Tipping when dining out...

[tmma 467]

If you can't afford to add a potential 20% tip on a meal then you shouldn't be eating out in the first place.

As for the poll-We tip 20%-30%.

[Mags 112]

At the risk of sounding mean, I tip based on the service provided, not based on what the server does or how badly they need the money.

I've been led to believe that 15% = barely acceptable service, so that's what I do. If the social consensus changes to make that 20%, that's what I'll do (although I'll likely eat out less). But I won't up the % because the server needs the money. I've never worked for an employer who paid more because I needed it more, that's unfortunately not how it works.

So if you get exceptionable service would you tip 20%?

For example, I busted a gut for a table of 4 last Saturday. I was really polite, I'm normally funny and keep a table amused, they got their food on time, it tasted excellent, their drinks were kept full and I made them cocktails too.

They spent over $150 in our establishment and I got.....$16.

I should have gotten tipped at least $25. I have every right to feel shafted and p!ssed off. It's like working hard all day in your job and then your employer saying "Nah, I'm not going to pay you all your wages today". That would p!ss you all off wouldn't it? However you look at it that's exactly what happens to servers ALL the time.

It's upsetting and depressing. People who do come in a tip us generously make up for this, but it means that they are almost always compensating for the poor tipping.

I say thank gawds for the good tippers in this thread. I love you all and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for understanding that we work fcuking hard for our money and genuinely want you to have a wonderful dining experience.

Thank you ALL.

So I pose this question... How much do you tip or should you tip a server who gives you horrible service, not due to anything else (like being overworked) but a bad attitude and poor work ethic?

Whatever you want. 15% is (IMO) for barely acceptable service - if you feel service was unacceptable, anything below that.

I feel nothing below 15% is acceptable. If it's that bad, I find a manager. They only make $2.15 (or close to) per hour. I mean think about it... If you are underperforming for whatever reason at work...having a bad day, lets say. Do you get less than minimum wage for that hour or so work. No. They have to live to. And I do understand that they chose that profession.

Every place I've worked if your tips don't bring you up to minimum wage the company has to give you the difference.

Only large companies. I know that our restaurant - which is a small privately owned place - does not. Don't ever assume that you can tip less because the servers will get minimum wage from their employer.

I am all for tipping the servers as an added bonus to what they make but why should we feel like we have to pay the server's wages every time we want to go out and eat..??

You ARE paying the server's wages! Good grief - what the employer pays them is NOT a wage. How could $2- $3 an hour be classed as a wage?!! I'll give you an example. We get our employee wage slips every two weeks (tips are paid out nightly). My last wage slip was for 67 hours and I got a whopping $95. Who on EARTH could live on $95, after tax, for 2 weeks? NO ONE. That's why the tips ARE the wages of a server - don't ever think differently.

And don't ever, EVER begrudge tipping 20% when you've had excellent service. And don't EVER come to a table of mine.

Edited August 11, 2008 by Magenta

[Jenn! 918]

As a server I actually remember getting negative paychecks on a regular basis - taxes on my credit card tips exceeded my hourly wage.

[Marilyn. 340]

At the risk of sounding mean, I tip based on the service provided, not based on what the server does or how badly they need the money.

I've been led to believe that 15% = barely acceptable service, so that's what I do. If the social consensus changes to make that 20%, that's what I'll do (although I'll likely eat out less). But I won't up the % because the server needs the money. I've never worked for an employer who paid more because I needed it more, that's unfortunately not how it works.

So if you get exceptionable service would you tip 20%?

For example, I busted a gut for a table of 4 last Saturday. I was really polite, I'm normally funny and keep a table amused, they got their food on time, it tasted excellent, their drinks were kept full and I made them cocktails too.

They spent over $150 in our establishment and I got.....$16.

I should have gotten tipped at least $25. I have every right to feel shafted and p!ssed off. It's like working hard all day in your job and then your employer saying "Nah, I'm not going to pay you all your wages today". That would p!ss you all off wouldn't it? However you look at it that's exactly what happens to servers ALL the time.

It's upsetting and depressing. People who do come in a tip us generously make up for this, but it means that they are almost always compensating for the poor tipping.

