Proper tip amount at restaurants?

[ElFenix]

I start at 15%.
If I get so-so service (have to ask for refill), you get 15%
Bad service gets you 10% or less, depending on how bad.
Good service (never running out of anything, especially drink) will get you 20%.

for regular family places the drink test is key. if i never notice my cup needs refilled, 20%.

 

[alkemyst]

I start at 15%.
If I get so-so service (have to ask for refill), you get 15%
Bad service gets you 10% or less, depending on how bad.
Good service (never running out of anything, especially drink) will get you 20%.

+1.

A server is ENTITLED to 15% for basic service.

Also basic service at almost any place most of us eat regularly ($15 and less per entree) is about having to ask at times for something. The poor dude/chick probably has 20-30 tables to cover.

As you go up in scale that 15% buys you refills before you ask, your bread basket/salad bowl never empty, etc. Your server has less than a handful of tables to wait usually.

 

[Rhoxed]

+1.

A server is ENTITLED to 15% for basic service.

Also basic service at almost any place most of us eat regularly ($15 and less per entree) is about having to ask at times for something. The poor dude/chick probably has 20-30 tables to cover.

As you go up in scale that 15% buys you refills before you ask, your bread basket/salad bowl never empty, etc. Your server has less than a handful of tables to wait usually.

15% should be the starting amount if your server was half-way competent, for good service 18-25% - this means empty beer doesn't sit for 5 mins until they ask you if you want another. I also hate servers that poke at you every 2-4 minutes, asking if everything is okay or if we need anything, if we all have full drinks, and we aren't flagging them down for the bill then just let us eat - but I don't tip less for this.

 

[TallBill]

Anywhere from 20 percent to 100 percent. But I work in the industry and know a lot of bartenders so quite often a lot goes missing off of my tab. Tends to be higher if I go eat alone, because I sit at the bar.

If its sit down dinner with a lady, usually 25-30.

Yesterday I spent about four hours in a bar, ate lunch, had maybe a dozen drinks or shots and the girl with me also ate and had 4-5 beers and our tab was $30, so I left $55.

 

[KMFJD]

If you were at least coherent you'd realize you can lower the tip amount at checkout if you desire.

You don't tip based on you feel $5 or $2 is ok. It's based on percent of food cost.

If you think $2 is the norm then do not order more than $13 in food.

before or after taxes?

 

[Jadow]

15% of the pre-tax amount, although I usually round up to the nearest dollar.

If they do something amazing or a make a good recommendation, I'll go higher.

 

[lothar]

Not true, food services has a diffrent min wage. We make 4.3x an hour. Thankfully on a busy night, I can make up to 40 an hour just on tips.

All waiters make at least minimum wage.

If you don't make enough from tips, your employer is obligated to pay you the difference up to minimum wage of $7.25/hr
Look up federal law and contact the Department of Labour if you need to.

But then again, you mentioned in another thread that you make about $400/night, so why should I have to tip you?
Waiters make $40/hr??? Well then...There's no need to tip.

That's like Steve Jobs or the Google founders complaining that they get a salary of $1/year while neglecting the millions of dollars in stock options they're awarded yearly as compensation.

 

[SandEagle]

as a recovering trolloholic i can tell you this thread is 100% troll. i applaud OP for doing this before i did.

 

[lord_emperor]

You forgot the "nothing" option.

Tipping became "required" in the USA because several states passed laws allowing employers to deduct expected tips from employees wages, sometimes allowing pay as little as $3.75/hour.

However this kind of law does not exist in many states and most other countries.

Additionally, in order to do this (legally) the employer must demonstrate that sufficient tips are being received to meet the agreed salary and the employees must report these tips in full as income.

 

[lothar]

Um, yeah. You obviously don't know WTF you're talking about.

Why don't you try looking it up before making retarded blanket statements like that? 🙄

Federal Basic Combined Cash & Tip Minimum Wage Rate: $7.25 in your same stupid chart.
What does the word "federal" mean to you?

Wow, you really are an idiot.

What is the minimum wage for workers who receive tips?

An employer may pay a tipped employee not less than $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equal at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference.
Some states have minimum wage laws specific to tipped employees. When an employee is subject to both the federal and state wage laws, the employee is entitled to the provisions of each law which provide the greater benefits.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/q-a.htm

You need to follow your own advice.

