Tipping - For? Against? How Much? Yes To Waitstaff, But No To...?

[PeterG]

What are your thoughts on tipping? I had a friend who was so angry that restaurants paid waitstaff so little that they had to rely on tips to get by. He felt that tipping should never occur and that restaurants should pay their staff appropriate wages. If I remember correctly, he refused to tip in restaurants, but I'm not completely sure that was true, maybe he just disagreed with the idea, but reluctantly did it.

My Dad was also a bad tipped. One time on a $200 bill he left something like $10.00. A few of us went back to the table to see what he left and added a bunch of bills!

How about other places...hairdressers, hotels, etc.?

[Jenna]

I always tip in restaurants. I served when I was younger (MUCH younger) so I know how helpful those tips can be. I generally leave around 20%, unless the service is really, really bad. If so, I tip around 10%.

[milanessa]

Purple.

[Pierre]

I can't imagine not tipping in a place where it is expected. I can understand the argument that tipping should not exist and people should be paid more to begin with, but I do hope the cheapskates who don't like it just because it means more out of their wallet realize that if tipping didn't exist that extra cost would then be added to the price charged for the meals and services themselves.

Personally, I like the tipping system because it allows me to make a statement about the quality of service and encourages waiters and others to give me good service. You treat me well and I will I treat you well. I like it.

In response to the poll, I tip 20% for acceptable service. Less for poor service, more for good service. I think that's pretty standard these days. I know some do 15%, so anywhere between 15 and 20 is probably OK in terms of what is expected.a

[The Accordion]

I almost always tip 20% in places I know you are supposed to tip because I am so afraid of the (well deserved IMO) stereotype of teachers being cheap.
However, I feel overwhelmed sometimes with trying to know exactly whom to tip.
I find it especially daunting when I am in New York where it seems so many services are ones where you are supposed to tip - but I don't know for sure and can also break the bank fairly quickly!

[Really]

I tend to be more generous with tipping in the US where it's more likely there's a fair discrepancy between minimum wage for servers and minimum wage elsewhere. Up here, the minimum wage for servers has been the same as everyone else, although in Alberta, the government just introduced a differentiated rate for servers in establishments where alcohol is served ($9.05/hour for liquor servers; $9.40/hour general minimum wage). If we get great service, I tip around 20%; less for less than great service. The woman who does my nails gets about 20% as well; same with my hairstylist.

ETA: I'm thinking the stereotype about teachers being cheap could be applied to a variety of people. I'm often amazed at what some people think is an adequate tip...men and women, teachers and other professionals.

[michiruwater]

I think that workers should be paid at least minimum wage at all jobs, including waitstaff. If they go above and beyond, only then should they be given a 'tip.'

However, I do tip 20% because I know this is not the case. I have tipped lower than that for bad service on very rare occasions, but rarely higher.

[milanessa]

It's a great American myth that wait staff don't make at least minimum wage. If their tips don't take their hourly wage to at least the minimum then the employer is required to make up the difference. Does that always work in practice? I'm sure it doesn't. In order for it to happen wait staff have to report their tips and they're often reluctant to do that because once it's on paper then their tax liability may be higher. Some of them make big bucks. Minimum wage isn't a lot to survive on, and often people can't, but this idea that wait staff are taking home a couple of dollars an hour is crap.

[Pierre]

There has been one (and only one) time that I didn't tip in a place where it was expected and that was when a waitress spilled something on my pants. OK, mistakes happen, but it wasn't the mistake that cost her the tip, it was what happened after. There was no apology. She just walked away. A few minutes later she comes back with a napkin and just sets it down on the table. No offer to get club soda. No communication. Then she disappears until the meal is over (she had been fairly active before this). I couldn't believe it!

[Nomad]

This poll is incomplete. Michelle Kwan is not an option.

[mkats]

Minimum wage isn't a lot to survive on, and often people can't, but this idea that wait staff are taking home a couple of dollars an hour is crap.

One of my coworkers at the private practice where we work is part time and spends the rest of her time waitressing at a mid-level restaurant in DC. She says she makes more money waitressing the same number of hours, but wants the experience as an MA for her resume in case she decides to pursue a graduate degree in the health sciences.

I generally aim for around 18-19%, unless the experience is really horrendous. We had one once when the service was so bad that my friend refused to leave more than $1 in tip to make his point. I think I convinced him to bring it up to $3 or so, on a $20 meal... not spectacular, but oy, it was bad service.

[PrincessLeppard]

ETA: I'm thinking the stereotype about teachers being cheap could be applied to a variety of people. I'm often amazed at what some people think is an adequate tip...men and women, teachers and other professionals.

True, but I will say that the teachers at my school are with the tips. And then wonder why we get bad service when we go out on in-service days.

As a former waitress, I will say that it is VERY difficult to get the management to make up the $2.13/hr to minimum wage (and when I was waitressing, MW was something like $3.35) if it's a slow night or you get massively undertipped on large bill. (my favorite moment? The table that rounded up a $495 bill to $500.) I didn't stay at that place long, because most of the nights, I barely cleared more than minimum and often times didn't even do that.

[BigB08822]

Ugh, Peter! Don't get me started! Ok, too late!

