For the billionth time -- tips

[photo]

For the US only.

I know people who think that 15% on a restaurant bill (neither super cheap nor super expensive) is perfectly adequate.

And I know people who think that 15% is actually an insult, and that it should be at least 20% for regular service and 25% for great service.

What do you think?

Here's what I generally do. For a lower end restaurant (diner, perhaps) where the waiters/waitresses really looks like they're hard workers, I'll tip at least 20%. For a higher end restaurant (more than $25 per person), I'll tip 15-20%, actually depending on the service. For a rare treat of very expensive, I'll tip 15% simply because the bill is so high, and the waiter is obviously making a lot more than minimum wage.

[jeffrey]

My basic feeling is that the people in the lower end restaurants have to work as hard, if not harder, that the staff in higher end restaurants and rarely get paid as well. I tip a minimum of $5 no matter what restaurant I eat at -- That means that if I go into a Denny's and my bill comes to $7, I still leave a $5 tip. If my meal ends up being $25, I still leave a $5 tip. I then tip 20% if it goes above the $5

[disneysteve]

15% used to be the standard. Then somewhere along the line, the powers that be decided it should be 18% or even 20%. I'm not sure who makes those rules.

As long as the service is fine, I usually figure out 20%, since the math is easy, and then round down to the nearest 50-cent mark. That puts it somewhere in the 18-20% range.

If the service delivered was minimal - server took our order, brought our food which all came at once and then brought our check, I'll tend to tip closer to the 15% figure. If the server had to come back a few times to bring courses, checked on us, kept refilling the water glasses, etc., then I'll be at the 20% end.

I really don't distinguish by the type of restaurant although I do agree with Jeffrey that if the bill is small, I'll often tip more than 20%. If I get a $6 sandwich, I may leave a $2 tip.

It also depends how I'm paying. If I'm using a credit card, it is easy to figure an exact 18 or 20%. If I'm paying cash for some reason, I'm limited by what I've got on me and more likely to overtip since I don't carry change.

[photo]

Is there a certain percentage that the IRS assumes the waiter is making and thus the waiter is liable for taxes? My thought is that (it at least used to be) 15%, but perhaps it has changed.

[irmanator]

At the end of the shift they count the tips and report them then. I worked at a restaurant that had an electronic time clock and if you were wait staff and you punched out it asked what your tips totaled.

[moneybags]

Originally Posted by irmanator

At the end of the shift they count the tips and report them then. I worked at a restaurant that had an electronic time clock and if you were wait staff and you punched out it asked what your tips totaled.

Yes, but tips are also allocated on the employees W-2's based on the total sales the employee rings. This is done whether the staff reports them or not.

[FrugalTexan75]

I generally always leave a minimum of $3 no matter what my bill was. On the rare occasions that $3 is less than 20% of my bill, I'll usually go up to $5 - because if I'm eating somewhere where my bill will be that high ... what's another $5? This is of course assuming that the waiter/ess has done a good job. If they've done a poor job, I'll leave exactly 10% or $1, whichever is more. There have been a few times where a wait person has gone above and beyond, and I'll leave a $5 tip irregardless of the bill amount. (For instance, when I tell someone that I want a *generous* portion of powder sugar for my French Toast, and they actually bring me a *generous* portion .. I'm gobsmacked with joy. Most of the time people seem to think that adding one extra twist of the powdered sugar is what I want ... two times I've had people who actually *got it*.)

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by FrugalTexan75

If they've done a poor job, I'll leave exactly 10% or $1, whichever is more.

My issue with under-tipping is that very often, the bad service isn't the fault of the server, but it can be hard to tell. Certainly, if the server is rude or unresponsive to requests, that's clear, but if service is just slow or orders don't come out properly, that may be the fault of the kitchen staff or management. For example, if our server is covering 8-10 tables, there is a limit to how attentive she can be to any one party. So I try to pay attention to the possible source of the service issues before taking it out on the server.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Depends I think I tip typically 20%+ but when I'm unhappy I let them know and leave nothing. Once we couldn't get out of a restaurant and had no service. We had ordered and it took forever. We had to chase down a hostess to get the check. I walked out paying the bill and said I wasn't leaving a tip because the service sucked. I waited tables in college and honestly the IRS estimates your tips even if they aren't good.

[FrugalTexan75]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

My issue with under-tipping is that very often, the bad service isn't the fault of the server, but it can be hard to tell. Certainly, if the server is rude or unresponsive to requests, that's clear, but if service is just slow or orders don't come out properly, that may be the fault of the kitchen staff or management. For example, if our server is covering 8-10 tables, there is a limit to how attentive she can be to any one party. So I try to pay attention to the possible source of the service issues before taking it out on the server.

I agree with what you're saying - it has only happened a few times that I can remember where the service was poor (and there were no underlying issues that I could tell). By poor service, I generally mean the attitude of the server (and if I can see them chit chatting with other servers/employees while I'm waiting for something overly long.)

[humandraydel]

I tend to leave $5 as well. But, then again dinner for 2 is usually $20-$25, which essentially means $5 is about 20%. If it was JUST me, and my dinner was only $10, I leave $3.

[97guns]

i went with my dad to a chinese resturant we always go to yesterday. go there and tere were 2 tables seated an no host so we sat ourselves, sat for 15 minutes and nobody came out to give us tea or the menu so i walk up to the counter to alert them that we are there without a setup.

we order and my food comes, i start to eat and 10 minutes later my dads food comes and at this point i am a good 2/3 done, we also ordered a side dish that never came out with the meal so we took it home.

all in all a very dissatisfied experience that netted the servers NO TIP

[ecoadapt]

As long as the service is fine, I usually figure out 20%, since the math is easy, and then round down to the nearest 50-cent mark. That puts it somewhere in the 18-20% range.

I believe this would be a good way to easily figured the tip! 18-20% is a fair range indeed!

I really don't distinguish by the type of restaurant although I do agree with Jeffrey that if the bill is small, I'll often tip more than 20%.

No matter what type of restaurant I am dining to, if I get a small bill,I'd tip mostly 20% up!