# Should we tip servers in fancy restaurants more than servers in cheaper ones? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 10, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-tip-servers-in-fancy-restaurants-more-than-servers-in-cheaper-ones/283973 "2005-01-10T01:54:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 48
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-tip-servers-in-fancy-restaurants-more-than-servers-in-cheaper-ones/283973/48 "2005-01-11T15:17:45Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I do tend to agree with you on that issue, **blowero**. After all, restaurant prices go up, so, as you say, this increase should, by itself, result in a commensurate increase in the income of wait staff. Increasing the prices, _and_ increasing the percentage over time, seems a little ovewr the top. Will we some day arrive at a situation where the tip is expected to be 80% of the bill? Ah. But over the last several years, food inflation has been less than inflation generally and the food-away-from-home index has been growing more slowly still – the result of enormous competition in the industry. So some percentage creep on the tip has been necessary to keep real server wages constant. We’re starting to see some indications that the restaurant cost index is now moving up more quickly than general inflation, primarlily as some of the quick serve and casual-dining chains finally give in and try to pass through higher protein costs. It’ll be interesting to see if the trend continues and what, if anything, will be the public’s reaction as regards a “standard” tip. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-tip-servers-in-fancy-restaurants-more-than-servers-in-cheaper-ones/283973)._