Tipping

[1William]

I am a very generous tipper when it is called for. When it is not, then I tip a basic amount based off the cost of the meal. I do not tip on tax or alcohol totals. Back the tax out, I don't drink but sometimes we will host others that do. The whole gratuity situation is out of hand in the U.S. and while I understand people want to make a living, being dependent on the generosity of others is not my idea of stability. The movie scene in Reservoir Dogs at the beginning about tipping is spot on but too harsh for many.

[Tri-Tip]

Originally Posted by avidflyer

We've covered this many times before BUT...Out with the wife for a nice dinner. Cocktails at the table, bar was slammed. Saw a nice bottle of cab I hadn't had in a while. Nice dinner got the check $200 in food $400 in the two cocktails and the bottle of wine. Service was marginal, but told now days lucky they have a wait staff. Left $100 tip...which I thought was very generous...leaving the restaurant got the look from the waiter...really???

Next day, Bellman at the hotel helped with all the bags from a weekend of shopping. I gave him a $20 as he loaded the uber....Was ecstatic told me I was very generous no one tips anymore thank you

I have no idea what to expect from people these days.

I think you were VERY generous, in my opinion $100 would have been the correct tip if the service was fantastic.

I usually tip 20% and then up from there at a regular restaurant, including on booze, also taking into account if we were locking the table up for longer than normal and if it's a place I frequent often.

At a restaurant where the single bottle of wine was double the price of the food with great service, I'd probably tip 25% on the food and 10% on the wine for a total of $90. For adequate service, probably $60.

[BroncoOne]

If you don’t tip fairly based on the service, you really can’t afford to go out to eat.

Tipping is a fact of life for servers and diners. Until the laws change (they tried to change in Maine and servers got the legislature to overturn it back to service wage plus tips from at least minimum wage). And people stopped tipping).

It’s 20% minimum. More of the experience was really good. A lot more if I’m a regular.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by BroncoOne

If you don’t tip fairly based on the service, you really can’t afford to go out to eat.

Tipping is a fact of life for servers and diners. Until the laws change (they tried to change in Maine and servers got the legislature to overturn it back to service wage plus tips from at least minimum wage). And people stopped tipping).

It’s 20% minimum. More of the experience was really good. A lot more if I’m a regular.

You can tip whatever you like, but 20% is not a minimum. Normally I do tip 20% or above, but not because it’s a minimum in any sense.

The OP tipped 16.7% on a $600 check, $400 of which was 2 drinks and a bottle. And he did that while getting crappy service. You’re telling me he can’t really afford to go out to eat?

[DocHorton]

Originally Posted by Chewbacca

1. You care too much about what people you’ll never see again think about you.

2. Your tipping was fair.

I love this.

OP, maybe the look the waiter gave you was surprise at being tipped so much? People oftentimes misread situations, and a $100 tip for essentially a $200 meal is very generous.

[DocHorton]

Originally Posted by BroncoOne

If you don’t tip fairly based on the service, you really can’t afford to go out to eat.

Tipping is a fact of life for servers and diners. Until the laws change (they tried to change in Maine and servers got the legislature to overturn it back to service wage plus tips from at least minimum wage). And people stopped tipping).

It’s 20% minimum. More of the experience was really good. A lot more if I’m a regular.

Not sure what standard you are fabricating, but it's never been 20% minimum anywhere, at any time, in the last 3 decades.

Sorry, but a bartender doesn't deserve $100 for an hour of work because he poured a few glasses of wine. JMHO.

[SDGT3]

Originally Posted by BroncoOne

If you don’t tip fairly based on the service, you really can’t afford to go out to eat.

Tipping is a fact of life for servers and diners. Until the laws change (they tried to change in Maine and servers got the legislature to overturn it back to service wage plus tips from at least minimum wage). And people stopped tipping).

It’s 20% minimum. More of the experience was really good. A lot more if I’m a regular.

I just looked that up and it's true. Servers lobbied to not have the minimum wage go up from $3.75 to $12 in 2016 because they thought it would impact their tips. Similar actions have taken place throughout the country as well.

Tell us then Broncoone, what is the standard tip if servers are making minimum wage of $16 an hour as is the case in CA and other large west coast cities?

[Blansky]

But the problem in the US is we're in no-mans-land as far as tipping and minimum wages are concerned.

In fact it's a great con game by employers to have customers paying the wages of their staff. Not many business models can you start a business where you aren't responsible for labor costs.

