To Tip or Not To Tip?! Check out the FREE Interactive Tip Guide and Share Your Thoughts
Although I am an avid couponer and am always looking for ways to cut back on spending, I am NOT cheap when it comes to tipping. As a former waitress, I know how important tips are in the lives of those who work in service-based industries. Although I almost always tip at least 20% when dining out, I am sometimes a little more perplexed as to what to tip in the following situations: Purchasing food to-go, Hair Cut for yourself and/or your kiddos, Assistance with baggage when staying at a hotel, Purchasing espresso from Drive-Thru Coffee Shop, etc.
Needless to say, I was excited to recently discover the Interactive Tip Guide created by a design team over at Hospitality Management Schools. Just head on over here, scroll down to the orange Tip Guide button at the bottom of the page, and then select a category (choose from travel, cosmetics, restaurants and more). This guide tells you how much to tip, when to present the tip, and even has some basic tipping rules:
* Do tip pre-tax.
* Do tip at buffets.
* Do tip when using a discount or voucher like Groupon.
* Don’t tip the owner.
* Don’t tip extra when gratuity is already added on the bill.
* Don’t leave a bad tip if you plan on visiting the establishment again.
So take some time to check out the guide and then come back and share your thoughts. Think about the following questions: What services do you believe require a tip, how much do you tip, do you tip even if the service is horrible etc?
(Thanks to reader, Nichole, for sharing this guide with me!)
“Don’t tip extra when gratuity is already added on the bill.” I was a server for 16 years and I ALWAYS add a little extra even when the gratuity is included. Usually what is added is a minimum like 18% and I would normally leave 20% of the bill so why short the server 2% just because the establishment made them add it to the bill?
That is EXACTLY what I was gonna say!! I just did that too with a table of 10 that I was with.
I just came on to say the same thing. I add more if the service warranted it. I was a server/bartender for 14 years and I still think if they weren’t giving you good service extra isn’t necessarily necessary.
Several years ago we, a group of about 8-10, ate at a restaurant. Most of the checks were for individual customers but a couple of checks included two dinners. When I got my check I noticed that they had added in the tip. No one else at the table had noticed it and most were planning on leaving a tip at the table or when they paid for their meal. No prominent notice was given that the restaurant was going to do this. It made several of us mad enough that we took our business elsewhere for a long time. In our case we were planning on leaving a bigger tip than they had put on the bill. So the waitress actually lost out.
I had the same thing happen when a group of us were eating at a restaurant. I would have left another 20% tip if someone hadn’t of pointed it out on the bill. I felt it was very shady and made me not want to come back. Not to mention the service was pretty bad anyway.
Most restaurants have this listed on their menu.
It’s a way to protect the server. Sometimes big groups miscalculate or everyone assumes someone else is covering the tip. Normally a server has at least 3-5 tables at a time, so if one table tips poorly (or not at all) hopefully the other tables average it out and she still makes a living wage that hour. When a server has a large party, she often has very few other tables, if any, while taking care of the big group. If they stiff her she’s outta luck and may even end up havin to tip out (aka pay) 2-3% of their (likely) large check to the hostess/busier/bartender. It’s a pretty common practice and usually printed on the menu if that’s the restaurant’s policy. If your receive terrible service, I believe you can usually discuss it with a manager and have the tip reduced to something that is more fair (and of course you can always leave more if you choose).
I do have to wonder, given that a default 18% gratuity for parties of 8 or more is pretty much standard across the board, if at least part of the intention of splitting the check into 1-2 person groups was to try to bypass that issue? You were in a large party, the large party had a gratuity added (like it would be at most restaurants) and it was clearly stated on the bill. I guess I’m missing the point, seems like your group was more angry about not reading their bill than about a common restaurant practice.
im the owner of a coffee shop and i rely a lot on tips to support my kids and family… not going for the dont tip the owner one.. sorry…. ; i believe in tipping as much as possible and teach my 4 and 6 year old the same, they always get a dollar each to give the service worker as well. I also ran a groupon for my company and was completely SHOCKED at the amount of groupon redemption’s came in and the customer never tipped on it; to me or to any of my employees .. it was crazy. .
Tipping etiquette (including Dear Abby and many publications) is clear that you aren’t supposed to tip the owners. Employees dont get a share of the profits, that’s why tipping is customary when good service is given. It’s reasonable to say that times are tough for everyone, but that goes both ways for customers as well.
I not only agree with Collin that owners should not be tipped, I have heard of owners forcing employees to share their tips with them and that is absurd. Raise your prices a bit if you have to, but don’t jack tips from employees who practically live off of their tips with their measly min. wage paychecks.
omg, you have no idea what you are talking about.. : dont jack tips from employees ” .. unbelievable. wow. FYI when i am working with an employee i double their tips.. and i dont take any.. and we pay well over min. wage because we want our employees to stay around.. which they do. unreal you would make that assumption. wow. i can tell what type of a person you are. done reading these boards now..
Shelly I agree with you and Collin, owners should not be tipped!…..Shae I can understand if you don’t have many employees and you are out there pouring coffee and taking orders, then it would be understandable that you be tipped.
Actually, an owner getting in on the tips is ILLEGAL in my state. The previous poster had better check her state laws to see whether what she is doing is above board legally. Morally, my opinion is that the owner NEVER should share in tips, for the reasons stated above.
In Baltimore a number of higher end restaurants confiscate the tips and the servers only get a small percentage. They give most of the money collected to chefs, assistant managers, managers, etc.
Owners should not be tipped. Period. It is their business! Why is there even an argument about it. Sad.
Shae, I think the idea here is that you, as the owner of the coffee shop, could raise prices if you thought you needed to make additional $ whereas a regular staff member could not. Same goes with hair stylists,etc.
Now, since you run a coffee shop, my general stance is to put change in the tip jar, with the expectation that it gets split among staff. I would also assume that the splitting does not include the owner of the store.
To your point about groupons- let’s be a little careful. If your coffee shop is like a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts etc. in setup (primarily walk-up service), tipping is not expected there at all. If your coffee house has TABLE service and your servers are normally tipped the customary 15-20%, shame on your grouponers. They should be tipping at the full value of the bill BEFORE the groupon is redeemed.
Also “Don’t leave a bad tip if you plan on visiting the establishment again”… this is silly…. if you got horrible service you shouldn’t have to base what you tip on whether you are planning to come back or not.
And even when I get awful service I still tip 15% which is my MINIMUM because I do know how hard being a server is and we all have bad nights. However if its more of a server with bad attitude and not just that they were super busy or frogetful, then their tip will reflect it
I once read that if the service is bad and you don’t feel you should leave a tip, that it is proper etiquette to speak to a manager about why you are not leaving a tip. That makes more sense than not going to an establishment you enjoy ever again!
YES! I completely agree. If the service/experience warrants not tipping (and sometime it definitely does) then the only way for the restaurant and waitstaff to improve is to be aware of the issue.
I think the one on the hotel maid is right. I was a front desk clerk at a hotel and filled in where needed. Every day our maids were assigned to different parts of the hotel and most people tip when leaving the hotel and the maid(s) that cleaned during the stay were not always in house on check out day, and whoever cleaned the room got to keep the tip.
I think it is a good idea to tip those who are making less than minimum wage. If not, a tip is not required in my opinion. I also have never been someplace that adds gratuity to a bill. How absurd. If a restaurant wants to guarantee gratuity to a server, why not just increase their wage?
Also, I work at a place that provides MULTIPLE services and have never once been offered a tip – maybe that’s why I don’t see things the same way. Of course, to each his own but I feel that if I am alreay forking out money for a service or meal, I should not be expected or required to pay more than that. The economy is crappy enough as it is!!
Almost all restaurants in Orlando add 18% gratuity for large parties
here in Brandon/Tampa area also
Its the same in California. Some of our restaurants add it even when the check is split. This is why if the tip was added to each person’s bill at the table we don’t add an extra tip. The person is usually gettimg 18% from 5 different people. I feel that is enough
Agreed, I don’t understand why an establishment would choose 18% if they felt the service was worth 20%. I was a server also, but feel it is up to the patron to decide how much of a tip to leave. I like to be generous and almost always leave 20% but I’d have to say if gratuity is already decided for me, I’m not leaving extra.
My dad has always told the waiter/waitress to not put on the 18% and he would “take care of them”. If they choose to add the tip in on the bill they miss out on him tipping more. (He always tips 30-50% when we have a large group.)
i was a server for 13 years 2 different well known bar and grills and certain resturants automatically add the gratuity if there are more than 6 meals and drinks ordered the server has no control over that so its not fair to hold it against them
We have always told the manager on duty also, and the managers do have control weather it is put on the bill or not. A tip is a gift not a right.
You are absolutely right. This whole entitlement makes me so mad.
“A tip is a gift not a right.” I actually really disagree with this. For service workers that earn “waitress pay” versus minimum wage (in my state, minimum wage is ~$8.50, whereas waitress pay is $3.50), wait staff pay is calculated to assume tip.
When you go out to eat, you should know that the cost of eating includes the tip. In my job, i get a performance bonus and incentive pay (the better I do, the more $$ I make). This is similar to how wait staff is paid. If my boss withheld the performance bonus at the end of the year because I did a crappy job, that’s fine. But if I did my job and didn’t get a bonus, that’s breach of my employment contract.
Now, if you’re talking about someone who ALREADY MAKES minimum wage or better (eg. baristas at Starbucks), then you are correct that a tip is above and beyond. There is no expectation or reliance on tips there.
Jackie-
If you had read my previous comments I said when my family go out to eat my dad will tell the waiter/waitress to not put on the 18% gratuity because he always tips better that 18% (more like 30%-50% depending on his/her service).
Then Jeff said not to hold it against the server because they have no control over the computer putting 18% on the bill and I said we always tell the manager on duty also to take it off, they do have that control, because although we will pay the 18% if it is on the bill it should be left up the the consumer how much to pay, it it a gift not a right.
I completely agree with you. Just because someone is doing their job, I am suppose to tip them above their wage? I think that is absurd. As a medical professional, I have never been tipped on the service I provide; have you ever tipped your doctor? Your pharmacist? Aren’t they providing a service?
