Tipping (as an act of kindness)

[loosechickens]

We are generous tippers, also, with pretty much a minimum of 20%, and quite often much more, especially if it is an inexpensive restaurant, since the waitstaff works just as hard, and often harder in those places, for FAR less money, since check totals for meals are so much less.

Maybe it's because when young, I worked at waitressing type jobs, and maybe because both my kids at various period in their lives, did as well, but it's also because we are comfortable financially (although we were just as generous tippers when we weren't), I am grateful that I don't have to work on my feet like that, and we've always believed in "when in doubt, choose generosity".

Those are HARD jobs, and often the people they have to deal with get THEIR jollies and feelings of "being somebody" by mistreating the people serving them. I like to think that we have brightened someone's day, instead.

We tend to tip especially well in "tourist type" places, where most customers are just passing through, because we've noticed that those areas tend to have the largest percentage of people who try to "save" on their vacation costs by tipping miserably or not at all, since they'll "never see these people again".

What goes around, comes around has always been how we operate our lives. It's worked for lots of years now, so don't have any idea of changing. Besides, our feeling is that when we go out to eat, if we don't think we can afford to tip well, we have no business going out to eat in the first place. ;-)

[goldensmom]

I routinely tip 20% because it is easy to figure. I also tip on the total bill (including tax) not just the food portion as suggested. One particular restaurant we go occasionally now automatically adds 18% gratuity to the bill (food portion only) which I said is fine but I would have tipped 20% (on the total bill) had they not done it for me. I sometimes tip more depending on situation and service.

[Float On]

I'm not exactly sure what the base rate is for waitstaff anymore but I know when I was a server in the early-80's at a really nice restaurant it was $2.01. I don't think its gone up that much.

If I pay my bill with a credit card I always leave a cash tip just incase the management doesn't drawer out every night or tries to charge the waitstaff the credit card fee (that should be illegal but I've heard of it happening a lot).


I've also told my boys that their first job can not be as waitstaff. It did nothing to teach me about budgeting because my thought was always "sure I can buy it, I'm working again tomorrow so I'll have more tip money".

[cattledog]

I've also told my boys that their first job can not be as waitstaff. It did nothing to teach me about budgeting because my thought was always "sure I can buy it, I'm working again tomorrow so I'll have more tip money".

I remember when I waitressed briefly in college. I was terrible at it. I think I was way too self-conscious and uncomfortable approaching people. My tips were OK, but not great. Anyway, I used to go out with friends after my shift was over. All my tips were usually gone that evening.

[razz]

Waitressing, chamber maid and gardener at an inn paid for my education and I worked hard with wonderful support from the very professional staff so I tip generously usually 15% and our Canadian wages are at least $6-10 per hour. I compliment good service as well.

[JaneV2.0]

It seems it pays to be a server on the West coast:
http://www.ehow.com/info_7968577_min...ait-staff.html

State Minimum Wage

Some states have different rules regarding the minimum wait staff rate. The federal rate sets the minimum any United States wait staff employee can be paid; however, some states adopt legislation that exceeds the minimum federal rate. When this happens, the higher state minimum rate prevails. For example, some states, such as Washington Oregon and California, do not allow employers to include tips in the minimum wage determination. This means the base rate of wait staff employees in these states is the same as nontipped employees. A wait staff employee in Oregon earns $8.50 per hour plus tips.

[fidgiegirl]

Minnesota also has most servers making minimum wage. I think there are a few exceptions but this came up in the last gubernatorial campaign. The Republican candidate proposed changing that law so that servers would NOT be paid minimum wage. Boneheaded move on his part campaign-wise.

Anyway, this has the effect that if we truly get poor service and it's CLEARLY the waitstaff's deal, we will tip less. I also try to do the 20% mark because sometimes people have to split the tips with the cooks or hosts/hostesses.

What a hard job . . .

[Wildflower]

We don't eat out very often, but when we do we usually always tip 20 percent unless the service was terrible. And even if the service was terrible we always pay attention to if there is a reason for it, such as they are short handed or extra crowded, then we still tip 20 percent if we felt the wait staff was doing the best they could do considering the circumstances.

Float On, that was so nice of you! Whenever we are in Branson, we have noticed many restaurants are very understaffed and wonder why that is....

[Stella]

We tip 20% standard, but have been known to tip a lot once in a while. A few weeks ago we left a $20 bill for a $9 check. The waitress wasn't especially harried or anything, we just felt like it.

My grandfather used to leave $100 tips when the service was good. That set an example for me, I think.

[Mrs-M]

Not intending for my post to come across as though I'm going against the grain, however, if service isn't up to snuff, our gratuities reflect, and if service is sullied, no gratuities. I do not buy the idea of an automatic percentage left behind for service, regardless of the level of service provided.

You wouldn't afford a bonus to a contractor who built a home for you with substandard overtones, and the same should hold true for the food-service industry.