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Proper tipping etiquette is still a trait rarely found in modern men yet, when perfected, it can actually become quite enjoyable. It’s a selfless act of giving to others based on the level of service you’ve received. A lot of these people get a pitiful wage and the tips they get go a long way to supplement their income. Make them happy and you’ll be looked after. Annoy them and you’d be best advised to eat your meal with caution!
Tipping like a Gentleman
Tipping really is an art form and when you’re giving your tip you want to be as discrete and gentlemanly as possible. Hand over the tip with your palm facing down and shake hands with the person you are tipping, simultaneously placing the money in their hand. What you want to avoid doing is waving the money around and making a big deal of it. You’ll look like an idiot for starts and if that isn’t enough, you’re going to make the person receiving the tip feel uncomfortable because, believe it or not, you’re coming across like a condescending jerk. You’re not throwing a treat for Fido here.
So how do you figure out how much to tip? Well the truth is there are no tipping rules per se, however there are guidelines which suggest how much is appropriate to give. Let’s investigate.
The restaurant waiter/waitress
This is the one that causes most debate because there is no hard and fast rule. It is also made even more difficult by waiting staff who have lost sight of the fact that a tip is a gratuity and is not actually required. As a guideline though, I’d say you can safely use the following without a disgruntled waiter spitting in your salad:
- Self-serve/Buffet restaurant - 10-12%. If the service was fantastic, you could up this to 15%.
- Local restaurant - 15%. Again, you could up this by a few percent if the server worked particularly hard or went out of their way to help you.
- A 4-star restaurant - You’ll want to tip the maitre d’ as you’re being seated, particularly if you’re a regular and he/she goes out of their way to reserve you a table or get a table when the restaurant is busy. The standard tip here is anywhere from $20-100. For the service of the meal itself I’d recommend a tip of around 20-22%. Don’t forget to tip the wine steward (a few dollars per bottle of wine) and/or the coat check attendant ($1 for a couple of coats).
Taxi driver
Unless you want to annoy the Travis Bickle-esque taxi driver by stiffing him on a tip you’d better go ahead and give 15% of the fare.
Hair salon
You want to make sure your hair looks as good as possible and tipping will ensure that your hair stylist gives a polished cut. They’ll also be more likely to look after you next time you visit too (I’ve been given a free colour before simply for tipping well). An acceptable amount is somewhere in the region of 10-15% of the cost.
Hotel staff
There are a number of staff members at the hotel that can make your stay very pleasant or a living nightmare depending on how you tip them. Here’s who you should tip and how much to give them:
- Chambermaid - $5 per night you stay. That is, if you want clean sheets, towels and plenty of toilet roll.
- Room service waiter - Again this is the standard 15%.
- Bellhop - If you let the bellhop carry your bags up to your room and show you around said room without giving them a tip then you’re going to hell. Tip them around $10-15 for their efforts.
The casino
If you’re going for a night out at the casino, you better be prepared to tip. Of course if you’re a professional gambler (or just extremely lucky) you’ll be able to tip from your winnings.
- Blackjack dealer - $5 chip (or more) per session. It’s also common place in casinos for the players to place a small side bet for the dealers. You can agree the amount with other players but a $1 chip is usually sufficient.
- Craps dealer - Those craps dealers love the action as much as you. It’s common to place up to a 10% side bet for the dealer.
- Poker dealer - $5 per session. Winners usually tip at least $10 and sometimes as much as 10% on bigger wins.
- Drink waitresses - $1 chip per drink.
Parking attendant
You don’t want some juvenile attendant ruining your prized Bentley Continental because you didn’t tip the lad, do you? On second thoughts, why would you let a juvenile attendant park your prized Bentley Continental unless you’re asking for trouble?
You should tip, at the very least $1 ($5 if they help with your luggage) but I would tip a little extra to get a better level of service. Perhaps $10-15 to make sure they don’t take it for a joy-ride á la Ferris Bueller. Oh, that reminds me, always check the mileage of the car before handing it over to a parking attendant!
But what if I don’t want to give a tip?
There are some occasions where you feel unjustified to give out a tip, but let me tell you why you should.
- The food was terrible. If the food was terrible, then complain to the manager (you might get a discount on the bill) but don’t take away the tip from the waiting staff because you’re punishing them for someone else’s mistake. Chances are they worked very hard for you and to not reward them would be unfavourable.
- The service was below par. If the service was below par then you should tip at a lower rate than normal. Usually, I’d speak to the waiter I’m tipping and politely explain the reasons for the lower tip. Just make sure you’ve eaten all your food before you tell them!
- You are a stingy and grumpy old man. So you don’t want to tip. Why not? You’re rewarding someone for doing good work. How would you feel if your boss decided to not give you the pay raise you’ve been asking for or taking your bonus away from you just because he felt like it? As the old saying goes, “Treat other people the way you expect to be treated yourself.”
Oh and for those of you wondering how to deal with people who flat out ask you for a tip. I like to go with the following:
Yeah, I’ve got a tip for you. Never eat yellow snow.
What’s your etiquette for tipping? Is it more or less than I’ve suggested? Also, if you’ve got a great tipping story from a restaurant for example, let us know in the comments.
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February 24th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Great article - really useful set of tips (pun intended…)
It got me thinking about a couple of other situations where some guidance would be helpful: At a coffee house, should you tip? And how about if you use movers - should you tip the guys who load and unload your stuff? In my case, on the movers, I tipped the driver $50 when they finished loading, hoping it would help encourage him to take extra care of our things…It’s a lot of money in some ways, but the moving bill was in the thousands so it didn’t seem outrageous to me.
Any thoughts on those situations?
February 25th, 2008 at 2:02 am
I have a friend that’s a mover, he says he and his crew get $10-$50 per move, depending on how much trucks [small houses are half a truck, large villas could be 2-3 trucks]. My friend makes tons, get gets like $5 per hour [minimum wage in Israel] and then tips, they do like 3 houses per day. So that comes out to like $80-$190, very good money….
February 25th, 2008 at 2:58 am
The one that gets me is the bagger at the grocery store, particularly those who carry your bags out to the car and load them up for you. Is there a standard accepted rate?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:03 am
Full service gas stations. I always tip the attendant a couple dollars, or round it to the next $5,
February 25th, 2008 at 3:05 am
You make it sound like one should give money left and right
February 25th, 2008 at 3:06 am
Tip someone at a self-serve? I mean, you’re the one that’s doing the serving in there… the tip should stay in your pocket!
February 25th, 2008 at 3:10 am
Great summary.
A couple of questions:
1. When there is a tip jar, what do you do? I normally just tip every once in a while if I get good service.
2. This one is always tough for me… take-out. I’ve started tipping 15% assuming some service in the assembly. But, what do others do? Is that too much or too little?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:10 am
All these are about 5% too low. During college, I waited tables, tended bar and valet parked cars at a 5-star hotel (not all at the same time). I tip everyone a little more now because of it, and it helps a lot when that is your income!
February 25th, 2008 at 3:13 am
NOTE: THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO STARBUCKS. Their employees are paid rather well and get benefits packages. It’s aimed primarily at non-chain coffee shops where the workers are typically paid minimum wage and are using equipment where a good latte takes lots of training, effort, and skill.
Coming from somebody who worked in a coffee shop for two years (finally quit because they promoted me to assistant manager without giving me a pay raise) - if you’re a regular, tip well. We had a guy who always left $0.50 minimum on his $2.50 drink, and he got the best cappucino we could make every single time, and his drink got bumped to the front of the line, meaning he was in and out in under a minute, while other non/lesser tipping patrons would be there for 2-3 minutes, and their coffee didn’t get as much effort. If you’re not a regular, tips are always appreciated, but we were more forgiving. So general guidlines:
Black coffee: a quarter will make sure you always get treated well. It’s easy for us to do, so whether you get one cup or 5, a small tip is always appreciated.
1 milk-based (latte, mocha, etc.) drink: .50 on a regular basis will mean you get phenomenal microfoam and amazing shots every time.
More than one drink requiring shots/milk: Tip proportionately. We would have some people order 4 drinks, and tip us $3. They got 4 great drinks. Others would order 8 drinks, and not tip at all. We didn’t give a rats ass how their drinks tasted. We would never spit in their drinks, but their shots might have been a bit stale/bitter, and their milk might be slightly scalded.
/me gets off his soapbox.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:15 am
$10-$15 for a bell hop is OUTRAGEOUS and pompous.
