Even when paying with a card I like to leave a cash tip.
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Third round discussion on tipping
- Thread starter sinclair1
- Start date
LTZ25
Senior Member
A smart person can make dang good money waiting tables , your attitude plays a big part of how much extra you make at it . Don't go to work ticked off at the world .
OwlRNothing
Senior Member
We don't go by "the system." Why not? Well, mostly because my wife and I feel like the system(s) put into place by controlling entities, whether it be government or business or other - are almost always put into place to manipulate you and benefit them. I mean, that's a given right? IMHO, "percentage tipping" is something created by the server/restaurant industry, and people shouldn't feel bad about ignoring this system in favor of common sense and logical thinking, or doing as we do an only using percentage based tipping in a very general way.
So, in our 31 years of marriage, this is how we've based our tipping:
1. a "tip" is based on service. Good service = a tip. Bad service = no tip.
2. We have a max tip, which has varied only slightly over the years. How this works for us is as follows: We normally spend $25-$45 eating out, depending on the place. Our max tip for great service is somewhere around $6- $8. Now, that's about 17% I guess, so it's not like we're bad tippers, but it's still based on *service* and not the amount of money we spend.
3. If the service is terrible, we may not leave a tip at all, or only leave fifty cents or a dollar to make a point.
4. If you are an excellent server and we feel like you really tried to do your job well, you may get $10, $20 etc. for above and beyond service.
5. Occasionally, we have been known to be incredibly generous in certain situations. Not tooting our own horn here, but it is occasionally our great pleasure to gift someone with an over-the-top tip, even if the service isn't that good - or is actually bad. Someone covering 9 or 10 tables alone? We will usually give them a great tip, no matter our service if we know they are working their butt off trying to give everyone good service.
So, that's how we do it. Tips based on the actual quality of the service.
Dang, that was long. Sorry. lol
So, in our 31 years of marriage, this is how we've based our tipping:
1. a "tip" is based on service. Good service = a tip. Bad service = no tip.
2. We have a max tip, which has varied only slightly over the years. How this works for us is as follows: We normally spend $25-$45 eating out, depending on the place. Our max tip for great service is somewhere around $6- $8. Now, that's about 17% I guess, so it's not like we're bad tippers, but it's still based on *service* and not the amount of money we spend.
3. If the service is terrible, we may not leave a tip at all, or only leave fifty cents or a dollar to make a point.
4. If you are an excellent server and we feel like you really tried to do your job well, you may get $10, $20 etc. for above and beyond service.
5. Occasionally, we have been known to be incredibly generous in certain situations. Not tooting our own horn here, but it is occasionally our great pleasure to gift someone with an over-the-top tip, even if the service isn't that good - or is actually bad. Someone covering 9 or 10 tables alone? We will usually give them a great tip, no matter our service if we know they are working their butt off trying to give everyone good service.
So, that's how we do it. Tips based on the actual quality of the service.
Dang, that was long. Sorry. lol
earlthegoat2
Senior Member
Hey, DeBeers told an entire generation they needed to spend three months wages on a rock that they controlled the entire market on.
Why can’t service establishments tell you how much to spend on their service?
Why can’t service establishments tell you how much to spend on their service?
notnksnemor
The Great and Powerful Oz
I think you just identified the root cause of your tip anxiety.
HermanMerman
Senior Member
If I sit down and have a waiter, it’s 20% at least every time as long as the drink glass doesn’t run dry. If I go into a place like Moe’s or Jersey Mike’s, no tip.
notnksnemor
The Great and Powerful Oz
Does cleavage figure into your tip?
HermanMerman
Senior Member
That gets 20% and my GON screen name.
grouper throat
Senior Member
I went to a small burger shop with the wife and the choices were a little high to me: 35/40/45%. For a place not filling up drinks or having waiters, I thought it was steep. I left an appropriate tip in cash.
sinclair1
Senior Member
Holy smokes
sinclair1
Senior Member
For the cheap tippers
Railroader
Billy’s Security Guard.
If anyone feels obligated, uncomfortable, stressed, or put upon by choices on a checkout screen, then you are way too easily rattled...
NE GA Pappy
Mr. Pappy
oh boy... looks like that guy was correct not leaving a tip for that chick. I wonder if they reported it. I think that would be theft by taking....
If they earn it, they get it, graciously. If they don`t, they get a token.
