resturants that auto-bill the tip, your thoughts?

[97guns]

this resturant that ive been going to for over 20 years just started adding the tip to the bill for partys over 6 people. they add the std 15%, i questioned them on it and they said its because they have to clean the table and wash the dishes. i didn't ask them but isn't that stuff included with the meal? this is a chinese resturant with foreign born owners if that makes any diff, this is also not my first experience with this, also happening at a chinese resturant.

just wondering what your thoughts are on this

[Mr Nice Guy]

Many restaurants do this.

I'm fine with it, I just hope the waiter/waitress doesn't expect anything on top of it lol

[maat55]

I'm fine with it. Imo, it is due to lack of proper tipping by groups.

[thefrugallery]

I dislike this practice mainly because it means the waiter/waitress is earning a healthy tip regardless of how they do. Tips should be a "gratuity" based on how the person served your table. That being said, I see why restaurants do it. I think that a lot of waitresses get shortchanged on big groups because the person paying the bill feels $5 or $10 is enough, regardless of the size of the table.

[rj.phila]

this is just standard, and actually, as an ex-server, i can tell you it makes perfect sense. here's why:

1-a table of 6 or more requires considerable more work than a 2 top. so even if your service is totally ****ty, they are still working hard.

2-MANY tables of 6 or more end up splitting the tab, and tips always suffer. i cant tell you how many times ive had to compensate when im out with friends. people just round down in these situations, i dont know why, but you can bank on it.

3-you guys do realize that the minimum wage for servers is like 2.68 in most states, right? is there anything on earth you would bother doing for $3 an hour?

[fishy40]

yah...this is becoming more common

[wolfy]

Originally Posted by rj.phila

this is just standard, and actually, as an ex-server, i can tell you it makes perfect sense. here's why:

1-a table of 6 or more requires considerable more work than a 2 top. so even if your service is totally ****ty, they are still working hard.

2-MANY tables of 6 or more end up splitting the tab, and tips always suffer. i cant tell you how many times ive had to compensate when im out with friends. people just round down in these situations, i dont know why, but you can bank on it.

3-you guys do realize that the minimum wage for servers is like 2.68 in most states, right? is there anything on earth you would bother doing for $3 an hour?

Also that table of 6 probably took two tables of that server's section so now they are out that turnover, and they will probably sit and talk all night again taking away turnover. All taking money out of the server's pocket. I think it's a great idea.

[kork13]

not a fan of it personally. I understand the idea behind it, but I'd prefer to tip as I feel appropriate. If a restaurant adds an auto-gratuity, I will rarely add anything on, even if I would normally have left more... if they feel that 15% or 18% or whatever is the appropriate amount, I'm not going to argue (for reference, I'm normally fairly generous with tipping, and normally leave 20% or more). On principle, I hate that restaurants would treat their customers like children who need to have such things done/decided for them.

[photo]

Like most others, I hate that tipping is pretty much mandatory instead of being based on service. However, 15% on groups of 6 or more is pretty good actually because I usually see 18 - 20%.

[marvholly]

In metro Chicago most places add 18% for groups and sometimes the 'group' can be as low as 4 people (4 adults, not 2 adults + 2 kids).

That said I have yet to get decent service from a wait person who KNOWS the tip is already added on. I cannot tell you the number of times I have gone to management and INSISTED the entire tip be removed after I list all the shortcomings-never just 1 or 2 but generally 5/more problems - unfilled water glasses, cold food, incorrect orders, missing items, improperly cooked items (rare was well done),incorrect charges on bill (charged manu price for nightly special), charged for drinks NOT ordered or served,..................

Stupid and lazy does NOT deserve a dime!!!!

[disneysteve]

I can't rant about this for ages but let me be brief for now.

Tips no longer serve the purpose that was originally intended - a thank you for good service. Today, tips are just a standard part of the cost of a meal. I'd much prefer that they just hike the prices 15% and pay servers a real wage instead of the slave wages they get now.

As for automatically adding a tip for groups, I understand why they do that - many groups stiff the server. Keep in mind that the automatic gratuity isn't mandatory. If you really had a problem with the service, you can ask to have that amount adjusted downward. Or if you got phenomenal service, you are free to give even more.

What bothers me even more is how many restaurants will assign one server to a large group. This happened to us just last week. Our synagogue has a dining group and we went out to a nice local Indian restaurant. There were 26 of us and they gave us one waitress. I don't know what they were thinking, and this has happened various other times and a variety of places. No matter how good the server is, it just isn't possible to adequately and promptly attend to a group that size.

[toys]

As long as it remains legal to pay wait staff hourly wages as low as $1.50, tips should not only be customary, but required, and not just for large groups. Fifteen percent is the least you can do; a decent tip should be in the 20% range. I challenge you all, all poor-tippers, that is, to walk a mile in their shoes... work just one shift (better yet one week, one pay-period) in a restaurant and you will better understand.

