Quote :

"the temperature of the steak, a burger cut in half"

HEY!

that's shit that the kitchen does

why do you get money for someone else's labor?

8/25/2010 12:41:45 AM

So when I get the same level of service at applebee's that I get at Second Empire, is there a real reason that I should tip my server 3x?

8/25/2010 3:39:09 AM

^^That's shit you have to ask and remember to write down. I never use a pad or write anything down. I've worked at restaurants/bars that have 5+ variations to every entree...and when you get a party of 6+, that's tough to keep all in your head.

Plus...the kitchen usually fucks that shit up anyways....

^Are you talking about the actual amount or the percentage?? You definitely shouldn't tip 3x the percentage, but if the price of the bill is that much higher, and you still get good service, then you still tip the 15 to 20%...or however much you feel like the server deserves of course.

[Edited on August 25, 2010 at 8:05 AM. Reason : .]

8/25/2010 8:02:38 AM

Now that you mention it... there should just be a flat tip instead of basing it on the percentage of the bill total. Does a plate with a $30 steak on it take more effort to bring out to the customer than a plate with a $7 hamburger?

8/25/2010 8:10:35 AM

Actually, in general, the server at the restaurant with the $30 steak probably has a lot more expertise than the server at the place where you get the $7 hamburger. So yes, they do deserve more money.

Use this analogy. You are getting a simple divorce. You go with a young attorney straight out of law school (the hamburger) who only charges you $150 an hour and you get the job done. Or you could go with the expert family law attorney who's been practicing for 25 years ($30 steak) who charges you $250 an hour. You get the same service, but if you chose the high priced attorney, you still have to pay the $250 an hour.

Now let's say you have a complicated divorce with a lot of property settlement, child custody, alimony, etc. That's akin to going to a high priced restaurant and having questions about a certain bottle of wine, certain food items and ingredients, the way your entree should be cooked, etc.

So whether or not you use the services of that high priced attorney (or experienced server) you still have to pay the higher fare.

8/25/2010 8:20:23 AM

^ If we talking about a $30 steak in a nicer restaurant vs a $7 hamburger in your local chain restaurant, in theory, there absolutely should be more effort with the former. Since youre tipping for the service, you should be getting a higher quality in a nicer restaurant (although I realize this often isnt the case, especially in this area). Polished silverware, serving/busing from the correct side of the guest, knowledge of wines/pairings, intimate knowledge of everything on the menu, higher quality control coming out of the kitchen, etc.

8/25/2010 8:23:20 AM

A lot of you are getting caught up in people deserving or not deserving tips or how the tipping system is busted or your shitty service anecdotes.

Some people tip just to be nice, regardless of a service's hourly rate.

I work in a coffee house attached to a full restaurant and bar so I make a lot of drinks for the house as well as normal walk-in coffee customers. I don't get tipped out for drinks made for the house, which isn't awesome but whatevs. Customers don't know this (and why would they? Some think I do get tipped out for my drinks) but I really appreciate it when a customer tips me separately for preparing and delivering their drinks to the table or talking to them about the coffees we use or what have you. They don't have to do that AT ALL because they're already ordering through and tipping their server.

It's just like saying, "Thanks for making my night nicer!"

8/25/2010 11:49:17 AM

So now people have to pay to be nice and not just be nice...? Why would people want a "nice certificate" from a random person?

[Edited on August 25, 2010 at 2:29 PM. Reason : a]

8/25/2010 2:28:13 PM

Quote :

"So now people have to pay to be nice and not just be nice...?"

People don't "have" to do anything...they just do it regardless. A couple years ago I was hanging out with a couple friends at a local bar on a slow night where I knew the bartender. I had just had a really good weekend at my bar and was feeling generous (and I genuinely really liked the bartender, she was a good person), so I picked up everyone's tab and left an extremely generous tip (don't remember specifically, but it was something like $40 on $80 or $50 on $100). My friends proceeded to leave $5/10/15 a piece as well (one of those, "aww man, he got the tab?? well here, take this).

Later that week I ran into the bartender and she started to thank me for being so generous the other night and tears started forming in her eyes as she told me how she had car troubles last week and was going to struggle to pay her rent that month before I came in with my friends.

I didn't just make her night...I made her month. Felt pretty good. I don't always tip like that, but I always tip well. And it feels good to know that either I might have turned someone's night around or at least made them feel better after they've served me.

[Edited on August 25, 2010 at 2:42 PM. Reason : .]

8/25/2010 2:41:55 PM

jbrick83 is an awesome person

8/25/2010 2:44:42 PM

Quote :

"That's shit you have to ask and remember to write down. I never use a pad or write anything down. I've worked at restaurants/bars that have 5+ variations to every entree...and when you get a party of 6+, that's tough to keep all in your head."

I wouldn't tip less if I saw you write down my order

in fact, if you did write it down I'd probably be comforted knowing that you got it right

8/25/2010 2:49:09 PM

Quote :

"I wouldn't tip less if I saw you write down my order"

I didn't say you would. But you might tip a little more if I took a big ass order without writing it down and nothing was wrong (I take that back...YOU definitely wouldn't, but other people might, and do)...bottom line is that it doesn't hurt.

