How much do you tip when out to eat and why?

Question

I am a waitress that makes $2.13 an hour plus tips, which I depend on to put myself through an expensive university. I'm just trying to determine what a person considers to be customary for tipping; although 15% should be standard it is not. My philosophy has always been: if you cannot afford to tip at least 15%, you should not spend as much. Let me know what you think!

Answer 1

Prolly 15%, more or less depending on the service.

Answer 2

I never tip less than $5 regardless of how small the check or how lousy the service...I just know the ups and downs and can relate the the whole "tip controversy"

I normally run the whole smoking section (12 tables) for 10 1/2 hours on sundays....i've done this for 4 months straight and have yet to hear any complaints from my customers....



I am a waitress in a slowly expanding food chain. We normally average 15-20% tips but we do print on the menu's that an automatic gratitudy of 18% may be added to parties of 8 or more...servers discression. Yes we make $2.13 an hour and no theres no law against that because at least 10% of food sales must be claimed daily therefore averageing out to at least minimum wage. I've served for nearly 7 years now and make on and average $350-$400 weekly for about 30 hours of work a week. Cant really beat that. At times I love my job and others I question as to why I still do it. My biggest problem with the serving experience is the lack of acceptance customers have when it comes to them having a problem with their meals....I serve it I dont cook it. When I ask if everythings ok dont smile and say yes, eat the whole dish, then ask to see the manager....complain and get a free meal (which you managed to eat all of) then tip me poorly when I did my duties as best I could. Your coffee stayed full and hott...your pop was always filled and you had plenty of attention so why stiff me? And to the individual that left the remark about not tipping...thank you we LOVE your business....please stop back soon, it was my great pleasure serving you.

Answer 3

Tipping, somewhere along this country's history, has become expected. It's customary, therefor, to go with the standard 15%. If my waiter/waitress is negligent, repeatedly forgetful, insincere or shows poor professionalism it effects how I enjoy my meal. Instead of engaging in conversation with my tablemate or enjoying my food/atmostphere I'm wondering if my food will be cold becase she's passed my table 4 times now and I saw the cook put up my order 10 minutes ago. Or if she'd rather talk to the other waitresses in the middle of rush or dissapear altogether for a period greater then 20 minutes then I, as a customer, feel ignored. I really don't ask much personally. I like to be "checked in on" four times minimum. Once when I get there, once to order, once to see if things are alright as I eat and once to drop off the check. That sets them up for atleast 20% as far as I'm concerned. I understand she may have many issues to contend with like the poorly parented child at table 3 who's slinging scrambled eggs all over table 4. Or the corner table of party guys who ordered a crap load of food, were drunkenly obnoxious and then never left a tip at all between the 5 of them. I understand. But it IS the service industry and to be completely honest, not everyone's cut out for it. I know I'm not. That's why I'm not in it. I love interaction with people. I just hate to depend on tips to be forcibly nice to a few absolute asssholes. I have total patience with waiters and waitresses. I've waited 45 minutes to an hour on busy nights just to be asked what I'd like to eat. No worries. I see it's a full place. I have time else I'd not have sat down after asking the greeter how long the wait would be just for the table.

Answer 4

I tend to tip 10% as a rule and I'm a student. If service is bad, I will not tip at all or leave the smallest change I have available as a statement. If service is exceptional then everyone that I dine with and I will tip a few £s each and bring our business there again in the future.



I think that if you behave as if you are expecting a tip then customers will pick up on this vibe and be less likely to oblige. I think if you smile a lot and make people's meal as enjoyable as possible people will tip you more. At the end of the day though some people are generous and some are not.

Answer 5

Well, a tip is something given as a gesture of appreciation for services. You can't tell someone "if you can't afford 15% for a tip, don't spend as much on your order" as it is not your place to do so. If your company feels that a tip is required they can try what some places do by adding it to the bill regardless if the customer likes it or not. Their business flow will adjust accordingly.

However, in my view, I tip on a scale.