And why should I feel obligated to tip AT LEAST 20%? I have had horrible service, and while I wanted to leave nothing, I haven’t, but believe me, it wasn’t anywhere close to 20%. If I am paying to be served, and I will tip according to the service provided, not to just a number that someone else tells me to do so. That is ridiculous. We’re already raising a generation that feels entitled; I’m not going to help.
Because as a medical professional your bill typically runs into the hundreds multiplied by how many people an dhow many insurance companies. I’m sure you make above the poverty level which a lot of servers at your typical restaurant don’t. I’m a manager at a steak house and although it’s about guest firsts, it sometimes hurts me when I know their server has done a great job and gets only 5%. If restaurants told the servers they’d make a guaranteed wage, trust me, the prices would be even more outrageous than they already are and you would NEVER go out.
Actually, my bill is not in the hundreds. And, I have over a 100 grand in student loans that I am paying off. Because I am supposedly getting a great paycheck, any programs that provide financial relief aren’t given to my profession.
I believe in providing a fair tip. Why though should I tip the same amount to a waiter that makes sure my toddler gets his meal BEFORE me (which happens only 10% of the time) and actually makes sure that the food is correct to a waiter that pays no time at my table, rushes through my order, doesn’t refill my glass AT ALL, and then drops the bill off without picking up any plates in the meantime? I shouldn’t feel obligated and I won’t be guilt tripped either.
“If restaurants told the servers they’d make a guaranteed wage, trust me, the prices would be even more outrageous than they already are and you would NEVER go out.”
What? How does this make any sense? If restaurants paid the servers instead of counting on the customers to tip them, then the meals should cost about 20% more. So, since tipping at a restaurant is not really optional, I will pay the same if I leave 20% tip as if the restaurant included a tip in the price of the meal. It wouldn’t cost me any more to eat out than it does now, and it seems that it would be better for the waitstaff to get a guaranteed wage rather than depending on the whim of the customer. I would LOVE to see all tipping abolished and just increase prices to pay service providers a real wage.
Me too but I don’t think that most waitpeople want that because then they would be taxed on all of their income rather than just a small percentage of it.
Wait Staff have to declare their tips, but most don’t make enough to end up paying taxes. A portion of their tips are simply withheld and then returned at the end of the year.
It would be more than 20%. Restaurants usually have a “rush” when the restaurant is busiest and servers make most of their money for the night. This is somewhat predictable but not with much accuracy. By paying a low hourly rate, restaurants can have servers on the clock so they’re there and ready when it gets busy. If they had to pay minimum wage to their full staff during slow times, that expense PLUS the 20% would be passed on in the form of higher menu prices. Servers also do side work after their shift from cleaning their tables, sweeping the floors, filling condiment and spice shakers, rolling silverware into napkins, filling dressing cups for the next shift, sorting clean silverware, etc. Again that’s a lot more affordable for restaurants (and thus consumers) at $2/hr than $9/hr.
More importantly, tips align the interests of the server with that of the customer. Making tipping a major part of a server’s salary and leaving the amount up to the judgement of the customer is a huge incentive for servers to do a great job. It would be nearly impossible for managers to keep track of every server and make sure each diner received his appetizers/soup/salad/entree/dessert and their drinks were all kept full, extra condiments provided etc. In theory the happier the guest the bigger the tip so everyone wants the same thing.
you really need to stay home and NOT go out to eat … ur the 1 dolla 2 dolla maybe 3 tops kinda tipper huh even when ur bill is over 100 $ nd service was perfect LEARN HOW TO COOK AND EAT AT HOME
To ‘E’, really I don’t think you can compare tipping a doctor or pharmasist to tipping a server who only makes $2.13 an hour. I think they make a little more and hour. If you have such conviction in what you are saying, you should atleast have the courage to use your name and not an initial. Your embarassing yourself.
most places add a % to bill for large parties or if over an amount so that way a waitress isn’t spending all their time taking care of a large party and end up with nothing though I don’t agree with it if the waitress did a lousy job or was rude
That’s how it is in the Washington, DC area. However in most cases the waiters don’t do much for large parties except just bring in the food since the meals have been selected in advance. At most they take drink orders and that’s it.
I desperately need to find info on how to tip for wedding related things! I want to make sure I do it properly and set aside the right amount. Anyone have help for this?!
I usually always tip 18 percent. The only time I have ever left a bad tip is when the waiter had a nasty atittude AND service was atrocious. Even then they at least got a dollar.
Here’s a list of all the mimimum wages for tipped employees. Shocking how low some of those wages are!! $2.13!!!!
Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees
https://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm#California
It’s 2.13 in a lot of places but servers are making some serious dough on tips alone. The 2.13/hr is more than enough to cover the taxes and it’s cash money they take home each night while everyone else has to wait 2 weeks for a paycheck.
I been a server for some years now and i could tell you that yes some days you make really good money not everyday. Also Not all the tips are left in cash, if they pay credit its a credit tip and that will come in the check so some of us have to wait just like everyone else 2 weeks.
Leticia, I never thought of having to wait for a tip paid by credit. Is it okay to leave a cash tip when paying by credit?
some places are different, we get credit card tips in form of cash that day… and yes, it is completely acceptable to leave cash tip when paying by credit
Pamela when you leave a cash tip, as a waitress you do not need to report it 🙂 many times that tip that is left is split with the buss boys and cooks or just the boys.. If the tip is pay by credit you will see the gratuity added to your check.. If you prefer to tip the person in cash they will be able to take it that same night. Also it all depends in the establishment and there ways of dealing with tips. My friend works at an Arena and she takes the credit and cash right there and then the company gives them the credit and in there check they get tax for it.
Um, not reporting and paying tax on your cash tips is TAX FRAUD and is why the rest of us have to pay more in taxes. Yes, I know most waitresses do this, but I prefer to add the tip to the credit card so that it will be counted as taxable income.
I work in az where minimum wage is $4.65. After taxes, ss etc my checks every two weeks come out to about 40$ every two weeks. After 80 hrs of work. I think people tend to forget that while servers may make $200 one night, they could make $40 the next. It depends on volume and the amount of money we make is never certain. I also think people forget that we don’t get benefits, paid vacation, sick days or personal days. If we’re not there, we’re not making money at all. We also work for upto 11 hours at a time with no real break besides shoving food in your mouth in a 5 min period. It’s really the only job that can slip under the legal radar in terms of breaks. We are on our feet dealing with demanding people who have no idea how rough it can be to serve. I wish everyone had to be a server for at least a day so they understood how difficult it can be.
I love you 🙂 and I totally agree… Sunday I worked 7:30-2:30 and was not able to eat, sit, take any sort of break because we were SO busy! Yes it was good money but I was so exhausted when I got home, and people don’t seem to understand. If everyone was forced to serve on 1 busy day their perspecitves would change.
I have worked as a waitress where occasionally there would be special parties. We would have to be at work as much as 6 hours early to set up tables, chairs, etc. I was still only paid my $2 something per hour despite the fact that I was not receiving tips. Then because it was a special party the people getting drinks & cocktails would not tip us…I guess because they were not actually sitting at tables…? I don’t know.
Your not the only job. I’m a nurse who works 12 hours shifts and we never get breaks. You wouldn’t believe how pissed off people get when a nurse tries to get a lunch break. I’m on my feet all 12 hours.
What does “Basic Combined Cash & Tip Minimum Wage Rate” mean? For example, in AZ it says it is $7.65… do they have to make sure that you get at least 7.65 cash+tip?
its not more than enough to cover taxes. They also tax your tips and take out insurance. Most servers cant even cover there taxes after insurance.
EXACTLY Lauren and then at the end of the year you owe hundreds to a thousand dollars to Uncle Sam… ugh this is sooo frustrating
They only tax your tips if they are reported. They have an very low minimum that they will consider that you earned but in reality people probably make 5 times that amount or more.
Ashley – how do you interpret the chart with states like Oregon & Washington that say minimum wage is $8.80 + for tipped and untipped employees? Just trying to figure this out since most people in the comments say they are making $2.13 per hour without the tips. I live on the border of both and tip very generously. I was just trying to understand the chart you provided.
I’m trying to figure out what the “Basic Combined Cash & Tip Minimum Wage Rate” column means as well.
Why tip at a buffet? You aren’t being served you are serving yourself. I never have and feel bad now because I didn’t know it was expected.
Depends on the type of buffet you go to I guess. The ones I’ve been to always have someone getting your drink order and clearing your table throughout your meal so I’ve always left a tip.
if someone is coming by and clearing your plates constantly or asking if you need refills, they are serving you and you should leave SOMETHING… I don’t leave 20% of the bills like a reg restaurant but I do put down $1 per person at the table
I feel 10% is appropriate for buffet. they work hard too.
All the buffets where I live, and there are a lot. Very large tourist area, the people that take your plates make $8 an hour, More than min wage, so I don’t usually either, but we stack out plates neatly to be cleared and don’t make a huge mess.
At a regular resturant, I tip but they make $2.13. So if hubby and I do go out for a $20 meal together, 20% is $4, so that server made $4 in 40 minutes plus the hourly $2.13 = $6.13 less than min wage for a regular job, so why would a buffet worker get $8 plus 20% for less work?
I would rather wait tables (clean) in a buffet than a regular resturant. More money if you are suppose to tip. Seems unfair to the real server.
And I have don’t both jobs. And the pay did seem backwards for the work.
I worked at a buffet in high school as a server and we only made the $2.13 / hour like every other server at the full service restaurants, i always tip at the buffets based upon the amount of work they do – i have given over 20% for the ones that were very attentive
I also don’t tip a full 20% at buffets yes they are cleaning table and getting drinks but unless it is one you order food they dont have to take order and bring it ect and won’t leave much if they aren’t attentive to making sure you have a drink
and though a reg waitress may only get a few dollars for a table they are serving for a 40 min time period to make it still be under min wage if it is a good day will make more then min wage cause they usually have more then one table
omg, I also worked at a buffet and still made the $2.13 like all the other servers. We would have people who constantly needed refills and ate 10 plates of food…so I feel like, often, buffet servers do way more work than other waitresses. And for that matter, in other restaurants, all the waitress does is take your order and bring it to you. Do you tip the people who are back in the hot kitchen cleaning/washing your dishes? This is not aimed at any one particular person…I’m just replying in general to all of the comments about this.
