1) As foreigner, I nicely tip the customary 15-20%, don't worry.

2) But here's my question: if people are getting paid crap, why do they still work and not demand a more decent pay? I mean, why is it up to me as a customer to make up for the poor negotiating power of the personnel? If there are other people willing to work for that crappy salary, then apparently, the free market has done its work and it's a fair price.

The thing that keeps surprising me here in the US is that an advertised price is *never*, seriously *never*, the amount of money that you need to hand over to get the product. NEVER. There is always a tip, a charge, a fee, a surcharge, a tax, whatever. It pisses me off massively. From a 'free market' where prices are honestly advertised and I can make an informed decision on what product to purchase where, your county has changed into a country where you are completely in the dark on the final price until you actually pay. It's ridiculous.

Nepkarel

As someone who used to depend on tips to make a (decent) living, try to tip in the 20% range. And tip via handshake, don't wave it around. Now that I make significantly more, I try to hit 20-25%.

cubensis

    If I'm eating at a fancy place like Arnauds, Commander's Palace, or Spiaggia, I'm going to probably calculate a tip close to 15% or maybe a little more, if the service is awesome. (It often is, in places like that!) On the other hand, if I get an egg, coffee and hashbrowns at Waffle House, I'm probably going to round that $9-10 check up to $15.

    Unless the server is a butthole, or totally incompetent, I think they deserve a good tip. I used to work in foodservice...

AcidReign

Oh, I'll mention it up front. Since there is very little else we can judge you by, anyone here who professes to be a stingy tipper will look like a cheap, ungenerous miscreant.

Deprong Mori

Oh no, another tipping thread! (sigh)

Tip what you want, but if you tip poorly on a regular basis, you will earn your comeuppance.

Note that tipping is regionally based, and I won't even get into the topic of tipping outside the U.S. That is way outside the scope of a blog entry discussion.

Deprong Mori

tip 10% at a NYC restaurant and you better be wearing a kevlar vest! typically 18% is minimum and 20% is average here. service people generally get paid crap and live off tips - even in good restaurants.

fxb

Double tax, forced up to the nearest whole dollar.

zolielo

Whenever I'm eating out I start at 20% of the bill for a tip. Always. If the service wasn't great, I go down on the %. But then again they have to be awesome to get more than 20%.

As far as the article saying "always tip" I don't completely agree. I was eating at a sushi bar recently and the waitress was TERRIBLE even though there couldn't have been more than 5 other tables filled in the restaurant (wasn't a normal eating time, just felt like sushi)She brought us our drinks and we didn't see her until it was time for the check. The sushi chef even got us something else to drink because he saw we weren't getting any help.

So I tipped the chef rather than the waitress. He did more than she did the whole meal. By tipping the chef I mean the tip I was going to give him anyway and the waitresses tip.

liquidglass

double the tax

ubuntugamer

USA, Virginia: The standard to tip in restaurants is 20% people. If the service was great, 20%. If the service was unbelievably horrible, you may want to consider at least throwing $2 their way. Simply because at the end of the night, and this in VA, servers have to tip out 10% of total alcohol sales to the bar, and 10% of total food sales to the busser and expo. All this after only getting paid 2.13/hr. When you don't tip, you are not only just not tipping, you're taking the money away from the server. We still have to tip out on your tab, regardless of whatever you tipped us. If you have a problem with the server, you should speak to a manager. No one learns from bad tips, this is no offense by any means, but typically you're just considered an asshole and servers don't bother serving you well from there on out.

I'm not like this of course, lol, only a few tables in my life have I ever refused to serve. But I've been waiting long enough to be able to tell you the other side of the story.

PinkNBlack21

First of all, always tip cash. It gives them discretion in what they report to the gov't. Second, 10% and 25% are both easy amounts to figure out so I tend to give whole dollar amounts somewhere in that range. Obviously the exact amount depends on the service. I also never have anything delivered because they're always late and they always expect a tip. I end up feeling like a chump if I give a tip or feeling like an a$$hole if I don't.

madcow3417

Remember that this depends on countries.
In the US probably it's the norm, but in other countries it different: in Italy the bill includes the service, so usually people never leave tips unless the service was really good. In the NZ it's the same... actually I guess the compulsory tips exists pretty much only in the States.

simonech

I've had this argument with friends ... whats all of your thought: when tipping at a restaurant do you exclude the cost of the drinks from the total when calculating the tip. I've heard that this is common, and it is one of (if not the only) reason/s that the drink tab is sometimes listed separately on the bill. (especially at finer restaurants)

joeny1980

T.I.P is actually an acronym born from English coffee shops as the coffee made its way west from the mid east trade routes and into a burgeoning cafe culture.

It means: To Insure Promptness.

Which in the meritocracy of America is a cultural way of life. You get compensated based on your performance. I used to wait on tables and for the most part I really enjoyed the experience. I still work on commission and probably always will, I find it an invigorating way to work. I also tend to tip well.

Karma people, karma.

Jasontrainer

Tipping is, as other commenters have observed, more an American custom than worldwide norm. Why does tipping exist? A chicken and egg situation... Americans working in industries like restaurants don't actually get paid a proper living wage, so they are dependent on tips to get by. Refusing to tip because "servers doesn't deserve anything extra just for doing their job" is therefore rather ostrich-like behaviour. In other countries, like New Zealand, service is included in the price. In NZ, handing out money like that condescending American blowhard advises would not be considered gentlemanly.

kiwinerdgrrl

This is why I eat at home.

lonewolf333

I was a waiter for years, and thus generally tip generously... but not always. The advantage of doing this sort of work for so long is it is generally pretty clear to me what is going on when the service/food/etc is bad.

15% is baseline. I live in the midwest where waiters make 2 bucks and some change per hours, plus tip. The reason people do such work is that you still, on average, make a decent wage compared to minimum wage somewhere else.

That being said... it has to be VERY bad for me to go under 15% and on average, I tip around 20%.

I generally judge said work on what the waiter is doing, not how the food comes out, etc (though how the waiter deals with the food being bad is a big deal.)

