Food server wage and tipping question...?

Question

Let's say I dined at a fine restaurant and my bill was $30. I tip 15%, so I leave $4.50 for my server when I leave. Next, I dine at Denny's and my bill was $8. I tip 15%, so I leave $1.20 on the table. In BOTH restaurants, the two servers who served me worked equally hard and were very polite.

My question now: is tipping based on the % of the bill a really good idea? Because of the above reason ($4.50 tip vs $1.20 for EQUALLY good service), I only tip a FIXED amount of $2 to the server plus an extra dollar for each extra person served.

I'm trying to tip the server's service; not the bill amount. If you overtip them, they would make more than professions that require a college degree (I have a classmate who makes $50,000+ annualy on TIPS alone). At the same time, if you undertip them, that wouldn't be good either. So, how do we know how much to tip?

Thanks, everyone, for your input. Great responses from all of you. Learned new things. Never knew that servers made less than minimum wage. A lot of you still suggest 10-20% on the basis that higher-end restaurant servers get less customers (so need bigger tips) than "ordinary" restaurants. That sounds reasonable, but what if the meal costed $0.00? As for college education, I can totally understand that a lot of servers probably are in or have graduated college, but what I fear is that if the title "food server" is overpaid (not saying it shouldn't get paid well), then people would stop aspiring for professions that usually get that pay range - it would compete: for example, I'm going to college now myself and now I'm thinking about just food serving (no need for college, and same pay)... see what I mean? But, as another one of you said, it's up to the market... supply and demand I guess. Really, all of your answers were great, so i don't think it'd be fair to choose a "best" one.

...I'll let the "market" here decide which one is the best. Putting it up to vote now...

Answer 1

That is a good question. I think it is personal preference.
I tip depending on the average dollar amount of the check. So, if normally at Denny's the checks are $15.00 then I would tip 15% of that unless the service was good and then I go up from there. I usually tip from 20-25% (I waited tables for a while).
But if I were at a fine dining establishment and the average check was $45.00 then I would tip 15% off the top and probably top out at 20%. I am also more inclined to tip less when the service is bad at these establishments, because I feel by being there alone the server should have an indication of good service.

Answer 2

You can always tip more if you want. The guy from Denny's might actually make the same amount bc they have more customers at Denny's than at a very expensive restaurant. 15% is the right amount. The worst is when ppl leave a huge tip for rude service. Never understood the rationale behind that.

Answer 3

Hmmm, I suppose I usually air on the side of overtipping. I've never been a waitress, but I've known plenty of people who've done it so I usually tip a minimum of $2. I don't usually work out a precise percentage and go with what I think they deserve. I've had crappy service where I tipped .50. For example, I went to the local IHOP last week, most unfortunately it was spring break and it seems that all the parents take their kids to IHOP on spring break . Anyway, we had a great server who found time for us despite being run off her feet, so we left her a $8 tip on our $22 meal. Tip what you feel like.

Answer 4

Usually, servers at better-quality restaurants are more polite and you get better service. Which isn't to say that there aren't good people at Denny's. We ate at a Denny's in Orlando and as soon as we sat down, the server immediately took my kids' sippy cups and filled them with milk. She said she also has twin boys the age of my twins. I told my husband to leave her a large tip since she gave priority to our children (and probably was single mother to boot). I believe people that want to do well on tips strive to work at better-quality restaurants for the reasons you stated - 15% of a hamburger meal at a nice dining establishment IS more than 15% of a hamburger meal at Denny's. I don't have a problem tipping up to 25% of more for excellent service or special attention, as in the case mentioned above.

I don't worry about overtipping people who "might" make more than a college-educated person. Many servers ARE people who are working their way through school, or wait tables as a second job. Many college-educated people do NOT deserve the salaries they get JUST because they have a college education. Let the market take care of that. Besides, there are plenty of college-educated people working as servers because they can't get other jobs.

Answer 5

15% is saying you did a so so job. servers only make $3.50 an hour. be nice to your serve they work hard well most atleast. tip on thier service not always on thier bill. they run back and forth filling your drinks and standing in a very hot kitchen while they set up your food. speaking as a server. if u tip me bad and come in agian i will remember you and give you not the best service cuz you tip bad if you tip good i will reember that also and your drink will never get low, ;)

Answer 6

At finer restaurants, people tend to stay longer, therefore they get less tips but more money per tip. At Denny's, people eat and go, so there are more tips to go around, but less money in the tips. It basically evens out.

Now you don't have to tip 15%. If you think that a waiter works hard to make you happy, tip him how ever much you would if he were working for you if you paid him. (So if he was at your table for about 10 minutes, and if he were working for you and you paid him $14 an hour for his good service, you'd pay him a $2.3 tip).

Answer 7

Servers in fine restaurants get far fewer tables to wait on than casual restaurant. servers are also taxed on the amount of their sales regardless of what they were tipped. If you undertip your server they will actually pay to have waited on you. A denny's waitress may get 40 tales a shift or more to make money off of, while a fine dining server may only get 8 or 10 .

Answer 8

T.I.P.S. To Insure Prompt Service..proper etiquette is 15% to 20% of the bill. Servers in my state make $2.13 hr by their employer, people should tip extra for extraordinary service, even if it's over 100% of the bill. So what if she/he makes more than a college grad.(maybe the server is paying their way through college themselves) A friendly,attentive,humorous server who knows what you want before you have to ask can make your day. Why not make theirs too??

Answer 9

i usually tip 4 bucks max for good service

Answer 10

15% is saying you did a good job. 10% is saying you did an adequate job.

Geez, you people are idiots.