Tipping Question

[erynthered]

What % is a good tip for stolen, er....., infringed DVDs?

[aussiew]

Wow - all these confusing rules make me glad that I cook.

[DC Tom]

Wow - all these confusing rules make me glad that I cook.

 

By the way...your sig line: "maroon" is an acceptable alternative to "moron", being as it is a cultural reference (specifically: Bugs Bunny uses it. Don't know if you knew that, since...well...Ausies, rabbits...you may avoid Bugs like the plague for all I know...)

[JoeFerguson]

What % is a good tip for stolen, er....., infringed DVDs?

 

Post of the day.

[apuszczalowski]

I tip on the service, not on the price of the food. If the service was exceptional, I will leave a generous tip, if the service was bad, they are lucky they get the change. Tipping is not manditory, nor should it be, its an expression of your satisfaction of their service.

 

I also do not tip the UPS guy, maybe I would if they could get my package to the right street (they delivered it 4 streets over). But I did get my package about a week later and a credit for double the delivery price so I am happy now

[ofiba]

I tip on the service, not on the price of the food.

 

Interesting point. I work as a server, and I agree with your statement.

 

Consider this.

 

Table 1 is a table of 2 people. They both order waters and burgers. I refill their water 2 times.

 

Table 2 is also a table of 2 people. They both order glasses of wine and each get a steak. I get them 2 more glasses of wine each.

 

For table 1, the bill is about 15 bucks and I am lucky to receive 3 dollars. Table 2, the bill is at least 50 dollars and a tip of 10 dollars is not out of the question. Both tables required the same amount of work, yet one is worth more than 3 times in tip? Just because they ordered more expensive stuff? Doesn't really make much sense.

 

And I wanted to comment on someone else saying that they hate when someone besides their server seats them and brings their food. The people bringing out the food and seating you receive a cut of the server's tips and are paid by the restaurant. If your food is ready to be run out, but your server is busy getting you a refill, would you rather the food sit and get cold, or would you rather have someone who is being paid by the restaurant AND the server bring it out to you piping hot?

[IDBillzFan]

For table 1, the bill is about 15 bucks and I am lucky to receive 3 dollars. Table 2, the bill is at least 50 dollars and a tip of 10 dollars is not out of the question. Both tables required the same amount of work, yet one is worth more than 3 times in tip? Just because they ordered more expensive stuff? Doesn't really make much sense?

So they should both tip you three bucks?

[apuszczalowski]

So they should both tip you three bucks?

Remember that next time your at a restaurant, lol

 

The way I look at it is, The restaurant is already paying you to do your job, serve me my food I order, so if you go beyond your call of duty and give me exceptional service, I will tip well. If you do the bare minimum and just get me my food, your not going to get much more out of me.

 

Today people seem to think tipping is required and that you must do it, otherwis you look bad. I refuse to award shotty service just because society says I should

[smokinandjokin]

Today people seem to think tipping is required and that you must do it, otherwis you look bad. I refuse to award shotty service just because society says I should

 

I will reward shotty service if she's hot, and especially if she brushes her tit against the back of my arm when she clears the table.

[IDBillzFan]

Today people seem to think tipping is required and that you must do it, otherwise you look bad. I refuse to award shotty service just because society says I should

I'll tip based on service and leave it at that, but if my wife is at the table, I always get a bit nervous. Don't misunderstand; she's pretty tolerant. If her bacon is burned or her order for "over easy" is actually "over well," she'll just send things back. How the server handles that helps determines the tip.

 

BUT...one thing we've both found is there are a lot of servers who simply hate working tables with kids at them. This is when you see overall bad service: they take too long to take your order and bring your food, and then they break one of the cardinal rules of food service...they don't come back to your table to check on you. At that point, she not only doesn't leave a tip, but she finds the manager and explains why.

[mead107]

low cut tops on the women will bring them extra $

[JoeFerguson]

Today people seem to think tipping is required and that you must do it, otherwis you look bad. I refuse to award shotty service just because society says I should

 

I agree with that to an extent. This whole BS about Christmas tipping etiquette really gets on my nerves. Why, just because it's Christmas, is everyone entitled to extra money? I don't mind it if the person provides exceptional service and has earned the extra bonus, BUT when I have to start worrying about a building superintendent not even responding to my calls if I don't chip in a bonus, that gets me mad. What if I wasn't satisfied with their service in the first place, do I still have to tip them a Christmas bonus? There was a great episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm that addressed this topic of Christmas tipping.

 

Now, in regards to tipping at a restaurant. As soon as you enter the restaurant you are agreeing to the whole societal tradition of a 15-20% tip. Waiters are paid less than minimum wage, and therefore rely on their tips as income. Do I agree with this practice? No. But do I realize this fact before entering the restaurant? Yes. For this reason I will usually tip 15% for average service and above 15% for above average service. Below average, obviously I'm tipping less than 15%. If you really want to be a rebel and protest the 15% standard for tipping, stop going to restaurants completely and stay home. I'm sure you and the waiters will both be much happier.

