[gangaspeed]

Just started it today gonna try and make it a weekly deal I don't know yet, check it out.

Blog

*Edit: A link would help huh.

[IceEnclosure]

I think you sound like a cheap-skate!

Did you know that if restaurants paid waiters a full wage that the PRICES OF FOOD WOULD RISE on the menu. All over America. So instead of that salad being $10, it would be $12, and instead of that filet mignon being $25, it would be $30, etc. Your bill would be considerably higher if tipping were not part of the deal.

In America, the guest does have an obligation. For instance, tonight, I didn't include a tip tonight on a table of 8 people with a check totaling $490, although the rule at my restaurant is that a gratuity of 18% may be included on any party of 8 or more. Additionally a guest may ask to have it removed if they feel service wasn't up to snuff. No one evar does that. Since I didn't include the tip, I was rolling the dice big time, as my Friday night shift was basically hinging on the tip from these folks. There were a few problems at the table, including a guy who ordered an app as a main course, but when the first course(apps) arrived, he claimed it from the foodrunner(saying "oh, that's mine!"), leaving the woman who actually ordered it as a first course with nothing in front of her. Her husband was pretty upset, and I apologized sincerely, and ran to the kitchen to get her dish. Another gentleman at the table asked me to bring him a glass of wine when his dish arrives. Pretty tough to time, because (gasp) the waiter may have 3-4 other tables and often is tending to 1 of 100 possible other tasks as the foodrunner is bringing dishes out. Ordering it too early will cause a glass of chardonnay to sit and get hot, so when I saw the foodrunner dropping the food, I ordered the glass, he got it about 2 minutes later(busy bartender, whatayagonnado?) Little timing problem of the dessert arriving about 30 seconds before the coffees (I'm making (and preheating the cups for) cappucinos, espressos, decaf etc, this took a few minutes), no biggie really. Did I mention I had another table in a far part of the restaurant (they were close, but the rains came and they were moved to a dry table far away from me), and another table of 4 people as well, at the same time. BTW, most waiters that I know are hoping to see $20 for every $100 on the check, so I felt like $100 was deserved. You must be cringing right now.

Anyhow, I got a SOLID $140 from them, and that's cause they know how to dine out, and know the rules. They had fun, ate really well, and got good service given the busyness of their waiter, and the whole restaurant. I'll remember them, especially the guy who paid; real cool guy.

Oh, and remember the table that got rained on? Yeah, I'm in the kitchen when the rain UNLOADED on them. They had to get up, plates in hand, and run inside! Crazy, huh? But, being GOOD DINERS, they realized I can't be everywhere all the time and were very nice about it all. They were ushered to another table and finished their meals. Cool folks, on vacation. $80 check, $15 tip. Solid.

Good tips from my other tables tonight too, pretty much, and I went home with about $230 (after tipping out a percentage of my sales to busser, bartender, food runner(this is mandatory))

Guests shouldn't have an attitude JUST AS waiters shouldn't have one. If there's a problem with the waiter, ask for the manager and request a new waiter. Bing, bang, boom, easy! Resume your happy, tipping self!

What kind of tip would you have left me? I'd be in shittsville right now I think if you were payin' that check!


15-20% in America is a good tip if you had an enjoyable meal.

10-15% if you had a real problem that wasn't rectified.

10% is minimum, no matter what. If a waiter spit in my food, in front of me, I'd tip him 10%.
(he's tipping out bus boys, bartenders, and food runners, usually a percentage of his sales). 10% covers the other staff at the restaurant that had nothing to do with his acting afool, and they should get paid.
10%, on a good meal is crap, scumbag style. Bottom line.

Oh, and here's a clue: Sometimes, in times of ridiculousness, a waiter will give up on even hoping for a good tip from an overdemanding guest. Only one option: get that guest on with his evening! Peace out! (This is probably the hurried feeling you get when you're dining out. (crap, this guy again, what a tipper!)

