Tipping Etiquette

[guitarsniper]

I tend to find a "standard" tip to be double the sales tax, which is 9.75% where i live, so that comes out to just under a 20% tip. i'll round up to the nearest dollar if i feel like i got good service or down to the nearest dollar for poor service, sometimes more for exceptional or terrible service.

 

[ShadowStar42]

While all this discussion is wonderful--
no one has actually addressed my primary question:

what do you tip at restaurants withOUT standard table service, excluding fast food style joints?

For restaurants without table service I base it entirely on my experience typically ranging from $0-$5. Restaurants like this don't (tend to) pay below minimum wage since tips aren't expected.

 

[Jodah]

One thing that made me smile is the people that say "If you don't like it find a new job." Because we are absolutely swimming in jobs right now huh?

 

[Myan]

Chef of nine years. So yeah, I guess you cant tell who has worked in hospitality.
And it is your fault if you are too damn lazy to learn the law and find out what you are entitled to. If you don't wanna put in the extra effort, don't go looking to others for a hand out.

Lying out your ass to cover it doesn't do much for you, mate.

As GrandmaFunk pointed out a few minutes ago, some states don't have a minimum wage. What do you do then?

Actually. There is a federal minimum wage for this very purpose and employers are required to pay a minimum of $7.25/hr [http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/minimumwage.htm]. Some don't, or pay "under the table" to get away with it, but it's a crime to do so with massive fines associated with any reported (key point there) infraction.

 

[DeltaEdge]

It's your money, therefore it may be expected of you, but it is not necessary. If you feel that you have been adequately service, then leave an adequate tip (15% is probably fine). If you have been serviced excellently, if you are willing and your budget allows, then tip a bit extra. If they did a very shitty job serving you, well than I have an anecdote for that.
Some time a few years ago, my father and I were in a restaurant which serviced us terribly. They forgot about our order, and came by our table around an hour later to take our order and offered no apology or compensation, and instead, they were quite rude to us. My father had just bought me a giant penny that was about as big as my hand as a souvenir from the place that we had visited, so when the tipping time came around, that's what they got, a giant penny with no monetary value whatsoever.
So yeah, you don't have to be a dick like we were when we received horrible service, but don't waste your money on people who won't even bother to service you properly when it's their job.

 

[ShadowStar42]

Chef of nine years. So yeah, I guess you cant tell who has worked in hospitality.
And it is your fault if you are too damn lazy to learn the law and find out what you are entitled to. If you don't wanna put in the extra effort, don't go looking to others for a hand out.

Lying out your ass to cover it doesn't do much for you, mate.

As GrandmaFunk pointed out a few minutes ago, some states don't have a minimum wage. What do you do then?

Actually. There is a federal minimum wage for this very purpose and employers are required to pay a minimum of $7.25/hr [http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/minimumwage.htm]. Some don't, or pay "under the table" to get away with it, but it's a crime to do so with massive fines associated with any reported (key point there) infraction.

The federal minimum wage for employees who receive tips is $2.13/hour

 

[Blow_Pop]

Much like trying to explain colors to a person who was born blind, if you've never worked a job which is tip dependent, you just won't understand.

Pretty much this. Some servers work their arses off but because of circumstances beyond their control (such as the place is short on staff and its insanely busy) they get shite for tips because they couldn't do more. I use to work a place like that. I do 15% because last I checked that was standard. I do have a calculator that will tell me what 15% is from my bill and I will either add or deduct based on the service. I do take into account if its busy or not and if it is and i see the server trying their best I won't deduct from that. But if it isn't busy and the service is shite then they get deducted. On one hand from working as a server before I feel bad when I tip way below what I should but on the other if you're not going to try you fully deserve it.


OP: As far as your question to more the buffet style places(which I'm presuming is what you mean) it really depends on what you feel they deserve. I typically do about $2-5 on the rare occasions I go. But they are also places that really aren't that expensive. To where that $2-5 is practically the entire cost of being there in the first place. So it really depends.

