Tipping advice needed.

Onomea said:
I also always leave a few bucks, generally three, on the hotel bed for the maids who clean up my hotel rooms. My mother taught me that. Most maids in hotels are hard workers, and it is a thankless job, on the whole.
Click to expand...
I also do this always, they are the hardest working people around, and like you said, it is sometimes a thankless job. I leave the money on the nightstand or wherever the notepad/pencil is and write "housekeeping" so they will not think you just forgot some cash lying there. And....on occasion, have received back a nice thank you note in return. Also, if staying while, they know who you are, and I suspect you will get their best work.
During the Rodney King riots we stayed at a large motel occupied by mostly police officers. Like always, I got stuck on the 12 hr night shift. After being at the motel for a while and seeing almost no maids (having no conversation/interaction) due to the hours we worked, our rooms were always cleaned at odd hours so I would leave the tip before I went to bed. One morning I couldn't sleep and after a few hours I got up and was going down to eat. As I passed a supply area where several maids were congregating, one said "good morning, are you going to be out of the room for a while". I said I was going down to eat. Later, when I returned to my room, it had been cleaned and refreshed. I always wondered how the heck did she know which room was mine?
 
At motels, each morning in some conspicuous place, I will normally leave a $5 bill for the maid. Put it under a sealed water glass or something a maid would normally touch. They'll know it's for them.

I have two twenty something sons who work as servers in busy main stream steak restaurants. You might be surprised to learn, that even in these times, about 5% of customers leave no tip at all. Often, it will be larger groups or individuals who make lots of demands.
 
Kernel Crittenden said:
....
I have two twenty something sons who work as servers in busy main stream steak restaurants. You might be surprised to learn, that even in these times, about 5% of customers leave no tip at all. Often, it will be larger groups or individuals who make lots of demands.
Click to expand...

That definitely was my experience when I worked food service in what now seems like a lifetime ago :)

And even if the group is nice, shorting the tip is often psychological. That's why many places have that policy that has been mentioned about adding a tip to the tab for groups from a certain size up.

It's perfectly normal to leave a couple of bucks for an individual $10 lunch tab, but if you're the one paying the $200 bill for a lunch meeting, a $40 tip seems huge, even though it's exactly the same percentage.
 
I have worked side jobs in fine dining and bartending my entire adult life and still do, one day a week. Here are some observations.

-If you had sub-par service, don't stiff your server. Your server will just figure you're a cheapskate. Instead, leave a low tip. 10% or less. The message will get through.
-Tip bartenders at least a buck a drink. If it's a well built cocktail, more.
-15% for decent service is bare minimum. Out west, 20% has become the norm.
- You can argue all day long about how tipping is a raw deal and why don't these restaurants and bars pay their people more and blah blah but in the end, it is what it is and if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat/drink in places that have more than counter service.
 
The place I get my scissor haircut,shampoo and shave is $30.

The person doing it is the shop owner.

How much would you tip the owner or wouldn't you?
 
StakeOut said:
The place I get my scissor haircut,shampoo and shave is $30.

The person doing it is the shop owner.

How much would you tip the owner or wouldn't you?
Click to expand...

Tip the owner. My wife owns a small salon. She makes no more than the other two stylists who work there and gets nothing out of the time she has to spend on books, scheduling, etc...time she could be cutting and styling and earning money. I just asked her, and she said she'd be thrilled if she got a 6 dollar tip on a 30 dollar cut.
 
cndrdk said:
I also do this always, they are the hardest working people around, and like you said, it is sometimes a thankless job. I leave the money on the nightstand or wherever the notepad/pencil is and write "housekeeping" so they will not think you just forgot some cash lying there.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the suggestion. When I saw envelopes left in the room for housekeepers I always left a tip, but I haven't known what to do since it seems like those envelopes aren't used any more,
 
Out of town.....good service 15%....less than good service 10% -0%

My local haunts....25-50%.....

When I was working and the local establishments comp'd LEO's meals, 100% gratuity.


.
 
Last edited:
StakeOut said:
The place I get my scissor haircut,shampoo and shave is $30.

The person doing it is the shop owner.

How much would you tip the owner or wouldn't you?
Click to expand...

I still leave a tip for the owner. I only get a haircut, which costs me $13. I usually give another $3 tip (to the owner).