Oh wow, I didn’t know buffet people make so little as well! I know a lot of people don’t tip or not that much… We do the 20% usually because we usually go through a lot of plates, since you shouldn’t reuse a plate, and we don’t want to pile out plates with food, but we like trying out different things and then going back for what we really liked. And they do refill your drinks as well.
I went to a buffet with a group of friends the other night and the service was practically nonexistent. The only thing our waiter did was get our drinks and he even forgot my husband’s drink and we had to track him down and ask for it. Turns out that he was too busy counting his cash from a previous table and didn’t even acknowledge us when we asked for the missing drink. Of course, it took him 10 more minutes to get a cup of water. He also never refilled our drinks and didn’t clear the table. With a party of 10 at a buffet, the table piled up fast. When we got ready to leave, we only left a couple dollars on the table since there was literally no service and the waiter had the nerve to demand 15% tip from us. This is a buffet and he did NO work plus it wasn’t on the bill or stated in writing anywhere that we owed him 15% for a large party. However, he felt entitled to it just because we sat in his section and he brought us drinks once. I always tip well and his bad attitude really ruined the restaurant for me.
We spoke with the manager and he sided with the waiter. We told them no way–service was terrible and nonexistent and if they want that 15% then they should work for it or put it on the bill. We havent gone back since.
I agree with Amy that just because gratuity is added to the bill, it doesn’t mean that you can’t tip extra, especially if the service was outstanding. People that work for tips work very hard. I have been a server for awhile and believe that everyone should have to work with the public ( in a restaurant) to truly see how hard it really is. People are very quick to judge and then leave a horrible tip even if it wasn’t the server’s fault.
I would add that I hate it when you swipe your card and the service person stands there watching you fill it in. It makes me feel bad but we are on a budget and I try to be as generous as I can. One example is when the kids get haircuts at GreatClips for $6.99. I feel like $3-4 for the family is okay but hate the stare down.
I completely agree! A couple days ago I visited a restaurant where you bring the bill to the register to pay with a credit card, and my waiter was standing over me as I filled out the tip! So inappropriate.
I hate when people say “they are on a budget”. We are ALL on a budget including the server. If you can not afford to tip properly for the service you recieved then don’t go out or get take out.
Margaret, when you say you had the family’s haircut and only leave $3-4. TOTAL~ As a hairdresser that has clients like you…… Kids are more difficult than adults. the cost is discounted to help you… think about what you would pay elsewhere..
I am sorry. I meant to reply to Janelle…
I assume you meant Janelle? My comment was referring to my waiter watching me fill out the tip portion at a restaurant..
If I have a coupon/gift card for a free meal but can’t afford the tip, are you saying I’m not allowed to go out to eat using it? I disagree. For the record, I am on a tight budget. Perhaps the owners should be held responsible for their employees’ wages for once rather than blaming the customers for not making up the difference by free choice.
Rebecca, YES that is what some of us believe–you may be “allowed” by the owner (in the sense that you do have a choice), but it’s not ethical behavior (meaning there is a right and a wrong choice here). You should ALWAYS tip on the non-discounted, pre-coupon price of any meal. If you have a BOGO coupon, you tip on the cost before the free meal is deducted. If you can’t afford the tip, you really shouldn’t expect someone to serve you IMHO. It’s just rude. You can complain about how owners “should” pay servers more (I totally agree!), but it’s not the world we live in. They can offer discount coupons on the food (which you seem to like) because they are saving money on wages by expecting customers to tip. In the real world, going out to eat with a coupon at a restaurant with table service and not tipping is very unfair to the server.
“They can offer discount coupons on the food (which you seem to like)” – seriously? Are you actually poking fun at someone struggling through a difficult time while supposedly giving ethical advice? BTW, I was referring primarily to gift cards, which are not a discount offered by the restaurant, but are in fact paid by patrons (e.g. – a relative giving someone a gift card to eat out since they know they can’t afford it but they want to treat them during their difficult time). I just threw in the word “coupon” to cover everyone.
I’m not “poking fun,” I’m being factual. If tips disappear to raise wages, menu prices go up and discounts disappear (like in many European countries, actually, where no one is expected to tip and servers make a living wage, but menu prices are generally higher). Personally, I happen to like coupons too — and I used a 20% off takeout Q at PF Changs for takeout last night (and tipped for takeout). Now that you’ve changed your comment to only being about gift cards (and not coupons), the situation is different. SOME gift cards are like cash and allow you to put the tip on the gift card (e.g., you have a $50 GC, your food and drink only came to $40, so you ask to have the remaining $10 used for the tip)–if that’s what you’ve got, the solution is easy (just calculate your order to leave enough on the GC to cover the tip). There are places that specifically forbid this in the GC terms (“food and drink only”-type language), so it might be nice to call ahead and ask the restaurant. I went through a difficult time two years ago, so I do get it–but we also stopped eating out during that time.
@Rebecca…if u cant tip don’t go out…its ridiculious to think its acceptable to stiff a server…
@nbly – Your entitlement attitude is ridiculous!
Then no one could afford to eat out b/c food prices would be way to high.
Margaret, you should be tipping $3 per haircut, not for the whole family.
Wow. I just realized I’ve been paying my son’s haircutter lady 33%. His haircuts are usually $15.00 and I give a $5.00 tip. I’ve also paid our guide for white water rafting $20.00 or so. We paid about $180.00 for 3 of us on a 3 hour trip and I was completely unsure about tipping. I also paid our shuttle driver for our canoeing trip $10.00 b/c we were running a little late and I was unsure as to what to tip in this case.
I had a tipping dilemma the other day when I picked up my order from Applebee’s Carside To Go. I phoned in the order and picked up the food. This seemed more like a fast food situation, where I wouldn’t leave a tip. However, I gave the guy a 15% tip since he’s a waiter and works at a sit-down restaurant. I really don’t know what’s appropriate for this type of scenario.
I personally don’t tip for takeout. I actually don’t understand why people tip the same for takeout as they do for a sit down meal. Like you said, it is more like a fast food situation and I don’t tip when I get fast food.
I understand why people do not want to tip on take out orders, but a buck or two is nice since the server has to pay taxes on your to-go order (at least where I work).
I would like to hear from servers at these types of resturaunts- What to you feel is appropriate for a Car-To- Go Order???
That was kind of you! I often order Pick- Up @ Chili’s or Applebees- It often depends to me the service, from the ordering experience to whoever assists me at my car. If the whole experience was GREAT!! I would tip them $5-7 on a $30 order. I do not think a tip is required but a $5 spot is probably fine in most cases, I Think!?
My husband and sister-in-laws worked at Chili’s and apparently everyone hated having to do the to-go orders because they take time away from tables that actually will tip, but the to-go people pretty much never tip. We don’t tip the same as if we were eating it, but you should certainly tip something in recognition of the time your server takes boxing up your food and such!
In general, we tip 20% for average service and 25% for amazing service, but often round up. Tipping $7 instead of $6 isn’t a big deal to our budget, but if everyone did that, imagine how much better off servers would be!
At the restaurant I work at now, and others in the past, the same person will take the phone order, place it, get all the sides/sauces/etc, do all the packaging, and then bring it out to you even in some cases. Obviously not full service to the extent of someone waiting your table, but definitely worthy of a tip in my opinion. Some restaurants only pay take-out $2.13 also, but that varies.
I tip for carry out because I am a waitress and know where I work the waiters/waitress’s get the carryouts ready
I worked at TGIFridays in college and we had to-go orders which were made by the hostesses. People rarely tipped and if they did it was like $2. The hostesses never expected to receive a tip. Don’t feel bad if you don’t tip.
I’ve gotten to go at IHOP and I always tip. The waiter has to take your order and assemble it and package it to go.
It completely depends on the restaurant. I bartend, and am also responsible for take-out orders. I have to take time away from my seated guests to take orders, place orders, put orders together & deliver it to a car outside. Then, come inside & rush around to catch up on everything. Take out at a restaurant isn’t the same as take-out at a fast food joint… A tip is greatly appreciated! I’m thrilled when folks give me 10%.
I always try and tip 30% when at a resturaunt. In Las Vegas (where I live) I have learned that an astonishing amount of patrons either tip 1-5% or leave nothing at all- If you are planning to eat out- you MUST plan on paying a TIP! If you cant afford a tip- DONT GO OUT TO EAT. I agree that even if you are unhappy with the service, pay at least 10%- or try and talk to a manager- they may comp a part of your meal or even give you gift cert to come back again, but the manager needs to know how the employees are doing. On the other hand if your server did a great job and went above & beyond – Tell their manager on the spot what a valuable employee they have!!
I have 3 children so if I notice my server has smiled, kept all of my kids drinks refilled, and gets our food out in a timely manner- THATS 30%- PERIOD! I dont think I could do their jobs, Its HARD WORK! Personally I dont think I could handle the stress, let alone remember all of the things they do! GOOD JOB TO ALL!!
That’s a great attitude Stacie! As my grandpa always says, NEVER CHECK A GENEROUS IMPULSE! I think about that almost everyday.
That’s exactly how my husband and I are as well, we being servers expect to be treated how we treat others on the rare occasions we dine out 30% to start and if something is comped or a gift certificate is used i give the server what i would have paid. I don’t expect to always be highly tipped by every guest but i take pride in my job and it provides for my family, If you can’t afford to come and appreciate the service that’s being provided save even more and stay home
I’m all for tipping, and tipping well for good service. What makes me crazy are tip jars in all these fast food places. Our local self-serve yogurt place has a tip jar. Really, I just served myself! I even had a girl ask for a tip after I had paid at a doughnut shop drive-thru!
I’m sick of seeing all the tip jars *everywhere* as well. Unless they somehow went above and beyond when they took my order, ran through my payment, and gave me my order I see no reason to tip just because someone is asking for it.
I’ve never had anyone ask me for a tip but if they did I would certainly let the manager know. Unbelievable.
I agree. I cannot believe ALL the tip jars out… I have even seen what the server is going to buy with the $. It has gotten out of control.
I don’t understand all of the tip jars everywhere either. Maybe we all, as customers, should carry our own tip jars with us where ever we go…. we could be tipped for a smile, a please, or a thank you…. It’ would make just about as much sense as what they are asking for.
