Tips?

[Guest Paranoid]

I am a sever at a local restaurant. The other day I got a 5% tip on 40 bucks and called the guy a cheap bastard. Well to make a long story short, I lied my way out of it and got a week suspension. I look at it like it's a week off. It sure was worth it to tell that cheap bastard off.

 

So how do you guys tip? I think everyone will agree that 5% is shitty anytime.

 

Well it looks as though my post count will sky rocket this week!

[Guest SP-1]

I don't really worry about percentage. I mostly eat at Waffle House on Thursdays (it's a tradition, and WH is much like Wal-Mart in it's inherent greatness). The servers that work that night/shift know us, and generally know what we want. Heck, some of us are sort of on a first name basis with them.

 

Generally what I do is my meal generally comes to around 7 bucks, to I pay with ten and leave whatever is left over as tip. Sometimes it's two or three bucks, sometimes two and some change. Sometimes it depends on how much money I have on me. If that ten is all I have, then I leave what I can. I've left my LAST couple of dollars as tip before. It depends on the service, and what I have after the bill is paid.

 

-SP

[Guest Cancer Marney]

For dinner, I tip by the hour and/or the effort, not really by the price. I buy $800+ bottles of wine fairly frequently, and I'm not going to tip 20%, $160, just for that. If the entire meal is served well and lasts 2-3 hours, I'll leave between $50-$150, depending on how many people were with me. If it isn't... hmm. I've never had that problem, actually. I guess I'd just inform the management and I wouldn't leave anything.

For smaller things like coffee or cocktails, I tip a straight $5-10 depending on how happy I was with the service and don't bother with percentages. At around $100 I tip a straight 20%.

[Guest Sandman9000]

::Starts humming "Big Pimpin" to Marney's post::

 

As for me, I try to at least leave something. Us college students usually have a severe lack of funding, and any time we can actually eat out, we tend to go all out, completly forgetting about a tip. I feel bad about only leaving a couple bucks, but sometimes I don't even have that.

[Guest crandamaniac]

:is mesmerized by Marney's sig:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, with that out of the way, I generally tip baseline at 10%. If the service is really good, I'll tip more. But then again I normally eat at Mickey D's where I don't even have to worry about the tip

[Guest LooseCannon]

For servers: 15-20%

 

For the Asian massage girls: Whatever it takes.

[Guest Paranoid]

15-20% is a good tip. Marney, I salute you for having the brains to realize that if you are at a servers table for hours than the percentage goes out the window. You tip on time.

[Guest chirs3]

Restaurants, it's always 15%, unless it was super good service, in which case I give 'em more.

 

For pizza delivery guys, it depends on my current financial situation, mood, and how long it took the pizza to get here. So the tip is anywhere between $1 and $5

[Guest DJ Jeff]

It usually depends on the service, and how much spare change I have on me at the time. The most I've ever tipped was $10.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

I used to work in a restaurant (as a cook, not a server), so I got my fill of the servers complaining about cheap customers. Unless the service is *atrocious*, I tip *at least* 20%.

[Guest Human Fly]

I usually only eat at places where I spend 8 - 12 bucks so usually I just leave 3 bucks. If the service is good then I leave 4 or 5.

[Guest J*ingus]

I tend to stick to Waffle House and other cheap eateries, but I try to never leave less than two or three bucks if I got anything more than a cup of coffee.

[Guest evenflowDDT]

:is mesmerized by Marney's sig:

I actually think the girl all the way on the right is kinda gross. Way too skinny, although she looks like she'd have a nice face.

 

Anyway, onto tipping, I leave 15% because thats usually all I can afford. I always feel terrible if I leave less.

[Guest The Metal Maniac]

I generally DON'T tip, unless I get really good service.

 

Lemme 'splain. I don't see why I should have give someone extra money just for doing their job. You wouldn't give the janitor 3 bucks because he mops the floor. His boss pays him to do that.

 

So why should I tip someone who's just doing their job? It's not like they're doing it out of the kindness of their heart, or anything; They have to do it, and their boss is already paying them for it.

