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Dear Helena,
I tip about 20 percent on meals, including alcohol and taxes. One of my closest friends (and frequent restaurant companion) typically tips about half the amount I do, and doesn't believe in tipping on alcohol or tax. I think he is cheap and uninformed but otherwise a great guy. What would you recommend?
—Respect Your Server
Dear Respect Your Server,
You're in the right: The diner should tip somewhere between 15 and 20 percent of the final total, including alcohol and tax. This is widely accepted, which is why the rumor that Oprah advises tipping 10 percent caused massive outrage.
But I doubt you'll have any luck persuading your friend to change his ways, any more than you can argue your uncle out of his political opinions at Thanksgiving dinner. Like someone's politics, his or her tipping philosophy is often more emotional than logical. It was probably ingrained in childhood. That's why people who grew up in countries that tip 10 percent have a hard time changing their ways. For instance, Stefan Smith, a sound designer who grew up in London and now lives in Oakland, California, still tips UK-style when dining alone. (It's another story when he's with his American wife, as you'll see below.)
Anyway, here's what will happen if you try to convince your friend by dint of rational argument and hard evidence: He'll just disagree with or dismiss whatever you say. For instance, if, next time the two of you have dinner, you ask the server how much people generally tip and he confirms that it's 15 to 20 percent, your friend will probably retort: "Of course the server is going to say that—he wants to make money."
I did my best to persuade Smith to up his tip, but for each of my arguments, he had a counterargument. The conversation just went ’round and ’round in circles. It wasn't very likely that I would succeed where his wife had already failed. As an American, she tips 15 to 20 percent. She has managed to convince Smith to tip 15 percent when they are dining together, in order to save her embarrassment. But she hasn't changed his fundamental tipping philosophy, and next time he has a burrito alone, he'll leave 10 percent.
So can anything be done to reform your friend? Steve J. Martin, coauthor of the book Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive (its U.S. title), says: "In order to change people's behaviors, we should not even think about changing their minds, but just change subtle cues or features in their environment." In the past I've mentioned how gestures from servers like touching the customer can up the tip. Martin says a strategically delivered mint can have the same effect: "Studies show that when food servers leave a small gift like a chocolate and place it down at the same time as the bill, there is about a 3 percent increase in tips. But if they personalize that gift by saying, 'This is especially for you,' or if they leave one mint and come back and say, 'Actually, here's another mint for you,' tips rise by 12 percent." Another way to increase the tip is to "repeat back word by word exactly what the diner ordered," says Martin. For example: "So you would like the Caesar salad with grilled chicken, and a refill on the bread." If you've spent any time talking to highly trained customer support people on the phone, you've probably noticed that they, too, use this technique.
Unfortunately, only the restaurant staff can change these subtle cues. So you'll just have to accept this flaw in your friend, the same way you would accept it if he was chronically late.
But though you can't change your friend, you can change your own behavior. If he's paying, sneak back and slip the server a few extra bucks. And if you're splitting the check, just leave a really, really generous tip to make up for his piddling one.
I waited tables through college and regarding tipping on the after-tax amount - if you want to, that's great, but we expect you to calculate your tip on the pre-tax amount. (When we dine out, we generally do the same.) What really makes us ornery is people who don't tip on the cost of wine or other beverages - I don't know where this habit got started but it is at recurring problem. (If we had a...+READ
I waited tables through college and regarding tipping on the after-tax amount - if you want to, that's great, but we expect you to calculate your tip on the pre-tax amount. (When we dine out, we generally do the same.) What really makes us ornery is people who don't tip on the cost of wine or other beverages - I don't know where this habit got started but it is at recurring problem. (If we had a sommelier they were tipping instead we'd understand, but we don't)-COLLAPSE
You're right ajs, there is no rule. No rule says you should tip on tax, no rule says you shouldn't. But as has been pointed out frequently below, the difference in almost every case is so trivial as to just make you look cheap for even bothering to calculate it. Don't tip on tax if that makes you happy. I do, which makes both me and the server happy.