I say thank gawds for the good tippers in this thread. I love you all and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for understanding that we work fcuking hard for our money and genuinely want you to have a wonderful dining experience.

Thank you ALL.

So I pose this question... How much do you tip or should you tip a server who gives you horrible service, not due to anything else (like being overworked) but a bad attitude and poor work ethic?

Whatever you want. 15% is (IMO) for barely acceptable service - if you feel service was unacceptable, anything below that.

I feel nothing below 15% is acceptable. If it's that bad, I find a manager. They only make $2.15 (or close to) per hour. I mean think about it... If you are underperforming for whatever reason at work...having a bad day, lets say. Do you get less than minimum wage for that hour or so work. No. They have to live to. And I do understand that they chose that profession.

Every place I've worked if your tips don't bring you up to minimum wage the company has to give you the difference.

Only large companies. I know that our restaurant - which is a small privately owned place - does not. Don't ever assume that you can tip less because the servers will get minimum wage from their employer.

I am all for tipping the servers as an added bonus to what they make but why should we feel like we have to pay the server's wages every time we want to go out and eat..??

You ARE paying the server's wages! Good grief - what the employer pays them is NOT a wage. How could $2- $3 an hour be classed as a wage?!! I'll give you an example. We get our employee wage slips every two weeks (tips are paid out nightly). My last wage slip was for 67 hours and I got a whopping $95. Who on EARTH could live on $95, after tax, for 2 weeks? NO ONE. That's why the tips ARE the wages of a server - don't ever think differently.

And don't ever, EVER begrudge tipping 20% when you've had excellent service. And don't ever come to a table of mine.

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurants should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

Edited August 11, 2008 by *Marilyn*

[Mags 112]

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

Edited August 11, 2008 by Magenta

[Marilyn. 340]

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

I didn't know that was a law.. and we do tip fairly generously but not always 20% ...

although I usually tip my hairdresser about 20% but I only get a haircut about once a year

also .. yeah its the law but couldn't the employer still choose to pay more then what the law says??

[Jenn! 918]

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

I didn't know that was a law.. and we do tip fairly generously but not always 20% ...

although I usually tip my hairdresser about 20% but I only get a haircut about once a year

Actually I do believe that in CA, servers do get "regular" minimum wage. In the majority of states though, that's not the case and hourly wage for tipped workers is b/w $2-$3.

[KarenCee 3]

The size of the tip depends on how the service is. We always leave something though.

[KarenCee 3]

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

This is usually what we do. However, we have had some really sh1tty servers too. Maybe their level of service is related to their small hourly wage. I do agree that the laws surrounding this type job need to be changed in favour of the servers.

[Mags 112]

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

I didn't know that was a law.. and we do tip fairly generously but not always 20% ...

although I usually tip my hairdresser about 20% but I only get a haircut about once a year

also .. yeah its the law but couldn't the employer still choose to pay more then what the law says??

Why should they? The law says they don't have to pay more than $2.16, so why should they be out of pocket? That's how they see it - I'm not saying I disagree with you. It's all about costs, pure and simple. Some restaurants do pay a little more, but nothing near what they should pay.

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

I didn't know that was a law.. and we do tip fairly generously but not always 20% ...

although I usually tip my hairdresser about 20% but I only get a haircut about once a year

Actually I do believe that in CA, servers do get "regular" minimum wage. In the majority of states though, that's not the case and hourly wage for tipped workers is b/w $2-$3.

Colorado also pays servers the regular minimum wage too. I think CA and CO are the only ones (may be mistaken on this, so I apologise).

[Mags 112]

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

This is usually what we do. However, we have had some really sh1tty servers too. Maybe their level of service is related to their small hourly wage. I do agree that the laws surrounding this type job need to be changed in favour of the servers.

Oh I agree, 20% for good service only.

[Marilyn. 340]

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

I didn't know that was a law.. and we do tip fairly generously but not always 20% ...

although I usually tip my hairdresser about 20% but I only get a haircut about once a year

also .. yeah its the law but couldn't the employer still choose to pay more then what the law says??

