should i leave a tip when the service is crap?

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xospec1alk

Diamond Member
Mar 4, 2002
4,329
0
0
I had horrible service one time...waiter took forever to take the order, food took forever to come out...i was damn near ready to not leave a tip...

except the manager came over, explained to us that there was a huge party in the back and they were understaffed for the nite. he comped our drinks and our dessert. didn't even tell us they were going to do that, but i got the bill and it was waaaaay cheaper than i expected...i tipped 30%
 

franksta

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2001
1,967
6
81
Originally posted by: Xanis
Tips are just a little extra something for someone who does the job that they get payed for doing their job anyhow.

Yes, but I was under the impression that servers didn't make minimum wage and was closer to half of that. $3/hour or similar. Maybe that's not the case anymore but if it is you'd think they'd try their best to provide top notch service.

OP you did the right thing.
 

HN

Diamond Member
Jan 19, 2001
8,186
4
0
ok, now that we've gotten away from leaving no tip to leaving something that really gets the message across:

drop a penny or whatever coin into empty glass (nice big ole one). fill with water/liquid. cover top with something thin and stiff (they gave you a coaster didn't they?). turn the whole thing upside down. place on table and slide the cover off quickly. now it's going to be very difficult to remove that glass without spilling and all they get for their wet troubles is the coin you left.
 

thirdeye

Platinum Member
Jun 19, 2001
2,610
0
76
www.davewalter.net
Tipping is definitely a priviledge. I used to wait tables so I'm extremely picky when it comes to service, I'll let some things slide but others will result in a very poor tip. However, I will tip well over 20% if the service is deserving, you just learn to appreciate it more.
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
I would have stiffed the $0.17 given that terrible service. And probably never return to the restaurant either. I don't appreciate having my meal ruined by my server.
 

spanky

Lifer
Jun 19, 2001
25,716
4
81
Originally posted by: xospec1alk
I had horrible service one time...waiter took forever to take the order, food took forever to come out...i was damn near ready to not leave a tip...

except the manager came over, explained to us that there was a huge party in the back and they were understaffed for the nite. he comped our drinks and our dessert. didn't even tell us they were going to do that, but i got the bill and it was waaaaay cheaper than i expected...i tipped 30%

i had something along those lines happen to me before in a chilli's. i order some chicken and when it came out, it tasted like 3 day old chicken. i flagged down the waiter and got the entree exchanged (same dish). that one tasted like ass too. i was all pissed, but then the manager walks over and asks how things were. i told him i was disappointed that my chicken tasted stale, and even the replacement dish was more of the same. the manager was very polite in explaining that for my entree, a batch of chicken is made each morning, and chances are, it was a bad batch. he replaced my entree again with something else on the menu, and when the bill came, he comped the appetizers and drinks :cool:

btw, shameless plug.... this was the chilli's in north brunswick, nj (on rt 1 south).