For those who say that there is no rule about tipping on the tax. No one is suggesting that if you tip on the tax you should be arrested. However, think about it.. tax is NOT part of the prices on the menu. If you eat in 2 different taxing jurisdictions but the prices are the same, why would you tip differently? You are tipping on money that the government charges not the restaurant. Tips are...+READ
For those who say that there is no rule about tipping on the tax. No one is suggesting that if you tip on the tax you should be arrested. However, think about it.. tax is NOT part of the prices on the menu. If you eat in 2 different taxing jurisdictions but the prices are the same, why would you tip differently? You are tipping on money that the government charges not the restaurant. Tips are based on the cost of the meal, not the cost of the tax.-COLLAPSE
I tip 20% but not on the tax. The tax is not part of the prices on the menu and therefore there is no logical reason to tip on money that the government gets.
First of all: 15%, especially in a fine dining restaurant in a large city is still a substandard tip. Usually a 20% of a servers' tips will go to the bussers and other support staff with an additional 5% going to the bar (whether or not you even sell any alcohol). The money you leave your server isn't just going straight in their pocket, other people depend on that. If you leave a $15 tip on a...+READ
First of all: 15%, especially in a fine dining restaurant in a large city is still a substandard tip. Usually a 20% of a servers' tips will go to the bussers and other support staff with an additional 5% going to the bar (whether or not you even sell any alcohol). The money you leave your server isn't just going straight in their pocket, other people depend on that. If you leave a $15 tip on a $100 bill, $3.75 of that goes to other people. Meaning your server walks with $11.25, or just barely over 10%. Remember, we make $2 an hour or so.
For everyone who thinks it's not necessary to tip on the alcohol let me respond (and, for context, I work as a server in a fine dining restaurant in a large city):
Wine: your server is still performing wine service for you. Additionally, if they made a recommendation, then they have also helped influence the wine you're enjoying. So tip on the cost of the bottle, not what YOU think wine service is worth. We end up doing a lot of work for money that turns out not to be that great when you divide it by the number of hours (and the physically draining labor of the restaurant industry).
Cocktails: you may think the server does no work for these and say, "hey, I'm not tipping on the cost of these because the bar made them, not the server." Well, you should know that at EVERY restaurant were I've ever worked the bar gets tipped out by the waitstaff. So even if you don't tip on the alcohol, I'm still tipping them for making your drinks. Tip accordingly.
I could write a book about tipping and what's right and what isn't but I think the most important thing to remember goes back to elementary school and the golden rule. You like to be paid for your work, right? Well servers do too we just happen to work in a field where our client gets to set the prices on our work. Put yourself in a position where your work was based on what a client thought they should pay you. Would everyone pay you what your current salary is? Or would you end up dealing with people who think your work is worth the bare minimum they want to part with? Servers are the same way.
*And for everyone who will say "your job isn't that hard, I do REAL work": I, and my fellow servers, spend free time (off the clock) memorizing menu notes, studying ingredients, attending wine classes to better understand the wines, learning about the cocktails, and much more. Servers in fine dining aren't your average slackers.-COLLAPSE
I tip well, always 20% and often more. However, I think that tipping on the tax is absurd. There is also some major disagreement on tipping on alcohol, especially wine. This is always a major topic on the wine chat boards. Should I tip 20-25% of a $200 bottle of wine when it takes no more effort or service than a $40 bottle? It is one thing to tip on mixed drinks, after all the bartender had to...+READ
I tip well, always 20% and often more. However, I think that tipping on the tax is absurd. There is also some major disagreement on tipping on alcohol, especially wine. This is always a major topic on the wine chat boards. Should I tip 20-25% of a $200 bottle of wine when it takes no more effort or service than a $40 bottle? It is one thing to tip on mixed drinks, after all the bartender had to make them. But my alcohol bill is never as high when we are drinking cocktails with dinner as it is when we have wine, and the effort for the server is much less. And before any servers chime it, I worked my way through college working in high end restaurants as a waiter.
That said, I generally tip on the cost of the wine as well as the food, but when the wine costs over $100 for a bottle, and we've ordered two or three bottles, the tip on the food is a higher percentage than the tip on the wine.
