Who are the worst tippers in restaurants?

Question

This one is aimed primarily at those who work in the restaurant service industry (full service), but any are welcome to throw their 2 cents in (don't DARE leave THAT for a tip!).

Any particular group? Race? Ethnicity? Age? Gender? Social background? A combination of several of these?

Let's hear your thoughts!

Wow, this question really has some steam to it! Great!

But before I choose a best answer, I'd like to address a couple of things I've noticed in the answers I've read thus far.

Several of you mentioned that rich people are not very good tippers. It depends. I used to work at a restaurant in a high-end part of the city. If the rich person earned his money through intelligence and hard work, I find that person is very generous b/c he realizes the value of work ethic. If that rich person married into money, was born into it, won the lottery, or did not earn the money through blood, sweat, and tears, they are likely to be stingy b/c they do not have any work ethic, past or present.

Several of you mentioned church folks. I do agree with you...to an extent. I want to put down any generalizations here and now. I am a churchgoer myself, but I do not look down on anyone serving me a meal on Sunday. It's sad that some people think of church as nothing more than a social club.

Answer 1

I am a server at a full service resturant. And as far as "tips" go, it depends. Now that I serve I realize that I have have always been an excellent tipper. One thing that I have learned in the last few months working w/ the public ( I worked in a factory up untill then ), is that people have unreallalistic demands and expectations sometimes of resturants. Generally speaking " the customer is always right ". However, in certain situations when the customer doesn't get what they feel is right things can turn out pretty ugly. Let me share two recent situations w/ you. On Thursdays where I work we have all you can eat spagetti w/ meatballs. Its served w/ a salad and dinner rolls. The price $5.99. Sounds like a deal right? Well, not to four customers I waited on in their mid 20's. They expected me to let them share the all you can eat meal. By starting them off w/ four plates of spagetti and four salads. When I explained to them that the price was per person only one of them ordered dinner ( of course all you can eat ). When I brought it out he asked me for extra plates. When it was gone and they asked for more I told them that I would be happy to bring it but that it would cost $5.99. They were really upset, so they paid their bill and left me 26 cents. About a week later I waited on a woman and her husband in their 30's. They looked like a nice enough couple. Nicely dressed, very friendly. I brought their food out. They both order dinner entrees. I returned to the table 3 or 4 times to check on their food, refill drinks and so on. A little while later, the host came to find me and tell me that they needed to talk to me. I had just been there. When I got to the table they told me that their pasta was over cooked and that they didn't want it. (It had been in front of them for 20 miniutes and I had talked to them at least 3 times since ). I took the pasta off the bill but I did charge them for the salad and the bread sticks b/c they ate them. When they paid the bill they paid w/ a gift certificate. When I brought them there change it was about $20 in the form of another gift certicate. They were upset that they could not receive their change in cash. I explained to them that it is our policy to give gift certicates as change untill the balance is under $5. They were really mad and didn't leave me anything. Now that I have explained all this, let me tell you that I do not work in a whole in the wall resturant. We have a decent clientle and a good bussiness. However, there are all types of people. Its been my experience that people will always try to get something for nothing and that when they don't they don't tip. I have not noticed any thing racial or ethnic or to do w/ age or gender that puts a spot light on these types of people.

Answer 2

Teachers! I worked in restaurants (Calif.) for years when I was in college and grad school and I HATED it when teachers came in for their end-of-the-year luncheon or Christmas party or whatever. They always wanted separate checks (hello! You're teachers! Can't you figure out how to subtract your amount from the bill?) and then would leave a buck or two each. Give me a break! I am now a teacher and I make sure that, when I go out with some of my work friends, we get as few checks as possible and that there is a substantial tip as I don't want to be classified as a crappy tipper teacher. :)

Oh, and I'm surprised about the comments about black people being bad tippers. I have always had good experiences when serving African-Americans. Luck of the draw, I guess...just like with anyone.

Answer 3

First of all ditto to Edna H. Here in Grand Junction Colorado I don't have the experience of church people, I have found them to be a little more generous. I find the worst tippers are older retired people, and sometimes if I can tell they are on a limited income it really doesn't bother me. But the retirees that come in in their expensive cars and expensive clothes and wearing a gemstone on every finger, they can be bad tippers too. It's too bad we can't tell ahead of time if they're bad tipppers or not and can adjust our service accordingly. When I worked in Anaheim California, I found Mexicans to be bad tippers, but the Hispanics out here aren't like that. White trash, especially the ones who come for the "all you can eat" are some of the worst. The best tippers? Drunken Cowboys!!!!

Answer 4

I have been a server for nearly 6 years in and around Nashville. I have found that there are bad seeds in every bunch. Sure you do get the old ladies who leave $1 no matter what, or the white trash that leave you 16 cents on $100 checks (yes that actually happened to someone i know) but more often than not for me the worst tips i get come from black females. I have literally seen the wife of someone take the credit card slip or remove cash from the table that the husband was going to leave. This isn't a racist statement in anyway it comes from years of experience and even servers who are of this race don't like to wait on them because of this. It's not all of them by any means, but they are the ones who more often than not leave bad tips or don't leave tips at all.

Answer 5

I've been a waiter. I don't think you can classify worst tippers by any of the categories you mentioned.
I think the worst tippers are those who have a low empathy quotient.
Want to find out yours? Try the first two links below.

But it can also depend on one's cultural background. In some countries, tipping is not a custom.
Click the 3rd link for a listing by country.

Answer 6

Oh lord, now you've got me started! ;0 Sunday church people (who look down on us cause we're not in church, but HELLO!! we're here serving you so obviously we can't be in church!!) are really bad tippers. Ethnic people seem to be horrible tippers most of the time, white trash people are bad, and the majority of the population. And contrary to what most people say, wealthy people don't always tip horrible. Just once in a while, but they're better tippers than most.

Answer 7

Tipping is a personal issue in my opinion. I personally tip at restaurants, but it ALL depends on how the person serving was. Crappy attitude, crappy tip. Excellent service and attitude, excellent tip. I don't follow any percentage rules either. If the person is a really nice mother of 2, and is obviously tired, but cares a lot about what she is doing, is smiling, and in general has a positive attitude, she will get a BIG tip, even it does go over 20-30%! :)

Answer 8

in general I've noticed ppl with lots of money are bad tippers. also the ppl that go out to eat and grandma picks up the tab for all 12 of them and not one of em can throw a buck on the table after their free meal. or the ppl that want the world one thing at a time. 20 trips back and forth later.....cheap tip

Answer 9

In a city the place I used to stay, there have been numerous Fundamentalist church homes that preached that engaged on Sunday grew to become into sinful, and that it grew to become into incorrect to tip every physique on a Sunday using fact it would only inspire them to interrupt the Sabbath. in spite of the shown fact that, that clarification did not conceal why they felt it grew to become into okay to pass out to lunch after church and patronize institutions that have been open on Sunday. that they had each and every each and every now and then ensue in mobs of 20 or greater with small little ones, run the wait group ragged, and then (i'm not kidding) leave a gospel tract for a tip. yet to be honest, I additionally be responsive to Christians who're very sturdy tippers.

Answer 10

I am American/Female/39/mother/recently re-married
I have worked a lot of food service locations over the years...the ALL-Time worst tippers are wives that are uglier than their servers...
A "tip" for all of you out there who want better tips from all the customers....don't call gentlemen "Hun" , especially the ones with female companions/or MALE ones...and if you can find a more adequate term...women who you KNOW are probably older than you REALLY do not like Ma'am.