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

[KeithTalent]

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.

How is that even remotely the same?

KT

 

[GWestphal]

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.



We can split a pair of tickets if you like.



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.

Vincent is alright, but definitely bottom of the barrel in term of fine dining. But their 5 course menu is pretty cheap.

I do enjoy Piccolo, but it depends on what is on the menu at the time. They had some Waygu beef tartare that was outstanding a few months back.

Heidi's down on Lake/Lyndale is quite good. I've done the tasting menu there before.

Travail is currently moving to a larger location, but also quite good.

Victory 44 has been recommended, but it seems like there was a migration of staff to Travail.

Bachelor Farmer, D'Amico Kitchen, Butcher and the Boar, Haute Dish, Borough, Birch etc aren't quite fine dining, but the food is still very good, just not tasting menu type places.

 

[KeithTalent]

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

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

Grand Tasting Menu looks yummy. If I ever make the trek back to Minnesota, I'll have to check it out.

KT

 

[mikeford]

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.

Sounds like you got rolled. I would have had a word with the manager on the way out.

 

[KeithTalent]

Sounds like you got rolled. I would have had a word with the manager on the way out.

When I worked in restaurants a % of what was given to the wait staff by customers was put into a kitchen pool (I think it was 1% or something like that?). It was certainly not two tip amounts. I'll have to read the article linked earlier to try and understand the reasoning here. :hmm:

KT

 

[rh71]

many would say the same about your car

meh, I still love getting into it after almost 6 years. I don't just shit it out after 12 hours like I do with even the best food.

 

[Ns1]

meh, I still love getting into it after almost 6 years. I don't just shit it out after 12 hours like I do with even the best food.

You shat out depreciation as soon as you drove it off the lot. You probably drove to dinner too lol

 

[shortylickens]

Even at those places the waiters usually make shit. Half minimum wage. They might wear nice clothes but they're probably owned by the management.

You still need to tip.

 

[zerocool84]

Even at those places the waiters usually make shit. Half minimum wage. They might wear nice clothes but they're probably owned by the management.

You still need to tip.

Many states they make minimum wage and no, you still don't NEED to tip, tips are earned.

 

[gotsmack]

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

That's because people over there (as a whole) take pride in their work, even if it is a low end job.

 

[rh71]

You shat out depreciation as soon as you drove it off the lot. You probably drove to dinner too lol

Depreciation only matters if you ever want to sell it in a reasonable amount of time. My last car went 14 years then the damn GM transmission died on me. Twice. Otherwise I'd probably still have it going on 18 years.

 

[AViking]

Never been to a place that was $200 a plate. Done a handful of $100 a plate places.

Tipping is supposed to compensate them for their poor hourly wage. I wouldn't eat at a $200 a plate place that paid their staff minimum wage. I want someone who knows the wine list, the food, and knows how to give good service. With that said I still tip in the states since I can never tell if a place is paying their employees like shit or not. Assuming they did a good job. In Europe I don't tip since it's offensive. If they work at a fine dining restaurant they are paid well since they are trained to be professional in that field. Tipping implies that they are poor and not trained.

 

[alangrift]

You should tip more at those places.