 

Plus, I get extremely bitter towards those who usually do recieve tips, due to my job. I've literally spent obscene amounts of time and effort, in all forms of weather, helping people, as part of my job. I have, in just over a year of working there, recieved an amount of tips I can count on my fingers, and that's not hyperboyle.

 

So you can tip the Tim Horton's worker who handed you a donut, but not the kid who waited in line with you for 20 minutes, walked through the snow to your car, with whatever you happened to have purchased (generally a large item) and then put that large item into your car? I think there's something wrong here.

 

It also bothers me that people EXPECT these tips from customers, going so far as to call the customers "cheap" for witholding money you may not even deserve. As far as I'm concerned, someone should do their job, and do the best that they can. If they do very well, and the customer is highly satisfied, then a tip is fine. If they're not anything above very good, then why should you tip? It's not like they did anything to deserve it. They just did their job.

[Guest MaxPower27]

With resturants, it depends solely on the server's attitude for me. If they are cold and assholish, they get nothing and like it. OK, maybe a dollar, but that's stretching it. If they are nice, or try really hard to be nice, or are having a bad day, they get a good tip.

 

With pizza deliveries, it's a buck. Especially around here, it takes them about an hour to get to my house and it's only a little way down the street. The delivery guys act like they just cloned my fucking dog the way they look at me, acting like its a big thing. Whoop-de-doo, you drove to my fucking house! Here's a goddamn dollar, get off my property.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

Why tip? Because, chances are, the server isn't even making minimum wage. Probably close to $3 or $4 per hour.

[Guest LooseCannon]

When I worked at restaurants, it was $2.12 an hour, though it's probably gone up. Anyway, it's true that tipping shouldn't be necessary. But in reality it is.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

Yeah, when I last worked in a restaurant (~ 5 years ago) the servers made around $2 & change, so I wasn't sure what it is now.

 

So, basically, if a waiter/waitress works an 8 hour day, and doesn't get any tips, they make about $20 pre-tax.

[Guest EricMM]

Waiters/Waitresses don't make minimum wage, because tipping is supposed to subsidize them.

 

To not top is being cheap, especially if you've been demanding. That's why large parties often include a gratuity.

 

I don't tip well if the pizzas very late, and I don't tip well if the guy is a jerk.

 

That's fair.

 

But I try to go from 15-20% depending on how much I spent. I'm not spending 20% at some uber restaurant with $20 steaks if I've gotten better service at a dennys....

[Guest HBK16]

For me it can depend on what kind of resturant it is. I mean I wont go to Denny's and give the guy a really good tip. I have given a $50 tip to a guy once. He deserved.

[Guest godthedog]

after working 2 summers as a server, i hate hate HATE that dumb fuck mr pink "why should i tip these guys and not these guys" argument, as it's made from sheer ignorance. i can't believe that so many people still don't know that servers have to rely on tips, or else make next to nothing. i've had shifts where i worked my ass off and ended up making less than minimum wage because the customers were too cheap and/or stupid.

 

serving is a hard job, people. i know it may not appear so to the layman, but it is not easy work.

[Guest The Metal Maniac]

Sorry, I'm not up to date on my American Laws, being Canadian and all...

 

Don't you HAVE to make minimum wage? Isn't making less grossly illegal, and doesn't that defeat the purpose of minimum wage in the first place?

[Guest godthedog]

Sorry, I'm not up to date on my American Laws, being Canadian and all...

 

Don't you HAVE to make minimum wage? Isn't making less grossly illegal, and doesn't that defeat the purpose of minimum wage in the first place?

if tips weren't taxed income, they'd have to get minimum wage. we've got a thing called "server/restaurant minimum wage," which is $4.25 weekday afternoons and $2.14 nights and weekends. i believe it works from the idea of taxable income, and how if a server's making $7 or $8 in tips (which have been made taxable) the employer doesn't have to pay him $5+ anyway if he's already making more than that. it's basically a way to double BUTT-fuck the servers, cause it lets the owners pay them peanuts AND lets the government tax their tips.

