Tipping

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Frodo

Frodo

Walk with God, You will never be lost
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dademoss mentioned this, I thought it would be a good discussion
Is a Tip owed?
Or is it earned?
Are you obligated to subsidize a restaurant owners payroll?
Should wait staff be paid hourly?
Is the REAL reason wait staff do not want to be paid hourly because They actually make REALLY REALLY good money in tips?

If you can not afford to tip, should you stay home?
Should you tip the sonic person? Micky D person? How about the cop that pulls you over?
 
Having 3 daughters that, at one time ,waited tables, I have a lot of compassion on my servers.

I know they DO NOT get paid more than a token $2-$3 a hour , no benefits.

If they're good , they work hard. I never , ever leave the tip on the credit card, they hate that. Always leave cash ,don't have to be reported.

We are heavy tippers , depending on the waiter.
Always at least 20%, I'm not in any way subsidizing the owner. Just trying to help a hard working person get by.

If we really like the server, we may leave as much as the cost of the meal.

Love helping folks.

Jim
 
Tips are based on the quality of service. We just stopped at a new (to us) diner this morning and the service was excellent - no mistakes, and they were quick. Our waitress got about a 35% tip. A normal tip we leave is 20% or a little more. Bad service gets 10% or so. And we always try to leave cash and not put the tip on a card.
 
A tip is not an obligation. I tip well for good service. I also tip very very poorly for bad, I wouldn't want them to think I forgot.

Generally in the area of 20-25% for excellent service.
10-15 for less than stellar.
A buck or less for piss poor service

Food issues go to the manager, it's their problem, not the server.

To me, a tip is an incentive for good service, hourly workers tend to not give a 💩 , they get paid the same no matter what.

Had friends that were servers, they were friendly attentive and made darn good money.

Known others that bitched because they didn't get good tips for being surly and incompetent.
 
I hate tipping.
In my vision of a perfect world, the owners of a restaurant would know that their employees make a good place or a bad place. So they would fire all poor performers and pay well the professionals.
But we don't live in a perfect world so I tip.
 
Curmudgeon said:
I hate to say it but I think twice in my life I left a penny.
Click to expand...
I empty the change out of my pocket every night, so I often don't have a penny.

I have however stood on my table and yelled to the entire restaurant, in my best Parade Ground yell "Can somebody find my waitress and my check so I can leave this shitshow"? They didn't get a dollar :p
 
As a retired police officer, often times someone would demand to pay our restaurant bill. We would thank them tremendously, but would always leave the equivalent amount of money to our waitress as a cash tip. It was a win/win for all involved but more importantly, if the bosses found out we were receiving free food, we would be terminated on the spot.

We made good money, we could afford to pay our share, but none of the bosses saw us tossing $5 to $20 every day to a person in need, whether it was a mother and child who had no place to go, or a homeless guy who we knew was hungry, or a family found huddled in a garage with no heat.

Since I had the keys and alarm code to a Goodwill store (I used the facility for training my police dog) we went in on midnight on Christmas morning, loaded our cars, left the receipts on the manager's desk, with the cash from our pockets, and gave this family blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, clothing, and a few toys. We did not do it for any recognition, we did it because it was the right thing to do. yes, the boss found out, I was investigated for stealing, but the manager brought in my note, all the receipts, and the money we paid for the items, and the investigation was terminated.
 
I normally tip well. If there are problems I talk to the manager. I leave a tip unless the problem is with the server.
I have left a tip for a server that was not waiting on my table. The women sitting next to us were real witches and their kids left a mess. They told each other the server didn't deserve a tip because she didn't treat them like they thought they should be treated. I gave the waitress $20 and told her to not let them spoil her day.
I don't tip any place I have to walk up and order from the counter then pick up my food.
I went to dinner with a bunch of service engineers and we drank massive amounts of beer and had dinner. When the check arrived everyone just tossed money on the table without looking.
I counted it and paid my share and the waitress walked away with over a $500 tip. The bill was around $400. Drunks guys are good tippers especially if the server is cute and she was. Next time I went in she bought me a pitcher of German beer.
 
