Sucks about your story, but kudos to you for recognizing the source of the problem… to often all of the blame for any service problems falls on the server, when that may not be the case!
I’ve worked in food establishments before- both places where tipping is expected and places where the food is not charged directly to the customer (old folks home.)
My tipping protocol is:
Standard service: This means all orders are brought out in a reasonable amount of time. Drinks are refilled at least once. Server is not rude.
15% after tax.
Substandard service: Food is brought out cold or after an extended period of time or the wrong order is brought out. Drinks are not refilled. Server is rude or pushy.
10% after tax.
Horrible service: Food is cold or bad (such as spoiled- I once was brought coleslaw that not only had changed colors but smelled like ass.) Server is not only rude, but offensive as well.
0%.
Anything above standard: Meal brought out on time and in proper order (if I order a salad and an entree they should be brought at separate times, perferrably salad first) Meal is hot and drinks are refilled without asking. Server is considerate andappears friendly.
minimum 20% after tax.
Of course circumstances are taken into consideration. If the resturaunt is crowded or short staffed I up the tips by 5% (except horrible service.)
Believe me I dealt with bad customers, but I always strived to be an excellent server. A tip is a gratuity, not a requirement.
I’ve never worked in a job that required tips (in fact, at my only food-service job, I had to refuse tips). However, in polling my tip-getting friends and roommates, I’ve come to the following conclusion.
Tip getters make better tip-givers. That can be extended to the less well off tend to give better tips. I think that this is because they recognize just how valued and vital tips are. Even though I’m an often-nearly-broke college student, I try to be a good tipper. Others in the service industry have confirmed that this is in fact a trend.
Do tipping rules differ from state to state in the US?
Which professions do you tip?
From my personal UK perspective, which I don’t think is uncommon: bar staff don’t get tips; waiters/waitresses 10% for average service, 15%+ for very good (0% for rudeness or wrong orders if there isn’t a good reason); taxis 10%. I’ve heard of people tipping hairdressers but never seen it or done it myself. Postmen and dustmen usually get a fiver at Xmas in an envelope outside the door.
Is it usual to tip bar staff everywhere in the US?
Tipping… a difficult subject at best.
One thing that gets me about tipping, everyone expects it now.
What I tip for:
<bl>
<li>Seated food service with good-excellent service</li>
<li>Bar service with good-excellent service</li>
<li>Skilled service in other areas (sushi chefs, Somalliers, etc)</li>
</bl>
What I do not tip for:
<bl>
<li> People putting a pre-cooked burger into a sack and handing it to me, thereby not providing me any real service</li>
<li>Rude people, people who don’t care about getting my order right dispite repeated attempts</li>
<li>People who expect tips for doing a basic counter service job who provide no additional customer service and make more than minimum wage (i.e. barrista workers, Ice Cream shop employees, etc</li>
</bl>
Tipping is a way to ensure good customer service. If i frequent an establishment I will give my favorite waiter/waitress/bartender a little something extra over my standard tip. people who give me a pleasant dining experience will get more of a tip. At the very least if my order is right, hot, and given to me in a pleasant manner 17%+ is standard.
However the idea that i need to suppliment someone’s income because they are a waitperson falls short, especially when they don’t give me decent service. It’s not my fault how the govt/food service indutry descided to screw you on a regular basis. But it’s also not my place to suppliment that if you do not do your job well.
I know that people can get busy, especially during peak hours. I don’t expect you to be killing yourself to please me, but as long as I feel like you’re doing your best, my food is hot and correct, I’m a good guy and I feel your pain.
I hate people who get paid $8+ an hour (what most fast food employees here make) and expect tips for slinging my fried and burger in a bag, or pouring coffee in a cup and ringing up my scone, without getting my order right or even looking at me while talking. Or people who think tipping is manditory for even the worst quality of service.
TIP was an acronym for To Insure Promptness> I think some people have forgotten that. Tipping is a gratuity, a gift, for being good at your job.
People who don’t tip hard working waitstaff who provide you skilled customer service/bar service are bastards. people who expect a tip for delivering poor service are also bastards.