[Edited on August 25, 2010 at 2:52 PM. Reason : .]

8/25/2010 2:51:24 PM

I'd tip more if you got everything right, yeah

about 50% of the time my server gets SOMETHING wrong and I usually just smile about it and still tip 15-20%


[Edited on August 25, 2010 at 2:52 PM. Reason : but I think that maybe I shouldn't]

8/25/2010 2:51:54 PM

^Not really...you would just tip less if I got it wrong. I can't imagine the ridiculous service someone would have to provide you for you to tip over 15/20%.

8/25/2010 2:54:34 PM

i'm a good tipper.


and damn proud of it.

[Edited on August 25, 2010 at 3:58 PM. Reason : ]

8/25/2010 3:58:09 PM

The only way to be rich is to be a little frugal.

8/25/2010 4:00:18 PM

I give 'em a tip...just the tip...

8/25/2010 4:00:20 PM

I used to tip too much.

I didn't think it was too much until I read a thread here on TWW where some servers and ex-servers were joking about how dumb us overtippers are.

8/25/2010 4:01:58 PM

Quote :

"about 50% of the time my server gets SOMETHING wrong and I usually just smile about it and still tip 15-20%"

Where the fuck are you people eating at?? I can maybe count on one hand the number of times I've had a server/bartender get my order wrong in the past couple years (I honestly can't think of any time recently off the top of my head, although I know it's happened).

8/25/2010 4:04:33 PM

i probably do tip too much.

i don't really have any inclination of stopping either.
but then again i dont think ive ever had a super bad experience.


it's just me, i get it from my mom-she's really generous and sweet.

Quote :

"The only way to be rich is to be a little frugal."

youre right but i dont care to abide by this.
one of the reasons being- i'm in a happy position. i have no desire to exchange frugality for richness (aha, i dont think thats a word).
i had my other reasons listed but i realize itll probably just start an argument, and theres enough of that going on in here. i ain't tryna fight ya'll


just know that due to my personal opinions i will probably always be a good tipper

[Edited on August 25, 2010 at 4:12 PM. Reason : agree isnt a good word.]

8/25/2010 4:11:14 PM

I usually tip pretty well, but that's mostly because I either go out to where I know the people who work/own the joint (The Globe on Glenwood Ave) ((get the duck confit sandwich for lunch))

or

because I went somewhere with my kids (age 4 and 1) and when we left the table looks like a tornado hit it.

8/25/2010 4:39:55 PM

^lol. my mom loves letting my nephews pretty much wreck the table.


and then she'll stick 10s and twenties underneath the mess (not underneath food or anything, but like under napkins, paper, plates etc. )

8/25/2010 4:42:29 PM

it's simple people:

Normal bartender/waiter/waitress: 10-20 percent scale
Hot bartender/waitress: 10-20 dollar scale

8/25/2010 4:43:54 PM

it's all about the washingtons baby.

8/25/2010 4:47:25 PM

Quote :

"Where the fuck are you people eating at??"

recently I ended up with a refill of sweet tea when I was drinking unsweetened
but I didn't complain and it didn't affect my tip at all

a few weeks back I was in Wilmington and had a waiter who seemed to be losing his mind - he took forever on our drink orders and then forgot them; after that he served our drinks to the people at the table next to us who had arrived later - he also had to verify our dinner orders again - I wanted coffee after dinner and he was going to oblige but said he would have to make a pot (I'm cool with honesty) so I asked him to recommend a place nearby (a chance to earn a bigger tip) he came through with a recommendation that was closed

anyway he still got 20%

I tipped 15% to a bartender who mixed the WEAKEST gin and tonic ever (I watched her do it). It was awful well liquor and cost $9.

I'm just saying that I'm starting to reconsider tipping so much considering how much servers and bartenders actually make.

8/25/2010 4:50:03 PM

So whats the tipping rule on a take out buffet?

8/25/2010 4:54:44 PM

~10% is the tip for takeout

8/25/2010 4:55:19 PM

^Not that it really matters, I'm just curious, but you still didn't say where exactly you were eating/drinking at.

Sounds like your waiter is/was having some issues. But at least he did offer to make a new pot (was probably explaining why it might take a few extra minutes). Depending on what time of the night it was, there might not have been a close by coffee place that was open (my favorite coffee place closes at 7pm). You were still nice to tip him 20%.

And what bar did you go to where the well liquor was $9?? Sounds like a DC/NYC bar. If not, that's just ridiculous.

It sucks to get a weak liquor drink, but that's one of the main reasons I don't order liquor drinks. My ex-gf works at a bar where their liquors are weighed almost daily. If the bar is short any number of drinks, then it is taken out of their server tip-outs, and if the server tip-outs don't cover it, then the bartenders have to pay back the liquor that they "over-poured". The bartenders are so scared of paying back everything they make, that they short-pour everything. They usually just short-pour the servers drinks (I tell anyone going there not to order a liquor drink if you're sitting at a table)...but they sure as hell aren't going to have a heavy hand on anyone else's drink.