---------------------

I am not encouraging anyone to shortchange their servers, but there are several mentions above about servers making only $2.xx an hour. This is true in some states (including mine), but absolutely not true in other states. Many states have the same minimum wage for waiters as everyone else. So, don't just assume you are making up for sub-minimum wages when you leave a tip.

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage & Hour Divisions (WHD) - Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees

Frankly, I feel worse for most of the kitchen help than I do the servers. Most of the cooks are making minimum wage or not much more, in a hot and stressful environment, and often don't get a share of the tips.
 
My tipping percentage is higher for breakfast because the meal itself usually costs less. The server still has to do about the same amount of work, especially considering how much coffee I like with my breakfast.

That being said, for most meals it' 18-20%, because I more or less take 10% of the total and double it. Then I round it up to the nearest whole dollar.

As a friend of mine has pointed out, it's sort of a sacrifice to the gods in thanks that we never had to work in a restaurant. ;)
 
20 to 25 percent of the bill in cash not added to a credit card if used..

On a few occasions I have left a larger tip if service is outstanding and/or if special attention is given to any children with us ..

I like to hand it to the waitress/waiter and not just leaving it on the table ..
 
If my wife and I go out for dinner, I'll usually pay the bill with a credit card and hand the server a cash tip of at least 20%. If you want to see a server smile, tip him/her with silver dollars.
 
Always tip anybody that does a service for you, like wait on you, change your oil, etc. I tip anybody that performs an acts of service that is not the owner of the company. Food with excellent service=25%, good service=20%, mediocre service=10%, bad or no service= 1penny with a note on the check for the manager to see, its an huge insult to get one penny in the service industry. Oil change, pizza delivery, movers and just about anybody else $5-$10, per person that touches your stuff. I used to be in the service industry, so I get it. If you're a cheapskate and tip lousy, you're a moron and simply don't get it. Sorry if I offended anybody and if I did, you're probably one of the morons that don't get it. Cash is better because they can get away without claiming it. "When the going get's tuff, the tippers get served" is what we used to say!
 
StakeOut said:
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.
Click to expand...
...and that sir will get you "slimy extras" added to your food and/or drink if you're a repeat customer and they know you as a cheapskate on your next visit, tippers remember who you are, trust me.
 
Last edited:
Service was so bad at a Mexican place I told her to plant her corn early next year, then got up & left. After I paid the bill, of course.
 
I use a credit card for meals, I always fill out the tip line, and total. I always tip at least 20% sometimes more, rarely less. If ya sign the ticket, and don't fill in the tip line, and total line there is a chance they will fill it out for you. Though none of the restaurants I go to would do that.
 
I just had a good experience that allowed my to reward my server for going definitely above and beyond the call of duty. I was having breakfast last Sunday morning at a chain restaurant because nothing local in the town was open for breakfast. I put in my order with the waitress and as I was waiting for my food it was starting to get busy. So after a time my waitress made sure to tell me that the kitchen was busy. She made it her business to keep after the kitchen to get me fed and to make sure I knew what was going on. She apologized profusely but I told her that I could see why the kitchen was so busy because there was nothing open in the town. I was just impressed with her attitude and willingness to do a lot more to make sure I got fed. When I was finished, I put 4 Gold(en) Dollars in her hand for a bill under $10, and I made sure to tell the person who appeared to be a supervisor how well my server worked to make sure I got fed.

My waitress was happy to get the Gold(en) Dollars because her grandparents used to give them to her and she didn't realize that they were still in circulation. I really enjoy giving them as tips.
 
For What It's Worth.........

My two sons worked their way through college waiting tables and living on tips. They completely supported themselves and never asked me for a dime.

The oldest is a Criminologist (PhD) with eleven years of college.

The younger son has a Masters in Manufacturing Systems and a Fine Arts degree in Photography for a total of seven years of college.

That boy or girl that is serving your table could be doing everything legitimately possible to make it in this world.

Always leave a generous tip. It just could be an investment in our future.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Tipping!
2 3
Replies
79
Views
3K
Kinman
Kinman
RM Vivas
NYPD - M&P #S812894 - How I Research The NYPD Guns
Replies
22
Views
2K
dobegrant
dobegrant
Golddollar
GOOD ADVICE FROM THE FORUM
2
Replies
40
Views
2K
cmj8591
cmj8591
chief38
SUPER DUPER RANT - OPTIMUM
2
Replies
37
Views
1K
ggibson511960
G
Kiwi cop
The return.....
Replies
19
Views
833
Kiwi cop
Kiwi cop

Latest posts

Back
Top