Another question always arises with wine. What kind of tip do I leave when I've brought a bottle from my cellar? The server still has to set up glasses etc, but aside from the corkage fee, the cost is not on the bill. Here I normally leave a tip that is about the same as the corkage fee (here in DC corkage fees range up to $30 per bottle) as long as I got decent service.-COLLAPSE
"The reason why we have this system isn't to save the restaurant money. As if they paid servers more, they would simply raise the price of the meal to compensate. The reason for tipping is so servers don't get lazy. Their income is based on their performance as a server, for the most part."
This is the standard argument, of course, but of course it is also complete and utter nonsense, as...+READ
"The reason why we have this system isn't to save the restaurant money. As if they paid servers more, they would simply raise the price of the meal to compensate. The reason for tipping is so servers don't get lazy. Their income is based on their performance as a server, for the most part."
This is the standard argument, of course, but of course it is also complete and utter nonsense, as anyone who has actually worked food service or knows a waiter or bartender would admit if you pressed them (and yes, I was one of them). The tip doesn't affect service one iota- a good waiter is a good waiter even if he's been stiffed a few times, and a bad waiter is a bad waiter no matter what. No server ever actually blames him or herself for the tip, whether it's deserved or not. Every crappy server I ever worked with would get stiffed and would then spend the rest of the evening bitching about cheap patrons and then taking it out on other customers- getting stiffed never made a server more self-reflective or improved his performance the next time around.
The bonus is that a bad tipper is always a bad tipper and a a good tipper is always a good tipper- people who are inclined to be generous continue to be generous even with mediocre service, because they are the same people who are empathetic enough in general to think that they owe the server since he/she isn't getting paid a living wage. People who are cheap won't be pleased by anyone.
There is no actual relationship between tipping and service, as anyone who has received excellent service in Europe could tell you. What it DOES do is make people uncomfortable. But the reason we don't change it in this country isn't JUST because restaurateurs are cheap- it's because the dirty little secret of servers (even the ones who bitch constantly about how ill treated they are) is that they don't WANT the system to change. Why on earth would they want to when they take home cash that they never admit to on their tax forms? If people don't like being servers they can become office temps and pay payroll taxes like everyone else (it's no harder to get work as a temp in NYC than it is to get a job as a waiter- in fact it's often easier since they don't care what you look like or how well you flirt)- but they don't, because even the crappiest waiter can generally walk with more net pay after a shift than the best receptionist can.-COLLAPSE
I tip reasonably well (though I hate it in New York)- 20% at the minimum and up to 30% for better than average service. But I find it ludicrous that people insist that you should tip on the tax. What on Earth for? The restaurant isn't getting it- it's TAX. In other words, you're basically saying that a waiter in New York should be tipped more than a waiter in, say Maryland, for no other reason...+READ
I tip reasonably well (though I hate it in New York)- 20% at the minimum and up to 30% for better than average service. But I find it ludicrous that people insist that you should tip on the tax. What on Earth for? The restaurant isn't getting it- it's TAX. In other words, you're basically saying that a waiter in New York should be tipped more than a waiter in, say Maryland, for no other reason than the fact that the government takes more. It makes no sense. I will also say that the guilt trip about a tip being a waiter's only source of income is reasonable in most states like New York, where waitstaff gets paid a third of the minimum wage, but it is an outright lie and thus offensive in states where waitstaff does actually make minimum or more, such as California- for years I got the same song and dance from actor friends in CA that I got in NYC, and never questioned it- until I found out that they were making 8 dollars an hour before even receiving a tip.-COLLAPSE
Wait Justin, I'm confused by what you are saying here. That the percentage given should decrease because the tab is larger?
letsindulge, you may not want to hear it, but it's true: if you can't afford the tip, you can't afford the meal, special occasion or not. The server should be penalized because you're on one income? That's completely ludicrous. Responsible adults spend their money on things they can afford. If tipping 10% instead of 20% is literally all you can afford, you have no business eating in a restaurant...+READ
letsindulge, you may not want to hear it, but it's true: if you can't afford the tip, you can't afford the meal, special occasion or not. The server should be penalized because you're on one income? That's completely ludicrous. Responsible adults spend their money on things they can afford. If tipping 10% instead of 20% is literally all you can afford, you have no business eating in a restaurant to begin with.-COLLAPSE
So far, I have not noticed any comments relative to the amount of the tab. The smaller the tab, the higher the percentage tip. Very large tabs, say $200 per person, should decrease in percent, but not the aggregate.
