Tipping Etiquette

[jordanianprincess 0]

Generally when I go out for a meal at a restaurant, I leave between 15-20% gratuity to the bill. There is however something that I am not sure how to deal with....

The other day I went out for lunch with some co-workers. We went to I guess what you could call a self-slrve place. Order your food, pay the cashier, food is given to you on a tray in disposable packaging, etc.

Now there was no tip jar, and if I had paid cash I would not have left a tip. However I paid with my debit card and when the man gave me my recipet to sign, there was a tip section. Not knowing what to do and feeling pressure to make a quick decision because of the line forming behind me, I made a quick decision to add a tip. What would you do in this situation?

[Nizzy 1]

I hiad the same concern and I was told that the credit card machines are all designed to print receipts in that way. So since you weren't waited on there is no need to tip. I ran into this at Dunkin donuts and didn't tip because the lady just stood there.

[john_and_marlene 162]

Fast food/self-serve/prepay = no tip

buffet/self-serve/bill = 1/2 tip

table menu/full service/bill = full tip

[raymaga 25]

I'm a bad person to ask about tipping (I'm a very bad tipper), but I definitely don't leave tips when it's self-serve.

My husband leaves very large tips all the time and I just have to look the other way. I believe in tipping well when you get extraordinarily good service.

[snz1802 0]

I would not have tipped in that situation

[JenT 0]

Fast food/self-serve/prepay = no tip

buffet/self-serve/bill = 1/2 tip

table menu/full service/bill = full tip

Sometimes more the 'full' for outstanding service...

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

Fast food/self-serve/prepay = no tip

buffet/self-serve/bill = 1/2 tip

table menu/full service/bill = full tip

good rule of thumb

[rebelheart 0]

I experienced it too in Ruby Tuesday restaurant, my husband let me used my own debit card ... and ive received credit card voucher, showing ur subtotal bill and u need to fill-up gratuity amount to total your bill. My husband always remind me of giving atleast 10-15% of our bills. so i signed in and add for gratuity amount as 10% of our bills.

Edited August 11, 2006 by rebelheart

[jordanianprincess 0]

You know I guess I just have a bleeding heart. I just don't understand why they have to inlclude that section in the credit card slip

[jezebelseven 0]

The only places I tip that aren't sit down restraunts (Or bars or buffets, or things like ordering pizza... basically the obvious places you know tipping is the norm) are Dunkin Donuts and Coffee Places if they have a tip jar. I realize it's not nessessary at Dunkin Donuts but I'd always dump my change left in the jar and it paid off well for me, after doing it about 3 times the guy who worked there at night would always give us an extra dozen or so donuts for no reason. The first time he did it we thought he heard us wrong when we'd say '2 of those' and he'd grab 4, '5 of those' and he'd grab 8, things like that, but when it kept happening we realized what he was doing. We continued tipping, we continued to get free donuts.

I was confused using my debit card at arby's though because it did have a thing for tip there. No way in hell I'm tipping at a drive-thru.

I typically do 20% tips. 15% if they do everything they're supposed to, less if they're not getting me what I need, or keep forgetting when I'm asking for something, or act like I'm bothering them by eating where I am. I know 15% is the norm, but by doing more in tips, not only am I helping people who I know don't really make much money (And I know how that is!), I think a lot of places recognise this and I get people fighting to serve me. We already know from our local Papa Johns that they argue at the office who gets to run our pizza to us because they know they're getting a stellar tip from us, and on occasion we'll get a extra cheesesticks or something by "accident".

Edited August 11, 2006 by jezebelseven

[jordanianprincess 0]

The only places I tip that aren't sit down restraunts (Or bars or buffets, or things like ordering pizza... basically the obvious places you know tipping is the norm) are Dunkin Donuts and Coffee Places if they have a tip jar. I realize it's not nessessary at Dunkin Donuts but I'd always dump my change left in the jar and it paid off well for me, after doing it about 3 times the guy who worked there at night would always give us an extra dozen or so donuts for no reason. The first time he did it we thought he heard us wrong when we'd say '2 of those' and he'd grab 4, '5 of those' and he'd grab 8, things like that, but when it kept happening we realized what he was doing. We continued tipping, we continued to get free donuts.

I was confused using my debit card at arby's though because it did have a thing for tip there. No way in hell I'm tipping at a drive-thru.

Yup, I always leave a tip when there is a tip jar.

[Octa 0]

What about CARRY OUT? I went with a coworker to pick up our food from this Restaurant. After we payed the guy asked us : "You don't tip carry out?" . Should we tip?

[JenT 0]

Be careful at some restaurants, though.. especially with a large group. Some automatically include a 15% gratuity in the total. You can always add to it if you want to bring it to 20%... just be careful not to over-tip if you don't mean to.

And no, I never tip for carry out. Only for waitress/waiter service.

Jen

[Octa 0]

And no, I never tip for carry out. Only for waitress/waiter service.

Jen

Yeah, thats what we thought, but the guy had the nerve to ask us for a tip. My coworker told him no and we walked away with our food.

[john_and_marlene 162]

Fast food/self-serve/prepay = no tip

buffet/self-serve/bill = 1/2 tip

table menu/full service/bill = full tip

Sometimes more the 'full' for outstanding service...

a full tip has a range for quality of service... my range is 0 - 20% ... bad service gets 0 outstanding gets 20 ... average service gets 10 - 15 depending on how long I wait for a drink refill.

the same applies for 1/2 tip ... my range is 0 - 10%

I will never tip with prepay