Tipping

[Dreek Lass]

I am not someone that has a lot of money. That will be changing soon, but as of right now and up until this point I am poor. I do not tip very often. If I do, then the person that waited on me had to have done something pretty special for me to tip them. I have told a few people this, and they have tried to berate me for not tipping, telling me that if I did not have enough money to tip then I should stay at home, which I violently disagree with.

I have learned that in countries such as America, that tipping is kind of a mandatory social norm, and that if I was not going to tip if I went over there, then don't go back tot he same restaurants.

I still stick by the fact that if you don't want to tip, then you shouldn't have to. The money is yours, nobody else's/ You earned it.

Your thoughts?

 

[Poohbear]

It goes back to the days of the rich being the only ones able to hire a cab or go to a restaurant.Flip the minion a few pennies if he grovels enough.Back to the days where every household from the lower middle classes upwards had a house full of servants.

It should be done away with in this day and age unless you receive service over and above the norm.

 

[NoDak]

In the US, tipping is the norm. The server is paid low wages, by the employer, with the idea that the tips will make up the difference. If they just paid the server a higher wage, your meal would cost significantly more because of the added overhead of the wages.

That said, 15% of the cost of the meal is a good baseline. I go 20% as my rule of thumb and will deduct for sub par service. Unless the service is horrible,15% is the lowest I go. If you eat at an establishment often and are known as a good tipper, you will receive great service unless the server is a complete moron, then, they don't deserve much of a tip and won't last long anyway.

So, for you to "stiff" your server (not give a tip), yeah, you probably don't want to go to the same place again.

 

[Aries]

Usually 20% for me also.

 

[griz bear]

It depends on the quality of service. Got a good attitude, a smile the amount can go up.

 

[AUFred]

baseline is 15% of the before tax amount. better sevice better tip.

 

[Poohbear]

I don't eat out anyway...I've got enough problems with my own bodily fluids never mind those of kitchen staff with attitude.

 

[Catavenger]

Yep 15 or 20 (20 for GOOD) service. You say you are "poor": remember that the server also maybe poor (without tips). Some place also have the server share the tips with busboy and dishwasher etc. Unless the service is horrible I would at least leave them something. Maybe if you can't afford the tip you could go out to place like a hamburger joint where tips are not expected?

 

[SueA555]

I tip 20% for really good service; 15% for good service. I was a waitress once, for about a month, and that drastically changed my attitude about tipping.

Do you tip at self serve places where you order at the counter and they bring you your food? I figure any place where I have to wait in line to order doesn't really deserve a tip.

 

[AUFred]

I generally only tip if I am seated and my order taken at my table.

 

[The Man]

I tip..the better the service..the better the tip.
Dont expect a large tip if you just "bring me my food"
But yeah...its downright rude to not tip here in the states at a restaurant...just something you are expected to do in our culture.

 

[jreal]

I always do 15-20%. I kind of hate the whole tipping system, it gives restaurants an excuse to pay low wages when the tips can't necessarily be guaranteed. It doesn't seem right. I don't think servers deserve low wages, and I've heard it can especially suck for servers who work at like iHop overnight and get very few customers. I think we should pay them a good wage, and not have to go through the whole tipping rigamaroll. I've been in other countries or even to certain restaurants where they say, prices allow for good wages or whatever, don't tip. And it's nice to not have to mess with figuring it out at the end of your meal. I think a server who is decently paid will be motivated to still provide good service, I mean we expect everyone in a non-tipping job to do their job well!

 

[Joe the meek]

I busted my butt during college months working as a waiter. Make below minimum wage, and the money is in the tips. If the service is average, 15-20% depending how large the bill is. If the service is outstanding, generally at least 25%.

That said, you will make more in tips where the average meal runs $20 than working tips at the waffle house.

 

[kaiuk]

In the UK the tip in a restaurant is usually 10%. I used to be a waiter when i was a student, and management kept all the tips! Outrageous, but as a student you are just happy to have a p/t job

 

[caparica007]

At restaurants and taxis it's usual to give a tip, but it's not mandatory. I usually tip something, but if the service was bad I don't leave anything, they don't deserve it.

 

[Dreek Lass]

In the US, tipping is the norm. The server is paid low wages, by the employer, with the idea that the tips will make up the difference. If they just paid the server a higher wage, your meal would cost significantly more because of the added overhead of the wages.

That said, 15% of the cost of the meal is a good baseline. I go 20% as my rule of thumb and will deduct for sub par service. Unless the service is horrible,15% is the lowest I go. If you eat at an establishment often and are known as a good tipper, you will receive great service unless the server is a complete moron, then, they don't deserve much of a tip and won't last long anyway.

So, for you to "stiff" your server (not give a tip), yeah, you probably don't want to go to the same place again.

Yes, I understand this, as this came up time and time again with the last people that I spoke to about this, but it kind of isn't my fault that waitress and waiters do not get paid enough. I am pretty poor too. I do the work that I can, but nobody gives me free money and or hand outs. The sense of entitlement is just ridiculous there. You cannot expect people to just give you their hard earned money and then if they don't, you'll punish them by spitting in their food or whatever. What kind of bullshit is that?

The money is mine to do what I want with.

 

[drkn335]

I have never tipped before and I don't think I will. I don't understand why we have to? The person is just doing their job, that they are getting paid to do by the company, so why do we have to give them more money? Fair enough if we asked them to do a job that is outside of their work hours or what is expected of them, but I don't understand people who tip every time they go to the place. I don't think someone is a bad person for not tipping.

 

[drkn335]

Yes, I understand this, as this came up time and time again with the last people that I spoke to about this, but it kind of isn't my fault that waitress and waiters do not get paid enough. I am pretty poor too. I do the work that I can, but nobody gives me free money and or hand outs. The sense of entitlement is just ridiculous there. You cannot expect people to just give you their hard earned money and then if they don't, you'll punish them by spitting in their food or whatever. What kind of bullshit is that?

The money is mine to do what I want with.

I completely agree with you Dreek, it's not like we are getting paid loads to, and at the end of the day we work hard for our money so we should be able to spend it however we want to. Nobody should feel pressured to tip just because everyone else does, and you should get a great service at every restaurant regardless of tips!! Why on earth would a restaurant ever think of giving you poor service just because you don't tip, that's disgraceful.

 

[amy005]

I usually tip around 20 percent. Sometimes I tip a bit more but usually can't afford to do it.

 

[Chrisuren]

Waiting is a pretty bad job, I like to give 10% of the final bill to the waiter