I don't like to tip, unless the service is really worth it. I will usually give a dollar, but not more than that, unless the waitperson REALLY deserves it. My rule is $1 per person, regardless of the cost of the meal. My friends however, tip 20% no matter what. They say because they got minimum wage. well when I worked fast food, I got minimum wage too, and no tips.

What are your thoughts?

 

I say quit being cheap

If you get good friendly service, 15%. If you get VERY good service, give 20%.

Wait staff get LOWER than minimum wage, they survive on your tips.

Unless you get real crappy service, step up and pay your dues is my opinion.

 

Around here waitstaff make about $2 per hour. That's less than 40% of the minimum wage. The reason is tips. At some establishments, the tip you leave is split with the bus boy and hostess if you are seated by one.

Also around here, if you are in a party of six or more 15% is added to your bill, involuntarily. Why, do you ask? Because in a group of 10 who each ordered a $10 meal for which a $1.50 tip would be customary(remember $2 dollar wage) at least 3 or 4 of the customers will look down at tips on the table and think "Nearly ten bucks already, that is enough."

I tip 20% unless the bill is less than $10. I never leave less than $2.

I was a waiter once and struggled. Now, I'm rich beyond my wildest dreams.

If you can't afford to tip I have two words for you young man,
goats milk.

 

I didn't know goat herders were that wealthy?



dasmaz81 - please tell me you don't eat at the same restruants all the time? Leaving a $1 tip I don't want to know what they do to your food or think of you.


Personally I start with 15% for good service. Bad service gets less, great service gets more.

 

Well, I'm rich beyond my wildest dreams but, you don't know how small my dreams were.

 

My thoughts are :

1) you are related to my in-laws
2) you are extremely cheap.

If you are going to tip so little, why even bother?
Seriously, there is no law that says you MUST TIP, so if it bothers you so much, just keep your buck a person and you will sleep better at night.

Just tell everyone that your philosophy is "I don't believe in tipping" and be done with it.

I tip 15-20% when I receive good service, I tip "ZERO" when I receive crap service.
There is no point in rewarding someone who gives you poor service (IMO)

I've never understood people who get horrible service and say "well, since my waitress was so awful, I'm only going to leave her 10% instead of 15"

If I get a bad waiter / waitress, I will leave them sweet FA, and smile at them as I'm leaving, it's the only way some of the idiots of the world might figure it out and become better at their jobs.

 

yeah tipping is a big part of being a waiter. if you can get a job at a fairly fancy or expensive place youll make some decent money. a friend of mine was a waiter at a steakhouse and with all the tips he got he made almost $40 an hour (including wages). sure he had to work his *** off but it got him that lift for his 03 F-150 very fast (12" lift)

 

Me either...but a quick search on Google turned up this on an MSN site....

 

I will tip accordingly...$40 meal...GREAT SERVICE=$5 tip...good service=$3 tip...bad service=$0 tip. I also have another way of deciding if I tip or not... if my glass gets empty=$0 tip! And no, I do NOT just slug it all down! I dont want to hear that crap about $2/hour... if its that bad, get a different job!(if youre too lazy to hustle and make good tips!)

 

I will ONLY leave a $1....if I want to purposely insult the waiter.

I worked as a cook and waiter thru high school and college. Tips ARE a HUGE deal. Trust me, the last thing you want to do is insult, **** off or belittle someone who is handling your food.

I always leave 15-20% rounding up to the nearest $1.00. If it is an establishment that you frequently visit....a good tipper will always be remembered and taken better care of.

Just my .02 or in this case.....15%

 

Not many people realize that it is common practice for restaurants to fire their employees as they approach their first year of employment to avoid paying minimum wage. These folks then have to find employment at another place and start the cycle over. Not all places are like this, but many are.

It's easy to say 'go somewhere else' if you're gainfully employed. If you're going to school and trying to make ends meet, it's not at all easy to find work that will allow you to take classes as well. This also has been a miserable time for anyone to find work. Jobless claims are only starting to come down.

2$ per hour is about right in terms of pay, and the rest is in tips. Wait staff take the brunt of customer's hostilities even if the bartender screws up the drink or the chef burns the dinner. Put yourself in their shoes and see if you would be willing to hustle your butt off and accept the abuse while keeping a smile and pulling down that $2. After pulling a double, say 12 hours, you can pack that $24 (minus taxes) in your wallet.

For the most part, these folks are really trying to do right by their customers. TIP them when they deserve it. I usually tip 15%. For excellent service, 20%. I have not tipped only once when the service sucked swampwater.

 

dasmaz81, no offense, but stop eating in restaurants with waiters. Part of the cost of the meal is the tip. 15% on up is about the minimum for decent service.

I'm just amazed that people are still paid less than minimum wage in this country. So what if they also get tips, people deserve decent pay for a days work. If I knew some business I frequented paid less than the minimum, I would not go there. They have a business philosophy I just can not tolerate and I certainly won't help them continue that type of practice.

By the way, here in the great state of Kalifornia, we have a higher state minimum wage than the federal minimum wage.

Sorry for the off-topic rant, but it really bugs me. ( And don't even get me started about firing someone instead of giving them a raise. )

BOB

 

We shouldn't beat up on dasmaz81 so bad.
He asked a question and is probably a young man who doesn't know. None of us sprang from the box knowing about everything. (except 01 XLT Sport) .

He spoke of servers making minimum wage, which most do not.
That is an honest mistake because his personal experience is with fast food.

He asked for our thoughts, meaning his mind is not closed on the subject but, if you beat someone in the head they will dig their heels in.

dasmaz81, it may too much of a shock to jump to 15% so, start with two dollars and work your way up until you are comfortable with 15%.

Close your eyes a let the money slip from your fingers,... let it go,... release....breath...release...relax...

 

Words I never thought I would write.

Of course Raoul, you’re absolutely right.

BOB

 

If I really want to stick it to a rude and crappy server, instead of leaving no tip at all, I like to leave a penny. Of course I dont do this at places I go to frequently though.

Otherwise I always leave at least 10%.

If the service just ok, or even somewhat bad I still give 10%

Good service gets 15%

Great service gets 20%

I also take into account how busy it is and pay attention to what they are doing and how many tables I see them waiting. Restaurants are often understaffed, and this isnt the server's fault. If I see my server running around and working their butt off at alot of tables I will let things slide much more than if they arent working as hard.