Gratuity

[TRIFORCE89]

What do you tip when eating out?

Do you tip the same amount as the tax?
Do you tip the customary 15%?
Is tip included in your country? (Like France, where by law 15% gratuity is always included on your bill)
Do you calculate it on your total or subtotal?
Have you ever given zero? Ever had really bad service that warranted it?
What's the largest tip you've left? The lowest?

I give 15% of the subtotal usually. If the service is kinda... meh, then maybe 13% (which is also the current tax here). If it's absolutely horrendous, then 0. If it's fantastic (free stuff; a bottle of wine, appetizers or desserts for the table), maybe 20%.

 

[Charlie Kelly]

I base my tip on the service alone. If a waiter brings you a $200 bottle of wine, I don't see how that equates to giving him $30.

I generally just give them $1 for every time they come to the table, and then another if they're actually in a good mood and smile/make me smile. If they're rude or just plain unpleasant/unhelpful, I generally leave no more than $2. I don't give a crap if you're having a bad day, don't spread it.

I have left no tip before, the waitress was awful and barely did a thing, all the while with this horrible look on her face. If I were a worse person I would have probably made a complaint.

I've left a $25 tip on a $27 meal before. The waitress had to have been 8 months pregnant, she was friendly, she got the complicated orders right, our drinks never got below half full. She earned it.

 

[Shining Raichu]

I live in Australia. Here, tipping is neither required nor expected, and the whole concept of tipping seems kind of foreign lol. I've never given somebody a tip in my life. Sometimes in restaurants there is a little tip jar at the counter, but the most I've seen anybody put in there is a 20c coin.

 

[Oryx]

I usually tip 15%, rounded up to the nearest dollar. Although to be fair, I'm a cheap college student so my tips usually go to cab drivers to and from the train station and not food service, since more than likely I'll eat at school or get fast food, lol.

 

[Overlord Drakow]

Lol this topic title reminds me of Pot of . . .

*Piercing glare from Yoshikkko*

It reminds me of nothing. Nothing at all.

The most I've ever tipped was a couple of pounds I think. My best friend did a bunch of work on my laptop and he was like "I could be charging you hundreds of pounds for this work" and so I decided we'd go out to a restaurant and I would pay for dinner. I think the total cost came to £37 so I just gave them two £20 notes and told them to keep the change.

 

[Rogue planet]

I give a tip if there's something special about the service otherwise as far as I'm concerned they're just doing their job.

You don't tip cleaners or garbage men or kitchen porters or anyone else who works crummy jobs with **** pay.

"society says don't tip these guys over here, but tip these guys over here. It's ********!"

 

[Oryx]

I give a tip if there's something special about the service otherwise as far as I'm concerned they're just doing their job.

You don't tip cleaners or garbage men or kitchen porters or anyone else who works crummy jobs with **** pay.

"society says don't tip these guys over here, but tip these guys over here. It's ********!"

To be fair, in America at least (not sure if it's the same over there, probably isn't) restaurants are allowed to pay waiters and waitresses less than minimum wage because it's assumed they'll make up the rest of their salary in tips. It's required federally for a an employee that receives tips to be paid at least $2.13 an hour, as opposed to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 for other jobs.

 

[Rogue planet]

To be fair, in America at least (not sure if it's the same over there, probably isn't) restaurants are allowed to pay waiters and waitresses less than minimum wage because it's assumed they'll make up the rest of their salary in tips. It's required federally for a an employee that receives tips to be paid at least $2.13 an hour, as opposed to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 for other jobs.

" I'm very sorry the government taxes their tips, that's ****ed up. That ain't my fault. It would seem to me that waitresses are one of the many groups the government ****s in the ass on a regular basis. Look, if you show me a piece of paper that says the government shouldn't do that, I'll sign it, put it to a vote, I'll vote for it, but what I won't do is play ball."

OKAY MOVIE QUOTES ASIDE
No not the case here, and even if it was I can't say I'd tip because of it anyway. It's not my fault the system is ****ed, I'm not their employer so I'm not paying their wage. Mind you, I don't ever eat out anyway.

 

[Nick]

When I have the money to tip, I tip $5.00. Whether I'm getting a haircut or eating out. No if, ands or buts about it. Even if the service isn't exactly good, I'll still tip if I can.

 

[Martins]

When I have the money to tip, I tip $5.00. Whether I'm getting a haircut or eating out. No if, ands or buts about it. Even if the service isn't exactly good, I'll still tip if I can.

Basically, this, regardless if the service isn't worth it. If the service is great, I'd of course tip them significantly better.

