Should you tip the waitress and how much thread
- Thread starter Izo
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When I'm at a packed bar I always tip big on the first drink, if i don't have to wait to get a second and they pour it strong i'll keep it going. If I have to wait in line for a second I go back down to a dollar.
This isn't restaurant related, but what do you guys usually tip for cab rides?
Kuriin
Just a Nurse
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Haha, dammit. Someone else posted it.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow...155914258.html
I normally tip 20%. If it's just completely bad, I complain to the manager and get it free. But, it's generally 15-20%.
Rezz
Mr. Poopybutthole
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That's honestly pretty standard for bartenders. I tip consistently because I'd much rather get 30-50 out of a person who always comes back (dude buying girls drinks, large parties, etc etc) than 10 for his first two drinks then nothing later on. But experienced people with disposable income, such as casino dealers or other bartenders, tend to hit you up heavy on the first drink or two then taper off a lot. Pretty standard and nothing wrong with it, while I much prefer to keep the tipping even so the guy/girl knows I am consistent. Personal deal more than anything haw.
No idea on the cab thing. I paid for a 30 dollar cab ride and tipped 5 bucks because that is what I had on me at the time. Hope the guy wasn't pissed!
Gravel
Mr. Poopybutthole
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Tipping bothers me. I worked in a restaurant for my first job and saw the crazy money you make.
But the part that bothers me is when you look at how much effort it took to serve you in the amount of time they did. Let's say you tip 20% on a $30 bill. It's pretty rare that you'll be at a restaurant for longer than an hour. So you're effectively paying them $6 an hour. It's alsohighlyunlikely you're their only table. So multiply that by a few tables and you realize how retarded tipping 20% is. Even if they're splitting with the rest of the staff, they're making a ridiculous hourly wage.
"But wait," you'll say, "they work shitty hours and are lucky to be able to work 30 hours a week!" Not my problem. In fact, that just means they can get a second job, and still be working less hours overall than most of us do.
But the part that bothers me is when you look at how much effort it took to serve you in the amount of time they did. Let's say you tip 20% on a $30 bill. It's pretty rare that you'll be at a restaurant for longer than an hour. So you're effectively paying them $6 an hour. It's alsohighlyunlikely you're their only table. So multiply that by a few tables and you realize how retarded tipping 20% is. Even if they're splitting with the rest of the staff, they're making a ridiculous hourly wage.
"But wait," you'll say, "they work shitty hours and are lucky to be able to work 30 hours a week!" Not my problem. In fact, that just means they can get a second job, and still be working less hours overall than most of us do.
Agenor
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Worked all aspects in the restaurant biz including management at a huge chain restaurant (Red Lobster) out of high school. 15% is the standard here. The good servers here were pulling in $100 a night, and 200 on weekends. This was early/mid 90's. As has been stated here, and the good servers understood this, give great service, the money will be there by weeks end.
The shit servers complained endlessly, and I'd laugh every night when I'd cash them out when they couldn't understand how so and so made bank. The average person who came to our place to stayed longer then an hour, and we tended to get serious campers as well which can kill a servers night quickly. Also add nights that start very slow, manager goes to skeleton staff, then proceed to get weeded an hour after the cuts.
Or get the huge party that gives you no warning that slams the kitchen for the next 3 hours. Then said party asking for separate checks after the order was put in. Not to mention the drunks, or assholes in general, and scammers looking for free meals. Or a certain group of darker color that showed up 10 minutes to closing without fail every night, that camped out 2+ hours and never tipped, or left an insulting tip regardless of good or bad service.
Most servers get what it takes to make money, it's tough though when you do a good job and get a string of shit tips, or stiffed, and next table is a table you know is going to fuck you over. One of the guys I worked with had a night like this, in comes a black party of 10. Ran his ass ragged for everything (wanted extras of every sauce etc) and just had major attitude. Woman at the table kept sending back her clam chowder saying its to cold. Mind you we have thermometers in all the soups, and saw with my own eyes steam coming off the chowder. Sent back again, only this time he took the bowl in the back, and pissed in it, and served her it which she finished.