Crusoe - as far as I know bar staff tipping is prevelent nationwide in the USA.
Bartenders get a dollar for each bottle of beer from me (just under 30%?) / Waiters and waitresses 20% / Santa Barbara doesn’t have many taxis, but I’d tip 15% / I cut my own hair, but I’d tip 15% / fast food servers get nothing / postal persons get money at Christmas (20 dollars or so) / what is a dustman? 
BurnMeUp - I thought it was a myth that TIP is an acronym, but I agree with you completely, otherwise!
Crusoe - as far as I know bar staff tipping is prevalent nationwide in the USA.
Bartenders get a dollar for each bottle of beer from me (just under 30%?) / Waiters and waitresses 20% / Santa Barbara doesn’t have many taxis, but I’d tip 15% / I cut my own hair, but I’d tip 15% / fast food servers get nothing / postal persons get money at Christmas (20 dollars or so) / what is a dustman?
BurnMeUp - I thought it was a myth that TIP is an acronym, but I agree with you completely, otherwise!
See Auntie Em I have worked in food service for 14 years and technically I still am even though I don’t work with the public.
I have worked all aspects from dish person to management.
One of my most favorite jobs was at Fox and Hound.
When they hired me on it was because they were turning their Green Room into a dance club and needed cocktail servers with some days as food service.
I was good and ended up getting time served in all rooms.
I made $200 one night in the Burgandy Room. This was the only room in the place that you were allowed Cigars.
I took the extra effort to make sure that I had a Cigar Clip and matches for the guests.
In the Green Room I had some good nights as well. Not as good as that night but good all the same.
I’m a flirt and that helps when serving in a bar setting.
One night I had regular guests come in and I was in a bad mood because my child was sick and they wouldn’t let me go home. Of course it was Halloween and they swore they would be busy. This was a family resturant.
Well, I made it in (late) and one of the twenty-somethings that I worked with went home sick the minute I left and I took over her section.
My regulars could see that I was upset even though I tried not to show it because you don’t take your personal life onto the floor (that is what I used to tell my trainees).
They left me $20 on a not much higher bill.
I was upset, tried not to show it, had always given great service and even did that night. They left me a note telling me to cheer up and hoped things with my child went well.
The next time they came in they asked about her. Sweet.
They ended up following my to my next job.
What I guess I am trying to say is that if you pay attention you can tell if it is the server or the kitchen who is responsible for the confusion and bad service.
damn tags not working.
Why is opening a bottle of But Lite for me worth $1 (25%-30%) but no matter how good a waiter is for an hour or more it won’t be worth much more than 20%?
Although I am a good tipper, 20% is my starting point, I fail to see the obligation in it.
You the waiter enter into an employment contract with the restaurant owner saying that you will work for less money and be given the opportunity to earn extra wages through good service. Somehow this has evolved into the idea that I am obligated to give you at least a decent tip in all but the worst service cases.
If you want to be guaranteed a minimum wage, don’t take a job that doesn’t guarantee it. If you want a guaranteed percentage of sales; this is called a commission and it is paid by the employer. Tell him to increase prices.
Also, if I know you own the bar or other establishment then I am not going to tip you. Set a price that gives you the return you want; I’ll decide whether to pay that.
Thanks, Lisa Ann.
A dustman is a binman – a garbage collector?
(Sorry about the double post, all.)
Thanks to you, Crusoe! The garbage collectors get $20, too.
obfusciatrist, I don’t know why I tip bartenders so, maybe I’m just generous when I’m drinking!
It’s all not set in stone, though. Only the fast food service persons not getting a tip, because I think that encourages those employers to feel raises are justified, and because those employees are not performing the same services as a waitperson.
Crap!
Make “raise aren’t justified”!
(I just ate too much cheesecake :p)
Why don’t all you 20% tippers come into my restuarant? I am usually lucky if I get 15%. It isn’t becuase I am a bad waitress either. I know that because a lot of the same people who leave me 10% percent, also call me their favorite waitress. It’s because I live in the middle of nowhere and the people out here don’t really know how to tip. I always leave at least a 20-25% tip, even if the service isn’t that great, becuase chances are there is a reason for the less then steller service that I don’t know about.
