Anyone else not leave tips at a restaurant?

Question

They aren't required, so I don't leave them.

I didn't even leave a tip on christmas day.

Answer 1

There I am, standing in line waiting to order a burrito, wondering what to write about next. I ordered a Baja burrito (shrimp and special sauce) and a bottle of Snapple. As I received my order the cashier looked at me with a strange glance, she looked at me and then she looked down at the counter, she looked at me again then she looked at the counter again. That's when I noticed a little paper cup with the letters T-I-P-S for the cook; it was full of money, so I reached in my pocket to give back the change she had just given me. That was the weirdest thing I had ever encountered, I just tipped the cook for doing what he is paid to do, cook! Okay, somebody answer this who should we tip? I'm going broke tipping my life away, sounds like a Sam Cook song huh? "Tipping, yeah tipping, yeah tipping, my life away", I think that was Sam Cook.
I was in a Starbucks recently, where all they make is coffee; they have no chefs, cooks, waiters, or waitresses. Yet almost every Starbucks I've been to, seems to have the same paper tip cup, except, in the well to do neighborhoods, where they have "tip jars". Let's see, I ordered a "grande" Mocha Latte, three dollars and fifty cents; they expect a tip around a dollar for turning around and filling up a cup. What a novel idea, a new website Tipcup.com, every member gets their very own tip cup to be placed in strategic locations. Every time your wife or husband cooks your dinner you can make a contribution to the cup. I remember seeing a tip cup at a newspaper stand, a newspaper stand! I still don't understand that deal. We tip the guy at the carwash and the woman at the fluff and fold; we even tip the guy who cuts your hair. When I flew for the first time back in 1984 I tried to tip the flight attendant, she wouldn't accept the money. Personally I think they should be tipped.

Tipping should be reserved for the front line workers. Who are these front line workers? They are the people who put up with rude the customers, spend long days on their feet and deal with abusive employers. I am talking about the waiters, waitresses, bellmen, and limo drivers of the world. They have to put up with so much stuff every day; it's a wonder why anyone would want to work in these professions. Some people believe the reason we have these annoying tip cups is rather simple. Since most shops only pay their employees minimum wages, this is a supplemental source of income. Just in case you live in a cave, the word "TIPS" means "To Insure Proper Service",. The server in their anticipation of a good tip works hard to make your stay enjoyable, in return the customer enjoying the fine service rendered rewards the server with gratuities, thus completing the wonderful experience of dining out!

Now, if we have a tip jar every place we visit, we begin to erode the very essence of what tipping means. It could cause a paradox. The next thing you know panhandlers will be holding cups on every corner (San Francisco), ok to late. Wait, I've got a good one for you, I go to the restroom in a nightclub, after finishing my business I go to wash my hands. There is a guy standing there holding out paper towels and next to him is a tip cup. Why do I have to tip a guy for giving me a "fricken" paper towel? I thought this is my private place, why do I have to pay to wash my hands? Will this madness ever end? One final note if you are a musician, it is totally ok to have a tip jar. Everyone else, please move on!

Answer 2

I have been a waitress for quite a few years. I'm a good server and I have made countless evenings more pleasant and enjoyable for countless guests at my restaurant. I work for $2.13 an hour. I don't receive a paycheck because my meager pay is combined with my honestly reported tips and taxed away, so essentially I am renting a space to work in. I must say no matter how much I remember bad tippers or people who do not tip at all that I will NEVER spit in anyones food. I am a better person than that. But more and more lately I have been so burned out on people like you that I am searching for another job. Problem is, there isn't that much work in western Colorado unless I want to work in the oil fields, and that's probably not going to happen since I am a 45 year old woman. When I serve someone like you, and you walk out leaving nothing on the table after I have given you exceptional service, it's like a kick in the face. Why would you want to make someone feel that way? Don't you realize that the person (and I emphasize the word "person") serving your rude nasty self could be a struggling college student, or single mom struggling to feed her kids, or to buy just a few Christmas presents for them. If more and more people demonstrate selfish attitudes like you do you know what will happen. Less and less quality people will choose to be in that line of work. You will have the same crappy, sullen, low quality service you get at a low rent fast food joint where kids just don't care, they will get the same low minimum wage not matter how busy they are. I can't stand people like you. I hope karma hits you hard some day.