Serving is one of the most stressful jobs around(anyone know a link?) probably because of people like you, and also a pretty lucrative job for someone working part-time/going to school/etc because of people like the guy I waited on tonight. It's also a fun job, so please don't get angry if you see your waiter laughing off in the distance with his co-workers. Unless you've already asked for ranch twice!

You may have really bad experiences with bad waiters, but man, even so.. waiters remember faces.


/rant+ramble

(p.s. you would have loveeed it if I had posted this comment on your blog!)

edit: I'm talking about dining out, in a real restaurant, in America. Also, any possible attitude on my part is undetectable as far as a guest is concerned, at all times.

[Kevin]

BTW anyone that treats their waiter or waitress with disrespect, watch the movie "Waiting"

Stuff like that DOES happen to those that are rude, and jerks to the employees. You never know what you'll be eating.

Don't ever mess with those that are handling your food.

[Cipher13]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

Don't ever mess with those that are handling your food.

So, so true.

[Chuckit]

YouTube - My Favorite scene from Resevoir Dogs (probably NSFW)

[talisker]

My view is that whether tipping is the norm or not in different countries reflects cultural attitudes, rather than any financial consideration.

In countries such as the USA and the UK, there is a underlying class system / focus on status / superiority complex / call it what you will. The result is that diners consider waiting staff to be servants in essence, and because they know that being waited on by servants is a horribly outdated and non-PC concept, they feel slightly guilty. By tipping, they make themselves feel better.

In other countries such as Australia and New Zealand, most people have no concept of having any sort of higher status than the waiting staff, and genuinely see them as equals. Therefore, no guilt, and no tipping, except to reward truly exceptional, out of the ordinary service.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by talisker 

In countries such as the USA and the UK, there is a underlying class system / focus on status / superiority complex / call it what you will. The result is that diners consider waiting staff to be servants in essence, and because they know that being waited on by servants is a horribly outdated and non-PC concept, they feel slightly guilty. By tipping, they make themselves feel better.

In other countries such as Australia and New Zealand, most people have no concept of having any sort of higher status than the waiting staff, and genuinely see them as equals. Therefore, no guilt, and no tipping, except to reward truly exceptional, out of the ordinary service.

Wow, that has to be the worst spin I've heard someone give for not tipping.

Tipping isn't treating people worse, or giving them money for guilt. I think you need to re-read this thread.

It has nothing to do with class systems. I think most Americans respect good waiters/waitresses. We realize it's not an easy job. I surely don't see them as being under me, or being 2nd class citizens.

Whoever told you that above was wrong. And if it's something you've just came up with... well I don't know what to say, other than it's waaay off the mark.

Tipping is showing a sign of respect. It has nothing to do with guilt. If you are tipping someone because you feel GUILTY, I would say that said more about you than it does the waiter/waitress.

[osiris]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

10% is minimum, no matter what. If a waiter spit in my food, in front of me, I'd tip him 10%.
(he's tipping out bus boys, bartenders, and food runners, usually a percentage of his sales). 10% covers the other staff at the restaurant that had nothing to do with his acting afool, and they should get paid.
10%, on a good meal is crap, scumbag style. Bottom line.

I assure you that that waiter would not only not receive a tip from me, but would be in a body bag by the end of the night and in the weeds shortly thereafter.

[Kevin]

Yeah if I ever caught a waiter spitting in my food, not only would he not be getting a tip, he'd be looking for another job.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

Tipping is showing a sign of respect.

No it ain't. It's a bribe for people not to spit in your food. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't tip most people I respect, and most of the people I do tip are people I don't hold in any particularly high level of esteem (not to say I have anything against them — it's just that bringing me a salad isn't quite on a level with saving orphans from a burning building). The reason people tip is 1) because they don't want their food spat in, and 2) because they're pressured into doing so by our culture.

[talisker]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

Wow, that has to be the worst spin I've heard someone give for not tipping.

