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a discussion on tipping in restaurants a discussion on tipping in restaurants

05-01-2010 , 04:25 AM
I dont mind tipping according to the original check. The situation was poorly explained by Grow. The service at dinner tonight had been slow, albeit friendly. I was planning on leaving a solid 15% on the original tab.

I was drinking during happy hour, and made sure to order my last drink before it ended. I specifically remember looking at the clock and noticing that it was a full 8 minutes before happy hour ended when I placed the order. I got the check back, and noticed I was charged full price for the final drink. Rather than wait another 10 minutes for the waiter to come back, argue with him, and wait another 10 minutes for him to fix the check, I decided to just knock the difference off his tip.

Edit: the final tip wasnt even dismal, it was still ~10%.
05-01-2010 , 04:28 AM
You left $3 on what would've been $34, but was 27$ with coupon, for what was at most a $2 miscalc on his part.
05-01-2010 , 04:44 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grow
OP is a life nit.

If you're at a restaurant and use some sort of coupon, do you tip according to the original check, or the post-coupon (reduced) check?
[x]coupon


original seems appropriate obv
05-01-2010 , 06:27 AM
15% minimum
20% if it seems like the waiter is trying to make an effort
25% if the waiter is a hot girl trying to make an effort

i know, i'm doing it wrong
05-01-2010 , 12:43 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by solsek
15% minimum
20% if it seems like the waiter is trying to make an effort
25% if the waiter is a hot girl trying to make an effort

i know, i'm doing it wrong
You're doing it right imo.
05-01-2010 , 02:25 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bosox15
I like your line...

Next time add the phrase "If you can't afford to tip then don't go out to eat at a sit down restaurant."
Right. Really if everyone would have just thrown in $2 more it would have turned it into a pretty solid tip, and this was after they had each just spent $20 on the lunch itself. So obviously it had nothing to do with the money and everything to do with them just being cheap.
05-01-2010 , 10:34 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottySo
Ok this seems like the right thread for a line check.

Getting lunch with 3 friends in LA. We have one vegan who is asking all sorts of questions and modifying his order. Another guy keeps asking for more bread and it's always brought promptly. All around the waitress is very patient and friendly even tho my friends are probably not the greatest customers. Point is, everyone agrees that the waitress is doing an awesome job.

Bill comes for $76 and friend A is going to put it on his card. I ask how much he is tipping and he responds that he's going to put down $82 total. At first I think he's joking but it turns out he's serious, and friends B and C are totally fine with this. I'm completely blown away and point out that this is under 10%. Friend A acknowledges that our waitress was awesome, and even agrees that this is a bad tip, but justifies it as "well I'm a poor college student so that's all I can afford." I'm very much trying to not get upset right now at how nitty my friends are, and I just say something like "fine, tip whatever you want." He ends up putting down $85 and I leave an extra $10 in cash on the table as we leave. I've also resolved never to eat out with this friend again.

How did I handle this? What should I have done?
This is pretty standard with nits. Your friend's justification is completely lame. If he can afford the meal he can afford the tip - if he is that broke he shouldn't go out in the first place because tipping is an expected practice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bosox15
I like your line...

Next time add the phrase "If you can't afford to tip then don't go out to eat at a sit down restaurant."
I wouldn't say this outright because it's a little douchebaggy (I'd say it to a random but not a friend) but you are right.

I have a friend who is the biggest nit ever and when we went to IHOP on free pancake day he ordered water and refused to give any money for tip because all he ordered was free pancakes. I don't go anywhere with him that involves spending any sum of money anymore because he's a downer.
05-02-2010 , 02:14 AM
tip (generously) according to the original check, and add half the discounted amount imo.
05-03-2010 , 02:00 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottySo
Ok this seems like the right thread for a line check.

Getting lunch with 3 friends in LA. We have one vegan who is asking all sorts of questions and modifying his order. Another guy keeps asking for more bread and it's always brought promptly. All around the waitress is very patient and friendly even tho my friends are probably not the greatest customers. Point is, everyone agrees that the waitress is doing an awesome job.

