Comments on: Squawkback: Do You Tip? How Much?

By: Pstephens

Pstephens — Sat, 08 May 2010 03:54:16 +0000

I am a server at a casual dining restaurant. I try not to get too worked up over my tips but, it is hard. I work in Hampton Roads, Virginia. I only make $2.15 an hour, on top of that I have to tip out 3% to the restaurant for bussers and bartenders. I tip out that percentage no mater what I am tipped, or no one orders alcohol, and worse than that it is slow and they send the busser home early. I know a lot of people are ignorant to that. My restaurant only adds gratuity if the party is 10 or more. We add 18%, I only receive 15% of that because of the tip out. I only expect 20% even for great service. I consider myself a great server.

More than the tipping I get annoyed when people treat me like I am not a person but, only the idiot that brings their food. If I say hello, how are you? sometimes the person responds with “sweet tea” without even looking me in the eyes. I can tell you right now that if you treat a server like this do not expect any hospitality. I will not go out of my way for someone who does not treat me like a person.

I just wish that people would realize that I do not expect a tip but, I work very hard for them. I always try to be an excellent server that is friendly and efficent. I go above and beyond for my guest every day. Remember that I am the one that puts your order in right, I keep up with your diet coke binge and if something is messed up I am the one that argues with the kitchen to remake your food fast. If your appetizer does come right before your food because the kitchen is backed up and working straight down the line without reading the ticket I am the one that explains what happened to the manager and talks them into taking it off the bill or offering free desert. Be nice to us and any decent server will go out of their way for you.

You think you feel pressured to tip, you have no idea. I feel guilty leaving anyone less than 20%. Almost like the bad karma will follow me to work. Even if I get the worst service and I wonder how this person pays their bills.

By: DeliGirl

DeliGirl — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:01:13 +0000

As a former waitress, I’ll tell you that that job is much harder than most anyone would imagine. However, having been a waitress for several years, I have common sense. I ask questions, never assume. I make suggestions, rather than expect the customer to know exactly what they want. I judge my waiters and waitress’ on these facts. Did they make any suggestions to me? Did they offer an alternative if they’re out of something. Did they ask how I would like my steak cooked? Did they ask if I wanted salt on my margarita rim(yes, of course, but so many DON’T like it.) I’m very particular. However, that being said, I tend to tip 20-30% for Great to Exceptional Service. 10-15% for Ok service, and Nothing for horrendous service that could NOT be blamed on the kitchen. Here in Texas, we only make $2.13/hr. The reason for this low number is simple. They expect us to make enough tips to cover minimum wage. If for some reason, minimum wage is not met for the work period, the company will pay the difference.

I would like to say something to people with children. PLEASE do NOT let them run around the restaurant, mash their crayons in the table, stuff their food in the benches or throw their food all over the place. If this DOES happen, PLEASE compensate the server and the busboy for the trouble they’re now going to go through to clean up your mess. Also, the manners of your children speak volumes of you.
Sorry for the rant. I just found your blog and love it. The post just made me want to talk!

By: mr generousity

mr generousity — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:00:24 +0000

Waiters in Utah only make 2 dollars and 15 cents an hour and are told that tips make up the rest. Most other states have higher minimums that are paid to waiters hourly. I just hate that every time I swipe my card there is a TIP line expecting me to pay a little extra for the sandwich or whatever I just bought. What, for ringing me up? Here, I will do it myself!

By: ashley

ashley — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 06:37:04 +0000

if you’re too frugal (or cheap) to tip well when you go out to have a good time, don’t go out to have a good time. that’s part of the deal.. people are involved in making sure you have a pleasant experience while you’re out and most times they’re not making much money either!

i work in the service industry.. i have worked as a waitress, a cocktail server, a cashier/takeout person, and now as a front of house manager. legally, if someone’s making a tip, the state does not require them to make minimum wage. sometimes even after tips, a server is only making minimum wage (depending on how slow the restaurant is).

i always tip at least 20% (or at least $5, whichever is greater) on all bills where i’m dining in. i tip at least $1 per drink (i only order cocktails when i go out) if i’m only drinking at a bar or lounge. i tip 15-20% on take out orders (because i’ve done that before and know they’re working hard too).

i tip 15% to cab drivers, 20% or more to hair stylists, and round up and tip the change at starbucks (if it’s an independent coffee shop, on the other hand, i’ll tip $1 for my drink… baristas work harder to make your latte that a bartender does to open that bottle of beer you’re drinking. )

things to remember:
if you’re paying with a credit card, servers sometimes have to pay a certain percentage of their tip from you back to the “house” or to the state. this is because they either pay taxes on credit card tips (in most states) and/or they pay a processing fee for the credit card transaction (only in some restaurants do they do this.. it’s annoying for servers!).

