Are you suppose to tip an additional percentage on top of enforced gratuity?

[AccruedExpenditure]

I mean, does that even make sense? In my experience I have so i don't look like a cheap arse, but still... what's the rule about this...? And if you do tip on top of the gratuity, do you base the tip on the price of the meal or on the total after the gratuity... Does the standard 10-20 percent tip apply if you're already paying gratuity, or can you slide by with 5 percent?

?

 

[Howard]

Depends on what the included gratuity is.

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

Originally posted by: Howard
Depends on what the included gratuity is.

Most places i've been its 15-18 percent...

 

[RCN]

No. Unless you want to of course.....

 

[SampSon]

This has been covered in numerous other tipping threads, but you can never have too many.

It's should be your option to tip above the included gratuity. If it was me, I would base my tip off of the bill before gratuity is added.

 

[Rage187]

no.

 

[darkxshade]

That would be retarded. As a matter of fact if they calculate the gratuity into my bill I usually pay the exact amount. If I get just the tab, I'd usually tip higher.

 

[mugs]

If a restaurant wants to force me to tip a certain percentage, that's all they'll get and not a dime more. If they want to leave it up to me they would almost always get a bigger tip unless the service is piss poor.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: mugs
If a restaurant wants to force me to tip a certain percentage, that's all they'll get and not a dime more. If they want to leave it up to me they would almost always get a bigger tip unless the service is piss poor.

Same here.

 

[KarenMarie]

usually, when in a rest that says... parties over a certain amount get auto % gratuity.... i give the server a choice. they can have the auto grat and not a penny more, or they can forgo the auto grat and be tipped on preformance. i also let them know that i worked in rests. on and off for over 20 years.

normal tip for me is 20% for decent service, more for good service. it is up to the server.

if it is an establish that just puts grat on, no matter what... i will throw the server/bartender a few bucks on top if the service is good.

but i am not in the habit of just giving away money without a really good reason.

 

[chambersc]

there is no such thing as "enforce gratuity." it's all the tip, anyway. i asked a manager of a local restaurant about that because it said an "optional 18% gatuity wil l be added." I asked if i can opt out of that charge and they said that the gratuity is just straight tip anyway to prevent low tippers for waiters who bend over backwards for the clients.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: mugs
If a restaurant wants to force me to tip a certain percentage, that's all they'll get and not a dime more. If they want to leave it up to me they would almost always get a bigger tip unless the service is piss poor.

Same here.

I agree with this as well. If gratuity is included in the bill, then that's exactly what I pay. If not, I usually tip about 20% if the service is decent.

 

[Clocker]

I do not like forced tipping and I try to follow a standard Karen Marie suggested. However, i just want to point out that in some parts of South Dakota people just dont tip very well at all. Like less than 10 percent. Its rough for people in this industry.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: mugs
If a restaurant wants to force me to tip a certain percentage, that's all they'll get and not a dime more. If they want to leave it up to me they would almost always get a bigger tip unless the service is piss poor.

:thumbsup:

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: KarenMarie
usually, when in a rest that says... parties over a certain amount get auto % gratuity.... i give the server a choice. they can have the auto grat and not a penny more, or they can forgo the auto grat and be tipped on preformance. i also let them know that i worked in rests. on and off for over 20 years.

normal tip for me is 20% for decent service, more for good service. it is up to the server.

if it is an establish that just puts grat on, no matter what... i will throw the server/bartender a few bucks on top if the service is good.

but i am not in the habit of just giving away money without a really good reason.

That's a good way to do it since it's not the waiter who forces the gratuity on you, it's the restaurant. I think I'd feel weird having that conversation with a waiter though.

 

[KarenMarie]

Originally posted by: Clocker
I do not like forced tipping and I try to follow a standard Karen Marie suggested. However, i just want to point out that in some parts of South Dakota people just dont tip very well at all. Like less than 10 percent. Its rough for people in this industry.

I found the same in Nashville when i lived there. ppl thought nothing of coming in for lunch, having a salad and a glass of water with lemon (to which they add sugar and make lemonade)... sitting for an hour or more and leaving $0.60. Or ppl that will come for a four course meal, run up and $80.00 check and tell the server how wonderful s/he was while they press $4-5.00 in their hand.



here in nj, it is pretty much 15-20% no matter how crappy the server is.

