Tipping A Waiter/Waitress???

Question

I Am Working as a Waitress saving up money to go to school, and help my family with bills at the same time. Now i do not understand what the big deal is about people being so cheap when it comes to service. now i understand that the service can be bad sometimes, but other times it can be great, people give you compliments all day and when they get ready to leave you have 1-2 dollars on the table. is it really that hard to leave 4 to even 5 dollars. maybe its asking to much... I see people blow all kinds of money all day long on everything. hell ive done it myself. but i always leave a very generous tip on the table because i know how hard it is. So Why Cant People Just Stop Being so Cheap. Just Wondering What You All Think>...?

Answer 1

know Exactly how you feel. Ive been waitressing off and on for 5 years now. About a month ago I had this really great table of 4 people, they were really nice to me and I talked to them about the attractions in town and my personal likes and dislikes. They finally were leaving and said nothing but great things to my boss about me. Well, I went to the table and cleaned up, when I counted the money I realized they were almost a dollar short of paying the bill, which means I not only had to pay money from my pocket to eat, I had no tip at all. I figured they just miscounted, but I was pissed the rest of the day. My boss always says to me, "sometimes your the bug, sometimes your the windshield...", its kinda weird (just like him) but makes sense! Anyways keep your head of hun, cuz for all cheap d.icks there are a lot of people like us, who know how it feels to be stiffed.

Answer 2

I like a lot of the above answers. Especially about the one for determining a tip with a coupon!

I worked as a waiter at a nice country club, and it was a great job, fun, and had it's challenges because the management was a bit crazy. Anyway, I think it has to do with the type of place sometimes, and the people other times.

When we would run early bird specials, out of season, our tips for those two hours would be terrible 10% or so. When the dinner customers came it would jump to 20% average. Also banquet serving is very rewarding (weddings, parties, graduations booked at your restaurant). The bills can range into the thousands of dollars, with an automatic 20% gratuity added. Even if there's 3 or 4 people working it, everyone can walk home with several hundred dollars for four hours or so of work.

So maybe you can work youself into some of the more popular or niucer restaurants in the area, and the change of clientele may just be the issue. I think some people are on fixed budgets, and they really can't afford, or don't beleive that they can afford to leave big tips.

I agree with you, and always leave 20%+ becuase I've been there.

On the other hand, I'm not really sure why they do it, but I can totally relate to being complimented, and then virtuallty stiffed when I looked at the tip...

It tends to balance out. If not, try another restaurant.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

There are a few factors that would influence how much of a tip I leave. The first and most important one is service (courteous, helpful, friendly, and timely (not having to wait too long for controllable things like water). The second factor is how much effort someone gave to me (and others). They shouldn't be lazy, talking excessively to other waiters, etc. Lastly, meal cost. I tend to give higher percentage tips when the meals are inexpensive. For instance, of the meal cost $10.00 I may leave a 25% tip (or above) providing everything above was great. I may leave a 17% tip is the meal was very expensive (with win, etc). I do not hold a waiter or waitress responsible for the actions or inaction of the kitchen (in which case, if the food was not good or there was a very long delay in getting the meal, I would fault the Management, not the server and also not return,

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I always leave at least 10% of the total bill. 10% is for OK/poor service, 15% is for OK/good service and 20% for great service.
I also was a waitress, so I have been on both sides of the "street". If someone orders a burger that comes to $6 or $7 dollars why on earth would they leave $4 or $5 for a tip?
Remember, there is no law that says people have to tip-serve with a smile and apologize when something goes wrong-even if it's not your fault. Patrons; remember most waitresses do not even make minimum wage and they depend on their tips to make ends meet.

Answer 5

Sometimes when its busy u do get bad service. I always tip 15% been there done that. Some people think just cause they have to pay for the food then they don't have tip big. I think if ur going out to eat and the service is good u got lucky u need to tip well. Believe or not some people tip 2 dollars standard. I dated a guy with alot of money and he tipped 2 dollars everywhere I didn't get it he said that was plenty.People sometimes there just mean.

