How much do you tip when you go out

[cosmictraveler]

I usually tip about 20 percent of the total bill excluding any drinks that I might have. Sometimes, when I find out about the waiter or waitress, I will give 30 percent or more depending upon the person. As an example one of the waitresses that I give more to is a single woman with 2 children and she works 2 jobs to stay above water in her finances. Her mother cares for her children and also drives her to work for she can't afford a car. I've learned about this woman through talking with her and she always is showing me new pictures of her family. I've even met her children one day when I was leaving the restaurant and her mother was there dropping her off with the kids in the car.

So whenever you get to know your servers and find out about them more have you done the same thing as I have done or do you ever get involved with your servers to that extent? Also how much do you tip or do you tip at all, some people don't BTW.

 

[scheherazade]

There was a time in my life when I didn't tip...namely because I could not afford to eat out.

Once I had a bit of discretionary income, I would leave 10% because that was sort of the going standard for working singles to leave. I observe that tipping has increased when the economy is vibrant and becomes more reserved when times are a bit tighter, at least among the blue collar crowd. As a teen, I worked nights at a truck stop and so got to be on the receiving end of tips as well.

As my fortunes improved, I would leave 15-20% depending on the service and if I only left 10% at this stage, I would not be coming back to the establishment. Thank you and goodbye. Only once did I not leave a tip and I won't bore you with just how bad the service was except to say that she was female and only interested in serving the guys who were not with female persons.

Since taking an interest in where food is sourced and trying to avoid artificial color, flavor and MSG, we eat out considerably less often than a few years ago, usually at a Chinese restaurant just a few miles from here. We have known the staff for over a decade and we tip 25-30% and frequently receive complimentary egg rolls as a starter to our meal.

Loaded with everything that I avoid most of the time, but very fine tasting toxins all the same, lol...

 

[KilljoyKlown]

I usually tip about 20 percent of the total bill excluding any drinks that I might have. Sometimes, when I find out about the waiter or waitress, I will give 30 percent or more depending upon the person. As an example one of the waitresses that I give more to is a single woman with 2 children and she works 2 jobs to stay above water in her finances. Her mother cares for her children and also drives her to work for she can't afford a car. I've learned about this woman through talking with her and she always is showing me new pictures of her family. I've even met her children one day when I was leaving the restaurant and her mother was there dropping her off with the kids in the car.

So whenever you get to know your servers and find out about them more have you done the same thing as I have done or do you ever get involved with your servers to that extent? Also how much do you tip or do you tip at all, some people don't BTW.

I don't go out much now, but when I was younger and went out frequently I would tip 15% for expected service and 20% for very good to excellent service. If I was a regular at any place I would usually ask to be seated in my favorite waitresses area and tip 20% only because it was several times a week. Also, I would usually ask if the waitresses kept there own tips. Many eating places they pool all the tip money and split it equally at the end of the night. I only tip those places 15% no matter how good the service is from a single waitress.

 

[Twelve]

I usually tip about 20 percent of the total bill excluding any drinks that I might have. Sometimes, when I find out about the waiter or waitress, I will give 30 percent or more depending upon the person.

As my fortunes improved, I would leave 15-20% depending on the service and if I only left 10% at this stage, I would not be coming back to the establishment.

We have known the staff for over a decade and we tip 25-30%

I don't go out much now, but when I was younger and went out frequently I would tip 15% for expected service and 20% for very good to excellent service.

That's amazing! You tip from 15% to 30% of the bill. That means that one could give a tip of 15$ or 30$ for a bill of 100$. I guess that is a NorthAmerican custom ... In other countries hardly anyone gives a tip, or only 1$ for a bill of 100$.

 

[Balerion]

We didn't go out to eat much when I was a kid, so I never really learned the proper protocol.

I worked at a restaurant as a line cook for five or six years in my late teens/early 20s, but the tips were split by the staff (an unpopular situation, to say the least) so nobdoy really talked about percentages. Occasionally, I would hear about a "great" tip, but that was rarely put in the context of the order.