...

Tipping is showing a sign of respect. It has nothing to do with guilt. If you are tipping someone because you feel GUILTY, I would say that said more about you than it does the waiter/waitress.

It isn't intended to be a justification for not tipping, or for tipping, merely my view on why tipping is a huge deal in some countries and completely unexpected in others.

I don't believe tipping 10% as a starting point, even for poor service, can be based on respect. More likely, it's based on the fact that that is the culturally accepted standard in whatever country / region / city you are in.

Maybe guilt isn't quite the right term, but I believe that in the USA and UK there is more of a traditional master / servant relationship between diners and waiting staff, whereas in Australia, for example, that concept doesn't generally exist.

[osiris]

I normally tip 20%, and adjust the tip to match service. I've left some astounding tips, and no tips at all.

Japan has it right - no tipping. The belief is, why should I have to pay someone extra for doing their job.
(however 18% service charges are normal :/ )

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

No it ain't. It's a bribe for people not to spit in your food. Nothing more, nothing less.

I should have rephrased that. For ME tipping is about respect. Why others do it ...

I don't tip most people I respect, and most of the people I do tip are people I don't hold in any particularly high level of esteem (not to say I have anything against them — it's just that bringing me a salad isn't quite on a level with saving orphans from a burning building). The reason people tip is 1) because they don't want their food spat in, and 2) because they're pressured into doing so by our culture.

Not the reasons I tip at all. Nor should it be the reasons people tip. If that's the case, it says more about the person than the person getting tipped IMHO.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by talisker 

It isn't intended to be a justification for not tipping, or for tipping, merely my view on why tipping is a huge deal in some countries and completely unexpected in others.

Well some people I have heard use it as an excuse not to tip in the US.

I don't believe tipping 10% as a starting point, even for poor service, can be based on respect. More likely, it's based on the fact that that is the culturally accepted standard in whatever country / region / city you are in.

That wasn't what I said. I tip on the experience and job the waiter or waitress has done. Out of respect.

Maybe guilt isn't quite the right term, but I believe that in the USA and UK there is more of a traditional master / servant relationship between diners and waiting staff, whereas in Australia, for example, that concept doesn't generally exist.

In the US, you treat a waiter like a servant and you'll get more on your plate than you ordered I guarantee.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

I should have rephrased that. For ME tipping is about respect.

So do you tip firemen, great writers and schoolteachers? Or do you not respect them that much?

Seriously, not trying to be catty. It seems that the more noble jobs in society are ones that people don't normally tip. Direct service jobs are the ones where people tip, which is explainable by the fact that people want good service. So if you tip based on respect, it seems like you must either mainly tip people who aren't expecting it at all or else have a very weird ladder of respect.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by osiris 

Japan has it right - no tipping. The belief is, why should I have to pay someone extra for doing their job.
(however 18% service charges are normal :/ )

So basically they tip, they just call it something else. I don't tip for someone "just doing their job" or "barely doing it" I tip for outstanding performance in your job.

If a waiter or waitress is so busy that they cannot give good service, then the restaurant needs to have more people there to help.

I know of a few restaurants locally that experienced waiters or waitresses wont work at because they run skeleton crews. Hard to get a good tip when you are CONSTANTLY doing something for someone cause you are understaffed.

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

So do you tip firemen, great writers and schoolteachers? Or do you not respect them that much?

I've tipped mechanics, employees that have done well on print jobs, I've tip the person that cuts my hair, etc.

To me it's a sign of respect.

I myself in the graphics world have gotten tips for going above and beyond what I really had to do for a customer. And I appreciated it.

[JoshuaZ]

One of the thing I love about Japan is that I never have to tip. Ever. For anything. You have a set price, you pay it. And to be honest, the food isn't much more expensive. In fact I'm rather sure I save money on food here.

Anyway, I'm all for not paying tips and having a set wage for waiters. I do think its wrong to leave a $1 tip for a $1 cup of coffee.

