# Do you tip at a restaurant with no substitution policy?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [June 22, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628 "2013-06-22T14:12:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/1 "2013-06-22T14:12:30Z")
If a restaurant doesn’t allow substitutions do you leave a tip? What if you had a pitbull and a declawed cat locked in the car on a hot day with the windows rolled up while you ate?
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### Author:  [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/2 "2013-06-22T14:17:52Z")
If the restaurant refused to substitute something simple like fries for mashed potatoes I’d not take it out on the waitress. But I’d never go back again. Any restaurant that loses customers over a silly no-substitution policy won’t survive in a world full of restaurants competing for your business.
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/3 "2013-06-22T14:29:45Z")
> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> What if you had a pitbull and a declawed cat locked in the car on a hot day with the windows rolled up while you ate?
I’ve had similar experiences transporting guinea pigs across the country\* while snacking in the car, but there was nobody to tip.
\*the scrabbling and shrieking noises do get on your nerves.
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### Author:  [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/4 "2013-06-22T14:30:28Z")
Of course I would. If I keep going back to restaurants I don’t like, I’m the idiot. Not the waiter.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/5 "2013-06-22T14:36:22Z")
> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> If a restaurant doesn’t allow substitutions do you leave a tip?
why wouldn’t I, assuming the service was competent? it ain’t the people making $2.13/hr who are setting policy.
> [@](#):
>
> What if you had a pitbull and a declawed cat locked in the car on a hot day with the windows rolled up while you ate?
😕
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### Author:  [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/6 "2013-06-22T14:38:25Z")
> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> If a restaurant doesn’t allow substitutions do you leave a tip? What if you had a pitbull and a declawed cat locked in the car on a hot day with the windows rolled up while you ate?
I’m not sure. Does the server wear shoes in the house?
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### Author:  [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/7 "2013-06-22T14:40:22Z")
I’ll tip the waitress if she’s a heifer.
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### Author:  [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/8 "2013-06-22T15:02:37Z")
Moving over to CS.
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### Author:  [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/9 "2013-06-22T15:03:24Z")
I’d only tip the waitress if she was circumcised.
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### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/10 "2013-06-22T15:16:43Z")
I’d tip. If I went back would depend on the no substitution policy. Does it apply to the $4.99 lunch special or does it apply to all entrees in a place that charges $20 a plate and up?
I completely understand the no substitutions on a lunch special, but I’d never go back to a place that was completely rigid for expensive entrees.
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/11 "2013-06-22T15:21:23Z")
Where does your dog stand on the issue of abortion? Does your cat support voter-ID laws? Is the waitress an ethical vegan? Did you bring your screaming children into the restaurant with you? Did the cashier at Walmart have appropriately happy demeanor with you earlier that day?
Why did you leave out so many important details. I can’t answer questions like this until you do.
Also, is your car on a treadmill?
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### Author:  [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/12 "2013-06-22T15:31:30Z")
Which way do they hang the toilet paper in the restrooms? I always check the restrooms before deciding how much to tip.
StG
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/13 "2013-06-22T15:35:38Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#):
>
> Moving over to CS.
Where I’m locking it.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/14 "2013-06-22T17:34:21Z")
Reopened and moved to MPSIMS.
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### Author:  [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/15 "2013-06-22T17:37:00Z")
I always tip the waitress, but if dogs and cats are in a hot car? Isn’t that tailgating?
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### Author:  [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/16 "2013-06-22T18:21:21Z")
I would tip the waitress, but I don’t think I should have to pay her child support because she could have chosen to leave her child in a hot car and I don’t even _have_ a car and I don’t understand why most people think they need one.
ETA: Texas sux!
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### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/17 "2013-06-22T18:44:13Z")
I will tip in this situation _only_ if I have brought one or more children with me to the restaurant, and am refusing to clean up after them.
However, if _anyone else_ has brought their brats to the restaurant, I do not tip, and I demand my meal be comped.
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### Author:  [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/18 "2013-06-22T19:38:07Z")
I always tip $1.00, but I’ll drop down to $0.999… if the service isn’t very good.
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### Author:  [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/19 "2013-06-22T20:45:20Z")
I asked to substitute filet mignon for the fishsticks and they refused. Crappy policy if you asked me.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-at-a-restaurant-with-no-substitution-policy/661628/20 "2013-06-23T00:06:58Z")
How about if the waitress is trapped in a hot, locked car?
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