 

[KarenMarie]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: KarenMarie
usually, when in a rest that says... parties over a certain amount get auto % gratuity.... i give the server a choice. they can have the auto grat and not a penny more, or they can forgo the auto grat and be tipped on preformance. i also let them know that i worked in rests. on and off for over 20 years.

normal tip for me is 20% for decent service, more for good service. it is up to the server.

if it is an establish that just puts grat on, no matter what... i will throw the server/bartender a few bucks on top if the service is good.

but i am not in the habit of just giving away money without a really good reason.

That's a good way to do it since it's not the waiter who forces the gratuity on you, it's the restaurant. I think I'd feel weird having that conversation with a waiter though.

Nah... why would you feel weird about it? The server is there for the tip. not to entertain me or be my friend. he offers a service for which he wants money. i like to get the terms out of the way on the outset.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: KarenMarie
Nah... why would you feel weird about it? The server is there for the tip. not to entertain me or be my friend. he offers a service for which he wants money. i like to get the terms out of the way on the outset.

I don't know, I just don't like to talk about the tip with the waiter. I don't even like it when they pick up the check before I've left, or paying with cash unless I have the right bills to leave a tip without asking for change.

 

[KarenMarie]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: KarenMarie
Nah... why would you feel weird about it? The server is there for the tip. not to entertain me or be my friend. he offers a service for which he wants money. i like to get the terms out of the way on the outset.

I don't know, I just don't like to talk about the tip with the waiter. I don't even like it when they pick up the check before I've left, or paying with cash unless I have the right bills to leave a tip without asking for change.

awww... i think that is really cute.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: KarenMarie
awww... i think that is really cute.

Uh.... ok

 

[RCN]

Originally posted by: chambersc
there is no such thing as "enforce gratuity." it's all the tip, anyway. i asked a manager of a local restaurant about that because it said an "optional 18% gatuity wil l be added." I asked if i can opt out of that charge and they said that the gratuity is just straight tip anyway to prevent low tippers for waiters who bend over backwards for the clients.

I've read this three times and still don't understand wtf you are trying to say.......

 

[OdiN]

I don't believe in tipping.

</Reservoir Dogs>

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: mugs
If a restaurant wants to force me to tip a certain percentage, that's all they'll get and not a dime more. If they want to leave it up to me they would almost always get a bigger tip unless the service is piss poor.

Same here.

So you penalize the server for the restaurant's policies?

 

[KarenMarie]

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: mugs
If a restaurant wants to force me to tip a certain percentage, that's all they'll get and not a dime more. If they want to leave it up to me they would almost always get a bigger tip unless the service is piss poor.

Same here.

So you penalize the server for the restaurant's policies?

most rests... at least all the ones i have worked in or eaten in... will allow the server to forego the auto grat. a word with the server or manager and the grat can easily be overturned. but if the server chooses to stick with the autograt, then there is nothing wrong it adding to it.

also... there was a huge debate on whether or not the auto grat is even legal. i dont remember the outcome to that. since grat is a gift... above and beyond the check, is it enforceable? and since it is only enforced on large parties... is it discriminatory?

i dont remember what the legal outcome of that was... anyone else remember?

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: KarenMarie

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: mugs
If a restaurant wants to force me to tip a certain percentage, that's all they'll get and not a dime more. If they want to leave it up to me they would almost always get a bigger tip unless the service is piss poor.

Same here.

So you penalize the server for the restaurant's policies?

most rests... at least all the ones i have worked in or eaten in... will allow the server to forego the auto grat. a word with the server or manager and the grat can easily be overturned. but if the server chooses to stick with the autograt, then there is nothing wrong it adding to it.

also... there was a huge debate on whether or not the auto grat is even legal. i dont remember the outcome to that. since grat is a gift... above and beyond the check, is it enforceable? and since it is only enforced on large parties... is it discriminatory?

i dont remember what the legal outcome of that was... anyone else remember?

I'm going to have to take your word on this one. In the three restaurants I've worked at, there has never been auto-gratuity besides for parties over 15. And even then, they were usually scheduled ahead of time, with the condition that the gratuity is non-optional, as it is part of the bill.