I'm lucky that I work at a bar that isn't as strict with liquor costs. But the way the economy is these days, a lot of owners are watching their liquor costs a lot more than they use to and it's a lot harder to get a "stiff" drink.

8/25/2010 5:00:41 PM

it was in NYC at a comedy club and the weak drinks at those places are legendary enough to be a punchline so I wasn't really outraged - that's just the way it goes

the place with the crazy waiter was on the upscale end of Carolina Beach (~$20-25 entrees plus drinks leading to a $65 check) and I actually didn't get any coffee from him because I didn't want to wait any longer - I tipped for good service even though I didn't get it because I figured he was having a bad day but he just as likely could have been hungover and coked out, who knows

8/25/2010 5:06:19 PM

Seems like you're more reasonable than I thought (I often make an excuse for the server having a "bad day" as well).

And go ahead and lessen your tips if you think the bartenders/servers are making too much. I will say that they definitely aren't making as much as they use to be. 5 years ago, everybody was killing it. Now only certain bars and restaurants have servers/bartenders that do well enough to afford a comfortable living. It's hard to tell if you don't frequent a place, but I would say that a majority of the people working in the service industry are struggling (I know my friends are).

Five years ago, my ex-girlfriend use to make $1,500 to $2,000 a week bartending. She bought a house and spent way too lavishly (she was only 23 so I couldn't really blame her). Now, working at the same place, she's struggling to make $500 to $600 a week and had to take on an extra roommate to make her mortgage payments. She kicks herself every day for not saving more back then, but she just didn't think things were going to go so far south.

Just like any other job market, some people are barely making it, some people are doing "okay", and some people are killing it. But there definitely aren't as many people "killing it" these days.

8/25/2010 5:33:29 PM

well I'm also unemployed and looking for a job at the moment
just got my MA and I'm about to climb under the yoke of an enormous school debt

I shouldn't eat out as much as I do but it was a lifestyle thing in NYC (sometimes cheaper than cooking for myself and certainly way easier - its how most people eat there)

so if I'm being tight with my money it isn't cause I'm a dick that wants people waiting on him hand and foot - I do want that but I'll pay appropriately

I just wish waiters made a living wage (salaried? with benefits?) like they do in Europe

8/25/2010 6:03:00 PM

Quote :

" I just wish waiters made a living wage (salaried? with benefits?) like they do in Europe"

I wouldn't be against that, but at the same time, I got pretty shitty service at most places I went to in Europe, and that was even when I was hanging out with locals (several times with local restaurant owners).

The only times I got treated well was when I would order a drink and throw down a nice tip right away.

So I like the system we have here...however, I guess I wouldn't like it if I didn't have the money to spend on it. And if it makes you feel any better, my bartending job is the only thing allowing me to pay off my grad school loans. If I didn't have my big school loans, then I would bartend much less and try to concentrate on my career more. It's just not reality at this moment.

8/25/2010 6:10:31 PM

Quote :

"recently I ended up with a refill of sweet tea when I was drinking unsweetened"

that wasn't me, was it?

i don't fuck up often but i've been known to top off the ass-end of someone's sprite with water

[Edited on August 25, 2010 at 6:22 PM. Reason : d'oh]

8/25/2010 6:22:36 PM

So let's throw out some hypotheticals...
Assuming you know these customers' tipping habits, who gets better service?

-Guy that comes in 5 nights a week, tips poorly vs. guy that comes in every couple months, tips well

-Hot chick, tips poorly vs. ugly chick, tips well (assume they're both outgoing)

-Normal customer, tips poorly vs. asshole that gets trashed and wrecks the bar, tips well

-Family member, tips poorly vs. friend, tips well (and vice versa)

-Guy that orders a couple expensive drinks, tips poorly vs. Guy that orders a bunch of cheap drinks, tips well

9/17/2010 9:16:05 PM

Ill admit a hot chick automatically gets more consideration for tips.. she gets the same tip for average service as a person who gives great service but is either ugly or a guy.. I feel bad about it but not really

9/17/2010 9:18:05 PM

Well the questions were directed more towards the bartenders/servers... but I guess it goes both ways

9/20/2010 11:04:37 AM

blame Canada

and Republicans

9/20/2010 11:59:53 AM

bttt sorry this was the right one

7/10/2013 3:35:11 PM

its a little old, but i'll bump this topic to post it.

http://b1017online.com/this-kentucky-restaurants-new-no-tipping-policy-is-genius/

6/12/2014 1:14:55 PM

I too saw that on reddit

6/12/2014 1:17:29 PM

6/12/2014 1:18:38 PM

6/12/2014 1:20:33 PM

The only catch is it's 20% of food sales. Still an improvement over the current system, especially for a lot of restaurants that don't do a lot of alcohol sales.

For the restaurants I worked at though, this would be a pay decrease, since alcohol was at least 50% of sales for my average table.

6/12/2014 1:33:25 PM