Do You Tip At Restaurants?

[Kyleigh]

I always tip very well (25-30%) because I too waitressed a long time ago. In Canada, our servers are paid at least $10 / hour (minimum wage).

I also try and have a bit of a "conversation" with the server - gives me an idea of their headspace, and what's going on with them. I have found this extremely helpful.

There was one time (I don't eat out very often) a bunch of us were out for dinner and we kept seeing the waitress texting every time she was out of "tables'" reach. She was obviously distracted, and it did show in her work - taking a long time to get back, mixing up plates, etc.

I asked her, jokingly, if something was wrong with her phone as she seemed to be always on it. Suddenly, she had tears in her eyes. One of my friends put her hand on her arm, and asked her what was wrong.

Turned out her husband was texting her b/c their son had just been rushed to the children's hospital, he'd been hit by a car. She couldn't leave work b/c they needed the money. We were devastated for her, I couldn't imagine not being able to leave work.

She left our table, and while she was gone, we pooled together some money ... after a couple of trips to the ATM, we came up with $500 from all of us. Called her over, handed her to money, and told her to take the day off ... it was on us. She was beside herself, and we told her we all understood, now go talk to your boss ... and leave - be with your child and husband. We watched her leave a couple of minutes later and the manager of the restaurant came over.

Uh Oh - none of us had thought of him being out a waitress for the rest of the day. All these thoughts ran through my head, and we talked about it afterwards ... had we pissed him off?

Turns out, he had no idea what had happened to her son, so he was very thankful that we had insisted she leave, with a little financial help! Our meal that evening was free, and every time we go back there (at least once every two or three months) we get a free entree!

You would have to be the rudest, most horrible person, in order for me NOT to tip ... I've been on the other side, and I know just how rude some people can be ... it's not easy going from one table where they're hurling insults at you (because the food wasn't cooked to their liking) to another table, in a nanosecond, where you have to be smiling and act like everything's fine.

This is why I always try and find out "what's going on that day" with my server ...

[julie87]

I always leave a tip unless the waitress is incredibly rude for no reason, especially if I see her/him being nice next table over.If you wan't a good tip you have to be nice to your customers.

[ayoitzrimz]

I was a waiter for 5 years while in college, and a bus boy before that, and a dishwasher before that, so I go into a restaurant looking to tip at least 25%. I know it's a lot, but this is NYC and an expensive place to live

If all goes well, I tip 25-30%. 30% is usually the limit between being a generous tipper and a pompous ass IMO. I usually do not make too many modifications unless I know the staff well, and if there is an issue I will always go up the chain of command - first let the waiter know, then the host, then the manager, finally I just walk out (but it never gotten to that) and will usually only leave less than 20% if the issues were the waiter's fault (so if the food is bad, the waiter will still get a generous tip if he was trying to help)

[lhczth]

I always tip and I tip very well. If the service is AWFUL then I will tip less. If the tip is exceptional I tip extremely well. I tend to tip more when we have big groups since I know that can be tough.

[shepherdmom]

Originally Posted by Midnight12

This is a big insult to wait staff, seen a penny on another girls table once and I got rid of it. We have feelings too and she was a very nice girl,sometimes things just go wrong.

Wow... You felt the need to change someones tip? I think that is WRONG! The wait person needs to know they screwed up so they don't do it again. I only have ever left a penny once and that person really deserved it. Not only that we also spoke to the manager on the way out about how absolutely terrible the service was.

I tip depending on the service. Regular service gets 15%... if my drink is always filled and wait staff is extra friendly I usually give a little over 20%. Going above and beyond they get whatever I feel like giving extra. One night we had a super great waitress who was just on top of things and very friendly we are regulars and she remembered our drinks, gave us tips on what was good that night and just went above and beyond and we gave her a really nice tip. It was more than 30% but it was near the holidays. I hope she didn't think we were being stuffy or something. She just did a really great job.

[shepherdmom]

Originally Posted by Jax08

I used to waitress so, of course, I tip. At least 20%. I've only ever stiffed one waiter.

I did get a penny once. Never did have any idea what I did to them. However, they did come back and they never got very good service after that. Note to customers: Wait staff will have each others backs so if you leave a penny, don't go back.

The only place I've ever left a penny was so terrible I wouldn't want to go back.

[x0emiroxy0x]

Originally Posted by shepherdmom

The only place I've ever left a penny was so terrible I wouldn't want to go back.

"HAHAH! This girl was not up to my standards so I am going to leave one penny so she knows just how much I dislike her"

Do you know that the server must tip out anywhere from 3-10% of YOUR meal to the bartender/busboys/ and food runners?

Good job, the waitor just had to PAY out of her other tips for your meal.

I think that kind of behavior is despicable. If you have a problem, talk to the manager...and if you don't want to leave a tip, don't leave one. But leaving a penny?

I wonder if that waitor/waitress had a child at home that was hungry.

[x0emiroxy0x]

Originally Posted by shepherdmom

Wow... You felt the need to change someones tip? I think that is WRONG! The wait person needs to know they screwed up so they don't do it again.

The funny thing is, you are "that guy" and don't even know it. The person the servers moan about the second you walk in the door. Anyone who would leave a penny just to spite someone instead of being an adult is the type of person servers hate to wait on.

I had the absolute worst service of my life, and the waiter was a jerk to top it. Know what I did? I used my big girl words and asked the manager for a new waiter. But I guess I'm just not cheap like some people who get delight out of leaving pennies for people

[shepherdmom]

Originally Posted by x0emiroxy0x

"HAHAH! This girl was not up to my standards so I am going to leave one penny so she knows just how much I dislike her"

Do you know that the server must tip out anywhere from 3-10% of YOUR meal to the bartender/busboys/ and food runners?

Good job, the waitor just had to PAY out of her other tips for your meal.

I think that kind of behavior is despicable. If you have a problem, talk to the manager...and if you don't want to leave a tip, don't leave one. But leaving a penny?

I wonder if that waitor/waitress had a child at home that was hungry.]

I don't care what you think. I paid my food bill. The waitress got 1 penny because she screwed up the orders (no ones food was right) no ones drinks were right, the wait for our food that was cold and wrong was over an hour. The bill was wrong and she was a silly little teenager giggling with her friends rather than helping us. I believe after we talked to the manager she got fired and I hope so she deserved it. If you consider that a brag well that is your problem.

[shepherdmom]

[quote=x0emiroxy0x;2715961]The funny thing is, you are "that guy" and don't even know it. The person the servers moan about the second you walk in the door. Anyone who would leave a penny just to spite someone instead of being an adult is the type of person servers hate to wait on.

I had the absolute worst service of my life, and the waiter was a jerk to top it. Know what I did? I used my big girl words and asked the manager for a new waiter. /quote]

Two messages to me over one small post. We were several moms having breakfast out on a trip with a bunch of small hungry children we had to keep occupied for over an hour before we got our cold wrong orders and all of us adults agreed. We gave her chance after chance to fix the problems but she obviously didn't care. I don't feel a bit bad about leaving her a penny and yes I would do it again.