Waiters work very hard. And while I've moved on to professional work since then, waiting tables for 8 hours a day in a decent restaurant was consistantly one of the most exhausting and stressful jobs I've ever had. And while I never messed with the most vile customer's food, I knew waiters that did. The important thing is to treat your waiter like a human being - if you don't... wel, you get what you deserve. I sure wasn't paid to take abuse. My ethics may have kept me from messing with your food, but that is certainly not the most common belief. That being said, I saw it happen very rarely and usually they REALLY deserved it.

I'm pretty sympathetic if I can tell the waiter is trying, and absolutely unforgiving if the waiter is doing a terrible job and there is no good reason.

Gideon

I look at the total, double and round up.

A lunch bill of $18.45 would get a $4.00 tip.

$1.80 x 2 = $3.60 which I would round up to $4.00

If the service sucked, I would not double and leave $2.00 in this case.

DramaClub

I have worked as a server before and now as a valet a nice resort in Phoenix while I finish school...so I know what its like to work for tips. My base pay is 3.75/hour...I look at my paychecks as a "bonus" because otherwise I would just be depressed every other Friday.

As a server I felt that 15% was a fair tip. When I go out I personally tip 20% unless the services was total crap because I understand its pretty much their only form of income. As a valet $3 is a decent tip but $5 makes very satisfied as they drive away.

Not tipping is really just being an ass...you don't know if the server got screwed because another server called off and now they have double the tables. Maybe the valet who checked your car into the lot wrote down the wrong spot number which is why it took a minute to recieve your car instead of 20 seconds.

Idrive

I tip 20% most of the time depending on my finances. Once I tipped a server 25% because I didn't have enough money for a 20% tip.

rad_matter

If you want you can now also tip websites/blogs online with this new service:

[tipit.to]

You can even tip sites that are not yet using the service. Pretty cool.

tristan_bethe

Hi guys.

I'm about to visit America and would like to know if 20% is too low in:
Vegas
Texas
The southern states
NYC

...also I've heard that casino dealers aren't huge fans of foreigners because of a reputation for low (or no) tipping. Is this true of people in other service jobs?

longbourne

I live in Belgium where service is always included. (It's hard to believe that a waiter earns only $3.75 an hour - Over here it's at least € 7.1 = $ 10, and more at night.).
In a cheap restaurant or a fast-food thing like a pizzeria, it's really unusual to tip. In a fine restaurant, we tip, at least when food and service was exceptional, and then it's about 5 % of the bill.

AnneTanne

Unfortunately, due to my budget, my tiping varies directly with the attractiveness of the girl I'm with. I always leave at least a 15% tip though.

AvgJoe

I just triple the tip and round it up or down by $5, depending on the the service.

jason724

"If people are getting paid crap, why do they still work and not demand a more decent pay?"

Our employment is entirely dependent on the whim of the restaurant manager. If I stand up and say "Please pay me a living wage so I can eat every week", there are 20 more people begging for my low-wage job that my manager will be more than happy to hire after he fires my ass. And with the economy in a fantastic slump, I can't afford to lose even my badly-paying job. Landlords don't take "but I was standing up to the man!" as payment.

Also, I waitress because it's one of the few jobs where I at least have the opportunity to make more than minimum wage that also allows for me to go to college full time so that someday I can quit my job for something that doesn't rely on the kindness of strangers for my paycheck. I would have to work more hours for less pay in a retail/fast-food job that would leave less time to study, and I lose my (very tiny) scholarship if my grades drop below a certain level.

Having been a waitress now for more than two years, I will say that I'm lucky that I work in a place where I only have to tip out 10% of my total tips for the night, which still comes out to about $10-15 on a weekend. I know other places where it's 10% to the host, 10% to the busser, and 10% to the bartender. When you're making $100 a night because people have decided that they shouldn't have to pay your salary because your manager is too cheap to pay you, that's $30 you no longer have to pay your rent or buy groceries.

By the way? Even if you don't tip me, I have to claim what you should have tipped me for taxes. The government just assumes that we make the money, and they want 8% of it, even if we made less than that. Technically (and I KNOW it's not fair and I wish it were different) you are stealing from me when you refuse to tip because it's beneath your high moral principles. Oh, and my actual 'paycheck' is a joke. It's just about enough for gas money each week, and that's all.

I'm a good waitress. I work hard to earn my tips--I smile, I appologize when things go wrong, I try to get to everyone as quickly as I can, I very rarely make mistakes and when I do, I correct them in whatever way that I can. I don't expect people to tip me--when I get a tip, it makes me smile. When I don't get a tip (or a very bad one by the 15% standard) I sigh and move on. I have NEVER spit in anyone's food or done anything to get revenge on a patron for a bad tip.

Please don't assume all waitstaff are cheap, thieving bastards who just want your money and don't care about you. When people compliment me on my service in addition to leaving me a tip, it makes my day that much better. Appreciate your waitress, and she'll appreciate you twice over.

libbybee

One thing I'd like to know about is tipping the cleaning service in a hotel. Are you still supposed to tip 15-20% of your room bill? That seems pretty high, but the last thing I want to do is insult someone cleaning up after me. What's the standard?

bmearns

Echo from above...15% is absolute minimum. Any less is insulting. Unless the service is particularly crumby, I generally tip at least 20% at a restaurant, 25% is for particularly good service, and around 30% for a really exceptional experience. Like if the server does a favor for you (like comp an appetizer you had to wait a little long for), you're still coming out ahead if you add a little extra to their tip.

An remember, if you go some place frequently, tipping well is /always/ a good idea. Unless you like spit in your coffee or sitting next to the bathroom.

bmearns

@Jasontrainer: No, no, eight hundred times NO.