So yeah its simple pay for what you get, but also be aware of what's going on. If your getting slow service etc., its probably not the servers fault. 9/10 staff has been cut in front, and back of the house. Or a slammed kitchen throws everything out of whack.
The shit servers complained endlessly, and I'd laugh every night when I'd cash them out when they couldn't understand how so and so made bank. The average person who came to our place to stayed longer then an hour, and we tended to get serious campers as well which can kill a servers night quickly. Also add nights that start very slow, manager goes to skeleton staff, then proceed to get weeded an hour after the cuts.
Or get the huge party that gives you no warning that slams the kitchen for the next 3 hours. Then said party asking for separate checks after the order was put in. Not to mention the drunks, or assholes in general, and scammers looking for free meals. Or a certain group of darker color that showed up 10 minutes to closing without fail every night, that camped out 2+ hours and never tipped, or left an insulting tip regardless of good or bad service.
Most servers get what it takes to make money, it's tough though when you do a good job and get a string of shit tips, or stiffed, and next table is a table you know is going to fuck you over. One of the guys I worked with had a night like this, in comes a black party of 10. Ran his ass ragged for everything (wanted extras of every sauce etc) and just had major attitude. Woman at the table kept sending back her clam chowder saying its to cold. Mind you we have thermometers in all the soups, and saw with my own eyes steam coming off the chowder. Sent back again, only this time he took the bowl in the back, and pissed in it, and served her it which she finished.
So yeah its simple pay for what you get, but also be aware of what's going on. If your getting slow service etc., its probably not the servers fault. 9/10 staff has been cut in front, and back of the house. Or a slammed kitchen throws everything out of whack.
Void
Experiencer
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I tip 20%+ depending upon the things most of you listed previously, $1 per drink at a bar unless it is the first one and I want to get stronger drinks/faster service. If it is somewhere I frequent often, I definitely tip higher amounts because I want them to remember me in a positive way next time. And if they know me enough to do things like not charge me for a few drinks, depending upon how much they gave me free I try to tip them the standard 20% and then every single bit I got free. I figure I would have paid it happily anyway, so why not give it to them instead?
I've never been in a cab outside of Vegas, which someone else was paying for, so I can't say how much to tip there. However, I'm fairly certain it would cost me an assload to go almost anywhere given the fucking rates I see on the side of cabs, so I probably wouldn't be too thrilled about tipping after $20+ for a 5 minute ride. That's why you have friends you can call, or to go with you.
I never go to Starbucks, but if I did, I wouldn't tip shit because I don't tip at the McDonald's next door that pretty much provides the exact same service of taking my order, having me stand off to the side, and then calling out my order for me to pick up. And, well, I hate the whole Starbucks culture, so there's that, but I still wouldn't tip Taco Bell even though I go there all the time, so why Starbucks? I also haven't ordered delivery in forever, but if it was somewhere I used regularly, once again they got a good tip. If I pick it up though, zero.
All that being said, I fucking hate the *concept* of tipping. I understand it, and I know that if it didn't exist the wait staff probably wouldn't give a fuck if my glass was full or my food was hot. I still hate it though, and I'd much prefer it just be added to the cost of every single restaurant, bar, pizza, etc and that managers just supervised their staff to make sure they were doing well instead of me having to decide how much to reward them. Oh, and charging me a delivery fee for pizza and then telling me I should tip the driver? Add that shit in, and I can decide if I want to pay that much before I even order. Most stuff is close enough for me to just go pick up anyway though, so that's what I end up doing usually.
EDIT: Oh yeah, and my parents are serious fucking "campers" as you called it whenever we get together. It drives me nuts to see the place fill up, and we're still sitting there an hour after we're finished eating. The way I look at it, we should tip double the amount then since they could have had an entirely new set of people in that time. Sometimes I'll drop some when we leave if my parents paid and I can do it without them seeing because I feel shitty and I just know my dad didn't make it worth the time we sat there (I'm in my 40s by the way, with my parents being 20'ish years older, so it isn't like my commenting over the years or even getting up and leaving has made any difference, they are still going to sit there if it is just the two of them).