Then, about seven years ago, I started dating a waitress. Now I tip at least 20%.

(edit: I've noticed a disturbing trend of people putting the $ behind the number value when on internet forums. Who started that, and why haven't they been smacked to death yet?)

 

[KilljoyKlown]

That's amazing! You tip from 15% to 30% of the bill. That means that one could give a tip of 15$ or 30$ for a bill of 100$. I guess that is a NorthAmerican custom ... In other countries hardly anyone gives a tip, or only 1$ for a bill of 100$.

Maybe that's why foreigners get lousy service? The waiters and waitresses know they aren't going to tip. In the U.S. at most eating places they are only paid minimum wage, so without tips they just have a lot of trouble making ends meet.

 

[scheherazade]

That's amazing! You tip from 15% to 30% of the bill. That means that one could give a tip of 15$ or 30$ for a bill of 100$. I guess that is a NorthAmerican custom ... In other countries hardly anyone gives a tip, or only 1$ for a bill of 100$.

As KJ states, a lot of the server jobs do not pay much beyond minimum wage and having worked both at a truck stop pancake house and as a dining room waitress when I was in high school, I can assure you that it's very hard work to keep things flowing well when you have a number of customers to attend.

Some of them are very difficult to satisfy, some of them are rude and kids love to play practical jokes like unscrewing the tops of the sugar or salt dispenser and then it makes a mess or ruins a meal for the next customer if you don't catch it.

Some places have separate servers and busers, while in other establishments the server must do a lot of 'side work'. At the pancake house, I both served and bused, mopped the floor at 3:00 a.m. and filled all of the dispensers at every table, prepared place servings, made the coffee etc. I didn't have to do the dishes there. In Atlin, (forgot that one, a cafe attached to the hotel) I cooked, served and did all the cleaning, it being a small town, a simple menu and never too crowded on the shift I worked.

I should mention that on the rare occasion that hubby drags me to a 'fast food joint', we do not tip. You are not getting any particular 'service', merely assembly line 'food like product.' :bugeye:

 

[KilljoyKlown]

I can remember eating out with friends and the subject of conversation would get around to how do you tip really bad service. Most leave no tip at all, but some left a dirty trick. A few of my favorites are as follows.

1. Leave a single penny (they get the message)
2. Leave a single penny but super glue it to the table, and if that's not enough the salt & pepper shakers, utensils, glasses, cups and saucers.
3. Take a full glass of water put a piece of paper over it and flip it upside down on the table, then slip the paper out quickly. It will seal to the table and not leak until someone moves it.

 

[Repo Man]

We didn't go out to eat much when I was a kid, so I never really learned the proper protocol.

I worked at a restaurant as a line cook for five or six years in my late teens/early 20s, but the tips were split by the staff (an unpopular situation, to say the least) so nobdoy really talked about percentages. Occasionally, I would hear about a "great" tip, but that was rarely put in the context of the order.

Then, about seven years ago, I started dating a waitress. Now I tip at least 20%.

(edit: I've noticed a disturbing trend of people putting the $ behind the number value when on internet forums. Who started that, and why haven't they been smacked to death yet?)

I tip 20%. If I can't afford to tip that much, I can't afford to eat out.
Visiting my mother, she would always want to take me out to eat. It's about the only thing she can still do that she enjoys. She would never tip enough, so I got in the habit of palming a couple of bucks, and hiding them under my plate when she wouldn't notice in order to augment her tip.

Growing up, I never knew that you were supposed to tip your barber. My mother would send me with exactly the amount, and I was never the wiser. I suppose she just didn't know, and I guess she probably didn't tip her stylist either. In retrospect, that probably explains a few haircuts.

 

[milkweed]

I enjoy eating out and have my favorite places. Tips at fav spots are 20% or better. I like when they see me coming, they already know what I want to drink (carrying my coffee or soda already), where I like to sit (and usually) what I am going to order.

