how much % of tips do you pay at restaurants in the us?

Question

this woman who lives in california says it's 20 % there
this guy from minnsota says it's 15 % there.
i'm a little confused...

Answer 1

15% is standard for adequate service , 20% for exceptional service. For poor service, leave 10% or less. It’s okay to leave nothing for exceptionally poor service, but only if you’re sure it’s the waiter’s fault. The source that I listed gives tips for tipping in many situations/professions.

Answer 2

The answer is 15% everywhere. That's the standard, and it has been for decades. Alot of people think that because 15% is standard, then good service would mean that 20% is the right number. That's fine. If I get really good service, I frequently tip 20%. On the other hand, if I get bad service, I will usually not leave one at all. So many people leave no tip though, just out of cheapness, that they will usually just figure you are a cheap person, so if I get bad enough service, I'll tell them why I did not leave a tip. If that happens, I don't plan on going back. You never want to make people mad who will be bringing you food that you will be putting in your mouth.

However, just because it was 15% in years past, there's no reason to let it creep up to 20% just because time has passed. If service is competent and the server is polite, 15% is just fine. Don't forget that the prices of food have gone up too. 15% is actually more than it used to be, because 15% of 20 bucks is more than 15% of 10 bucks.

By the same logic that makes the claim that it's 20% now, in 20 years, will it be 25%? 30%? In 100 years, should we just triple our food bill?

I am a generous tipper, especially at places I go regularly. I tip waiters/waitresses, maids in hotels, the guy that buffs my car with a towel at the carwash, and bartenders. However, I am tired of the fact that everywhere I go, I run into people doing their jobs, they are looking for big tips.
You know, who tips the dishwashers? Janitors? Fruit pickers? Chicken pluckers? Snow plow drivers? Urban high school teachers in gang filled schools full of little thugs?

All of these people have some nasty hard jobs and low pay. They don't see the public, so they get the shaft.

Sorry about getting carried away.

Like I said, the short answer is really 15%.

thanks!

Kevin

Answer 3

It sort of depends on the type of restaurant. If the server does everything, I tip 15 percent assuming the service was good. If I have to do part of the work myself, like ordering at the counter at Sizzler and the server brings me the food, I give 10 percent. Most fast food places there is no tipping.

I hope that helps. By the way, I'm in California, but I would do the same no matter where I was.

Answer 4

it doesn't depend on where you live. The 2 major factors to how much you tip are- 1. was the service good, great or lousy. and 2.- how generous of a person are you at the time your meal ended.

You can have great service, but not feel generous and low. Or have good service and tip more.

I know that here in this part of California tax is 8.25%. So doubling the tax on the bill is usually the norm for most people, easy math for them. Some people tip more, some people tip less.

Answer 5

I usually tip between 15-20%. It all depends on the service. The better the service the more I tip. If I get really bad service, I will tip less than the 15%.

Answer 6

The standard 10 years ago was 15%, with 20% reserved for great service, but in recent years the standard has inched up to 20% in most major urban areas. When I was a server I expected 20% per table and did a good job to try and get it. (At the end of the shift servers have to share tips with busboys and bartenders and end up leaving with approx. 1/3 less than their total tips.) As long as you tip 15% you're tipping appropriately - but if you like your server and they add to your experience nicely, leave 20%. At bars, usually $1 per drink at the bar.

Answer 7

15 to 20 percent, depending on how good the service was.

Answer 8

This depends on the restaurant and the service. 15% is customary for satisfactory service in the U.S.A.

Answer 9

It might vary a bit from region to region and person to person. I live in CA and I usually tip 15%.

Answer 10

I hear that the % is different in different areas across the US but I am a server in Chicago and we expect 20%. But of course you can always tip more. Servers love that!