When we were talking about how much we tip in restaurants last week, some people expressed a bit of consternation over having to do math right after eating to come up with the tip. A Tip Table, which denotes what 15% and 20% are of various dollar amounts, makes tipping easier because it eliminates the need to think about how much to leave.
I will note, however, that the Tip Table is not without problems. For example, though the range it gives will certainly cover many meals and it's not too difficult to combine various amounts to reach higher totals, is it really necessary to say that 20% of $1 is 20¢? And is it even appropriate to leave such a small tip - regardless of the percentage - in all instances?
I agree with the commenters in the previous post who said that tipping rules are not hard and fast - especially when you want to be generous. And the Tip Table, practical as it may seem, cannot take exceptions into account. Leave more than 20% when you sit sipping your $1 coffee for an hour and reward outstanding service in general.
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-11-2006 @ 5:18PM
Dean H. Saxe said...
Here's a quick hint on tipping for the mathematically impaired.
To calculate a 15% tip, move the decimal point one digit to the left. That gives you 10%. Add half of that amount again to get 15%.
20% is just as easy. Move the decimal point one digit to the left and double it.
For example, if my tab is $42.63 the calculations work as follows:
15% tip on $42.63:
Move the decimal point to the left = $4.26
Half of $4.26 is $2.13.
$4.26 + $2.13 = $6.39
20% tip on $42.63
Move the decimal point to the left = $4.26
$4.26 * 2 = $8.52
It couldn't be any easier.
Now, if you want 18%... well... the tip calculator won't give that to you either. ;-)
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6-11-2006 @ 7:44PM
George said...
I'm a bit curious: do most people here tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount (assuming you live in a state that has sales tax)?
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6-11-2006 @ 8:47PM
Kate said...
In California, with our tax at nearly 8% we just double the tax for average service (almost 16%), or double the tax and throw down a few more bucks, for good service, or triple the tax for excellent service. That's the simple way.
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6-11-2006 @ 9:32PM
tom said...
Tables are for things that take time to calculate - like square roots. The very existence of something like this tip table is pretty sad... as the previous poster said, 20% tips are very easy to calculate given our decimal system (all that's required is doubling). 15% take only a moment longer (you have to take a half and then add it). 18% on the money is a pain, of course, but do we actually care about getting the percentage down exactly? Of course not -- figure out 20% and then reduce as you like. For most of the meals I eat, differences of 1 or 2 % are irrelevant - once I'm at that granularity, I'm adjusting to make the dollar amount come out even anyway.
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6-11-2006 @ 9:37PM
Hawk said...
A tip calculator for a PDA's also a good idea, especially if it's a pda-phone of some type.
This is a plug, except it's freeware so we don't make money off it if you click on it - the company I work for has a free tip calculator called Tipster here: http://iliumsoft.com/site/fp/tipster.htm
It won't work right on a square-screen Pocket PC device, so be warned.
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6-12-2006 @ 2:24PM
liz said...
I always tip at least a dollar per person at the table in case the tip comes out at a piddly amount if you do it by percentage.
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6-19-2006 @ 3:48PM
appleita said...
I think a tipping table is a wonderful thing. Not because tipping is so hard to figure out...it's not. But often we are talking about important things with one or two other people and we don't want to stop and let them sit and watch us while we figure percentages. It ruins the flow of the conversation.
Having a tip chart lets us with one glace figure what the amount is. I like having it in my wallet, even if I don't always use it.
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