Speaking of old people, my favorite was a guy I worked with, in his late 60s and early 70s, his wife and him would go to breakfast every morning at the same place. I met them a couple of times for breakfast. He'd order a cup of coffee and some bacon. That's it. She'd just get coffee. They'd also get several refills, and be there about 45 mins to an hour. He meticulously tipped 15% every time...which amounted to like a dollar. And they always sat in the same seat, with the same waitress, and he had the "dry wit" which is actually really fucking annoying and gave her the hardest time constantly. I'm surprised she didn't poison them. Even if the place never filled up and she wasn't very busy or losing out on other tips, putting up with as much shit as she did was worth far more than a dollar every day. That's where you need to tip like Grumpus, with a set minimum no matter what the bill was.
Them, and my parents, are the people that make servers want to do a shitty job and/or spit in your food, so I feel for them in those situations.
I've never been in a cab outside of Vegas, which someone else was paying for, so I can't say how much to tip there. However, I'm fairly certain it would cost me an assload to go almost anywhere given the fucking rates I see on the side of cabs, so I probably wouldn't be too thrilled about tipping after $20+ for a 5 minute ride. That's why you have friends you can call, or to go with you.
I never go to Starbucks, but if I did, I wouldn't tip shit because I don't tip at the McDonald's next door that pretty much provides the exact same service of taking my order, having me stand off to the side, and then calling out my order for me to pick up. And, well, I hate the whole Starbucks culture, so there's that, but I still wouldn't tip Taco Bell even though I go there all the time, so why Starbucks? I also haven't ordered delivery in forever, but if it was somewhere I used regularly, once again they got a good tip. If I pick it up though, zero.
All that being said, I fucking hate the *concept* of tipping. I understand it, and I know that if it didn't exist the wait staff probably wouldn't give a fuck if my glass was full or my food was hot. I still hate it though, and I'd much prefer it just be added to the cost of every single restaurant, bar, pizza, etc and that managers just supervised their staff to make sure they were doing well instead of me having to decide how much to reward them. Oh, and charging me a delivery fee for pizza and then telling me I should tip the driver? Add that shit in, and I can decide if I want to pay that much before I even order. Most stuff is close enough for me to just go pick up anyway though, so that's what I end up doing usually.
EDIT: Oh yeah, and my parents are serious fucking "campers" as you called it whenever we get together. It drives me nuts to see the place fill up, and we're still sitting there an hour after we're finished eating. The way I look at it, we should tip double the amount then since they could have had an entirely new set of people in that time. Sometimes I'll drop some when we leave if my parents paid and I can do it without them seeing because I feel shitty and I just know my dad didn't make it worth the time we sat there (I'm in my 40s by the way, with my parents being 20'ish years older, so it isn't like my commenting over the years or even getting up and leaving has made any difference, they are still going to sit there if it is just the two of them).
Speaking of old people, my favorite was a guy I worked with, in his late 60s and early 70s, his wife and him would go to breakfast every morning at the same place. I met them a couple of times for breakfast. He'd order a cup of coffee and some bacon. That's it. She'd just get coffee. They'd also get several refills, and be there about 45 mins to an hour. He meticulously tipped 15% every time...which amounted to like a dollar. And they always sat in the same seat, with the same waitress, and he had the "dry wit" which is actually really fucking annoying and gave her the hardest time constantly. I'm surprised she didn't poison them. Even if the place never filled up and she wasn't very busy or losing out on other tips, putting up with as much shit as she did was worth far more than a dollar every day. That's where you need to tip like Grumpus, with a set minimum no matter what the bill was.
Them, and my parents, are the people that make servers want to do a shitty job and/or spit in your food, so I feel for them in those situations.
This. I'm a pretty generous tipper; I feel bad if I leave anything less than 20%, and like others have said, that can go up depending on extraordinary service, or things like weather for delivery guys.
Having both cook and been a hostess in the hospitality industry, you really get to understand the type of people who aren't doing their job, who are doing just what is expected, and those who go above and beyond.
