TIPS AT RESTAURANTS

[PikachuWarrior]

For me it depends on the level of service from the wait staff, and how the food was, and etc., if I'm not feeling the restaurant I wouldn't leave a tip. Probably will get flamed but that's how it is lol

[SignOfZeta]

Glad to see you're out of jail and posting again. I was wondering if you had possibly hung yourself.

I tip excessively, stupidly sometimes, on principle. I've had those shitty jobs and I know what its like. Unless the guy actually shits in my food (and if I can tell) he's getting at least %25. Last week I gave the Jimmy John's guy a $10 tip for a $6.50 sandwich. I made good money, they make almost none. Those quantities of money mean basically nothing to me, but it can make their day. What am I going to do with $4, buy more video games I don't have time to play or maybe food that I just have to spend more time on the treadmill working off?

When people say, "If I get good service..." I just want to fucking puke. WTF is "good service"? Do you want a blowjob or something? How much cock do they have to suck to deserve the extra $3.27 that is the mathematical difference between %15 and %20? Never mind the fact that "good service" varies greatly from person to person. I want to be left alone when I eat, other people want constant attention the entire time they are there, a bunch of small talk, whine advice...I just want to eat and talk with the people I came with, I'm not paying for friendship or servitude, I'm here for the food. So who do they placate, me or the needy people? They aren't psychic, they can't tell.

"She only asked me, 'Do you want cheese with that?' for two of my three dishes, therefore I'm only tipping %17." Fucking hell people are assholes. Its not even the cheapness that bugs me, its loving abuse of power. Look at how swollen your ankles are ya fat fuck, you don't need any more cheese!

[PikachuWarrior]

Nothing wrong with over tipping. Quality of Service is subjective to what one thinks is good or bad.


Thanks for responding and showing us your infatuation for me by by bringing stuff up all the time. Are you a tween?


I take that back. You sound like a fucking old man who doesn't socialize to the general public. The hermit crab

[Bernie]

I too tend to overtip.  I have family that have waited tables.  So I know what its like to have people stiff them.  So like Zeta said, unless theres a floater in my soup I normally tip well over 15%.  Share the wealth.

[PikachuWarrior]

Here's an interesting article, though a little old:

Tipping in Spain:
http://gospain.about.com/od/spanishlife/qt/tippinginspain.htm


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And of course the obligatory Wiki article on Tipping:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tip_(gratuity)

[Sadler]

Tipping in other countries is weird. Lots of places it's considered offensive. I hate not leaving a tip though. I delivered pizzas through college, I know what it's like to work for tips. I always tip well.

[VestCunt]

I use the following tipping rubric:
Glass of water 0%
Fern bar 12%
Dive 16%
Restaurant (family owned) 20%²
Restaurante (spanish) 1.23100%
Tacos ¾

With the following modifiers, of course:
Patrons with socks and sandals -2.1%
Greasy menus +8
Coffee (I don't fucking drink coffee) KARMA=Ω
Odd number of coins in my pocket - no tip
Payday +2%

[PikachuWarrior]

lol, I hate greasy menus.

[esteban]

Minimum of 20% tip.

There has only been one time I didn't tip much (5%?) (out of literally hundreds, if not thousands, of instances).

The waiter was crazy/hallucinating. Seriously.

[PCEngineHell]

I tip as long as the service is good and friendly. To me good service means I am seated at a clean table, my food is delivered to me hot in a fair amount of time (if the place is busy its expected there may be a little wait), my drinks cold, and the server checks often enough on me to make sure I don't need a refill, like every 10 mins or so. Some would argue its not the servers fault if something is delivered cold or undercooked, but to be honest it is. Any server worth a damn can tell if they are serving out a cold meal or something that doesn't look cooked or prepared well. Unless new at the establishment, they serve the same meals so much they have a general sense of quality control, and know when to not bring you crap. Management would rather avoid a customer complaint, so its in the servers best interest to refuse to take the food out unless it is prepared well to the best of their knowledge. If they opt to serve you crap with a smile on their face, then they are just as worthless as the chef who prepared the meal.

To be honest though, I don't go out to eat much these days. I am a decent cook myself as is, so I just feel like its wasted energy and money to go out and pay twice to three times for the same meal I can easily cook at home. About the only places I will go out to anymore are maybe fast food joints like BK, Rallys or Taco Bell, or Chinese or Golden Corral, where its a more relaxed setting. I cook steak and burgers all the time at home, so going to places like gourmet burger joints or Outback Steak House or a Kobe or Benihana is practically moot. Plus I like my steak bloody rare, and most places don't feel comfortable serving it less then medium rare.

