i often eat at taquerias or vietnamese restaurants, etc where the bill for a real meal is less than fast food. i'll typically leave 50% or more. the women that work at taquerias are undoubtedly amongst the hardest working and cheerful, pleasant people in the industry.
Tipping advice needed.
- Thread starter Kiwi cop
- Start date
Back when the Sons of the American Legion took over the bar, I did my share of volunteer bartending at the post to help get the program going. It gave me an appreciation for the lives of people who rely on tips for a living, so I tend to tip on the generous side. I always tip in cash so that the server gets the full amount without the credit card fee deduction, and I tip with "Gold(en) Dollar" coins. I hope that helps the servers remember that I gave them a good tip. From what I've heard, a lot of children and grandchildren of wait staff will have a big stash of golden dollars waiting for them from my tips.
I've also tipped tow truck drivers and delivery people for big items (like my new safe), usually about what I figure would be the price of lunch.
StakeOut
US Veteran
I don't believe it is for the customer to supply the funds that might be considered the workers salary.
Paychecks are for employers to furnish after an employee accepts the terms of employment.
A job that relies heavily on customers generosity and not employers contributions is not one I'd care to have.
Stop tipping altogether!Pay more for what is furnished if needed.In the long run it's a much better system with no tipping.
Paychecks are for employers to furnish after an employee accepts the terms of employment.
A job that relies heavily on customers generosity and not employers contributions is not one I'd care to have.
Stop tipping altogether!Pay more for what is furnished if needed.In the long run it's a much better system with no tipping.
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
While that is certainly a valid opinion, in an open society with a free economy you don't get to decide how it works. You can decide not to eat out, but if you do and don't tip, you're not expressing your opinion, you're just stiffing the servers.
So that doesn't make for good advice for someone who wants to do things right when he visits here.
RobertJ.
Member
I worked in restaurants for many years, and unless the service is terrible, I tip 20-25%.
I tip 20% at a local Asian place for take-out, and have from the get go. I get outstanding service!
I tip 20% at a local Asian place for take-out, and have from the get go. I get outstanding service!
UncleEd
Member
StakeOut
US Veteran
For 20 years I lived in a country than had no tipping.Only tourists left tipped.They got no more or no less from the service employee
The system worked very well and no one expected anything extra.
Workers were paid a fair salary that fit the position.
Tips,another American entitlement?
The system worked very well and no one expected anything extra.
Workers were paid a fair salary that fit the position.
Tips,another American entitlement?
Yuuup
And if you get two meals for the price of one or $$off a meal, tip as if the discount were not there.
Don't be cheap.
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labworm
US Veteran
Yuuup
And if you get two meals for the price of one or $$off a meal, tip as if the discount were not there.
Don't be cheap.
Always remember, if it is a place you go to often.
The server always will remember you.
Always remember, if it is a place you go to often.
The server always will remember you.
If I felt 10% was a sufficient tip for services rendered I wouldn't go back.
So, would you work for $2.13 per hour? That is what a server is paid. If they don't make enough in tips the employer is supposed to make up the difference to $7.25 per hour.
I sincerely hope you do not go out to eat.
Paying servers a decent wage, say $15 per hour, would require meals prices to increase A LOT. This concept is being tried in various places around the country. We'll just have to wait and see how it works out.
We don't eat out as often as we would like but when we do we tip at least 20%.
We know the staff is underpaid and they are actually WORKING to provide for themselves.
They always appreciate the tip and it makes us feel good doing it and, like MR. Worm said, those places we frequent, the staff are glad to see us and aim to please.
It's a 'win-win' as we see it.
We know the staff is underpaid and they are actually WORKING to provide for themselves.
They always appreciate the tip and it makes us feel good doing it and, like MR. Worm said, those places we frequent, the staff are glad to see us and aim to please.
It's a 'win-win' as we see it.
UncleEd
Member
The tipping system in the U.S. is what is and has been
from what I remember going back to the 1950s or 1960s.
You just need to adjust or return to the country where
you didn't tip.
Or, run for Congress on an anti-tipping platform.
Maybe you can change things
But one more thought: In a sense the server is working for
you during the time you are seated and being taken care of.
While the restaurant supplies the help, you are doing the
ultimate employing of that person.
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I never put a tip on a credit card, I consider that bad manners.
RobertJ.
Member
I'm reminded of a certain scene in "Reservoir Dogs"!
Harkrader
Member
Once again either the forum or the internet has scrapped my post before I could post it, so here it is again:
A couple years ago we visited Norway. No one there accepts U.S. currency or travelers cheques. Even banks made a big deal of caching travelers cheques.
So we use the credit card – chip required – for all purchases.
Despite the norm, I left tips.
