The Bad Tip Follow-Up - What Can I Get You Folks?

5-25-2010 @11:22PM Robbie said... One time at a Chili's I was with a group of about 6 people for a friend's birthday. We ordered everything from drinks, appetizers, meals to desserts. For a Chili's bill our tab was around $200, not too paltry. Everyone except for myself had credit cards and I had cash. I am adamant about tips and always leave at least 20% or 15% if it was bad, %10 the waiter would have had to die or spit in my food. Everyone with credit cards left around a few bucks tip, and the rest would be paid in my cash which was over around $40 since I wanted to through in something extra for taking up a table so long. As we were taking so long we lingered at the table after the bill had been paid and the waitress had discovered that she was essentially tipped less than %10 and came over to the table and told us all off. She yelled at us and started crying about what a horrible day she had. Had she begun to clear off the table she would have realized that a wad of cash was sitting on it that had gotten covered up by a fallen drink/dessert menu. We all sat there in amazement as we were yelled at and balled out by a waitress our age. I wrote her a note thanking her for ruining the end of a great evening and still left the full tip with the note. She did come running out crying and apoligized, lol. I guess every waiter has a bad day.
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5-26-2010 @12:43AM doodoolemonque said... Another column about tipping. Really? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. If one were to tip the writer of a blog, I'd be leaving 10%, right about now.
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5-26-2010 @7:06AM gobo said... I always tip a minimum of 15% (usually the standard 18% to 20%), more to reward good service. But yes, I've sometimes left less when I've had an exceptionally rude or poor waiter. It's very clear when a waiter is overworked and trying their best to keep up; I sympathize. But sometimes the waitstaff is truly lazy and disrespectful, and for that, I'll leave a poor tip, and would be happy to justify it to the waiter or their manager if asked.
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5-26-2010 @8:25AM david e said... i tip, accordingly, but i resent having to do so. i can think of no other profession where employers are allowed to pay less than minimum wage, which is what gives servers the sense of entitlement they feel. people go out to eat, to enjoy themselves, and there are so many other factors involved in the experience outside of a server's control – noise, food quality, presentation – that most diners can and do often tip according to whole experience and not just the service.

tipping is a hidden cost of dining, a way for restaurants keep diners from sticker shock before they've had a chance to order. it's a way to exploit a subset of their employees – and really, shouldn't we be tipping the chefs as well if we're talking about performance? or, if diners expect a level of quality from the kitchen, and the restaurant essentially guarantees that with the price of the menu, why can't they guarantee that same level of quality service without putting the customer in the position of playing employer for the evening?

the servers may deserve a better system than tipping, but they are going to have to demand and insist on it first. otherwise there isn't anything that separates them from other "tipping professions" like busking and stripping.
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5-26-2010 @8:12PM jimbo said... i have been in the biz for 13 yrs. my bartenders know when i have money itip and when i dont i dont. i might go 2 weeks with no tip but i make up for it later.
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5-26-2010 @8:22PM Paula said... I've been waitressing for 4 years now. Did you know that it is a law waitresses should be getting paid minimum wage of $4.95/hr.. but the places i work/ed at are paying $2.65/hr... so you need to make up on giving really good service and earning tips. I agree, waitresses should get paid minimum wage in some sort, but then again, depends on the waitressing job, you end up making $15 dollars an hr or maybe more or less. I absolutely hate it when you give people the best of service and they leave just 10%.. for example i waitressed on sunday, the bill: $34 the tip? JUST 3 DOLLARS... seriously? I was as polite as can be, asked and made sure they were okay, refilled drinks constantly... it was perfect, and only $3?????!!! people, if you cant afford to tip, THEN DONT EAT OUT.

I also hate when people do carry outs and just because you're getting a carryout, well NEWS FLASH PEOPLE, we are still getting taxed on carryouts!!!! So, LEAVE TIPS.. even if it is just a dollar. WE HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER YOUR ORDER and make sure everything is right.

This guy used to get carryout at the restaurant i work at, 3 TIMES A DAY and he never tipped... i got so mad whenever i had to take his order. seriously?? not even like $1???

