Do you tip at fine dining restaurants? Like $200+ a plate places

[TallBill]

I really want to try Alinea too, but the hard part is finding someone to go with me. Tickets are bought in pairs

Ok fine, you can take me!

It was a lovely meal. It was all really good, we had 4 waiters and a sommelier. It ended up being 15 courses, they gave us some bonus courses. 10 flights of wine. Clocked in just shy of $600 with tip, but I had a lovely 4 hours with a lovely companion. The duck bacon was quite tasty. I don't have a lot to compare it to, so I'm not sure is was "worth" it, but it was definitely the best evening/meal I've ever had.

Where? Sounds worth $600. I've spent $500 on 2 tickets to a White Sox game with food/beverage.

 

[GWestphal]

It was a place called La Belle Vie. One of the best places in Minneapolis or so I'm told. Not sure that it ranks anywhere near French Laundry or Alinea, but it was worth it for me. Money doesn't do you any good when you're dead.

 

[zerocool84]

I've tipped high for some really great places but that's rare. Most places barely put in any effort to serve the customers. I only get great service at high end restaurants and small diners, most places do the bare minimum and expect to be tipped like they're putting in any extra effort.

 

[mizzou]

if you spill $200 soup on $200 jeans, what happens?

 

[Imported]

I really want to try Alinea too, but the hard part is finding someone to go with me. Tickets are bought in pairs

Next time I'n in Chicago I'll go. :awe: The GF doesn't care for a lot of "odd" foods so I never get to do tasting menus anywhere.

 

[mikeford]

I don't mind tipping 20%. I found a great breakfast place and only go when I get coupons. Usually around$15 for my wife and I to eat. So $3 puts me at 20%.

I'm cheap, but always figure the tip without any coupon or promo discount. So a BOGO gets a tip based on the full, double price I paid, amount.

 

[gotsmack]

Next time I'n in Chicago I'll go. :awe: The GF doesn't care for a lot of "odd" foods so I never get to do tasting menus anywhere.

I'm in Minneapolis, so I can just take the bus over if it's going to be a long weekend, thats not in the winter. Let me know and we can plan something.

Ok fine, you can take me!

We can split a pair of tickets if you like.

It was a place called La Belle Vie. One of the best places in Minneapolis or so I'm told. Not sure that it ranks anywhere near French Laundry or Alinea, but it was worth it for me. Money doesn't do you any good when you're dead.

I've been in Minneapolis since Feb and I can't believe I never heard of this place. I normally depend on Chowhound forums to find decent food (which is lacking in Minneapolis!). Do you recommend anywhere else?

I've been to Vincent and didn't think they were worth mentioning.

Piccolo was nice, but not as amazing as Anthony Bourdain made out to be.

I want to try Bachelor Farmer, but they are doing a lot of beans right now and I can't have legumes.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Shit for what you get $200 doesn't seem that bad at all.

http://www.labellevie.us/PDF/LaBelleVieTasting.pdf

 

[TallBill]

We can split a pair of tickets if you like.

If I was still in town I would but I've been gone from Chicago for a year now.

 

[zoiks]

I've paid a lot more than that for dinner. I typically ask if the tip is already added and if not then I add 15-20% in based on how much I like the service.

On a related note, I recently went to Chez Panisse in Berkeley and noted that they had already added 18% as service charge to the bill. The waiter also informed me that his tip wasn't included in the 18% and that money was meant for all the other people helping with the food in the back. Incredulous as I was, I still ended up adding 15% more to the bill since I wanted to tip the guy as well. All in all, I ended up paying 33% in total tips/service charges most of which I think was unnecessary since the help in the back should be compensated by their wages and not tips. Not going there again.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Tipping at an expensive restaurant is like going concealed carry in a wealthy, Caucasian neighborhood. You're only supposed to tip at cheap restaurants where it's much more likely that someone will ejaculate into your food.

 

[TallBill]

I've paid a lot more than that for dinner. I typically ask if the tip is already added and if not then I add 15-20% in based on how much I like the service.

