Does anybody want some great advice?

Question

Tipping guide
The next time you're out eating at a resturant, look at your server. Do you think they are really happy to be doing that job? The answer is no, they are not, but it's what we do, and we do it for the money so please help them out. Its a tougher job than you think and you should pay them accordingly!

There are SO many people out there flooding the restaurants w/o any knowledge of how to tip. Here is a short guide for the general public to follow. Feel free to print out and store in your wallet and/or purse.

1. CHILDREN "THE LITTLE DEVILS":
If you have children, DO NOT let them, open and dump anything on the table (ie; salt, sugar, etc). IF YOU DO, you must leave an extra $5 for the server to clean up YOUR CHILD'S mess & to restock the now unusable wasted items. We are neither their babysitter nor their parent. The least you can do is pay us for the extra work. Also make sure you control your kids and don't let them scream or run around the restraunt. It's very distracting not to mention dangerous if they get ran over by a server with hot food in their hands.

2. "THE CAMPERS":
If you feel the necessity to stay for longer than 15 minutes after you pay, its an extra $3 every 30 minutes. We make our money from the tables. If you are in one and we can't seat it, we don't make money.

3. COMPLIMENTS:
Telling a server they are the best server they've ever had is not a tip. If we are good, let us know by leaving us more money. We cant pay our bills on compliments. Its not that we don't appreciate the praise, its just that if you say that and then leave 10% it's an insult.

4. THE SALVATION PAMPHLETS:
Prayer cards and any other religious pamphlet is NOT a tip. It is insulting that you assume we are w/o religion and must save us. Again, like ..3, we cant pay bills w/prayer cards. We'd go to church on Sundays if it wasn't mandatory to work on Sundays because EVERYONE who goes to church follows it by eating out.

5. TIPPING:
It is not 1960. Cost of living has gone up dramatically since then. 18% is the MINIMUM amount of what you should be tipping your servers. Just look at the tax line and multiply by 2-3, this gives you your minimum tip amount. Remember, our companies pay us minimum wage (minumum wage for servers is $6.75 in CA, $3.13 in FL, $3.09 in IA, $2.13 in TX) And we are taxed on 10 percent of your meal automatically anyway. So if your meal is $100 and you leave $10 and we tip out $4-5 to the busser, bartender, and whoever else then we pay tax on 10 dollars and we make $5. It seems small but it adds up. How many times do you eat out per week and do this?

6. THE COMPLAINERS:
If you get a discount because of your food was prepared wrong or something, do not take it out of our tip. We didn't cook it. The cooks get paid hourly regardless if the food sucks. However, we only make what you give us.

7. THE FREE STUFF:
If you happen to get anything for free and you did not have a problem with your dining experience, most of the time it is because the server thinks you will realize that they are giving it to you for free. There should be extra tip thanking the server for the free item. They could get in a lot of trouble giving away free stuff. You should give them hazard pay for it.

8. THE LATE ONES:
If you come into the restraunt 10 mins before closing or any time near closing hurry up and order your food and get out. Closed means closed, not social hour. It is so rude to sit there and take your sweet *** time. We can't leave until you leave because we have to do sidework and clean the table you are sitting at. We don't want to stand there waiting for you for an extra hour just because you don't want to go home. We recommend 24 hour establishments such as Dennys if you wish to sit into the wee hours of the night.

9. THE TABLE HOGGERS:
If you only come in for coffee or a dessert, to do paper work, or to have a meeting, don't sit there taking up our booths for hours. We are not Starbucks or a hotel restraunt. If you want to sit for hours, go there or else you better leave a good tip for us and camping fee included.

10. THE GREET:
When we come up to the table to greet you and we ask how you are doing please let us know. We honestly want to know how you are doing. If you are in a bad mood we want to know that from the beginning. A confused stare or complete silence does not suffice as a reply to "How are you doing?". Also most of us are REQUIRED to say certain things during the greeting, so please don't interrupt our greeting and say "I want coffee", "Can we get some bread?", or "What are the soups?"

11. THOSE DAMN CELL PHONES:
Don't ever talk on your cell phone in a restraunt. This is probably the rudest thing to do. If you must be on your cell, at least keep your voice down in respect for other customers. If you are on your cell phone when we walk up to greet your table we will walk away and not return until you get off your phone. Just show some respect and give us your attention for a couple of minutes.

12. TAKE-AWAY OR TO-GOS:
Always remember to tip the take-out order servers! They work just as hard as a server, and hardly ever get tips for it! WE DESERVE TO BE TIPPED TOO!

anybody that gives lip to this, EAT ME!

Answer 1

Here's a tip for you......
Every job comes with it's share of BS. If your job bothers you so much, just find another. It's not like you had to get a degree or something to be a server, so go ahead and walk. Find something else to do that pays the bills.

Answer 2

I NEVER tip in an English restaurant, but when I go to Spain, I always tip generously. Want to know why the difference? Because in an English restaurant the service is grudging and second rate, the tables are filthy and the food is overpriced and mediocre. In Spain everything is the exact opposite.

I am aware that in America there are certain customs we don't have, like refilling your coffee cup numerous times with no extra charge ( an English cafe owner would throw a fit at the mere idea...every cup would be charged for at the same price ) and service with a smile. In the UK it's usually service with a snarl if you're lucky and caught her on a good day.

The idea of cleaning a table down ready for the next customer is another innovation completely beyond the grasp of most British staff. Much better to let them sit at a table still piled high with the remains of the last customers' meals, then proceed to lean over them while dropping left overs down their clothes, and don't forget the perfunctory wipe of the table with the greasy cloth that looks like it's been used to clean dogs ears out with.

Tipping here? No way. Maybe if I ever visit America I will, but until Brit staff wise up and realise customers deserve some consideration for paying their wages I'll give them the money for the food and not a penny more.

Answer 3

I've never been a server, mostly because I dont think I could handle doing so many things at once, running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I do, however, have family members and friends who are servers and say the same thing. I think you deal with those kind of people and problems in any service industry environment. I ALWAYS leave at least a 20% tip, and make anyone I am with do the same. A simple, hey a@@hole, this is how these people survive. This is how they make their living seems to do the trick. I advise everyone to do the same!

Answer 4

Points well received. I to worked as a waitress and for all the reasons you stated here is the reason I found an easier way to make a living. You should consider it to.

Answer 5

Very well said!
I disagree with just the last one. No tipping for take-out.

Answer 6

Good tips. , Get it ? Remember your haisylist too.
And if you really want to you can tip your GIS guy.

Answer 7

Well said!

Answer 8

Sure lets hear it.