[Mastrap]

You know what I hate? When bartenders give you change so that the smallest tip you can leave is higher than the amount you want to leave.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by JoshuaZ 

Anyway, I'm all for not paying tips and having a set wage for waiters. I do think its wrong to leave a $1 tip for a $1 cup of coffee.

So lets get businesses to start paying waiters a set wage. (Wont happen, they make too much money doing it this way)

Some businesses even make people put all their tips into one big tip, and then it's distributed evenly. The latter usually happens when places run skeleton crews.

Originally Posted by Mastrap 

You know what I hate? When bartenders give you change so that the smallest tip you can leave is higher than the amount you want to leave.

Yes some do this on purpose. I will specifically ask for change when they do.

[peeb]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

Did you know that if restaurants paid waiters a full wage that the PRICES OF FOOD WOULD RISE on the menu. All over America. So instead of that salad being $10, it would be $12, and instead of that filet mignon being $25, it would be $30, etc. Your bill would be considerably higher if tipping were not part of the deal.

To be fair, you would just be shifting the cost of tipping into the cost of the meal - the cost on the menu would rise by the average tip, so it should be revenue neutral.

[besson3c]

I will tip those here that write good things that I like, just so you know...

[osiris]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

So basically they tip, they just call it something else.

Uhm, yeah, basically. But usually in better restaurants. A small pizzeria in Shibuya wouldn't do this, but a nice restaurant in Ginza would.

[gangaspeed]

I have worked as a server, as a dishwasher, and a cook all in the same restaurant. Yes, servers get paid less than minimum, that's a bad deal.

I tip well if service is great, the other day I had a 15 dollar meal, tipped eight bucks service was great, I didn't have to remind the server of anything I had already asked for, didn't have to ask for drinks multiple times, didn't have to send my order back because of a mess-up.

In regards to the first person that replied; if I was to leave you a tip it would have been the 15-20% benchmark. Why you are wondering, (out of memory)
1. The guy taking the app that he ordered as a main course when it arrived for everyone else as an app, that is not your fault.
2. The table that got rained on again, not your fault.

If
1. I had asked for no peppers or one side instead of the regular side, and you had brought the opposite of what I ordered = Tip Reduction.

I watched Waiting, loved it, great movie.
And the blog is there for you to comment I don't care what it says.

[peeb]

Originally Posted by gangaspeed 

I have worked as a server, as a dishwasher, and a cook all in the same restaurant. Yes, servers get paid less than minimum, that's a bad deal.

In at least one state in the US, servers do get paid minimum wage, regardless of tips.

[irunat2am]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

No it ain't. It's a bribe for people not to spit in your food. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't tip most people I respect, and most of the people I do tip are people I don't hold in any particularly high level of esteem (not to say I have anything against them — it's just that bringing me a salad isn't quite on a level with saving orphans from a burning building). The reason people tip is 1) because they don't want their food spat in, and 2) because they're pressured into doing so by our culture.

How can it be a bribe for them to not spit in your food, when you tip at the end? They don't know if you're going to tip or not. . .so your #1 reason is down the toilet. It just doesn't make sense.

[osiris]

Perhaps giving a good tip is insuring that your next meal will be loogie free.

[mdc]

gangaspeed. You might want to think about taking off the bold on all of your text, and increase the letter spacing a little. I stopped reading because it was just too difficult to read.

[Mithras]

I always tip 20%, regardless of service. I eat out maybe once or twice a week, and I just consider it part of the cost of a meal to pay what for some damnfool reason our culture has decided the restaurant itself shouldn't.

I agree that tipping should be eradicated. I don't tip good professors, I don't tip good lawyers, I don't tip good bus drivers, and I don't tip good accountants. The division of service jobs into those that need the client's "review" of the level of personal service, and those that just pay a fair wage, is ridiculous and insulting. Humph.