[SignOfZeta]

Tipping in other countries is weird. Lots of places it's considered offensive. I hate not leaving a tip though. I delivered pizzas through college, I know what it's like to work for tips. I always tip well.

In the US the mandated minimum wage, for some dumb reason, doesn't apply to waiters. Therefore, without tips they would be the poorest people in America. Here in Michigan the minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.65 an hour. That's fucking...disgusting, 1/3 of the regular minimum wage, which is in itself 1/2, if that, of what you need to live on.

I don't know much about other countries, but its likely that they don't have the same sort of caste system we do in many cases.

[DrBread]

I always give a tip. If they're good or decent i usually give the recommended 18% (That's what it is in NJ i don't know what it is near you guys). If they're assholes i give like 10-12% because they don't deserve money for being mean.

[Tatsujin]

no tips in my country of residence.

[geise]

Even if service isn't really great, I would still tip. People who don't tip AT ALL even if service was bad is an asshole.  They make next to jack shit and rely on tips.  People get this idea that they still make minimum wage, but it's not true.  What if that was your job, and you really were trying, but the group at the table didn't think you were deserving of any tip at all?

[FiftyQuid]

My minimum is 20%.  I'm in the same mindset as Zeta on this one.  I've had those shitty jobs and getting some extra scrap from someone for doing a decent job always help me get through a shift.

[PCEngineHell]

Even if service isn't really great, I would still tip. People who don't tip AT ALL even if service was bad is an asshole.  They make next to jack shit and rely on tips.  People get this idea that they still make minimum wage, but it's not true.  What if that was your job, and you really were trying, but the group at the table didn't think you were deserving of any tip at all?

If service was bad, why would you want to tip, to reward people for not doing a decent job? If someone does a shity job, they should be complained about, not rewarded.

[TheClash603]

I have worked various pizza delivery and restaurant jobs in my life, so I have empathy for people in those jobs.  The result is i typically over tip.

However, as someone who has done these jobs well, I do not tolerate it when someone does the job poorly.  In that instance I will tip around 10% and I usually talk to the waitress and say why I was displeased with the service.  If I was able to put full effort in when I did those jobs, others should too.

[SMF]

It all depends on how my service was.

If i finish my drink and im waiting 20 mins for a refill that tips gonna be small.
Or If im at an seafood restaurant and i get ayce crab legs and wait 5 mins or more inbetween buckets, Tip going to be small.

But if you give me great service and i dont have to ask for anything. Refills food etc then i will leave anywhere from $25 and up.

Dennys, Bob Big Boy kind of places i will leave $20 if service was awesome. But i aways will leave $5 even if the service was below par.

High End places i leave $50 if service was great. I dont follow the tip chart at all. If i see the place is packed and you still manage to give me great service i think that deserves a great tip.

[guyjin]

Almost always. If the waitstaff has really wronged me or someone in my party, however, I'm not above not leaving one.

I also don't tip in situations where I think it's baloney to do so (fast food or coffeshop that just sticks a tip jar on the counter but gives the same service as any other fast food or coffeshop.)

[bartre]

I almost always tip, provided the service was at least okay.
i can count on one had the times where i've stiffed, but those have been rare, and justified in my opinion.
otherwise, i tip close to 20%, more if the service was good (pretty much like SMF here)

a buddy of mine used to not tip at all, period.
the irony is that now he's a waiter, and gets fuming mad when someone stiffs him (karma)

[soop]

I generally tip pretty well, unless someone screws up big time - but that's happened like twice.

The situation in the UK is different, as our waiters get a minimum wage, but when you pay by card, it sometimes asks you to pay a 10% tip.  And a lot of the time, the restaurant then takes this money to pay the waiting staffs wages.  So I always decline and pay cash - that way they get it as a bonus.

Also, you're not expected to tip in fast food places or for takeout - only really sit-down restaurants, though people sometimes tip in bars and pubs.

The weird thing is though that most of the places I go I end up being friends with most of the people there, and you do know how much some shit affects them.  One girl at my favorite restaurant was saying that people sometimes stiff them on their entire bill, which means it then comes out of their pocket.  So sometimes they work an entire day just to break even, and that's shit.

Yesterday I was walking home a friend of mine that works in my local (pub) and it started pissing it down with rain, so I gave her my hoodie.  That's better than a tip.