No more than $5 even in a 5 star hotel.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:16 am
…but why am I tipping someone for doing their job? Who tips the McDonalds worker for doing their job of serving me? Who tips the policeman for doing his job to protect and serve? Who tips the clerk in the music store for finding a CD for me? Who tips the computer programmer for slamming out good code? They are already being paid to do their job, yet they are expecting that I compensate them for…exactly what?
Excellent service means you did your job well, but you don’t get a cookie every time you do something excellent. A waiter, hatcheck girl, or anyone working in the food service industry deserves fair pay for performance with raises when applicable. It is despicable that I am supposed to compensate these food service industry workers because their employers are cheap bastards who won’t pay these workers a decent living wage.
I work in mental health, and by the code of ethics, we are forbidden to take compensation beyond our salary from assisting clients. This is to prevent a dual relationship from occurring (or worse, the accusation of favoritism). I don’t tip because the person is already being paid, they’re doing their job, and if they don’t like the money they’re being paid, get another job! Don’t take a job as a waiter, bartender, server, et cetera, if you are assuming that people will give you free money because you DID YOUR JOB. That’s why they get a paycheck.
Enjoy your job, accept the paycheck as the monetary reward. I do, and that’s all I can legally and ethically accept. A compliment to me from a client or a client’s family is worth more than money. If I want/need more money, I get a 2nd job or a new career. I don’t expect my clients to support me above and beyond what I agreed to earn when I took the job.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:16 am
tip a poker dealer?
I guess whilst you are already essentially throwing your money away you shouldn’t bother uping the ante.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:21 am
imho, 15% in a local restaurant is too little. 20% is the standard.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:26 am
Here in Australia I cant think of any situation where we are required to tip, except at a skin bar or a five star hotel (neither of which I have been to). We just don’t tip here. I’ve caught hundreds of taxis and had a thousand meals out, and never has anyone even hinted that a tip is expected. So if you travel to Australia keep in mind that we don’t give tips here so you will seem even more impressive when you tip and you will probably get even better service. And for Australians traveling to America, well, I guess they had better add another 12 to 15 percent to their budget.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:28 am
Tipping is something we don’t have to worry about here in Australia. All-in-one pricing and more reasonable wages… makes sense doesn’t it?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:37 am
metroknow - the fact about tipping movers is a great one. We moved a few years ago and hired professional movers. I hadn’t thought about tipping them (being relatively new to the custom of tipping for non-restaurant services), but once they were done unloading (in the summer heat), we offered them a cool drink. While the 6-pack of Pepsi didn’t cost us more than $5, the gesture totally blew the driver and the movers away. After taking a few minutes to relax, they rewrote the bill and knocked off 2 hours of transit time, which was totally unexpected.
It just goes to show - it’s the gesture, not the amount, in many cases.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:43 am
As a waiter and bartender for the past 6+ years, the standard for your server is 15-20%, this has gone up in the past few years.
And as far as bartenders go, that really is a situation where you want them to see you tipping them, we really do remember which people we saw tip us for their drinks and who stuffed all of their change back in their pockets.
Another note, coins, by themselves, are considered insults to most servers, and especially bartenders, if the service we’ve provided isn’t worth a dollar to you, you can pretty much bet we won’t be rushing to make sure you’re taken care of next time.
All that said. . . bar tipping is tricky, if you’re running a credit card tab I would say that 20-25% is acceptable, however if you’re paying cash it’s a good idea to leave at least a dollar every time you order drinks, more if you’re ordering multiple drinks or something complex or tedious (mojitos come to mind)
Just my .02
February 25th, 2008 at 3:48 am
Interesting. However, my boss doesn’t give me an extra handout on my paycheque because I was bright, cheery and helpful around the office that day.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:50 am
I somewhat disagree with your restaurant tipping advice. Modern restaurants (in NYC at least) allow a more discreet tipping experience by taking out the discrete tips. Attempting to drop cash in the hands of the host, sommelier, coat check, etc. is far too frenetic a responsibility for a customer who should be focused on enjoying himself; and most persons serving in these roles, having understood this, will often make the experience all the more awkward by refusing. Bad, bad, bad, advice! (Also, I’m not sure it is even advisable to use the term “maitre d’”). My experience in the last ten years has been one of leaving a gratuity with the meal that is generous enough to cover all services received, and I believe restaurants employ a system where this is anticipated and split equitably. The exceptions to this would be ordering cocktails at the bar before your meal or taking your coat from a coat check that is physically separated from the rest of the establishment (and may even have a designated receptacle for tips).
No matter the level of discretion, leaving a trail of cash deposits through the course of a dining experience will only make you look like a greaseball. Just don’t forget when it comes time to tally up everyone you must consider.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:52 am
With 10+ years as as a Tux clad Captain in my younger days, I can agree wholeheartedly with the above.
I was however surprised recently to see at a fairly famous LA restaurant, the wait staff automatically adding a 22% tip in the gratuity line on a VISA slip, I was with my Japanese clients and they were sponsoring the dinner for 8.
I quietly went to the manager to bring this to his attention (mind you they had already included a 15% surcharge that was listed on the bottom of the menu), his smiling comment was that they always do this as a “service” for foreign visitors, because they probably don’t understand our customs or don’t know how much to tip.
While the service was acceptable, it was not worth 37%!
End result was a new slip and 0 tip (they would have to be happy with their published 15% and a short lecture from me.
A tip should always be at the discretion of the guest and never considered a birthright.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:01 am
For anyone that eats at Panera Bread:
Either bus your own damn table or leave a tip.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:05 am
I just moved last week and tipped my three movers $20 each, giving it all to the guy in charge of the team.
I don’t tip at coffee shops if I’m getting a regular brewed coffee, but I’ll tip a dollar for anything more time-consuming like an espresso or single-batch drip.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:07 am
I work at a college campus bar, and we see a lot of bad tippers. Although its not always the case, some do tip good, the majority of college kids (even parents too) are lousy tippers. In this case % doesn’t always justify a good tip. When I work I work very hard to make sure all my customers are satisfied, and a lot of times I get stiffed (or something like a quarter on a $4.75 drink), and its really annoying. Remember I’m making $2.13 an hour and I depend on tips to make a living.
Just keep this in mind when you go to a bar…$1 or $1 and the change per drink is a good guide for tipping, if you buy a few drinks at a time give a couple bucks and the change and i guarantee that your server will take care of you all night, and if you really want to ensure good service tip really well (30-40%) on the first round and tip good on the future rounds (sometimes this will be to your benefit because most bars have money set aside to give free drinks to good customers). If you buy a round of shots, try to tip 15-20%, 15% for good service 20% for excellent service, and even if the service is bad 10% is still a reasonable amount to tip. Remember you want to have fun at the bars, so treat the servers and bartenders good so they have fun too.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Dont forget to tip your ski/snowboard instructor, thats a majority of our wages and it sucks when you go a day without getting a tip. Personally I think I do more at my job than a waiter will do at times, and definitely a bell hop. No offense to those occupations
February 25th, 2008 at 4:09 am
Also, my above comment could be completely offbase (ie, I may simply have been assuming these things). Perhaps someone reading who works in the industry could clarify the matter.
There may also be a regional aspect to these practices. I live in a city that has refined the high-end dining experience to almost ridiculous extremes; it’s entirely possibly the “old school” rules still apply in less gastronomically-obsessed locales.
I also want to say the general point of your article is excellent: a generous tip, given discreetly, is a beautiful thing. The hair stylist tip can also not be overestimated. It makes a world of difference for future service (assuming you return to the same person, of course).
February 25th, 2008 at 4:10 am
we need to cultivate the tipping culture here as well …
February 25th, 2008 at 4:11 am
unless its a fancy restaurant or exceptional service i don’t see why tipping should be standard and expected. most restaurants include gratuity either on the bill or in the price of the meal, if servers are depending on tips as a part of their income then maybe they need to go work another job with higher pay.
as a customer, when i pay for my meal i’m paying for the food, the preparation, service and overhead costs of running the restaurant. when i pay my bill, i’ve already paid for the service provided. what other industry expects customers to pay for their goods and services and then kick in part of their payroll expenses to top it all off?
i’m not saying tipping should never happen, but you’d better do something spectacular and anecdote-inspiring if you expect a tip from me.
[/mrpink]
February 25th, 2008 at 4:12 am
I still dont understand why i should tip anyone. They are paid a wage as it is, they shouldnt be tipped just because they serve me personally. It is their job.