Service people should be paid a living wage and if they're great at their jobs, then the tips are gravy.

And if you're a business that can't afford to be in business by paying people properly then you shouldn't be in business.

[woodsworth]

I tip between 18 and 25 percent depending on the service… I tip on top of drinks and tax as well… meh

[stephentross]

Originally Posted by Blansky

But the problem in the US is we're in no-mans-land as far as tipping and minimum wages are concerned.

In fact it's a great con game by employers to have customers paying the wages of their staff. Not many business models can you start a business where you aren't responsible for labor costs.

Service people should be paid a living wage and if they're great at their jobs, then the tips are gravy.

And if you're a business that can't afford to be in business by paying people properly then you shouldn't be in business.

We just became best friends.

[daveathall]

Once tipping is expected and the norm, it then becomes part of the wage. Patrons shouldn't be paying wages, it should be the establishment. Tips should be given as a "thank you" for excellent service. The tip should be an incentive to strive to do better.

I am a good tipper, I probably over tip but it shouldn't be expected.

[stephentross]

I always tip. At least 20% for OK service. Usually I am setting an example for my kids by tipping or giving to someone who probably has less than I do. I only under tip if the service is down right awful. But I always tip.

[daveathall]

.

[the_drunk_dial]

15-20% depending on service. The people that think they’re entitled to a minimum of 20% are the same people that can be found in Rolex’s Instagram comment section, complaining about their price inflation.

[Schmed]

My daughter is a server at a resort-area restaurant this summer making $ for college.

She had a table of 4 guys - dad, son, 2 sons-in-law. They were drinking all day, but a fun group of guys. They get the bill, call my daughter over and say "you need to fill in the tip yourself". She says "I can't do that!". They insist. She puts in $40 which calculates out to 30% of the bill. The guys make the "4" an "8" and throw another $20 on top of it for a $100 tip!

I was fortunate to be sitting next to them with my mom and got to watch it transpire. Very funny to see my kid trying to figure out what to do with that situation. The guys were encouraging her to write in a big number, but she picked something "safe". When they learned she was my daughter, they all came over to say how great she was, shook my hand, etc.

I said, you've been drinking all day? Now where to? Guy says they are going back to the cottage to drink some Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon.

[BroncoOne]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

You can tip whatever you like, but 20% is not a minimum. Normally I do tip 20% or above, but not because it’s a minimum in any sense.

The OP tipped 16.7% on a $600 check, $400 of which was 2 drinks and a bottle. And he did that while getting crappy service. You’re telling me he can’t really afford to go out to eat?

That is not what I said.
As an aside, if someone has an expensive watch collection and thinks that penny pinching servers is a good thing, that person should probably stay out of restaurants and get take out, or cook. It's better for everyone.

[BroncoOne]

Originally Posted by SDGT3

I just looked that up and it's true. Servers lobbied to not have the minimum wage go up from $3.75 to $12 in 2016 because they thought it would impact their tips. Similar actions have taken place throughout the country as well.

Tell us then Broncoone, what is the standard tip if servers are making minimum wage of $16 an hour as is the case in CA and other large west coast cities?

In Maine. it became zero because the menu prices went up to cover the servers. It still wasn't as much as the servers were making, so they revolted against the legislators that were "saving" them from being "underpaid"

[BroncoOne]

Originally Posted by Blansky

But the problem in the US is we're in no-mans-land as far as tipping and minimum wages are concerned.

In fact it's a great con game by employers to have customers paying the wages of their staff. Not many business models can you start a business where you aren't responsible for labor costs.

Service people should be paid a living wage and if they're great at their jobs, then the tips are gravy.

And if you're a business that can't afford to be in business by paying people properly then you shouldn't be in business.

I love when people opine about successful business people not being good businesspeople. Really. How many restaurants do you own? Exactly zero, right?

You appear to not understand that servers WANT it this way. Its been proven. Look at my example in Maine.

As far as the US industry standard about tipping and eliminating it, expect menu prices to rise accordingly and there being no servers to bring your meal. Danny Meyer eliminated tipping at his hugely successful New York restaurants, and then had to retreat because his best servers left for his competitors.

Some people are cheap and want someone else to pay, always and for everything. Not saying that's you, but these people would be the first to not eat at a no tipping restaurant when the menu prices rose for "paying people." With a tip, you can decide what to pay people. With a not tipping establishment, the menu is forcing you to pay the tip at what they decide you should pay, even for crappy service.