Yes I do have exchanges with these spots, I know kid/hubby names, school activities, vacation plans, etc. And several times over the years I have gotten freebie meals because of being a regular and coming in behind a crowd. "You guys are regulars and shouldn't have had to wait so long for your food. Boss says this one is free".

New places are usually 10% -15% but if I am treated like a regular, or a waitperson goes out of their way; pointing out things to see off the beaten path, good places to stay or spots to avoid, I boost their tip.

Holiday excursions 25%. You can really change a waitstaff's day with a $10 spot on a $40 check.

And I ALWAYS tip in cash. Even when paying with plastic.

 

[scheherazade]

And I ALWAYS tip in cash. Even when paying with plastic.

Yes, a cash tip can sometimes slip under the radar of the taxman, as the revenue department tries to get their grubhooks on every penny they can.

 

[Twelve]

Maybe that's why foreigners get lousy service? The waiters and waitresses know they aren't going to tip. In the U.S. at most eating places they are only paid minimum wage, so without tips they just have a lot of trouble making ends meet.

Sure.
Here customers think that restaurants include the wage to the waiters in the price of the meal and that's enough.
Anyway, it's mainly the following thought that underlies customers' attitude towards tips: "We don't get any tips at work, so ... Why are we going to give any tips to another worker?"

Growing up, I never knew that you were supposed to tip your barber. My mother would send me with exactly the amount, and I was never the wiser. I suppose she just didn't know, and I guess she probably didn't tip her stylist either. In retrospect, that probably explains a few haircuts.

I remember women used to tip apprentice hairdressers when I was a child. Growing up, they don't tip stylists' assistants any more.

 

[Crunchy Cat]

I tip 20%-100%.

 

[Balerion]

I tip 20%. If I can't afford to tip that much, I can't afford to eat out.

That's my view on it, as well.

Visiting my mother, she would always want to take me out to eat. It's about the only thing she can still do that she enjoys. She would never tip enough, so I got in the habit of palming a couple of bucks, and hiding them under my plate when she wouldn't notice in order to augment her tip.

Again, same. Though my mother was a bartender in her younger days, so I think the stinginess was my father's.

Growing up, I never knew that you were supposed to tip your barber. My mother would send me with exactly the amount, and I was never the wiser. I suppose she just didn't know, and I guess she probably didn't tip her stylist either. In retrospect, that probably explains a few haircuts.

I never knew this, either, until I was in my 20s, and still seeing the same barber who had given me my first haircut. Needless to say, I tipped him lavishly until I moved out of town.

 

[scheherazade]

I mentioned earlier that the amount tipped seems to follow trends, both the state of the economy and the financial confidence or personal valuation of the individual.

Originally posted by Repo Man

I tip 20%. If I can't afford to tip that much, I can't afford to eat out.

I can appreciate the sentiment, although from having worked the tables, any tip is appreciated and 10% was quite acceptable for coffee shop service when I was working, quite a number of years ago. Dining room service then certainly expected at least 15% for the additional amenities.

Visiting my mother, she would always want to take me out to eat. It's about the only thing she can still do that she enjoys. She would never tip enough, so I got in the habit of palming a couple of bucks, and hiding them under my plate when she wouldn't notice in order to augment her tip.

My mother likes to 'treat her kids' to a meal out also, for similar reasons, even though she is on a fixed income. Likewise, she would often not leave enough, (though she would usually leave cash even if paying with plastic) so I got into the habit of suggesting "You're paying for the meal, at least let me cover the tip", and that works for everyone.

She has also observed that the rate of tipping has changed as the economy has become more affluent and now leaves between 15-20% which is more than acceptable, IMO.

I am less judgmental about what size of tips people leave as none of us can know their financial circumstances, although if you're dressed in designer labels and demanding that the world cater to your needs, I certainly hope for the server's sake that you are willing to pay for the 'jumping through hoops'.

Then again, I expect that at least some of you would be willing to tip this waitress a little extra.

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http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1944017/the_best_waitress/