 

[Monkeyman O'Brien]

The federal minimum wage for employees who receive tips is $2.13/hour

http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires payment of at least the federal minimum wage to covered, nonexempt employees. An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. [HEADING=1]If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference.[/HEADING]

Some states have minimum wage laws specific to tipped employees. When an employee is subject to both the federal and state wage laws, the employee is entitled to the provisions which provides the greater benefits.

-

Jesus folks. Now I am starting to see why so many of you can only be trusted to carry plates for a living.

 

[Zen Toombs]

I generally tip ~15-20%. However, if someone has been bad at their job or somesuch, I don't tip and if someone is fantastic I tip more and give them compliments/talk to the manager about said worker's awesomeness.

 

[Springs1]

If it is cooked right but sits for awhile you can tell. In your example that is a problem with the cook. The cook didn't cook it all the way. If, however, the chicken wasn't frozen but was just cold/room temperature when it should be hot that is the server's fault for letting it sit. Cold food is not the same as under cooked food.

Actually, it IS in that these chicken patties are ALREADY COOKED. Think of Tyson Chicken patties in the grocery store. These patties ARE ALREADY COOKED, NOT RAW, just FROZEN. Get what I am saying? The cook in situation didn't fry the chicken patty enough, but it was an already cooked item, just frozen. It wasn't in the fryer long enough or if they don't fry it, it wasn't in the oven long enough to get warmed.

Undercooked food however can be either the cook's food or the server's fault depending on if the server put in the order correctly and when it was delivered could it be noticed easily without touching the food if it was cooked correctly or not.

 

[Gottesstrafe]

Basic rule of thumb is "Don't mess with the people who handle your food". If you eat at some place regularly, tips are absolutely essential. If you are well acquainted/friends with your server, likewise. Standard fare is 15%, negotiable depending on the quality of service. Generally ordering many dishes at once or more expensive dishes should be rewarded with larger tips (i.e. ordering lobster or eating at a fine dining establishment), small or inconsequential dishes (i.e. a hamburger, desert, or appetizer by themselves) can call for smaller tips. If you're eating at an establishment that's packed (i.e. a newly opened restaurant or you're watching the game there with friends) or catch a restaurant right before they're closing, a large tip is much appreciated. Never pay below 10% (or none at all) unless a.) the service sucked, or b.) you never plan to eat there again or very irregularly regardless of the service (and are a douche).

Not really sure what you're talking about specifically in your example. When I go to buffets and have to order drinks through my server or they regularly take away dirty plates and silverware, I typically leave a little cash (maybe $5 or so) for all the hoops I make them jump through. When I have little interaction with the serving staff beyond them busing my table when I leave, I don't tend to leave tips.

 

[Fatboy_41]

I will never tip based on some pre-determined percentage. I'll tip based on the service I've received and weather it was above and beyond. Waiters and waitresses are already paid to provide a minimum standard of service. If they go above and beyond that standard, they then deserve to be rewarded for it.

are you saying you dont even give a standard amount for the service you get?

sure they're suppose to provide a standard service, but keep in mind they have to deal with shitheads and rude people. ive worked in food service, people can be intolerable. sure i carefully watch how the server acts and performs, but i try to never stiff the poor people.

Of course I give a standard amount. It's included in the bill and it's called their wages.

I have no doubt that there are rude people around that make the job harder than it needs to be. I've seen it happen. I also feel no responsibility to make up for those people by leaving extra money when I've received nothing exceptional.

If someone provides me with great service, I will tip them. If I get the service that is expected, then that's what their already paid for. And if I receive shitty service, which does happen, I will complain and generally, I won't pay the full bill.

Hospitality work is about service. If you don't provide the service, you don't deserve the pay.