That is NOT cool to ask for a tip. I don’t care if it’s expected in our country, it is still an option, not a requirement.
Drive through anything is kind of iffy….a lot of people don’t carry cash anymore and pay with cards, and if there’s no slot on the charge slip to add a tip in, not my fault.
Completely agree about the ridiculous jars!! The other day I was at Moe’s and the cook gave us bigger portions than they normally do so I gave him a dollar tip. Ummm a drive-thru?! Are you kidding me?
Totally agree. The Dunkin has a tip jar at their drive in window, why? I know that they are making $8+ . I even heard the one guy say, “No one ever tips, cheapo’s” The local Starbucks has the biggest jar I ever did see filled to the brim with cash. I just spent $5 on a cup of coffee and you want $1 for your two minutes? What in the world is going on here?
I worked at Starbucks a long time ago and really appreciated tips but never expected everyone to tip. Having a tip jar out doesn’t mean you must tip – its up to you. But I have to say that buying a $5 cup of coffee and then thinking that giving a $1 tip is out of the question (esp. since if it’s $5 it required some work – either espresso pulling and milk/ syrup making or frappacino concocting and blending) is a super-privileged point of view.
I don’t even drink Starbucks, but how is ordering a cup of coffee a “super privileged point of view?” You’re merely asking someone to do his or her job. Heaven forbid it require some “work!” I think expecting a $1 tip is a “super privileged point of view.”
Yeah, in high school I used to work at Jamba Juice (smoothie place) and we had a tip jar. I was always surprised at how many people actually tipped. While I appreciated it, I never, ever excepted people to tip. I never do and don’t feel bad about it.
My minimum tip is $5, even if my total is just $2 or something. I account for the fact that they could be serving a high tipping table with a higher total and instead they are serving just me. I’m taking up the space someone else would who might have been buying more and I don’t want the server to miss out on that money. I usually tip close to 40% or 50% because my husband used to be a waiter and I know that some people will occupy a table for an hour or longer and be very demanding and then WON’T tip. Now every time I go out somewhere, the waiters are falling all over themselves to serve me and I get excellent service. My husband now manages a major chain restaurant and one of the managerial perks is that he was given a comp card that entitles us to free meals when we eat at any of the chain’s locations. We always leave $20 or $25 as the tip since our meal was free, even if our total before the comp card is just $15 or $20. The thing that boggles my mind and frankly, embarrasses me, is that my entire family (my mother and my brothers and sisters) are notoriously horrible tippers. They will leave $2 or $3 on a $60 bill. When I’m present, I make sure to make up for that but I feel bad knowing that some servers are not being compensated for their service when im not around, and my mom is not the only one who does that, I’m sure. Sometimes my mom won’t tip at all, even if the service was excellent.
Please tip, even if it’s just minimum. It can make a real difference to a waiter.
I have waitressed for years, but would just prefer a decent wage instead of relying on tips. Why were tips invented anyway? BTW, I do tip others
This is what I wonder as well. I do tip, but why don’t they just give them a wage charge appropriately? As someone mentioned, we don’t tip many other types of jobs.
I totally agree — while I have some awesome days as a server, they are generally canceled out by days when I’ll make $17 in 6 hours. Not good! My life would be way less stressful if I just made $8 an hour and didn’t have to worry about whether or not I’d make enough to pay my bills this week.
I don’t get why the tip amount is a percentage of the cost of the food or other service. If you buy a cheaper meal or an expensive meal in the same restaurant doesn’t it take the server the same amount of time and effort to serve you?
I love to tip when my service is wonderful. But I hate it when servers complain about only making serving minimum wage. Guess what if you don’t like it when I don’t tip you for BAD service then either do a better job, or go work in a store where you get 7 dollars an hour no matter what. Waitressing is a gamble you make the choice to get paid less hoping that your good service will be rewarded. I never hear waitresses complain when they have a night of fantastic tips and make well over 7 dollars an hour. If you don’t like it go work at Walmart.
Yes, because Walmart treats their employees well. HA!
Well what a negative nancy. I have waited tables for almost 8 years and now have just cut down to weekends so I can stay home with my kids, but I will complain when I don’t make minimum wage. Do you know what it takes to wait tables? There is more to it than just taking orders and taking food to people, there is a LOT of manual labor in the side work that needs done but no body sees that, and I make $2.13 for doing it. If you want to sit down to eat, you should tip.
Now I understand if you get HORRIBLE service for not tipping, but what if that particular server is just having an off day? What if they can’t find a better job? There isn’t much oppurtunity out there right now you know.
Did you know depending on how much food a server sells/ how much in tips they recieve determines their paycheck? I “made too much” the past 2 weeks and didn’t recieve a paycheck because I am taxed on my sales to tips ratio. Yes, people who serve choose to do so, but it is people with a negative attitude like yours that make me hate waiting on certain people.
Question, do you tip only when service is wonderful? What about a so/so job? You know how hard it is to fake a smile when you are having a bad day?
So/so jobs should never get a tip. They get paid. Do they get paid lousy? Sure, but that is their CHOICE. Sure they work hard, but again THEIR CHOICE. They choose to gamble and take a low paying crap job dealing with “horrible” people like me, and then rejoyce when others feel societal pressure to give them extra money. When was the last time you tipped the cahsier at Walmart? They deal with bad costumers daily, probably hourly and if they are doing a fantastic job, as some do, they don’t get any extra cash. If they have an off day they get the same amount. It is called gratituty for a reason, I only pay if I am grateful for an above average job.
They get paid to do their job at walmart… I have to depend on people to tip me. Wait tables for a day, then tell me your opinion
Do remember that how fast the watitess/waiter gets your food out to you, how it tastes ect is not all up to the waitress but also up to the ppl in the back who make at least min wage,. Sometimes it is hard to find other jobs, glad to hear yours is so great. Tipping is not mandatory and I agree with not giving a good tip if they have done a lousy job, but if they have at least tried then they should get a decent one and if went above and beyond a great one. Take into conisderation that it doesn’t all depend on what they are doing, they have to depend on others too for your order 9though it usually only refelects on them), they could be having a bad day, they could even be not feeling too well and yet not allowed to leave, maybe they are even new (I know ppl like you could sure make them want to find a new job)
what is above average to u
What I think people fail to realize is, servers have to pay taxes on tips as well as tip out the bus staff, food runner and bartender. If a server gets a bad tip or no tip at all, they still have to tip and pay the taxes on the total sales they rang in for that day. The server doesn’t get to say well I got stiffed so I can’t tip you, it doesn’t work that way. And if all servers took the advice some of you are giving , well then who would serve you when you want to go out to eat? Your SERVERS would all be working at wal-mart and the restaurants would be without SERVERS. If you are aware of anything going on around you then you would know if your sever is just very busy, because she got sat 5 tables at the same time, she is slammed, then maybe you could be a little nicer and let her know you see how hard she is working. If they just have a bad attitude then decrease the tip. Most servers don’t work in the service industry because the pay, so when you make comments like if you don’t like how your tipped then go do something else, most of us do it because we enjoy what we do, we enjoy being apart of the celebrations and events that the people that we wait on are going out for. Like a first date or a 50th anniversary or a graduation ,a wedding a communion or just a night out , we love to be apart of that and to try and make there occasion the best it can be. We do what we do, because we love what we do and when we get bad tips, not because we gave bad service it is a slap in the face and we don’t take it lightly. So next time you go out to eat try looking at your server as a person with a family and bills to pay just like you and if you can’t afford to tip on what you order or you just don’t want to ti, then please do us all a favor and stay home. Imagine if the job you do was based on tips……….. What would your pay look like?
Again choice. You choose to do what you like? Then deal with the consequences. Bad pay. If my pay were based on tips I would sure go out of my way to do a fantastic job every day.
And with your nasty attitude and comments you would not make much at all! Yes I choose to do what I do and you choose to be angry and cheap and the only way you can feel in control is by picking on your sever. I do deal with the consequences of getting stuck with someone like you and it sucks. I do a fantastic job every day no matter what, but there will always be people like you who like to jip us.
Stuck with someone like me. DO YOU KNOW ME? Who do you think you are? Atleast I am always polite to people. I do not assume that because I have a differing opinion from someone that they are NASTY? How can you say that about me. I say that I tip when someone earns it. I am always nice to my servers even when they are “having a bad day,” I just do not choose to reward them for not doing their job. I have never once picked on a server. As for my pay, well year after year I have students tell me how I have changed their lives and I have an entire box of letters of thanks from former students, so I would say that I would be tipped quite well. (Which would be nice since I also get paid less then I deserve for all my hard work and extra hours.)
the beauty industry has become so inflated I have a hard time tipping 20% on a $500.00 permanent eye liner that took 1 hour. there is no way! and the cost of a day at the spa that was a gift to me? a $250.00 treatment should not have $50.00 added on. JMHO
You do have to factor in the costs of their equipment, etc. My sister is a hairdresser and a hair extensions class was 1,000 alone. Not to mention the machine and hair she had to buy. Some services are inflated I’m sure, but some are really not.
If I receive only adequate service in a restaurant, I tip 15% (usually end up tipping at least 20-25%.) I have been known to add an extra tip when the gratuity is on the bill if I think the service was especially good – it’s hard to wait on a large crowd. I can’t believe the number of people who don’t tip when using a discount or gift cards – the server still provided a service, whether you paid for it or not. I usually end up tipping more, since I didn’t have to pay full price for the meal.
I also don’t abide by the “don’t tip the owner” rule. I tip my hairdresser (who owns the salon); why shouldn’t she receive a tip for her work just like everyone who works for her? I generously tip hotel staff (bell hop, valet, maid.) I worked in a service industry for many years, and it’s not easy. I like to think I might make up for some people who don’t tip them or even treat them with respect at all.
I don’t tip baristas; I only get a latte and don’t think it’s necessary to tip someone for pouring coffee and milk into a cup. I don’t tip the guy at the Burger King drive thru for my coffee; why would I tip for the same service at Starbucks?
This being said, I hate when my waiter/waitress says “do you need change?” They haven’t even looked at what I put in the folder; it could be $50 for a $10 bill. I prefer when they say “let me get your change.” I usually don’t need change, but I don’t appreciate the assumption.
