How much do you tip?

Question

I'm a waitress at a casual dining restaurant so expect my tips to usually be at least 15 to 20%. But of course that is not always the case. I treat every table as i would like to be treated. I'm not a horrible waitress because I have made very good tips before and customers tell me they love my service. Some people just DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TIP! For example, today, I got a $5 tip on a $51 tab. That's not even 10%! Then, last week, I was stiffed by a table. They left me no tip at all. I waited on them perfectly too. What some people don't understand is at most restaurants waitstaff have "tipshare" these are tips that automatically are deducted from our tips and are given to bartenders, host persons, bus boys, etc. They are taken out even if we aren't tipped. They are based on the amount of sales for the night. So if I don't get tipped by you i still owe tipshare. So basically, I have paid to wait on you!!!! I'm sorry but that doesn't pay the bills. So i want to know how much you tip!

as far as 10% being easy to figure out: the tax is usually around 8% if you multiply that by two you've got 16% that's not difficult!

Thank you Adam! And people should not eat out if you can not afford a tip too!

Weatherman,
First of all, i make 2.13 AMERICAN dollars an hour. Thats because i work for tips and therefore should expect them. Secondly, it doesnt matter how many peoople are at the table, a percentage of the bill is a percentage of the bill. Just thought you should know some of that before you chimed in.

Ok let me change a little part of my question; American Citizens, how much do you tip... i dont care how much weatherman in england thinks i should be getting and calling me rude when the customs are obviously different.

Answer 1

15 to 20%

Answer 2

A tip is a gratuity for your good service and although, here in the States, it's normal, not all cultures and countries are use to this practice nor is a tip something that should be expected.

I agree that using the tax amount on the receipt and at least doubling it is an easy way to figure out how much to tip. I usually at least double it and round it up to the next dollar. If the wait staff has been exceptional, I'll raise the amount I leave. However, if the service has been below par, I will usually tell the person waiting on us how I felt about their service (as politely as possible anyway) and will leave a minimal tip if any at all.

Answer 3

if a waitress at sit down resturant does a good job then I tip 20% sometimes a little more, at buffets where someone cleans off the table I usually leave a dollar per person in my party. If I am sitting at a bar and getting reasonable service from a bartender I will leave a buck or two depending on what I spent. delivery food drivers I tip between 15 and 20% if they get my food there on time and hot. hairdresser I usually only tip her about 10 - 15% but that is because it is only for a trim or a plain cut..not shampoo and set..so there ya go

Answer 4

There are a lot of factors involved there.I'd say the biggest one is you. People tip(generally) in accordance to how well they were served. Unfortunately each person's perception of "good service" is different. My ex-wife made hella tips but that's because she learned how to read people-Do they want there soda refilled every drink they take or do they want left alone? Do they have company or do they want a little company? There are many things to consider and some people(myself included) are simply not made for waiting on people because they can read body language that well. I guess it sounds like you have two choices, learn from experience or find a job that doesn't depend on tips.(by the way, don't think she never got stiffed, its the over all average you should be looking at if you want to validate yourself as a waitress.) ps, I've lived on tips before so I tip very well..... I think.

Answer 5

I tip 15-20% and a minimum of $1 even if I just get a cup of tea, but there are always clods. I had a job while I was in graduate school as a waitress at a diner that was near a senior citizen development. The regular people tipped fine, but I would serve two complete dinners to a senior couple and they would leave me a 25 cent tip after telling me through dinner how much they liked the service. I quit the job because I wasn't making enough for the job to be worthwhile.

Answer 6

I know that it should be at least 15% of the total bill, and normally I give around $5 to $20 depending on how good the service is and our bill ranges from 25 to 70 dollars.

Really depends on the service.

Answer 7

As a fellow server i know how much bull crap you put up with from rude customers. People like weatherman obviously, thank god hes in england and not here. So i tip 25% for good service, 50 or about for great service and if you suck youre still getting 15 to 20.
Weatherman, if youre from such an enlightened place, much more enlightened than America. Why does your country owe us so much money and cant do anything without american approval. Please enlighten me on that.

Answer 8

Here in Ohio, a waitress or waiter makes exactly $3.01 on the hour and yes there are tip pools of sharing what you make with the bartender who makes 3 times more amount than the waitress/waiter, and doesn't run their butts off getting things from the kitchen. But I do know this much, when we're out having lunch or dinner, we always give a 25 % tip of our bill. We do not order from the bar, we simply drink cola or water. ( which sits in a pitcher near the waitress area). So to the ones who dont tip, or simply give a bit of pocket change, shame on you. You cant buy a piece of bubble gum out of the machines for a quarter. I should know, I worked at a golf club where all these golfers were millionaires, with their prissy wives who thought because they had servants at home, you were going to be their servant at this club. I did let her hear my mouth one day after I ended up working her table with all her loyal friends who wanted this and that right. Only for her to leave me 25 cents. I told her she must of dropped it from her billfold . She said no honey its for you. I told her to keep it, it was no good for me to use anywhere, cause bubble gum machines take 50 cents now. She excused herself from her friends and ended up giving me $100.00. In order for me NOT to put this in the tip pool. I quickly shoved it down into my shoe. And used $3.00, to put in the pool. So in a way I came out for the better.

Answer 9

i work for tips , too. i will tip up to 50% for excellent service. BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.
i have left no tip for awful service, before, too.

sunday morning breakfast at a 'mom and pop' place in town costs my husband and me $9.50. the waitress sees our car pull up and gets our coffee and tea and places them on a free table for us (before we get into the restaurant - which is packed). when we sit down she asks "usual?" and we say yes or no.
she gets a $10.00 tip. (over 100% tip)

at another restaurant we go to for dinner, i know the wait staff has the same "tipshare" as you do. we have found a way around that , too. we leave no tip, come back with an envelope (with the tip) with the name of the waitress/waiter on it and sealed. i happen to know the waite staff gets paid $2.09/hr and the line people get $7.00/hr. how can 'tipshare' be fair in this situation? can't!

most wait staff around here (where i eat) know me and will almost fight over who gets my table.

Answer 10

I would say closer to the 15%. I also judge on how well the waiter/waitress did on our service. If great job, higher percentage, if not so good, then a buck or two.

Answer 11

In Australia, most of us don't tip at all. That is because our employers pay us an appropriate wage so we can just do our jobs and live off our earnings. I always thought it a stupid and cruel practice of American employers (I'm guessing you're American) to put people in a position where they must work *and* beg, just to stay alive. It is astoundingly undignified from an Australian perspective and I feel for you, being put in a postion like that.