how much to tip?

[daugen]

[I]The service in the US, in general, is better than in Europe.[/I]

I find that very interesting. Could it have anything to do with the necessity of pleasing the customer or not getting paid well?

It really sucks when a good hard working waiter/waitress is made to look bad due to kitchen slowness or poor food. I feel for them, and if they apologize for the wait,
ok.

My wife and I are both foodies. We love to cook, and my cooking isn't so bad, really. But even with a love of food, and I'm not talking fancy stuff either,
I would much rather have good service and medium tasty food, hot please, than cordon bleu food with snooty waiters, not get refills, not get the check in five minutes.
Bad or poor service simply takes the fun out for me. And if I'm eating out, I want to have fun.

Ok, jimmpatrick, are you reacting to the French mode of service, which I think most of us have preconceived notions about, or other countries too? Germany? Italy?

Ok, last but not least. Do any of you ever tip the guy who works on your tractor, if the job was really well done, tractor cleaned up nicely for you, etc.
I tend to bring in lots of donuts to repair shops, the best defense is a good offense. Feed people and boy will they remember. And donuts are cheap and make a great "tip".

Saying thank you and nice job goes a long way, equally important to the tip.

 

[daugen]

I come from a country that does not believe in tipping in any way.

now that's different.
As others have stated, you must have a much higher min wage.
If you travel in the US, remember to tip.
Unlike being the Ugly American, you'll be the Ugly Australian.
Maybe it's cultural, but when in Rome...

 

[Gunny]

Wife and I try to eat out once a week, it usually works out to 3 times a month. Very rarely have we had what I call bad service, when we do, I only tip 6%, the sales tax amount, so it's easy to figure. Good service gets 15%, exceptional service from 20-25%. I think at times all of us go overboard on tipping, but I try to remember that we're not the only people in the restaurant that the waitress is serving at the time. In a fairly busy place, the waitress will be working 8-10 tables at once, tips from all of them add up to a pretty good hourly rate, most of it tax free.
If we get poor service, I always talk to the waitress about it and try to establish why things went like they did, sometimes it's not their fault. If we get good service, I always make sure that I tell the waitress about that and leave the appropriate tip. If I get exceptional service, I tell both the waitress and the manager. Works well for me, there are a couple of places now where the wife and I never have to wait, we are escorted from the end of the line straight to a table and while the waiters and waitresses don't really remember our names, they make it known that we are remembered. The very few places we've gotten poor service or bad food at, we don't bother going back.

 

[JDgreen227]

Concur with what Gunny says about "very few places we've gotten poor service or bad food at" as for me I have only had one issue with bad food in a long time, and none with poor service. Maybe 5 years ago we dined out at an upscale seafood place (better than Red Lobster) and the rice side dishes were so heavily seasoned with soy sauce it drenched the fish main course. I asked the server to replace them and she expedited the switch...gave her a very nice tip (25%) for being so gracious. Contacted the main office of customer service for the chain and they sent me a $50 gift card although I didn't ask for any compensation just wanted to give them a heads up. Sad thing is, some diners would have blamed the server for the poor preparation by the kitchen and stiffed them on the tip.

 

[MikeFarm]

Hi all

In Australia we don't have tips. There is a minimum national wage for various trades and professions, and a union for hotel and waitering staff that negotiates with employers and government to keep wages up-to-date to cope wit inflation. It's not all roses, there are arguments and lots of negotiation, sometimes strikes, but the overall result over the last several decades is that they can make enough from the job to make a living. Occasionally tips are given at top restaurants if service is exemplary but it would always be about 5 to 10% only on a bill about $100. At cafes and places like McDonalds, and burger places there is never ever a tip. Oh and a coffee is about $3.50. No employer would be able to charge < $2 for a coffee and make enough money to pay staff and decent wage. Comparing countries and tipping is like comparing fish to apples but thought I'd add in what is standard here.

Mike

 

[aczlan]

One important point is that the federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13 per hour. Many restaurants have their wait staff doing tasks outside of waiting tables, but still only pay the $2.13/hour.

But, tips+wages must equal minimum wage (see: What is the minimum wage for workers who receive tips?).

After hearing about some of the jerks she had to deal with I can understand why restaurants charge an automatic tip for large parties. I will tell you though it can work against the waiter. While in San Francisco with my family of 4 awhile back they put an automatic tip on our bill. It was a nice restaurant and we had real good service so we were going to give a nice tip anyway, but with the auto tip it ended up being lower then what they would have got.

My wife plays softball on a team that is sponsored by a restaurant. After the games, they go out to eat. Sometimes they get a new waitress who doesn't know the routine and adds a tip to the bill (which would be normal for their size party). If the waitress doesn't put on the auto-tip, they usually make at least 20%. If she does she will just make that tip.

But if I'm crunching numbers at the dinner table, I usually just double the tax amount.

Same here. That usually works out to ~16% (which we round up to the nearest dollar)

Ok, last but not least. Do any of you ever tip the guy who works on your tractor, if the job was really well done, tractor cleaned up nicely for you, etc.
I tend to bring in lots of donuts to repair shops, the best defense is a good offense. Feed people and boy will they remember. And donuts are cheap and make a great "tip".

When I was in Argentina, I had a lot of interaction with the post office folks (we would go to pickup packages for ~180 missionaries). $5 in pastries would save us hundreds of dollars in customs charges.

Aaron Z

 

[bucktaker]

I tip 15% for avg service, 20% if we feel they did a good job. poor service get 3% bad service gets a manager involved. if we have drinks I subtract the bar bill from the total and tip off that..My wife is more generous than me

 

[daugen]

Sad thing is, some diners would have blamed the server for the poor preparation by the kitchen and stiffed them on the tip.

I think a lot of us are that same page, not wanting the waitress to suffer for the kitchen's issues, but she can't ignore you either.
If she/he/it comes around at least two or three times during dinner to check on you, and she or the busboys keep your water glass filled,
well, that's good service. But not fantastic service. If the food makes you go wow, and the waiter is nice, well the stars all get aligned the
right way, and that's why waiters in some fancy restaurants make six figures.

My towns' local diner had the worst coffee known to man. I also have never found a McDonalds coffee that didn't smell burnt and was weak.
But I found that Chik Filet had great coffee, and they would put my three Splendas in my large
coffee, and put the milk in, and not require me to put it in while parked in the nearby supermarket parking lot. Which of course means getting
crap all over your car, if you're a slob apparently like me. and spill stuff. I have to hose out my console cup holder every once in a while....
So it's really nice that the folks in Chik Filet really seem to want to please. They often make a chicken salad sandwich for me early in the morning, so I can take lunch with me.
It's not a breakfast item. They could have refused. And no, to whoever asked, we don't normally tip the burger girl.
But I did give a handful of Godiva chocolate bars to the ladies in Chik Filet for Christmas, and boy were they delighted.
Food/candy/bagels/donuts really work well as tips when it is otherwise inappropriate.

 

[daugen]

I come from a country that does not believe in tipping in any way.
But I just want to get something straight so I am not mistaking what is going on.
You are going to the barbers?.
He owns the business and is not on wages?
And you actually tip him!!!

Your disbelief is entirely warranted, according to your custom. We have an entirely different custom,
which is why I find the international aspect of this forum fascinating.
But geez, if you come to Peoria, please, please don't stiff the waitress. :thumbsup:

 

[D7E]

Yes, but you're not paid $2.13 an hour.
In Britain 10% is normal in a restaurant.

No it is'nt . i lived in the UK for 30 years and never heard of tipping till i came to canada .