Also what all does the server do? If the server is preparing a dish tableside, then the tip should be greater.
If one can't be generous with a restaurant tip, then when are they...+READ
So far, I have not noticed any comments relative to the amount of the tab. The smaller the tab, the higher the percentage tip. Very large tabs, say $200 per person, should decrease in percent, but not the aggregate.
Also what all does the server do? If the server is preparing a dish tableside, then the tip should be greater.
If one can't be generous with a restaurant tip, then when are they going to be generous?
It is not like I am endowing a chair at Harvard or funding the Opera; so I try to be generous.-COLLAPSE
Also, if you can't afford the tip, you can't afford the meal.
I enjoy going to a restaurant that recognizes me as a big tipper. Suddenly, reservations aren't necessary, freebies come my way, the owner enjoys chatting with me, and I always, always receive fast and loyal service. The dick at the bar that under-tips is left scratching his head, wondering why it's taking so long to get a drink.
First, I recommend going to a restaurant or bar during an...+READ
I enjoy going to a restaurant that recognizes me as a big tipper. Suddenly, reservations aren't necessary, freebies come my way, the owner enjoys chatting with me, and I always, always receive fast and loyal service. The dick at the bar that under-tips is left scratching his head, wondering why it's taking so long to get a drink.
First, I recommend going to a restaurant or bar during an off-hour on a weekday. Sit at the bar and chat with the bartender. Usually the hostess is bored and sitting at the bar, too. Chat with everyone. Maybe the owner makes an appearance. Smile and be interested. Make some jokes. Talk about sports. Order a few respectable cocktails, like an Old-Fashioned, a Gin & Tonic, and a Manhattan. Be sure everyone gets your name. Then leave a fat tip (crisp $10 or $20 bills only). Something around 30-40%.
The next time you go there you'll receive the best service. Do it a few times and you'll be treated like an insider. Quality restaurants love loyal customers, and they'll side-step other customers to make sure they retain your satisfaction. One time I tested this out by making a friend call for a reservation at a particular French restaurant in St. Paul. The hostess said, "Booked solid. Sorry. You might get lucky if you just show up." Then I called and made sure I said my name... "We'll have a table ready." It makes you feel like you're a mobster, but it takes nothing more than being friendly and generous. You can grease your advantage even more by making sure the hostess receives a twenty when you leave.-COLLAPSE
Just for instance...what if it's all you can afford? E.g., during these difficult economic times where a couple by no choice of their own are down to one income but they treat themselves to a nice dinner out for a special occasion. Would the same standard still apply? Please don't respond by saying they should not dine out, or pick a more economical restaurant because this a real life situation...+READ
Just for instance...what if it's all you can afford? E.g., during these difficult economic times where a couple by no choice of their own are down to one income but they treat themselves to a nice dinner out for a special occasion. Would the same standard still apply? Please don't respond by saying they should not dine out, or pick a more economical restaurant because this a real life situation for many. Thanks.-COLLAPSE
Tell your friend this: tipping was 10% until the mid sixties when it moved to 15% and it stayed there until the early eighties, when it went up to 20%. The culprit in both cases were tax reforms: in 1966 and 1982.
In 1966, the IRS started to require reporting of tips on tax returns. In 1982, the IRS set up a method where waiters were presumed to receive taxes at least equal to 8% of their...+READ
Tell your friend this: tipping was 10% until the mid sixties when it moved to 15% and it stayed there until the early eighties, when it went up to 20%. The culprit in both cases were tax reforms: in 1966 and 1982.
In 1966, the IRS started to require reporting of tips on tax returns. In 1982, the IRS set up a method where waiters were presumed to receive taxes at least equal to 8% of their gross sales and taxed accordingly.
So when he tips 10%, he is barely bringing the waiter up to the minimum income that the government taxes. If the waiter has to 'tip out' and give 10-20% of their tips to bartenders, busboys, etc, then the waiter could actually end up being taxed on income they did not earn.-COLLAPSE
Rather than try to change his mind or "sneak back" to cover the extra tip for the cheap skate, I'd just not have meals in a restaurant with him anymore. Meet for cocktails (separate checks) or invite him for dinner at home instead. Or at least don't go with him to any restaurants where you're a regular, lest his sully your reputation.