[Shaddim]

In a full service restaurant I always tip at least 15%, unless something goes horribly wrong. However, I seldom go over 15% unless the service is perfect, which has only happened a few times in my life.

Most servers only make $2-3 /hr, if they were already pulling in $10+ I'd be less inclined to tip as much, if at all. But, as it stands, if I don't tip, the person who's waiting tables suffers. Sure, most people are rather aloof to the pains of others, but that's no reason for me to follow suit.

[Kevin]

It usually the real jerks and asshats that don't tip either. The people you REALLY have problems with.

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

if I don't tip, the person who's waiting tables suffers. Sure, most people are rather aloof to the pains of others, but that's no reason for me to follow suit.

You sir are a respectable person.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

Wow, that has to be the worst spin I've heard someone give for not tipping.

Tipping isn't treating people worse, or giving them money for guilt. I think you need to re-read this thread. .

I guess all those studies on this topic, that found links between guilt and tipping, were wrong ?

Sure, they were probably conduceted by libruls (sic!)

-t

[scaught]

I will cut someone out of my life if they don't tip a respectable amount just for being a cheapass. I think I enjoy poverty and watching babies die of hunger more than I can tolerate a bill hitting the table and watching people I just enjoyed dinner with go, "Hmm. Nine ninety-five plus a drink plus I had some of that appetizer equals...oh and tip...umm." Just ****ing throw down some cash and let's go. This situation always leads to the situation where I look at an 80 dollar bill and I'll grab the cash and count it and find $89 or some ****. I can't leave it like that so I throw in extra.

I go to lunch with a bunch of dudes, and one of the guys always grabs the bill, adds 20% and splits it by however many people are at the table. Drink or no drink, who cares what you ate, throw in the money and let's go. It's a good system. He's the top ranking business card and the alpha-est male, so it always works out. He also tells everyone to bring cash or they're not invited to lunch. Haha. Brutal efficiency.

I wonder how you no-tipping bastards do on a busy night at the bar. I bet you stand there with an empty cup half the time and wonder why.

20% is the standard for good service (unless you're somewhere tipping isn't customary). More if the service is excellent. Get used to it.

[scaught]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

I guess all those studies on this topic, that found links between guilt and tipping, were wrong ?

Sure, they were probably conduceted by libruls (sic!)

-t

link, plz.

[gangaspeed]

I think all of you are missing the point here, I am not saying do not tip at all. If service is good the tip given will reflect that, it starts at 20% for no problems at all, more problems occur, less tip is. It is that simple.

I work for a funeral home, we tip the vault guy 10 bucks, if everything goes smoothly, do we have to No, do any other funeral homes in our area, No. We do it to show respect for his hard work at getting everything ready and making it look respectable.

[MacosNerd]

If the service was good, I tip, and its generally 20%. 9 times out of 10 service is good, so I'm a pretty good tipper.

What I don't like are the wait-staff that thinks its a requirement regardless of service and those people generally don't give good service. I've been at enough restaurants where I see my waiter talking with friends or other waiters while my dinner is cooling on the counter waiting to be delivered.

I generally don't send food back, mostly because of the stories you hear about ticking off a waiter. What usually happens is I'll stop going to that restaurant.

[Railroader]

I tip 20%+ standard.

10% if the person truly neglected us and a polite comment to their manager stating that I was not satisfied with the service.

[Mastrap]

I wish restaurants would just up their prices and pay their servers a respectable salary.

[d4nth3m4n]

as someone who worked for delivery tips for a long ass time, let me tell you- we remember you. and your delivery time is directly proportional to the amount you tip. simple as that.

if i order a drink for $4.50 and the bartender hands me a ten, a five and two quarters off of a $20 then he's getting $.50 and that's his problem, that just bartending 101. no drink is worth a 100% tip.

i'm really on the fence about tipping, but having been in the system and been through the nights where i don't even clear minimum wage because my tips were nearly nothing, i can say that i tip well, every time. no matter what.

i talk a lot of **** about customers and know a lot of the bad ones out there, but goddamn if a customer would ever be able to tell.