Bill comes for $76 and friend A is going to put it on his card. I ask how much he is tipping and he responds that he's going to put down $82 total. At first I think he's joking but it turns out he's serious, and friends B and C are totally fine with this. I'm completely blown away and point out that this is under 10%. Friend A acknowledges that our waitress was awesome, and even agrees that this is a bad tip, but justifies it as "well I'm a poor college student so that's all I can afford." I'm very much trying to not get upset right now at how nitty my friends are, and I just say something like "fine, tip whatever you want." He ends up putting down $85 and I leave an extra $10 in cash on the table as we leave. I've also resolved never to eat out with this friend again.

How did I handle this? What should I have done?
You act like the guy paying for it on his card is the criminal. He is giving a tip. I don't see your other 2 friends tipping.

Ridiculous how vehement people are when it comes to tipping. The concept of making tipping standard is stupid. Why can't the restaurants pay their employees? Along with the fact that the states let them by not requiring minimum wage (although some require half, others more than half/less than half.)
05-03-2010 , 02:47 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by niftymatt
You act like the guy paying for it on his card is the criminal. He is giving a tip. I don't see your other 2 friends tipping.
the guy paying with his card was going to pay the whole bill (including tip) and then we all paid him back (including our share of the tip).
05-03-2010 , 03:47 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by niftymatt
You act like the guy paying for it on his card is the criminal. He is giving a tip. I don't see your other 2 friends tipping.

Ridiculous how vehement people are when it comes to tipping. The concept of making tipping standard is stupid. Why can't the restaurants pay their employees? Along with the fact that the states let them by not requiring minimum wage (although some require half, others more than half/less than half.)
Tipping is standard bro. Eat fast food if you can't tip imo. And it doesn't matter why restaurants pay their employees less than minimum wage. That is just how it is. So be a decent human being and tip.
05-03-2010 , 09:58 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by niftymatt
Why can't the restaurants pay their employees? Along with the fact that the states let them by not requiring minimum wage (although some require half, others more than half/less than half.)
They could, obviously. But that cost would be passed on to you, the consumer, so it should be a wash if you're tipping appropriately anyway.

Cue opening scene of reservoir dogs someone?
05-03-2010 , 10:39 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by niftymatt
The concept of making tipping standard is stupid. Why can't the restaurants pay their employees?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wyman
They could, obviously. But that cost would be passed on to you, the consumer, so it should be a wash if you're tipping appropriately anyway.
Another reason for this is to encourage wait staff to perform their job well. They have a huge incentive to do the best they can this way. Without tips, they would just do enough to not get fired.
05-03-2010 , 07:30 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by luka allen
Tipping is standard bro. Eat fast food if you can't tip imo. And it doesn't matter why restaurants pay their employees less than minimum wage. That is just how it is. So be a decent human being and tip.
I do tip. It's stupid that the employees are paid below minimum wage in many states and are expected to make their living from something that isn't standardized. Tipping shouldn't be standard, a gratuity should. Tipping should be reserved for excellent service.

And isn't it funny that those fast food employees are getting paid minimum wage when fast food is some of the cheapest stuff around? A restaurant can surely afford to pay their employees minimum wage as well.
05-03-2010 , 07:55 PM
"I don't tip"
This thread reminded me of this scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-qV9...eature=related

But seriously I usually do about 20%
05-03-2010 , 08:01 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by niftymatt
I do tip. It's stupid that the employees are paid below minimum wage in many states and are expected to make their living from something that isn't standardized. Tipping shouldn't be standard, a gratuity should. Tipping should be reserved for excellent service.

And isn't it funny that those fast food employees are getting paid minimum wage when fast food is some of the cheapest stuff around? A restaurant can surely afford to pay their employees minimum wage as well.
This is some bad logic.
05-03-2010 , 10:44 PM
Where I used to live, minimum wage was $8 and servers normally finished their shifts with $100 on top of their wage on a good night.

