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Why Should How Much I Tip Somebody Depend on How Much My Food Costs

Just because you wouldn't doesn't mean others won't. Somebody has to work there. =/

Someone needs to then take that experience and move to a better wait-staff job. It's bad enough sharing tips with fellow wait-staff (encourages mediocrity), but sharing them with the cook making 4 times as much as you (as a waiter) do is ridiculous.

And yeah, a waiter where I live is likely making a fourth of what the cook is before tips.
 
I generally just whip out my checkbook and ask, "so, how much would make you happy?" :rolleyes:

And, "What do you want for Christmas?"
 
I tip 20-30%, depending on the quality of service. I even tip in France and I do not think I am getting screwed - I think, "man, those people were lucky to have served an American, we tip, we rool". I bet everyone wishes they could serve Americans all the time.
 
3) when you tip your server less than 10%, you are actually costing them money to serve you, because of the above.
Most of them are arrogant and deserve it. I do tip if they're a pleasureto talk to.
 
You have to keep in mind that restaurants at different price points have different service strategies. Often the cheaper places will give their servers 10 or 12 table sections and are constantly turning over (reseating) the tables so the servers haul ass and make their money on volume. A high end restaurant might give their servers a 6 table section so they can spend more time with each table and only seat each table once (or not at all) on a weekday so the servers have to rely on a high check average to make any money. Also, servers in high end restaurants tend to be the best in their profession; they can usually figure out what you want and be your guide to getting the most out of your expensive meal. If people didn't tip them well then they would all go work in busy bars and everyone would get crap service every time they went to a fancy restaurant.
 
I'm willing to have more added on to the cost of my food at high end resteraunts.
 
more insider info:

I work in a mid-range restaurant and each server gets 3 tables for his/her section. It's a popular chain so my tables are always occupied.

I get $9.17 hourly and tonight I worked 6 hours and made $85 in tips (after giving 10% to the bar and 15% to the bussers). A fairly good night. ;)

If you want to buy food, go to the store or a fast food joint. If you want to be served at a table and discuss wine and food pairing while having real food and enjoying a good time with your friends and loved ones then come to a restaurant. :thumbsup:

And again, if the service was decent, please go at least 10%.

As a college student I do okay, but I do live in San Francisco so cost of living is fairly high.


:nuke: regarding income tax: All tips at my establishment are declared on a computer at the end of the night at checkout. Credit card taxes are automatically tallied and declared cash tips must be at least 10%. You can lowball the government here by declaring the minimum but even then it's unlikely to be a huge discrepency. :nuke:
 
I work in a mid-range restaurant and each server gets 3 tables for his/her section. It's a popular chain so my tables are always occupied.

I get $9.17 hourly and tonight I worked 6 hours and made $85 in tips (after giving 10% to the bar and 15% to the bussers). A fairly good night. ;)
I've heard rumors of 3 table sections out on the coasts but never really believed it. It seems cruel. In a typical busy mid-range restaurant in Minneapolis a server will have 6-8 tables and walk away with $125 - $175 on a normal weeknight. Most servers here would consider $85 a bad night.
 
I've heard rumors of 3 table sections out on the coasts but never really believed it. It seems cruel. In a typical busy mid-range restaurant in Minneapolis a server will have 6-8 tables and walk away with $125 - $175 on a normal weeknight. Most servers here would consider $85 a bad night.

Damn you spoiled Lakelanders!

So what kind of hourly wage do your people end up with? I figured breaking $20/hr was fair enough for a job with no real hiring requirements (aside from high school and a friendly demeanor).
 
Rolf Slotboom said:
Having worked on my sun tan a little (I have been informed to only return home with a good-colored skin), I spent an hour or so at the swimming pool, and then I took a cab to the Gambler's Book Shop at 630 South 11th Street, Downtown Las Vegas. After the taxi driver refused to wait a little for me to return from the book store so he could take me back, yes not even against a significant extra fee that I offered to pay him, he seemed very surprised that as a result, I was unwilling to give him a huge tip. I actually liked my own line: "So, you want me to tip you big for not wanting to do me a favor?", but the guy behind the wheel did not see the humor of my remark. After a big semi-bluff on his part, where he locked all doors and threatened to call the police if I didn't give him any extra, I called his bluff by saying that I actually wanted the police to come - so I could tell them what a scumbag of a taxi driver he was. After some fuming on his part, I turned out to have the best hand - my opponent folding his bluff face down.
Link to the blog

:lol:

In Europe this taxi-driver would have never ever been given a tip. He gave no service, let alone above standard service, thus no tip. He seemed quiet agitated that he didn't get a tip from Rolf. Is it normal in the USA to expect a tip for lousy service ?
 
