# How much should I have tipped?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-i-have-tipped/589660>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 20, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-i-have-tipped/589660 "2011-07-20T02:14:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-i-have-tipped/589660/21 "2011-07-20T03:32:11Z")

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> [@ZenBeam](#):
>
> Hey! You found the missing $2 from the three-guys-and-the-hotel problem you mentioned in your OP!

Yep! It makes more sense to me now. I blame my confusion on alcohol (I only had one drink but it was strong), great company, misreading the menu prices, and a distracting Sting concert on the TV.

My bad. My friend is better at math than me.

One thing still confuses me though. If the waitress brought me back a 5 and 4 ones, and I never reached into my pocket for more cash, how did I manage to leave 5 ones as a tip?

I blame Russian vodka.

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-i-have-tipped/589660/22 "2011-07-20T03:43:03Z")

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> [@pricciar](#):
>
> So. Now it really makes sense. You friend did it exactly right with a very nice tip.

Yep. Nice friend, great waitress, and everyone’s happy.This all settled in my head now. 🆒

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**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-i-have-tipped/589660/23 "2011-07-20T05:04:00Z")

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> [@tdn](#):
>
> Three guys check into a hotel room that’s $30, but it’s really $25, yada yada yada, where did the extra $2 go?
> 
> I’m unable to wrap my head around this.
> 
> I was out with a friend. She got an appetizer and a drink. I got dessert and a drink. The drinks were $5 each, my dessert was $4. When the check came, it was $25 and change. I think it was $25.98, so let’s call it 26. For what it’s worth, meal tax in this state is 6.25%.
> 
> She gave the waitress a credit card with a sticker on it that said “17.” I put in a $20 bill. The waitress brought back $11 in change. I left some of the change in the check folder as a tip. My friend said “Is that what you’re leaving her?” I said “Yeah, she was a good waitress.” My friend said “Actually, it’s not enough.”
> 
> I’m good at math, but when I go to a restaurant, my math skills go out the window.
> 
> How much should I have left?

I would have (i) put in 2 twenty dollar bills and (ii) left the restaurant.

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