Dining out??

Question

Why do people go out to eat, order expensive alcoholic drinks, appetizers and desserts if they can't afford to tip? As a waitress, I strive to give excellent service at all times, so I don't understand why people run up an $80 tab and leave me $2 sometimes.

We can opt to auto-grat, but I usually don't because I don't want people to feel cheated.

Answer 1

Some people think that you should be gratefull that they tip you. They don't take in account that you are a person that it is working hard. Other people believe that everything is the waitresses fault. If the meal is over or under cooked they blame the wait staff and it reflects in their tip. If the meal take to long again they blame the wait staff. I think the people need to remember that you can't help those things. I always tip above the norm because you don't mess with the people that handle your food.

Answer 2

People are cheap, but they also don't understand how to tip properly and are very poor at math skills necessary to figure a tip. I think it would be easier all the way around if restaurants would just start paying waitresses a living wage so they weren't dependant on a tip, and then a tip would really be just something extra left for you when you did an exceptional job.

Answer 3

$2.00 on an $80 bill? That's horrible. I think people who leave such a meager sum are functioning out of ignorance. Miss Manners should address this in her column (though the short-changers may not be reading). You might try writing about this issue to your own local paper. Educating those who dine out is the only way. Folks who regularly dine out know very well that one has to factor in a 15-20% tip. I live in San Francisco, and would feel cheap if I left less.

Answer 4

Unless your restaurant already charges a gratuity, they're cheap, unappreciative, or really just don't understand tipping.

From me an $80 order gets a $16 tip, unless that $80 order already included a 15% gratuity, then I don't leave any extra. (Normally I leave 20%, but I just can't stand that sneaky gratuity fee on the bill and I try to avoid those places. There's no way I'm going to leave a small tip in addition to an assumed gratuity.)

Answer 5

To be honest...I sometimes accidently do that and I run out of money...maybe if you work at a restuarant were the bills run that high normally you should request that the tip be taken out on the tab. I hope everything works out for you and I know it sucks to do your best and get little reward for it..I hope everything works out!

Answer 6

They don't know how to tip! Sometimes it's so bad that it should be illegal! I believe that anyone who doesn't tip properly should be penalized with either a warning and/or being blacklisted (by management) from the establishment. Also, any repeat offenders should be heavily fined!

Answer 7

I agree! If you don't have money to go out and tip WELL then don't go out. You shouldn't assume the service will be bad. People don't realize that in many places you also have to tip out the bartender or busser.

Answer 8

Normally15 % is the norm and anything above should be welcome. Normally people round it off. In this case 15 % would be $ 12 so round it off to $ 15 should have been the case.
Ill mannered louts are available in plenty.

Answer 9

You gotta point there.. BUT, as an individual: we also need to consider the 'people' who do not tip at all.

-consider their Culture and Tradition. [People who do not practice that: - #1 Filipinos]

Answer 10

because ppl are cheap.....and inconciderate of the time and effort that waitresses put in.....also they dont know the crap the waitresses put up with either.....been there done that too....i once was a waitress......some ppl have no respect