Snowbirds

[Papageorgio]

"When eating in restaurants around the United States, most people perceive the 15% tip as the norm." .........? That is the kind of talk that makes the people in the the Lake Havasu service industry so upset. They rely on out of towners to come in, because they tip well over that 90% of the time. I was brought up being told to always take care of the people that take care of you, why does it seem that all the tourists did too?

[Google]

Papageorgio wrote:

"When eating in restaurants around the United States, most people perceive the 15% tip as the norm." .........? That is the kind of talk that makes the people in the the Lake Havasu service industry so upset. They rely on out of towners to come in, because they tip well over that 90% of the time. I was brought up being told to always take care of the people that take care of you, why does it seem that all the tourists did too?

Views On Tipping Food servers

First, some tips on tipping in American restaurants:

When eating in restaurants around the United States, most people perceive the 15% tip as the norm. It's easy to figure (Drop a the penny column from the bill. For a 15.97 bill, figure 1.59) then add that number to half of itself.
(1.59 is about 1.60. Half of that is 80 cents. 1.60+.80=2.40...the standard tip.) Of course, things are even easier if, like so many, you carry a calculator or a tip chart.

For small bills, I recommend (and I've had waiters agree with the idea) of no less than a $1 tip when sitting at table. If a friend and I tie up a table while chatting and drinking coffee, the tip I leave is $1+.50/person/hour. Thus for sitting and drinking coffee for 2 hours with three friends, the tip would be $5.50...it might even exceed the bill. If we keep the table from turning, we are losing tips for the waitperson. This seems a reasonable way to recompense.

For cocktail waitpeople, the rule is to tip $1 minimum per round brought to the table for parties of 2-4.

The problem arises, however, when the service is good enough to warrant something extra or bad enough to warrant something less.

Finanaces allowing, I will tip an additional 5-10%.(The waiter who had to clean up after my G-dson when he threw up his spaghetti and tomato sauce warranted 15% extra!) Even if my finances don't allow me to tip extra for exceptional service (a situation which now sometimes arises because of very tight finances) I supplement the standard tip with a handwritten note complimenting the service. I generally will ask to see the manager and will let him/her know how good the service was and ask that the note be passed onto my waitperson.

For less than adequate service, I try to determine if my server is in training or is helping to train someone. Service always declines in these situations, and then I have a judgement call to make if I want to take away from the tip money.

I next try to determine if the problem is the service overall or just the waitperson. Many restaurants, I know, the waitpeople split tips with the buspeople. If the busperson is on his/her toes and is pleasant but the waiter is a pill, I try to get a tip to the busperson separately.

Finally, I never recommend stiffing a waitperson on a tip. They might think you forgot. For truly bad (and this is exceptionally bad, inept and/or rude) service, I leave no more than a nickle (usually 2 pennies if I have them) along with a note that says, "If the service were better, the tip would be, too." And yes, I talk to the manager about bad service, too.

[hightide1]

im guessing papageorgio is a server and is mad when he does not get a tip that is over the norm of 15%. i will also go so far as to say that if that is your attitude when "snowbirds" walk in, its no wonder you dont get more than 15%. happy polite people generally make more than mean nasty ones. try to remember that. also remember alot of these snowbirds lost alot of money in the stock market, they still deserve to eat out and tip what they want not what you want. tipping is not mandatory. you would do well to remember that.

[Roco]

I just want to say there is some truth to how snowbirds tip badly or will not tip at all. Sitting with friends from out of town, on many occasions, hearing snowbirds say things like "I will not give this waitress a tip because there were not enough sugar packs on the table; I did not like the salsa with my eggs". Some of my friends are of snowbird age and were shocked hearing these comments. I generally tip 20%. If everything was find there is more. Usually, here in Lake Havasu, the service is pretty decent. Once every blue moon will the service be bad enough for me to complain.

[GMB]

i CANT SEE ANYONE GOING TO THAT GOD FORSAKEN HELL HOLE, YO SHOULD BE GRATEFUL ANYONE VISITS ASHFORK LET ALONE AZ.

[Sam Shaw]

GMB wrote:

i CANT SEE ANYONE GOING TO THAT GOD FORSAKEN HELL HOLE, YO SHOULD BE GRATEFUL ANYONE VISITS ASHFORK LET ALONE AZ.