 

[Esper]

A friend of mine waited tables for several years while she was in school. You wouldn't believe the crap she had to put up with. Like one time someone tipped her a single penny and placed in under a upside-down glass full of water (which I must add was totally rude and uncalled for because she'd never do anything to warrant that kind of treatment). That's why I always tip at restaurants: double the tax, or more for good service. Other places where they just leave out a tip jar I'll usually tip at least whatever change I have after buying whatever unless I'm in a hurry or I get bad service.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

I usually tip some amount that brings the total to some multiple of .25, just for ease of recordkeeping. For example, if the bill is $16.62, I'll tip something like $2.13 to bring the total to $18.75. Usually I tip an amount somewhere between 15-20%, though sometimes it turns out to be a bit less. After all, I typically don't being my T-83 calculator into restaurants to calculate that sort of thing, and my method involves just simple addition :)

I have been known to tip less if the wait person is a jerk or if they get my order wrong and refuse to fix it.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

I tip hot dog vendors for some reason. Not entirely sure why since I'm already paying them. I usually just let them keep the change.

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

Honestly? I tip a) if I'm not short of cash and b) there was something above-average about the quality of the service. As Vendak has pointed out, restaurants in the UK have to pay waiting staff a minimum wage, so I don't feel 'guilty' about not tipping as much as other people do both at home and abroad. And tipping is pretty much only done at restaurants as well... when my family and I went to New York a few years ago, my dad forgot to tip one of the hotel staff and he got a really weird look but... that's just not done over here. I guess I just find the concept so weird - and especially the amounts that I've heard that people in North America tip - because of things like a minimum wage actually applying to everyone.

 

[TwilightBlade]

My parents are so cheap when tipping. My mom's been getting away with tipping the waiter/waitress just $2 for the longest time. I think my mom is stuck in the time period when $2 was a considerable amount of money. XD;

Anyways, I try to tip around 15% of the total bill amount. My phone will calculate tips for me.

No $0 tips here. I was told that the waiter/waitress can actually chase you down for that, ahah. Now, my hair salon includes the tip amount in the debit transaction. I can't get around it, lol.

Largest tip... I was having lunch with my mom and older brother. Our bill was probably $25 and my brother insisted on leaving an $8 tip. He says he always tips like that. No wonder he is broke. @_@

 

[TRIFORCE89]

So here in Toronto a couple of restaurants are trying to make a 20% customary. Their defaulting the handheld electronic payment devices to 20% as the preferred rate.

I don't think it's going to stick. That's too much for a customary amount o.o

 

[Charlie Kelly]

To be fair, in America at least (not sure if it's the same over there, probably isn't) restaurants are allowed to pay waiters and waitresses less than minimum wage because it's assumed they'll make up the rest of their salary in tips. It's required federally for a an employee that receives tips to be paid at least $2.13 an hour, as opposed to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 for other jobs.

Though, I believe the employer is required to make up the difference if it isn't made through tips. At least, thats what it says on the posters at work. I'm not when they're supposed to make it up, though. I'm sure it's not hourly, but I have no clue if it's daily or per pay period.

Although, if you think about it, if a person waits 4 tables an hour, and each table leaves $2, then they're making a good 75 cents over minimum wage. That's more than I've made at some jobs. I've never understood why people who wait tables complain so much. :\

 

[Ayselipera]

Well I always check the 15% first and if its some large amount then I'm likely to give a few dollars less. I've never left zero, but once I think I left 50 cents. It was the first time I went out to eat where I was paying for myself and I totally forgot about giving a tip and I ordered something that was near the exact amount I had on me so I just left what little I had left over. The most I've ever left is 5 probably. I don't remember who the person was or anything, but I must of really liked their service or something because I'm not one to give a substantial tip. I usually leave around 2 or 3 dollars.

 

[Sammi]

The very few times I go to a restaurant to eat and have to pay, I'd tip at least 15%, if not more, depending on how I feel. I live in the US, so unless the service was really bad, I'd feel guilty if I left anything less than 10%. Last time my roommate and I went out we ended up giving the waitress slightly more than 15% I think.

To be honest, though, I can't really afford to eat at sit-down restaurants to begin with. That's why I stick with fast food: cheaper and no worrying about tips. Alas, the food is not as tasty though. :(

 

[Sydian]

I usually just tip what I can at restaurants, though I don't go out too often. I'm a waiter myself, so I know how it is haha. Luckily though, I work at one of, if not the, nicest places in Alabama. I don't think I've ever dealt with a rude customer. Hasty ones, but not rude ones. Please tip your waiters, guys. I know I rely on tips if I wanna make more than $50 when I get my paycheck (though I only work one day a week, cause that's all I can work). Though I tend to forget to tip at hair dressers. :( It doesn't seem like a common practice at a hair place. I thought you only tipped at restaurants. I'm trying to get better about tipping at hair salons though.