My worst service experience in years? When the gratuity was built into the tip at a hotel lunch on Mother's Day. The waitress read the specials off of a cheat sheet, didn't put in our order in correctly, and so decided to leave two entrees under a heat lamp while the third was prepared, and then didn't offer a dessert menu before presenting the check. I heard about a study years ago, they found...+READ
My worst service experience in years? When the gratuity was built into the tip at a hotel lunch on Mother's Day. The waitress read the specials off of a cheat sheet, didn't put in our order in correctly, and so decided to leave two entrees under a heat lamp while the third was prepared, and then didn't offer a dessert menu before presenting the check. I heard about a study years ago, they found people went by habit, and didn't adjust the tip according to the quality of the service. I always do. I consider it career advice. I'll tip up to 25% for great service, 15% if there are a few mistakes, and loose change for true disasters.-COLLAPSE
I generally double the tax as a guide to a tip. As I have used restaurants.com occasionally, where an 18% "gratuity" is built in, I leave no additional tip; however I have noticed that the tax is added to the bill before the "gratuity" is added. This means that I am tipping on the tax which is ridiculous.budcar14
Long story short, there are people who exploit any system that relies on voluntary compliance. Clearly, self-regulation works neither for corporations nor diners, making me wonder why there isn't simply a "service compris." Oh yes, the corporate retaurant lobby...
The fact is that yes, when I work as a server, I want to drown each and every person (save the fixed-income elderly; they get a...+READ
Long story short, there are people who exploit any system that relies on voluntary compliance. Clearly, self-regulation works neither for corporations nor diners, making me wonder why there isn't simply a "service compris." Oh yes, the corporate retaurant lobby...
The fact is that yes, when I work as a server, I want to drown each and every person (save the fixed-income elderly; they get a pass) who tips less than 15% like a naughty kitten in a rucksack. I don't get to pre-negotiate the rate I receive, yet am suckered into giving the same attention and effort into a 10% tipper as a 20% tipper. Some people will find any excuse to be a cheap a**hole: there is no "intellectual justification" for tipping below the socially and industry accepted norm, save for bad service. Any attempt to find justification for deliberate and repeated undertipping simply proves ethical and moral holes in the justifier's character, because this may be shocking: my landlord doesn't take half the rent I owe because I have some bullsh*t "justification." The grocery store doesn't reduce my bill by 50% because I came up with some lame excuse.
Regardless of how clever you may be, if you are a habitual under-tipper, you erode the quality of service that everyone gets, because you encourage stereotyping on the part of servers, and drive out the more attentive, talented people who experience your nonsense because they find that waiting tables is simply not a worthwhile occupation. This punishes consistent and thoughtful diners who want quality servers who yes, can tell them about the food/wine, who have an interest and passion for the entire restaurant experience, because low wage positions attract low wage candidates. Like everything else, eventually, you get what you pay for.
So, if you want to be cheap, fine-- get takeout. But if you expect the fruits of my labor, attention, and effort, then pay up, tightwad, because you truly are ruining it for everyone.-COLLAPSE
An important tidbit to remember is that servers in most parts of the U.S. pay "tipout," which is used to pay bussers, cleaning staff, etc. That amount isn't a percentage of the tips the server received -- it's a percentage of sales they've made. Therefore, not leaving a tip means that you're actually CHARGING the server out of pocket.
To bad tippers who use foreign customs as an excuse: it...+READ
An important tidbit to remember is that servers in most parts of the U.S. pay "tipout," which is used to pay bussers, cleaning staff, etc. That amount isn't a percentage of the tips the server received -- it's a percentage of sales they've made. Therefore, not leaving a tip means that you're actually CHARGING the server out of pocket.
To bad tippers who use foreign customs as an excuse: it doesn't matter how much servers get paid in your country. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When someone asks you to take your shoes off at their home, you do it regardless of whether you do it in yours. It's simple manners. Please tip 20% for decent service. Not doing so is the reason why servers avoid tables of tourists like the plague.-COLLAPSE
The difference between tipping pre-tax and after tax is pretty tiny so I dont see why its an issue.
