Some tips on restaurant tipping

I have worked in the restaurant business for 16 years or so now. In all of those years I have never worked in an area where so few people are aware of tipping etiquette.

[xxxxxxxxx]

Maybe attitude and poor service are reasons for your small tips. I worked in the business for years and I must say service has gotten worse and worse. If your tips aren't what you think they should be, think about your attitude when approaching customers or get a job at a restaurant that doesn't cater to old timers who think they're doing you a favor by leaving you a quarter.

[CLG]

From JJ McGee - "For your information servers and bartenders in most restaurants rely on tips based off their nightly sales"

To JJ McGee - "For your information a tip is given as a reward for good service"

Maybe it's your attitude that needs an adjustment.

[Concerned Resident]

I tip on service - period, not what the "standard" is suppose to be. Maybe if servers do not care for the money they are making, they should try another profession? Just my opinion. And I am sure that all the tip money they take home is being recorded in their taxes, too?:)

[Oh ME2]

JJ,

Let me first state, I don't know you and don't know if I've ever been waited on by you nor am I saying you're a bad waitress.

I fully understand tipping and I base my tip SOLEY on the service AND attitude, PERIOD!!!

I also refuse to allow my tip to be based on the number of people in my party, which by the way is illegal.

You're tip is based on YOUR service and not just because we're being served!!

Service stinks, so does the tip, if there even is one.

As a prime example, I just went for lunch last week, ordered a simple chicken salad and waited almost 45 minutes.

Now it's 15 minutes till I have to be back to work, the waiter walks by, I state "I need to get back to work and need my order to go".

So he brings it back, sets it in front of me on a plate. I repeat that I need it to go, to which he spins around, slams his tray on the table beside me.

He then returns, drops the box in front of me and walks away.

His tip was a big fat ZERO !!!!!!!!!!

[Reasonable Tip]

I've been to many restuarants and often a poor tip is left even after good service. A Lot of people in Hanover leave a $2.00 tip. Just the other night a family of four was eating beside us at Red Lobster and they left a $5.00 tip. Ridiculous! I agree that sometimes it is the service, however, not always. FYI-ordering pizza at home won't help. You have to tip the driver.

[tinlizzie]

CLG wrote:

From JJ McGee - "For your information servers and bartenders in most restaurants rely on tips based off their nightly sales"
To JJ McGee - "For your information a tip is given as a reward for good service"
Maybe it's your attitude that needs an adjustment.

TIPS... To Insure Prompt Service..had clerical work, manual labor jobs(factory) and waitress work. best pay ever.... was waitressing.
treat customers as YOU would like to be treated. period. and stop calling everybody "guys". i'm so sick of hearing this word. folks, ma'am, sir, even "ya'all" sounds better.
retired server of about 20 years

[timeout]

Wow, I didn't know there was a law that states we need to leave a certain percentage or stated amount tip.

[tinlizzie]

oh and the least amount left by customers came from banking employees and school teachers. and they made the most demands...

[tinlizzie]

timeout wrote:

Wow, I didn't know there was a law that states we need to leave a certain percentage or stated amount tip.

there is no state that has such a law that i know of. tipping is at customer's decretion,except some establishments that tack it on larger parties (6 or more) 18-20% and they may not give it all to server. sometimes they take a "fee" out.

[fedup2]

tinlizzie wrote:

oh and the least amount left by customers came from banking employees and school teachers. and they made the most demands...

Hey, thanks for the stereotype! Should we get into race and gender too while we're at it???

[Susan]

tinlizzie wrote:

<quoted text>
TIPS... To Insure Prompt Service..had clerical work, manual labor jobs(factory) and waitress work. best pay ever.... was waitressing.
treat customers as YOU would like to be treated. period. and stop calling everybody "guys". i'm so sick of hearing this word. folks, ma'am, sir, even "ya'all" sounds better.
retired server of about 20 years

I agree! When my mother, sister, and I go into a restaurant and we hear, "Hi Guys," we say "Hi Guys" right back hoping the person gets the hint. We are all women 45 and older; we are not "GUYS!" What ever happened to "Hi, welcome to ABC Restaurant?" I fault the person who trains the waitstaff. They should be told to just say "hello" nothing more!!! We tip 20% when our server does his/her job and 10-15% when we are not happy with the service. Wow, for a teacher, I'm very generous.

[frustrated former server]

A lot of you are jumping to conclusions about both the wait staff and the consumer. I was a server and bartender for 12 years, working my way through high school, college and until I got my job. I agree that the tip should reflect a person's quality of service . But consumers, please understand it is not always the fault of server for your the "timely" service. There are a lot of things that go on. If you have not been in on the other side, you will never "get it." I never tip below 20% unless the service is awful, because I know what they are going through. The tip that you give them is usually split between three other people...the bartender (if they have one), the food runner, and the busboy. The server gets the rest.
Current wait staff, try to look like you are remotely happy to be there and talk clearly. It will help. Some of you are doing a really great job. Thanks you for all you do!