GeorgiaBob
Senior Member
My son did delivery for a Chinese joint when he was in High School. That was nearly 30 years ago but I still remember how frustrated he was with the majority of customers who didn't tip at all - and I remember how really excited he was when he got home after folks dropped big tips on him. It appears that hasn't changed. But perhaps the delivery drivers have gotten a little too entitiled, based on @sinclair1 's latest youtube post.
I'm a bit of a curmudgeon. Even when I didn't have much, I was aware of the service I received and always tried to tip fairly. In any sit-down, table service place, I have always tipped based on the quality of the meal and the service. If the kitchen messed up but the service was good I made sure to under-tip on the check and specifically tip my waiter/waitress, in cash, and explain why that was theirs not to be shared. There were times I left no tip at all, and I sincerely believe the establishment and staff earned a zero. But there were also breakfasts when I covered a $5 check with a $20 bill by my plate, happy that the waitress and short order cook earned that $15.
Pick up and delivery are a whole different matter. I am happy to drop a few bucks on someone for bringing me a food order. But about $5 is my max, regardless of how much the food order cost. The delivery guy (or girl) did not spend any more in gas or time delivering a $100 meal for 6 than dropping off my $12 pizza. The exceptions would include a delivery in really stinky weather or some special circumstance.
And why should I pay the store a "tip" when I pick up a food order? They didn't do (I hope) anything different to that food than they would have done for table service and they saved all the time space and labor of table service. I don't count pick up as any different than a fast food drive thru window.
Like I said, curmudgeon.
I'm a bit of a curmudgeon. Even when I didn't have much, I was aware of the service I received and always tried to tip fairly. In any sit-down, table service place, I have always tipped based on the quality of the meal and the service. If the kitchen messed up but the service was good I made sure to under-tip on the check and specifically tip my waiter/waitress, in cash, and explain why that was theirs not to be shared. There were times I left no tip at all, and I sincerely believe the establishment and staff earned a zero. But there were also breakfasts when I covered a $5 check with a $20 bill by my plate, happy that the waitress and short order cook earned that $15.
Pick up and delivery are a whole different matter. I am happy to drop a few bucks on someone for bringing me a food order. But about $5 is my max, regardless of how much the food order cost. The delivery guy (or girl) did not spend any more in gas or time delivering a $100 meal for 6 than dropping off my $12 pizza. The exceptions would include a delivery in really stinky weather or some special circumstance.
And why should I pay the store a "tip" when I pick up a food order? They didn't do (I hope) anything different to that food than they would have done for table service and they saved all the time space and labor of table service. I don't count pick up as any different than a fast food drive thru window.
Like I said, curmudgeon.
I have for the fact alot of places charge 3% for cards
fflintlock
Useles Billy’s Clubhouse Maintenance man
I ordered pizza over the phone one time. Woman asked if I wanted to leave a tip over the phone.
I told her, play lady bird in the 3rd race...
I told her, play lady bird in the 3rd race...
oldfella1962
Senior Member
I like to make my servers feel special - I routinely leave a big wad of cold hard cash - in Zimbabwe dollars! 
All this waiter did was bring me a spoon for my soup - you should have seen his eyes light up! And he gets a good workout carrying it home.
All this waiter did was bring me a spoon for my soup - you should have seen his eyes light up! And he gets a good workout carrying it home.
slow motion
Senior Member
Once on the way home from PC we stopped for lunch somewhere in Bama. Applebee's or somewhere similar. I ended up tipping the lady at a different table as well after the crowd she was serving were, shall we say, rump heads. They wanted to argue the pricing on the bill. Were even shown the menu they ordered from. Made no difference. Made a huge scene. Acted like it was the servers fault somehow. Guess they wanted free.
We typically only eat at a couple local places. 1 being a Mom n Pop Mexican place. Wife changes it up but I don't even have to order. They know what I always order. About the same with the breakfastspot we go to. Treat you like friends. Always try to tip well. Cash if possible. Wife gave Christmas Card with cash in it to server at both this year. 1 thing to consider. Some places take a portion of tips and give to greeter, bartender, etc. This is based on a percentage of sales no matter how much in tips the server received.
We typically only eat at a couple local places. 1 being a Mom n Pop Mexican place. Wife changes it up but I don't even have to order. They know what I always order. About the same with the breakfastspot we go to. Treat you like friends. Always try to tip well. Cash if possible. Wife gave Christmas Card with cash in it to server at both this year. 1 thing to consider. Some places take a portion of tips and give to greeter, bartender, etc. This is based on a percentage of sales no matter how much in tips the server received.