When I was a hostess I worked at a four star restaurant in the middle of the city's cultural district - this meant a lot of high rollers who would tip me $50 dollars for hanging up their coat. But I loved talking to people, and would go above and beyond for my awesome regular customers, or people who just felt genuine. We were once booked up full on a busy night (Cultural district busy night was usually if opera/symphony/ballet or a convention were all going at the same time..those nights were crazy) and I had a couple call in who really wanted to get a table that night. I told them we were totally booked, but I felt for them...it was their first night off since they'd just had a newborn (And I am certain they weren't lying) so even though we weren't supposed to do it, I took their information down and said I'd see what I could do.
A little bit later, I worked a bit on time management, and between people coming early/late, found them a table and called them back a bit later. When they came in, they were super excited, tipped me $20 (which I refused, told them I wouldn't take money for doing my job, but when they suggested I give it to the bus boys or something if i truly didn't want it, I took it. Our bus boys did jack) and became regulars who I always found spots for. Another time I had a guy call me from overseas in the military - he wanted to make a reservation for his parents anniversary, but didn't know much about the restaurant. I got his email address, took a picture of the restaurant, emailed that to him along with our menu. When his parents came in, they were ecstatic, knew me by name because of the service I'd given to their son, and that actually started a long friendship.
Anyways, those anecdotes were just to show that there are legitimate people who belong in an industry working with people, who should, at least get a baseline tip, but probably deserve more. That same restaurant also was home to a ton of servers who did jack and shit and were assholes on top of it. Since we were such a high class restaurant, we also had crazy good wines, and as a rule servers made bank because of how much you had to tip on a good bottle of wine. And they never deserved it.
Don't become a server etc if you don't like people, or don't want to take care of someone how you want to be taken care of. That chick at applebee's I feel for, because it didn't seem like she didn't do her job, just that the person really wanted to stick it to her. Bottomline gratuities for large parties I always pay, because even if your server isn't going above and beyond, taking care of large parties is crazy work. Admittedly, if the person is truly fucking up you can always speak to the manager and lower their tip, but I've seen that happen so rarely.
So yea. 20% as base if I feel they are doing their job. I feel like everyone should work in the industry just to understand some things - I'm much more patient than I used to be in restaurants because now I can understand things, and that's made quite a bit of difference.
Jait
Molten Core Raider
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I run a kitchen. I hate servers and their fucking attitudes. Nothing worse than some punk ass kid coming in the back and bitching and moaning about only making a hundred dollars that night in front of my 10 dollar cooks. I want to bitch slap the fuck out of them.
That said. There's a lot of single mothers still working in this industry. There's also the same punk ass kids working their way through school. As a customer, I tend to tip 20-25% for delivery. Those fuckers earn it. And 15-20% depending on service at a restaurant.
That said. There's a lot of single mothers still working in this industry. There's also the same punk ass kids working their way through school. As a customer, I tend to tip 20-25% for delivery. Those fuckers earn it. And 15-20% depending on service at a restaurant.
McCheese
SW: Sean, CW: Crone, GW: Wizardhawk
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Indians (feather) and religious people are the shittiest tippers. They're not worth waiting on if you're a server because you can predict that 90% of the time you'll get a shitty tip no matter how good the service. Indians especially, fuckers ordering water with no ice, and a single serving of eggplant parm to split amongst a family of 5. Fuck them. Eat at home you savage fucks.
Hispanics are the most amazing tippers ever. Me gusta.
Hispanics are the most amazing tippers ever. Me gusta.
Jait
Molten Core Raider
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If this were the case, things would be VASTLY different. Those bastards earn it, and make about half to a quarter of what a server makes in a normal restaurant. In Fine Dining you're talking even further disparity.
Kirun
Buzzfeed Editor
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This pretty much goes for old people in general. They have the worst fucking restaurant etiquette around and almost all of them tend to be "campers". Not to mention, they tip like it's still 19 fucking 50, when a few dollars went a long way.
Dis
Confirmed Male
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- 45
Most places I will tip somewhere around 15%. Basically the first 10 I always tip 2 bucks. If the service was satisfactory i just add a dollar per 10. So average service on a $35 bill they are probably getting like $4.5-5 bucks.
If its my favorite pub or restaurant where the service is awesome, easily 20% or however drunk I am.
