tip has almost nothing to do with the quality of service

[ElFenix]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4191557.html

this quote bothers me:

"I find it unacceptable for people not to know that the tipping rate is 20 percent," Burkhart said.

i've never heard 20% as the default rate

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4191557.html

this quote bothers me:

"I find it unacceptable for people not to know that the tipping rate is 20 percent," Burkhart said.

i've never heard 20% as the default rate

Inflation...

I try for 15-20% based on level of service.

Poor service at times has just gotten $0.01 to demonstrate displeasure.

No tip indicates bad customer.

 

[DurocShark]

Servers have been pushing 20% for a while now. I'll tip 20% if the service is perfect. To the point where I don't even think about it, everything just happens as I expect.

I used to wait tables and I expected the following:

0% if I or the kitchen blew it
10% if I or the kitchen were slow
15% if everything was adequate
20% if everything just snapped into place, or the customer made extraordinary demands

 

[krunchykrome]

I've gotten myself involved in too many of these tipping flames here on ATOT. This is one I will stay out of.

 

[d3n]

Its irritating. I tip what I tip.

I find this sentiment of 'entitlement' a real problem. Especially with kids.

 

[Savij]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: ElFenix
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4191557.html

this quote bothers me:

"I find it unacceptable for people not to know that the tipping rate is 20 percent," Burkhart said.

i've never heard 20% as the default rate

Inflation...

I try for 15-20% based on level of service.

Poor service at times has just gotten $0.01 to demonstrate displeasure.

No tip indicates bad customer.

Tip inflation is included in the inflation of the meal. As the meal goes up in price, so does the tip.

 

[brikis98]

i wish restaraunts would just pay waiters a decent salary (like many places in europe) and we would just forget this whole tip business. that would mean the food would get, say, 15% more expensive... but if you don't have to tip, then it's all the same.

 

[dainthomas]

The sentiment is widely shared on the Internet. A database on one Web site, bitter waitress.com, allows servers across the country to submit the names of customers who tipped less than 17 percent.

That's gotta be a huge list.

 

[JS80]

I tip 10%.

 

[yowolabi]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: ElFenix
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4191557.html

this quote bothers me:

"I find it unacceptable for people not to know that the tipping rate is 20 percent," Burkhart said.

i've never heard 20% as the default rate

Inflation...

I try for 15-20% based on level of service.

Poor service at times has just gotten $0.01 to demonstrate displeasure.

No tip indicates bad customer.

Why would it go up due to inflation? That makes no sense to me. Due to inflation the price of the food goes up... which means that a tip, as a percentage of the food price, would go up on par with inflation.

 

[Lonyo]

Included service charge FTW!

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: JS80
I tip 10%.

as is fair and proper.

Seriously, for the 5 minutes of the waiter's time that it takes to get my order and bring it out, why are they expecting an enormous compensation?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Savij

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: ElFenix
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4191557.html

this quote bothers me:

"I find it unacceptable for people not to know that the tipping rate is 20 percent," Burkhart said.

i've never heard 20% as the default rate

Inflation...

I try for 15-20% based on level of service.

Poor service at times has just gotten $0.01 to demonstrate displeasure.

No tip indicates bad customer.

Tip inflation is included in the inflation of the meal. As the meal goes up in price, so does the tip.

Yup. But try explaining that to a waiter!

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: DurocShark
Servers have been pushing 20% for a while now. I'll tip 20% if the service is perfect. To the point where I don't even think about it, everything just happens as I expect.

I used to wait tables and I expected the following:

0% if I or the kitchen blew it
10% if I or the kitchen were slow
15% if everything was adequate
20% if everything just snapped into place, or the customer made extraordinary demands

That's about my scale as a customer - though no tip is kinda harsh if the kitchen blew it but the wait staff was doing a good job. I have been known to leave just some pocket change if the service really sucked - just enough so they know I didn't forget.

overall, I just wish resteraunts would pay a fair wage so tipping would be more of a bonus for good service - not just making up their wage.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: JS80
I tip 10%.

as is fair and proper.

Seriously, for the 5 minutes of the waiter's time that it takes to get my order and bring it out, why are they expecting an enormous compensation?

/me awaits ATOT waiters to flame us "it's a hard and stressful job waaaah waaaah"


seriously, people need to organize and start tipping 10% so that 10% becomes the "standard"

 

[Mellman]

tips are for QoS...not a given. If you are a dumbass waiter, you get no tip, if you screw everything up, you get no tip...if you are great doing refills, and dont mess anything up, you get a great tip! I've tipped 50% before and i was in college then... I've also tipped a penny... it all goes according to their quality of service. end of story...