 

[Stuxnet]

Erik the problem is you. Tips are expected for service. For food service they are expected to get 15%. It's not really an option.

Cheap bastages like yourself have somehow spun the tip system into making 15% only for service above and beyond and 5-10% for normal service. More recently has the discussion that tips are entirely optional and should never be expected come up.

If you are too fucking broke or think the food cost is too high, then eat somewhere else if you can't scrape together 15% for a tip.

It's people like you that ruin service for everyone. You probably have your waiter jumping through hoops, the manager at your table 2 or 3 times and finally walk out not only not tipping, but probably getting your check discounted.

Seconded :thumbsup:

 

[Mike Gayner]

These threads are exactly the same every time. Maybe the mods should just sticky a tips thread and be done with it.

 

[erikistired]

Erik the problem is you. Tips are expected for service. For food service they are expected to get 15%. It's not really an option.

Cheap bastages like yourself have somehow spun the tip system into making 15% only for service above and beyond and 5-10% for normal service. More recently has the discussion that tips are entirely optional and should never be expected come up.

If you are too fucking broke or think the food cost is too high, then eat somewhere else if you can't scrape together 15% for a tip.

It's people like you that ruin service for everyone. You probably have your waiter jumping through hoops, the manager at your table 2 or 3 times and finally walk out not only not tipping, but probably getting your check discounted.

which is funny because i tip 20% or more, almost always. at my favorite mexican place i often tip 30% because i get really good service. so i guess i'm not poor, or cheap. i have had to talk to manager maybe once last year that i can remember, and that's because we waited 20 minutes before someone took our drink order. they offered to comp our drinks and app, but after finding out the server was new i told him it was fine, and we got good service the rest of the night.

keep assuming though, it's better than you making up bullshit stories about your past. and i'll keep telling the "service industry" that they are not entitled to anything, and should be happy people care enough to tip them and stop lording it over us like we owe them something. do your fucking job, do it right, and shut up already. and yes, i'm talking to you, who i'm sure will be serving food at some place tonight while you dream about new bullshit to spew on the forums.

 

[lothar]

I double tax usually. Server deserves at least twice as much as govt who i get little utility off of.

What if you lived in a state that doesn't charge sales tax?

 

[xanis]

I start at 15%.
If I get so-so service (have to ask for refill), you get 15%
Bad service gets you 10% or less, depending on how bad.
Good service (never running out of anything, especially drink) will get you 20%.

Exactly this. Olds with the correct answer!

 

[meltdown75]

i don't tip, they are making an hourly wage to begin with. *snicker*

 

[lothar]

for regular family places the drink test is key. if i never notice my cup needs refilled, 20%.

Totally agree. I don't think I ask for much, but when I'm done with my meal, I want out. I know servers aren't mind readers, but the check should be delivered shortly before the entrees are finished. One of the worst offenses is bringing the check by and then disappearing for a half hour. You just brought my check... wtf do you think I'm doing at the table right now??? Nothing.

These are my main tests.
If you pass both, you get anywhere between 15% and 25% depending on a few other things.
If you fail, less than 15% including but not limited to 0% is assured depending on a few "minor" other things.

15% should be the starting amount if your server was half-way competent, for good service 18-25% - this means empty beer doesn't sit for 5 mins until they ask you if you want another. I also hate servers that poke at you every 2-4 minutes, asking if everything is okay or if we need anything, if we all have full drinks, and we aren't flagging them down for the bill then just let us eat - but I don't tip less for this.

Note to servers: That's how to earn a 25% tip.

 

[slightlyhuman]

Where'd you pull this bullshit from? I used to be a server, and I've known more throughout my life, and no one made that little. Not even close.

In fact, when I was a server I was making minimum wage just like everyone else.

must be nice. i wait on the weekends and get $3.30 an hour + tips.

texas.

 

[Alone]

must be nice. i wait on the weekends and get $3.30 an hour + tips.

texas.

Doesn't matter; I get raped elsewhere financially.

For an entry level job that's minimum wage (or less, apparently) you still make a shit ton of money.

 

[alkemyst]

All waiters make at least minimum wage.