If its my favorite pub or restaurant where the service is awesome, easily 20% or however drunk I am.
We tip 15%, or less depending on service.
If a server or establishment warrants more, we locate the manager on hand and tell them about the wonderful time we had. The idea of tipping as motivation is moot to people who get tipped constantly. They just expect it. Giving compliments to the management could be more rewarding for the individual, or the team all together.
I dont visit bars, but on special occaisons like saint pattys day or whatnot, its a buck a drink. I also dont drink alot lol. at a buck a drink i feel like im way overpaying for the liquer, but it it usually comes out to 5 bucks or less in tips which is a decent baseline for getting me a few drinks over the course of my hour visit.
tipping 30-50%? it makes me uncomfortable just reading that! so you just paid 30 dollars for a 20 dollar steak and potato just because the server farming tips flirted with you and filled your water glass? I dunno, that just doesnt feel right. Maybe I'm just too frugal.
pizza delivery gets 2 bucks. I've done it and if they dont share the tips with the house (usually driving a company car) then we made plenty of cash on 2 dollar hits.
Tip jars, dont get anything and are usually discouraged by management. Well, professional management.
To go food...no tip for single orders, or just me and the wife. If its a party order then it gets 10%gratuity if its well put together.
If its anyplace where you have to do part of the work, they can fuck off. Even if i have to simply use a soda fountian. Like Bill Burr said, I gave you 100% of the money to put together 100% of my food, and I dont work here.
If a server or establishment warrants more, we locate the manager on hand and tell them about the wonderful time we had. The idea of tipping as motivation is moot to people who get tipped constantly. They just expect it. Giving compliments to the management could be more rewarding for the individual, or the team all together.
I dont visit bars, but on special occaisons like saint pattys day or whatnot, its a buck a drink. I also dont drink alot lol. at a buck a drink i feel like im way overpaying for the liquer, but it it usually comes out to 5 bucks or less in tips which is a decent baseline for getting me a few drinks over the course of my hour visit.
tipping 30-50%? it makes me uncomfortable just reading that! so you just paid 30 dollars for a 20 dollar steak and potato just because the server farming tips flirted with you and filled your water glass? I dunno, that just doesnt feel right. Maybe I'm just too frugal.
pizza delivery gets 2 bucks. I've done it and if they dont share the tips with the house (usually driving a company car) then we made plenty of cash on 2 dollar hits.
Tip jars, dont get anything and are usually discouraged by management. Well, professional management.
To go food...no tip for single orders, or just me and the wife. If its a party order then it gets 10%gratuity if its well put together.
If its anyplace where you have to do part of the work, they can fuck off. Even if i have to simply use a soda fountian. Like Bill Burr said, I gave you 100% of the money to put together 100% of my food, and I dont work here.
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There are a lot of things to keep in mind when tipping. If the food is slow, it is almost certainly not the fault of your server/waiter. If the kitchen is slow, don't punish your waiter/waitress by not tipping. They'd love to bring you your food really quickly. A slow kitchen kills tips, and the wait staff suffer the most.
Here's an idea. I've worked in the food industry a lot. If you get good service, leave a good tip for the waiter. I suggest 20%. Then, go to the kitchen and drop a fiver for the kitchen staff. They probably get a small percentage of the tips anyway, but it's a good idea. Get to know the wait staff, make them remember you. Next time you're there, when they bring the order back, the waiter/waitress is going to say to the cooks "This is for that guy that came back and tipped you last time he was here." Your portion size goes up. Your drink size goes up. Your order gets pushed up the queue.
If you find a restaurant you like, tip well. They'll like you back.
Here's an idea. I've worked in the food industry a lot. If you get good service, leave a good tip for the waiter. I suggest 20%. Then, go to the kitchen and drop a fiver for the kitchen staff. They probably get a small percentage of the tips anyway, but it's a good idea. Get to know the wait staff, make them remember you. Next time you're there, when they bring the order back, the waiter/waitress is going to say to the cooks "This is for that guy that came back and tipped you last time he was here." Your portion size goes up. Your drink size goes up. Your order gets pushed up the queue.
If you find a restaurant you like, tip well. They'll like you back.