LiquidLobotomy Just a little nit pick, sort of, but you shouldn’t leave the waitperson less for bringing your food in the wrong order. Things like that usually aren’t their fault. If the kitchen forgets to make the appetizer, and makes the entree first, wouldn’t you prefer to have your entree come out before or at the same time as your appetizer and be hot and tasty then have your appetizer come out first, and have your food come out luke warm or cold because it sat on the counter while you ate your appetizer? I know I prefer hot fod.
uh… That’s hot Food not fod.:eek:
I think a lot also has to do with locale, if you’re in a metro area bar/restaraunt you’re more likely to get better tips adn such, also business travellers usually leave higher tips because they get reembursed.
I think small town places may give out lower tips due to lower income levels.
As always (before people start jumping up and down and pointing to a fridn who tips 128000% in Skeno nevada) i am making a broad generalization.
Don’t get me wrong, I tip in the same way, I just don’t know why I do it.
10 replies this morning–36 when I get home from slinging beer. And don’t ask me why, but everyone was drinking today. Some days I’ll not make a drink until 4:00, but today I didn’t even have time to make OJ for the night shift until 4:30. Ironically, it’s the Ides of March, and our 23 oz. draft beer is called a Brewtis. And I got killed pouring them all day.
Lieu, thank you for the compliment. Believe me, if I were tending bar as long as I wanted, I’d have done it for about a week. I’m entering my third month.
Kriket, I’m going to have to take issue with out about tipping out. From 11:00 to 4:00, I had three customers sit at my bar, one of whom was my wife (she tipped me 7 bucks on a $13 lunch–made my day to get a good tip like that from a pretty woman). Meanwhile, I was in the weeds with go orders, few of whom tip, and had servers at the service bar asking for drinks. And counting my wife’s $7, I pulled in 20 bucks, because nobody wants to eat at the bar unless the tables are full. Tipping me out is a trade-off. For making sure your customers are taken care of and you get return business, I get a cut for making your drinks in a quick and accurate manner. And let me tell you, those who bitch about having to tip me out get put at the bottom of the list if I’m getting slammed. If tip does stand for "to insure (which should be ensure) promptness, tipout does the same thing. It also works with the host/hostess, who can seat your section or not, and the expo (the person who makes the food look good and gets someone to run it to the table), who can push your table’s food to the back.
I have become such a mercenary asshole since I’ve started bartending. Which servers are more likely to tip out more? Which hostess will ask people if they’ll sit at the bar? Who’ll answer the phone if I’m in the beer cooler? Who takes my dishes? They get first drinks. They get spill drinks (mistakes or cancelled drinks that are supposed to be poured out, but aren’t always). Or in the case of one underaged cutie, a vanilla/oreo shake every Saturday morning.
Just to make a long post longer, I’ll tell a story about today. No, two stories. First story: I get a go order, wings with a side of fries. No problem. Woman comes in to get them, wants a sweet tea. Go get the tea. Come back. Wants more fry seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder). Go get the seasoning. Not enough bleu cheese for the wings. Go get the dressing. Come back. Wants ranch too. Go get the dressing. Come back. Bitch finally leaves. Wife, who’s sitting there says, “All that, and you didn’t get a tip?” Bartender, who’s about to pee his pants says, “Nope. Can I help you? (to next person in line who also didn’t tip).”
Second: Two women (I hate to sound in the least sexist, but I’m beginning to think that women are, as a whole–though not necessarily as individuals–the worst tippers) order in toto 4 Cuervo shots. Grand total, $21 or $10.50 each. They want these chilled in chilled glasses with salted rims. I tab them out, each leaves me $11.00 for the tab and the tip.
Would someone with an untraceable firearm come shoot me please?
Do want me to shot you, or the customers? The customers would be much more fun. I could hide behind the counter like a sniper, and if someone doesn’t tip you, you give me “the secret hand signal” and…BLAM! They’re toast.
I know that I’ve heard that, in the gay bar world, lesbians are much worse tippers than the men.
Don’t know how accurate it is, not being a bartender (or a waitperson, for that matter).
jayjay