The chart says under Hairdresser, “It is now acceptable to tip owner, unless he or she says otherwise”.
The reason you don’t usually tip the owner is that when you get a haircut from an employee, they only get 50% or less of the service cost, and the rest goes to the owner. But when the owner cuts your hair, they get 100% of the amount you pay for your haircut.
I’m always curious for the Carside To Go things or how about when I make an order for pick up? Do I tip for that?
Usually, the person packing up and running out your to-go order at a restaurant is a waiter, and getting paid $2.13/hr. I usually tip a couple of bucks or 10% for to-go, as it takes the server’s time away from serving tables to help you.
I am a server and a bartender. I handle Togo orders as well… Waitresses and to tip out a certain amount of their sales to other people (busser, bar, expo). If you don’t tip on a Togo order, the server is losing money because they still have to tip out based on sales. I’m not saying I expect the same amount I would as if I was serving them at a table, but we provide you a service, you should tip at least something for me having to bag up your food and ten sides of ranch that you just can’t live without. Just sayin.
I feel for those that work in the food service industry. It is a tough job. What I never understood is how restaurants get away without having to pay minimum wage? Why should that be passed onto to the patrons? My husband works hard and doesn’t get tips, he makes what he makes an hour and that is all. I feel waiters should make a guaranteed wage and only expect a tip when the patron wishes to leave one.
If we go to a restaurant and the kids eat free we always tip on what the total would have been before the free meals or the same if we use a coupon. The wait staff did the work even though we don’t have to pay for it. One time we asked the waitress for the amount of the kids meals explaining that we wanted to tip her for them and she said that in all her years as a waitress no one had ever done that.
One thing I’ve never understood is tipping hairdressers. They are getting commission off your total anyway…generally up to 50% of what you pay goes to them. I can understand tipping them something but 20% gets on my nerves lol. I do it anyway but it drives me crazy. Example…I get my hair cut and highlighted which is $130 a pop. My hair dresser gets $65 of that and then I tip her another $26.
what you might want to reconsider is… your hairdresser is ONLY getting half of what you pay. she has NO insurance, she pays taxes out of that. She pays for her supplies. she has to buy her equipment so she can do your hair. Believe me… she doesn’t walk away with all that money…
Not necessarily true. My friend is a hair stylist and she has health insurance. Her salon supplies her with gel, hairspray, shampoo conditioner etc. My hairdresser makes $91.00 an hour when I’m in plus she does other peoples hair while my color is sitting on my head.
I have asked this question further down in the blog but if your hairstylist rents her booth from the owner of the shop and does not have to pay the owner anything else, what is the proper tipping procedure? I usually do about 12%.
However, I own my own business. It’s a trophy shop. And I do provide a service to my customers. I have not once been tipped for prompt delivery, rush service or job well done. I don’t expect a tip either. I think it can be slippery slope.
i couldnt disagree more on this! as a former server & manager at a very popular restaurant, this appalls me!
* * Do tip pre-tax> seriously….its pocket change, we don’t need to be cheap people, and the servers who have to tip other co-workers (bussers, hosts, bartenders etc.) have to tip them out on their total sales, not pre-taxed
* Do tip at buffets.> this depends on what type of buffet it is, if you have someone coming around and filling your drinks/clearing your plates, then tip…..if noone is serving you, then no tip is required
* Do tip when using a discount or voucher like Groupon.> this is the only one i agree with, you MUST tip when using a discount and you MUST tip on what your bill would have been before the discount….you’re already getting a discount and the server is still doing the full job
* Don’t tip the owner.> why not? if the owner if serving you, tip them!
* Don’t tip extra when gratuity is already added on the bill.> oh please! sometimes the added grat is 15%, or 18% and the service level was 20%+, and usually large parties run the server around like crazy and take their time from other tables that they could be making better money…the included grat is to insure that large parties dont “stiff” the server
* Don’t leave a bad tip if you plan on visiting the establishment again> really? i mean if the service is bad, the server needs to know, tip based on the service, but not on things beyond the servers control (steak cooked improperly, long time waited to be sat, music too loud). but if your server is bad, tip accordingly and remember their name so you dont get stuck with them again…..on the places we frequent, we have great servers that we remember so we can always insure great service!
There are ways to save money and there are ways to be cheap, and those tips my friends are cheap!….stepping off my soapbox now
Depending on how large your party is and what the sales tax rate is in your state, tip after tax isn’t necessarily “pocket change”.
if you had a $1000 check with 10% sales tax, it would be $100….if you’re spending $1000 on dinner, then $100 is pocket change!
and then your 20% tip would be a total of $220 tip…if you were “grat” ed 18% (pre-tax) thats $180 tip… a mere difference of only $40……to add 2% more on the taxed amount……if your bill was $60 and tax was 10% (which is a rare tax rate) then your bill is $66…a 20% tip (pre tax) is $12….(post tax) is $13.20….seriously?!?! its $1.20!!! that is pocket change……that $1.20 doesnt affect the individuals eating…but multiply that by the servers 40 tables a night (on the conservative side) and she/he is losing out on $48….now that’s a lot to lose all because someone wants to save $1.20! all this to say, if you can’t afford to tip well, then don’t go out to eat!
It’s not just the sales tax rate, many areas has restaurant taxes that add an addition 4% or more to the sales tax amount for food served in restaurants. It’s why I like to eat at places outside of the jurisdiction where I lived – because of the restaurant tax which even on Fast Food is significant.
When you are hired at a business establishment, isn’t everybody paid minimum wage? When I go to a restaurant (often) I assume that the server is getting paid to do his/her job. They should be paid on exemplary service. I work with handicapped kids, and I go over and above what I am paid, and often purchase things for the class or children. I have NEVER received a tip for good service. When I get bad service in a restaurant, why should I give them a BONUS, if they are not even doing their job properly?
Because that is not how it works. Wait staff are NOT paid minimum wage, no matter how much you would like them to be. It is just not how the restaurant business is set up in this country – period. If you don’t want to tip wait staff then you should not go out to eat. If you honestly did not realize that wait staff don’t even get paid minimum wage, I’d encourage you to change your tipping habits going forward now that you know better.
No, I get paid $2.13/hr… Tipping isn’t a bonus, it’s our income
Tipping shouldn’t be an income. Someone needs to change the laws to make equal pay for equal work.
HUGE DITTO!
Molly, I waitressed and bartended my way through college. You do not have to pay taxes on all of your tips (just a small portion). If you had a min.wage job you would have to pay what all of us pay @ 20-40% depending on our tax bracket. Good tipping is an extra, not a guarantee.
Ok, so why is it that I get voided checks because I “made too much” that week? We don’t get checks, and if we do they are only $20-$40 every 2 weeks… You think anyone can live off of that?
Um, yes you DO have to pay taxes on all your tips. That percentage you are taking about is 10% of your sales and almost all waitresses and bartenders earn more than that. Not claiming and paying the full amount of your tips is TAX FRAUD, and just because “everybody does it” doesn’t make it right. Other people have to make up for the taxes you don’t pay. This is one of the many reasons I wish this country would get rid of tipping and switch to paying a reasonable wage for wait staff.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE!!!!
Restaurant servers only make 2.13/hr in most states and I don’t think people realize servers have to pay taxes on their tips. Tips are considered income by the IRS. There were times when I was a server that my hourly wage didn’t even cover the taxes I had to pay so when I got my check so it would be for pennies or even nothing. If restaurants had to pay servers minimum wage, prices would go through the roof and nobody would go out. Now if service is bad, trust me, I don’t tip very well. For good service, I usually give 30-40%.
some places start their wait staff at min wage just to make sure they are getting enough (plus any small tips they may get, but usually have to split with who is training them) but after a week or 2 they are put down to the lower amount and tips are their main income
I would like to see some kind of polling on this site to see what ppl really think. So we’re not overly influenced by one person who says that it must be a certain way. Doesn’t seem like anyone has an issue with not tipping for to-go food… but what about Outback that has curbside take-away?
My husband always tips 25% or more. Even if the server was terrible! I tell him all the time to tip 15% when they suck or don’t even try, because otherwise how will they learn they need to do better at their job? I don’t like to reward for laziness.
I always tip way more and leave words of encouragement on a note for them or on the bill itself like Have a Wonderful Day or Thanks for all you do, or if they tell me they struggle with making ends meat…I always put HIP2SAVE.COM on the bill so they know of a website to check out and I say check it out you wont be sad anymore : )
I know what you mean for my birthday this past week we went out the weekend before and we went to a restaurant that we have been wanting to go to The Cheesecake Factory and there wasn’t a long line and when we did get seated we had a handicapped person with us they took a chair and our waiter kept coming by every 5-10 mins making sure we were ok and my sister who is trying to lose weight is counting her calories kept asking the guy how much was in something. He was so GREAT that my dad left him a note saying, “Service was great and will be back again!!” The waiter even helped us pick foods for that were spicy enough for me and even though we asked him a lot of things he always seemed to get the answer and come back with a pleasant answer and attitude!
I was just talking to my friend, who is a hostess at a nice, mid-price restaurant, and she said that some people will tip when she gets them their to-go orders. I had never tipped them, and she admitted that she never used to, but now that it’s her job she does tip the to-go server. As a hostess she makes a set hourly wage, but getting the food requires some extra effort on her part. She said she’s not offended when people don’t, but she really appreciates when they do tip a little something. She said 10% was the norm.
I think tips are EXTREMELY outdated! Having a waiter is not a special thing anymore. It\’s time the restaurant businesses started paying their employees an honest equal pay and expect them to do a GOOD job without extra expectations. It quickly ruins a dinner to have someone nearly harass you to death trying to earn extra money. The business should pay them enough to not have to kiss up to everyone. Just do a good job for good pay…. like other jobs. It\’s time the restaurant industry caught up to the fact that having a waiter bring a plate is not an EXTRA DUTY to their job… IT IS THEIR JOB!! They should be paid as so.
Reading all of this has made another thought occur to me. Should tipping really be based on the amount of the check? Do waitresses a more expensive establishment such as Red Lobster really do any more work than those who waitress at somewhere like Denny’s? Why pay more to the server because the food costs more? I can’t say I have a solution for this, but I think it’s something to take into consideration.
sorry, that wasn’t meant to be a reply to your post Jennifer. Not sure how that happened.