Do I tip a steward/stewardess? Do I tip my teacher? Do I tip the cashier in Wegman’s? no, these tipping thing is just stupid, and so are those who claim that tipping is a must.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:15 am
Most moving companies disallow tips. In lieu of a tip, write a letter to the company about the movers in question. The moving company I worked for in college gave out $50 bonuses for letters of praise and letters/customer comments directly affected your position. In fact, a letter of praise can have a much longer lasting effect on a wage than a single tip can in nearly any profession.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:15 am
Tipping is absurd! Also, it is unreported and not taxed, and thus not part of the economy. The service industry needs to stand up to managers and demand fair wages. It is ridiculous that this black market still exists.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:19 am
Actually, the federal government considers tipping servers (of the food variety) to be practically mandatory - hence the just-over-two-dollars minimum wage set for waiters/waitresses. Although the law states that the server should receive the regular hourly minimum, should their wages for a shift average out to less than five-bucks-and-some-change, this is rarely observed by most restaurant owners.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:19 am
Regarding the terrible food tipping policy. If the food is bad, you should tip less. I used to work at a restaurant and if someone got terrible food and left a normal tip, the cooks were never really notified of the problem, but when someone left a not-so-great tip, the cooks were notified and the food from thereon out was looked after much better.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:20 am
tipping is stupid, waiters earning $300 a night?? I had a friend who was a trained cheff, 4 years of training and he earned only $10/hr while the pretty blond in front with no training was earning $200-300 a lunch shift. Thanks to American tourist this culture is spreading around the world, the only people who really profit are the restaurateurs who get away without paying their staff a proper wage.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:20 am
In New Zealand (and for that matter Austriala and the UK) there are unions and liveable minimum wages of $11.25/hr (or $90 for an 8 hour work day) - [1] http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/pay/minimum.html
I’m amazed that your nation has accepted such a low minimum wage given your high tax rate. The US Dept. of Labour at http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm#Massachusetts shows Massachusetts has the highest min. wage of $8/hr, may be workers need their tips to get by from day-to-day?
[1] Employment Relations Services, Department of Labour, Govt. of New Zealand
February 25th, 2008 at 4:23 am
Average Tip is now 20%, if you leave 15% then don’t be suprised if the server is slow or inattentive next time
February 25th, 2008 at 4:24 am
One Question and one comment:
How about when mostly having drinks, seated at a table? I’ve been advised $1.00 per drink, and then 15% (+ or -) for food service…
And, If I’ve paid in cash and received large denominations in change, I tip with the lowest if I don’t feel like waiting to ask to have it broken into smaller bills. I suspect this is a plan to encourage large tipping. Either way it’s very inconsiderate to the customer.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:25 am
Good advice. I was wondering if you should you tip a travel guide? If so, how much? I took a day trip in France which cost about $200 per person. What do you think my tip should have been, if any?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:28 am
In the beginning you mention to be discreet about tipping, and that you’re not giving fido a treat. Yet near the end you want to explain to the waiter that you’re not giving a nice tip because of his quality of service?
Are you an idiot or what? Mistakes like this prevents people from taking your advice seriously. When you make a post such as this, you are assuming you are an authority on the posted subject. Make sure you are before you assume.
For those who think to follow this type of tipping advice. Ask yourself this.
Why don’t you tip the guy at McDonald’s who not only takes your order, but also gets your food at an assembly line pace?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:29 am
You want another good one about tipping, this one never fail me and most of the server will fight for you once they see you coming to that restaurant which my wife has been always amazed on how well we are served or over-served. simple but very effective, as soon as you sit-down on your chair looking on the menu and the server ask about your day/order give him/her advanced tip of maybe $5-10 dollar depending on the class of the restaurant.
they will be suprised about it because they are used to receiving tips at the end not before the food is served . if will make them think about you knowing, if you are good tipper before your food is served what more after it. at first ,it may look like you over tipped them but think about that food been served is from the person you haven’t met or never know if his/her mood is good that day and giving them advanced tips make you look classy.
Nat
http://www.workersinc.com
February 25th, 2008 at 4:32 am
No advice here on how to tip my supermarket cashier.
Or garbage man.
Or train conductor.
Or librarian.
And for that matter nobody tips me in my job. I deal with clients, I frequently indulge in special work tailored to their needs. Am I doing it terribly wrong or is this entire arbitrarily applied tipping thing just wrong, wrong, wrong to start with?
Ryd
February 25th, 2008 at 4:32 am
Only useful if you live in the States.. the rest of the world this does not apply!
February 25th, 2008 at 4:33 am
This guide, while good, is a little antiquated.
Here’s my tip to not only tip like a gentleman, but to also get preferred treatment.
for instance, since many restaurants nowadays will put an 18% gratuity on the bill for parties of 5-6 or more, 18% is becoming more standard. once you get to that point, however, 20% isn’t much more, and it’s a lot easier to calculate. plus, if you frequent a place, or come back sometime later, people remember how much you tip, and it comes back to you in good ways.
Also, an important note is that you tip on the bill, meaning including tax, and not the pre tax amount. a server doesn’t have time to figure out how much you tipped on pre tax amount.
One thing that’s missing here is how to tip at a bar. This one is easy. A dollar per drink. doesn’t matter how it’s poured or if it’s just popping off a top of a beer, a dollar per drink is the best way to get the best service. If there’s a volume special, like a pitcher, or a bucket, tip at least 20% depending on the cost, this is usually 2-4 bucks for me. Especially in a crowded bar, bartenders remember if you’re a cheapskate. in a uncrowded bar, chances are you’ll get one of the ‘comps’ they’re allotted every night.
baristas are 10 - 15%. especially if they have to make a complicated drink.
if you think tipping is bunk, eat in. this is how these people make their living, and they get paid less of a wage for it.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:33 am
Regarding not tipping if the service was bad, my take on it is, I let the waiter/waitress know if anything is wrong. If my food is cold, if its wrong, appetizers show up after the entree, or any number of things. I give them a few chances to make things right, and if it stays bad, I 1) let the manager know and 2) make it a point to send an email to the customer service address available at any website for a business, or make a call to customer service.
I do however tip either nothing if the service was horrible or tip 3 cents as I was once told by someone who frequents the finer dining institutions of the world, that 3 cents is the global middle finger tip, and a clear sign that service was pathetic. How true that is, I don’t know, but it made sense to me.
If service is excellent however, I make it a point to tip very well, and also let the manager know and customer service know through an email or phone call.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:34 am
Being a server for awhile myself, I will always tip 20% for any restaurant that I know that the server is working hard, regardless if its a diner or 4 star.. in face people at cheaper establishments are sometimes working even harder! Also, if you stay for a long time, you are really using a space that could be bringing in more money for the server.. no problem, just factor that into your tip and it will be much appreciated. Serving is not an easy or laidback job, and when you are only making about $2/hr from it in wages, tipping is very important
February 25th, 2008 at 4:35 am
Don’t Forget To Tip Your Pizza Guy!
The common courtesy is 15% for normal service
On small orders, when 15% is less than $2, the proper amount is the $2 minimum standard. It should be a $2 minimum to have someone come to your house.
-20% or more if the service is excellent.
-10% or less for poor service. Nothing for very bad service.
-If the order is $50 or more, at least 10%.
It’s considerate to tip slightly more during bad weather
In rain, snow, extreme cold, or extreme heat, at least $1 more. It’s thoughtful. The service is greater.
It’s also considerate to tip slightly more for long distance
If your location is more than three miles from the store, it’s considerate to tip $1 more.
If more than five miles, increase by another $1.
Remember that a five-mile drive in a residential area can take 30 minutes for the ten-mile round-trip.
Tips are appreciated. Thank you for tipping the pizza guy.
http://www.tipthepizzaguy.com
February 25th, 2008 at 4:36 am
Why I like Japan: no tipping.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:37 am
I work as a bellhop at a fairly luxurious resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. The standard for helping a guest to his room is $5, with the occasional $10 and rare $20. During superbowl weekend I saw a $100 tip for a simple task.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:42 am
If you can answer the above question, then you’ll know the real reason why you tip and not the reason that the author of this blog is telling you.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:42 am
I disagree wholeheartedly with most of these tipping situations. It shouldn’t be expected of me to tip someone when they’re just *doing their job*. And I’m certainly not going to tip someone if they sucked. I will tip someone if they go out of their way to do something that’s not expected of them. And the whole 4-star restaurant thing? Admittedly, most people in the world will never need that info, but that’s just stupid. I suppose if I had an obscene amount of cash, then I should spread it around the restaurant every little chance I can get. But as a middle-class person, I can’t imagine tipping everyone I come into contact with when those people are simply doing their jobs.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:44 am
Re: Tipping movers
According to my mother, who works for one of the large movers, it isn’t one of those things that are usually done, so go ahead and do it! When the guys came to pack our house, I treated them to lunch. The guys who unloaded I tipped $20 each. (It was a small house and they were there for less than 3 hours.) Based on their reactions, I don’t think anyone had ever tipped them before.