servers pay a percentage of their tips to the busboys, food runners, bartender, etc.. all of the people who are helping to make your dining experience pleasurable are taking part of the tip you’re leaving for the server.

there is always a tip line on credit card receipts (no matter if you’re dining in or doing carry out) because that’s just how the software is. they don’t make a program to do separate types of receipts for separate types of credit card transactions (the computer can’t tell the difference).

the servers that work during lunch hours often work the same amount – if not harder – than the servers during dinner hours. dinner servers have a lot more people helping them out (more bus boys, a food runner, a bartender) than lunch servers do.. time of day should not be a factor in how much you tip your server. service should.

all of those things being said, i budget for this when i go out. i cut back on other things so that i can go out and have a good time if i need to, and treat the service people that are serving me well while doing it. like i said, if you’re not going to feel like you can actually tip someone for serving you, then you shouldn’t be going out in the first place.

By: thekatiest

thekatiest — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 20:44:22 +0000

I never, never, never tip for carry-out. What would I tip them for? Ringing me up? However, I tip 20-25% if I eat in.

At work, we usually call lunch orders in and the receptionist picks it up. I’ve started going out for my own food because she insists on tipping for the food and doesn’t bring my change back.

I get an elaborate haircut/color, so I tip my stylist generously (about 20%).

By: Bory Chung

Bory Chung — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 05:21:33 +0000

YES YOU SHOULD TIP! I worked as a waitress and the truth is getting food packaged & bagged takes just as much work as delivering hot food to a table- its doubly stressful because you also have to make sure there are correct sauces, plastic wear, napkins etc. I say tip should be whatever you would tip a waitress when you dine in. You may see the guy pick up the bag at the end- but you didnt see the 10-15 minutes he spent getting your bag ready. Unless its one large double decker cake or something- then I would leave 2-3 bucks.

By: Carla

Carla — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:03:41 +0000

I never heard of a tip that was more than 20% (except what my FIL normally does: up to 30% because he knows he’s a pain in the butt). Is the rate of tips going up? Its been 17-20% since I started paying for my own meals 15 years ago.

By: Kate@LivingTheFrugalLife

Kate@LivingTheFrugalLife — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 21:51:57 +0000

I rarely tip, just because I rarely patronize businesses where tipping is normal. When I do eat out, I tip 15% for normal to good service, 20% if the service was noticeably better than average, and 10% if it is noticeably worse than average. I once left a 5% tip for the worst service I’ve ever had. It was one of those situations where I would have liked to have left no tip at all. It was just that bad. I left something so that it was clear I hadn’t “forgotten” the tip, or that I was one of those people who don’t tip on principle. I wanted the small tip to be a clear message.

I don’t understand why the normal tip is now creeping up from 15-20%. As restaurant food gets more expensive the tips should naturally get bigger. Why the percentage should increase is a mystery to me.

I was once told that the standard custom is *never* to tip someone who is self-employed. Only employees are supposed to be tipped. But I’ve never been able to follow that one up.

By: Kerry

Kerry — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:44:37 +0000

@mgm As Mélanie points out above, the salaries and taxes in Canada are far different than those in the US.

@rjleaman I guess it depends on your bottom.

@Mehani I’m happy to better understand the regional differences between Canada and US now when it comes to tipping. I had no idea servers had to claim 8% of sales, whether they get tipped or not. I only travel to the US every few years, but it’s good to know tipping practices in the US.

@Mélanie Thank you so much for explaining the server wage and tip differences in Canada and the US. Very eye-opening and educational for those who travel. Your comment also explains why many US commenters tip more, and other nationalities see tipping with different importance.

By: mgm

mgm — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:49:15 +0000

All those carry out orders? You know the one you mentioned in your article that you didn’t feel deserved a tip for “3 minutes” work? Well the total of that bill is considered by the IRS as revenue and the IRS sets percentages(10% of sales) as what that person(who rang up your order) has to be taxed on. In one place I worked, at the end of the year they allocated tips. They took all the carry out revenue and divided it among the servers who had to pay taxes on that money that they were never tipped on.
Bad service? Yes, it happens. But what do you consider bad service. I have had customers claim bad service because they wanted to order food we didn’t have. (I work in fine dining…..the three ladies wanted sandwiches and our menu at no time offers sandwiches…we don’t even have bread in house). Don’t claim bad service when you expect something the place doesn’t offer.
If you can’t afford a tip, then order less or stay home.