Tipping question

[KatrinaJ91]

Ok...I know this will probably open a firestorm, but I am interested on how people feel.
If the basic tip is 20% based on your bill, how is that fair to wait staff who work at a restaurant that is less expensive but they get paid the same base rate?
You can get the exact same service at one restaurant as you do a more expensive restaurant, but because the food costs more you tip the waiters more? They get paid the same rate as a base...if you get the same service, how is it fair to give a percentage of your bill?
We usually base our tip on the quality of service received and not the cost of the food. Sometimes we will tip a waitress more at a less expensive restaurant than someone at a more expensive restaurant because of the quality of service. If you don't earn your tip, you don't deserve it.
Would love to hear the opinions on this subject....

[DizneyRox]

I don't know, I'm ok with the percentage concept. I expect more at say a Ruths Chris Steakhouse in terms of service than an Outback, etc. Forgetting to check on me at the former should cost you more than at the later.

I evaluate the tip at the end of the meal. If I find that the "suggested" tip isn't warranted for whatever reason, I don't hesitate to adjust. I work just as hard for my money as anyone else... I picked my profession, and they did theirs. There are expectations of my job as there are of theirs. Don't follow through and we both have consequences.

If someone doesn't like what I leave, they can bring it up, but don't be afraid of the answer. I'm not afraid to call a spade a spade.

[VWL Mom]

They get paid the same rate as a base...

This is not necessarily true. In NJ the base pay is lower than minimum wage and is brought to minimum wage by projected tip credit. So a diner may use one base pay while a more upscale place could use a lower base pay because they expect higher tips.

IMO is you don't want to spend more on the tip because of food rates then you have the choice to go somewhere else.

[TysMomTink]

KatrinaJ91, yes servers chose their professions. We get that. But as long as they're doing their job, tip appropriately. There are many factors going into why it's a percentage, rather than a flat rate. Simply put, tipping is a part of going out to eat. Where I live 20percent is norm. If anyone of my friends didn't tip appropriately because she thought the bill was just too high, we'd sneak behind her and add more --seriously -- and we'd probably be to embarassed to go out to eat with her anymore. If the service is SOO bad where you feel a tip isn't worth $x then you should have seen a manager way before the check was presented.

[TheVBs]

I think a percentage is a good place to start because it's helpful, as a customer, to have that kind of guideline.

Certainly if a server is so bad that you don't feel they deserve a tip at all, a mention to the manager is a smart idea. But there are certainly things that can negatively affect the tip without necessitating the extra effort by the customer to involve the manager. Sometimes you just want to enjoy the meal to the best of your ability and let your displeasure be reflected in the tip.

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

Percentage is a guideline. As in most states servers that are tipped as part of their wage are paid far less than minimum wage. In NC, that wage is $2.13 an hour and they HOPE that their tips bring them up to the federal $7.25 an hour. Employers are supposed to make up the difference if they do not make it up to $7.25, but not all employers are above board for employees that make most of their wage in cash tips. In FL, the tip credit is just over $3 putting the hourly wage for employees that work for tips at $4 something. (Their minimum wage is now $7.67 or so.)

As someone that has waited on tables......it is extremely insulting to get such a low tip that you essentially got paid less than minimum for your times spent giving them what you thought or knew was fantastic service.

Sorry bout the rant - tis a sore subject for those of us that have spent time waiting tables and have been stiffed because the table was just too cheap to tip well.

[BrerGnat]

It's a lot harder to be hired as a server in a top tier Steakhouse than it is to be hired at Chili's.

It works the same way at WDW. People who are hired as servers with no experience don't start at the California Grill.

As in many other industries, you have to work your way to the top. Servers who work at high priced eateries earn what they are worth, tip wise.

[Mickey'sGirl]

.... also table turnovers at more expensive restaurants are generally less frequent, thereby reducing the number of patrons, and the number of tips. Tables are NOT turning over every 30 minutes at the California Grill.

[TheVBs]

I wouldn't think tables are turning over every 30 minutes at any of the restaurants. I could certainly be wrong, but I would assume at least an hour.

[BrerGnat]

I wouldn't think tables are turning over every 30 minutes at any of the restaurants. I could certainly be wrong, but I would assume at least an hour.

Try eating with my kids!

If we could be in and out in 15 min, we would be...

My boys are the type to devour their food like hungry wolves in about 5 min, get up and declare "all done." We ask for the check when the food arrives, usually.

[kakn7294]

As in many other industries, you have to work your way to the top. Servers who work at high priced eateries earn what they are worth, tip wise.

I know this is expected to be true but it's not always the case. I've had better service at McDonald's than I did at California Grill. Pretty much everyone we encountered, from the elevator guy to our waitress, treated us as if we were "beneath" them. Certainly not worth the $95 tip for a party of 10.

I believe that tipping should be based on the level of service you receive. That's why the waitress at 1900 Park Fare got an extra $20 on top of her standard 18% - something I would ordinarily never do at a buffet but she went out of her way to make things right for us.

[KatrinaJ91]

I know this is expected to be true but it's not always the case. I've had better service at McDonald's than I did at California Grill. Pretty much everyone we encountered, from the elevator guy to our waitress, treated us as if we were "beneath" them. Certainly not worth the $95 tip for a party of 10.

