Tips for Your Waiter or Waitress?

Question

What do you feel is an appropriate tip for good service as compared to great service, and do you think that it is ever okay to tip poorly, rudely (money in waterglasses, pennies), or not at all?

Answer 1

15% for ok to bad service
18% for good service
20-30% for excellent service

I don't believe it is ever okay to tip poorly. Really if you give them anything less than 15%, you are probably burdening them and their family! A lot of these people are hardworking and support their kids and spouses, apartment, car, daycare and school!

Here's some math. Say your bill is $100. That means 15% is $15. You leave $7 thinking that is generous. At the end of the night I have to tip out 3% of my sales (which is calculated as 20% of my 15%) So from your $7, I actually get to keep $4. Seem fair?

I don't want to hear anyone say "oh well poor tips comes with the job so if you don't like it find something else to do!" I'm not one of them but some of these people don't know anything else and it is almost impossible to get a job anywhere else if you have been working in the industry as a server for more than a year. Not everyone was able to go to school. Not everyone made it through school. Some of them are in school and know that serving tables is the best way to make money, that is if people tip correctly.

If your service is horrible, ask to speak to a manager. The problem isn't corrected by not leaving a tip. There were plenty of times I thought I did very good with a table and they left me nothing. So I change nothing. BUT the lady who told my manager that my apron was disgusting let me know there was a problem. I had a new apron on within minutes. She still left me a decent tip so I make my living and I won't upset anyone else with my apron, giving me the chance to continue making money!

Answer 2

The 'industry standard' is now 18%. So, if you recieve the service you expect (based on the mutul feeling created by the atmoshpere of the restarant; be honest...Ask for what you deserve) you should tip 18% on the total amount of check, that means, drinks, food, and tax. Go up from 18% for any thing you feel was above what the server was expected to do. If you are one of those hold the pickles, extra tomatoes, no salt, dairy allergy, substitute green sald for fries, with oil and vinegar on the side, drink with my meal kinda of people, you really should realize that ALL restaurants will do these requests without complaint, but it does take a considerably larger amount of work to complete for all the staff members that you're tip goes to. If you like to order that way you should probably go higher than 20%...
Honestly though, you can never really over-tip. The benefits of ample tipping can be seen immediately, just go back into the restaurant within the next month, ask for the same server you had the previous time and see how well they take care of you...

Answer 3

I love to tip well for a good effort by the wait staff and the quality of the food.
12%-18% is my guide for good service.
15%-25% for exceptional service.

The irritating part of tipping is when you go to an overpriced restaurant and the amount you pay for the food is unreasonable. The tip also becomes unreasonable. For example, if one restaurant’s price for a filet mignon dinner is $25.00 and another restaurant charges $50.00 the tip for the same level of service is twice as high for the $50.00 meal.

I also object to having an 18% tip included in a bill for larger groups. The servicing of a large group tends to be easier because drink refills are done at one time, all food is ordered at the same time and if the service isn’t very good, you have no recourse.

Poor service is handled with a smaller tip, never coins in a water glass or no tip at all. Remember, tips are also shared with the cooking staff and they may not be responsible for poor servers.

Answer 4

The only times I have tipped poorly is when I asked the server to get the manager. Then I explained to the manager the situation with the poor service ( right in front of the server if they stay ), and that I am going to tip poorly. That way you know that the server will know that you were dissatisfied with the service.

Answer 5

Always tip 15% that is still the rule of thumb. Many people tip 20%, because so many of us have worked their way through college and really appreciate how hard the job really is. In New York City, the tip minimum is higher (around 20%) because the cost of living is so high. Never do anything rude to a server to make a point. They may be having a bad day and otherwise be good people. The kitchen staff may be rookies and that can make a lot of servers look bad. Those people, many of them, are working their way through school. And while it may look like they are doing well, just try spending $50.00 to $100.00 or more for one book.

Answer 6

I usually tip 10-15 % for good service and 15-20% for great service. And a waiter or waitress would have to be pretty terrible or rude for me to tip badly, because I know that jobs can be stressfull.

Answer 7

10-15% is standard. 10% for ehh, 15% for very good, and 18-20% for absolutely outstanding.

If your server was inattentive, then 5-8%. If they were rude, then nothing. Zero. Period.

Remember, the bare minimum of their job is to take your order, server your food, and keep the drinks coming. That's 10%. If they can't even do that, they have no business expecting tips, getting tips, or being a server.

Answer 8

If I get good service I tip 15 to 20%. If I get great service I tip 30%. Poor service deserves no tip. OK service 10%. I never l get rude it just gives them ammunition to say you were the one that had a problem. Oh don't blame the waitperson for bad food, they didn't cook it.

Answer 9

I am a waiter, I can tell you that sometomes we expect at least 15%... I f it's more... of course it's welcome. By other hand it a stressful place to work sometimes. During the peak hour, sometimes you won't get the -gratest- service, but be sure ---we-- are doing in most of the cases the impossible to please you. Bottom line, it's up to you, I see the tip as compliment. I know too when I give a bad service.

Answer 10

i believe you should always tip something. because no matter how bad the service they did something for you that you didn't want to do for yourself(get you your food) i believe as long as you leave happy you should tip at least 5 dollars. that is if there is only 2 people. if your rude that does cause them to think its you not them. then there is the case of if you eat there alot. i wait tables in a restaurant where 50 percent of our customers come in 2 or 3 times a week. the ones that tip better get better service the next time. cause if i wait on you and you tip me crappy. the next time i wait on you I'm gonna do the bare minimum of what i have to to keep you happy. also if you tip good the next time I'm gonna do above and beyond to keep you happy.