Horrible service and/or food - no tip

Bad but tollerable service - 5% tip

Average service - 10% tip

Excellent service - 15%

Outstanding/above and beyond service - 20-50% (yes, I have done this many times)

Answer 6

In regards to the "isn't there a minimum wage law" question...Uncle Sam has thoughtfully compensated for the practice of tipping and set a separate wage for servers/bartenders and I'm sure a few other professions. You do have to claim at least 8-10% of your sales to avoid getting audited. So if you stiff your server, they are paying for the privilege of waiting on you.

My tipping is generally started at 20% and goes up or down depending on the service, with a minimum of $5. (Just because I ordered a cheap meal, doesn't mean they didn't have to refill my Coke as many times)

Answer 7

I also wait tables. I know not to expect more than 10%. But I usually tip anywhere from 20-50%, depending on the service and the amount of my bill. If the service is inadaquate, i tip 15%, but i usually let the person know i was dissatisfied. but not in a rude manner which i am all too familiar with.

Answer 8

Usually 15% as long as the service is decent. If I have to ask for a drink refill or for a wait person to bring me anything standard, it goes down - start at 11% & dropping from there depsnding on how they respond. But if they come by & check regularly, take care of clearing the table when it's overcrowded, etc, - 20%

Answer 9

When I eat out at a restaurant, I always double the tax. I don't generally go by the 15% unless I like the service. If I eat by myself, or was given bad service, I usually tip a buck.

Answer 10

We tip between 20% and 25% depends on how the waitress is. Only once did I not tip, worst experience ever.



Also add all that Tater salad said to the end of mine.

Answer 11

I tip 20%, only because I have benn waitress, cocktail waitress and a bartender. We basically live off our tips. I do wish more people would tip at least 15% but sometimes that is not posible. Example: One place I worked was senior night, they think .75 cents is a great tip. Just smile and say thanks.

Answer 12

Yeah 15% is good. If I get a bad meal it won't be near 15% though. I know that it's not the server's fault if my meal sucks, but the better the restaurant is, the better the tips are. That's just how it is.

Answer 13

I tell you, it solely depends on the service. I don't give a rip about 15% of the bill. If the waiter is crappy then they get a crappy tip. If they were great, they get a great tip! Jesus only asks for 10% of us. What makes a waiter expect 15%????

Answer 14

It starts at 15% but if the service is crappy then it goes down....I understand that you servers live off tips i was one before so i understand, but you also have to understand that if your service sux, ur tip is gonna suc.....work for it like you need it...make it look like u enjoy ur job rather than need your job...interact with your guests make em feel like theres nothign u cant or wont do for them. And remember its not abotu what they can or cant afford...its about your service....thats why they eat out silly goose

Answer 15

my tips are soley based upon the service and attention my needs at the dinner table with out me having to haunt a person down litterally speaking as well the meal in itself. if the meal is poor i am disappointed with the hold package therefore feel that i am being ripped off and with that in mind why should i tip a person who represents that establishment!

Answer 16

I usually tip 15-20%...

how can you only make 2.13 an hour? isn't there a federal minimum wage law?

Answer 17

If you can't afford 15% you have no business going out to eat in the first place.

Answer 18

i tip atleast $4 to a waiter\waitress if they had a nice additud but if they really nice help me decide i usaly go to maybe $10 one time when my mom was a waitress she got a $50 tip i think that was awsome

Answer 19

chill attude counts with me i like a perky friendly waiter staff i tip 15% or more if bad service and grouchy a penny that way they know they were bad and some one didnt forget their tip i dont count food prep aginst the water staff flaim

Answer 20

I compleatly agree. Im a server as well and when i go out I tip very generously. Its good "tipping karma" for lack of a better term...

Answer 21

18-20% depending on quality of service.

Answer 22

15% because I have to, and more if the service was great!

Answer 23

yeah you should always tip at least 15%, i think it's rude not to.

Answer 24

depends on how fat my pockets are