This is what I mean...sometimes the quality service at the TS restaurants is about the same (or lower) than other places. I don't have any complaints with the service. I just don't understand why one waitress deserves a bigger tip for giving the exact same service as another waitress simply based on the price of the food.

I waited tables before and worked hard for my tips...I expected tips on my performance.

[disneynarula]

It such a tough argument. I can see both sid

There are people like my MIL who complain about everything. She will leave a low tip for the craziest reasons.

Once we went out to eat and our server was new. He made a few mistakes and was very apologetic about them. My MIL was livid and she called the manager over and went on a rant about the server. The manager gave everyone free dessert and my MIL left without leaving any tip at all.

My BIL and I said we needed to use the restroom and would meet everyone at the car. We talked to the manager about the server and then gave the server a huge tip.

I have also recieved really neglegent service. In that case I would leave a smaller tip but I would never leave no tip.

Here in Europe servers are paid a real wage and a tip is truly just a nominal amount of money and truly token of appreciation for service given. I like it so much better that way.

[sara114]

Having just returned from a 2 week trip in Europe, I agree. It was much nicer to tip for the service, not to worry about if I was leaving the "proper" amount. I even had one waiter who tried to give the tip back several times before I made him understand that I wanted him to have it. The look on his face was wonderful, as was his attention and service.

[SBETigg]

.... also table turnovers at more expensive restaurants are generally less frequent, thereby reducing the number of patrons, and the number of tips. Tables are NOT turning over every 30 minutes at the California Grill.

Maybe not every thirty minutes, but yes- tables turn over more frequently at a casual restaurant vs at a fine dining establishment. The server will spend less time with customers, have more tables, and there are usually fewer courses to serve per table. So, the casual restaurant servers work hard to please many people and collect tips from many tables. But at a finer establishment, the servers will work for fewer tables at a time, fewer customers served, but perhaps more attention and care required per table, and then they reap the benefits from one big check vs several smaller ones. Or so the logic goes, but there are exceptions everywhere.

It's like being a maid that serves many houses for a few hours at a time on different days of the week vs being a housekeeper for one fancy residence. The maid that does a few hours at many houses will get paid separately for all those jobs and it might add up to what the housekeeper at a fancier house makes as a weekly wage. Or not- but there are degrees of specialization in service that separate them, and the same goes with restaurant servers.

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

Having just returned from a 2 week trip in Europe, I agree. It was much nicer to tip for the service, not to worry about if I was leaving the "proper" amount. I even had one waiter who tried to give the tip back several times before I made him understand that I wanted him to have it. The look on his face was wonderful, as was his attention and service.

You have to be very careful in Europe with tipping. Some find it insulting. Most are appreciative of the American standard of tipping. Europeans don't tip as a standard in their restaurants. So, yes, when visiting Europe it is nice to tip for the sake of service and not because it is expected.

[diz_girl]

I also tip the standard 20%, mostly because the servers basically are working for tips, but partly because the math is so much easier.

I actually tip a larger percentage for breakfasts, mainly because the entrees are lower priced than lunch or dinner. Maybe turnover is quicker at breakfast, but when I'm at a table for 1/2 hour eating a breakfast that cost $5-6, they're getting a $2-3 tip.

Like a pp mentioned, I may reduce the tip a little for poor service and tip more for great service. However, I'll NEVER penalize a server if the food takes a long time to arrive (unless it arrives cold) beause of backups in the kitchen. They shouldn't be penalized for kitchen staff problems. If the server is attentive, then they get a good tip.

[ginny57]

Having been raised by a single mom on a waitresses pay I would ask the opposite....why should a server be tipped less in total dollars than at a more expensive restaurant? I do 20%....usually more. Its hard work no matter what the price is on the menu. I guess if the tipping costs seem unfair then maybe a change in restaurant choices is an option to be considered.

[mom2morgan]

I agree with the Original Poster. I put myself through college waiting tables at a pizza place, and because the bills were cheap , so were the tips. What REALLY burned me was that we also had a lounge, and those servers made 10 times what I did because drink bills tend to be higher. And I know I worked just as hard as they did!

[TheRustyScupper]

About once-per-year I get the chance to expound,
or at least offer my opinions on tipping. This comes
from someone who has a financial interest in two eateries,
. . . a breakfast/lunch (5:00am-3:00pm) "diner"
. . . a fine dining (5:00pm-1:00am) restaurant

1) We do not automatically tip any percentage.
2) At an average-priced (eg. Applebee's) eatery:
. . . poor service gets 0%-10%
. . . good/average service gets about 15%
. . . great service gets about 18%
. . . we assume tips are divided among other staff
. . . all should share in service levels
3) However, we temper this with the eatery type:
. . . diner: about 10%, 15%-20%, 25%-30%
. . . average: about 5%, 12%-15%, 18%-20%
. . . fine dining: about 2%, 10%-12%, 15%-18%
4) We take into account the waiter's work:
. . . table appearance
. . . promptness
. . . amount of work
. . . attentiveness
. . . pleasantness
. . . proper order fulfillment
5) Pay should depend upon the job, not the check size.
6) Example for a table of four:
. . . average service earns $150 at Ruth Chris
. . . average service earns $65 at Applebee's
. . . average service earns $20 at a diner
7) Is it fair to reward "average" based upon the check?
. . . the workload is about the same
. . . the weight of a plate is about the same
. . . the amount of beverage refills can be the same
. . . the labor to clear the table can be the same
. . . the hectic diner could mean more "running"