Why should they? The law says they don't have to pay more than $2.16, so why should they be out of pocket? That's how they see it - I'm not saying I disagree with you. It's all about costs, pure and simple. Some restaurants do pay a little more, but nothing near what they should pay.

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

I didn't know that was a law.. and we do tip fairly generously but not always 20% ...

although I usually tip my hairdresser about 20% but I only get a haircut about once a year

Actually I do believe that in CA, servers do get "regular" minimum wage. In the majority of states though, that's not the case and hourly wage for tipped workers is b/w $2-$3.

Colorado also pays servers the regular minimum wage too. I think CA and CO are the only ones (may be mistaken on this, so I apologise).

see that's my point in blaming the employers... they should be kicked in the butt

[diadromous mermaid 36]

Actually, you've got the chicken before the egg. Since tips are commonplace in the hospitality industry, the employer is entitled to a "tip credit", and that "credit" is in the minimum wage that is required to be paid! So, for example and hypothetically, if the federal minimum wage is $7.50 and the employer's establishment can demonstrate that a server gets on average $5.00 per hour in tips, then the employer is entitled to take the credit on the wages paid, thus the server wage falls in the mid $2.00 range.

There are checks and balances, and if an employer takes that "tip credit" on wages paid, and the establishment doesn't show an average of $5.00 per hour extra from the guests, then the employer must make up the difference. So, it's nmot accurate to place the onus at the employer's feet, alone. It is a shared responsibility between the employer, acknowledging the tips earned, AND the servers reporting accurately what they really earn. In my experience, many servers report only what the "think" they must. Often times that is a lot less than what is received.

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

I didn't know that was a law.. and we do tip fairly generously but not always 20% ...

although I usually tip my hairdresser about 20% but I only get a haircut about once a year

also .. yeah its the law but couldn't the employer still choose to pay more then what the law says??

Why should they? The law says they don't have to pay more than $2.16, so why should they be out of pocket? That's how they see it - I'm not saying I disagree with you. It's all about costs, pure and simple. Some restaurants do pay a little more, but nothing near what they should pay.

you misunderstood me.. yes I know making 2 or 3 dollars an hour is not a lot of money.. but that isn't the people who are going to the restaurants fault... the people who own these restaurant should be kicked in the butt and told to pay their employees more... a tip should be just that a tip for a job well done...

It's the LAW that needs to be changed, not the employers. The law for a servers' minimum wage is something like $2.16 in Indiana.

So until that changes (which I can't see happening) treat your servers with respect and reward them for good service. Don't begrudge them 20%.

I didn't know that was a law.. and we do tip fairly generously but not always 20% ...

although I usually tip my hairdresser about 20% but I only get a haircut about once a year

Actually I do believe that in CA, servers do get "regular" minimum wage. In the majority of states though, that's not the case and hourly wage for tipped workers is b/w $2-$3.

Colorado also pays servers the regular minimum wage too. I think CA and CO are the only ones (may be mistaken on this, so I apologise).

[MrsCat 6]

I'm gonna plead total ignorance here, but I live in Alberta, Canada and minimum wage is $8.00/hr, no matter what. So employers can't pay less than that. I cannot believe that anyplace in NA is paying $2-$3/hour for work. That's seriously f'd up.

In Alberta, where we can't find enough people to work, servers and service industry workers are getting paid $12-14/hr before tips (this is starting wage). So does that mean I should tip much less than 20% because they're making well over minimum wage?

Of course not - to me its not about how much someone makes per hour. I don't presume to know anyone's wage. What I do know on an evening out, is (1) how much the bill came to, and (2) whether my service was good/bad/acceptable. I tip accordingly. Its none of my business how much money someone is making. Just like its none of their business how much money I make.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I'm a pretty good tipper - I have to be pretty pissed off to go lower than 18% and I almost always tip a minimum of $5 if the bill is less than $20. My favorite wait people at my regular restaurants sometimes get 30%+ which ensures I always get a good table and drinks "on the house" and what not. The waitress at my local Japanese place gives me bottles of wine and sake at Christmas. So being generous pays off.

I'm just never sure about bartenders - tipping 20% when all they did was give me a bottle of beer from the fridge seems excessive, eyt only leaving a few bucks seems cheap.