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i worked many years for tips in different venues and yes, i agree a tip amount is based on service. id prefer a decent wage and no tips actually. cause sometimes no matter how hard you try you cant please everyone all the time. sometimes there are off dasys, dog died, boyfrind breaks up an hourtbefore your shift, kid threw up on you before you leave for work and the cook is mad at you. sometimes things just suck and go wrong and you have an off night. its not hard to tell the difference between someone who doesnt give a crap and someone having a rtough time but still trying.

i like to err on the side of compassion cause i been there
 
I worked in a restaurant as a hostess, not as a waitress. We were close to Canada, and wow, Canadians are tight with their money and exchanging Canadian money for American prices rubs some the wrong way. Canadians leave a shiny penny as a tip. You know you have a Canadian customer when there is a shiny penny on the table. Perhaps waiters and waitresses in Canada are paid better than they are in the U.S. The other thing is that a Canadian looks at American prices and wants to use their Canadian money to pay the same amount. The exchange rate, at least when I was checking people out, was short by a bit for Canadian money. A Canadian could go into a rage about the exchange rate and why they couldn't get their meal for the amount specified on the menu, in Canadian funds. I had more than one person go ballistic about it. I don't remember the exchange rate now, but something like 90 cents Canadian for the American dollar. A twenty dollar meal is American now cost them more money and they want their Canadian money to be an even exchange. I didn't make up the exchange, just did my job.

What about tipping someone who has parked your car for you in a situation where if your car isn't parked and guarded in a private lot, might be broken into? How much do you tip someone who helps with your luggage? I'm always lost in these situations. I am used to carrying my own stuff. That is their job, and they expect to be tipped. You see it in movie scenes, someone waiting for their tip for luggage, or whatever.
 
We are heavy tippers. We tend to only go to restaurants around here that we know are really good food and service. I leave the cash tip on the table.
That being said, tonight is date night. We are trying a nice place (hibachi grill and sushi) that we don't normally eat at. We'll see how it is. I have not seen bad service since we moved here, maybe it's midwestern hospitality. Maybe it's because we normally eat at amish places.
 
phideaux said:
Having 3 daughters that, at one time ,waited tables, I have a lot of compassion on my servers.

I know they DO NOT get paid more than a token $2-$3 a hour , no benefits.

If they're good , they work hard. I never , ever leave the tip on the credit card, they hate that. Always leave cash ,don't have to be reported.

We are heavy tippers , depending on the waiter.
Always at least 20%, I'm not in any way subsidizing the owner. Just trying to help a hard working person get by.

If we really like the server, we may leave as much as the cost of the meal.

Love helping folks.

Jim
Click to expand...

I'm with you, Jim. I worked many years in the industry, and I know how hard most people work for very little reward. Bad service is not always the server's fault. They have no control over what comes out of the kitchen or the bar. If they are polite, friendly, and appropriately attentive I will tip well. Service has to be atrocious before it will influence my tipping. I do not feel like it is owed, but I have walked more than a mile in those shoes. They are kindred spirits.
 
I tip according to the level of service I get at a sit down restaurant. If just the basics, take & bring my order and the check, probably no tip, but if they've come back to check on us, provide a coffee or water refill or asked if we needed anything more, or in some way provided 'extra' then yes cash tip of whatever I have.

The biggest tip I have ever given, was to a waitress that really worked her butt off. There was about 10 of us, adults and kids who all kept changing or substituting our orders, etc. She not only managed to keep everything straight, but also knew who ordered what without having to ask, made sure we had all the condiments, napkins, extras, etc She was fast and very efficient and friendly.

Our bill came to around $100 to $150 and I left her with $50 tip, this was in the 80's at a Dennys and the place was packed with other diners, so we weren't her only customers. I have never, before or since, had such great service anywhere.


In my mind, they are already getting paid for their work. They get a paycheck with or without tips. Whether it's a waitperson, hotel luggage, cab drivers, or other service type jobs. To me, a tip is for going above & beyond your job description. And what I really don't like and will never return, is a place that includes the tip in the bill and/or any employer that takes all or part of the employees tips or that is combined, then equally shared with others. If I'm leaving a tip, it's for the person that served me, not the dishwasher in back
 
Us old retired cops meet once a month at a local Bass Pro restaurant nearby. Although the restaurant (and especially the waitress) treats us like royalty by offering us free drinks and half priced food, us old guys give the waitress $20 each, with no money asked in return. If 10 guys shows up, our bill may be $45, so she will walk away with a $165 tip. She also takes pictures of us old guys, and will send them to me to distribute since I'm in charge of any PD news and luncheon announcements. Also, since she is so good to us, she will call me if she is unable to wait on us, and we work around her schedule.

There is nothin funner than talking to some of those lifelong friends who saw the worst things in life, but enjoy talking about it.
 