The amount of taxes servers have to pay on their tips is based on who much they sell, so it makes a difference how the check is and how much you tip.
Actually at nicer restaurants the expectations (knowledge about the wine, extensive knowledge about the food, recommendations, decorum, etc) is usually higher. People are also more likely to order multiple courses.
I totally agree! I hate being in the middle of a conversation, only to have someone ask me if I want a refill, if my food is okay, if I want anything else, etc. I also hate being sold to. They always try to convince me to get an appetizer, drinks, and dessert. I know it’s for the tip, but I would rather pay a fair price for my food than have to argue with my waitress or get bad service. The service I get when I eat out with my husband is never as good as the service when I eat out with my friend. We go to the same places, but my husband and I don’t order appetizers or dessert and usually get water. My friend almost always get an appetizer, dessert, and usually a glass of wine. Even though I just get my entree, our bill is a good $15 higher than when my husband and I go out. It’s the only reason I can imagine for the difference in service, especially since my husband and I both have very good manners.
Tipping doesn’t seem fair to me, even for the wait staff. It’s not any harder to refill soda than it is to refill water, but the former would earn the wait staff about 50 cents versus nothing for the latter because of the whole ideology that we should tip a percentage of the bill.
I worked for a restaurant that if they caught you not asking someone if they wanted a dessert, drinks or appetizer or caught you suggesting the cheaper drinks you would get in trouble. Once you were caught so many times you were fired. At some places it’s not so much that the server is trying to sell to you, there trying to keep from getting in trouble with there boss.
I don’t so much mind a suggestion as I do a server not letting the issue go. I went out to Olive Garden for my birthday and the server asked if we had room for dessert. My husband and I said we were stuffed, and she suggested something to go. We declined and when she came back with boxes she mentioned it a third time, saying that one particular dessert was just delicious. We declined again, but then she brought us the bill and tried to offer it for a fourth time. I’ve worked in sales and understand that you need to offer, but some servers practically hound the customers about it.
We had a 5 step outline for dinner service, each with a 2-3 sentence script that included suggestive selling. We had incentives (better/more shifts) for selling a certain amount of certain things, and extra cleaning duties if we didn’t. Our overall sales were tracked every night but so was our average cost per customer. It was written on a white board for the week and if we were consistently lower than the $30/person average they wanted us to hit we’d be encouraged to try harder or scolded. Conversely the servers with the higher averages were praised. So it wasn’t about upselling to line our pockets, it was to keep the managers off our backs, be allowed to work a decent amount and to keep our jobs.
That being said, good servers can make that look natural, even considerate, rather than pushy and everyone should know to give up before it becomes badgering.
Wow! That sort of makes me feel bad for going out at all. I’m sure I ruin the numbers for my servers. I couldn’t afford $30/person. I usually spend less than that going out with my husband after tax/tip. Our average is generally around $13/person before coupon, so it’d take a lot of people who order a lot to bring up my server’s average. I just hope that the places I eat don’t have things like that happening, because I’d feel really bad.
I think that family restaurants, like Olive Garden, should have a self-serve option for people like me so that we don’t screw up server’s numbers and can go out more often. If I didn’t have to tip a server we could go out 4 times a year instead of 3 for the same cost and the restaurant would make more. I think it’d be good for everyone. Lots of people like having servers, so I don’t think it’d take well paying customers from servers.
Don’t feel bad! That was just at the particular restaurant I worked at. It was a wannabe-upscale family place with adult entrees averaging about $14-$26 (the most expensive dish was about $40). If you could get a diner to add on a side salad, cup of soup or a single glass of wine then they hit $30 pretty easily. The tough part was that the $6 kids meals were included in the server’s average. I’m not a good actress or really a “people person” so I wasn’t a really great server and the restaurant I worked in went out of business about 6 months after I quit – I wouldn’t view it as typical.
Self serve wouldn’t work at any place that requires heavy dishes or food that takes more than a couple of minutes to prepare. It takes practice to be able to balance and carry a heavy tray of food. There are hygiene reasons/requirements that would prevent people from going in the the kitchen to pick up their dishes (look around the next time you go out, would you want your fellow patrons leaning over your food?) Commercial kitchens are chaotic places with a lot of opportunities for lawsuits (steaming pots, super heated soup, etc.). The food pickup area is small and I’d imagine the average guest wouldn’t know how often to go check on their food so you’d have a lot of extra people standing around in the way. Dishes don’t always finish cooking at exactly the same time so you’d have people grabbing food that they think is theirs so you’d end up with 3/4 dishes ready for your table because the other family accidentally took your order. Not to mention how chaotic the restaurant itself would be with people constantly up and down getting their own things from the kitchen. And what if your fellow patron tried to carry more than they should and dropped a steaming plate of spaghetti in your lap? If you notice, even semi-self serve places like Crispers used to be had runners bring out the food.
Maybe a pick up counter with numbers and a call system would work but you’d still have to pay someone to run that system so food prices would still go up and you wouldn’t be saving your 20%, plus instead of making conversation with your loved ones you’d be listening for your number.
It’s a system with a lot of holes but there’s actually a lot of reasons why this broken system is better than alternatives.
I felt I had to share our families infamous Tips for Tony story. My husband, his father and his great grandfather stayed at a Canadian fishing cabin several years ago. The on-site mainteance guy named Tony would fuel up the boats, stock firewood next to the cabins, restock the bait boxes, etc. Our granddad noticed Tony had a jar next to to the check-out counter, labeled “Tips for Tony”. Grandpa proceeded to go outside, yelled for Tony to come on over, and then walked around the lodge area for 15 minutes telling Tony what areas needed a little fixin-up. grandpa never realized the tip jar was meant to collect $$ and was not intended as a suggestion jar. My husband felt so sorry for Tony, he threw in an extra $20.
Love your story!
I love this story! Thanks for the laugh!
We usually tip on how good the waitress/waiter was if they were “HORRIBLE” then they get a couple bucks or nothing and if they are “GREAT” it goes up!! Why give someone a good tip if they don’t deserve it!!!!!
rhis philosophy kills me… I had someone write on a credit card slip that ” my personality sucked” and I needed to smile and left me $2 on a $40 bill… She probably didn’t know my uncle had passed away that day
When I worked as a server I always put my personal life to the side as I worked. No matter what has happened to someone recently, they are still working for tips. If you expect a good tip, you still have have to work for it. You can’t just think, oh well they should tip a certain percentage regardless. It doesn’t work like that. Cry before you work, cry after, but don’t ruin other peoples dining experience due to your personal life and still expect them to tip you graciously. If you are having a bad night fine, but don’t get mad if someone tips you accordingly. Believe it or not, working as a waitress is an acting job. The better you can act, the more money you will make 🙂
Agreed. (To Raychael) If you are that upset, you should take the day off. Your income relies on your relations with other people. If you were going to have surgery and the surgeon was upset and didn’t do a good job, you wouldn’t say “oh he was having a bad day, it happens,” would you? I only go out to eat about once a month, if that. It’s not very often in the food budget to go out to eat. When I do go out, I don’t want to be unhappy when I leave because of poor service. I want to enjoy my occasional night out. For some people going out to eat is a major treat. My broken dishwasher is not doing much so a night out means not only food different from what we normally eat, but a break away from cooking, cleaning the table, picking up after dinner and doing dishes. I don’t want my dinner to me ruined by a worker who can’t keep their personal life out of their work life. I tip based on performance. I’ve tipped 50% for a man who personally sang to me on my birthday and I’ve tipped nothing for a waitress who after 45 minutes I had not seen and had not even brought a bill (we had to leave cash on the table because we wanted to leave). I’m not about to tip that! They should have been happy I paid.
Personally, I always tip at least 15% and if the service is great, I will go up to 20%. There was only one time in my life when I did not tip. It was a recent meal out where the waitress made a large mistake and had a horrible attitude. I don’t mind tipping but I think it should be based on performance in most service situations. For things like hair cuts and pizza delivery, I usually tip 2 to 3 dollars every time.
I deliver pizza. I am not sure if a lot of people realize that the delivery charge is NOT paid to the driver….and I also do NOT get paid minimum wage. I have to pay for gas (which is incredibly expensive!!!) and maintenance on my own personal vehicle. So like servers, I live mostly on the tips I receive. I do not say this to be rude or entitled but we do remember who tips us well and who does not…so when we are out delivering multiple orders and one customer is $5-$10 tipper and you only are a $2 tipper…know that you will be receiving your order second. I take care of those who appreciate the service I provide. 🙂
My husband was also a delivery driver. He didn’t even get paid the $2.13 an hour (because he didn’t technically work for the company). I feel bad for every pizza driver! I also can’t imagine tipping someone $5 to deliver a $10 pizza so we always do pick up. I never want my husband to go back to that, it’s a lousy job. I don’t think many people realize that drivers may not get paid hourly (Jimmy Johns does tho- it depends on the place). If you want pizza delivered to your house, give a good tip. If you expect fast food and no tip, go pick it up.
Great topic. My tip begins at 20% and above. If service was exceptional, I always make a note of that on the receipt. Hopefully my comment will make up for anything negative they may have experienced before or after me that day. Also, If service was terrible, I make note of that as well. In my line of work if I don’t perform well, I don’t get a raise so i will not tip for poor service. For the most part I will tip but service really determines what I leave. If a restaurant is busy and a waitress/waiter may seem forgetful, I do understand. If a waitress/waiter is new and seems forgetful, I do understand. If a waiter/waitress is straight out rude Sorry I will not tip. I refuse to pay for terrible service. Also I will let the manager know. This is not to get anyone fired. I am not that type of person, but if I do not inform them of what was wrong more than likely the type of service will continue. I would like to also note that I do not complain to get anything free. If a manager offers, I turn it down. I simply address the problem, so my visit in the future will be enjoyable the next time I get there. Also when I visit the same restaurants, I request to sit in the section of my favorite waiter/waitress. That way I know I will get great service and they know they will get a great tip. Also for take out I also tip. To digress… If you go to a salon for a set price for the entire service. One person job is to simply shampoo your hair and another person is responsible for cutting/styling your hair…How do you tip? Do you divide the tip in half? Please provide any feedback.