[www.snopes.com]

Didn't we just have this discussion? Or was that on Consumerist?

drjayphd

15% with standard service
20-25% with outstanding service
0-10% with terrible service

Jarick

@drjayphd: Thanks, I was actually going to point that out.

lemur

I tip but I think that there needs to be an overhaul of the system, come on you don't go to school to be in the service industry. Those jobs should pay a live able wage and there shouldn't be any tips, if you want to earn better money go to school and get a real job or at least aspire to do more, waiting is not a career and you shouldn't expect others to pay your way because you have no drive to do more.

bullfroghrr

@restaurants, we do something like:

5-10% for terrible service
~ 15% for okay service
20-25% for good service
25% - 200% for outstanding service

it *really* depends on the place and the cost of the meal to begin with. at cheaper restaurants, it's easier to tip a higher percentage (and the staff often needs tips from you more than they do at really expensive places).

we tip our favorite waitress, at our favorite place, somewhere between 50 and 200% (depending on whether or not we buy a bottle of wine, generally)

tip what you think the service is worth.

also, there's a middle ground between *hiding* the amount you tip and flashing it infront of everybody. honestly. it's not a big deal. leave it on the table. i like to leave the credit card holder open so the waiter/waitress can see what we tipped when picking it up, but nobody else is likely to see it.

my only real 'rule' is ... unless the service sucked ... do NOT tip below 15% at a restaurant (10% at a bar)

also, don't EVER stiff the waiter/waitress. if you pay your bill at all, that means you got *some* kind of service ... you need to tip.

see what libbybee wrote if, like Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs, you don't agree with tipping ... you're wrong and you'll have a much better dining experience when you start tipping well.

remi

"But what if I don't want to give a tip?"

They forgot to mention the "I'm a student and poor" scenario... :P

Bobly

@Jasontrainer: WRONG! It does not mean that.

@drjayphd: I also remember that discussion, though I forgot with whom.

Thomas Palmer

@Jasontrainer: The "To Insure Promptness" thing is an urban legend. The etymology of the word is actually more mundaine.

Anyway, I usually tip ~20% and vary according to service. 15% for less than average service, 25% for good service. If the server really goes above and beyond, the tip could range anywhere from 30-50% depending upon the size of the bill. If service was shite, then no, I won't leave a tip. It's not mandatory, and I wouldn't expect anyone to treat it as such.

fluxrad

This "Tip to Insure Promptness" silliness has got to go.

The next time, I'm going to post it at the beginning of the comment stream (if LH doesn't do so).

Deprong Mori

Sorry, the previous comment should have been directed to Idrive.

lyndyn

@Jasontrainer and others in the hotel business:

I went to a very nice professional conference in a very ritzy hotel this week and the organizer was paying for everything - I brought one credit card for small incidentals and NO cash. But (because I usually stay in budget, self-serve type hotels) I totally forgot how many tipping situations there are in nicer hotels... the maid, the bellman, the shuttle driver, argh! I was quite embarrassed and contrite about not having any money to tip with, especially as I was a waitress a long time ago and pride myself on being a generous tipper.

Would it be appropriate at this point to send a thank-you note to the hotel for a wonderful conference, and a check for what I would have tipped, and the names of the staff from whom I got particularly great service?

lyndyn

@Jasontrainer:

That simply isn't true.

[www.snopes.com]

radleyas

I've only ever stiffed a few servers...but what miniscule bit of pitiful work they put in wasn't really worth anything.

I'm a professional, and when I bust my ass and bend over backwards, I don't see tips. I do make a living wage, however. Is that the only reason we tip, so that waiters don't starve?

I don't agree with tipping but I still do it, much in the way that I don't agree with some laws but I still follow them. Thanks to society's pressures, I hate stiffing people and undertipping. I just feel that the whole idea of tipping is wrong. Pay people to do their jobs, and if they don't do them, find those who will. It gaurantees a fair income for the server and takes the pressure off of the consumer.

W24x192

I concur with some other posters.. I double the tax and then maybe add another dollar or two.

MonkeySwitch

I tip 15% to 25% depending on the server. If it's really neglectful service I'll go down to 10% and let the manager know if he asks (when they make their rounds, I won't bother asking for him unless the waitress is rude). I'm usually a good tipper, but when the restaurant is really busy and I'm being neglected, I tip a little less. My wife doesn't like that much, saying that it's not the servers fault, but my reasoning is that if they are getting tips from twice the amount of tables, they'll still come out all right. If they can handle that many tables and still keep the service level good then they'll make a LOT of money that night. I also make it a point to compliment the server when I get good service. I want them to know I appreciate it and then I tip them really well to accentuate my appreciation.

bradray

The problem with all the "rules" is that it breeds a sense of entitlement and expectation regardless of service. If you are pleased with the service, be generous; if you are not pleased, don't be generous.

With any luck, the server will eventually realize the consequence of poor service. Then again, maybe I am too optimistic... they may just curse the customer without ever realizing, or caring, why they got the bad tip.

The Consultant

Jesus, I suggest as a preface to every tipping post to either Lifehacker or Consumerist that the person should put, "NOTE: TIP DOES *NOT* MEAN 'TO INSURE PROMPTNESS'."

Anyway, I went to lunch at the Olive Garden a while back with my girlfriend and her mother, and her mother has a very interesting way of tipping. She starts the waiter/waitress at 20 points (or 20% obviously). If they do something above and beyond what is expected, she adds a point. If they fuck something up, she deducts a point. And she'll also deduct multiple points if the person was just rude in general. Kinda neurotic way of doing it (she was discussing this throughout the whole meal), but I suppose it works.

booticon

Tip more than whatever the average is for places you like and frequent. Tip normally if you're not coming back to the place.

Use the tip as reward for the quality of the service -not the food, decoration, etc- just the service. That means that you should tip high even if the food was bad but the service was outstanding. Tip less or nothing if the service was very bad.

raindogmx

I'll generally tip 15%, but 20% for really good service and 10% for bad service. This is pretty much the standard where I live. Minimum wage here is $8 (CAD) but most places would pay above that.

lmath

I always tip 15-20%. When the service is impressive, I've been know to tip nearly 40%. I am lucky enough to have the money, I'm lucky enough to be able to share it. I can understand only tipping the minimum, but if you've got the coin, spread it around.

radleyas

I tipped $10 for a full service car wash the other week. $5 for the guy that vac'd it out, and $5 for the crew that dried it off. The vac guy put a little post-it on the window with the letter 't' on it.