 

worst table i ever had was a couple ladies with their kids, who ordered a total of $80 worth of food, including to-go orders. it was on a weekend, where we have to tip out 1% of all our checks to the bartender, 1% to the busser, 1% to the food runner.

 

they left me two dollars.

 

some quick math will make it clear that it actually COST ME MONEY to serve them.

[Guest Paranoid]

Good job breaking it down godthedog. It's $2.13 where I work. If we don't make an average of minimum wage then the restaurant makes it up. But what is $5.15 an hour, shit, that's what it is!

 

To you The_Metal_Maniac, cheap is cheap. There isn't that much difference in Canada and th US.

[Guest the pinjockey]

I am generally a good tipper for decent service usually meals work out to around 13-17 bucks so I typically just leave a 20 good tip for a cheaper meal less for a more expensive in the range but rarely do I eat that expensive anyway. (college students are poor) There have been a few occasions where I have not tipped but that was for atrocious service and poor food and conditions and I could not bring myself to give anything extra for that.

 

Then there is the $1.07 frowny face me and a couple of friends left one place. This will probably piss off the servers here but this place accused us of stealing the previous tip left on the table, took forever to take our order, threw our drinks on the table, gave us cold food, never came back until it was check time. So we took 2 pennies for the eyes, a nickel for a nose and a dollar and left it in the shape of a frown. We figured this would get the message across of poor service as opposed the leaving no tip and them just thinking we were really cheap.

[Guest Paranoid]

Then there is the $1.07 frowny face me and a couple of friends left one place. This will probably piss off the servers here but this place accused us of stealing the previous tip left on the table, took forever to take our order, threw our drinks on the table, gave us cold food, never came back until it was check time. So we took 2 pennies for the eyes, a nickel for a nose and a dollar and left it in the shape of a frown. We figured this would get the message across of poor service as opposed the leaving no tip and them just thinking we were really cheap.

I still think that shit is funny. They deserved that! It was probably another server that stole the tip off the other table.

[Guest Kinetic]

The whole tipping system is the biggest sham I'm aware of. I absolutely cannot stand the fact that I'm obligated to pay another person's wage for doing their job, in addition to paying for the actual product that I came there for. Restaurant owners should pay their workers minimum wage and not subject customers to that bullshit. If they're not willing to do that, then these punk-ass whining little waiters should swallow their sense of entitlement and find another fucking job. Same with baggers at the grocery store. If all I'm buying is a carton of cigarettes or some toothpaste, you aren't getting shit. You can give me all the dirty looks you want. I don't care. If I buy a bunch of stuff, I'll wheel it out to the car myself. I'm not an invalid, I can handle it. Same with waiters, come to think of it. Give me a potholder and I'll carry the fucking plate out to my table. Gah...it just makes me so angry.

 

That said, I'll usually give them a dollar.

[Guest Flyboy]

Tips?

 

I tell them: "Don't walk across the street during traffic."

 

Either that or a dollar, but that's it.

[Guest the pinjockey]

Then there is the $1.07 frowny face me and a couple of friends left one place.  This will probably piss off the servers here but this place accused us of stealing the previous tip left on the table, took forever to take our order, threw our drinks on the table, gave us cold food, never came back until it was check time.  So we took 2 pennies for the eyes, a nickel for a nose and a dollar and left it in the shape of a frown.  We figured this would get the message across of poor service as opposed the leaving no tip and them just thinking we were really cheap.

I still think that shit is funny. They deserved that! It was probably another server that stole the tip off the other table.

That is exactly what happened because we saw him over there taking it as we walked in and when we pointed him out they basically called us liars.

[Guest LooseCannon]

I'm pretty sure tips originally worked as a sort of bribe to ensure that the service gave you better treatment than the typical customer, and it eventually became customary. But what I really hate is the fucking buffets where they have a server bring you drinks. The guy does nothing but refill your drink and bring you your check, yet there's still supposed to be some sort of tip. That's the most ridiculous rip off. I'm at a buffet. I obviously have no problem getting my own drink. What the hell is the point of having a waiter there?