 

FYI: I have never been a waiter.

[bills_fan]

And I wanted to comment on someone else saying that they hate when someone besides their server seats them and brings their food. The people bringing out the food and seating you receive a cut of the server's tips and are paid by the restaurant. If your food is ready to be run out, but your server is busy getting you a refill, would you rather the food sit and get cold, or would you rather have someone who is being paid by the restaurant AND the server bring it out to you piping hot?

 

Someone other than the server bringing out my food is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. You are the server, manage your tables. You should know when your food is going to come out. Pace accordingly.

 

Of course, my absolute pet peeve that will ensure that I never again set foot back in the restaurant is having multiple courses on the table at once. This practice is most prevalent at god awful chain restaurants that I usually avoid like the plague but recently I have noticed it in more upscale places.

 

If I order an appetizer and a dinner that may come with soup or salad, I expect to eat one course, have the plates taken away, get the next course, enjoy it, have it cleared and then get my dinner. Nothing irks me more than being halfway through my appetizer and here comes someone with my dinner. Just awful. Learn to use the "Hold Dinner #" and "Fire Check #" functions on the micros machine please.

 

My wife and I have actually taken to ordering the appetizer, finishing it and then ordering dinner. Annoying, yes, but sometimes its the only way to go. I have tried to say something to the server, before we order. On occasion that works. Most often it does not.

 

I guess the logic is in "flipping" the table. However, when I go out to dinner, usually an appetizer, bottle of wine, dinner, dessert and after dinner drinks are in offering. Hence the bill is not cheap. Nor will be the tip I leave. All I ask, is don't rush me like I am ordering two plain pastas, water and have an entertainment coupon.

[ofiba]

So they should both tip you three bucks?

 

No, I was just saying it was funny how the system works. They should both tip me 10.

[ofiba]

The way I look at it is, The restaurant is already paying you to do your job, serve me my food I order, so if you go beyond your call of duty and give me exceptional service, I will tip well. If you do the bare minimum and just get me my food, your not going to get much more out of me.

 

My restaurant pays me 2.83 an hour to do my job.

[ofiba]

Someone other than the server bringing out my food is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. You are the server, manage your tables. You should know when your food is going to come out. Pace accordingly.

And what shall I tell the people that the restaraunt forces me pay to run my food out for me if I'm too busy? "Take a break guys, I am managing my tables just fine tonight"? What should I do when, just as your food is almost ready to be served, I get sat with 2 more tables than are in a "major hurry"?

 

Also, it is important to note that it is the collective job of everyone in the restaurant to run food out to tables. Restaurants see (even if you can't) that it is unreasonable to expect a server to be able to run out all of his food for his tables as soon as it's ready to be run. It isn't unreasonable though, that at any given time, at least one server or food runner can run out the food that just finished. Therefore, while your particular meal was given to someone unfamiliar to you, it is equally as likely that your server ran some food out for that person sometime during the night. So while you may feel like your server isn't doing as much work as he should, he probably is, it just might not be in your direct line of sight. This system of food running is much more efficient than "run your own food or it gets cold", as it splits up the work evenly, and ensures that everyone gets their food as hot as possible.

 

Of course, my absolute pet peeve that will ensure that I never again set foot back in the restaurant is having multiple courses on the table at once. This practice is most prevalent at god awful chain restaurants that I usually avoid like the plague but recently I have noticed it in more upscale places.

 

If I order an appetizer and a dinner that may come with soup or salad, I expect to eat one course, have the plates taken away, get the next course, enjoy it, have it cleared and then get my dinner. Nothing irks me more than being halfway through my appetizer and here comes someone with my dinner. Just awful. Learn to use the "Hold Dinner #" and "Fire Check #" functions on the micros machine please.

 

My wife and I have actually taken to ordering the appetizer, finishing it and then ordering dinner. Annoying, yes, but sometimes its the only way to go. I have tried to say something to the server, before we order. On occasion that works. Most often it does not.

 

I guess the logic is in "flipping" the table. However, when I go out to dinner, usually an appetizer, bottle of wine, dinner, dessert and after dinner drinks are in offering. Hence the bill is not cheap. Nor will be the tip I leave. All I ask, is don't rush me like I am ordering two plain pastas, water and have an entertainment coupon.

 

Ideally that's what you want to happen, and I'm sure most servers try to do that when you place your orders, but it's not exactly as cut and dry as "Hold dinner, fire check". You act as though all the server has to do is a push a "fire check" button and your medium well steak is ready to be served. Stuff actually has to get cooked. And it all takes a certain amount of time, depending on what it is, and how busy it is. Some people get impatient if they finish their appetizer and their food is not out. Some people go crazy if they are still finishing up their appetizer and their dinner comes out. Some people are in a hurry. Some people eat fast. Some people eat slow. Everyone wants their meal served differently. It is smart of you to let your server know that you are in no hurry and would like to make sure you are not rushed in your meal. That little bit takes away the server's that you are going to chew him out if you finish your last nacho and your salmon isn't out yet (yes people are that crazy). That way he can overestimate the amount of time everything is going to take.