If they spend a lot of time assembling and setting up things like your bed, dining room table, etc. then I think a larger tip is probably in order.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:45 am
You should consider adding a section for delivery guys. It seems that most people know that they should tip a Pizza Delivery Guy, but they often don’t. 10-15% in my 8 years of Delivery Driving is plenty fine by most drivers, and is well enough to cover time and gas. However, I disagree with tipping when the service is horrible, if I didn’t provide adequate service, my tip should be how I can improve for next time, which will help me to get better tips where I deserve them.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:48 am
Your article is very helpful when it comes to how much of a percentage I should tip. But what your article fails to mention is WHY we tip? Why do we tip certain people and not others? Such as tipping waiters and not tipping fast food servers?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:52 am
Agreed that tipping should preserve people’s dignity. In Italy I’ll take the extra step, and once asked a mightily helpful concierge if I might impose on him one last time, as I handed over a bill, and would he be kind enough to stop by the wine shop on the way home and select a good vintage for himself and his wife. He graciously agreed, and the world was a better place.
I differ on the ratios for restaurants: at a 3-star, why should the waiter get 20% of the expensive food bill? I tip 15%, and if they get snotty, I take my custom elsewhere. If, as you correctly observe, servers should not be punished for a shoddy meal, why enrich them for an expensive one? In a cheap dive with great food I might tip 30% for good service; why should the server get less simply because they don’t look great in a tight t-shirt?
Kid carhops don’t get to drive my cars at all. I *was* a kid carhop. Did you know that a Porsche 911 will do wheelies? I do. When I do let a mature carhop drive my car, I tip $5. This is why, when you come to the garage to pick up your Bentley, my battered Chevy is parked in front of it, with a smooth shot to the street. (I am not making that up; I cracked up the first time I laid on the five, and later found a Ferrari behind my Chevy.)
I liked the yellow snow tip. Another one is, “Yeah … Lucky Lady to place in the third race.”
February 25th, 2008 at 4:57 am
Are you sure you don’t work in the service industry? Awfully self-serving. What’s the etiquette for tipping the schmuck whose services you DON’T want and you just wish to god he didn’t exist? Like that creepy dude with the towels in the men’s room? Or the over-helpful bellhop who wants to carry your laptop for you? It’s one thing to tip a bellhop when you actually have a lot of bags. Or a waiter or cabbie every time. It’s another to have your hard earned dollars leached out of you at every step for stuff you never asked for and don’t want.
And don’t even get me started on bartenders. Those asshats are the BIGGEST prima-donnas. If there was a bar where I could be served by a credit-card operated robot, I’d never go to any other bar ever.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:59 am
You are a stingy and grumpy old man. So you don’t want to tip. Why not? You’re rewarding someone for doing good work. How would you feel if your boss decided to not give you the pay raise you’ve been asking for or taking your bonus away from you just because he felt like it? As the old saying goes, “Treat other people the way you expect to be treated yourself.”
I am a stingy college kid. It shouldn’t be my responsibility to pay someone for a job well done. That should be the job of the establishment. By encouraging tips that is just a way to cut expenses and have me pay for their staffing expenses. I’ve worked as a dish washer and didn’t see a dime from tips. So if I tip a waiter for excellent food the cook (at some resturaunts) don’t see a dime of it. It should be a company who rewards it’s employees for hard work. If I was a manger I wouldn’t even want to hire someone who has poor service in the first place.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:00 am
Great post,although I don’t want to be a gentleman.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:01 am
Oh I just want to say one more thing. You say that a boss should give you a pay raise for a job well done. Well that is the exact same thing a resturaunt boss should give his employees a pay raise. But they don’t because they expect us the diners to do his job (pay his employees) for him.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:03 am
Very good advice, although when in a casino, it is not proper to tip the cocktail waitress/any other staff using chips.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:05 am
or… you could not tip at all like here in NZ. Establish a decent minimum wage and pay the price that items have written on them, not the price plus 15.23%. An all inclusive price, much simpler price and if you don’t like what a place does just don’t go there.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:05 am
My family has moved several times, its my opinion that tipping the movers is not required by any stretch of the imagination. However, that makes it a great opportunity to receive that extra level of care with what is probably every posession that you own. Its not hard, either. Go to Dunkin’ Donuts and get the guys a dozen donuts and a couple coffees in the morning when they show up, ask them every once in a while if they’d like water (especially during a hot summer move) and be nice, don’t give them disposable cups (unless yours are already packed). You’ll find that your stuff shows up in much better condition.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:06 am
Don’t forget the Pizza Delivery Guy. Good tips range from 10% to 15%, $2 min. If it’s raining, shoot another dollar his way. Tips are where they make their money.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:06 am
Must…resist…inner…spelling…nazi…
Gaaahhh!
It’s *discreet*–as in, circumspect, unobtrusive, low-key. *Discrete* means separate and distinct.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:10 am
Tipping is stupid old etiquette which is often a bribe to be treated with respect which we all deserve regardless. People who rely on tips for their income really gotta stand up against this.
For example in Japan tipping is not accepted! For all the right reasons might I add.
You can comment on my opinion on my blog post,
http://opinionado.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/whats-the-deal-with-tips/
February 25th, 2008 at 5:13 am
Funny how Americans love small-scale corruption, but when a congressman wants a 10% tip for doing his job, it’s all different.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:21 am
Cheers for the article; how is one supposed to tip at the bar?
February 25th, 2008 at 5:21 am
As a waiter, I appreciate the overall message of this post. I do have a few issues and suggestions; gratuity is not a supplement to our income, it is our income. Gratuity is not a selfless act of generosity (we are not beggars after all), it is expected payment for services rendered. If you are going to tip less based on poor service, which is certainly understandable, don’t bother with an explanation; the server isn’t your child and it’s not your responsibility to admonish him or her. This is especially good advice if you intend to return to the same restaurant in the future. Lastly, what makes you think that the staff at a four star restaurant is any harder working or deserving than the staff at a “local” restaurant?
Again, thanks for the sentiment and for promoting awareness of proper tipping guidelines.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:23 am
not in this economy
February 25th, 2008 at 5:28 am
If you were a “regular” where I worked and consistently left 15% tips, we would relegate you to the worst server and station we have.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relegate
February 25th, 2008 at 5:31 am
Proper etiquette at the poker table, at least in US casinos, is to tip the dealer every time you win a hand. $1 for the lower stakes, but higher depending on the wages at the table (think 1 or 2 chips of the smaller denomination bet for small to medium-sized wins, more for larger pots).
February 25th, 2008 at 5:31 am
My mom was a waitress while she was in college, and everyday she walked up and down a three mile hill from home to work. This one Sunday morning, my mom had a huge party of 25-30 guests. She went out of her way for bigger parties, which meant nicer tips. Well, my mom told me that they were nothing but rude people, and after they left she returned to the table to grab her tip and saw a plain white card. It read: “Tip- Don’t swim underwater with your mouth open.”
Ouch
February 25th, 2008 at 5:32 am
I try to tip to performance levels. A clean booth/table goes a long
way to give me a good impression. Floor clean and all stains removed.
Clean place-setting with immaculate flatware, those are the beginnings
of what I expect in a dining establishment.
Lazy waitpeople, get what they deserve. They pay no attention, why
should we? Customers, the reason any business exists.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:34 am
There are some other situations that you didn’t cover. The people working breakfast and lunch usually have a smaller bill and hence a smaller tip. You should always round up and consider tipping 20+%. After all a burger and fries took as much to deliver as the fish at dinner.
Also, you should always tip 20% for good service regardless if it’s local or 4 star and 25% when it’s exceptional. Even then you’ll not be the big tipper for the evening.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:36 am
As a former wine steward/waiter/bartender/etc. I have pretty serious ideas about tipping. If the sommelier (wine steward) helps you select a bottle of wine ask yourself a couple of questions:
1) Did you get swindled? If you were buying this at a liquor store would you have paid exactly 50% of what you paid in the restaurant and felt good (This presumes you’re actually into wine.)? If the answer is “no,” then you got swindled and owe him no tip.