The average tip (in the US) is barely 13%. The customary rate is 15% - 20%. In many other countries, they actually pay their wait-staff more like humans, and this silly lil' custom is not necessary. We don't have that luxury here; the servers always get the shaft.

Personally, I have a philosophical half-full / half-empty water glass tipping method. If my glass is ever empty, I only tip 18-20%. If my glass is maintained at least half-full, I tip between 20% and 25%. If my glass (practically) always stays full, I tip 25% - 30%. So, even if they failed to do their job well for much of the meal, I still tip like a human. I have been known to tip upwards of 40% - 50% for only the utmost excellent service. It's on those occasions that I insist the cook/chef and/or owner receive a share.

With this tipping rate, it usually only takes 2-3 visits to a particular restaurant before every server in the place 'fights' for our table. Not only am I confident we receive the most exceptional service in the place, but this also (often) earns me freebies (such as desserts on the house, or a being a guinea pig for a new-to-the-menu item) from the chef.

I am always so disgusted with restaurant patrons that think tipping a dollar is plenty... regardless of the meal price. How rude and how dare you! - I always think. Seeing that usually makes me want to tip more... to make up the difference.


So, what do I think of auto-bill?

Hells-yeah!
And not just for groups, for everyone...
as long as I can still add more to the tip if I want to.

[cooliemae]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

I can't rant about this for ages but let me be brief for now.

Tips no longer serve the purpose that was originally intended - a thank you for good service. Today, tips are just a standard part of the cost of a meal. I'd much prefer that they just hike the prices 15% and pay servers a real wage instead of the slave wages they get now.

Way to put it! I completely agree.

[photo]

Originally Posted by toys

I challenge you all, all poor-tippers, that is, to walk a mile in their shoes... work just one shift (better yet one week, one pay-period) in a restaurant and you will better understand.

What is a poor tipper? If I enjoy a (rare) extravagant meal -- let's say a special event whose bill comes to $130 -- is it really that cheap to tip $20 (15%)?

What if, one time, two people order the most expensive entree. Should the tip really be more than if they ordered a much less expensive entree the next time?

I would never tip less than 15% but never more than 25% (which is rare).

Why does a waiter whose customer ordered a $100 bottle of wine receive $20 for a tip whereas a waiter whose customer ordered a $20 bottle of wine only get $4? Do you get better service from a more expensive bottle of wine?

[greenskeeper]

I'd give you Mr.Pink's view on tipping, but it's not rated for this forum

[cypher1]

Originally Posted by greenskeeper

I'd give you Mr.Pink's view on tipping, but it's not rated for this forum

"He's convinced me. Now give me my dollar back."

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by photo

Why does a waiter whose customer ordered a $100 bottle of wine receive $20 for a tip whereas a waiter whose customer ordered a $20 bottle of wine only get $4? Do you get better service from a more expensive bottle of wine?

This is what always bugged me about tipping. If the tip is supposed to be for the service, then it should be about the service - not about the price of the items ordered. That's why I said that tipping no longer means what it originally meant. Just go into a restaurant knowing that you need to mentally add 15 or 18 or 20% to the cost of everything on the menu. If you aren't willing to do that, stay home.

I will say this, though. If the service is bad enough to consider not leaving at least a 15% tip, you should be having a conversation with the manager. Don't just leave a lousy tip or no tip at all. Make it known what the problem was. More often than not, when I've done that, the manager discounted my bill to apologize for the problems.

Also, keep in mind that very often, the service problem isn't the fault of the server. It could be a problem in the kitchen so by not tipping, you are punishing the wrong person.

[bjl584]

Tips should be based on service. Not the size of the party or the cost of the meal.

I also think that waiters and waitresses should be paid more in base wages but that is a whole different argument.

Often it's a judgement call. I've had bad service but it wasn't the fault of the waitress. She was overworked and was working every table in a packed restaurant by herself. It was an impossible task. So, even though the service was subpar, I tipped her well anyway.

[snafu]

What bothers me about that automatically added gratuity is that I doubt the server gets the benefit. I think the 'house' disperses only part to the server. Anyone who has worked in the industry care to assure me I'm wrong?

While we'll put a meal on plastic, I always tip cash because I want the server to 'tip out' as they feel warranted.

[bjl584]

Originally Posted by snafu

What bothers me about that automatically added gratuity is that I doubt the server gets the benefit. I think the 'house' disperses only part to the server. Anyone who has worked in the industry care to assure me I'm wrong?

While we'll put a meal on plastic, I always tip cash because I want the server to 'tip out' as they feel warranted.

I believe that it depends on the business and how they have the tip structure set up. Often places with a bar put all the tips into a kitty and they will be divided up at the end of the night. Tips in cash directly to the server are the best way to ensure that the server gets the tip. And, I mean directly to the server. Hand it to them. Don't leave it on the table or the busboy may take it.