As a current restaurant employee of 11 years, I have this to say: 15% is ok, if the service was ok. If you can’t afford to give more, just be kind. I’d much rather get 15% from a truly nice, appreciative person than 18% from a total jerk. Going below 15% takes you into tough territory though. After 11 years I have learned this – an extra couple bucks is nice, but “please” and “thank you” are nicer because they don’t make me want to pour water on you and quit my job. 🙂
does anyone know if sonic car hops get paid minimum wage? I always have tipped because I assumed they made the same as waiters/waitresses ($2 something) but someone told me recently that they do get paid minimum wage so that would affect how much I tip..
I have a friend who works for the Sonic Drive-in Restaurant and yes, she does get minimum wage. She said she gets a few tips each day. Most people just give her a small amount to thank her for bringing her their meal. The servers will also get you additional napkins, ketchup etc. if needed.
My husband used to work at Sonic as a manager (horrible place to work, and so unsanitary) and the car hops do get paid minimum wage.
It has never crossed my mind to tip them.
I delivered pizzas (papa johns) for a few years the tips were on average about $3.00 a delivery. The problem was that we have to pay for our own gas and maintance on our car. We also only got paid $4.00 an hour. I found that no matter how nice, fast, courteous you were, the person had already planned on giving you a tip our not. This was really frustrating when you get the pizza there quick and hot and you did not get a tip you actually lost money after the gas and miles you put on your car. What was upsetting was when you delivered the pizza there was usually a flyer glued on to the box saying now hiring drivers make between $10 to $15 an hour. I think the customers thought we got paid that much an hour when really that was if you get tips you can make that before you factor in gas and maintance. If EVERYONE tipped at least $5 it would be a decent job, but they dont.
When I order a pizza, it usually costs $10 or less. Why is the world would I tip $5 or 50%?! I think a $2-3 tip is plenty for one pizza.
but that $2 barely pays for the drivers gas much less his where and tear on his car. you only average about 2 deliveries in 1 hour so that means if you tip $2 i get $4 tips and $4 in wages but i have to spend $5 in gas for those deliveries plus taxes. my net pay under $3 an hour. And we are also risking our lives on the dangers roads to get you your pizza.
so where do you order pizzas because they dont deliver for orders under $10. And the delivery charge they charge you the driver DOES NOT get. It is used to pay our $4 an hour wage. We are not like the resturant employees we use OUR CAR to get the pizza to you. It is a lot more dangerous on the road then serving a table in a resturant. So if you just want to tip $2 for the pizza you are welcome to but remember we have to buy tires every 6 months ($400), tune ups, oil changes, and anything else that goes wrong with our car.
this is why i hate delivering a single pizza becuase i loose money when you tip 20%. I drive 20 miles for $2 tip. . tips should be different % for drivers. Gas is over $3 a gallon so we are always spending money on our car. Your waitress you tip 20% has to buy new shoes like once a year. We spend about $30 a night in gas alone
I order delivery from Dominos. I don’t have kids so I never order more than one pizza and my bill is never over $10. They have never said “We don’t deliver for less than $10.” I understand that the delivery charge does not go to the driver. That’s what the tip is for.
That’s fine, but then pick it up yourself!
what? pick what up myself?
Whoops, the pizza
okay i dont think you understand my point. tips should not always be a %. example you stay in a hotel that has a guy that takes your bags to your room, do you tip him? how much? 20% of the cost of you staying at the hotel? that could run into $100’s. my point is you usually give him $5 or $10 bucks. that is what you should do when you order pizzas. $5 is a good amount to tip even if you order lots of pizzas. the driver has done nothing different in bringing you 1 pizza or 5. he still drives to your house, spends the same amount in gas, walks the same distance to your door step but you give him more because he brought 5 pizzas. being a waitress is different she is constantly coming to your table helping you and when you have lots of people she has to do more work so she should get a % of the tab for her tip. when i delivered pizzas only about 70% of people tipped and half of them were only about $2 to $3. this is why i had to quit. the time i was there a saw at least 100 drivers get hired then quit because of this. i am not trying to be mean i just what people to know tipping should not always be a %.
I’m replying to the other Laura since I assume she’s talking to me. Why do I have to pick up my pizza because I’m not ordering more than one pizza? That’s ridiculous and until they refuse to deliver only one pizza, I’ll keep ordering it.
Well the government gives $.50 plus per mile driven for gas/wear/tear on a vehicle for people who use their car for work. Presumably the government/IRS has done research on how much wear and tear a vehicle may acquire when driving. So any tip less than that $.50 a mile to your house and back, that delivery driver is losing money and certainly not making an income. It doesn’t matter if you only order one pizza, the drivers costs are going to be the same. If you don’t want your food spit in for making them deliver it, I’d tip better or pick it up myself.
So Laura, how much would it be worth in your time, gas, wear and tear on your vehicle, and general convenience to drive to the pizza parlor instead of getting it delivered? Probably more than the $2 you mentioned and even the $5 the original author mentioned. For someone who is working an honest job and is providing a service i value, i tip accordingly. I should also I get EXCELLENT service from the restuarants/companies i patronize.
I am a SAHM with a husband making $12 an hour so the only time we get pizza is when it’s free. We typically pick it up on the way home from work. We don’t go to pizza places that are far away, most are within 2 miles of whatever is convenient for us- work, shopping, house, etc. So four miles of driving is not worth more than the $3 or $5 tip.
Although i guess I don’t know if this was meant toward me Laura or the other Laura. I’m the responding laura.
I always tip 20% on pizza — if I order one pizza, it ends up being like $2-3… but if I’m having a party or something that requires a lot of pizzas I tip accordingly.
don’t get suckered into feeling pity thinking all servers make only $2.13/hr. In some states that may be the case but in other states it’s not. I believe in WA they make close to $9/hr (still not a great wage but much higher than $2 something). So just do some research for your state.
I’ve worked in hotels and restaurants for years. A good way to figure out what (outside of knowing state minimum wages) the staff are paid is to find out if the establishment is unionized (you would be looking for UNITE HERE of HEREIU – I believe union establishments are listed on their websites). The union servers will be paid much closer to non-server state minimum than those who are not unionized.
If it’s not a Union establishment (most hotels and restaurants are NOT Unionized), you can safely assume that any of the non-management non-senior staff is making close to the absolute minimum allowable by law.
I really wish that restaurants provided a self-serve option. I’d happily take my order to the kitchen, pick up my order, and refill my drinks to save 20%. It’s the primary reason I eat out very infrequently.
I’ve also never understood the percentage tipping thing. When I go out I tend to order inexpensive meals. I don’t think I’ve ever ordered a plate that was more than about $14 at a restaurant, and usually then I have a coupon. However, was it any less work for the wait staff to fulfill my order versus a $35 dinner? Is it any easier to refill water than wine?
I think that the prices of everything should be what’s fair and what’s needed to pay everyone a fair wage.
It’s because of taxing… I will TRY to explain. Say I sold $545.89 worth of food in a night, I am expected to make 12.5% (at my work and this is on the low end) which is $68.24 then I get taxed on that. If I make less than that I still get taxed on the 68.24, if I make more then I will get taxed on what I made and my paycheck will reflect that. It’s confusing, it’s stupid, and I don’t like it. Different states have different percentages.
I forgot to add, ours is so low because we don’t have to tip anyone else becuase we don’t have a busser, we only have hosts on weekends, and we don’t have a bar… Yes, I have to clean your mess up too!
The problem definitely isn’t with the servers; it’s with the system. I really hope the system changes one day so that it’s more fair for everyone. I don’t think that the current system is fair for anyone, servers or customers. If I want to splurge on a special anniversary dinner and my husband and I drop $50 (which is insane for us), I’m stuck leaving a minimum of a $10 tip. It probably wasn’t any more work to serve us than when we have a $20 bill and leave a $4 tip. So, as a customer I have an incentive to order cheap entrees, and a server you don’t get paid fairly for the work you do. It’s just so messed up all around.
That’s not true. The government is assuming that most people who get tips aren’t going to report them so they have a percentage of the price of the food as the MINIMUM that you can get away with reporting as tips. I have not met one person who receives tips who actually reports the actual amount of their tips.
It is really no different than most other industries – pricier restaurants are going to hire more experienced wait staff, and if you have more experience or are really good at your job, you will get paid better. You don’t expect someone flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant to make as much as a chef at a nicer restaurant, do you? The servers, chefs, hostess, etc. at nicer restaurants all likely make more.
Plus, cheaper restaurants tend to have a much faster turnaround time. You go to Denny’s and you’ll be done within 30 minutes, but if you go to a nicer restaurant you are going for the dining “experience” and your meal can take up to two hours. The Denny’s waitress can serve 3 or 4 tables in the time it may take someone to eat a meal in a nicer restaurant.
I’ve never been to a really nice restaurant. I just can’t afford it, so I can’t comment on it. Olive Garden is nice for me. That said, while I pay more at Olive Garden than at the cheap Chinese place I get $5.60 lunch specials, the guy at the Chinese place works just as hard IMO as the server at Olive Garden, but even 25% of $5.60 is $1.40. Even if I just get a $14 entree at Olive Garden and tip only 15%, it’s $2.10. So, the Olive Garden server gets paid far more than the guy at the Chinese place who works just as hard and usually delivers better service. It’s just how messed up the percentage system works. Why is a server penalized for a customer who is a vegetarian (veggie dishes are usually cheaper) and why is a customer penalized because he liked filet mignon (usually pricier)? They both take the same effort to serve.
When ever I go a cheap place, I always tip more. I generally tip at least 20% in general, but if my bill comes to under $10 I always leave a minimum of $2, usually more. If my meal was $5.60 I’d leave at least $8, so that would be a $2.40 tip.
When my husband and I go to the Chinese place I usually tip $3 for the two of us, so a little over 25%. When we go to Olive Garden I generally tip around $5 for the two of us, which ends up being around 19%. The Olive Garden server gets almost twice as much from me even though s/he is getting a smaller percentage tip, but I’d still say that the server at the Chinese place works as hard or harder than the Olive Garden server.