Answer 3

Its true they are NOT required, and you are not obligated to (but lately its expected), but not leaving a tip on Christmas day is kind of rude. They are there instead of being with their family, you could at least tip them a few bucks.

The only time I don't leave a tip is if I had crappy service. And those who 'enhance' the food because of crappy tips deserve no tip at all and should think of finding another job if they want revenge on people who do not tip for whatever reason.

I usually tip 20% if the service is good to excellent. If I find I don't have enough for a good tip I usually make it up next time I go.

Answer 4

That is so disrespectful not to leave a tip. The only time it is acceptable, is if the waiter/waitress is a complete jerk to you. Other than that, you ought to leave one.

To the people saying they don't tip because they are boring and the they're complaining about how bad their life/work is: thus is why, you never tip and you are rude to customers.

It's not right to not leave some sort of tip, even if it is a dollar. I generally don't tip when I get takeout, but I do if I can (I'm barely paid minimum wage, and the place I go to understands, yet still treats me very well) or if it is a big order. I ALWAYS tip at least $2 for my meal, several if it is great service, and $5 to my hairdresser.

Answer 5

I cant believe some of these answers! Who goes out and doesnt tip? As a part time waitress and full time student, I can tell you that my tuition, rent, and all other living expenses depend solely on tips. We all make minimum wage and without tips we wouldn't survive. On top of that, when a table doesnt leave a tip, it demoralizes you and bums you out for the rest of the shift, especially if you provided good service (though, honestly, I've left decent tips to even the worst waitresses -- who knows, maybe they were just having an off day).

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, if you're too poor to add an extra 15% to your meal, DON"T GO OUT!

Answer 6

I leave tips, but I haven't always. there was a time I was so poor that I probably had no business even going out, but I would go. I'd order the cheapest thing on the menu and then not tip. But I'd leave a note for the waitress. I was young then.

Answer 7

If you make it a habit to not tip, you might not want to ever eat at the same restaurant twice. They WILL remember you, and mess with your food. Waitresses make $2 an hour because the gov assumes they'll make it up in tips. When you don't tip, you're being an asshole. If you don't want to tip, do everyone a favor and stay home. I'm not even a waitress, but I tip 20%, and guess what? At the restaurants I frequent, they remember the big tipper, and I get seated and served faster than anyone else, and I also get my drink refilled promptly. This goes doubly for pizza delivery. If you tip badly, your pizza will get there cold or "altered". If you tip well, they will bring you your pizza the moment it comes out of the oven.

Answer 8

Tip is for people who can afford it. In America, waiters and waitresses get paid 6 to 7 dollars an hour. They basically work for tip, not wages.

If you don't tip, there will be others who will, but, if you keep going back to the same restaurant, don't be surprised if you get a little something extra in your soup or salad that does not belong. Waiters and waitresses are not your parents, they actually work for money, not for free. People wait on you hand and feet and you just sit there and demand this and that and of course it is done politely, but that is besides the point. I guess you will never know because you have never wait on people. Why bother ask?

Answer 9

Generally speaking, "tipped employees" are paid a fraction of minimum wage, on the premise that they make up that money in tips. If they perform as expected, it's cruel to not tip them. (That girl making three dollars an hour to put up with your whining has suffered enough.)

I have been know to intentionally not tip an employee who did not provide good service. Basically, what you're doing is telling everyone that they suck...which is rude.

You should try waiting tables for a couple weeks just to see how it all works before you eat out again.

Answer 10

I always leave at least 20% - more if the service was better. Servers work very hard and they live off their tips. Only cheap jerks don't tip their servers.