Comments on: How Much Should You Tip?

By: Edwin

Edwin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:28:08 +0000

The tipping system in the US is very different from Belgium. I read this because I’m planning to go to the US. Both the article and the comments gave me some sound advice.

I’m amazed at how little waiters get paid, $2 an hour sounds really insane. I will glady tip them when I’m staying in the US.

By: Russ

Russ — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:58:01 +0000

When it comes to tipping I take the “People first” approach. If you take the “I am going to be a cheap a** money first” approach and you don’t pay people for their service you will not be treated near as good as you could be. Remember people can refuse to serve you in many places so don’t be cheap!!! TIP!! What goes around comes around. If you are not satisfied with your service leave a note or explain, but still tip at least 10%. This way a person can still pay their bills and will understand that they need to improve.

By: Doug

Doug — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:18:59 +0000

I don’t like it when the gratuity is added automatically as one reader pointed out. I have always thought that the purpose of tipping was to reward either good food or service, or both. By adding it automatically, where is the incentive to provide diners with good service? My father, who has eaten at many, many four and five star restaurants, which by the way doesn’t mean that you will automatically get good service just because of the rating, almost always based his tip on the service provided just by the waiter/waitress, not based on the quality of the food which is an issue for the chef and or manager. If the service was good he left 20%, but if the service was poor he has been known to only leave a penny. When I asked him why he said that if you didn’t leave anything then the waitress might have thought that it just slipped your mind, whereas leaving just a penny told her that the quality of her service was poor.

By: Ron B

Ron B — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:28:16 +0000

I always tip between 15-20% for adequate and above average service. (Except in Europe where tips are figured into the meal price) I have absolutely no problem, however, with leaving change or nothing for terrible service. In one experience dining out, after having been seated with orders taken, we did not see the server again until the food was ready. After the plates were set down, we never saw the server again. Never checked to see if everything was in order. (We didn’t receive an order of soup) Never saw a refill for drinks. Had to call over a server from another section to get the bill. Of course that server received no tip because she did nothing to warrant a tip.

That being said, I also left a 500% tip on a $2 tab in the 1980’s for an exceptionally attentive server who kept my friend and I topped off with coffee for nearly 2 hours during a late night stop at a cafe.

By: Hugo

Hugo — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:23:57 +0000

I work in a fine dining restaurant in a casino as a server and I make 7.50 an hour. on slow nights I take home 200 in tips and on good nights I can take as much as 500 waiting on 6-10 tables so I can easily say I love working as a server. Even bussers can walk out with 90 bucks in their pockets just from tips that we pay them.

By: NancyNurse

NancyNurse — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:43:35 +0000

Piano Man, I’m so sorry to have insulted you by giving you money. I’ll be sure not to make that mistake twice.
And Mr. Shaw, the entire point of percentages is that the amount you get rises with inflation as well as the price of the bill. For example, 20% of a $50 bill is $10, whereas 20% of a $100 bill is $20. So no matter what inflation does to prices, if people continue to tip the same amount in percentages, your wages will actually rise with inflation.

By: Chris Shaw

Chris Shaw — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 03:39:49 +0000

I left a long comment in here about tipping. I’ve been a bartender for years. All I want to say to those who balk at the idea of tipping an appropriate amount… do everyone a favor and work and support yourself in the service industry and then leave a comment about not wanting to tip or complain about percentages. And the inflation comment in regards to percentage. Why would the tip percent stay the same while inflation makes meals more expensive? This is how we support ourselves and pay our bills, groceries, etc… which also suffers inflation.

By: Francesca

Francesca — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 02:00:07 +0000

“Yes food is expensive. But the reason is restaurants and many other busineses are paying very high rent. So the ones really taking
If you don’t really have much money, stay home and buy some groceries and cook at home. You should not expend money eating out then.”

So eating out should just be for rich people so you can get an inflated wage? Do you really think there are enough rich people to go around? Do you think restaurants exist without the average customer? Unbelievable! And since you’re so struggling I suppose you never allow yourself the privilige of going out hmm?

By: Francesca

Francesca — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:35:29 +0000

Whoah! I just read the rest of the comments. I am shocked! I used to have such sympathy for customer service people, now I almost want to never ever tip them again. And I usually double the tax. What a bunch of ingrates! OK I’ll stay home, and when you run out of rich people who are made out of money who you give the privilige of serving them and are unemployed, maybe you’ll start to appreciate the customer.

You are worse than homeless beggers. And piano man, I’ll take your advice then, and give you nothing. Since I actually work pretty hard for just that one dollar that’s not enough for you. Shocking.

By: Francesca

Francesca — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:24:51 +0000

“some of you people are crazy. tips are EXPECTED. when u interview for a job that pays a low wage they tell you to depend mainly on your tips. if nobody tipped, then there wouldnt be resturants because they would all close cuz they wouldnt be able to pay their servers such low wages. ”

Did you read the article? Japan has restaurants as far as I know. So does Great Brittain. Waiters have settled for the tip system, because they know that if they settle for the minimum wage sys., like the hosts and dishwashers, they’d make less. You’ve settled for a low paying system, the customers are generous to give you anything, expecting 20% regardless-who know what it’ll be in another decade, esp. considering inflation, is the attitude of entitlement.

BTW expectations don’t equal reality. Show some appreciation for the customer. But then I’m just “crazy.”