[Jeff Spangler]

Pennsylwania Dutchmen like me are tighter than, uh, any other ethnic group you can think of which is typically associated with cheapness. Not "thrifty" or "prudent"-- plain old "cheap"!

[workoutman]

i tip for good service and good attitude.if neither is good,no tip.

if u are making 2.83 per hour,its not my fault,get a better job.

[Bruce]

Dear JJ, My husband and I eat out about once every three months and as habit and of course good etiquette we almost always leave a 20% tip unless of course the attitude of the waitress is questionable (like yours) in which we would leave 10% and let her/him wonder why.

[Awww po wittle baby]

I work in a restaurant, and I have a basic understanding of what is going on.

I personally REFUSE to leave a "required minimum " tip for someone who gives me bad service.

Like everyone else, its about service, attitude, and how many times I have to flag someoene down for a refill on my beverage.

So if someone gets a low tip, its because something was wrong, not because I felt like "under" tipping.

However, if the service is pleasant, and everything went well, then I always tip more than 15%

[Common Tater]

Totally agree with the posts that state it is not our fault if you only make 2.83 an hour to get a better job. Tips are to be appreciated. Not expected or insisted upon, as in charges for the larger parties. When my family and I go out to eat it is a special occasion for us. We can't afford to go out a lot. When we do, we always take the kids. They are teens and have a healthy appetite. The bill alone is typically a half week's worth of groceries, so that's why we don't go out a lot. Then for the waitress/waiter we do leave a nice tip- at least I think we do, considering that I would appreciate if I were wait staff. Maybe, JJ, you should realize not everyone that comes into 'your' restaurant and is seated in 'your' section is a cheapskate. Some of us are just hardworking and hungry. By the way, when you get pizza delivered, you are automatically charged for delivery, so any tips you give are on top of what they've already added on. With the cost of foods going up along with everything else, perhaps more people will stay at home and eat the foods from their own garden and eventually your services will no longer be needed. So if I were you, I'd appreciate the job while you have it and quit whining!

[Deb]

Bruce wrote:

Dear JJ, My husband and I eat out about once every three months and as habit and of course good etiquette we almost always leave a 20% tip unless of course the attitude of the waitress is questionable (like yours) in which we would leave 10% and let her/him wonder why.

Why would you even let 10%? If you don't let them anything maybe then they will wonder why...

[Manners]

I never worked in the restaurant business, but my husband has as a busboy when he was younger. I can tell you that the waitress' do give them some of their tips.
My husband and I both work 60-70 hours a week and we do have good income.
I can't imagine what a waitress goes through on a daily basis only making 2.83 an hour. How can you live on that? This is why we always make it a point to tip, and tip well.
I know that some waitress aren't always pleasant, and yes it's hard to leave them a good tip. However, they do have a family to feed!!!!
So, all you waitress out there keep your heads up. The economy is getting tight and just like the rest of us your going to feel the pinch too.

[I Think not]

Very rarely do I EVER get a good waiter/waitress when I go out to eat at a restaurant. I never let the amount of my bill influence me in what tip amount I should leave. Most times, all the waitress does is brings the food and drinks..........then the next time you see her is when she leaves the bill on the table.Consumers should NOT have to flag down waitresses the way they constantly do. To me, that intereferes with other patrons quiet enjoyment of their meal. Just last week, my daughters and I went to Hoss's. We waited 35 minutes for our food, mine needed returned because it was still mooing, but anyway, my waitress was so busy talking with the patrons "friends of hers" two tables over, I never got my steak back until 25 minutes later. Then....she never once came over to check on our table....but repeatedly checked on her friends table of course......again, two tables over. We were done eating, I had to ask "another waitress" for my cheque, it was brought to me, I left and the waitress responsible for ME....saw absolutely NO TIP. She was also reported to management. So waitresses and waiters alike?? YOU HAVE A JOB TO DO. You want paid?? DO YOUR JOB!! There is no other job I know where you can sit and talk with friends a half hour here , half hour there so why do waitresses feel they have that right?? Being pleasant towards the patrons is one thing, spending excessive time planning your weekend with friends is quite another. So, in the end ..NO SERVICE, NO PAY.......PERIOD!!!

Manners wrote:

I never worked in the restaurant business, but my husband has as a busboy when he was younger. I can tell you that the waitress' do give them some of their tips.
My husband and I both work 60-70 hours a week and we do have good income.
I can't imagine what a waitress goes through on a daily basis only making 2.83 an hour. How can you live on that? This is why we always make it a point to tip, and tip well.
I know that some waitress aren't always pleasant, and yes it's hard to leave them a good tip. However, they do have a family to feed!!!!
So, all you waitress out there keep your heads up. The economy is getting tight and just like the rest of us your going to feel the pinch too.