Answer 6

As a restaurant manager, I know what you are going through. My service staff complains about the same thing quite often. You did not mention what kind of restaurant you work in, or waht your clientele is like (blue-collar, upper-class, etc). Oftentimes I have found that a lot of people are just unaware of what proper tipping procedure is. In this day and age, 15% is MINIMUM for average service, 20% for good service, and the sky's the limit for spectacular service - I have had some customers leave my best server as much as 75% of the bill!
The one point I would like to make to readers of this thread is how to tip if using coupons. The tip should be figured based on what the bill would be if you did not use a coupon, not on the discounted amount. Even though you are getting $ off by using the coupon, the server still has to do the same amount of work as if you didn't have it.

Answer 7

I always leave at least 15% on a normal meal unless the waitress was so bad that I'm never going back!!! Which almost never happens; I'm easy to please! Good points on answer about coupons. Buy one, get one free, but tip on TWO!!! Also, I've seen people say that the rule is to leave 2 times the tax. That's completely ridiculous because "the tax" can range from 2 or 3% to as much as 15% or so, depending on the city and state! Another point, if you are having a $1.99 breakfast special, tip should be AT LEAST 100% of the bill! They're refilling your coffee same as with a $10. breakfast! So it varies. Bottom line, use a GENEROUS dose of common sense!

Answer 8

I usually leave 15 % if the service is just adequate; 20 - 25 % for really good service. I tend to tip a higher percentage in either of the following situations: 1) breakfast, where meals tend to be slightly cheaper than at lunch or dinner, but the server has to work as hard or harder; 2) inexpensive restaurants. The more over-priced the restaurant, the less of a percentage I usually leave.

Answer 9

Tips means "To insure Proper Service". Tips are rewards for the quality of your service, not something that is automatically due you. I don not know where you work but if it is a buffet or budget diner (ie:, Waffle House, Denny's) $1-2 may be quite right. Here is a good rule of thumb: Buffets 10% -15% if service is really good. [ex: ticket 11.00= tip 1.10 to 1.65] Diner, basic casual restaurant to upscale 15% to 20%.. Again 20% for the best possible service. [Ex: ticket 29.00 tip= 4.35 to 5.80] I was in the restaurant business for many years and waited some of that time. There were times I wouldn't have given me anything and people still did. Other times I tried so hard and got little to nothing. Then there were those who left very large tips. Generally 15% is acceptable, overall. Tips were nice to get, but they are gravy, no potatoes. Interesting note: I have waited tables in various regions and have found in areas that are Blue (more liberal) tips better than in areas that are red (more conservative). If you think about that makes sense. Tips for instance are better around Austin or Boulder (liberal cities) than around Amarillo, Salt Lake City or Dallas (consertvative cities) Not an absolute, but there is a correlation. Again it is earned though, not an entitlement. Hope that helps!

Answer 10

I believe it's a matter of percentage. Usually people leave 15% for tips. Does 15% come up to 4 or 5 dollars or more?
Keep in mind that it also depends on culture. In Europe, tourists are expected to tip for many services, such as directions around town, that are considered freebies in America. In China, on the other hand, tipping your waiter or bellman is considered rude.

In the US, waiter/waitress base salary is fairly low and they generally make the bulk of their income on tips. In other countries, the salary is higher as they do not make tips (tips not required/not part of custom). Maybe the solution is for employers to stop being cheap and pay waiters/waitresses what they deserve so tips can really be used as thanks for exceptional service.

Anyways, with all that said, below is the result of a recent study, hopefully this will help you get more tips:

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Recent studies reveal that the amount of a tip often reflects factors other than the tipper's generosity or the server's ability. According to a Cornell University report, servers who introduce themselves by name receive an average tip 53 percent greater than the tip for those who do not; servers who squat next to the table while talking with customers--thereby improving eye contact--up their tips from 15 percent to 18 percent; those who write "Thank you" on the back of the check receive about an 18 percent tip, the same amount female servers get by drawing a happy face, whereas males who do so decrease their tips by 3 percent; the use of tip trays bearing credit card logos increases tips by up to 25 percent, even when customers pay cash; tips soar by 140 percent for servers who simply smile; and those who casually touch customers (e.g., once on the shoulder, twice on the palm of the hand when giving change) add to their tips by 42 percent, women customers being a bit more generous than men.

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