Expecting a tip seems a bit pretentious and egotistical to me. How dare you think you were that personable and sincere about your service to expect that I personally give you money outside of the bill printed on the slip of paper you’ve just given me.
I’m gonna sum it up real easy like for those of you that don’t understand how tipping works (at least in the states)…
a waiter/waitress will make approx $2.03 - $2.15 an hour (compare McD worker who makes $6.50 an hour)
Personally I appreciate good service. If a waitress is hospitable, meets my demands with a smile, and refills my glass as soon as its empty she’ll get at least 20% if not MORE. This being entirely separate from whether or not my food stinks. Its not her fault if the cook is a retard, either making crap food or being slow. Her job is to make OUR experience as good as possible. That’s what you tip her for, for being a GOOD HOST.
Occasionally, I’ll run into a waitress with an attitude, who forgets what you wanted, or is outright rude to you and your company. Having worked in a restaurant (not as a waiter) myself, I know that the girls that display this kind of service usually have a pretty crappy life behind what the customer sees, and by carrying that over in their service they usually get crappy tips, NOW while I don’t condone their attitude toward the customer, I can certainly feel a measure of compassion and pity for them. And knowing this, I will leave at least 15%, believing in my heart of hearts that maybe my generosity, in spite of her harsh demeanor, will brighten her day. This makes me feel better whether or not its true.
I sincerely hope that you all read this and take it to heart. And maybe it’ll rub off on you so that the next time you are being served you can give a smile knowing that you have the opportunity to help someone.
PEACE
I worked vallet for a fews years, so I understand how your friend feels. I also think that people think they should get a nice tip just because the tap was expensive.
IF the waiter/waitress deserves it, 20%. Otherwise 15%, sorry if the company lowered their prices i’d tip better.
Daniel you took the words right out of my mouth. lol
I get pissed if someone doesn’t tip at least 15%. I think that’s rude. Like ethan said if you can’t afford the tip then you shouldn’t be out.
Nothing bothers me more than freakin’ cheapskates. All those low tippers and people that rationalize their not tipping because of the service are cheapskates. They’re the same people that pick up the tab on their VISA when everyone else at the table pays their share of the bill in cash and then they stiff the waitress or waiter by stuffing the $30 tip everyone chipped in into their pocket and end up giving the waitress $10.
Cyleste so what if you have to pick up milk? There’s banks machines and interac at just about every convenience store on this planet. My god!
i know man… i mean, bottom line, if you havent ever waited tables before, go do it for a week and i promise you it will change your life and the way you see things.
You guys are right, you really are.
Last night my family and I went out for dinner. The waitress was a total beotch, she handed out , ya know the small plates for salad.
:lol: They were all wet and we all dryed them ourselves… She was a bad waitress.
The bill was $89, and we left her $20, not sure why, she didn’t deserve it, if it were just me tipping, she would have gotten $10 if she was lucky.
I agree with Dan. Even if you don’t wait tables, work somewhere where tables are waited on. You’ll get the true understanding of what tipping is all about.
Side note: Many people believe that tip is short for gratuity (don’t ask me how the connection was made). The truth is that “tip” was originally “t.i.p.” which stood for “To Insure Promptness”. This was started by busy businessmen in the 1800’s who wanted quick service so that they could be on their way back to work. So “to insure promptness” they would place money on the table BEFORE the meal so that the waitress had incentive to be quick. Over the years it became custom to give it after the meal and it lost its original form and became the word “tip” as we know it today.
in France, service is included. 15% of the price you pay is for the waiter/busboys/barman. Then, you eventually get additional tips (but not much, except if you’re doing a GREAT job or if the guy being waited on is hitting on the waitress). And when you wait on an American buff and his girlfriend, he often gives you ANOTHER 15% (Americans don’t know what “Le service est inclus dans la note” means… hehehehehe).