If you don't make enough from tips, your employer is obligated to pay you the difference up to minimum wage of $7.25/hr
Look up federal law and contact the Department of Labour if you need to.

But then again, you mentioned in another thread that you make about $400/night, so why should I have to tip you?
Waiters make $40/hr??? Well then...There's no need to tip.

That's like Steve Jobs or the Google founders complaining that they get a salary of $1/year while neglecting the millions of dollars in stock options they're awarded yearly as compensation.

First when most think of waiters they are thinking of someone in a place like TGIF's or the high end types. For the HOURS THEY WORK, most of those will hit minimum wage. However, for higher end waiters they are not in it for minimum wage nor should they be expected to make it.

What people don't picture is that lady that doesn't look so hot that Fridays and the like won't hire. She has kids so she can't work nights as evening care is something she can't afford. Fortunately the school has their own after school programs so she can get a couple more hours in.

She ends up with about 10 hours or so. Most of the good lunch crowd asks to be sat with other 'better looking waitresses'...she mostly gets overflow.

At the end of the day she may have had 30 tables if she is lucky and many were coffee only. She walks out with $50 if she's lucky. With new laws the minimum wage for servers is the current minimum wage minus 31% (it's assumed they will make at least 31% in tips).

Even if the waitress made $6/hr at the end of her day she just netted about $11 an hour for pretty hard work.

Some days she only gets a couple tables and falls short.

I don't know any server that ended up with a bad week that went to their boss and asked them to make up the difference. I am sure if they did do this, they'd start not getting hours.

There are a lot of struggling waiters out there. All those little hole in the walls that barely survive.

I really doubt Heller makes $400 night regularly. It's like pizza guys saying they make $50/hr when it's based on 3 hours on a friday or saturday rush.

 

[nageov3t]

You forgot the "nothing" option.

Tipping became "required" in the USA because several states passed laws allowing employers to deduct expected tips from employees wages, sometimes allowing pay as little as $3.75/hour.

However this kind of law does not exist in many states and most other countries.

Additionally, in order to do this (legally) the employer must demonstrate that sufficient tips are being received to meet the agreed salary and the employees must report these tips in full as income.

it's social convention.

and it can have its benefits when you're a regular at an establishment.

 

[thegimp03]

I try to correlate my tip to the level of service I receive and what the bill was including. For example, I go somewhere nice and buy a bottle of wine at the restaurant that's for example's sake is $50 and the bill ends up being $150 total. I'll usually calculate my tip on the $100 worth of food rather than the total bill of $150 unless all around service was exceptional and I frequently dine at the restaurant. First, the restaurant is already marking that bottle of wine up 50-75%+ and second it's not like the waiter or a bartender had to make a cocktail.

 

[alkemyst]

It customary not to tip on alcohol especially bottles. However; if you are drinking a lot of single drinks, a buck or two a round should be extended.

The rule was mostly created for those that ordered expensive wine/spirits with a meal. Not the beer and cocktail crowd.

 

[qliveur]

Federal Basic Combined Cash & Tip Minimum Wage Rate: $7.25 in your same stupid chart.
What does the word "federal" mean to you?

Wow, you really are an idiot.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/q-a.htm

You need to follow your own advice.

Excuse me, but this...

All servers in every state make at least minimum wage($7.25/hr)...That is federal law.
Maybe his restaurant manager cheated him and he probably wasn't aware?

...in no way implies that you meant "base wage plus tips", and I'm not a mind-reader. There were several times that we did not make minimum wage because business was too slow, and our employer was not obligated to make up the difference, "federal law" or not.

Now go crawl back under your bridge, you know-it-all asshole. 🙄

 

[halik]

Excuse me, but this...

...in no way implies that you meant "base wage plus tips", and I'm not a mind-reader. There were several times that we did not make minimum wage because business was too slow, and our employer was not obligated to make up the difference, "federal law" or not.

Now go crawl back under your bridge, you know-it-all asshole. 🙄

Err so you expect other people subsidize your shitty employer? Maybe you should have a talk with him/her... You're supposed to be making minimum wage, regardless whether it comes from the patron or the restaurant.

That's on par with asking people for "gratuities", because your employer hasn't given you a paycheck in 3 months.