Best car wash ever...hands down. Would it have cost me more than $10 worth of my time to do the same quality job at home? Certainly.

That being said...I decry the growth of the tip jar at every business. I'm a regular (daily) at a coffee shop that doesn't have a tip jar, nor accepts them. They treat me better than anywhere else, and all they get out of it is loyalty and politeness from me.

tkerugger

Nobody "deserves" to have their food spit in or otherwise soiled. I don't care how rude they are. Refuse to serve them, take your sweet time, don't fill up their water, skimp on the rolls, or tell them off if you must ... but spitting in someone's food is inexcusable.

That said, I NEVER turn back food, and usually tip 15 - 25%.

gwoodroof

Whatever you tip, please add a SMILE and a THANK YOU! This is a rule that can take you around the world. I tip well in my favorite local spots. When I walk into my nail salon, I am warmly greeted and treated well. Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name....

ManoaGirl

The percents are nice, but don't forget one more rule: never, ever* (unless you're trying to be insulting) tip less than $1.00. Sure, you only got coffee and a slice of pie (or, you were only in the taxi for a few minutes) and mathematically the tip comes out to $.65. Nevertheless, fork over the extra 35 cents or look like a jerk.

* One possible exception: tip jars for counter service as found at Subway or bakeries. But, honestly, they're just lucky to be tipped at all, right?

witeowl

I tip almost always ONLY out of obligation, which I despise. But I despise getting my food spit in even more. Tipping is a stupid method of paying employees. The person waiting tables at Applebee's is not less worthy of a good paycheck than the wait-staff at the $100 per entree restaurant, yet order just a meal with the EXACT same service and you're expected to pay more just because the FOOD cost more. Ridiculous doesn't even start. Being expected to tip a lousy server is just criminal.

They should be paid proper and livable wages. That said, many waitresses I have know would be angry to get just a "livable wage" because they would make so much less than the tips. Some make more than I do. When was the last time you tipped a teacher for doing a good job? I didn't think so.

The sense of entitlement tipping breeds is bad for society. In case you didn't notice, I hate the concept of EXPECTED tipping. It should be completely optional and without societal pressure. I'd happily give my order to the chef and pick up my own food, hell, even bus my own table.

Chris Moran

Tucson, AZ, USA:

Restaurants:

The ones you sit down and order:
Better than standard 25%
Standard 20%
Substandard 10-15%
Sometimes they don't like to serve you 0%

The ones you order at the cashier and they bring your food (usually about $10 bill):
$2

If I go to a place with a group of friends, I tell the server in advance that I would like a separate check because my experience is that when people are splitting bills, they conveniently underestimate or forget the tip. I don't deal with that kind of bs anymore, I pay the deserved tip and leave the place with peace of mind.

Pet groomer: 25%

Barber/stylist:
This varies, I used to leave 25% until the guy became super high ranked (and appropriately expensive) in Toni&Guy store; he bought a house and a brand new BMW (good for him, but I could not justify paying so much anymore). Then I switched over to a young talented guy in a local barber shop; currently I am paying him about 50% tip.

Hand car wash: $2

eebs

Having been a server I start at 20% and go up or down. 15% is the lowest i will tip.

Also servers like compliments but they don't pay bills. Tell us we gave good service and show it also with a decent tip. Don't say we gave good service and tip like 5% because we really hate that.

bbobjoe

In Hong Kong many places have a 10% "service charge" that is "handily" already included in your final bill, even if the service was utterly rubbish...

Discosis

Palm down while simultaneously shaking hands? Is this a drug deal? Man, when I leave a tip I just throw a $5 on the table and call it a day.

grimmdude

I live in the rural south and tip 15% for decent service and 20% for exceptional.

Years back I stopped tipping at all at a restaurant where I learned that all the tips were pooled and then gambled for at the end of the week. One person got the whole week's tips. It's their right to do that and my right not to support it.

LaneLester

Disclaimer: I'm not american.

I know, and understand, that tipping is necessary and polite in countries with poor legislation and no unions, but it still seems very strange. I work part-time as a blackjack and roulette dealer, and occasionally foreigners and tourists offer tips. While I can understand what they mean with it (it's the thought that counts and all that..), it's actually pretty hurtfull. I need to be bribed to do my job well?

Rockyhead

That palm down thing just seems wrong. When I shake hands with somebody, I like a firm grip, but I can usually pick out people who feel they're entitled by how much they insist on twisting my wrist so that their hand is basically on top of mine. I suspect it's a domination thing. I don't personally like to send a signal that tells somebody they're inferior to me when I'm in the middle of trying to thank them for their help.

Dex

@grimmdude: No, its called a bribe. Palm down while shaking hands with a 20 is a way to get seated quickly...

cde

22%? The last time I paid 22% extra to someone, it was the government for income tax, and that's only to prevent myself from being thrown in jail!

Greg P

@cubensis: screw 20%, why not recommend 100% instead.

Type-E

@drjayphd: Actually we did not have that conversation @fluxrad: @radleyas: And others...

It actually never occurred to me to look on snopes for the etymology, I had no idea it was urban legend. I was referencing a book gifted to me in 1992: The Complete Book of Coffee by Harry Rolnick [P. 24]

"Still, whenever one leaves a tip after a meal anywhere in the world, we can thank the coffee house. For it was in London that a few extra pence were left for the waiter "To Insure Promptness," abbreviated to T.I.P.

I think it is out of print, but a quick Google search turned up lots of entries, here's a random one chosen for its image:

[www.tarmans.com]

Weird, I guess I never thought that the book would have made it to print without solid fact checking.

Jasontrainer

My favorite episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun was when the guy laid out the tip in $1 bills as soon as he sat down and started subtracting from it everytime the waitress messed up or pissed him off.