2) Did he introduce you to something you would have otherwise never tried? If a wine steward got you to forgo your usual bottle of California Cabernet for an obscure Burgundy or an Austrian wine that you can’t pronounce and you were happy with it, then you should probably tip him VERY well.
3) Do you intend to be back? If you’re a regular or intend to become one, then this is VERY important. Wine stewards often have some ability to be flexible about price. They also frequently have things that aren’t on the list, open bottles of exciting wines that you might get a glass of, or just might ensure that you get a good table and complimentary champagne. Tipping between $20 and $100 will get you quite a bit of special treatment, and it often pays for itself over time. If you regularly entertain business guests and want to look like a badass, just let him know over the phone what your price range is, hand him back the wine list when he comes by, and let him go to town. Nothing says “I’m the man,” like sitting down at a table after shaking everybody’s hand on the way in and having wine and appetizers simply begin arriving without being asked for. The key to making this work is tipping well ($40 to the wine guy, $20 to whoever seats you, 20%+ to the server, $5-$20 to the bus boy, etc.) It sounds expensive, but for business clients or just a really hot date it will pay for itself. Don’t try to be a mafia don. Nobody needs to see the money but the guys getting it. The people you want to impress don’t need to know that it’s money driving all this special attention, but unless they’re personal friends, it always is.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Tipping the dealer in Texas Hold ‘Em Poker:
Tip the dealer only from a pot you have won. Typical amount is a single chip of the lowest denomination used at that table, and is called a “toke.” Dealers will often say, “thanks for all the tokes” as they get up from the table. As the dealer pushes a pot to you, the winner of that hand, you simply take a single chip and slide it back to them. If you aren’t sure what is normal, just watch the other players and see what they do - a dealer gets tipped after every hand.
In tournament play, only tip the dealer if you have finished in the money. Typical amount should be between 5% and 10% of the prize money you have won.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:43 am
I never leave a tip with a waiter if I had poor service. Ever. I figure out approximately with how much an honest waiter would tip out his support guys (busboys, etc.) and give that +20% to the manager to distribute directly.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:45 am
“i never tip for something i can do myself. i can deliver pizza. i can, and do, cut my own hair. i did however tip my urologist as i can not pulverize my own kidney stones.”
haha i love that line from the office. good article.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:46 am
thats a horrible article.
tipping is gratuity. i am not going to tip for average service or even below par service. i tip for excellent service. here is a tip if you expect a tip you don’t deserve one. its the people that don’t expect it and just give you good service i reward with amazing tips. up to 50% but generic service deserves nothing.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:46 am
It just doesn’t make any sense. Why not just have fair labour laws that require employers to pay their staff decent wages and forget about tipping all together? Most of the rest of the world works ok like that. It really is off putting for someone wanting to travel, the many warnings that not tipping gets spit in you food and dirty sheets.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:46 am
I appriciate you encouraging tipping properly, but, even as a server myself who relies on tips for most of my income, I think some of your tips are far too high:
$15 for a bellhop taking luggage to a room??? They can do that 6 times an hour, easy, they deserve $90/hour plus wage for carrying bags? I think not.
Also, why should a server at fine dining restaurant automatically get 7% more than a “local” one? Tipping should be based on service, not the size of the bill.
If I bring you 6 coffee refills, 4 glasses of water and a salad, your bill is $10. A pitcher of beer and a steak is $35. The $10 bill requires much more service, attentiveness and effort than the $30, so tip accordingly, not just a % of the bill.
If you tip poorly or not at all please let your server/manager know why, rather than leave us guessing as to what we did wrong, so then we can help others (and you next time) better.
Happy tipping!
February 25th, 2008 at 5:49 am
cool so what if youre in europe? people get offended there when yoj do tip big amounts… and there are a lot more bentleys…
February 25th, 2008 at 5:52 am
Tipping etiquette is a good thing… but the way the above is written I find it almost portrays that tipping is required.
I think we have to remember that a tip is a BONUS for hard work. If they have not gone above the standard a small tip (or none) is suggested. If they do poor work, they should be fired never mind the tip…
Of course, this is difficult in restaurants where your tip is often going to the ‘group’ as opposed to the individual.
I just think that people are not entitled to a tip, they need to earn the tip…
My two cents!
February 25th, 2008 at 5:54 am
@metroknow:
As a mover/furniture delivery driver, your tips are appreciated. A lot of the time the tip will make sure your walls/furniture doesnt get bruised.
If you’re asking for someone to go above and beyond their job, make sure to tip. I don’t know why people think we will move their old sofa for them simply because it’s in the way. Most companies have policies AGAINST moving furniture that is not being delivered for insurance reasons.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:58 am
bartender??
February 25th, 2008 at 5:58 am
Or how about the boss paying them a decent salary in the first place.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:07 am
I usually pay restaurants with a credit card, but what’s up with wait staff asking people paying at the table with cash if they want any change? I’ve heard it when a friend had a $12ish meal and paid with a $20. Seemed to be a HUGE assumption… Other times have been when the change would be less than 15%. I guess they’re either not thinking or are trying to make things easy for either the customer, themselves or both.
I second the movers question.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:10 am
Good article! For someone who works in the food service industry, this is a pretty good line to follow. Personally I think that the waiter tip should start in the 18-20% range, and increased from there according to level of service. I think no matter how bad the service you should always leave 15% b/c that IS the person’s wage, not a bonus. Also i believe in a 5$ tip minimum, even when dining alone, because the person is doing the about the same amount of work as if there were 2 people.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:26 am
I remember when I was in high school, a group of us went on a field trip. We went to a local steak house for lunch. It wasn’t a particularly fancy place; probably a little less on par with Applebee’s. I didn’t really know anyone in the class, and I ended up sitting with a group of about six other kids. We were all loud, annoying, demanding, and liked to poke fun at the staff. Our original waitress gave up after she had come by three times and hadn’t gotten anywhere other than drink orders. The waitress that took care of us did so without a single word to us, and we were considerably less than pleasant. We were kids, at school.
So when it came time to leave a tip, we all recognized that the poor waitress took over for some other lady that gave up on us, and not only put up with all our crap the hour we were there, but did an excellent job of taking care of us and so after we paid and added everything up, she ended up getting around $100 for all six of us. She was pretty happy.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Down here in Australia, and in the UK (where I spent most of my life) you tip for good service and that’s it. I was quite surprised the first time I went to the US - everyone from the taxi driver to the guy who serves you a coffee in the hotel restaurant is holding their hands out. I rather prefer the culture where tips aren’t expected, tips are to be worked for.
Of course, people who are high up in the service industry use tips as an excuse to pay their workforce sweet FA, but that’s another matter…
February 25th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Ok, I work as a waiter in a casual dining style restaurant and I just wanted to share a few things that bother me.
First off, it is not acceptable to have a set rate tip that is anywhere close to $5. If you end up with a hefty bill, it’s usually because you had alot of people for the server to wait on, which is not only more difficult for the waiter to handle, but second, takes away from the amount of time they have to spend with their other tables. It’s like if the boss makes you work overtime for standard pay.
Second, If you plan on spending an extended period of time in a restaurant, you have to make it worth the while of the server. We count on getting as many people served as possible, because the tips are all we get, so we want to have the most oppurtunites to be tipped. It doesn’t matter if you stop ordering things after 45 minutes, if you’re there for 2 hours, you’re server could have been done with you, collected your tip, fully served a second table, collected that tip, and started on the third. You’re costing your server money when you linger at a table, it’s only courteous to compensate.
And last, if a mistake is made, by anyone, please try to cooperate with the server. We really do want to resolve these types of things in a way that satisfies you, and when you get upset because you think things have gotten out of hand is usually when they do.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:51 am
bullshit advice written by service workers promoting their own self-interest
February 25th, 2008 at 6:51 am
I’m a server in Times Square, NYC. It’s also important to note that waiters and waitresses tip out the bar/bussers/runners based on their TOTAL sales for a night. So if you leave less than 10 percent on a check, it’s entirely likely that it actually COST the server money to serve your table. I know that this isn’t the way it works in other countries, but it’s a very common practice in big cities in the USA. It’s one thing to want to leave a server nothing, it’s a whole other to force them to pay to take care of you.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:13 am
So the question is … do you tip because it’s expected or because you want to have great service next time?
