Tipping

[Weevil]

So what's your policy? Do you tip? Why? Flat 15% or do you weigh it on performance? Who do you tip?


I was thinking about this because the other night I was in a cab and we tipped the cabbie. For some reason, I had never felt like tipping cabbies was the thing to do.

Anyway.

 

[SINthysist]

been a waiter & bartender so I tend to go about 20% unless it is bad service, then the 15%. Now if it is absolutely indifferent service then I leave two cents.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

If they were good, 20%

If they sucked, eh, a few bucks.

I rarely walk out without giving them anything, even if they were horrible.

Two cents though... thats an idea. Some waitresses are just plain horrible.

 

[lobito]

if the service is good, 15%. very good at least 20%. Shitty as all hell, they get what I leave 'em.

 

[SINthysist]

My Blue Heaven

It's not tipping that I believe in. It's overtipping...

I think people would want to know that.

Here, let me borrow your pen.

 

[Weevil]

How about why?

I've always thought that tipping should have a purpose. Tipping waiters or waitresses might get you better service next time. Tipping a Maitre D might grab you a nicer table. Bartenders might hop to it quicker on your next drink if you tip them well this time. The few times I went to a strip club the reason I tipped was fairly obvious.

But for doing your job? I expect people to do their job well. It's not a bonus. You don't reward someone for not spitting in your food. You pay them pre-emptively so they don't do it next time.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[alexandraaah]

Hmmm...I was either a waiter or a bartender for almost 15 years. I tip insanely unless I'm in LA. You can't tip a hundred fucking dollars in that city for a better pour or a free drink.

Remember this when tipping: You never know what kind of a day someone's having. While people shouldn't be rude to you, on your worst day you'll still make your salary. This is their living. Also, if the service was good or great...throw in a couple more on top of what you originally intended. I guarantee that in a month, you will not remember two dollars, but that server will. It will also come back to you in spades when you return.

Also....(I could go off on this for hours), there is as much an art to being a patron as there is to serving someone. I will be right on top of a table/customer that is nice, or even civil as opposed to the easily forgotten asshole.

 

[SINthysist]

'Cause a good tipper gets his drink stepped on and a poor tipper gets more ice...

And I tend to frequent the same establishments (not a lot of choice out here) so I am priming the pump for my next visit. After a while you are royalty.

Hell in Mexico they follow me around the resort, "More Tequilla Senor," "I'm very sorry senor, you have drinken all the whiskey..."

 

[alexandraaah]

How about why?

I've always thought that tipping should have a purpose. Tipping waiters or waitresses might get you better service next time. Tipping a Maitre D might grab you a nicer table. Bartenders might hop to it quicker on your next drink if you tip them well this time. The few times I went to a strip club the reason I tipped was fairly obvious.

But for doing your job? I expect people to do their job well. It's not a bonus. You don't reward someone for not spitting in your food. You pay them pre-emptively so they don't do it next time.

In Chicago, servers make $2.26 an hour.

 

[Starfish]

15 for mediocre performance. 0 for horrid performance, and a whopping 30% for those who are good. If you are great.... I'll leave you half.

Catcher: I don't eat out. HA HA AHA HA

 

[Ishmael]

Yep

'Cause a good tipper gets his drink stepped on and a poor tipper gets more ice...

And I tend to frequent the same establishments (not a lot of choice out here) so I am priming the pump for my next visit. After a while you are royalty.

Hell in Mexico they follow me around the resort, "More Tequilla Senor," "I'm very sorry senor, you have drinken all the whiskey..."

What he said.

Ishmael

 

[Weevil]

Remember this when tipping: You never know what kind of a day someone's having. While people shouldn't be rude to you, on your worst day you'll still make your salary. This is their living.

Yes, but when I'm in a bad mood, I never, ever let it affect the work I do. Not in the least. Now, I'm lucky that when I'm in a bad mood I can, with a little wiggling, avoid people for most of the day and just work on reports and pouring over boring crap but that's my job. I don't let my mood affect my performance. If, every time I was in a bad mood I mouthed off in a meeting or fudged figures or whatever I'd be out on my ass in a week.

 

[Wave_Rider]

So what's your policy? Do you tip? Why? Flat 15% or do you weigh it on performance? Who do you tip?


I was thinking about this because the other night I was in a cab and we tipped the cabbie. For some reason, I had never felt like tipping cabbies was the thing to do.

Anyway.

I'm one who always tips everyone. Walking out of the hotel (tip the man who called the cab) and upon exiting the cab, I always tip the cabbie.

In a restaurant, learned long ago that a "modest" tip to the maitre'd and a better table becomes available.

Unless the service is absolutely horrible, I tip a minimum of 20%.

Some people I know, spend more time with formulas of doubling the tax, eliminating the wine/alcohol/ etc etc.

A bartender or a cocktail waitress will never receive less than $2.00 for their service. The next time I need to order a round, somehow they make themselves available it seems.