You said that "Service people should be paid a living wage and if they're great at their jobs, then the tips are gravy. " Please open a restaurant and report back what happens. If you succeed, I'll be the first to say that you know better than every other restaurant owner. Free tip: the SEIU, a far left labor union, opened a NY restaurant on this model and it got sued by their own (union) employees for not paying them what they were owed. It went bankrupt. I'm hoping for some of the jail time that the SEIU owners call for on employers that make 10 cent mistakes on paychecks, but its NY.

[ihavenosn16]

Originally Posted by GB-man

I literally walked out of a restaurant yesterday after we didn’t see a server for 15 mins. No drinks nada. We then flagged a manager and 5 min later still nobody lol I’m not spending 100 a plate plus drinks for 3 and not getting service. I too have noticed so many restaurants have gone to s***. Old fav dishes aren’t the same, the servers are way more hit or miss. Prices of course are insane but that’s tolerable.

Regarding the tip I normally give 20-25%. If the service was “off” 15% and something inexcusable I’ve tipped nothing a handful of times. We don’t buy big bottles so I don’t know the protocol there.

I virtually never tip on takeout. What a scam that is. Buck for coffee shops, acai bowls etc

Are most people tipping on Takeout? I find it weird to do takeout and the tipping options start at 18%.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by BroncoOne

That is not what I said.
As an aside, if someone has an expensive watch collection and thinks that penny pinching servers is a good thing, that person should probably stay out of restaurants and get take out, or cook. It's better for everyone.

I have never seen anyone on TRF seriously advocate for leaving cheap tips.

If I grab a casual lunch for $75, I’m going to give them a $100 bill and note that I don’t want any change. Someone else might tip $12 on their credit card while wearing their Richard Mille. That’s not my style, but they still have as much right to be there as I do. Your suggestion that they should just stay home is rather high and mighty.

[AzPaul]

Originally Posted by ihavenosn16

Are most people tipping on Takeout? I find it weird to do takeout and the tipping options start at 18%.

If I'm picking up a sandwich or a pizza, I'll always toss a couple bucks in the jar. But these are from places that don't have wait staff and I know what a tough gig it is working in a place like that. Kitchen work is brutal.

[rolex16]

Originally Posted by BroncoOne

I love when people opine about successful business people not being good businesspeople. Really. How many restaurants do you own? Exactly zero, right?

You appear to not understand that servers WANT it this way. Its been proven. Look at my example in Maine.

As far as the US industry standard about tipping and eliminating it, expect menu prices to rise accordingly and there being no servers to bring your meal. Danny Meyer eliminated tipping at his hugely successful New York restaurants, and then had to retreat because his best servers left for his competitors.

Some people are cheap and want someone else to pay, always and for everything. Not saying that's you, but these people would be the first to not eat at a no tipping restaurant when the menu prices rose for "paying people." With a tip, you can decide what to pay people. With a not tipping establishment, the menu is forcing you to pay the tip at what they decide you should pay, even for crappy service.

You said that "Service people should be paid a living wage and if they're great at their jobs, then the tips are gravy. " Please open a restaurant and report back what happens. If you succeed, I'll be the first to say that you know better than every other restaurant owner. Free tip: the SEIU, a far left labor union, opened a NY restaurant on this model and it got sued by their own (union) employees for not paying them what they were owed. It went bankrupt. I'm hoping for some of the jail time that the SEIU owners call for on employers that make 10 cent mistakes on paychecks, but its NY.

How come the rest of the world doesn’t have this system then? Only in America. Many successful restaurants worldwide don’t have this tipping system in place and they do great. Make it a fixed cover cost, that is way more reasonable than our system. Because I ate a $90 meal I owe you more than if you’d brought me a $20 meal? Same work for the server. Makes no sense.

[np2016]

If the service is horrible why do they deserve a tip? A tip should be earned for going above and beyond normal routine service and should not be taken for granted like a charity handout.

[Pw92676]

I’m a generous tipper but base my tips solely on quality of the service and not the total amount.

[BroncoOne]

Originally Posted by rolex16

How come the rest of the world doesn’t have this system then? Only in America. Many successful restaurants worldwide don’t have this tipping system in place and they do great. Make it a fixed cover cost, that is way more reasonable than our system. Because I ate a $90 meal I owe you more than if you’d brought me a $20 meal? Same work for the server. Makes no sense.

The cultures and traditions of other countries are different and the expectations of restaurant workers and customers are also different.

[BroncoOne]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

I have never seen anyone on TRF seriously advocate for leaving cheap tips.

