many jobs that are more stressful and underpaid. Very few if any receive gratuities, let alone expect them.

 

[DocLogic77]

Nub I can't disagree with those statements. Tipping is indeed a perceived obligation. If you are a regular and you don't want a looge in your coke it's an obligation. With that said, society is what it is. Servers get paid 2.13/hour at most places. They are now deemed workers who work for gratuity. You must keep that in mind. When you go out to eat you enter that part of the world. If you don't agree with their rules go right back out those doors and cook yourself a burger. It is what it is. I would much rather give 50%/20%/0% tips. Anything subaverage gets nothing. Good service gets 20% and great service gets 50%. Hey I like those rules. But I don't make them up and I like to eat out. So it's a 20 base and few get less but many get more.

 

[CWS]

Tipping is not about good service or good food. It is about perceived obligation. If it were about good service, then people would be tipping at McDonald's or other fast food joints. If it was about good food, then it would be common practice in every society. There are many jobs that are more stressful and underpaid. Very few if any receive gratuities, let alone expect them.

I really can't agree with this Nub. I go to a resturant because I don't want to make the meal myself and I don't want to serve it or clean up. I do want to enjoy myself. I look for an experience. Tobby hits the nail on the head (which really amazes me) when he talks about reading the customer. I have had waiters change my entire mood. Hell, Ive tipped a 100% because the wife and I had such a great time all due to an expereinced waiter that knew what service was. I find it hilarious when resturants try to duplicate success by going through the paces versus really trying to read the customer. "Hi. My name is Jerry and I'll be your server. HowareyoufolksdoingtonightcanIgetyousomethingtodrinkareyouready" A great waiter takes talent and instinct. Make me laugh, enjoy my meal, good service and have a great expereince and you get paid for it. All the rest is just paying for the food.

 

[the nub]

I really can't agree with this Nub. I go to a resturant because I don't want to make the meal myself and I don't want to serve it or clean up. I do want to enjoy myself. I look for an experience. Tobby hits the nail on the head (which really amazes me) when he talks about reading the customer. I have had waiters change my entire mood. Hell, Ive tipped a 100% because the wife and I had such a great time all due to an expereinced waiter that knew what service was. I find it hilarious when resturants try to duplicate success by going through the paces versus really trying to read the customer. "Hi. My name is Jerry and I'll be your server. HowareyoufolksdoingtonightcanIgetyousomethingtodrinkareyouready" A great waiter takes talent and instinct. Make me laugh, enjoy my meal, good service and have a great expereince and you get paid for it. All the rest is just paying for the food.

I'm not saying you should or shouldn't tip.

If you had great service at a fine dining restaurant and you DIDN'T tip, would you feel guilty? If so, then you proved my point.

 

[the nub]

Nub I can't disagree with those statements. Tipping is indeed a perceived obligation. If you are a regular and you don't want a looge in your coke it's an obligation. With that said, society is what it is. Servers get paid 2.13/hour at most places. They are now deemed workers who work for gratuity. You must keep that in mind. When you go out to eat you enter that part of the world. If you don't agree with their rules go right back out those doors and cook yourself a burger. It is what it is. I would much rather give 50%/20%/0% tips. Anything subaverage gets nothing. Good service gets 20% and great service gets 50%. Hey I like those rules. But I don't make them up and I like to eat out. So it's a 20 base and few get less but many get more.

I totally agree this is part of our society. I think the idea of tipping is lost on most of us just by reading some of the responses here. Think about this, why should someone be tipped for performing normal competent service, i.e. the job that he/she is paid to do? Because he gets paid minimum wage?!?!? Remember, I agree with your statements but the whole idea is skewed.

 

[CWS]

I'm not saying you should or shouldn't tip.

If you had great service at a fine dining restaurant and you DIDN'T tip, would you feel guilty? If so, then you proved my point.

I understand what you saying but I'm not sure it holds true. If someone bombs me, I'm not obligated to to return the favor, but I do. I feel that a service, particularly a good service should be rewarded. To not tip for good service would feel like stealing to me. Not an obligation as much as a moral action. I know what servers make and I know that some don't care. When the service is great, I pay for it. I have a barrister at Starbucks that greets me in the morning by my first name, slips me samples of new grinds, always fill my cup to the brim and does all this with flair. I tip her too. If the McDonalds person looked as good as she does and provided service to this level they might get a tip too. :agreesmil

 

[Kingston]

"Tipping is about buying social approval, and the way you do that is to at least tip an average amount, but most people want to tip a little bit better than average. That exerts an upward pressure on tips," -Michael Lynn, an associate professor at Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

Interesting idea on why tip amounts keep rising.
Another interesting point of contention is whether or not to tip on the pre-tax amount (what you ordered) or the post-tax amount (total bill).

It's also interesting that the same amount of passion in this debate exists in states where servers are paid the real min wage (not $2.13), and in cities where the min wage is almost $9.

 

[Corona Gigante]

I usually divide the total (including tax) by 6 = 16.66%.

 

[Terrasco]

I rarely get good service in a restaurant. Hate it when the waitperson hovers. Don't like it when they get right down at the table and insert themselves in your party. Can't stand it when they actually sit down at your table. Frequently the waitperson interrupts my conversation. I do try to tip at least 15% up to 20%. My wife hates me to tip more than 15% because she used to be a waitress and thinks they don't deserve more than that.

 

[tobby4]

Sitting down at a table is just not classy to me... maybe at a sportsbar, but you better not do that crap at a 4 star place...

I dont know, just not the best thing to do imho

 

[caudio51]

Sitting down at a table is just not classy to me... maybe at a sportsbar, but you better not do that crap at a 4 star place...

I dont know, just not the best thing to do imho

It annoys me for some reason. Just not something you do....

 

[DocLogic77]

It's never bothered me but I understand why it bothers others.

 

[Wasch_24]

The server squating at the table, sitting at the table, our trying to be my "friend" are all very annoying to me as well.

 

[cvm4]

Exactly Todd...Give me good service and don't try to be buddy-buddy with me.

 

[bballbaby]

Tipping. What a great topic. During my younger days i used to work in the food service indsutry and i was a damn good waiter. I know the value of tipping.

A great server will get 30-40% from me. Great servers will take the time to have fun with my daughter, take time to have fun with my wife or me, flirt with me, or in general jsut give flat out outstanding service.

Average service will get 25%.and you have to be really crappy not to get 25% from me.

Bad service gets' 10-15%.

Now for orders of $20 or less, i tip a big percentage. for example, i go to TGI Fridays for lunch and it's $12.56. I leave $20. If it's $9.89, i'll leave 50% or $5.

For bar service it depends on several things.

If they're busy and it's my first order, i tip BIG, and make sure they know it. This insures good service the rest of the night.

If it's just the wife and i or me and another, i leave the balance of $5. For example, 2 drinks cost $12, i round up to $15, so the tip is $3. If' 2 drinks is $9, i'll leave $1 for the first couple then follow it with a $5.

If i've been drinking before hand, it's usually a $5 minimum per order.

If the barkeep is rude, they get nothing, i drink my drink and leave.

And 9 times out of 10, my wife and i will eat dinner at the bar becasue drinks are faster and service is better. Bartenders are more likely to be freindly and they ring that crazy bell when they get a good tip.

 

[Mitch]

We usualy do 20%+ with some adjustment for the price. I have no problem leaving a $1 dollar per drink tip at a bar that charges $10 dollars for a bottle of beer, and if we are at a cheap buffet, or decided to drink water and the bill comes in cheap, we'll overtip to make up the difference.