Why do people feel the need to tip poorly?

Question

I would like to know some people's reasons for why they tip poorly.
What do you consider to be a good tip?

Have you people ever thought that sometimes accidents happen and it always isn't the servers fault? Did you ever stop to think that when the cooks mess up the food nothing happens to their paycheck..They are paid a higher hourly wage while servers get minimum. We LIVE off of our TIPS. Therefore yes, we do expect people to tip 15% or more..so when you go into a restaurant next time stop and look at the situation. Oh, and if you're tight on money then don't eat at a restaurant, go to the grocery store and buy a microwaveable meal.

Answer 1

you can say 15% or 20%( 10% is ridiculous ) but take into consideration this if your meal cost $15.00 then 20% is $3.00, now in the same restaurant instead your meal cost $8.00 then 20% is only $1.60 Now I ask you, did your server do any more or any less for either meal? NO! Same amount of work but different totals. People need to keep this in mind when they dine-out. I would tip minimum $3.00 in either case and more if the server was very good.

Answer 2

I think you are being a little harsh on people. Yes, some people tip poorly because they are tight. But others may not have the money to tip big. And to say that they should stay at home eat a microwave meal just because they can't afford a big tip. You have no idea of that person's circumstance. Maybe that person just got his hours cut at work and its his wife birthday and he only had the money to do one nice thing for her therefore he couldn't leave a big tip. Don't go judging people until you have walked in their shoes. You know if you are a waitress you made a chose to take that job knowing that people may or may not tip good. Alot depends on the service and attitude of the waitress. A good tip would be 15-20% depending on if the waitress was polite keep your glass filled and maked sure customer is happy. After all the tip is optional. And I don't care if you give me the 10 pts I just had to voice my opinion.

P.S. And if the nicer resturants didn't charge an arm and leg for the food maybe the average person could afford to tip the waitress more.

Answer 3

Standard is minimum of 15% but we usually tip 20-25%, depending on the service.
}You're right. Lots of things can happen in the kitchen that isn't the servers fault. Don't penalize the server! If the service was good, tip accordingly. If not, then leave 10% and tell the server why.
If the meal wasn't satisfactory, you don't get what you ordered, (although, the server should always check before bringing to the table) , it's not cooked as ordered, don't blame the server.
They are responsible for taking the order, being friendly, getting it to the table while it's hot, being attentive to your needs,.
If anything except the service isn't satisfactory, let the management know, don't complain to the server. They can't do anything about it.

Answer 4

Personally I think the restaurant should be responsible for paying its employees- not the customers. That's how its done in most other countries and it seems to work just fine. That said, because I know wait staff rely on tips, I do tip but typically only 15%, unless the service was particularly poor. The problem with tipping these days is that it no longer has anything to do with service. No matter how bad the service, most people give the same tip they would have if the service were good. If more people tipped according to the service they received, the system would be farer - good staff would make higher wages than people who could care less about providing customer service.

Also, I am paying the tip out of after-tax money but I have no guarantee the waiter/waitress will claim the tip on their income tax so it could well be tax free money to them.

Answer 5

I tip poorly if at all, if the service is in fact, the servers fault.
Agreed that it may not be,...but as a 10+ vet of restaurant & waiter work...I can often tell what it at fault.

I tip only if the service is good, and will often tip seperately to the cook (chef) himself, if justifiable.

Lowest tip ever (excluding zero) - 1cent for service so bad that
we later got a refund for bad service & bad food both.
I later found that the waiter was fired for several similar bad service.

Highest tip ever: $50 on a $80 meal.
Was definately justified... We actually got more than $80 value in the meal.

Answer 6

wow... alot of ignorant people commenting on here should work in a restaurant for a day. to the genius who said that it is the "restaurants job" to pay the server, check this out:

servers are paid min. wage and in some states below that. that's the reason why you can get a steak, soup, salad, and drinks for 2 under $40... because the restaurants pay cheap labor! BUT a server can work a 40 hour work week and wage wise only have a $50 check. BECAUSE the government taxes the "tips" a server receives. AND in most restaurants, most servers have to "tip out" the bartender and bus boy. so to you assholes who don't tip, the server who waited on you actually had to pay $$ out of his/her own pocket to wait on you.

and when the service is "bad" pay attention to what the server is doing... if he'she is slammed with 10 other tables, chill out! they're doing the best they can...

Answer 7

Most people that don't tip or tip poorly are usually unhappy with the food or the service. Some restaurants don't train their wait staff properly, resulting in longer wait times for refills, condiments, bringing check, etc.

My husband and I, when we go out to eat, we always leave a MINIMUM $2 tip, even if the bill is a sonic drink for $1. We usually try to figure out what 15% is on the total and tip accordingly.

Sometimes, when we have poor service at a restaurant, we will still leave a good tip, hoping that it will encourage the person that waited on us to step up their service with the next customer. It is very rare that we don't leave a tip. I think that happened once. Sometimes we'll even try to leave a note with the tip to encourage them.

Answer 8

I usually tip more than 15%. Why? Because I have worked in the food industry, as has my youngest daughter. I know the kind of work that goes into the job.
I usually will tip $2.00 per person in the party, if the bill is small, unless it's just me and hubby, then it's $5 or more. If the bill is say, $50.00 and I got really good service, I have been known to leave $10 - $15 for 2 to 4 people in the party.
If the service is bad, then I tip accordingly. TIP is not mandatory for people to leave. It is a bonus for good service.

Answer 9

Firstly, I think most people do leave tips but if they can't they must have a valid reason. After all, everyone wants tips not just restaurants. People now and days have to set aside a budget just for tips too.

Secondly, I think it is impolite of you to say to people don't go to the restaurant if you can't tip- wonder what your boss would think of that. You seem to put the blame on customers for your problems, in fact if I was in a restaurant where you were working, I would be thinking twice about eating there.

Answer 10

yes..you are SO right! The waitress is ALWAYS the one to blame...never the cook..when the cook is the one making the food! I agree..people should tip at least 15 percent ...provided the wiatress gives them good service.
Sadly...I have had waitresses barely say hello and then just drop the food off..and THEN two minutes later bring the check ..never asking if I needed a refill or anything. That kind of service does NOT warrant a tip.