Again, RedTop, there is no "fact" when it comes to tipping. There's no rule that says you must tip on tax or must not.
I've worked in restaurants for the last 15 years; the vast majority of diners tip on the biggest number on the bill, which is the one that includes the tax. You don't? That's cool, but don't try to invent some "rule" that doesn't exist. You're flat-out wrong. "Because I say...+READ
Again, RedTop, there is no "fact" when it comes to tipping. There's no rule that says you must tip on tax or must not.
I've worked in restaurants for the last 15 years; the vast majority of diners tip on the biggest number on the bill, which is the one that includes the tax. You don't? That's cool, but don't try to invent some "rule" that doesn't exist. You're flat-out wrong. "Because I say so" isn't a valid argument.-COLLAPSE
I'm glad I made you laugh invinotheresverde. The fact is still the fact: subtract tax from the bill before calculating any tip. Large, or small.
I tip well 20% is automatic and more if you are exceptional. If you are absolutely terrible (like the time I waited 45 minutes for the cocktail menu and then the waitress stopped mid order to refill wine at another table while we were STARVING) I will leave a pittance for a tip. Why? Because I am tipping you for your service, if you don't provide one you don't get my money. I will separately tip...+READ
I tip well 20% is automatic and more if you are exceptional. If you are absolutely terrible (like the time I waited 45 minutes for the cocktail menu and then the waitress stopped mid order to refill wine at another table while we were STARVING) I will leave a pittance for a tip. Why? Because I am tipping you for your service, if you don't provide one you don't get my money. I will separately tip bussers etc. at that point, I will leave enough to show that I didn't forget but that the service was not service and I will alert the manager the next day or on my way out. I am in no way looking for a free meal. If something is wrong with the meal, that I will attend to during the meal but this is strictly service. I also don't tip based on whether or not the food is good. The server doesn't really control the majority of the food (although at some places they do make salads and desserts).-COLLAPSE
@Lawn Gnome, assuming that your post was in response to mine, I didn't say it was to save the employer money. I said that the wait staff (and the rest of the house) should be paid a decent amount without being at the mercy of the generosity of the diner. And that one reason the current system remains in place is so that the listed prices can be artificially low. If the diner is expected to foot...+READ
@Lawn Gnome, assuming that your post was in response to mine, I didn't say it was to save the employer money. I said that the wait staff (and the rest of the house) should be paid a decent amount without being at the mercy of the generosity of the diner. And that one reason the current system remains in place is so that the listed prices can be artificially low. If the diner is expected to foot the bill it should be on the bill up front.
Your post suggests that being paid a decent amount makes people lazy. Jeez, this is the 21st Century, not the 19th.-COLLAPSE
Well, Helena was right, no one's mind was changed.
No one even admitted to thinking about it differently for as much as a minute.
You'll never change a cheap ass!
@Aramek. Nice! I enjoyed that anecdote(much more than I've ever enjoyed this column).
Sorry, I don't tip on the amount including tax. That's ludicrous if you ask me. I tip 15-20% on the pre-tax amount. I think servers do pretty well, that is all I'll say.
Get an etiquette book. It says in my book that 20% is standard and never to tip under 10%. It's really your call. I have only left nothing one time and that is a story all to itself. Remember, they are taxed on 10-15% anyway. That's how it worked out when people decided to tax gratuities. You want the taxes, you should follow the customs...
The reason why we have this system isn't to save the restaurant money. As if they paid servers more, they would simply raise the price of the meal to compensate.
The reason for tipping is so servers don't get lazy. Their income is based on their performance as a server, for the most part. It also gives the patron to show their dissatisfaction with poor service by leaving a poor tip to reflect...+READ
The reason why we have this system isn't to save the restaurant money. As if they paid servers more, they would simply raise the price of the meal to compensate.
The reason for tipping is so servers don't get lazy. Their income is based on their performance as a server, for the most part. It also gives the patron to show their dissatisfaction with poor service by leaving a poor tip to reflect that.
How many stories have their been on here about how once there is automatic gratuity for large parties, the servers then pay little attention to the customers. Because their income is then going to be the same whether they provide excellent service, or poor service.