 

[Chanel Tompkins]

Usually, I tip based on how well I thought the server did-ie if the server did a good job, I might even tip 50%. However, if they did crap, I'll tip 10% or less. I try not to do that unless they're really crap though, since where I live all the restaurants total the tips and divide it among everyone, and the tips are considered part of all their pay (servers get a different minimum wage which expects them to get lots of tips to make up the difference), so it's kinda cruel to undertip.

 

[applesandoranges]

edit

 

[StriderShinryu]

Also, if tips are expected as they are for people doing you a service then why don't you tip EVERYONE such as the person at the bank, the person in the shop, the person in the hospital.

This has always been my mindset as well. I do tip generally along the lines of what's expected (15%iah here in Canada), simply because I tend to frequent the same places often enough that I don't overly mind doing so.

I don't, however, agree with the belief that tips should be mandatory for just doing your job unless, as in the US, it's a legally accepted way to bring wages in line with the minimum. The common defense is that wait staff get paid low wages and have to be on their feet all day dealing with rude people, sometimes physical work, etc. Sorry, but that describes pretty much every job, particularly those within the same wage bracket and yet wait and delivery stuff deserve mandatory tips while pretty much no one else does. I've worked minimum wage jobs where I was literally expected to be on my feet all day, specifically there to deal with rude people, with the actual constant potential of physical harm and yet we were actually ordered to refuse anything akin to a tip if one was offered. Tips should be for exceptional above and beyond service, not just for doing what your job dictates you do.

 

[thiosk]

I really feel like restaurants should simply charge an 18 percent gratuity to every order, automatically apply it to the cost of the items on the menu, and include tax on the menu to, then round to the nearest quarter dollar.

This would make going out with big groups so very much easier.

 

[Fatboy_41]

I really feel like restaurants should simply charge an 18 percent gratuity to every order, automatically apply it to the cost of the items on the menu, and include tax on the menu to, then round to the nearest quarter dollar.

This would make going out with big groups so very much easier.

But why? I've already paid for my food and service. Why am I being forced to pay another 18% for, essentially, nothing? If a place ever adds a compulsory tip to my bill, they won't be getting a thing.

If you want more money, then add more value to the service.

 

[thiosk]

But why? I've already paid for my food and service. Why am I being forced to pay another 18% for, essentially, nothing? If a place ever adds a compulsory tip to my bill, they won't be getting a thing.

If you want more money, then add more value to the service.

I mean... in lieu of additional gratuity. Since if the waitstaff isn't getting paid by the customer directly, they're getting paid by the customer indirectly through the cost of the food. I'd rather cut the hassle of tipping and simply standardize everything.

But whateverzz

 

[Springs1]

To be completely honest, specifying how cooked your fries are is a dick move. People just don't do that. Seriously. All the fries for multiple plates are cooked at one time.

It's not a "dick" move, it's the way I LIKE the fries. I HATE overdone fries, they are just gross.

Can you tell me what the difference is when someone wants a steak cooked well done and another person wants their steak medium rare? The cook has to cook each piece of meat SEPARATELY, so there's no difference, because I want my fries cooked separately.

I also ask not to have salt or seasoning on my fries as well.

I think it's a "dick" move to not *CARE* about other people's feelings and I think it's a "dick" move to be a *LAZY* cook that doesn't want to do his job the way the *CUSTOMER* wants it done. Without us customers, cooks don't have a job, so you do it *OUR* way just as steaks are ordered *THE CUSTOMER'S WAY*.

I do it all the time. It doesn't matter if it's harder, SO WHAT? You are at WORK to WORK HARD. That's WHY you are getting paid. The customer should be able to have the food cooked the way *THEY* want it since they are *PAYING* for the food and the service.

This isn't done on purpose. I don't enjoy my fries if they are overdone and I HATE when they have soooo much salt or seasoning that you are basically eating a mouth full of salt. I even sometimes ask fast food cashiers to get my fries with no salt. They do it, for NO TIP EVEN. How about that for ya? You sound LAZY and VERY UNCARING!!

 

[GistoftheFist]

I think an episode of 3rd Rock From The Sun covered the issue of tipping quite well.