Idk, but that's my two cents
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5-26-2010 @8:22PM Marty said... I WANT the ball to be in my court.....leaving a tip if I want to. There would be NO incentive to give good service if the tip was automatic. TIP means To Insure Proper Service.
I leave 20% if the service is OK, and I leave 25% to 30% if the service was top notch.
GOOD SERVICE= GOOD TIP
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5-26-2010 @9:16PM Sandy said... My daughter has been a server for about 8-10 years. Most servers make about $2.80/hr, maybe a little more depending on the area, and depend on their tips for the rest. I think that is an absolutely horendous system, but what are they to do about it. Don't say, "get a better job", because many of them are working their way through college, as is my daughter, and then she hopefully will have a job that respects her enough to pay a decent, living wage. Luckily for her, she is an excellent server and does pretty well for herself. I say, if you can't afford to tip at least 20%(when warranted) then you can't afford to eat out. End of story!
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5-26-2010 @9:48PM Raejean French said... I did enough table service in my early days to assure you that bad or no tips oftentimes have nothing to do with the quality of waitstaff service. I suspected then that poor female tippers (oh yes, MUCH worse than men) were simply cheap and/or sexist against other women. Or you are punished for the poor food preparation. People don't always want to take the time to complain and/or wait around if their meals aren't right the first time, so you take the brunt of the blame.

I'm sure that nowadays "sticker shock" over the basic check is enough to encourage many to think twice about adding another 15 or 20%.

I don't know what to think about this trend to place tip jars in establishments where no table service is rendered. Many state wage laws allow employers to get away with a reduced hourly wage for waitstaff, but counter help should be compensated fully and fairly and only tipped for extraordinary duty. But I pitch in a little anyway, just as I tip well at buffets, where you don't truly receive full table service.

I have mixed feelings about mandatory tipping on large parties, but lean toward the establishment and not the customers. Members of those parties often like to leave the single check with the designated math person and then stiff THEM for their share unless they are shamed into it.

Table service is a damn hard job. I've never forgotten it, and as a result I respect the people who take care of me.
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5-26-2010 @8:29PM Shanna said... For the posters who think tipping is gratutitous, think about this: Servers are not the ones who dictate that you tip. It is the restaurant industry that forces its workers to rely on tips for a paycheck. Most servers make well below minimum, it's unfair, but that's the way it is. To the guy who is resentful that no one tips him at his job, I'm sure you make well above what we make an hour. And to the gentleman who resents having to tip, you say you are going out to enjoy yourself. I would imagine that involves not having to prepare and serve your own mean, does it not? We're doing your leg work. We have to deal with your temper tantrums when the cook messes up your order. We are the ones you choose to punish when you've had a bad night out. My thoughts are, if you can't afford to tip, then stay at home and serve yourself.
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5-26-2010 @8:25PM Nancy said... I worked as a server in California for many years growing up, both before and after the tax laws changed. We had to make daily reports of our sales figures, and uncle Sam taxed us on 8% of those sales. We frequently got negative paychecks after the laws changed. Before the tax law change, I could pay my rent with my paychecks, not anymore. If you work in a high-end restaurant it is even worse as the prices are so high, it brings that 8% up to a pretty hefty amount to be taxed. A $100 bottle of wine that takes 30 seconds to open is not always worth the 10% or more you should give, but we are taxed on it anyway regardless of the effort. We received minimum wage, of course.
I still believe servers should be tipped for the service they provide; that pushed me to work harder and I was quite popular where I worked with the customers. I had many "regulars" which saved me. I had to tip my busser, the cooks, and sometimes the hostess staff as well, depending on where I worked. It got to be so bad as far as income, I could not work and pay my bills the way I used to be able to. Thankfully, I was out of school shortly after that and got a job in my chosen profession. Serving is a very difficult job and you work quite hard. I just think people should remember nowadays that Uncle Sam is taking some of our tips for taxes now, and maybe restaurants add it in for this reason.
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5-26-2010 @8:35PM lbaudo2330 said... The worst thing a server can do when picking up a check, in my eyes, is say "Is there change?" or "Do you want your change?" How ridiculous to ask such a question. The proper response is "I'll be right back with your change." Then let the customer say, "No, keep it."
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