JustMe said:
In my mind, they are already getting paid for their work. They get a paycheck with or without tips. Whether it's a waitperson, hotel luggage, cab drivers, or other service type jobs. To me, a tip is for going above & beyond your job description. And what I really don't like and will never return, is a place that includes the tip in the bill and/or any employer that takes all or part of the employees tips or that is combined, then equally shared with others. If I'm leaving a tip, it's for the person that served me, not the dishwasher in back
Click to expand...

While true, in Ohio at least: Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a tipped employee’s minimum hourly wage is permitted to be substantially lower than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. In Ohio, tipped employees’ hourly wages can be as low as $4.40 per hour, and an employer may claim a “tip credit” to reduce the hourly wage it is required to pay its tipped employees. If an employee receives tips at work, the employer can claim a tip credit of up to $2.85 per hour (federal minimum wage of $7.25 – Ohio tipped minimum wage of $4.40).

Other details for Ohio are here: Ohio Tipped Employee Wage Laws
 
dademoss said:
While true, in Ohio at least: Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a tipped employee’s minimum hourly wage is permitted to be substantially lower than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. In Ohio, tipped employees’ hourly wages can be as low as $4.40 per hour, and an employer may claim a “tip credit” to reduce the hourly wage it is required to pay its tipped employees. If an employee receives tips at work, the employer can claim a tip credit of up to $2.85 per hour (federal minimum wage of $7.25 – Ohio tipped minimum wage of $4.40).

Other details for Ohio are here: Ohio Tipped Employee Wage Laws
Click to expand...
Even more reason to learn a skill or trade and get a good paying job. That's the best tip any of them can receive.
 
There are only a few places we eat out. We tip well. That said I don't like the custom. To me it's like forced "donations." We've quit donating through any organizations and have sought out ways to donate directly to those who need or deserve it (in our opinions.) It would be nice if a tip was just that, an occasional perk rather than a depended upon income.
 
My oldest granddaughter is in college . Goes to classes 5 days a week.

She waits tables at a high end restaurant 4 nights a week to pay her way , gas ,clothing , rent, food. If she wants to be a lawyer , she has to go to school.

Average night $150-$200 .
Most Friday nights $500 just in tips.
For the 16 hrs she works her tail off the employer pays her $40 bucks.

Not bad , I guess, maybe some day she will be a good lawyer.

Jim
Btw , we tip her really good.😉
 
dademoss said:
While true, in Ohio at least: Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a tipped employee’s minimum hourly wage is permitted to be substantially lower than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. In Ohio, tipped employees’ hourly wages can be as low as $4.40 per hour, and an employer may claim a “tip credit” to reduce the hourly wage it is required to pay its tipped employees. If an employee receives tips at work, the employer can claim a tip credit of up to $2.85 per hour (federal minimum wage of $7.25 – Ohio tipped minimum wage of $4.40).

Other details for Ohio are here: Ohio Tipped Employee Wage Laws
Click to expand...


Yes and I think it's the same or similar here that the employer doesn't have to pay full minimum wage because of tips.


I just think that if they want a tip, then do a little something more than just take & bring the order & check, unless it's a packed house and short on help. Then yes, I'll leave a tip for minimal service and count myself lucky to get that.
 
If it's true that the poor are better tippers then I must be the world champion. I'm also an excellent tipper. Generally around 50% if I'm dining alone. A bit more conservative is I'm with a date but always one of the best tips they will get that day.
 
Everything in a restaurant is earned or I do not returned.
I send a steak back if it is to rare or over cooked.
When it is cooked right I say so.
They need the tip to live, but I am not taking them to raise, they earn it or they do not get it.
I have had mostly good to great service, I have only a few bad wait staff in the last ten years or so.
A few times I have paid for a party of eight or more, a birthday or holiday party, then I tip 25% or more according the service.
This is because a large party or two will work a waiter, if the drinks stay full & the napkins are replaced then tip goes up.
The most I paid is 48% for three waiters, it was two party graduations for daughter & her friend.
I feared that not everyone would give a good tip, so they got a good tip or a great tip, according what everyone else tipped.
I only paid for four meal, the big tip did not break my budget.
 
I am generally a 20% tipper that fluctuates up or down depending on the the service, not necessarily the food. In fact I have left a great tip for a server who steered me away from something or towards the really good choice. That being said I have had more and more mediocre meals and service in the past 2 years.
 
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