 

I'm not trying to justify when mistakes happen. You are 100 percent justified in expecting each course to be served seperately. I just don't think it is as easy as you make it sound. I'm sure a lot of the time servers are lazy and just ring everything at once, but don't act like there is some exact science to getting the meal timed perfectly (which by the way is different for everyone).

[apuszczalowski]

Now, in regards to tipping at a restaurant. As soon as you enter the restaurant you are agreeing to the whole societal tradition of a 15-20% tip. Waiters are paid less than minimum wage, and therefore rely on their tips as income. Do I agree with this practice? No. But do I realize this fact before entering the restaurant? Yes. For this reason I will usually tip 15% for average service and above 15% for above average service. Below average, obviously I'm tipping less than 15%. If you really want to be a rebel and protest the 15% standard for tipping, stop going to restaurants completely and stay home. I'm sure you and the waiters will both be much happier.

 

FYI: I have never been a waiter.

I am against this because you are forcing the customers to pay the rest of their wage because they now feel they have to tip no matter how satisfied they are in the service.

 

I still refuse to tip for bad service and am against mandatory tipping (or when they add it to the cost) because tipping should be based on the service. If you want to earn that extra money to make your pay higher, do something to earn that money. I don't take it out on the server if the food was cold, or taking too long if the server was courteous or fixed the problem in a respectful manner, because I realise mistakes happen, but if they act snotty or disrespectful because I have a complaint, then I feel the need to not tip.

 

If you rely on your extra tips as income, then maybe you should do your job well and not think that i will provide your extra income just because you are employed there.

 

I have worked in the food service industry and I still don't tip everyone that serves me because I always tried to do a good job and was rewarded for it, and only provided rude service if they were rude to me and treated me disrespectfully

[bills_fan]

Ideally that's what you want to happen, and I'm sure most servers try to do that when you place your orders, but it's not exactly as cut and dry as "Hold dinner, fire check". You act as though all the server has to do is a push a "fire check" button and your medium well steak is ready to be served. Stuff actually has to get cooked. And it all takes a certain amount of time, depending on what it is, and how busy it is. Some people get impatient if they finish their appetizer and their food is not out. Some people go crazy if they are still finishing up their appetizer and their dinner comes out. Some people are in a hurry. Some people eat fast. Some people eat slow. Everyone wants their meal served differently. It is smart of you to let your server know that you are in no hurry and would like to make sure you are not rushed in your meal. That little bit takes away the server's that you are going to chew him out if you finish your last nacho and your salmon isn't out yet (yes people are that crazy). That way he can overestimate the amount of time everything is going to take.

 

I'm not trying to justify when mistakes happen. You are 100 percent justified in expecting each course to be served seperately. I just don't think it is as easy as you make it sound. I'm sure a lot of the time servers are lazy and just ring everything at once, but don't act like there is some exact science to getting the meal timed perfectly (which by the way is different for everyone).

 

Your points are all valid. Some folks are in a rush. But, depending upon the type of place you work, you should have an idea when your customers are finishing their apps. Either you bus the table or you walk by and see where they are. At that point, hit fire check on the micros, and about 10 min later their meal is done.

 

How many tables do you usually have? At the places I've worked 7-8 is normal for a weekend. Weekdays, it was 10-12, as we had less servers on. It can get pretty crazy at times, but thats the job.

[plenzmd1]

Someone other than the server bringing out my food is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. You are the server, manage your tables. You should know when your food is going to come out. Pace accordingly.

 

This I disagree with slightly. Have been in many fine dining establishments such as The Inn at Little washington, The French Laundry, Per Se, where the wait person can act more as coordinator than as actual server. You may have a first person get cocktails, the sommelier for wine, servers who are refilling water, bread, etc, . Generally the wait staff is there to pace the meal, make sure all is attended to your satisfaction, answer questions about the menu etc. Again, I am talking more 5 star type places, but see many times where someone else brings the dish, but the wait staff is there to make sure all is correct etc

[bills_fan]

This I disagree with slightly. Have been in many fine dining establishments such as The Inn at Little washington, The French Laundry, Per Se, where the wait person can act more as coordinator than as actual server. You may have a first person get cocktails, the sommelier for wine, servers who are refilling water, bread, etc, . Generally the wait staff is there to pace the meal, make sure all is attended to your satisfaction, answer questions about the menu etc. Again, I am talking more 5 star type places, but see many times where someone else brings the dish, but the wait staff is there to make sure all is correct etc

 

 

Absolutely right. But those are not the places to which I was referring. It was more someone who you have not seen brings out your food, there may be a problem or you may need more X or a knife or whatever, but that person walks away so fast and your waiter is nowhere in sight.