So if you wait an American table for 200 euros, you get 60 euros as a tip. Waiters are pretty well off in France, but the job is pityful and hardcore.
its kind of interesting to think about how tips were invented here in the states, and here in the states our whole culture is based on busy busy busy. we wolf down breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we live in a fast food culture, and we need to “insure prompt service”…but a lot of countries that have learned to take life slower and dont mind sitting around and having a 3 hour lunch…they dont have a tipping custom…i used to hate waiting on people from other countries that didnt have a tipping custom because they ALWAYS left 0%.
Yes, but unlike in the US, waiters get a monthly income and/or a percentage on their sales. Tips are considered when the service was excellent I guess, but there’s no unwritten rule here, you’re not “supposed” to leave a tip. You can of course, but if you don’t, it won’t be considered as being cheap.
I don’t know if this is the case in the US, but when it’s summer and you want to eat outside on the terrace, you automatically have more to pay in some restaurants and pubs. The waiters have to walk more and have twice as much clients (in- and outside), so you pay for that, which is understandable.
It’s another system, what can I say. 
standard tipping rate in the UK is 10%
i always tip unless the waiter pisses me off…and i have been a kitchen boy who gets the small percantage of the waiter’s tips…
from my experience, tips are not as mandatory as some of you make out. if service is average or below average no way do you get a tip or should you expect one…
if i show little interest in my customers experience then what right do i have to his gratitude?
my wage was no different to when i worked in a ‘liquor store’ or in a sports shop. maybe that is the difference with the US. the minimum wage is the minimum wage and pletny of jobs, not just waiters, are subjected to it
is there no minimum wage in america?
There is. Somewhere around 5 bucks an hour I think… I don’t know why it isn’t applicable when you’re a waiter though… Good Q.
well heres the way it works, waiters get paid a standard 2.15 an hour, plus whatever they make in tips. at the end of the night, each waiter “reports” what he made and if it doesnt come out to equal minimum wage, then the restauraunt will compensate him back whatever it was that he would have made if he was making minimum wage.
That’s kinda dishonest isn’t it? So you mean they are actually being paid less then minimum wage, but have to make it for it in tips to just *get to *minimum wage?
That sucks.
yes it does…thats why its important to tip well
so basically every waiter is going to get the minimum wage every hour and possibly more when he does his job well and is tipped accordingly…whatever a customer tips them
it seems to me that you lot are putting a guilt trip on the consumer when you should be moaning at your employers…
very cosy arrangement this one!
a. the employer often gets away with paying very low wages because the customer makes up the minimum wage that is required by law. oh, having got your money for the meal as well…nice
b. the waiter gets his minimum wage whatever standard of service he delivers and cleverly guilt trips customer into more money through his ‘im only paid 2 dollars an hour’ bull****…
BOO HOO
Depending on the service.
Poor: 10%
Average: 15%
Great: 20%
This is why I just stay home and order pizza. Of coarse Im expected to tip for that too.
One of the first jobs I ever had was delivering furniture to peoples homes. Almost every place I went I ended up helping move their existing furniture to make room for the new stuff I was about to lug in.
After 4-1/2 years at this job I had recieved one 5 dollar tip which I had to split with the other guy that was with me. Tip the guy carrying the 2 pound pizza but not the guy carrying the 700 pound armoire! Bah!
And dont try to tell me it was my attitude. I’m so !&#@!* nice its scary!
Not sure if this was said. But I dont think we should tip waiters. I never understood why we did. I mean they get a salary, even if it is just minimum wage. But they are paid to perform a duty. We dont tip anyone else. I dont tip the kid @ Mc Donalds. Nor my automechanic. I have on occassion tipped my hair lady/barber (when I had long hair). I believe if they do not like the pay get another job or go on strike for fair wages. I guess I just dont understand what about a waiter or waitress makes their job worth tipping. Is it like some age old tradition or something? And I am not a cheapskate I just dont believe in tipping if the person gets a salary.
