how much do you tip a waiter/waitress? What determines your tip amount? Also, where are you from?

Question

Where are you from in the US and beyond? Why do foreigners tip so little when they are told on the plane that tips are not included in the meal, as they are included in the meal price overseas? Why do foreigners still refuse to tip accordingly? It seems they try to act clueless to save money....yet servers hear the accent and KNOW they will be slighted. Also, why do southerners tip so poorly? Is it for the same reason foreigners do?

Most airlines will explain that gratuites are not included within the price of the meal...as gratuities are included in the meals overseas. Waiters/waitresses are paid $2.83/hr on the east coast so they don't see a paycheck AND they have to pay big $$$ in taxes at years end. Overseas, they are paid great $$ because their taxes are paid and they get a paycheck. Foreigners are aware of this however they choose to act as if they are not. So their tips are usually 5%-10%...and they KNOW it's not cool. But whatever

Answer 1

The 15% standard became custom when servers were paid at least minimum wage. Since then the Labor dept. has allowed employers to use what is known as a "tip credit", this allows them to pay an alternative minimum wage of, in most states $2.13 an hour, upon the assumption that their tips will pull the server up to minimum wage.

On a $30 bill the extra 5% between 15% and 20% is only $1.50, which is really not that big of a difference to the consumer. To a server it can really add up over the course of a week and can represent the difference between being trapped in a cycle of debt
or the ability to pay their tuition. People should really be tipping 20%.

As for foreigners: Because they can, most Americans would do the same.

Southerners: I don't think that their bad tipping is due to geographical reasons as much as their higher likelihood to be involved in the church. The south has the highest per ca-pita church attendance rates in the country. Self righteous christians tend to regard servers as lazy or morally deficient and therefore deserve to be poor, so they help out by not tipping.

Answer 2

I tip a minimum of 15% and usually 20-25%. If service is exceptional, I will tip 50-100%.

I know that most waitstaff in the states are paid a token hourly wage of around $2.12 an hour. Their tips are considered part of their wage by the employer and the US government. American waitstaff are required by law to report their tips as earnings.

I hardly ever get bad service. When I do, it is usually because the restaurant is very busy and the server is stretched too thin. I know it is not the server's fault.

If the server is chatting in the corner with friends and ignoring guests, I still tip the customary 15%. However, I may advise the manager, depending on the situation. The waiter has lost because a much larger gratuity was waiting.

In some cultures, it is not customary to tip. If someone has not traveled beyond their borders before, they may be completely unaware of tipping.

Some travelers are unaware of the custom, just as Americans may be unaware that it is forbidden to touch someone on their head in Buddhist cultures, or rude to point your feet at someone when sitting.

However, frequent foreign travelers know about tipping. Some may just be cheap.

I hope servers do not assume they will be slighted when they hear my accent. I am from Thailand and have a heavy Asian accent. If they ignore my table by assuming the little chink woman won't tip, they will lose, not me.

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Answer 3

15% seems to be the normal tip, I usually tip 20% or more. Only because I've worked in the industry and know most waiters, waitresses, and bartenders depend on their tips to be able to make a decent wage. ( A lot of service industry jobs only pay $3.00 pr.hr. + tips) I'm in Cocoa Beach, Fl. but grew up in Indiana.
I too have noticed that southerners and foreigners do not tip well although I have no idea why.

Answer 4

First...I never realized airline stewards and stewardesses were to be looked upon as waiters and waitresses, making such a lowly sum.

Second...I'm from the south and I resent your classification of "southerners" being bad tippers. When my daughter was little, I worked as a waitress so I could be home with her during the day and my husband was with her nights. I know from first-hand experience just how hard it is to be in that field and how much you count on making good tips.

Third...if I receive good to extra good service, I tip 20%. If the service is poor to fair, I tip 15%. If the service is exceptional, I tip 20% - 30% (always a dollar amount - not mixed with change) PLUS one penny. If the service is extremely poor, I tip one penny. A seasoned waitress knows the meaning of the penny in both cases.

Answer 5

I tip depending on level of service. Normally doubling the tax give or take. For states that have lox taxes on food I leave 15 to 20%.

Many foreigners don't have the tipping concept because they think the servers are already paid for what they do. I tried to tip someone for exceptional service when I was traveling in Asia and he returned my tip.

Answer 6

I worked in Orlando for a few years in several tipped jobs. I think most foreigners do not tip well, because they figure they'll never see you again, and they would rather spend the money on themselves. I have not found that all southerners tip poorly, but if you restrict that to Texans, then I agree. The worst tippers of all are business people, especially the jerks who can expense it and still don't tip the appropriate amount.

Answer 7

I live near Chicago and I tip 15-20% depending on service. I waitressed but I never waited on foreign visitors.

When are foreigners told on the plane about tipping?

Answer 8

As a former waitress, I feel your pain. It amazes me how so many people (even in this country) act so ignorant about tipping. I usually tip 18-20%. If the service is horrible though I leave 10%. But I always leave something because that is what they live on.

Answer 9

Sorry, I don't know the answers to all your questions about foreigners. I live about 4 hours from Philly. As a standard, I tip 15%. This may go higher or lower, depending on the service.

Answer 10

I am from the south and me and my husband base the tips we leave on the service we get. For instance we went to a really nice place to eat our tea glasses never got empty our food was hot and the waiter was great and very polite and it seemed like he went out of his way to get us anything we asked for as quickly as he could. When we got our bill it was between 40 and 50 dollars the tip should have been between 6 and 7.50 we left him a fifteen dollar tip because of his service. At another place we basically had to beg to get a refill and the waitress had a nasty attitude so we left her 1 penny. I know that it makes them mad when people do that. So when we leave a tip we base it totally on their service.