My sister was a waitress for a long time so I usually tip around 20%. If I'm just getting coffee or a cheap sandwich sometimes it's around 100%

Being a good tipper especialy if you like to frequent the same places pays off. One place I usually get my dessert for free because the owner likes that I, "take care of his guys."

Final

As a grad student in a college town I tip 15-20%.

What gets me is the more and more common practice of resteraunts where I wouldn't normally tip (such as fast food or take out) where when you pay by credit card the slip has a place for a tip. Was I supposed to tip the whole time when I paid cash or what? Do the people working there expect tips or is it just something the machine puts on there automatically? In those cases where the person just takes my order at the counter and yells my name out for me to come get it I ususally just give them $1. Am I insulting them?

jccalhoun

@jccalhoun: Their credit card machines were not set up properly. A good card services agent can set up modern machines for a Tip/No Tip field. Having that field on a pickup receipt is as distasteful as holding a hand out for a tip.

People here have been commenting on the food industry and I've seen a few comments about not cutting out part of the tip because the food was bad. I disagree. The food quality has to do with the service.If waitstaff is subject to all of the praise, he or she is also subject to the criticisms as well. Don't like it? Work at a restaurant where food quality is not questioned.

I've also read about tipping at buffets, and recently some show had a special with a "miss manners" type of person saying if at fast food restaurants you should tip if you leave the dining area messier than you left it. Interesting concept.

An interesting, but often ovelooked aspect of tipping is in retail service. Basically, if you ask for ANYTHING outside of the normal service, you should tip. You want your car serviced today becasue of a trip you planned 3 weeks ago? You must tip. You want your TV delivered after a shop closes or before it opens? You must tip. Often, these people working at these jobs do not get paid overtime, or sometimes additionally for working additional hours. However, because it is retail, instead of positive reinforcement, often, complaints to get the customer's way are often the norm.

I tip servers 20%-25% depending on service. I have no problem tipping under 10% if service is abysmal. If I do not have a drink on my table when my food arrives, The server has screwed up. I have worked in the serving industry, and currently receive tips at work, which I share willingly with my employees. Without them, I could not give the exemplary service that gets good tips.

Lizard_King

Tipping should be strictly voluntary. Unfortunately it's not (at least in the US).
Why don't resturants just add 20% to their prices and pay their employees a fair hourly wage?

clubcolombia

@Rockyhead: As an ex (blackjack) dealer myself, I'll clarify the tipping while gaming. The players aren't tipping you to do a good job. If anything they're hoping that you'll start rooting for the customer instead of the house. (Not cheating, just rooting.) Not that it makes any difference in the world, but it's nice to feel that you have the dealer on your side instead of the house's.

Oddly enough, one woman was so blatant with that philosophy that she would only tip after a losing hand. I don't know how well that worked because we dealers would then hope that she would lose more hands.

When I play now, I always have a $1 side bet for the dealer after any winning hand. Yes, that makes me a bit overly generous (a bit of "a george"), but it's just play money. And sure, that means the dealers often win more money than I do in the end, but that's only because they're not allowed to (not theat they would choose to) play their tips a second time. When I cash out winnings, I tip the cashier as well - for good karma, not for pity or bribery.

Seriously, why not tip the dealers while (not after) gaming? There's a risk that all my money will go to the house anyway... why not let the dealers get some of it?

witeowl

@witeowl: I make 9.11€ per hour ($14.20), which isn't that much (only a bit over minimum wage), but it's enough to make me root for the player. Accepting tips is strictly forbidden, but I seriously doubt they would improve service anyways. Money can't buy proper work ethics.

But then again, nobody tips here in Finland anyways, so the whole procedure seems a bit dodgy and strange to me.

Rockyhead

@Rockyhead: Interesting. I can see how living in a culture where no one tips could make attempted tipping look a bit odd and underhanded.

Of course, I've heard that US casinos are VERY different from European casinos in many ways. Here, you can barely hear casually-dresed people talking over the din of slot machine noise and music blasting over the speakers, and clouds of smoke around tables are not rare. In contrast I've heard that casinos in Europe are much more subdued, where people dress well, the air is clear, and you aren't inundated by noisy machines and loud music.

When I was a dealer, tips comprised the majority of my income. I was paid minimum wage, and tips helped me make it to a liveable wage, and some nights brought a nice healthy bonus. (Big difference in the states: minimum wage [currently $6.33 in Nevada] is far below a living wage.)

Honestly, I hated counting on tips. I'm much less stresed when I know exactly what I'll be paid every month.

witeowl

@longbourne: 20% is appropriate in NYC for sure. I live just outside of NYC. Tipping at a club/bar is about $2 per drink, $1 per drink if its a lower scale bard.

joeny1980

ok as a former bartender i've got to comment on the whole 20% instead of 15% b/c cost of living has gone up.

So have the prices on the bill!!!!! it's self indexing people! I mean that Heineken I used to pass over the bar for 2.50 is now 5.50.

eatrip

@Jarick: I like to add 5% to that table if there are more than 2-3 people at the table. A good server who gets hot food to 8 people at the same time starts at 20% in my book.

Jim (The Canuck One)

I'm not from the US (or currently there).

In some countries, you have to 'tip' the customs officials, or police, or other public officials in order to get 'service'.
In the US, you have to tip wait-staff.

When in Rome, do as Romans I guess.
But... it still feels quite odd to me - a sign that the system is messed up, not the individuals.

I've never quite understood why waitstaff are tipped, but the Chef's are not (and wouldn't that have a bigger impact on your dining enjoyment?), but again, not my country, when I'm there I just hand over my 15% (is it moving up to 20%? I'd better take note... Although if it is moving up, that seems like a bad sign, and indicative of bad labour laws).

If you don't want to become the sort of economy where everyone expects there 'service tip', and minimum wages are equally undercut, then it seems like a bad idea to encourage tipping in other areas - it'll just give businnesses an excuse to pay less.