I guess you’re trying to say that we should tip 43% on meals under $10. As a concept it makes sense, but really I think that we should have a flat dollar amount that we believe is acceptable. Maybe it’s $3 per person for mediocre service, $2 for poor service, and $4 – $5 for exceptional service. The percentage ideology doesn’t work, IMO. I use it because that’s what’s expected and I can’t afford to tip $3 on a $5.60 meal (I’d just get it to go if that became the standard), but maybe that’s where we (as a society) should be moving.
I do understand where you are coming from, but saying everyone should get paid the same for the same job just doesn’t make sense in our society. You can pay $10 to get you hair cut at Great Cuts, $30 at an average hair dresser, or $100 at fancy salon. All three hair dressers are working hard, but the ones at the higher end salon are getting paid better because they are qualified for the higher paying jobs. Unfortunately, “hard work” does not always equal pay. You should choose to go to the establishment that fits your budget (including tip).
If I can’t afford to tip what I think is appropriate, I do just get it to-go. I often order from a Chinese take out that is about 5 minutes from my house. Delivery is free, but sometimes I have it delivered and sometimes I pick it up. It is a huge convenience for me to have them deliver it, but if I don’t have an extra $4 or $5 to tip the driver, I go myself to pick it up. If I can’t afford the convenience of someone serving me then I don’t use their resources.
I was so glad to see this post today! I have wondered for years what I should be tipping my hairstylist. In my particular situation, she rents her “Booth” if you will in someone else’s business. So, I guess in fact she owns her own business. I do tip her but it’s around 12%. Is this appropriate? Please someone–help me out on this one. I have researched it on the internet before and it really wasn’t much help.
That’s fine, but honestly, not necessary. I’m an esthetician and if I rented my own room, I wouldn’t expect a tip since I am making up my own prices.
Thank you so much for your help Laura. It is a question that has truly bothered me for years! Your comment was very helpful.
I just hate trying to decide on a tip when I pay $11 to get my eyebrows waxed (it literally takes three minutes). I usually tip two or three dollars. Is that good?
From the website:
In the 16th century in England, brass urns were placed in coffee houses and local pubs with the inscription “To Insure Promptitude” or “T.I.P.” and wasn’t vital to business.
When the custom of tipping made its way to the United States, many people weren’t too happy about it. In the late 1890s, a movement began against tipping as Americans believed tipping allowed service workers to be dependent on the higher class. An anti-tipping bill ultimately failed due to protests from both employers and service workers.
Today, many service workers rely on tips as a substantial part of their income and can be a good indication of how well they are servicing their customers.
LOL. I always wonder the same thing. I’m there for a few minutes, pay $10 for a wax, and then they expect a $5 tip!? What? $2 is good with me.
I’m an esthetician. $2-3 is plenty for an eyebrow wax.
If I get great service at a restaurant I will tip very well. However, if I get really bad service I have no problem either tipping poorly or not at all. I realize that people have their own problems and all, but when you’re income depends on you being nice to people you need to keep that in mind when serving them. I worked at a dry cleaners in customer service for many years, didn’t get paid well, didn’t get tips, and was still ALWAYS nice to customers. Even the ones that (regularly) brought in stuff with vomit, poop, pee, lice, etc. on it. And that was just me being nice just because that is what you have to do when you work with customers. You can bet your butt if my income depended on my attitude/service I would always be aware of that. Some people are not meant to be in the customer service industry and that’s fine. But if you’re one of them don’t get mad at ME for not tipping when YOU are doing a crappy job at the job YOU chose.
Also, I think it would awesome if tips were included in spa-type gift cards. Whenever someone gets me one I hang on to it FOREVER because I can’t afford the tip to go get whatever (massage, pedi, etc) done.
The person buying you the gift card always has the option to add the tip onto the card, it is not the spa’s place to do it.
Pet Groomer is another job that accepts tips. As a groomer myself (though currently a SAHM stretching every penny), I found people don’t realize we accept tips. I say “accept”, because I don’t believe tips should ever be expected. I believe every client deserves equal service regardless of tips/potential tips. I am always grateful when a client tips (especially if their pet was “feisty”), but I never expect it & make sure to thank them for their business & also any tip. A pet groomer’s work is much more difficult & dangerous than a waitress’, but I don’t believe the customer should be held responsible for deciding/filling in the employee’s wage.
I always tip my dogs groomer! 🙂
If you are receiving any type of service you should ALWAYS tip. I’ve been a server for 7 years plus at many restaurants. I’m also a hairstylist going on 6 years. A tip goes a long way believe it or not. Also i like to think of it as Karma! What goes around comes around. Thats why i always tip 20% no matter the service. If you loved it even more and they treated you way better than you should tip more! Seriously. People need to learn this stuff in High School. Ha.
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Let me preface this by saying I do tip, but why would someone work for $2.13/hr in hopes of getting good tips? It doesn’t matter that tipping is the “right” thing to do………in the end, at most restaurants–it’s optional. Don’t the servers know this BEFORE they are hired?????
sometimes thats the only job available for you to work that is why we do it.
Like I’ve said before, serving is an acting job. If you’re a good actor, take the job! You will make a lot of money. If you’re not a good actor, find a different job. People like to go out and be served with a happy friendly person, whether that’s how they really act in their personal lives or not. As long as they are nice while serving, they will make their money.
Lisa — I just graduated from college and waitress/bartender is literally the only job I’ve found. I graduated with High Distinction, I have 1000+ hours of volunteer work, and I did research for three years in college. I would love to make more than $2.13/hour, I would love to not have to worry about whether or not I’ll be able to pay my rent and student loan payments, and I would love to not have to deal with rude people or rely on tips for income. However, the job market is terrible so this is all I’ve got. It’s not like I woke up an decided I wanted to be a waitress when I grew up.
All I’m saying is that in the end………….tips are optional in most places. Look I took a waitressing job once and I was really bad at it. It looked like it would be an easy job, but it wasn’t.; not for me, anyways. I fired myself I was so bad. The point I’m trying to make here is not that waitressing is a good or bad thing. All I’m saying is that with every job–any job–there are pluses and minuses (sp?), and with waitressing well, tips can go either way. It’s tough when you’ve been backed into working a job like this, and it’s great that you’d even take this kind of job—–some people wouldn’t out of pride; but still, even you had to know that you couldn’t RELY on tips. I hope the tides turn in your favor soon. I truely do. Good luck!
Alex, I have so much respect for you. I understand the job market is hard. Many people would not take a job totally away from their intended field. When I first graduated from college, I was totally out of my field. I worked in customer service taking phone orders. I was making the same as someone without a college degree ($7.50 and hr). Back then I owned a 1998 Nissan Sentra that I could barely afford the payments on. I have student loans, own a home, and have a newer model car. I still appreciate my almost 15 years old Nissan. It still drives well. I drive my Nissan about 90% of the time to a career I love.
Your time will come.
Aside from tipping being an ethical issue (something you “should” do), I also think it’s a self-interest issue. I completely agree that you should tip at least 15% even for bad service if you plan to return. Sometimes people have a bad day, or a second waitress didn’t show up so your waitress has to handle twice the number of tables, or management is just cutting back on staff — it often isn’t really the server’s fault. Here’s an example of what I mean by self-interest:
There’s a divey-but-delicious Mexican restaurant in my town. We get take out there at least once a week, and sometimes we dine in for lunch on a weekend. We tip well, INCLUDING FOR TAKE OUT. If we get there early for take out and it’s not ready yet, but we are having one of those “I’m starving and need to eat right now!” moments, they let us munch on chips and salsa while the kitchen finishes our order, at no extra charge. I recently heard another patron raising a stink over the fact that they didn’t put chips and salsa in her takeout (they never do–it’s just their practice), while we were sitting there eating chips and salsa waiting for out takeout. DH and I chuckled. When the other takeout patron left, the server who had been dealing with her caught my eye and smiled and winked. The staff at this place takes care of us because we take care of them. So if we eat in, and they forget to bring me my Coke because they are busy, we’re not stiffing them on tip. That relationship is what makes a community.
It is frustrating to me when people say, if people can’t afford X% tip, then stay home. I am a student, I work part time, and my husband is also a full time student. I’m not saying that I frivolously waste money out on food, but if we have a birthday or important anniversary, I want to go out. I tip 15% for standard service or if it is a higher bill for two people. I tip 20% for good service.
I feel that a lot of servers tend to have a bad attitude toward younger diners in general. Once, at a restaurant I wanted to try for the first time, the service was so neglectful that I had to get up and request to speak with the manager before leaving the restaurant. The host had seated us and over a 20 minute period, I kept getting “I’ll be right back to take your order” every time the server passed. However, several other people arrived after we had been seated, and their orders were taken and they were served beverages while we kept getting the cold shoulder. After asking for a manager I got dirty looks and a snotty “Why are you asking?” Never went back there.
Another frustrating problem that I encounter too frequently is when a restaurant won’t redeem their own promotions. There is a certain asian restaurant that I like to go to on occasions. They put out promotions on scoutmob/other apps. They are already very limited: Monday-Thursday only, not to be used with any other offer, not on holidays etc. Each time I have tried to redeem a 20-25% off coupon, the manager has given us dirty looks, made up rules that were not on the coupon (i.e. can’t use on soup and suhi roll only despite the fact the coupon did not specify a minimum purchase), and we even saw the manager fuss at a server for taking the discount off our bill. Why put this promotions out if you won’t honor them or act like it is a trouble?
I cook a lot of my own food, and dining out is just getting to be too cumbersome anyhow. Perhaps we could all save a bit of money deciding this.
I think I just stay home then…
Amen! I’d think the servers would appreciate a couple bucks versus everyone who can’t “afford” a tip of 20% staying home and having empty tables but if not than I will eat my humble pie at home.
Would you be happy doing your job for less just because your employers couldn’t “afford” to pay you your regular wage? I know I wouldn’t. Servers don’t expect everyone to tip them 20%, but I definitely think they’d prefer you stay home (or eat at one of the many non-service options available) if you can’t afford a minimum of 15%.
If you can only tip a few dollars, perhaps you should go out to lunch instead of dinner? The prices are more reasonable which would allow you to tip based more on what you deem to be fair and not by your financial constraints.