Link to the blog

:lol:

In Europe this taxi-driver would have never ever been given a tip. He gave no service, let alone above standard service, thus no tip. He seemed quiet agitated that he didn't get a tip from Rolf. Is it normal in the USA to expect a tip for lousy service ?

Yes. but no more then 10% maybe as low of 5%

10% = lousy
15% = avg
20% = great.
 
I've heard rumors of 3 table sections out on the coasts but never really believed it.

My sister works at one of the nicest restaurants in Seattle, one of the few places in Seattle that is nationally well known to foodies, and she usually only gets 3-4 table sections. That said, the standards of serving are extremely high (much more so than at some chain) and many people are doing 8 course tasting menus and such that require a lot of work from the server (especially since they don't have designated expediters at the place, and while they have a sommolier, the servers are expected to be able to recommend wines for all but the most sophisticated drinkers). She still manages several hundred a night in tips though so I doubt she's complainin!
 
i've seen 3 table sections before in my days in the biz. this is mostly in very, very busy restaurants w/ a high turnover rate. and yes, it is on the east coast.

it's terribly disturbing to me to read some of the posts in this thread. you guys are disgutingly cheap i'm afraid. it's actually pathetic imo.

i did nearly 15 years in the industry. and i've seen some pretty bad stuff happen to those who don't tip. foreigners? fuhgetaboutit! you're likely going to get poor service from the outset b/c it's preprogramed for even the greenest of service industry folk that you're lousy tippers. not that this is right but it's just the way of the world - or at least the way of the world while you're in our country.

i guess i'd probably suggest that anyone who doesn't like to lay out the 15% should probably dine in the same restaurants only once. i say this b/c servers talk to one another and if you've got "that label", you might be in for a few surprises. now, i've never done anything raunchy in the back of the house. however, it happens ladies and gentlemen. it most defintiely does. i won't get into it here but be forewarned.

the bottom line is that if you're travelling in the US, and especially on the coasts, you'd better be ready to lay out the tips b/c i flat out guarantee that you will not only get funny looks but you might get some other little surprises somewhere along your journey.

as for laying out tips for poor service - this is often subjective. however, a deduction in % is certainly reasonable but stiffing is very, very tacky and in poor taste.
 
ii say this b/c servers talk to one another and if you've got "that label", you might be in for a few surprises.

And it goes for the opposite as well! I remember the first time I had my first really big tipping night, largely thanks to one smallish party tipping me $175. And when they called in a month later wanting our banquet facility on shorter than usually required notice, I pulled some strings and put in a good word and made it happen for 'em!
 
as for laying out tips for poor service - this is often subjective. however, a deduction in % is certainly reasonable but stiffing is very, very tacky and in poor taste.

So is poor service which would warrant a 0% tip ;)
 
Link to the blog

:lol:

In Europe this taxi-driver would have never ever been given a tip. He gave no service, let alone above standard service, thus no tip. He seemed quiet agitated that he didn't get a tip from Rolf. Is it normal in the USA to expect a tip for lousy service ?
Some people do it...but he definitely wouldn't expect a tip if he threw a fit about it and tried to threaten police on something that isn't even illegal. In fact, locking the guy in could be construed as kidnapping. If the guy panicked and died of a heart attack, the taxi driver could be hit with felony murder.
 
stiffing is very, very tacky and in poor taste ;)

I think I've never ever not tipped anything at all.

Usually my tip is around 15%.. The worse the service, the closer that approaches 0%.

If the service is horrible I'll leave a dollar or something. That drives the point across moreso than not leaving anything at all. and this has happened.. a couple times.

If the waiter is downright rude, I'll leave a penny.
 
I'm really surprised so many people think 15% is the standard. I've always known it to be 20%. If I got <20% I figured either the person was a cheapskate or I had done something wrong.
 
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