When I as in college in the '60s I held many jobs, including waiting tables and tending bars. I remember well getting tips of 10-cents for a 10-dollar bill. I also remember the old gentleman who left $10 even for a $5 purchase. Remember, restaurants pay less than the minimum wage.
In some places, especially bars, the tip jar is divided between everybody. You have to trust management, which sometimes was not trustworthy. And, it was ME who did the customer interaction, not the kitchen staff. They got better pay, too.;
So, I always leave cash for tips, and less than 20% only if service was not great. Last weekend we celebrated a birthday. There were six adults and three children. The bill came to $220. I paid by credit card but put $40 into the waitress's hand. I always subtract the tax before calculating the tip.
I suggest you do the same.
A couple years ago we visited Norway. No one there accepts U.S. currency or travelers cheques. Even banks made a big deal of caching travelers cheques.
So we use the credit card – chip required – for all purchases.
Despite the norm, I left tips.
When I as in college in the '60s I held many jobs, including waiting tables and tending bars. I remember well getting tips of 10-cents for a 10-dollar bill. I also remember the old gentleman who left $10 even for a $5 purchase. Remember, restaurants pay less than the minimum wage.
In some places, especially bars, the tip jar is divided between everybody. You have to trust management, which sometimes was not trustworthy. And, it was ME who did the customer interaction, not the kitchen staff. They got better pay, too.;
So, I always leave cash for tips, and less than 20% only if service was not great. Last weekend we celebrated a birthday. There were six adults and three children. The bill came to $220. I paid by credit card but put $40 into the waitress's hand. I always subtract the tax before calculating the tip.
I suggest you do the same.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
Haha! Some of you guys remind me of my Mom, who grew up in the Depression and would never leave more than a dollar tip for anyone! Once we finished a meal (that I was paying for) and I left a fiver and two ones on the table for a tip. When we got to the car she gave me the five and a one back! I had to hustle back inside and find the waitress!
I've generally found people who used to work for tips, as I have, tip well. If you cannot afford to tip, you should either eat at home, go through a drive-thru, or move to some enlightened far-off place.
Don't be Mr Pink!
PS- I know a guy who always tips at the drive-thru!
I've generally found people who used to work for tips, as I have, tip well. If you cannot afford to tip, you should either eat at home, go through a drive-thru, or move to some enlightened far-off place.
Don't be Mr Pink!
PS- I know a guy who always tips at the drive-thru!
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Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I think it's important to just keep in mind that the tipping culture in any country or region of the world has developed over time and is indeed part of the culture.
It's a bit like driving on the left in Britain; you may think it's a dumb idea, but if you go there as a tourist and decide to just not do it, it's not going to end well
In most European countries, a service charge is calculated into the prices and the server gets a percentage of their collective tickets. So tipping is uncommon.
In other cultures further south, both from here and from Europe, nothing happens unless you tip generously BEFORE anybody lifts a finger. Of course, there is another word for that. In a country not too far south of here, I once had to tip a policeman to get my drivers license back
But if you want to function wherever, righteous indignation isn't going to get you anywhere, you need to go with the flow.
Apparently, the majority of Americans are okay with the way our system has settled in. There are more than enough non-unionized restaurants that owners would have shifted to paying servers more and instituting a no-tip policy if they thought they could be competitive and profitable.
But they generally haven't, so it'll likely stay this way.
It's a bit like driving on the left in Britain; you may think it's a dumb idea, but if you go there as a tourist and decide to just not do it, it's not going to end well
In most European countries, a service charge is calculated into the prices and the server gets a percentage of their collective tickets. So tipping is uncommon.
In other cultures further south, both from here and from Europe, nothing happens unless you tip generously BEFORE anybody lifts a finger. Of course, there is another word for that. In a country not too far south of here, I once had to tip a policeman to get my drivers license back
But if you want to function wherever, righteous indignation isn't going to get you anywhere, you need to go with the flow.
Apparently, the majority of Americans are okay with the way our system has settled in. There are more than enough non-unionized restaurants that owners would have shifted to paying servers more and instituting a no-tip policy if they thought they could be competitive and profitable.
But they generally haven't, so it'll likely stay this way.
UncleEd
Member
Absalom,
Ah yes, "la mordida," a very
quaint custom.
Ah yes, "la mordida," a very
quaint custom.
No, I doubt it will be changing anytime soon here in the US.
My customary:
30-25% tip for exceptional service
20% for good (average) service
15% for fair service (minimal server effort)
0-10% after a talk with the manager/owner about why we are so disappointed
My customary:
30-25% tip for exceptional service
20% for good (average) service
15% for fair service (minimal server effort)
0-10% after a talk with the manager/owner about why we are so disappointed
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