I chuckle at times when a bellman comes to my room to pick up my luggage, then carries it downstairs to the doorman. He/she will pause looking at me. So will the doorman who hands it to the cabbie, who will end up looking at me for another tip at the airport. Then the airport porter will be the last one to look at me, before I board the plane. Upon landing, it works in reverse till the cab takes me to the off airport car valet service. LOL

 

[paganangel]

i've bartended and bussed tables

my mom also put food on the table as a waitress. (pardon the pun...that was actually totally unintentional.) i tip pretty well. it's only when they are outright nasty that i don't. and heaven help them if they then complain.

"hey, thanks for the tip"

"yeah, here's a tip, don't fry bacon in the nude...ya bitch."

 

[alexandraaah]

Yes, but when I'm in a bad mood, I never, ever let it affect the work I do. Not in the least. Now, I'm lucky that when I'm in a bad mood I can, with a little wiggling, avoid people for most of the day and just work on reports and pouring over boring crap but that's my job. I don't let my mood affect my performance. If, every time I was in a bad mood I mouthed off in a meeting or fudged figures or whatever I'd be out on my ass in a week.

I don't think bad service should be rewarded, that's not what I mean. I also don't think, under any circumstances, that you should be treated like shit in a restaurant or bar. Those are extreme cases where I would still leave 15% but I would probably talk to a manager.

I'm just saying this: if someone seems a little harried, don't assume to equate that with bad service. As an example, I had to go to a table I was waiting on at a fine dining restaurant after our very unstable bartender had just finished physically cornering me in the dishroom, yelling at me, "You are such a fucking cunt" and pointing his finger into my chest...all because he hadn't given me the right kind of wine and I had to go back to him.

I was shaking and freaked...I'm sure seemed pretty listless to my tables where I was normally a most kickass server.

I guess this is more about an overall tolerance of people in the world we share with everyone but for me, waiting tables was always a really frustrating microcosm of that.

 

[paganangel]

that reminds me

what does one tip a cabbie? when i was a child there was a scale in the backof some of the old checkered cabs. i either imagined it or it simply went the way of the dodo. what is customary?

 

[alexandraaah]

Re: that reminds me

what does one tip a cabbie? when i was a child there was a scale in the backof some of the old checkered cabs. i either imagined it or it simply went the way of the dodo. what is customary?

I never know...for a standard city ride (not to an airport or really long distance) I usually do any change and one to three dollars on top of that.

However, I'm a tipping fool.

 

[Chantal Marchon]

Tips are most of the servers wages and in most restaurants they have to pay income taxes based on thier sales- the government regs tax aminimum of 8% of total sales as income. Other restaurants ask the servers to fully report all their tips. The facts are whether or not they report them all or they make that much in sales that is the minimum they will be taxed- at least in Indiana.

So if service is bad I leave a small tip- if it is outright horrible I don't leave a tip and when it is great I will tip up to 75% (depending of course on the amount of the bill) for example I have left a $5 tip for a $5 lunch.

Its hard work but somebody has to do it.

 

[Weevil]

In Chicago, servers make $2.26 an hour.

I'm trying to sound as little like Mr. Pink as I can but that's a seperate Issue. I'd be pleased as punch if they raised the minimum wage, regardless of what job you have, to 15$ an hour. I'm all in favour of raising wages but tipping is something seperate. Tipping is something extra.

 

[alexandraaah]

Another thing..

I just get incensed when people talk about tipping as though it's a power issue. It's like you're trying to prove a point either about yourself or the server by giving less or more money.

Have a plan with your tipping and stick to it.

Don't tip emotionally. I'm serious.

 

[SINthysist]

I've only been in a cab once, in Philly with my Marine buddies. We called a cab, and had him take us to a movie, we said pick a good one! HE drove forever and it cost a small fortune and he had the gall to say he'd come back for us...


Well, the movie was Taxi Driver, so we didn't say a fawking thing when he came back...


We just paid the fare again and tipped him well...



NEVER AGAIN!

 

[Rubyfruit]

I tip cabbies $2-4 bucks for short rides, more if they've pointed out places of interest in the city.

What do you all tip for salon or spa services?

 

[Weevil]

Re: that reminds me

what does one tip a cabbie? when i was a child there was a scale in the backof some of the old checkered cabs. i either imagined it or it simply went the way of the dodo. what is customary?

I've wrestled with this issue, I really wish you could know if the cabbie owned the cab. I don't think a Cabbie who owns his cab should get tipped but someone who doesn't own the cab? I usually round it off. If my cab ride is 5.50 and I have a ten, I'll ask for something like 3 in change or something.

 

[Weevil]

Re: Another thing..

I just get incensed when people talk about tipping as though it's a power issue. It's like you're trying to prove a point either about yourself or the server by giving less or more money.

Have a plan with your tipping and stick to it.

Don't tip emotionally. I'm serious.

Shouldn't you tip based on service? I don't have a plan at all, I base it on what, in theory, I'm tipping for.