What would be a reason you don't tip at a restaurant?

Question

I used to waitress and some people were so in my face that I should not get a tip because I get a paycheck! I gave excellent service and was also fast ! (I had to wait on a 80 seat restaurant by myself) Do they think that because I was so busy I wouldnt notice them not leaving a tip or did they think that I made too much money because I was the only one working? Just wondering how many out there have that attitude as well?

Answer 1

The only reasons why I wouldn't leave a tip is if the waiter or waitress was rude (for no reason) or if they gave very poor service. Other than that, I always tip because i also know just how hard being a waitress can be sometimes.

Answer 2

It is _very_ rare that I don't tip -- I usually over-tip. Service has to be clearly bad, and clearly the server's fault. I don't skimp on a tip because I disliked the food, or anything like that that's not the server's fault.

But, alone with 80 seats? Good god. Some people must've felt ignored. There's no way to provide adequate service like that.

I've usually sat and fumed about bad management in that sort of situation, and admit to having rationalised a bad tip -- not zero, but -- by figuring that the lousy tips from iffy service when overworked like that must end up coming up to the same in the end that one would make with a better staff/customer ratio. 80 people leaving 10% = 40 people leaving 20%, etc. I find it hard to believe that anybody working in a place that so clearly seems to not care about service would expect the usual rates. It sounds -- well, it sounds absurd. 1 waitress for 80 seats guarantees some, if not most, people aren't going to get things on time, and end up leaving annoyed.

Remarkably few people seem to know that waiters and waitresses normally get a below-minimum-wage paycheque, and are _not_ expected to live off that, too. I've worked in a restaurant; I know, I tip well even if things aren't perfect (and excessively if they are), but. I'd question what expectations people going to a place like that had, too -- it sounds cheap, and I'd suspect they were cheap.

Answer 3

I've never left without leaving a tip but I've thought about it. If the waitress drops the food on the table and is never seen again until she brings the check, I don't really want to tip. I've had to get up and go looking for waitstaff before because no one even walked into my area at all for 20 minutes or more. It's only annoyed me when the restaurant is NOT crowded and more than one waiter/waitress is there. In situations like that I'll only leave a tip between 10%-15%. I usually leave 20% or a little more.

Answer 4

T. I. P. S. This was written on a bucket in the old English Pubs.

When you entered the Pub, If you were in a hurry, you could throw some change into the bucket, and you would get served right away. (Some pubs put a bell inside the bucket so as to add a ringing noise when you threw coins into the bucket)

T. I. P. S Were the letters for "To Insure Prompt Service".

This is not a myth. The History channel actually showed us a few of these old buckets and some of the Early British newspapers referred to the practice.

Now, that, said:

I am a retired federal investigator with the US Department of Labor. As, you know, the employer is not required to pay waitresses the full minimum wage. Why? They can claim up to 40% of the minimum wage as Tips received by their employees.

Which means that whether we get prompt service or not , we really should tip. (If you don't like your service, have a chat with the waitress, but do not cheat her out of the minimum wage.)

Answer 5

IF a waitress takes half an hour to fill my drink then I have a problem with her. IF she rolls her eyes at me even once she doesnt get a tip, if she in general does not greet and just grabs things off the table and rushes off shes out of a tip. I think waitresses work hard for their money and I tip every one of them unless they piss me off or are rude. I will also complain to the manager if a waitress gives me an attitude for no reason. I am always nice and polite to waitresses until they piss me off. I couldnt handle your job because I know what jerks people can be and id probably tell them to shove a fork up their *** if they wanted to be assholes and then id get fired.

btw if a waitress is very friendly and attentive and spends her time at the table and suggests good foods to eat and is in general pleasant I always leave a very nice tip. mediocre service medocre tip, bad service no tip,(if they are slow thats ok but if they are just being lazy something else entirely.) really bad service a complaint to management.

And another thing if the waitresses rely on tips for eighty percent of their job then get another friggen job! Im sorry but if people hate their jobs and take it out on the customers then get a new job.

Answer 6

I always leave a tip, and if the service is good I tip more. I know that many restaurants don't pay their workers enough, and the workers depend on the tips as part of their income. The only reason I could think of to not tip was if I suddenly ran out of money or something. But I would want to tip later.

Answer 7

The only time I would not leave a tip is if the service was truly bad or the waitress was rude. Most people should realize that servers are usually paid minimum wage and rely on tips for the income.

Answer 8

I usually leave a small tip when the service and food is just horrible. Somewhere in the region of 5%. I can see your frustration though. More people take advantage of workers in the food industry more than any other. Always remember this line from the classic movie, "Waiting:" "You don't FU'CK with people who touch your food!" If more people follow that philosophy, the world will be a much better place.

Answer 9

It would appear that if you had to wait on a 80 seat restaurant by yourself then some of your patrons DID NOT receive the service they were accustom to ....Therefore some tables would not tip you ...As a frequent patron of restaurants I tip according to service . If the server is taking care of me then I tip 15%-20% if the service is bad and food is not good I speak to the manager .I have been a server before ..There is good and bad with every line of employment.

Answer 10

I can't think of a reason not to tip...even when I have had horrible service or nasty food, I still tip. I may not leave as big a tip as I usually do, but I still tip. If the service was really bad, I will usually write a letter to complain.