This coming from someone in West "BY GOD" we have no indoor plumbing West Va... throw us a bone here.

[hightide1]

Papageorgio
15% is a standard tip, and more than that is above and beyond. yes, i worked as a waitress for years. not all elderly tip less than 15% and if you make friends with them you get better. HINT HINT try being nice when you are a server.
also remember tipping is optional and always has been.

[Shannon]

I live in a very tourist area,Lake Ozark,Missouri. Very seasonal. We depend greatly on our tourist population,For alot of businesses they can make or brake a year.I honestly can say that I have never heard so much complaining about out-of-towners.Yah,they come in, cant drive (car or boat)litter, can be very rude, but what other idiots will pay 5.50 for a beer & 20 bucks for a buger. Us locals, where I live, we just stay on our docks. We try to just get from them what we can & are thankful for thier money being spent here.

[caser41]

I am a Canadian Snowbird. We have been coming to Lake Havasu for 5 years now. Why lake Havasu? Most importantly we find the majority of citizens are very polite and nice including those in the retail & service industry. We tip accordingly, normally 15%+.

No we are not rich, nor do we drive a big gas guzzler. We save our pennys throughout the rest of the year for our trip. We do not stay at a expensive resort, we look for a reasonable costing house in a nice neighbourhood as to make friends with the locals.

We try to obey all laws and by-laws. We go to lots of city events, try to get involved.

Yes if walking along the beach, I see junk laying around I will pick it up and toss it in the nearest garbage can.

what do we find wrong with Lake Havasu? Each year we hope that the English Village will be 'rejuvenated'.

If some of the people of Lake Havasu find the Snowbirds are determental to the city, I suppose we could go else where. Yes we did go to palm springs for a couple of years. Maybe Mesa next year! However we like Havasu usually arriving right after Christmas and staying till the end of April.

Thanks for letting me rant here

[Sam Shaw]

If you enjoy coming to Lake Havasu for your winters then by all means come on down. Don't let the few vocal minority ruin your trip. No matter where you go you'll find a few clowns who have no life and just enjoy bitching on the internet. We also hope that the English Village is brought back to life sometime soon.

[Roco]

Personally, I have no problem with the snowbirds other than their driving ability. Driving extremely slow in the left lane and veering over to the right when I try to pass them in the right lane. I know that is illegal, but after several miles of driving and cars lining up behind me, I just can't take it anymore. Most that I have met seems to be very nice people. So, if you want to come down, do it. For every one sourpuss you meet, there will be at least five ok people you meet.

[caser41]

Thanks for the tips, I like to think I drive accordingly. I will ensure that I will drive like a resident..lol. Also please don't judge all snowbirds for the negitive actions of a few. Looking forward to getting away from the snow.

[june1945]

I dont go out anymore because I hate tipping

You feel like all the waitress wants is a tip

I will just cook thank you

[Mariner]

Wow. Been travelling to Havasu for a quite few years now and keep hearing about the terrible driving of snowbirds, yet most of the time we run into a situation where someone appears lost or confused the license plates are from Arizona, not a northern state or Canada. A number of the snowbirds (and we will include ourselves this year) have come across may have already driven 1,000 plus miles through road conditions that local Southwesterners could not imagine, and that does take some skills. I think a poor rap is being given to snowbirds that could be applied to anyone that has driving issues anywhere on the continent.

[pocho]

HEY VATO:
Quit picking on sam the sham and the blue hairs .If you are lucky you may live to be there age .With age comes the right to half step it through the little remaining time you may have left.Sam the sham had a few good hits during the 60,s.

[june1945]

What is there in Lake Havasu for visitors?
Is it expensive to RV there?
And do they like "snowbirds"?

[Marion]

Read your post aloud to my husband and had to laugh. We are younger full-timer RVers, so we're not the typical snowbird. However we encounter them along the way and have to agree for the most part with your assessment. We've left Florida and hope the SW brings us some new experiences as we dodge the snowbirds!

[Google]

Marion wrote:

Read your post aloud to my husband and had to laugh. We are younger full-timer RVers, so we're not the typical snowbird. However we encounter them along the way and have to agree for the most part with your assessment. We've left Florida and hope the SW brings us some new experiences as we dodge the snowbirds!

Thank you!

[Jim]

no snowbirds = no work = no tips = no taxes hummmm