As for the current conditions of wait-staff, couldn't someone come up with a campaign for a higher minimum wage? Possibly funded and advertised by 'Tip jars for a Better Wage' on cafe counters?
I think that would be nicely ironic, and a good way to build support for 'change'...
(Sorry, couldn't resist the pun!)

Sangrail

USA, Virginia (and almost every other place in this country): 15% is traditional for simply "service" (you got your food and it was edible); most people I know just make it 20% because it's easier to take the food bill, shift the decimal, and multiply by 2. If the service and the food really sucked, then I'll go below 15%... easily. But, I have tipped as much as 30%, however that was dinner for 3 at Ruth's Chris, and the service and food were better than excellent. However, I'm never going to try and "make up" for the "stingy bastards" who don't leave a deserving tip--a server gets what I think he/she deserves. Sorry. :D

GlennA

Another tipping thread?

edosan

I've got a tipping story, but it's a little strange. I was out at a little low budget restaurant with two of my friends. We're all grad students so we don't have a whole lot of money, but a couple of us had just come into a little bit of extra fellowship dough.

Somehow the conversation got to the issue of how cocaine use was back on the rise in Texas. We were wondering about the cost of a cocaine habit, but since none of us personally 'dance with the white lady', we had no idea how much, say, an eighth actually costs. Somehow, one of us ended up asking the waitress for a ballpark figure. She way to quickly answered, $105, followed by short awkward pause and then said "I'm sorry I know that," before walking off.

We busted out laughing. And then proceeded to tip her exactly $105 on a fifty dollar check.

So apparently hilarious gaffs and vague, potential admissions of a prior or ongoing drug habit necessitate a 200% tip.

But only in Texas. All bets are off in Louisiana.

wildgunman

@wildgunman: lol

ubuntugamer

Tipping is not a law, a rule, or is it mandatory.

Ken

@Chris Moran: When was the last time you tipped a teacher for doing a good job?

Tipping a public school teacher would probably get you a bribery rap!

Troy F.

Why on earth should I factor the "reputation of the eatery" into my tip? If the place has such a great reputation, the service should be good, right? It seems like this is just an oblique way of saying that you have to tip a higher percentage at fancier places.

EliWho

@Ken:

You're right, it is neither a law, a rule, nor mandatory. However, if you frequent businesses where tips are the socially agreed upon means of supporting those who supply you the goods and/or services you enjoy, then you are cheap.

Slothrop

Out here in Quebec it is customary to pay the equivalent of the taxes in tip, so about 14%.

Guizzy

I'd prefer to tip based on service, and not the cost of the food. It really gets to me that the waiters and waitresses at fancy restaurants not only get a higher base wage than their casual dining counterparts, but get tipped a percentage off much higher food and drink prices. By that reasoning my starting tip percentage is actually lower at expensive places.

Of course, that's just one factor of many: quality of service, size of group, length of stay, and restaurant freqency.

kftgr

@Ken, it's also not a law (if you're not an employee) to wash your hands after using the restroom, but it is certainly mandatory. It's required by polite society.

People just need to accept that a tip is part of the cost of eating out in America. Just as you wouldn't go to a store and buy something if you can't afford the tax, you can't go to a restaurant if you can't afford the bill plus a reasonable tip. 15% is bare minimum, 20% is standard. If you can't afford that, eat at home or at a fast food place.

It is kind of messed up as a system. I would support a switch to include that extra 20% as part of the base cost of food, as it would be more consumer friendly, but restaurants would not support that and neither would servers because the management would be highly unlikely to actually pass that whole 20% price raise on to them, so it's not likely to happen.

anniekate76

I have to agree with wildgunman. All drug use aside, 200% is the best way to go. If I'm eating at a restaurant and I can't afford to leave a $100 tip, I probably can't afford to eat at that restaurant. You'd be amazed how being a great tipper has helped me get my frivolous spending under control.

Merv23

well, I've just came home from my job at Chili's and just had to weigh in on this conversation. really, I just want to reiterate what some have said already. as an example, tonight my total sales were $669.74. I had to tip out $21 because we're told to round our total sales to the nearest $100, then take the first digit of my total sales and multiply by 3. the 3 positions i'm tipping out are the busser, expo and the bartender. i left tonight making $118, so that's a bit under 20%, but it's not too bad. but as was stated earlier, no matter how much money i'm tipped, i always have to tip out my total sales (this is drinks and food).

one thing i would like to add to the conversation is this. if you happen to go to a chili's or applebees or the like, and just to pass some time take a table and grab some coffee or an appetizer, your bill may be small enough that 20% is still only a couple of dollars, but one thing i think of is the fact that you've taken that one table away from them where they potentially could have made more. so if my bill is only $10.00, i'll still leave $5 because in my mind it compensates for the loss of sales to that server.

irishwhite

I think tipping is a barbaric custom at best. No person should be dependent on the generosity of others for their livelihood. I always tip at least 20%; more for outstanding service. If the service is less than acceptable, I will speak with the manager, but still leave a 20% tip. If the service is intolerable, it's usually pretty quickly obvious, and I either ask for another server or leave before my food is ordered.

malakhi

I don't agree with the practice in principle. Service work must be difficult enough without the extra stigma and mortification of tipping attached to it.

8498693

@bmearns: I typically tip $2-$5 per day for the housekeeping service. My general rule of thumb is a buck per star of the hotel quality. In other words, if it is a 3-star hotel, I'll do $3 a day.

If I'm not sure I'll be running into housekeeping I put a "for housekeeping" note with the money by the coffee pot. The note is important since most hotels will not allow their employees to take unattended money from guests' rooms.

mrbeck

Tip based on...."reputation of the eatery"?? - I have to say I've never considered this directly....hopefully the reputation is reflected in the quality of the staff, food, facility, etc. However, if I'm a regular at this restaurant and they seem to have an off day, I would certainly keep my past experience in mind when tipping. Now, if you work at a restaurant with a great reputation, I'm sure you hope this is a factor...

rdy4trvll

I usually tip 7.5% on the non-tax portion of the bill. I can go all the way up to 8.5% or even 9% sometimes if the service is extremely good.