[SamIAm]

Back in America, I tip at restaurants and for certain services, and it's usually at or above 20%. However, one thing I refuse to do is tip a bartender for pouring me a pint. A complicated mix drink would be something else (if I drank mixed drinks), but for someone to earn a dollar or whatever from 20 seconds worth of work, it better be an incredible 20 seconds. Picking up a glass and pulling a lever is not incredible. Taking a cap off a bottle and handing it to me is even less impressive.

I mean, if I get many drinks and food, I'll tip, but for one or two drinks only? Gimme a break.

[meka]

 In Australia this doesn't happen, we tip the Government enough with taxes.

[kazekirifx]

Sorry if I'm screwing up the results of your highly scientifical poll. I voted "no" just cause I live in Japan. Don't remember what I used to do in my home country.

In my opinion, tipping is one of the worst customs in existence. Top service should be expected from anyone being paid to serve you. At least that's what I've come to expect here in the land of service. Tipping began as a way for wealthy people to give an extra reward to people in the service industry, and was gradually bastardized into something that's expected every time, completely eliminating the original point of tipping.

If I ran the world I would outlaw tipping, raise prices where necessary, and have the employers raise salaries accordingly.

[Tatsujin]

Tipping in Japan usually is included in the price (10%). But knows the devil how the employees will get to that money exactly, since most of 'em are underpayed anyway..lol.

[kazekirifx]

Tipping in Japan usually is included in the price (10%).

Do you mean what they call "Service-ryou"? I don't think there is any set percentage like 10%, and it only appears on the bill at certain establishments. I think employees are generally only paid the amount of their wages in the end, so it's really not the same as tipping.

You could argue that the amount you end up paying comes out about the same with or without the tipping custom, but I still prefer the system in Japan because you know exactly how much you will be paying up front, don't need to calculate anything on your own, don't ever need to leave cash on the table, etc.

[SamIAm]

I basically agree with kazekirifx.

One thing I like about being in a country with no tipping is that the staff at places I visit don't judge me by how much I tip. I'm the kind of guy who has a few favorite places I go to all the time, so this is important to me. I much prefer being judged by my behavior alone.

[Tatsujin]

Tipping in Japan usually is included in the price (10%).

Do you mean what they call "Service-ryou"? I don't think there is any set percentage like 10%, and it only appears on the bill at certain establishments. I think employees are generally only paid the amount of their wages in the end, so it's really not the same as tipping.

right, and what I said. It isn't transparent of how much they will get in the end, or how much of their already minimum salary is based on that general service-fee.

Also 10% is more of a hotel/restaurant thing, some of em also declare it in english, so that it would be clear to not tip the staff.

so in the end, yes, it is no tipping as we know it from the western, simply because there is no tipping here.

[kazekirifx]

It isn't transparent of how much they will get in the end, or how much of their already minimum salary is based on that general service-fee.

Yes, and I would argue it doesn't really matter either. The employee knows how much their salary is, has agreed to it, and doesn't expect anything beyond that. To the customer, the fee is just another part of the bill they have to pay, and is often not even listed separately on a bill. In almost every scenario the customer is clearly informed the total amount they will have to pay up front, and the customer has already agreed to that amount. So everyone is satisfied and we don't have to think about it. The hotel can use it to pay executive bonuses for all I care.

[Tatsujin]

yeah. everybody is satisfied, but the 980yen/hr employee

[Otaking]

10% of the bill is kind of the standard here.
If it's good service I'll go up to 20%.

[FiftyQuid]

I almost always tip, provided the service was at least okay.
i can count on one had the times where i've stiffed, but those have been rare, and justified in my opinion.

I remember I went out for noodles one night with friends.  I arrived pretty late so I didn't bother ordering anything.  The waiter came over and asked me if I wanted anything so I asked for a beer.  He brought it out and I drank it while everyone else finished and waited to pay.  When I went to pay the guy I dropped a $5 for a $3.25 beer.  Not a huge tip, but the guy only had to walk 5 feet to get the beer and never offered me a glass.  He actually confronted me and said "You not leave me any tip?".  I was a bit surprised by the confrontation and said "No" even though it was untrue.  He actually got angry with me and started yelling at me in the restaurant.  I shoved myself away from him, left and I've never gone back.  When I was outside all I could think to myself was "What the fuck just happened?"

