Tipping at a Restaurant

[ChrisSabo]

OK, I've been having a VERY lengthy discussion on another message board about the topic of tipping your wait staff at a restaurant and it got me curious as to what the bulk of people in this area view as an accepted tip.

Most of these people I seem to be in discussion with seem to visit some high end dining spots where meals range well over 100 bucks and they are leaving in upwards of 50 bucks to their waiter/waitress.

I made the comment that I refuse to tip on a % scale because I shouldn't pay my waiter more of a tip just because my sirloin steak costs 5 bucks more at one restaurant opposed to another. I made note that my meals with my family range from 30-40 bucks on a normal occasion and I'll usually leave around 4 bucks tip. I usually do not leave more than 5, but on most occasions my meal costs right at 30 dollars.

Also, if my meal costs, say, 30.29, I'll leave 4.71 tip on my debit card to make it an even 35. Well, I got bashed for that too, saying why not just leave 15%, etc....

So, what do most of you do when it comes to tipping? Flat Rate? Percentage based? Depends on the service? etc...

I need some support here!

[NotSoSilentBob]

Call me Mr Pink. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img]

[1inStripes]

Depends on service. If I don't have cash on me, I am generally the type similar to yourself where I round up to an even dollar amount somehow, leaving 10-15% depending on the quality of service. My wife and I ate out last Friday and the service was so poor, I didn't leave a dime and it was justifiable.

[ChrisSabo]

I understood some of their position. If I were eating at a place in which my bill totaled in excess of 120 bucks, then Id probably be in the position to leave more than a 5 dollar tip. Most of them were talking about meals that ranged over 100 dollars. Im 28 years old and me and my wife and son have never had a bill that high. I don't think my bill has ever been over 45, let alone 120. I just feel that for a meal between 25-40 bucks, then a 3-5 dollar tip is acceptable.

At least for me!

Any wait staff on here who can at least throw in some input as to what they get on a regular basis for tips?

[UTVols2]

My wife was once a waitress and I had to listen to the day in day out crap of what "most" waiters or waitresses have to go through. I leave normally 20% just about wherever I go unless the service is just terrible. You have to look at other scenario's as well, if it is jam packed and the waitress is working 10 tables and is busting his/her tail then I take than into account as well. I normally don't leave anything less than $5 unless it is buffet. Our family meals range normally $25-$45 bucks depending on where we go.

[MikeJones]

I dunno I usually leave 2 or 3 bucks. Im not gonna throw cash away just for someone to fill up my water twice. If the service is horrible I wont tip. If it s good I tip better. I think the percentage scale is ridiculous. I base it on performance. I usually pass on places that add in the tip. Thats not me leaving gratuity that's me gettin [censored] robbed.

One thing I really do hate is eating with people. Like folks you work with and eat with alot and they never leave a tip.

[imported_elp6n]

15-20% of the bill is a standard tip.
Minimum wage for servers is $2.13 per hour. Tips are expected to bring it to $5.85 per hour minimum.

I do take into account the service, however. If I am seated and order taken and never see the server again, it goes closer to 10%.

Only once did I not leave any tip. The waitress kept asking if we needed anything and she was told "yes - the rest of our food" (she came back and asked the same thing about 5 times and got the same response each time). The food never came. So the tip didn't come either.

[knight_67]

one thing determines if i tip or not, i dont care if i wait an hour for the food, if the food is disgusting, or if the waiter/ress isn't that friendly, but as long as my drink is kept filled, i will tip well

[steer]

Nothing less than $5 at these local spots. But out in Hollywood, Baltimore, Orlando, I leave a much larger tip.
Also, it's based on service and how friendly they are.

Waitress/Waiters don't make enough, and go through crap with their job. So, their tip is justifiable.

[NotSoSilentBob]

I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job.