8498693

Let me first disclose that I am an owner of a Resort with a Fine Dining Restaurant. As part of my duties, I do work on the floor as a server.

The "Double the Tax" plan doesn't work well at all. First of all, what do you do on a state with no tax like Oregon? 2x0=0. It also doesn't work because in some restaurants have the tax for alcoholic beverages embedded in the drink/wine bottle price, and is therefor not shown on the bottom of the check.

I have heard some say "You should never tip on the wine/alcohol." Guess what. Your server has to pay the bartender, out of their tips, for the wine/alcohol whether you do or not.

It is not uncommon for the server to have to tip out other service staff from the tips they receive. The servers can be required to tip out the Host(ess), the Bartender, Expediter, and Busser. Some restaurants also require the server to tip out the Dishwasher and Cooks, even though this is not allowed by the Department of Labor and Industries Wages and Hours Division. The problem is that the Department of Labor and Industries may turn a blind eye to these issues. In Washington State I have spoken to the Department of Labor and Industries to make certain that our tip out procedures are within the scope of the law, and they will not give me any straight answer. The Washington Restaurant Association will quote the law and published a statement by their attorney that it is unlikely that you would be prosecuted if you do not follow it.

What is my point in all of this? Your server works for minimum wage and takes your life into their hands. Your server may only get to keep half of the tip you leave for them.

Is it fair? No. Is it the way it is? Yes.

Some people say that the Employer should pay the servers more instead of the customer paying a tip. Think about this, your server is a sales person. The Tip is a commission. Do you want the Employer to decide what commission you are going to pay on your dining experience and raise the menu prices to compensate?

Off to work now, but tonight I am playing the role of Executive Chef. Owning a restaurant is NOT easy.

cshmny

Okey, guys. I'm working as a waiter in a fancy italian Ristorante in Manhattan.

If you want that we will be satisfied for our work than please give 20% of the total. Don't play with the tax, don't give 15% without tax and tip just for the food. This is about how to satisfy your waiter.
Turists are don't understand the system. Why we have to give tip?...
Well you don't have to but we work for that money. In Europe you include the service even when your waiter give you poor service.

Where I work there are a lot of staff that we split the tip.(Captans, manager, waiters, busboys, foodrunner)
Don't think that I personally will take all that money what you give me.

I don't want to feel sorry for me, I make good money, but I try always my best to satisfy you and go home with the feeling that, yes It was a great night in that ristorante.
Wish the best...

Chris_

15% at a local restaurant? Local restaurants are no different than "4 star" restaurants. The servers still take care of you hand and foot and deserve the same tip you would give at any other place. 20% is standard now. It's 2008 for christ's sake. Maybe 10-15% was acceptable in 1980....

rvrscott

I would feel like I'm making a bigger deal of the tip by doing the sly, "here's your tip, don't tell anyone buddy" handshake/exchange move, than I would be simply leaving the tip on the table. It feels condescending even.

maubrowncow

The handshake tip is a total douche move. People who pop their collars do the handshake tip.

Come on, it's a business transaction, no need for shame, just hand it over with a simple "thank you" like a normal person. If you're shamed by the act of receiving a tip, you shouldn't be working in a service industry. It rarely comes up for me anyway because I debit almost everything, but if I have to deal in cash I would be utterly embarrassed to do the handshake thing. Who am I, Paulie Walnuts?

We'll tip 20% by default if the service is good, and adjust from there.

ron2112

Unlike NY'ers, I live in a city where I don't have the opportunity to tip on a daily basis. I've worked in the service industry before and truly appreciate good service. Now that I make good money and can do so, I tip well. 20% or more on food, and a reasonable amount on house calls ($20ish).

If you don't make good money, you still shouldn't sit down to something where you can't afford a 15% tip.

Spread the love, people.

almostlucid

What would we be be insuring promptness against?

actual etymology here - [en.wikipedia.org]

The US tipping culture is insane. Just pay the people a living wage and customers can still tip when it's actually deserved, instead of this ridiculous situation of (almost) compulsory tipping regardless of service quality. It's how the rest of the world works.

ped

@Nepkarel:
If wages were fixed and paid by the employer, food prices would be significantly higher. Servers would also be much less motivated since they would get the same wage regardless of service. Servers that work hard and do a good job should be rewarded by making more money. It has nothing to do with collective bargaining or free market economics of the value of servers. I personally, prefer lower food prices and being able to decide what my server should earn.

It really isn't that difficult to take the price and add sales tax. Most of my purchases simply involve that.

OminousLuv

C'mon people - servers have a much tougher job than you.
20%, or more if it's a cute waitress who smiles and flirts with you.

dezeinstein

@madcow3417 wrote: First of all, always tip cash. It gives them discretion in what they report to the gov't.

I used to think that, but comments on the Internet from servers have said otherwise. Two reasons.

1. The IRS currently estimates what you should have gotten in tips. Too far away from that will be noticed.

2. When you put it on the tip line of the credit card receipt, that makes a record of the amount. Cash can "disappear" before the server gets it.

Jim C.

Okay, here's my take on the "ethics of tipping": I used to not really agree with it, but tipped well anyway, because after all, they are working hard to earn a living, and if they refused to do it because of the low wages, then I wouldn't be able to enjoy a meal out.

But then I was thinking about it more, and here's what I came up with. First of all, if we just overhauled the whole system and had restaurant owners pay a reasonable wage, then the increased cost to them would just be reflected in the cost of the meal, so you would end up paying at least as much in the end, and you wouldn't even get a choice on whether or not to pay it if the service sucked.