I personally see this as very wrong since their wage is normally $10 (10*8 = 80) + 100 = 180 per shift. That is wayyyyyyy too much for doing something so simple. On that, I normally don't tip servers unless they look sexy enough. And if that, I flat tip $8.008 (yeah, I write that out)

Food at restaurants is generally expensive as is.. I really don't get why people tip so much.
05-03-2010 , 10:57 PM
the only times i dont tip like 18%-25% are if i have terrible service, or i am paying in cash and the idiot server doesnt give me the proper change to leave a good tip

ex. 18.23 bill. i use a 50. i get a 20, 10, 1 and .77 cents. if i dont have anything other singles in my wallet, enjoy your 1.77 tip, dumbass.
05-04-2010 , 02:43 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by niftymatt
You act like the guy paying for it on his card is the criminal. He is giving a tip. I don't see your other 2 friends tipping.

Ridiculous how vehement people are when it comes to tipping. The concept of making tipping standard is stupid. Why can't the restaurants pay their employees? Along with the fact that the states let them by not requiring minimum wage (although some require half, others more than half/less than half.)
Then don't eat out at restaurants. I have seen this argument used many times by idiots and cheap people. Get the food to go if you don't want to tip - by eating at the restaurant you are obligated to follow the social norm by tipping.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caramelldansen
Where I used to live, minimum wage was $8 and servers normally finished their shifts with $100 on top of their wage on a good night.

I personally see this as very wrong since their wage is normally $10 (10*8 = 80) + 100 = 180 per shift. That is wayyyyyyy too much for doing something so simple. On that, I normally don't tip servers unless they look sexy enough. And if that, I flat tip $8.008 (yeah, I write that out)

Food at restaurants is generally expensive as is.. I really don't get why people tip so much.
LOL @ tipping an eighth of a cent. I also would not frequent anywhere where you are known to leave no tips as you will probably get your food ****ed with.

Quote:
Originally Posted by yeotaJMU
the only times i dont tip like 18%-25% are if i have terrible service, or i am paying in cash and the idiot server doesnt give me the proper change to leave a good tip

ex. 18.23 bill. i use a 50. i get a 20, 10, 1 and .77 cents. if i dont have anything other singles in my wallet, enjoy your 1.77 tip, dumbass.
If you're not with anyone who can make change I would just say "Hey, can I get 5 singles?" If you say nothing maybe the waiter could think giving you a bunch of extra unnecessary bills as angling for a bigger tip and you could spite-stiff him. In this case it's actually the opposite but I don't see why you wouldn't just ask for change.
05-06-2010 , 06:45 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave D
Why is it different now? Explain this? It's still a % of the meal. Have restaurant prices not kept up with inflation or something
This was exactly what I thought as soon as I read it
05-07-2010 , 06:21 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by von7thal
was in vegas this summer and went with gf to the stratosphere tower for dinner.

the bill was about $180. do you still tipp over 20%?
because with dinnerprices high as that the 15-20% tip is imho to high for a standard service.

but i kinda like the us system. in switzerland i just don't tip at all if the service is bad. service is included and they are not totaly depending on it. because of that, the service is in general alot worse in europe... alooooot! (maybe variance luck in us, but don't think so)
Still tip 15-20%
05-07-2010 , 12:19 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MATEUSZEK
Dumbest thing I've read in this thread.
Actually according to psychological research, what he said is true.

Not tipping however is really poor manners
05-07-2010 , 12:39 PM
Just read the first few posts, but LOL @ ameritards, (and Im jealous)

Im a waiter in UK and 10% is standard, 15% is good and 20% I'm checking with them that there hasnt been a mistake. Quite often people leave no tip if it's busy and they have had to wait a while. And I'm probably an above-average waiter.
Seriously u gaise
05-07-2010 , 05:25 PM
Just to let the non-tippers know, at the end of the night waiters have to give a chunk of their tips away to the hosts/bartenders/busboys/food runners etc. At the restuarant I worked at, we had to give 4% of our total food sales away. So if I averaged 20% tips (irl I averaged ~22%), I'd end up with 16%. So if you don't tip, it actually ends up COSTING the waiter money to serve you food.
05-08-2010 , 11:45 AM
I'd rather pay 20% to a server who has worked hard than to the govt of Germany for VAT so they can bail out Greece.

      
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