On a related note, I recently went to Chez Panisse in Berkeley and noted that they had already added 18% as service charge to the bill. The waiter also informed me that his tip wasn't included in the 18% and that money was meant for all the other people helping with the food in the back. Incredulous as I was, I still ended up adding 15% more to the bill since I wanted to tip the guy as well. All in all, I ended up paying 33% in total tips/service charges most of which I think was unnecessary since the help in the back should be compensated by their wages and not tips. Not going there again.

That's odd. I've heard of 18% included, but that's for everyone. Maybe he has a car payment overdue lol.

 

[bononos]

http://*********/avSfq9_mEis?t=1m

youtube not allowed?

 

[stlc8tr]

That's odd. I've heard of 18% included, but that's for everyone. Maybe he has a car payment overdue lol.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...rge-not-what-many-customers-believe-it-to-be/

There's a long ass response by Chez Panisse at the end of the article.

 

[MrColin]

I paid $300 for a light dinner once. These places also have a guy in the men's room to wipe for you (he needs a tip also). I felt perfectly comfortable leaving only 10%.

Douchecopters on Wall St feel entitled to that lifestyle. I wouldn't want to get used to it.

 

[TallBill]

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...rge-not-what-many-customers-believe-it-to-be/

There's a long ass response by Chez Panisse at the end of the article.

Good read actually. I kinda like it. Really not sure what a "good tip" would be, but i think 15% is about right. I'd have trouble telling someone that 10% is cheap in this situation.

 

[silverpig]

Also not true. You do more volume at a $20/person restaurant. At a $200/person restaurant there might be five 4-tops that two servers share, plus have a busser, a food runner. At a $20/person restaurant a good server could work 7+ 4-tops by themselves plus a busser who is also working in 4 other sections. The high end servers are going to make more, especially if they get expensive wine flowing to drive up check prices, but nowhere near ten times more. Maybe 2-3 times more.

Not only that, but a $200 meal usually takes well over an hour, sometimes 2 or 3. A $20 meal you can be in and out in 30 minutes.

 

[Tiamat]

In the us, You tip on food costs. Drinks get a buck tip or so each serving minimum. This matters when you are drinking expensive wines, aperitifs, digestifs, and the like.

In countries like Japan, they will not accept tips under any circumstances. Oh, and the service is better... Go figure!

 

[DrPizza]

I don't mind tipping 20%. I found a great breakfast place and only go when I get coupons. Usually around$15 for my wife and I to eat. So $3 puts me at 20%.

I tend to follow a "minimum" tip when meals are less expensive, provided the server does a good job. I find it odd to think that they deserve a lot less money for meals such as breakfast, just because they cost less on the menu. So, even if I had a coupon, there's no way I'd tip less than $5 for 2 people.

 

[lxskllr]

I tend to follow a "minimum" tip when meals are less expensive, provided the server does a good job. I find it odd to think that they deserve a lot less money for meals such as breakfast, just because they cost less on the menu. So, even if I had a coupon, there's no way I'd tip less than $5 for 2 people.

That's what I've always done too. $5 is pretty much my minimum tip for a typical sit down meal.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

That's what I've always done too. $5 is pretty much my minimum tip for a typical sit down meal.

Yeah if that's the expected minimum then I probably need to not go. I only go out to eat a handful of times a year as it is. My cheapness is a curse and a blessing.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Not only that, but a $200 meal usually takes well over an hour, sometimes 2 or 3. A $20 meal you can be in and out in 30 minutes.

I really have no interest in eating for a hour or more. Especially at $200 a sitting. Even if I was a billionaire I wouldn't use dollar bills for toilet paper. Same principle.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I don't mind tipping 20%. I found a great breakfast place and only go when I get coupons. Usually around$15 for my wife and I to eat. So $3 puts me at 20%.

You really should be tipping on the total amount BEFORE subtracting savings from coupons, discounts, etc.

 

[dank69]

if you spill $200 soup on $200 jeans, what happens?

$40000 piece of artwork.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

yes, just like any other sit-down full-service establishment