Secondly, regardless of whether or not "To Insure promptness" is accurate or not, tips really do give your server a good reason to provide you with good service. Think about how much more pleasant a trip to the grocery store would be if the cashiers worked on tips? Customer service, by and large, sucks these days, and a lot of times, I can hardly blame people: if they're getting paid shit wages and getting treated like shit from their managers, why are they going to out of their way to help a total stranger? Well, if their income depends on giving you good service, maybe they'll actually take their work a little more seriously.

bmearns

I agree with Dr. Smith about sensible change leading to better tips. Places like Starbucks are horrible for this sort of thing, where a drink might come to $3.97. This is not so condusive to good tipping as say a $3.35 drink, or even $4.20

bmearns

I have a tip for bartenders and waitresses(pun not intended). If you work at a place that charges $4 for a pint, you will only get $1 for a tip. If you work in a place that charges $3.50 for that same pint, you will get a $1.50 tip from me. I expect to pay about $5 total - so if the bar owners set a good price on the beer, you get the difference (if the service is good, of course).

One other thing - and I'm amazed more bartenders don't know this: If I give you a $20 bill and the charge is $9.47, you best give me back some ones! If you give me a $10 bill as my change, you've just made it difficult for me to leave you an appropriate tip.

drsmith

That hand technique is for bribing, not tipping. There's a distinct difference.

drjoestan

Just to add another post about tipping from an ex-server/bartender/manager etc. and this being in no way a commandment of how to tip, as thats completely up to you. However, tipping is obviously, not just a courtesy. I live and work in Michigan, and servers make $2.65/hour. **as a sidenote @Nepkarel, wages would be increased if non-union chain restaurants would not be so in demand. This way, servers are expendable, if they go against the rules or policy, they get fired and the chain hires someone with a quieter voice on the cheap.** Tipping is income for servers, this is their paycheck, and unless someone truly treats you horribly when you're out to eat, i do not feel that you have the right to garnish their paycheck. when you think about this, its like getting bad service at circuit city and demanding that they be paid $5/hour for the next week... not exactly your place to say, though it would be nice sometimes.
in any event, if you do get horrible service and want it to be addressed, ask to see a manager AND a shift leader if available, and kindly tell them about the problem. not to mention, once they find out that you still left their friend/co-worker a decent tip, they will be much more likely to offer you a gift card, or free dessert as compensation. Just remember that people feed their kids based on what you leave.

kmlixey

@Slothrop:

Are you implying that I should feel compelled to give money to people that voluntarily took a job that historically pays poorly, because some social group which I did not elect or participate in has decided that its my job to do so? And if I choose to defy this socially mandatory edict I will be punished by name calling? You convinced me. Give me back my buck.

Mike Savas

Where to start. First off I never tip by looking at the bill, I tip by the service rendered. The other day I ate at Village Inn (a breakfast cafe for those who haven't seen one) and tipped $3.50. My total bill was ~$9. I didn't look at the bill, just at how well the waitress anticipated my needs and kept my coffee full. Her service was exceptional and I felt that she didn't deserve a $2 tip. Now if I'm at place that's expensive and my internal tip-meter might not measure up to what is expected regarding the total of the meal, I'll look at the bill and adjust accordingly.

An increasingly obscure practice is to leave a penny along with your tip on the table. This implies that the service was excellent. Most servers don't seem to know about this practice, but many old school waiters and waitresses do. But you have to leave good monetary compensation as well, or else you just look like a jerk.

Once I tipped $30 on a $90 tab at a bar I frequent because the waitress was really hustling. Even though she probably had 20+ tabs open her service was exceptional, and she kept drinks in our hands. I didn't intend for it to happen, but now whenever I walk in the place I'm treated like a king. Tipping well does pay dividends.

Enochrewt

I'm a waiter in Atlanta. At the end of the night I have to tip out the busser 3% on total sales, and 3% of booze sales to the bar. Then claim 13% to the government. So when a customer doesn't tip, or tips badly, I lose money.
And nothing makes me happier than to have to pay for your dinner experience. One thing I never understand is why you want to screw over, or give a hard time to someone who is handling your food. You never know what could happen the next time. Waiters tend to remember.

drugshovel

@Chris Moran: "The sense of entitlement tipping breeds is bad for society. In case you didn't notice, I hate the concept of EXPECTED tipping."

Definately. People should not automatically expect a 20% tip, they should expect to earn it. I'm not saying I expect to be waited on constantly, but I do require that a waiter come by for drink orders relatively quickly after being seated. That way, I know the waiter is aware of me and intends to provide good service. Something may come up during the course of the meal, such as an unexpected crowd, but at least the intent to provide prompt service was there. A tardy initial drink order is grounds for a substantial tip reduction in my book, unless they proceed to provide excellent service thereafter.

Also, I hate tip jars at coffee places and such. Especially the ones that say "Tipping is not a city in China." Is that funny or racist?

berribrand

british

10-15% in restaurants (in the uk)

on (or under) the plate as i leave

holy crab cakes batman!

so what you are saying is (in the US) TIP = PAY. it's not really an option/ reward; you must pay it. and it's not an extra to the staff; its their pay.

a few problems:

the idea that my presence at a table is depriving a waiter of a better customer (irishwhite),

that a waitress is a "sales" person (cshmny),

that tipping ensures good service OR that you will suffer (future) retribution (drugshovel)

NO!

when i chose to dine out and select a restaurant i am NOT doing it for the benefit of that group of service staff, the chef or even the owner of the establishment but for ME and for my friends on the basis of reputation, settings and menu and price. i expect (and shouldn't have to pay extra or fear repercussions) for great service any more than i should do the same for fresh food and appropriate air conditioning. isn't that what customer service means? or is that extra?

if your "culture" makes it that way; so be it, that's what we'll end up paying. but that's not a "tip"

does anyone tip at McDonalds? why not?

ffolliet

Anyone ever tried to tip a cow?

da da duh...

gravitus

Another thing to consider when tipping (or not tipping) is that a lot of restaurants are now cutting into the tips the server gets. I used to work at Cheesecake Factory and we had to pay tip out based on our sales. It's not uncommon to pay out 7% of our sales to our bartenders, food runners, and bus boys. I'd only go home with like 10% of my sales and that was just so-so. It really is quite a common practice in the restaurant industry to pay tip out, it's also the same at olive garden and other welll known restaurants.

tenshijack