I personally don't agree with tipping on tax, as here in Ontario the tax rates are pretty high, however I do it anyways purely for convenience.-COLLAPSE
Still the same story, the business doesn't pay a living wage so the diner is "allowed" to make up the difference, and the waiter suffers if the diner declines to do so.
No tipping in Japan or Europe, and they seem to get along OK. Decent wages are part of operating expenses and included in the price of the meal. What a concept!
Seems to me that the only one who benefits from our system is...+READ
Still the same story, the business doesn't pay a living wage so the diner is "allowed" to make up the difference, and the waiter suffers if the diner declines to do so.
No tipping in Japan or Europe, and they seem to get along OK. Decent wages are part of operating expenses and included in the price of the meal. What a concept!
Seems to me that the only one who benefits from our system is the restaurateur, who can list lower prices on the menu.-COLLAPSE
People like OneSweetShannon and RedTop make me laugh. There is no definitive right or wrong when it comes to tipping on the tax, though those who say it HAS to be one way likely aren't erring on the side of generous.
Tip on tax or don't tip on tax. It really doesn't make much difference. Say, for example, your bill is $100 and tax is 10% ($10). 20% of $100 is $20 and 20% of $110 is $22. Two...+READ
People like OneSweetShannon and RedTop make me laugh. There is no definitive right or wrong when it comes to tipping on the tax, though those who say it HAS to be one way likely aren't erring on the side of generous.
Tip on tax or don't tip on tax. It really doesn't make much difference. Say, for example, your bill is $100 and tax is 10% ($10). 20% of $100 is $20 and 20% of $110 is $22. Two bucks. Big whup. And that's assuming a pretty high tax rate, at 10% and a good sized bill. Likely, it's less than than.-COLLAPSE
I usually tip 20% if the service is real good, but start deducting when I have to wait, the server doesn't check back, clear the table, etc. I disagree with the $1 per drink, unless it is a mixed drink. How hard is it to pop open a beer bottle or pour a pint? Sorry, you need to work harder for that dollar. I usually create a tab and tip according to the total.
Why tip anything at all for terrible service? I leave nothing, and just write BAD SERVICE on the check.
My husband works for a European company, and when one of the corporate big-wigs come over for a visit, of course all the executives went out for dinner at one of the nicer restaurants in the area, ordering multiple courses and expensive bottles of wine - totaling over $2000 for a relatively small group. The big-wig decided to take care of the check on his corporate card that night. The local site...+READ
My husband works for a European company, and when one of the corporate big-wigs come over for a visit, of course all the executives went out for dinner at one of the nicer restaurants in the area, ordering multiple courses and expensive bottles of wine - totaling over $2000 for a relatively small group. The big-wig decided to take care of the check on his corporate card that night. The local site director was mortified when she received a call the next day wondering what was wrong with the service, since no tip was left.
Educating the ex-pat employees about the importance of tipping is a huge issue at the U.S. offices. And it often isn't that they haven't been told, just that they forget since it isn't part of their culture.
I tip 18%, but include tax, figuring that it works out to about 20% of the pretax bill. It's just easier than looking for the pretax total on the bill. I will tip 15% if I felt service was subpar, or less if it was really bad. I always throw on a bit extra if they went above and beyond or my group was particularly demanding - whether it is my kids or my cousin's drunk husband.-COLLAPSE
Bad service = bad tip but front desk needs to know. Server will just think you are cheap or from the UK!
In America, since servers are not paid well, they make a living on tips. I think it's customary to leave a 15% tip for standard service, 10% or less for terrible service, and 20+% for exemplary service. I think a tip of 10% (1 dollar minimum) when buying a drink from the bar is reasonable. I strongly disagree with Helena that you include the tax. You only tip on the pretax amount. Also, if you...+READ
In America, since servers are not paid well, they make a living on tips. I think it's customary to leave a 15% tip for standard service, 10% or less for terrible service, and 20+% for exemplary service. I think a tip of 10% (1 dollar minimum) when buying a drink from the bar is reasonable. I strongly disagree with Helena that you include the tax. You only tip on the pretax amount. Also, if you use coupons, groupons, etc, you need to tip on what would've been the full pre-tax amount.-COLLAPSE
The tax on a meal should ALWAYS be subtracted before tip is calculated. Don't believe me? ASk any reputable restaurant owner.
