# Bad tippers. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 8, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747 "2009-03-08T18:29:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 32
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/621 "2009-03-25T14:42:15Z")
> [@Digital\_Stimulus](#): > > Is that right? I ask because I make it a point to leave tips in cash so there’s no actual transaction record to be traced. It won’t matter. Even if you claim 0 dollars in tips for a given shift, your employer will have to claim something for you, and it’s generally a percentage of your credit card sales dollars, IIRC. Every year I worked as a server I owed taxes, and I never got a paycheck. My $2.13 an hour never covered it, even when I would work 40 hours in a week. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/622 "2009-03-25T15:22:25Z")
It’s like the Time Cube guy wrote a manual on restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/623 "2009-03-25T15:23:19Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > It won’t matter. Even if you claim 0 dollars in tips for a given shift, your employer will have to claim something for you, and it’s generally a percentage of your credit card sales dollars, IIRC. > > Every year I worked as a server I owed taxes, and I never got a paycheck. My $2.13 an hour never covered it, even when I would work 40 hours in a week. The difference is (or was) that a server had to declare tips as a certain percentage of sales at minimum; but if a credit card tipper left a big tip, the server could no longer claim the minimum percentage, they had to claim the exact amount of the tip on the credit card slip. At least that was the way things used to work. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/624 "2009-03-25T15:49:53Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > The difference is (or was) that a server had to declare tips as a certain percentage of sales at minimum; but if a credit card tipper left a big tip, the server could no longer claim the minimum percentage, they had to claim the exact amount of the tip on the credit card slip. At least that was the way things used to work. No, that’s never been the way things have been. The IRS sez that a server should keep a Log. The tips reported should be based upon that log. However, sometimes/often the IRS/the business will tracks tips and come up with an assumed rate, which often is reported on the W-2. If an assumed rate is calculated, then the server must show it’s wrong. Of course, CC tips are an excellent way of figuring the minimum tips a server got. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/625 "2009-03-25T16:26:31Z")
Ah, I must have misunderstood then. Wait, I mean: AH, I _ **MUST** _ have _misunderstood_ THEN! ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/626 "2009-03-25T16:38:06Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > I think that word doesn’t mean what _you_ think it means. > > fre⋅quent >  –verb (used with object) > 4. to visit often; go often to; be often in: to frequent the art galleries. > > In other words, you _can_ visit a place once or even occasionally without “frequenting it”. No–I get that. _ **SHE** _ said that “We went out last night to a restaurant we don’t frequent, but is a local chain.” How does she go to a restaurant she hasn’t even visited once? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/627 "2009-03-25T16:41:24Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > No–I get that. _ **SHE** _ said that “We went out last night to a restaurant we don’t frequent, but is a local chain.” > > How does she go to a restaurant she hasn’t even visited once? Believe it or not, that makes perfect sense to me. You can go to a restaurant only occasionally, or only once, and therefore not frequent it. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/628 "2009-03-25T17:03:05Z")
But **ShibbOleth** just argued that going to a restaurant even once meant you frequented it. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/629 "2009-03-25T17:06:36Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > But **ShibbOleth** just argued that going to a restaurant even once meant you frequented it. Actually the definition is full of the word “often,” so I don’t think that Shibboleth was arguing that at all. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/630 "2009-03-25T17:06:59Z")
So, should you tip the driver of the cash cab? ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/631 "2009-03-25T17:11:53Z")
I was watching the John Water’s flick Desperate Living last night and trying to figure out who Mink Stole’s character reminded me of, until I suddenly remembered this thread. Springs1 is Peggy Gravel! "Hello? What number are you calling? You’ve dialed the wrong number! Sorry? What good is that? **How can you ever repay the last thirty seconds you have stolen from my life?** **I hate YOU, your HUSBAND, your CHILDREN, and your RELATIVES!!!**" ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/632 "2009-03-25T17:13:20Z")
> [@Springs1](#): > > You are just mad, because I PROVED I am 100% CORRECT that we get a MENU for a REASON and that reason is NOT so the wait staff can have an opinion about what the customer wants or doesn’t want. You know I am RIGHT. WHY NOT ADMIT THAT? Now that we’re in the Pit, let me just say that you must be one of the most clueless, confrontational, and downright mean restaurant patrons I’ve ever encountered. You appear to spend your time looking for offense and excuses to stiff your server on a tip, even when the server is trying to help. Incidentally, did you read my birthday party post above? I was hoping you’d respond to that one. > [@Springs1](#): > > It wasted MY TIME and it would have been a heck of a lot quicker if they would have gotten what I wanted instead of wasting time getting something I didn’t want. > > If I end up wanting the drink, it’s not as bad, but STILL, it irks me to see that they weren’t CONSIDERATE enough to ASK my permission first if it was ok or not by asking if I wanted a refill. Look, you flaming idiot, here’s how it works in the real world: Your glass is getting empty. Waiter comes by to refill it. If you want a refill, smile and nod. If you don’t want a refill, place your hand over the glass and shake your head. If you want something different, ask. Simple. Easy. No time wasted. I understand that in your world, if the server shows up with a pitcher of iced tea or a pot of coffee and you haven’t EXPLICITLY ASKED, then you raise a fuss, stiff the server on the tip, and complain to the manager. That isn’t because it’s bad service. It’s because you’re an ass. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/633 "2009-03-25T17:27:42Z")
