What do thrifty people do about tipping those who serve us? Should one be stingy with tips, since a tip isn't 'required'? I've seen very heated debates about tipping before. There is one extreme that feels you should tip 20%+ even if the service was bad. Then the other extreme who feel you shouldn't tip at all since the servers were just doing their job; after all, you wouldn't tip a cashier at Walmart or your garbage man, would you?
I don't often frequent businesses where a tip is even considered. Not because I'm against tips but because these types of places are typically more expensive to begin with. Sit down restaurants, hair stylists, nail salons, pet groomers, and so on. We are lucky to go to these types of places once or twice a year (well, never the nail salon or pet groomer...we do our own!).
We do tip. If our service was good we tip 15-20%, a few times it's been more than that. If the service was bad, or non-existent, we have been known to leave a very small tip, or a few times, none at all. I don't feel that it is our duty to pay our server to do a job that was done badly. A tip, to me, is a thank you for a job well done.
I suppose I could elaborate on tipping but I don't have a lot of experience with it as it only comes up a couple times a year in our life. I would love to hear from those of you who work in the service industry and also those of you who do/don't tip. How do you feel about tipping?
tipping is not really done in england. wait staff in restaurants make min wage or better so they don't live off their tips, the service is also terrible as a result. in the states the service has to be incredibly poor for me to not tip and if service is that poor i ask to speak to a manager and usually my meal is compped. if my meal is commped i still leave a tip. i spent 12years working in the restaurant world. i usually tip 20% or more. if you can't afford a tip, you can't afford to eat out should be the rule. yes they are just doing their job but do you know that most waitress make less than $3 an hour. they live off their tips. the restaurant business is brutal, normal rules do not apply. there is no 1/2 lunch break. paid vacations, time and half overtime, medical coverage- pretty much unheard of in most places. weekends are usually 10/12hr shifts. you are constantly working even if you aren't covering tables.
ReplyDeleteon a slow day i've knowns girls to go home with less money than they came in with. in bigger places they have to tip the dishwasher, busboy, bartender and runners. 8hr shift X $3 an hour=$24. say you only get $20 in tips that's 8hrs of hard work for $44. then you have tip everyone out.
if restaurant staff where paid like office works no one could afford to eat out. i used to work 60/80hr weeks in 140degree heat and brought in less than $17grand a year, no benefits and no paid vacation or bonuses. pretty sure your cashier at walmart gets a paid vacation and isn't working under those kinds of conditions.
Actually, we do tip our garbage men. :) I think that's fairly common. However, I am right there with you on avoiding places where I have to leave a tip. I do leave tips in places where expected, and I do tip the 'normal' amounts, but when choosing a place to eat, we will frequently choose the place where a tip won't be expected. I do not believe in leaving a tip for bad service UNLESS I feel it wasn't their fault. For example, the food service was slow or we didn't receive refills, but I can see the server is trying very hard, so we will still leave a tip.
ReplyDeleteOf course you should tip. If the service is bad, remember that it may not be the servers fault. He/she could have too many tables to take care of or the kitchen staff could be to blame. Complain to management and you may get something off your bill. I have never not tipped and I alwaya leave 20% or close to it. If you have a gift card or coupon, the tip should be based on the amount before these things are deducted. Also, base your tip on the amount before any tax is added. If you are too cheap to tip, then do everyone a favor and stay away from places where tipping is expected.
ReplyDeleteI am a server in a small restaurant and make $4 per hour. I frequently work 8-14 hour shifts and depend on those tips to put food on my table. I am putting myself through college with the money I receive in tips. When I go out to eat I always tip 20% minimum but usually more for great service. If service is bad I frequently look to see if a server is being overworked or if he/she is new, or something else. If there is a problem I tell the management. I would rather have someone give my server a few pointers or let the company know thet their service is not up to par than to cause the server to wonder what was wrong witht he service and why they received a meager tip or no tip at all. Servers cannot make the food cook any faster and if there is a delay in your service it is probably caused by issues in the kitchen. As for those patrons who frequent and do not tip? they receive their service but no extras. I treat them as I would treat any customer in a drive-thru window...kind and curteous but without any extras, I would rather spend my time with a table that might give me at least some tip rather than one which I know will leave me nothing on the table.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind tipping as long as it's not a 'forced' tip. You know, the 18% gratuity will be added to your bill for parties of 6 or more' type thing. I will tip based on service. I will refuse to pay a forced tip and will go elsewhere. The only exception to that is the restaurant.com thing where I am basically getting free money so I still come out ahead. I just don't mention that beforehand because if they know they are going to get 18% as a rule of the deal, you may get crappy service. Oh and I also cannot stand the tip jars that you see everywhere. I mean please! Enough is enough!
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