What is your philosophy on tipping waiters?

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:15am

I got into a very Reservoir Dogs-esque argument with a friend of mine who refuses to tip waiters and waitresses the other day. I tend to always tip, even if I'm short on cash, simply because waiting table is a hard job and I usually give them points just for trying.

What do you guys think?

[nitsua]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:20am

I usually start with $5 and work my way down, but it depends on the restaurant.

If it's one of the more pricey places on the strip, I'll start with $10.

I agree with you, though, on the your last part. In Texas, minimum wage was $2.14, so I thought I was very generous.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:23am

My friend's argument, which was surreal because it was exactly like RESERVOIR DOGS, was that "You don't tip people in McDonald's!"

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:24am

Yes, if you are sitting down and they are serving you, you need to give them a tip.

I (and most other people I know) don't tip when I ordering to take out and go inside to pick it up.(something as simple as soup and salad). If I do not give them a tip, they often get quite pissy- I'm kinda afraid what they'll do to my food next time I order.

[scott68]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:24am

I've worked as a waiter, and it's a crappy job at best. In my experience (and I think in most situations), waiters' salaries literally only covers taxes, so tip money is all you're making. I always try to tip at least 17%, and almost always 20 unless the service is terrible.

[nitsua]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:26am

Ivan doesn't tip to-go either. I worked both jobs (serving and to-go) and working to-go was much harder. Instead of four or five tables at a time, I had to shuffle up to 20 phone orders and walk ins.

I tip to-go better than regular wait staff, but to-go usually makes more. It was $6.50 when I worked to-go.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:26am

Now I've had some ****ty waiters but I always tip. always.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:29am

17-18%- average service
19-20%- above average
14-15%- below average

I've never really gotten amazing or horrendous service personally, but I've heard of people leaving 25% for great service and a handful of coins for terrible service.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 2:37am

I tend to leave 20%.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 3:43am

I once left a penny or a nickel to someone who gave me some of the worst service I could have gotten at a restaurant. That's the only time it has happened though.
In my hometown I usually tip 15%, a bit more if the bill is too small or if I got amazing service, since I really work a crappy job that pays nothing, I don't have much of a choice. However, when I'm in NY I try to tip 18-20% just because I know how expensive living here is.
I don't tip when I do take out though.

[Craww]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 4:34am

Good service? Calculate 20% in my head. Round up to the nearest dollar for great-good, round down to the nearest dollar for average-good.

For me, even bad service gets 5 to 10%, depending on the circumstances. Mediocre (ie, bad service, but they're swamped/forgetful and adequately apologetic) usually gets 15%.

I don't tip take out, and I tip less at buffets.

[Mamie]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:27am

I'm the same as Craww. I've never worked as a waitress but I have plenty of relatives and friends who have and I know how hard they work and how little their base salary is. Unless the service is really bad, I ALWAYS tip - usually 20%. Also like others, I do not tip for take out. I always tip the driver $2 or $3 for delivery too. I know a lot of the restaurants add a delivery charge but I don't know how much of that actually gets to the driver.

[lesmis]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:21am

20% always

[louisamayfoster]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 7:22am

20% and always respectfully look servers in the eye when talking with them. I'm grateful to be served rather than do the serving. The only time I can remember totally NOT wanting to leave a tip was in Paris and my husband did it anyway.

[blueroses]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 9:07am

At least 20%.

[caitiesus1522]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 9:14am

15% if it is bad service, 20% if it is good.

But i have gotten into the habit that if I use my credit card I ask if they have to pay a service fee out of their tips because I know some people who have had to. If they do, I pay the tip in cash.

[tazber]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 9:15am

20%
More if they're cute.
Even more if they're cute and they flirt.

[Mamie]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 9:17am

see what they have to go through for their pay? Always tip them!

[ahmelie]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 9:31am

I'm a teenager, and my friends hate me for insisting we never leave a restaurant without a decent tip on the table. The annoying thing is that most of my friends are artists planning to pursue arts as a career, I just wanna yell at them "This is you one day!"

Karma's gonna bite them in the ass.

[madbrian]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 9:35am

My tipping varies greatly depending on the service. I never leave no tip, even for horrible service, because that could be construed as an oversight. I usually tip much more on holidays.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 9:40am

I almost always tip at least 20%, unless the service is abysmal. Even then, it's hard for me not to, because I waited tables for a long time and I know that some nights are going to be off nights.

If you aren't prepared to tip at least 15%, you aren't prepared to go out to eat. Do the world a favor and stay home.
Updated On: 2/12/08 at 09:40 AM

[madbrian]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 10:17am

Phyllis,
I would turn that around and say if you're not willing to be attentive and courteous, don't expect a 20% tip. And if you're not even willing to be available and polite, don't expect a 15% tip.

[tazber]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 10:21am

You can tell when your server is in the weeds though. When it's super busy and he/she's harried and rushing, that's when I leave a bigger tip, even though I may have gotten less attention.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 10:24am

15% for okay-fair service

20% for good service

A little more for really good service, for those servers who know how to make money!

[javero]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 10:30am

I waited tables as an undergrad so I always leave a standard 20% unless the service is really bad in which case I discount. However I would never stiff a waitperson because often the busser is depending on a cut too. It can be a thankless job despite fine food and good service. For some reason, there are otherwise mild-mannered people who become unbearable while dining out.