How Well Do You Tip?

Raider said:
On tipping, I have been told that some restaurants the servers are required to turn their tips which are placed in a pot that is divided equally among all the minimum wage employees at the end of the shift. That just doesn't seem right that the poor performers are rewarded equally with the great workers.

Charlie
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If I pay with a card I put some on it and some in cash in a hand. What they do with it is their business. I'm rewarding them for their good job. Not the mook out in the parking lot smoking the whole time I was there.
 
I tip based on service. 15 to 20% for average service, $.50 for lousy service (after which I discuss with the manager why I left a small tip), and sometimes quite a bit more for exceptional service. The biggest tip I've ever left was $50 on a $12 meal, to a very obviously pregnant waitress a few days before Christmas. I figured she needed it way more than I did.

When out with my in-laws, I usually have to sneak a $10 onto the table as we're leaving, as my MIL won't let my FIL tip more than 10%. I also leave a little extra when eating with my sister's family, because her kids leave the table in an awful mess.
 
I tip according to how well a job was done,not so much the bill itself.I have been known to give 15 dollar tips to a server for a 50 dollar lunch bill.

I understand they are trying to make a living and if the server does a great job,they will get a great tip.Average so so,average tip.ignoring us,well, they might get 5 bucks.

I always get the manager and tell him what great staff he has if we are treated well.Next time we go in that place, we get the best service.:D
 
I always tip at least 20 percent on good service. And I go out of my way to let management know when a server goes above and beyond...I do the same thing with customer service in stores and on the internet.
 
Both of my children, now grown, worked at some point in their growing up years in the food service industry. My daughter could look at a table and tell what kind of tip she was going to get. My son tried waiting tables and quickly departed to the kitchen as a cook due to the way some people treated him. As a result of their experiences I typically tip at least 20% to as high as 50%, depending in the service. I let the server and management know when it is exceptional.
 
I eat at about the same places every week.For breakfast it's the small diner in town.The cook owns the place and has on waitress three days a week She cooks and waits the rest of the time.They get $1.00 if it's just me eating and two if my helper eats or is there.The other resturants are not chains and are mom and pop places.They get at least 20% and some times more.They are always glad to see me or us if the SWMBO's with me.


that was a typo.
 
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I don't go for the "they don't even make minimum wage!" argument. They can make more per hour than a lot of jobs, and most of it isn't taxed.

I tip, but they have to REALLY impress me to get over 15%. If I get bad service, I won't tip at all but I'll leave a note explaining why they didn't receive a tip.
 
Slowhanddd said:
I eat at about the same places every week.For breakfast it's the small diner in town.The cook owns the place and has on waitress three days a week She cooks and waits the rest of the time.They get $100 if it's just me eating and two if my helper eats or is there.The other resturants are not chains and are mom and pop places.They get at least 20% and some times more.They are always glad to see me or us if the SWMBO's with me.
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A c note on how much bill?
 
All of my kids worked as servers at one time or other in high school and school afterward. We have always been tippers. Course living in NV, we realize just how many people count on tips to make a living. We are not above leaving a bad tip either.
 
That kind of reminds me of a bum who hit me up for $102s for a cup of coffee. WHAAAT? I said, coffee is less than a buck! I know he said, but coffee always makes me sexy!
 
Please understand that it is an industry norm for your server to have to tally up their sales at the end of the night and figure a percentage of estimated tips based on that. this number is used for IRS reporting--they are taxed on expected tips whether they make them or not. This was the worst part of bartending. Um...second worst. the worst was cleaning the barfy men's room. I had to really tear into my mom for this one, she said they could afford to go out but not tip. Sorry, I account for that when I plan a night out because I KNOW they have to pay income tax on it whether they get it or not.

I tip 15% for adequate. Usually more, if it's good. And sometimes, about twice a year, at least once around the holidays, the girls and I plan on a "Make Someone's day Outing" As in, we go eat a normally priced meal, and for a good server at one of our favorite Mom and Pops, then leave around $50--which is often more than the tab. They have a hard, nasty job. A little kindness to someone goes a long way in this world. I also want my girls to learn to be kind all the time, without expecting anything in return--simply for the virtue of kindness in itself.

I also tip my nail girl and my hurr girl generously, as well as those other services who are traditionally tipped.

Anyway, if I don't have it in the budget to tip 15% of my estimated ticket, I don't go. Period.
 
I tip what is considered standard. 15% for adequate service and 20% for above average.
I read that Donald Trump had tipped a server $10.000. What the heck were they serving?
 
Most of the responses have been aimed towards restaurant staff.
I'll add a few more:

The 3 guys who worked their tails off, in 90 degree weather, installing a new liner for our pool: $100 each.

The 2 guys who worked their tails off and left a perfectly graded yard after installing new septic system fingers: $100 each.

The 2 guys who delivered 6 pieces of new furniture, removed their shoes each time they came in and took extra care to assure that not a single nick or scratch existed on each piece: $50 each.

The pizza shop where we occasionally spend around $100 for a family gathering: $25 to be split.

The girl who cuts my hair every 3 weeks: $5.

The county employee who keeps our road clear in the winter and tries to not block peoples driveways: A note of thanks to his department head, as they cannot accept tips or gifts.

The lady who delivers our mail and always leaves it wrapped in plastic and on our porch when it's raining, rather than in the mailbox: $25 gift card.

The man who, twice a year, delivers our LP gas: $10 each delivery.

We are quite far from being wealthy; I work as a service technician and my wife drives a school bus. We merely appreciate good service and try to show our appreciation accordingly.

Another thing that I learned many years ago; when people are going to be working in our home for most of the day or longer (if I'm pleased thus far by their work) I'll tip them generously late morning. Usually with a comment like: "Here, I appreciate your good work/attention to detail/polite service etc. Let me buy you your lunch for the week." Or "Here, take your family someplace nice for dinner on us." This has ALWAYS been rewarded with a little extra effort on the workers part. Simple human psychology . . . yet everyone benefits.
 
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I gotta tell this one. Years back a co-worker friend came to me and asked me if I would help him move his household out of bekins storage to his new house. Shouldnt take over a hour he said. I got a bunch of the other boys to help.
It was the hottest day of the year, I showed up with my truck and only one other half wit showed up to help us! I never worked that hard in the prior 20 years! I was all lathered up, exhausted and peeved. At one point I pulled some tools out of a storage case and broke a lamp that had it`s cord all tangeled in some stuff. My buddy tim got upset and said, oh, what will terry say? Terry was the current girl friend that was going to share his house. I said you let me take care of terry! At the end of the long day I said, "Terry, I broke a lamp. What do I owe ya? Oh my! That was my favorite lamp! $75 dollars! I wrote a check. I used my truck, gas and my labor and didnt charge a dime nor was I offered one. How would you guy`s have handeled that one?
P.S. I did get even as about 20 years later I ended up with a different old girl friend of his, my new wife! Karma?
 
Outstanding or extra service=25%

Good service=15-20%

Just satisfactory=10%

Poor= Stiff 'em

Seems reasonable to me. My wife always worked as a waitress and she thinks thats "fair enough" too.
 
12-20% depending on the meal and service. For those who always leave a cash tip to help the server not declare taxes, do you not feel that is aiding and abetting a criminal act? I don't like paying taxes but I sure don't cheat on them and despise those who do and those who advertise "helping" people pay less than they owe.
 
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