How much do you tip? What do you base your tip on?

This is a pretty general question... when you're at a restaurant, what do you base your tip on?

- waitress/waiter?
- food?
- service?
- restaurant interior?
- restaurant class?

5%, 10%, 15%, 20% ????

Do you tip more because you are in the food service industry?

Tags: bill, pay, restaurant, tip

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Permalink Reply by Steve Paterson on April 28, 2009 at 8:06am

Actually Steve, I think you're more on topic than you realize....but let's not share all our secrets, okay?

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Non-OperatorPermalink Reply by Paul Paz on April 28, 2009 at 9:29am

I've said this before on this thread and I'll say it again...
Will all of the industry people please ask for my station!!
You are easy money and set a very LOW bar of service expectations and gratuities.

While we industry professionals talk a good game on service specifics... we sure don't back it up at the table! If the service sucks why woulod you leave a "standard %" anyway?

If your managers didn;t execute, would you give them a raise?

Are corporate CEO's and waiters receiving the same coaching on how to make great money regardless of results?

Paul
(aka been stiffed and deserved!!!)

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Permalink Reply by Don L. Stull on April 28, 2009 at 11:42am

I guess when you say it enough, the message gets through. As you already know, you are completely right, Paul. I worry when I give an undeserved tip that I may be reinforcing bad behavior, or less than acceptable. Perhaps I should carry paper and pen and leave a note as to why they only received 10% or 15%. Nah, I should get paid for my service tips.

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Non-OperatorPermalink Reply by Paul Paz on May 29, 2009 at 9:53pm

Don...
Most dissatisfied diners look beyond the tip calculated at the moment.
It's just easier for them not to come back.
That's well reflected in today's economy and the short-sighted sense of entitlement by restaurants and their staff will be their own demise.
Paul

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Permalink Reply by George on April 29, 2009 at 11:33am

I never know how much to tip because I rarely know how many people are sharing in my tip? For instance, if the whole restaurant is sharing in my tip, should I tip more or less. If just one person gets to keep my tips, do I tip more or less? I work for tips so my inclination is to tip more than most people tip. Obviously, if a worker is being required to share his or her tips with others, the worker might tend to expect a bigger tip. Likewise, if a worker is keeping his or her own tips, I might tip a little less than I would if I thought the worker had to share the tips.

As far as who I tip , I guess that is up to the courts who have ruled employers may collect my tip and share it among those whom the courts decide my tip should be shared among. I mean really, do I have a choice as to whom I tip? I guess that's a topic for another thread.

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Permalink Reply by Christian on May 6, 2009 at 7:07am

My tips are based on waitress/ waiter service from beginning to the very end. I dont punnish the server for bad food or decor. When i first started out in this bussiness i would tip 30% and more because i felt like i was part of some group. Now if the service is pour maybe 10% depending on the effort 15%. I am a very understanding customer with, two little girls and a wife. Now I am viewed as the table you don't want (Messy, cheep), but for the server that gets past all that I am greatfull and they will know it after I'm gone.

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Permalink Reply by JaZz on May 27, 2009 at 10:36am

I ALWAYS SAY THAT EVERYTHING DEPENDS, AS PART OF THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY, MY TIP DEPENDS ON A COMBINATION OF FACTORS, STARTING WITH THE SERVICE, FOOD... BUT USUALLY 18%, SOMETIMES MORE AND YES I DO TIP MORE BACAUSE I WORK IN THE INDUSTRY AND I KNOW SOMETIMES IS HARD TO DEAL WITH THE PRESSURE THAT OUR JOB REQUIRES...

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Permalink Reply by Epicurious on May 29, 2009 at 8:26am

I always tip based on service. If the service is exceptional, I tip 20-25%. If it's average, 15-20%, and if it's pathetic, 10-15%. But never, ever do I walk out without tipping! Being in the industry as long as I have definitely plays a part in my tipping.

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Permalink Reply by David on June 1, 2009 at 2:13pm

always tip 15% and if the service is good....

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Permalink Reply by Jamey Dyer on June 9, 2009 at 11:42pm

All of the above. Generally 15-20% based on the service. I do tip more or consistently higher because I am in the industry but I am also far more critical.

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Permalink Reply by Leo Pal on June 14, 2009 at 3:12pm

Many restaurants include the tip on the check, especially if the party is six or more people.
generally in NY it's 18%. You should base the tip on the service.

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Non-OperatorPermalink Reply by J. Stewart Singleton on June 17, 2009 at 12:00pm

I tip based primarily on the service provided by the wait staff. If the food is just not good it is not the server's fault, but if it comes out to the table cold or the server keyed the wrong item then it becomes a tip reducing factor.

When I tip I only tip in full dollar amounts and generally it is the next full dollar amount above 20% or better for great service. I never tip less than 10% because I know that most establishments either tax the server's check on a minimum and/or the server's has to tip out to bussers, bar, runners, etc.