February 25th, 2008 at 7:27 am
“You don’t want some juvenile attendant ruining your prized Bentley Continental” - I think this pretty much sums up what auditory this article is targeted to. And yes, tipping is retarded.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:27 am
As a server and bartender in the business for 5 years, I would like to say this is an excellent article. One thing I would note about the local restaurant, if you do come in a lot (like more than once per week), you will get better service the more you tip, especially in an over-packed bar scenario. I know I’m always going to choose the person I see all the time that leaves me the better tips, and I will bust my ass to make sure you are taken care of, and guys trust me, the ladies are impressed when I pass over 4 dudes just to take care of you.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:34 am
With waiters it should always be a minimum of $5 for good service in any sit down restaurant. Even if you ate alone and your bill is only $10-15. Waiters make ~$2.13/hour. A $5 tip will be greatly appreciated. Of course tip more if bill is higher or if you run them back and forth all night long.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Unless you’re in Japan. Then you don’t tip. I didn’t know that the first time around and the guy chased me down the street to give me my change back.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:38 am
While I appreciate the fine art of rewarding someone for doing an excellent job, you need to understand cultural differences when doing it… otherwise you *won’t* look like a gentleman. Australia doesn’t have any tipping culture outside of restaurants, and other cultures it may even be deemed an insult. Simple tip: Know your audience.
If you’re travelling in the states (god help you), then yeah, you need to tip.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:56 am
i found this article unhelpful. in any major city, the assumed tip level at restaurants is 18% minimum. servers are paid well below the typical minimum wage for other workers, because it is assumed that they are being tipped. if you are not tipping servers properly, you are ripping them off and making them work for nothing.
so tip a minimum of 18% everywhere- more if you are really a gentleman. and if you don’t feel like you got your money worth, don’t go back. it’s pretty simple.
i don’t know about the other advice but the fact that the restaurant suggestions were too low makes me question the accuracy of the rest.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Seriously? Where do you live? 10 or 15 bucks to valet? What is our society coming to that we feel the need to tip $15 bucks so you don’t get your car taken on a joyride.
Get real. I consider myself a very generous tipper (I almost ALWAYS tip 25% at restaurants) but you are a real fool to follow this advice. This article just reinforces the fact that these days, everyone wants to be tipped for doing jack shit.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Personally I think the compulsion to tip comes from this social stigma that we have to reward someone for merely doing their job. I don’t believe tipping by standards as outlined in this article are justified. Tips should be rewards for excelling past the necessary job requirements, not merely because we want to appear like a “gentleman” or feed someone’s kids. I don’t see a section for tipping fast food or for tipping the guys in the streets of Manhattan handing out flyers. They’re also doing their jobs but get no additional rewards from it. Seems kinda biased to me. Call me a grumpy old man if you wish (I’m 21), but I think this article merely promotes this very ignorant mentality and helps to further bring our own society down.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:24 am
useful for those who can throw money like that around… but I think its important to give an alternate perspective.
When I tip, I do so based on how enjoyable the experience was. This is combined food, drink, and waiter.
Before you slam me for food and drink, I eat whatever comes my way unless it is truly repellent, in which I would tip the rats for eating it instead of me. So far this has not happened once.
If the waiter is friendly, walks past to make sure things are ok a maximum of two times, personable and doesn’t screw up due to true idiocy (it has happened), they will get a better tip out of me.
If the waiter walks past every 5 minutes asking if everything is alright non stop throughout the night, they will get NO tip because it ruins the meal (this has happened to me before)
If the waiter puts words in my mouth, suggests that I don’t know what I like, or acts like I am stupid, he will not only get no tip, but I will never go to the restaurant again (this also has happened, in the same day, at the same restaurant.
In the end, if the waiter makes it unpleasant for you, show him how little you enjoyed his presence by not tipping. Yes, his pay is small, but it will help him try harder to not annoy the patrons.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:31 am
OK, 15% for restaurant service? Nothing gentlemanly about it… and I’ll tell you why. 15% has been a standard for some time, and in that elapsed time money has lost value. Inflation has gone up, cost of living has gone up, taxes have risen, but the “15%” has remained the norm for tipping.
This is particularly insufficient when paying by credit card. Many restaurants report 100% of all tips received on credit card, so your 15% tip is greatly reduced if you have paid with credit.
As a waiter, I can tell you that 15% is considered bare minimum for good service. Poor service is another story; of course it is your prerogative to reward good service or punish poor service. But a “gentlemanly” tip, as this article purports to describe, is one that rewards a thoughtful server’s performance in a magnanimous manner. 20% is considered appropriate for attentive, friendly service. As always, the choice is up to you!
February 25th, 2008 at 8:40 am
I don’t tip anyone unless the do a good job. Shite service seems the norm at the average eatery and rewarding it perpetuates the behavour. I don’t set the bar spectacularly high, but going out to just eat to finish the meal with a freaking empty water glass staring me down makes me want to poop in their urinal.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:44 am
I hate the idea of tipping. Why they need tips when that is their jobs?
February 25th, 2008 at 8:47 am
I really don’t like what tipping has become. The people working there are being PAID to do a god job. They receive salaries like the rest of us. It’s their JOB to treat you with respect and provide a good service that’s what working with people is. I’m all for tipping exceptional or impressive service but I hate the fact that everyone expects a tip just for doing the job they’re supposed to do in the first place. I mean I have to tip the waiter for NOT spitting in my salad when I should pay him for not making me wait long before he gets my meal or because he is actually interested in how well I’m feeling at the restaurant. It’s the maid’s JOB to ensure I have enough toilet roll and I have clean sheets. Why isn’t she doing the job she’s paid to do? A bellhop’s work is to carry your luggage, if he’s polite and eager I’ll tip him, if he’s disrespectful I try to have him fired because he has no place working with people. If he’s just doing his work I will do neither because he’ll receive a salary at the end of the month for carrying my luggage. What’s your opinion?
February 25th, 2008 at 8:59 am
1 dollar for a waitress per drink in a casino? You’re cheap. A dollar side bet? You’re cheap. Did you work as a bellhop or something? 10-15? A 5 spot there is just fine.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:02 am
I worked at a moving company this summer and tips were far too rare. However, if you expect you stuff to be treated well, tip the guys moving your stuff. $5 a man per hour of work is generous, and if you let them know ahead of time, they’ll take extra care.
I also deliver pizza and I expect at least $2, or 10% on anything above $25. If you order often, tip every time. The better the tip, the better you’ll be remembered. Also, if you make a note while you order that you’ll tip well (and follow through) it will probably get there faster.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Why is America so stupid?
Why can’t American’s just do what most countries have and have a minimum wage people can actually live on. Hence eliminating the need for a tip. In Australia, the idea of tipping for a taxi ride or more then maybe your shitty change at a nice restaurant is unheard of.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:23 am
ALL of these are 5% too low. If you tip poorly, you look weak and stingy. You’re the most hated person in society. 18-20% is an accepted tip in a restaurant. For a tip jar, 10% is good. Use your head. And if you get something at half price or it happens to be happy hour, whatever, TIP ON THE FULL PRICED ITEM.
And if someone asks for his tip…he’s not expecting you to give it to them. He is just trying to make you aware that you are cheap, pathetic, despised and annoying for not tipping correctly. “Um, excuse me, sir, I think you left your change.” aka…give me more.
And for the person who said that this guy makes it look like you should be giving out money left and right…IF YOU DON’T HAVE MONEY TO TIP, YOU DON’T HAVE MONEY TO GO OUT. Consider the tip part of the included expense for the night.
It’s 2008. 15% is just too low. 15% should be a punishment.
And bartenders follow these guidelines, as well.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Perry, Tavi…
do some research on the subject and you will find out that in the United States, service people aren’t paid good hourly wages. In Illinois, for example, a server makes $3.50 an hour. (California, however, makes more…each state is different.) Tips are considered a guarantee. If you do not tip, the server essentially LOSES money on that meal, because they have to pay TAXES. Also, there are bussers, hosts, bartenders, food runners, etc. ALL of these people are tipped by the SERVER. So, if you tip 10 dollars on a 100 dollar bill, a portion of that tip goes to taxes, 1 dollar goes to the bartender, 1 dollar to the food runner, 1 dollar to the host and 3 dollars to the busser. You’ve essentially just given your waiter LESS THAN 4 dollars. And your bill was 100 dollars.
See why bad tippers are so despised?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:32 am
So because their boss pays them poor wages it is up to the customer to pay for more than just their food?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Here’s the thing. There’s a lot of people replying to this post with the standard Reservoir Dogs line: “they’re just doing their job, they make minimum wage, tipping is for the birds.”