If I grab a casual lunch for $75, I’m going to give them a $100 bill and note that I don’t want any change. Someone else might tip $12 on their credit card while wearing their Richard Mille. That’s not my style, but they still have as much right to be there as I do. Your suggestion that they should just stay home is rather high and mighty.

I have definitely seen some posts complaining about tipping. I don't believe that it is "high and mighty" to suggest that if you can't afford to tip appropriately, you shouldn't go out to eat in the US, or only go to restaurants where tipping isn't allowed or the tip is automatically included on the bill. Save everyone the hassle.

[m j b]

We reduced the number of times that we've gone out, and of course travel, since the pandemic. Now that we're going out again, I'm finding that not only has the food not improved and prices have gone up, but service sucks even more and is slower.

But I still tip. This past week I was traveling for business, which typically means that tips get better (my Uber drivers made out like bandits, as I tip the heck out of them if they get me there without killing me and if their car doesn't smell) and one restaurant that we went to for lunch:
- took 40 minutes to get our food (2 PM, only two other tables occupied)
- they never came to refresh our drinks
- when the food did arrive, she dropped a plate. Took it back to get it remade. Mine was not remade, but stuck under a broiler to dry out. Another 40 minutes.
- the 18% tip was already figured in the bill, I had no option. It was only two of us!
- the manager never came out to apologize

If I had been paying for it myself, I probably would have protested, quite honestly.

[misasmith]

Always tipping 10% of an order..

[DocHorton]

Originally Posted by BroncoOne

I have definitely seen some posts complaining about tipping. I don't believe that it is "high and mighty" to suggest that if you can't afford to tip appropriately, you shouldn't go out to eat in the US, or only go to restaurants where tipping isn't allowed or the tip is automatically included on the bill. Save everyone the hassle.

The posts complaining about tipping is when servers expect to be paid generously when providing crappy service. If your pay is based on your job performance you should perform better if you want to get paid more.

There's not a person on this forum who "can't afford to tip". The difference is that you think 20% is expected, an entitlement mentality, that most reasonable people disagree with.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by BroncoOne

I love when people opine about successful business people not being good businesspeople. Really. How many restaurants do you own? Exactly zero, right?

You appear to not understand that servers WANT it this way. Its been proven. Look at my example in Maine.

As far as the US industry standard about tipping and eliminating it, expect menu prices to rise accordingly and there being no servers to bring your meal. Danny Meyer eliminated tipping at his hugely successful New York restaurants, and then had to retreat because his best servers left for his competitors.

Some people are cheap and want someone else to pay, always and for everything. Not saying that's you, but these people would be the first to not eat at a no tipping restaurant when the menu prices rose for "paying people." With a tip, you can decide what to pay people. With a not tipping establishment, the menu is forcing you to pay the tip at what they decide you should pay, even for crappy service.

You said that "Service people should be paid a living wage and if they're great at their jobs, then the tips are gravy. " Please open a restaurant and report back what happens. If you succeed, I'll be the first to say that you know better than every other restaurant owner. Free tip: the SEIU, a far left labor union, opened a NY restaurant on this model and it got sued by their own (union) employees for not paying them what they were owed. It went bankrupt. I'm hoping for some of the jail time that the SEIU owners call for on employers that make 10 cent mistakes on paychecks, but its NY.

Complete nonsense.

I don't own a restaurant because I have no interest in owning one. In what other business can you open your doors without taking into account labor costs. It's a scam.

And corporations and now trying to get tipping into various other jobs so they can maximize profits instead of paying their employees.

If a restaurant can't survive who cares. Someone that can run one while paying their employees will start up. Your entire argument starts at the status quo which is a bogus argument because the entire restaurant business model has run this scam for years in the US. "we can't pay our people so you have to".

If we were to start over and have NO tipping allowed, or tipping optional, then a restaurant would open it's doors from day one with a business model that charged more for food, which is how all businesses operate. Labor is a fixed cost in this business plan, and not a subsidized- having the public pay your labor. The best waiters would still do great because people would tip for great service and not out of some guilt obligation.

Lets say I opened a muffler shop and put up a sign: Please tip my installers 15-20% because I don't feel like paying them. If you don't tip them, then I'll go out of business or have to charge more for your muffler".

A scam is a scam. No matter the business. The difference is historically muffler shops couldn't/didn't do this and hospitality/restaurants have gotten away with it.

Do you tip the receptionist at the dentist office, or the cashier at Safeways or the nurse at your doctors office?