In another instance, I was at a strip club.  To put my life into perspective I had just broken up with my girlfriend at the time.  I hooked up with a bud of mine and we started going out to the peelers.  When I say we started going out to the peelers, I mean almost every single night.  It got to the point where the strippers and waitresses knew our names.  The bouncers would comp us admission, and sometimes we wouldn't even watch the girls performing we'd sit in the back corner, watching the hockey game on the projection television and the girls would just sit with us and talk about their day.  Looking back at it now, it was pretty messed up.  However, we weren't really dropping a lot of coin at this place.  We were just hanging out.  We'd drink, and maybe get a dance now and again, but we were not dropping thousands, let alone hundreds except on really eff'd up nights.  Anyway, in regards to tipping, the beers at this place were $4.25.  Each time we ordered a round it would be $8.50 total and we'd throw the waitress $10.  So $1.50 each time.  We eventually got to know the waitress and she asked us why we were only giving her $1.50 tip.  We had never really thought about it since we sometimes had 10 beers/shots a night.  So our tip worked out to $11.50 by the end of the night each and every night.  Anyway, she actually called us cheapskates and we apologised to her and started tipping her a little more.  It paid off in the end since she started just dropping drinks off for us without asking.

[xcrement5x]

Yea, I always tip for food, normally at least 20% but I'll do more or less depending on the service like others have said.  Very rarely do even need to do that, I've got pretty realistic standards for the job, and even all the stuff that's out of the wait staffs control.  (Too many tables, not enough people, slow kitchen, etc)

My wife was a waitress at Olive Garden when we were in college and the money from a nice tipper was always nice even if there were also plenty of weirdos.  I worked crappy retail so there were no tips, but having gone through it all I try and make it a bit easier for those who are working through that point in their life.

Other services I'm a bit on the fence about, like haircuts and such.  I'll leave a tip on my haircut if you get me out fast, but wasting my time while you go do other stuff just peeves me.  Just get me out in 20 minutes or less so I can go on with my day!

[kazekirifx]

yeah. everybody is satisfied, but the 980yen/hr employee

That's capitalism. If the employee doesn't like it, they are free to start a union, be unemployed or try to find a better job. The employer sets the salary according to whether or not enough people are willing to work for that amount. If the employees were really all dissatisfied, then nobody would be working there.

[Tatsujin]

there's nothing to say against this. but japanese aren't the best in forming unions, holding strikes and complaining about their working conditions, so it is just is how it is..lol.

[esteban]

yeah. everybody is satisfied, but the 980yen/hr employee

That's capitalism. If the employee doesn't like it, they are free to start a union, be unemployed or try to find a better job. The employer sets the salary according to whether or not enough people are willing to work for that amount. If the employees were really all dissatisfied, then nobody would be working there.

The power is clearly in the hands of the employers. The road to unionizing is difficult, and still doesn't solve many problems.

Just sayin'.

[CPTRAVE]

Recently my family and I went to Chili's and the food was awful including the service. My kids ordered grilled chicken from the kids menu, and you could literally count the fries they each got which was 6. Their chicken was so dried up they could pick it up with their hand and eat it. To me it looked broiled not grilled. I ordered the Margarita Chicken, talk about tasting bad and it was missing some food content that it normally comes with. I had to get the attention of another Hostess just for a refill of my kids drink. My wife ordered the same thing I did and was just as bad. I could have gone to Chick Fillet and ordered something similar and would have probably tasted better. What made it worse my stomach started hurting as soon as we left. As for the tip I left $2.00 out of a USD40.00 check. I filled out there survey immediately and wrote a letter to corporate including the Store Number 740.

[soop]

Recently my family and I went to Chili's and the food was awful including the service. My kids ordered grilled chicken from the kids menu, and you could literally count the fries they each got which was 6. Their chicken was so dried up they could pick it up with their hand and eat it. To me it looked broiled not grilled. I ordered the Margarita Chicken, talk about tasting bad and it was missing some food content that it normally comes with. I had to get the attention of another Hostess just for a refill of my kids drink. My wife ordered the same thing I did and was just as bad. I could have gone to Chick Fillet and ordered something similar and would have probably tasted better. What made it worse my stomach started hurting as soon as we left. As for the tip I left $2.00 out of a USD40.00 check. I filled out there survey immediately and wrote a letter to corporate including the Store Number 740.

whaaat?  Are you mental?  It's the English that are supposed to be total pussies when it comes to complaining, and I would have no problem getting them to recook my food there.

That's not a time for not tipping, that's a time for "prepare me another meal please, and if not I'll take my custom elsewhere".

Honestly, if you make your case without being a jerk, there's not many people who will agree that 6 fries and vulcanised chicken is a decent meal.

[esteban]

"vulcanized chicken" -- HA!