I'm with Bald Lemon on this - I grew up in the UK and in NZ. I will only tip for good service - all UK (where I am now) restaurant staff must be paid at least minimum wage (£5.93 per hour), so I won't tip for bad or indifferent service. I'll leave 10% for good service, and I don't know anyone who would tip more unless the service is exceptional.
It does sound, however, that 10% is low for the...+READ
I'm with Bald Lemon on this - I grew up in the UK and in NZ. I will only tip for good service - all UK (where I am now) restaurant staff must be paid at least minimum wage (£5.93 per hour), so I won't tip for bad or indifferent service. I'll leave 10% for good service, and I don't know anyone who would tip more unless the service is exceptional.
It does sound, however, that 10% is low for the US. Rest of the world, standard to high.-COLLAPSE
I had no idea that 10% was considered tight. I am from australia where it is a but gauche to tip. Our hospitality unions make sure that staff are payed properly. I normally only tip at bars when the bartender has done a really good job on a drink for me or the staff at a restaurant were exceptional. My american friends as always amazed that i just don't think to tip, it is just something...+READ
I had no idea that 10% was considered tight. I am from australia where it is a but gauche to tip. Our hospitality unions make sure that staff are payed properly. I normally only tip at bars when the bartender has done a really good job on a drink for me or the staff at a restaurant were exceptional. My american friends as always amazed that i just don't think to tip, it is just something completely unnatural to me.-COLLAPSE
Ike- My thoughts exactly!
20% of the total. At least. Most servers make $2.13 an hour and they don't just bring you food. They clean and do side work such as refill the condiment, make the tea, sweep, roll silverware...the list goes on. You didn't have to cook or clean that night. Someone is taking care of you for the evening. Take care of them too.
maybe Oprah tips 10% because her bills are $3000+ and a $300 tip is still a lot of $
I'm with stevedeluxo on the tipping-on-tax philosophy. I'm pretty sure that calculating out the tax when calculating your tip places you firmly in the tightwad category.
Sorry, but tipping on the tax is not correct. When figuring whatever tip, it should be figured as percent of meal and alcohol, but not tax. (I've also heard that alcohol shouldn't be included -- but I think this is more for situations where one is seated at the bar while waiting for a table -- in which case, you would tip the bartender directly and not the table server.) Also, you shouldn't have...+READ
Sorry, but tipping on the tax is not correct. When figuring whatever tip, it should be figured as percent of meal and alcohol, but not tax. (I've also heard that alcohol shouldn't be included -- but I think this is more for situations where one is seated at the bar while waiting for a table -- in which case, you would tip the bartender directly and not the table server.) Also, you shouldn't have to give an additional tip if a gratuity has already been added to your bill (like when they automatically add 18%-30% for large parties), though you are of course encouraged to do so when the service warrants it.-COLLAPSE
The reason you tip on tax is it's easier to just calculate it from the total (sometimes servers don't list the total), and it's not a big amount. If you assume a high sales tax of 7% (except in CA), tipping say 15% on the tax is an extra 1%. If you had a bill of $30, the additional tip on tax would be a whopping $0.30.
Why not just err on the side of generosity? You might considering handing a...+READ
The reason you tip on tax is it's easier to just calculate it from the total (sometimes servers don't list the total), and it's not a big amount. If you assume a high sales tax of 7% (except in CA), tipping say 15% on the tax is an extra 1%. If you had a bill of $30, the additional tip on tax would be a whopping $0.30.
Why not just err on the side of generosity? You might considering handing a quarter to a bum who just asks for it on the street, but not to someone who actually served you?-COLLAPSE
Why would you tip on the tax? Are we giving them a service fee for collecting for the state? 20 percent on food and alcohol yes...taxes absolutely not.
My friends and I were at some place, late, and had ordered drinks. The waiter came back, and said he was sorry, that they were out of what we wanted, so, never without a backup plan, we ordered something else.
When he brought our drinks, he remarked "Here's the Pepsi versions of what you wanted!"
We've never laughed that hard out to eat, and he earned himself about a 50% tip that night.