I LOATHE people who do not tip. I can understand if you think the restaurant should just pay a full wage and add it to your bill (please, don't be so naive as to think the prices will stay the same!!) but you can't just refuse to tip. If that is how you feel then DO NOT GO EAT IN A RESTAURANT!!! It is mind boggling that people can just not pay for a service. You wouldn't go to your dentist without insurance and then just walk out and say "no, I feel like the government should supply healthcare for everyone and I will not pay for this...have a good day!" They would not stand for it. No one is making you go out to eat, you can always pick your food up to go where the to go attendant is paid a full wage and you do not need to leave a tip. I even tip on bad service but I keep it minimal and even then it has to be glaringly bad service, like so bad that I feel the server did it all on purpose.

And yes, it is really hard to get restaurants to make up the difference if you didn't make that. Restaurants can be so cheap. My friend works at a very busy restaurant with an upstairs and downstairs area. I mention this just to let you know how big the place is and that if your tables are upstairs you have to leave the area quite often to go down to the kitchen to get food. Anyway, if a table leaves without paying (which happens more than you would think) the server is required to pay the bill IN FULL. Not even a tiny discount. First, why is the server responsible? They could be gone for a while in this huge restaurant, how can they stop their table from slipping out? It baffles my mind. I have seriously considered never eating there again because of how they treat their employees but the food is good.

[milanessa]

As a former waitress, I will say that it is VERY difficult to get the management to make up the $2.13/hr to minimum wage (and when I was waitressing, MW was something like $3.35) if it's a slow night or you get massively undertipped on large bill.

I can understand that but it's the law and if enough workers reported that management things would change. Maybe they need to unionize. Of course the boss might make your life a bit miserable for a while but that's how things change. The law is clear.

[milanessa]

I have seriously considered never eating there again because of how they treat their employees but the food is good.

Well then.

[Beefcake]

My system requires a little contemplation and a little 6th grade math.

For wait staff >
20% base plus 10% if they're minus 15% if they're but aloof (/ ignore us) plus 5% if one of my table mates has been a handful ... sigh, plus 20% if I'm drunk and/or feeling guilty about them having to wait on privileged old me.

Okay, that was only mostly true.

For massages and hair cuts >
25% for the most part, meaning off of the standard price ... the stylist/masseuse shouldn't be penalized by a big ol' coupon or discount I brought with me.

[cruisin]

And yes, it is really hard to get restaurants to make up the difference if you didn't make that. Restaurants can be so cheap. My friend works at a very busy restaurant with an upstairs and downstairs area. I mention this just to let you know how big the place is and that if your tables are upstairs you have to leave the area quite often to go down to the kitchen to get food. Anyway, if a table leaves without paying (which happens more than you would think) the server is required to pay the bill IN FULL. Not even a tiny discount. First, why is the server responsible? They could be gone for a while in this huge restaurant, how can they stop their table from slipping out? It baffles my mind. I have seriously considered never eating there again because of how they treat their employees but the food is good.

That is awful! I know it is pretty standard for restaurants to take the money out of the server's pay check if a meal is not paid for. But, it stinks. I have been in very crowded restaurants where the waiters were difficult to find, when I wanted the bill. I would simply ask any waiter near by to ask mine to please bring the bill. If I have the bill and am waiting to leave, I will get up, find the waiter and hand the payment to them. But, how could someone leave and just not pay !

[jamesy]

My system requires a little contemplation and a little 6th grade math.

For wait staff >
20% base plus 10% if they're minus 15% if they're but aloof (/ ignore us) plus 5% if one of my table mates has been a handful ... sigh, plus 20% if I'm drunk and/or feeling guilty about them having to wait on privileged old me.

Okay, that was only mostly true.

Do you make any kind of adjustments if the server is homely?

[cruisin]

For massages and hair cuts >
25% for the most part, meaning off of the standard price ... the stylist/masseuse shouldn't be penalized by a big ol' coupon or discount I brought with me.

That's a lot. Do you give 25% to the stylist and something additional to the shampoo person? If you don't mind my asking, what does a good haircut cost where you live?

I really don't think that owners should be tipped. They take a good % of what the other operators bring in. Yes, much of that goes to overhead, but... Unfortunately, it now has become fairly common to tip owners. I just give mine a flat $20, I think that is enough, especially when I sometimes have to tip 1 or 2 other people.

I know the person who does my gels gets $40 for fill-ins. She only keeps $28 of that. So, I do tip her a bit more than 20%. But, I also love her to bits!

[Civic]

At restaurants, I'll leave a tip that is 15-20% of the bill. IMO, it's not that hard to figure out what the tip should be. Take 10% of the bill then double it for a 20% tip.

I usually leave a 20% tip at nail salons.

At hair salons I tip anywhere from 10% to 20% depending on how pleased I am with the end result and how much I can afford. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't even know you were supposed to tip hair stylists until I was well into my thirties.

My opinions on tipping restaurant servers are colored by the following:
1) I've done it myself so I know how hard it can be to do a good job and how measly is the base pay.

2) I lived for in college towns for over 20 years so I'm used to restaurants where most of the servers are college students. Waiting tables is how they help fund their education. Since I'm a big supporter of the idea that everyone who wants to attend college and meets the academic requirements should be able to do so, I'm inclined to be generous to them when I patronize these establishments.