I’ve heard all kinds of “rules of thumb” on tipping: double the sales tax; 15% here but 20% there; yadda yadda. My stepson is a waiter. He works a lot of banquets where the gratuity is figured in automatically, but he still busts his butt because there is a line on the ticket for “Additional Gratuity”. He wants to give them service so good that they will leave more on that line than was calculated automatically. My personal tipping rule: I walk in prepared to tip 20% on the bottom line, which includes booze and sales tax. I know how hard these folks work and what a really thankless job it is. It’s up to the waiter and the kitchen to keep me happy enough so that the 20% doesn’t start shrinking. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/634 "2009-03-25T18:17:27Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > My personal tipping rule: I walk in prepared to tip 20% on the bottom line, which includes booze and sales tax. I know how hard these folks work and what a really thankless job it is. It’s up to the waiter and the kitchen to keep me happy enough so that the 20% doesn’t start shrinking. My method is similar, but I start at 15% and it can go up as well as down. ---
**Author:** ![valleyofthedolls](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a4c791/32.png) [@valleyofthedolls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/valleyofthedolls)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/635 "2009-03-25T18:17:42Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > I understand that in your world, if the server shows up with a pitcher of iced tea or a pot of coffee and you haven’t EXPLICITLY ASKED, then you raise a fuss, stiff the server on the tip, and complain to the manager. That isn’t because it’s bad service. It’s because you’re an ass. You have your own etiquette rules for how a waiter must behave around you so isn’t it pot, kettle, black to bitch about Springs1 and her rules? You want waiters to read your mind and automatically refill your glass without asking. Springs1 wants waiters to read her mind and ask before having her glass refilled. I don’t see much difference between your behavior and hers, although you do get bonus points for packaging your views in a neater and more sane presentation. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/636 "2009-03-25T18:59:10Z")
> [@valleyofthedolls](#): > > You have your own etiquette rules for how a waiter must behave around you so isn’t it pot, kettle, black to bitch about Springs1 and her rules? > > You want waiters to read your mind and automatically refill your glass without asking. > > Springs1 wants waiters to read her mind and ask before having her glass refilled. > > I don’t see much difference between your behavior and hers, although you do get bonus points for packaging your views in a neater and more sane presentation. That is NOT what **InvisibleWombat** said though–you are incorrect there. He isn’t asking for mindreading like spring-bot is. I personally would go a bit further and actually ask if I wanted a refill–but I think a hand gesture or catching an eye is often good enough though. Here is what he said in Post 251 on page 6 of this trainwreck: \*Now, please calmly re-read what I wrote and then re-read what you wrote. I said that the server should “catch my eye and see whether I want a refill.” Walking into my field of view holding an iced-tea pitcher (or coffee pot, or whatever) and gesturing with it is perfectly adequate, and any customer with an IQ over room temperature understands what that means. If I want more, I’ll hand my glass to the server or scoot it over to the edge of the table. If I don’t, I’ll cover the glass with my hand. Again, universal gestures. Everybody understands them. They’ve worked in a dozen countries I’ve visited where I didn’t speak the local language. I should never have to track down the waiter to ask for refills. The waiter should ask me–without interrupting conversation. I said: “Do that, and I’m happy, and I tip well.” I don’t know where you got “mindreading” out of that unless you weren’t reading my entire post, or perhaps fixating on the fact that I, personally like it when the server goes “above and beyond” and fills my glass without being asked. I understand that you knew someone ten years ago that disagreed with me. That’s fine. But it doesn’t require dozens of paragraphs of ALL CAPS and BOLD CAPS and nonsequitors about lemons and sweeteners and mind reading\* ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/637 "2009-03-25T19:10:10Z")
**Springs1** , you ARE absolutely the most insane PERSON I HAVE ever had THE pleasure to read ON THE Dope. I mean, \*\*Rand Rover \*\*is 100x saner THAN you in this THREAD. **Rand Rover** , for fuck’s sake!! THAT dude EATS crazy FOR breakFAST! ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/638 "2009-03-25T19:11:13Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > **Springs1** , you ARE absolutely the most insane PERSON I HAVE ever had THE pleasure to read ON THE Dope. I mean, \*\*Rand Rover \*\*is 100x saner THAN you in this THREAD. **Rand Rover** , for fuck’s sake!! THAT dude EATS crazy FOR breakFAST! But if he runs out of CRAZY,\*\* DO NOT BRING HIM MORE WITHOUT ASKING!!\*\* ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/639 "2009-03-25T19:17:08Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > It’s like the Time Cube guy wrote a manual on restaurants. LOL, clapping and all! > [@Cuckoorex](#): > > I managed to say it out loud here in about 4 seconds. You could shorten it to, “Please ask if I want a refill first,” and get it under 3 seconds. OH NOES YOUR TIME IS WASTED! > > Then you come online and waste LOTS and LOTS of time typing idiotic rants. How long do those take you? > > I saw you got banned from one foodservice forum after only six posts; is this a new record for you, here on Straight Dope, for most posts without being banned for being batshit insane? Can I get that link? I read a lot of stuff, but didn’t notice that… Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747/640 "2009-03-25T19:31:33Z")
> [@gurujulp](#): > > LOL, clapping and all! > > Can I get that link? I read a lot of stuff, but didn’t notice that… > > Thanks! [Enjoy!](http://www.foodservicei.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17335) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747.md?page=31) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-tippers/488747.md?page=33)