EDIT: i should also add I live in the DC MEtro area, so tips are naturally higher here due to a higher cost of food...my standard tip when eating out though is 15% it goes up or down from there based on the entire performance.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: DurocShark
Servers have been pushing 20% for a while now. I'll tip 20% if the service is perfect. To the point where I don't even think about it, everything just happens as I expect.

I used to wait tables and I expected the following:

0% if I or the kitchen blew it
10% if I or the kitchen were slow
15% if everything was adequate
20% if everything just snapped into place, or the customer made extraordinary demands

Yep.


Only incompetent servers complain about not getting properly tipped. The good servers concern themselves with providing proper service, and thus rarely have reason to complain about not getting good tips.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4191557.html

this quote bothers me:

"I find it unacceptable for people not to know that the tipping rate is 20 percent," Burkhart said.

i've never heard 20% as the default rate

Hmmm... that bothers me as well. As does this quote:

The sentiment is widely shared on the Internet. A database on one Web site, bitter waitress.com, allows servers across the country to submit the names of customers who tipped less than 17 percent.

So i could wind up on that website if I tip less than 17% ?

WTF? I generally follow the rules DurocShark laid out. If service was adequate I tip 15%. Seems ridiculous that I could wind up on some sort of blacklist for "only" tipping 17%. Perhaps I should check that list...

[edit] And if restaurants ever do start adding a mandatory 20% gratuity to all orders I'll simply stop eating out. At best I'll only do take out at such places.

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: JS80
I tip 10%.

as is fair and proper.

Seriously, for the 5 minutes of the waiter's time that it takes to get my order and bring it out, why are they expecting an enormous compensation?

While I can understand some of the thoughts on this, they obviously come from people who have never had to wait tables. It is a very demanding job most of the time and it's usually done by those who have much bigger things to deal with (like school). I tip quite well because I've been through it. I can usually tell if it's the waiters fault that the service is bad and will point that out to them. They just happen to be the last face you see so they get the blame.

As for the "service charge" idea added for bigger parties I never did that. I always felt I would receive more than what the restaurant said I could add for large groups. I usually came out ahead.

 

[imported_Rat]

The tip is based on the quality of service. Some people don't understand this and like to blame it on everything but themselves.

Working as a waitress at 31? This woman made a serious error in life.

 

[lokiju]

So many threads on tipping...

 

[KB]

Originally posted by: dainthomas

The sentiment is widely shared on the Internet. A database on one Web site, bitter waitress.com, allows servers across the country to submit the names of customers who tipped less than 17 percent.

That's gotta be a huge list.

Never say your name and pay in cash. Then you will never be on the list.

I tip 15% (depending on the restaurant). The pizza hut waiter and the chineses food waiter get more because the food is cheaper. Inflation is covered in this rate because the food goes up, as does the bill.

It can be hard to swallow tipping 20% when that would mean the waiter would make more money than I do per hour ( like at most Steakhouses). This means I go to restaurants like this once a year, if that.

 

[mercanucaribe]

I don't understand the whole percentage of the cost thing.. Why does serving a higher priced meal mean that the waiter deserves a higehr tip?

 

[Jeeebus]

Originally posted by: KB


I tip 15% (depending on the restaurant). The pizza hut waiter and the chineses food waiter get more because the food is cheaper.

This is I think the biggest flaw in our tipping system here in the states (other than the sense of entitlement to what should be something discretionary). We're expected to tip a certain % of our meal total, which means someone doing the same job at a steakhouse is getting a $20 tip while someone serving me food at the local breakfast joint is getting $4. The steakhouse job is no more difficult to perform. The % system is absolutely asinine.

And if comparing tips between two restaurants is not your thing, just take the steakhouse by itself for example. What is the difference in work needed by the waiter if I order the $14.99 salad as opposed to the $50 surf and turf? Nada. Yet the waiter expects a much higher tip...

I hate our fuggin tip system, and what I hate even more is that like a mindless zombie, I too have been lulled into complacency by it.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
I don't understand the whole percentage of the cost thing.. Why does serving a higher priced meal mean that the waiter deserves a higehr tip?

Simple. As a general rule, a higher priced meal should be of higher quality that a lower priced meal, and should come with a higher level of service, thus a higher tip.