They’re right and wrong.
The idea that a tip, which is a little something extra for going above and beyond what one would expect, should be given automatically and every time is absurd. That would be like giving everyone in the Olympics a medal just for showing up. That isn’t how it works. The exceptional level of quality is rewarded, the average level of quality isn’t.
However, this isn’t what the industry has adopted as the norm despite what the popular opinion is. Gratuity has permeated the industry to the point that it’s factored into the cost of doing business, and this usually translates into becoming an assumed portion of someone’s wages. Remove this portion and their wages drop drastically. Many states have special minimum wage/compensation rules for people working in areas where tips are considered normal - often these workers make far less than minimum wage, because tips are expected to make up or exceed the difference. Take away those tips and these people aren’t working for minimum wage anymore, they’re working for a fraction of that.
Also, let’s all be very clear on one thing: minimum wage is not a comfortable wage. The idea that minimum wage is enough to comfortably live on is an absurd notion. Minimum wage in Nevada, where I live, is $6.33 an hour. That’s around $13,500 a year, before taxes and deductions for benefits. If that employee is offered a qualified health benefits package, minimum wage drops to $5.30 an hour. Just so you know, that’s above the federal mandated minimum wage, so Nevada is one of the better states in this respect. Imagine trying to live on $13,000 a year, or a little over $1000 a month. Seems quite a bit different than the life you’re living now, right? If someone is making $1000 a month, they aren’t treating getting a tip like scoring some awesome bonus cash, or finding a $20 on the ground. They need it for food and rent.
All that being said, here’s how I treat tipping: if it’s a job where tipping is considered the norm, I tip respectably for good service, and extremely well for extremely good service.
If I receive bad service, my policy is to not tip at all. I feel that, because of tipping becoming a “given” in certain industries, and because of people’s tendency to tip drastically lower than what I normally tip, giving a few dollars where I would normally give much more is probably not sending a message to the person that they aren’t doing a good job. It’s probably an average tip for them. So I don’t tip at all, in the hopes that they realize they screwed something up. I’m never rude, loud, stern, or demanding with anyone, but if you drop the ball and I get crappy service, you’re going to get stiffed.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:53 am
I cant speak for other countries, but as someone who worked in the American serving industry, I have to point out that American servers almost always make minimum wage, and survive solely on tips. If your server does a good job, consider that the tips they make is quite literally their only means of survival. When I was a server I worked 2-4 double shifts a week, and 6 days a week and only made about 200 dollars on a paycheck. This could not even come close to covering rent, let alone all of the other expenses life has. Tips are essential to a servers survival, take it from someone who has struggled as a server. I have fortunately escaped the horrible serving industry, and now do much better for myself. I also have to throw in as a final aside that most servers in America also have no benefits what so ever, because while most restaurants do offer a benefits package, the only people who work enough hours to receive them are management, and they are salaried.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Also, in response to Nephtali, have a little compassion for other people who are not in a great situation, many serve to get by.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:01 am
When getting any work done on your car, you should tip also. I used to work at a tire shop and the workers hardly got any tip for getting down and dirty for changing their tires quite fast.
I guess people don’t know about that, but they should definitely tip. If you could tip a bartista $1 for making your coffee, heck, you should be able to give more tip than that for working on your $20000 car.
Enough said.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:02 am
The only reason the wages remain low is because people keep tipping. We are essentially perpetuating a downward spiral.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:03 am
All of this I think is wrong in one respect. Tips are meant to be a generous action, not something expected. Its a tip, a bonus, not a tax. When you give someone money to make them do something they otherwise wouldn’t do, its called a bribe. A person should tip someone if the standard is medium or higher. No person should receive a tip for doing a shitty job. While i understand that people now expect a tip but i feel this is something that has been done by others and the companies wanting their percentage of it. It is not my fault that your company takes your tips off the top of your wages, and if i should give a tip, it should be included in the bill. also it makes things more expensive at my expense and the gain of everyone else. I tip generously to those that do me well but tip should never be a guarentte. People might call this stingy but in my opinion, its an unfair expectation, an illegal diversion from the government, and a conspiracy by the service industry to get more money from those being served.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Well… americans as gentlemans?
However, those rules are just a big pile of *. Don’t get me wrong, here where I live, it’s kinda normal to leave sometin’. If sometin’ is 76, 77 or 78, you leave 80. Or if it’s 9, you leave 10. Just not to take coins with you. But 10%? Or 15%? For what?
Me and my friends spoke about that couple of times. And there’s one question that comes in mind right away: do you tip your airplane pilot? Policeman, fireman, tube driver, people at the bank? And that people do more stressful job and have your life in hands more than i-have-no-school-nor-i-can-do-anything waiters.
And btw, do u also tip bill from electric company? Or bill you get for heating, water, internet? They also did they job pretty well if one had electricity, water, internet whole month.
I rest my case.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Tipping is an absolute ridiculous method that should never happen unless someone servicing you goes out of their normal working way. I work my ass off all day long doing a harder job than any pizza delivery guy or waiter, and I don’t get tips. This goes for 99% of servicing jobs.
Tips are not necessary and the trend will eventually die out. Other cultures don’t do this, and some consider it condescending and extremely rude even. The only people pushing for it are those in key positions that already get them and don’t want them to stop.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Who decided that the managers in the food service industry don’t have to pay their employees. It is not the job of the customers to discipline and/or fine employees for doing a bad job, it is the job of the employer. It is a disrespectful cop-out to force upon your clientele the responsibility to decide the quality of life of your employees.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Yes but how much to tip hookers?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:36 am
My opinion is that the mentality is wrong. Yes, they aren’t paid enough and if they’re loosing money by being fair and doing their job there’s certainly a problem with the economy today. You would think the low wages should be an incentive to act polite and provide a great service. Some of them do, I’ve met people that certainly deserve tips as bigger than their salaries. But, unfortunately, not everyone thinks like that. And we’ve reached a point where you get punished for not tipping instead of being encouraged to do so.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Those of you who think you shouldn’t have to tip because people in the service industry are just doing their job, obviously have never worked one of these jobs. I work as a bellman at one of the better resorts in Hawaii. We get paid a decent wage ($7.25, which is the minimum wage in HI, top help offset higher costs of living) but we make about a third to half of our money in tips.
If you think that all a bellman does is carry your bags, you’re either a moron or have never had a good bellman. Bellmen are the ambassadors of the hotel. They’re the first person you’ll have an extended conversation with. They’ll introduce you to all the amenities of the resort, make sure you don’t get lost, take care of anything you need whether it’s restaurant reservations or recommendations on fun things to do, and make sure you’re good and comfortable. Oh, and we carry your bags. At my resort, the trip out to the farthest room can be almost 1/2 mile round trip. And that’s pushing a cart that can weigh 500 lbs. On carpet. Uphill.
As for the person who thinks bellmen can do 6 checkins an hour… That’d be nice. Try 3, tops. If the guests aren’t with me and I’m just delivering bags, maybe 6 trips. But that’s not really doing my job, that’s just doing part of it. And if you tell me, “Oh, we’re going to the pool - can you drop my bags off in the room?” I don’t expect a big tip, because I don’t have to do as much work. But if you don’t leave any sort of tip, we won’t be rushing those bags up there when you aren’t even in the room.
If you and your family arrive with an entire cart of bags and I give you the grand tour, get you into packed restaurants using my relationships, and make sure you want for nothing, I expect that I should be properly compensated. If I’m not, I’m a lot less likely to go out of my way the next time you need help.
So what’s this boil down to in #s? At a 4-5 star RESORT (not city hotel, that’s different), you should never tip less than $5 assuming the bellman does his job. If all he does is run your bags up to the room, has a bad attitude, or whatever, tip less. But $5 should be the ABSOLUTE minimum. $2 per bag is the accepted rate out here, with variations based on services rendered.
Before I started working in this field, I felt the same way as many of you. But having done this for several years now, I sure don’t feel that way anymore. What it boils down to is this: if you don’t want to compensate us for our efforts, don’t use our services. If you’re outraged at the way the system works, go somewhere else. Don’t penalize the guy who’s just trying to make a living because you’re grump, cheap, or both.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:45 am
HERE is the big question for all you tear-jerkers defending the “tipping-required” system…
Could one of you who keep claiming (especially those who are actually waiters/waitresses) that servers must be tipped as it is their “only source of income” answer me one question? You keep waving around the figure of $2 or $3 an hour as their wage, and act as if they will starve to death if their wages aren’t increased by tips as they will be forced to live on only a couple dollars an hour. Now, I live in Illinois, and am I not correct in thinking that if a waiter works a full shift (say 8 hours) and gets stiffed at EVERY SINGLE TABLE (say a waiter is completely stoned, barely does his job and visibly drools on the plates as he delivers them, for the sake of drama) HE WILL STILL MAKE $60.00 (before taxes) JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER MINIMUM WAGE WORKER?
