are most people ignorant as to how much to tip?

Question

I work in an upscale restaurant, altho most people tip 15 to 20 % there are many (especially certain ethnic groups) will only tip about 1.00 per head, I don't think most people know waitresses only make 2.13 per hour and when we spend an hour serving a table of 4, that means we only make 6.13 for that hour..can't live on that, In a diner where you are in and out in 15 min or less, 1.oo per head is ok, but in fine dining, where the server is making many many trips to the table with refils, delivering drinks, cleaning up, pre bussing table and wiping and sweeping their messy kids (and sometimes adults) tables, and floors, and then only get 1.00 tip, I think it is rudeness and ignorance on their part, also, do ya think parents allow their kids to crumble crackers and pour drinks on the floor at home? hope not..

Answer 1

To the people who said the tip is included in the bill you are:

WRONG

Tips are usually only included in the bill on large parties of like 10 - 15 people or more AND the manager will usually mention that to the party before they even sit down to eat ALSO if you think the tip is already included - don't assume - look on the bill and it will say it on the bill.

Servers work hard taking care of their tables and its not just your table they are taking care of 4 - 6 tables at a time - sometimes even more then that - it takes a lot of concentration, organization, prep and personality to handle 20 peoples little requests all at once. You have to be fast and efficient - There is really more to it.

Always look at the tax and double it that should be your tip - and if your server was great add a few bucks on top of that. Remember their paycheck isn't squat and they are depending on their tips as their source of income.

Answer 2

Some are and then there are waiter/waitresses that not understand good service will dictate the tip. I have gone places, including upscale and my drink be empty and the waitress be talking on her cell or to another waitress. I not even tip those people. But, when it good service I tip 20% and when it excellent service I tip about 30%.
I not one of these people that use a calculator and say; "Oh, the tip be $5.27"! If it close in my head then I just round to $6 or $7.
Example is a $10 meal and good service. I probably leave $3. If, there is a bunch of us, say 6 people and someone buy my dinner, I take the price of my meal + tip and leave that. But, many upscale restaurants screw their people on that tip as they tack on the tip automatic for a group. In this situation, say the total is $100. I usually leave $40-50 if someone buy my meal. Which we do all the time. So, the waitress on the cell would lose $40-50 on a tip because the Cell more important than working.

Answer 3

I tip according to service. It doesn't matter if I am in a diner, or a "upscale restaurant." If service is not up to what I expect, the tip suffers. When service is really bad, the service can expect one penny - the standard for bad service. And I usually do not think that problems with the kitchen are the fault of the server. If the cook/chef is having a bad night, and my entree comes out burned, that is his fault, not the server's.

When service is OK, neither good nor bad, you might expect 10 - 15 %. However, if service is very good, my tip will be from 15 - 20 %.

If I have small children with me, and the kids make a mess, you can expect a higher tip- even with bad service.

And, yes, I know you don't get paid well. I never would be a server.

Answer 4

My family eats out quite a bit ( about 4 times a week). So I have seen both ends of service good and really bad. We once had a waitress bring out our appetizer then about 1/2 hour later bring our bill and ask if we needed anything else. We said " how about our dinners?" I wonder how long they sat there getting cold? So for service like that we would tip less.
It really is based on service for me. I realize wait staff have many other tables to look after but thats all part of the job. You have to be able to juggle. But I don't think you should assume you are going to get a great tip if you have to be tracked down to get things for a table or you forget to bring things to the table.

Answer 5

well really...I happen to have worked in some of the nicest reataurants and it's all the same. Number one where do you work.. if they don;t add gratuity unto at least a party of six and up..or, you don't have a bar, or kids eat free on certain days or you have a buffet ..or you have to walk your own food, clean your own table, walk your own guests...things like this is red flag for bottom cent (opposite of top dollar). I make at least a hundred a day. I struggle, I sweat, I get stiffed. But at the end of the day I make my money. If your working 8 hours and your leaving with 50 dollars everyday...find a different restaurant, they come a dime a dozen...and NO half the people your get at your tables dont know nor care. so tuffin up sweety and make that money.....P.s...if it's so upscale gratuity would be added to a party of one baby...remember that white linens and ties don't make it upscale

Answer 6

my tip rule is as follow $50 or below, $10 tip. Between 50-100 is 15, and over 100 is 20. I dont waste my time calculating. But number 1. some waiters at fine dining restaurants are arrogant and rude, and are very racist. and that 2. a tip over $20 for a dinner is way too much no matter how much the dinner cost.

Answer 7

i am totally feelin' you on this one! I am also a server... and people these days just really do NOT know how to tip! I just really don't understand. ATTENTION PEOPLE: Five bucks on a $50, $70, $90+ check is NOT a good tip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just love how these bastards hand me 3 or 4 dollars and say "here you go honey," like they are doing me a favor. And do you ever notice that the people who say "you were great, thanks for the wonderful service" are usually the people who only give you 2 dollars. As if their verbal tip is paying my rent. Some restaurants include a tip calculator on the check print-out... which I think should be mandatory for all restaurants!!! Some nights as a server are great, walking out with $150 in my pocket won't cause any complaints from me... but far too often i leave work feeling like I just wasted 8 hours of my life with nothing to show for it.

Answer 8

How about I go on and on about all the things that go wrong in *my* job? Good Lord, find something else to do with your life than waiting on tables.

You are not *entitled* to a tip; you must *earn* the tip. I cannot believe the respondents that say they tip even for poor service. Why?

In another post, I responded that the tip should not be based on the value of the meal. Waiters, do you work any harder or better serving me a $50 meal than you do a $15 meal? Is the service going to be any better when you're working toward 20% of $100 than if you somehow knew you were working on a 15% tip on $50?

No, your tip depends entirely on the level of service - and on the quality of the food and the ambiance. You don't control the food, I acknowledge. But I don't get to express my displeasure except by sending stuff back to the kitchen. Don't even get me started.

OTOH, what's wrong with charging (on the menu) what you expect me to pay? If you want me to pay $28.75 for a $25 meal, charge me $28.75. Don't charge $25 and then complain that I didn't add the $3.75.

Please - and with all seriousness aside - if you don't like the way you're getting paid, find something else to do with your life. Unless you are indentured, you are free, and invited, to go elsewhere. If you are not making enough [money] doing what you're doing without incessant complaining, do something else.

Answer 9

yes it's true some groups just don't know how to tip, or realize that as a server you have to tip the bar and bussers, and hosts and food runners part of your tip. i have found in some cases on bigger checks i end up paying to serve people. a $200 check where i work i end up tipping $4 to the bar $2 to the busser and $2 to food runner, if the give you a $10 tip you end up running your a## off for a lousy $2. and they think $10 is a good tip!

Answer 10

It has no longer some thing to do with lack of data. that's cusomary to tip hairdressers for a job nicely finished and a delightful way. Many hairdressers now employ their chairs from the owner of the salon and are not paid a weekly salary. suggestions are continually welcome. I tip if I received good service and am overjoyed with the end result. If no longer, then i do not and could no longer pass decrease back to the same one back.