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by scaught 

I will cut someone out of my life if they don't tip a respectable amount just for being a cheapass. I think I enjoy poverty and watching babies die of hunger more than I can tolerate a bill hitting the table and watching people I just enjoyed dinner with go, "Hmm. Nine ninety-five plus a drink plus I had some of that appetizer equals...oh and tip...umm." Just ****ing throw down some cash and let's go. This situation always leads to the situation where I look at an 80 dollar bill and I'll grab the cash and count it and find $89 or some ****. I can't leave it like that so I throw in extra.

I go to lunch with a bunch of dudes, and one of the guys always grabs the bill, adds 20% and splits it by however many people are at the table. Drink or no drink, who cares what you ate, throw in the money and let's go. It's a good system. He's the top ranking business card and the alpha-est male, so it always works out. He also tells everyone to bring cash or they're not invited to lunch. Haha. Brutal efficiency.

I wonder how you no-tipping bastards do on a busy night at the bar. I bet you stand there with an empty cup half the time and wonder why.

20% is the standard for good service (unless you're somewhere tipping isn't customary). More if the service is excellent. Get used to it.

best post, erry word.
also, the business dude lunch is spot on, thats how it's done.

slightly unrelated, it's always best to split your bill amongst yourselves(credit cards, cash, whatev) rather than asking for separate checks especially after the meal has concluded-that's bad bad etiquette!

I only lose my (internal)cool generally during two situations:
-someone asking me to make them bleu cheese stuffed olives for their martini*, and
-people asking for separate checks any time other than initially sitting down at the table. (just get your credit cards out and pick a number! or gimme your cash and I'll make your change.. I love you but I'm busy as **** and it's a severe assfest splitting up a check AFTER the meal.



* it's a personal thing, bleu cheese is sick and it makes me gag. putting it in your beverage is probably even sicker. I gotta put on latex gloves to stuff them or my hands will stink at all my other tables. I tell anyone who asks for them that I will bring them only one martini with three of these stinky olives. Any more and they'll be regular dirtys with regular olives. People are generally understanding and agreeable about it. Onions in your drink is freakin' disgusting too folks.

[brassplayersrock²]

Onions?

[IceEnclosure]

Vodka Gibson - a drink recipe from drinkalizer.com

bleh

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

I guess all those studies on this topic, that found links between guilt and tipping, were wrong ?

Sure, they were probably conduceted by libruls (sic!)

Could you point said studies out to me? Thanks.

[Mastrap]

Google is your friend, you know.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Mastrap 

Google is your friend, you know.

So that basically makes me dislike humanity even more. This doesn't say anything for the tipping practice as it does so much for those that tip just so they wont feel guilty.

Sad, Sad, Sad.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

I've tipped mechanics, employees that have done well on print jobs, I've tip the person that cuts my hair, etc.

To me it's a sign of respect.

I myself in the graphics world have gotten tips for going above and beyond what I really had to do for a customer. And I appreciated it.

So if somebody does a merely average job of waiting my table, do you think I shouldn't tip them?

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

So if somebody does a merely average job of waiting my table, do you think I shouldn't tip them?

Well, they make 2-3 dollars /hr, whereas most other professions make many times that.

Gratuity is part of a server's normal pay, that's not the case with others.

[gangaspeed]

It is part of their pay when the job is done correctly, not half-assed. Do lawyers that only show up half the time get paid as much as they would if they showed up everytime??

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by gangaspeed 

It is part of their pay when the job is done correctly, not half-assed. Do lawyers that only show up half the time get paid as much as they would if they showed up everytime??

Considering most of the lawyers I've met, the answer would be yes.

[paul w]

Where would lawyers be without their "billable hours"?

[Shaddim]

Many will count it towards billable if they're thinking about your case while watching a ball game.