As far as I know, the minimum wage is there for a reason. So people don’t get screwed over by big companies milking them for next to nothing simply because they’re desperate. Now, waiting tables is not exactly a job requiring much in terms of certifications, so don’t bullshit me about how they deserve more money than the poor guy working his balls off scrubbing oily metal french fry baskets from the machine at McDonald’s. In some cases they might….WHEN THEY GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO EARN IT. If they’re just doing their job, do they not get the same amount of money as every other worker in an extremely low-level job serving food? If I’m wrong, and a waiter who gets no tips actually has to go home with $17 bucks after working an 8 hour day, then I apologize. But somehow I bet there are regulations in place to take care of this.
Waiters and waitresses serve food to patrons and work their asses off just as much as the next guy who works in the kitchen all day long but doesn’t see a tip. Just because they have to run plates from one end of the building to the other and say “I’ll be *right back with your change!!!*……uh…mm…you need change, right? You SURE? OK, fine.” doesn’t mean they HAVE A RIGHT to a handful of extra money. And those assholes that say, “OK fine, don’t tip me, and I hope you enjoy your burger with the extra helping of man-o-naise courtesy of the entire male kitchen staff!”…they are just that: Assholes. Don’t propagate the threat of bad service or nasty fluids/who knows in your food to scare people into tipping you well. That’s really disgustingly low. And if you’re that desperate, get a different job and stop trying to milk other people’s good nature for your own advantage.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:46 am
IF you realy realy realy want good food, send a drink into the people cooking your food. Especially if it is a party larger than 5. It will be much appreciated and will get you good food. Most food chains have the tip factored into there bill at the end of the night and sometimes the waiter dose not see it.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Simple answer: move to Australia. Everyone gets paid for the work they do.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:10 am
As in America, here in Canada too we have this terrible culture of tipping. As a part time grocery store cashier (since I’m only a student), I barely make enough for myself without having to give away half of my hourly wage to some server for normal service at a cheap local restaurant. If I don’t want fatty and unhealthy fast food and the only good and healthy eats are at the restaurants, I’m basically forced to go there to receive unremarkable services served by unsmiling waiters, when actually I wouldn’t mind bussing my own table. STOP BEING LAZY GREEDY PIGS, MOVE YOUR LARD ASSES AND BE ACTIVE AND PETITION THE GOVERNMENT TO RAISE MINIMUM WAGES. It’s not like we’re some third world country where you’re all making $0.50 a day, YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. DO IT.
Until your local grocery store cashier gets tipped, I hate the tipping culture in ALL of North America. Someone axe it please =(
February 25th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Drives me crazy when people don’t tip-
“oooo it’s their job!”
Piss off! I make 2.33 an hour, for a job based on gratuity- yeah it’s not required to tip me, but you know, if you want a meal where you only want to pay for the product + someone to prep it, you can friggin decipher the ‘complex’ menu, and learn which listed items do come with a salad, had you taken part of your 10 minutes to decide on a choice- to actually read!
-How about “what’s good?” Buy it, and try it… don’t like it? Whoops, live and learn!
-”Does the breading on the fried steak have egg product? My kid is allergic to eggs…” No idea, Russian Rulet anyone?
-”What beer/wine do we have?” Best you go check it out, 2.33$ makes my mind forget anything beyond what I can buy with all that green.
Maybe we should get paid a wage where we can play socialist, informant, transporter, reporter, salesperson and bill collector with out any extra from you- but we don’t. Oh, and you want all that + good, friendly, and quick service?
Pssh, if you don’t want Taco Bell service, give us a reason, a green reason, even if % tipping isn’t your thing- remember whatever little you give us is still excluding the previously stated reasons of mandatory tipping (for us!) to others on our end- bartenders, bussers and the like.
Sad thing is? Regardless of known bad tippers and stiffing jerks- I still give 110%- A deaf couple who is not as well to do (Walmart employees) eats out 5 days a week from what I gather (Servers know Servers by the way)- they never tip anyone more then the change on a check… .47$ was my best ever from them…
Ok, they don’t have much money, crap walmart wages + disability income from the state… But they continue to eat where employees serving their tables are paid less then 1/3 of what they are even making per hour… While they eat fairly well: dinner, drinks, and desert (all while being horridly picky and not usually disappointed with their meals)
So who’s really hurting?
Now, for you “Exceptional Service gets a tip” people- I’ve taken it upon myself to learn some sign language- I don’t know how to tell you about my day, or what my favorite book is- but I can greet people, ask them how they like their steak, if they like their meal… etc, and I have a mini notepad and pen at the ready for them… *when* it gets difficult- all this with a genuine smile and air about myself (I’m pretty happy most of the time, even at work!).
Have I done an exceptional job? Probably. Do they see themselves as the Exceptional tippers type? Probably. But does that actually translate to $ once in a while? Not really.. Last time the bill gave them .02$ back, and they just picked it up… Thanks…
WoW I want to rant more-
But the base? When you go somewhere someone works for tips, TIP…
Even if it comes down to this- “Hey they have 5 tables, and we’re gonna be here an hour- If I tip 1$ (Cheap bastard by the way), and everyone else does + min wage (oooo 2.33$) they’ll make… (whatever) over minimum wage! ”
Just go to Burger King or a grocery store and save us all from your penny pinching…
-Note- I have no idea about jobs above the craptastic server wages here in Wisconsin, where waiters, bartenders and delivery drivers can be paid less than 1/2 the federal minimum wage, but you should be aware of what people are getting paid at the lowest lawfully (and expect it 90% of the time)- and realize your paper bill is less overall because of this drop in expenses… and cover some of the difference.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:26 am
I worked in the service industry. I made more in tips then I did as a junior computer engineer after 5 years of university(~$30/hr). (Think about 4-7 tables an hour, about 6-7 dollar tip/table with wide variance ofc). Furthermore, many of my older wait-staff colleagues would claim very little of what they made in tips. I still tip 15%, but I don’t feel sorry for them because they are making meagre sums…the meagre sums is a lie.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I keep reading these comments that say “tipping should just be for excellent service” or “why should I tip? I don’t get tipped at my job [insert job here]ing.”
1)I read somewhere that TIPS stands for To Insure Proper Service; read into that how you will.
2)Most importantly, as someone said earlier, tips are not a supplement to our income, TIPS ARE OUR INCOME. Yes, the labor laws might be messed up, and yes, you probably don’t get tipped at your job, but by not tipping or by leaving a ridiculously bad tip (i.e. <10-15%) you are making us pay to serve you (assuming the restaurant gives a % of sales to the bussers and bar) and you deserve no service at all.
People need to learn that a lot of waiters and waitresses, myself included, are professional servers with kids, mortgages, and retirement savings. We depend on your tips to survive.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Glendale, CA. USA
Minimum Wage as of 2008: $8 Hourly.
Monthly Wage: ~$800 on a 30hours/week schedule (After taxes)
Cost of Living: **Completely manageable with minimum wage.**
$600 for Rent / Electricity / Water / Gas (With a room-mate)
~$100 Food (If you work at a food place, you get free food, your lunch is usually payed for.)
~$100 Luxuries (Cell Phone/Internet/etc.)
Car costs Extra, $100-200 insurance, $100-300 if you have payments left on your car. (Which you shouldn’t if you’re trying to live on minimum wage.)
First Job: Restaurant Supply Warehouse Stock-boy. Worked for 10 months, received $5 in tips total from 1 person.
Second Job: Waiter. Worked for 8 months, received ~50% of wage in tips(~$300-500) a month. -After giving 40% to kitchen, and splitting with other waiter/ess.-
Third Job: Fast Food franchise. Worked for ~2months, currently employed. Received $4 total in tips from 2 people.
At my second job, (Waiter) I never expected a tip.
All the other servers ever did was complain about how people are cheap and didn’t leave 15%+. They cursed them out for only leaving 10%. I hated that.
Tips: (Before split between kitchen and other servers)
Lowest Tip: $0. No reas