In response to “I don’t want to pay to serve you” ‘s post on Nov 1:
Customers are not obligated to tip you upon visiting a restaurant. You are still being paid a base wage, and tips are just that – TIPS that we, the customer, are not OBLIGATED TO PAY. People should tip when they feel the waiter or waitress has provided exceptional service. They should NOT tip because they are “supposed” to. Tips are not included in meal prices for a reason.
Just because you don’t tip doesn’t mean that 1. you are a student, or 2. you don’t have the money to tip. Have you ever stopped to think for a moment, IDWTPTSY, that people might not be tipping you because you’re doing a shitty job? —Tired of tipping crappy waiters/waitresses because I’m expected to
This article appears in Nov 4-10, 2010.
When I get good service I tip fairly well. When I know I’m being ignored and disrespected because of my age or clothes then I sometimes don’t tip one cent.
I did that once, sodey. Duffy’s treated a young party of us like assholes once and nobody got a tip from me.
I’ve actually left pubs early in the past because of rude bartenders and waitstaff. I have a list of places I will not go to because the people who work there are assholes.
and that’s good….
the way it should be. with the sheer volume of restaurants available,
there’s a one strike rule.
bad food/service/attitude/atmosphere and you’ll never see me there again.
Hell, one restaurant, I didn’t even get to the ordering…
I think restaurants should have separate sections; self-entitled douche bag bitch server section and then the servers who understand what their job is section. We’ll see how many people asked to be seated where! Or servers should disclose before taking an order if they EXPECT you to tip or not. Although I’m sure most people can see when a server is being fake nice for free money.
As a server myself (and knowing it’s not always as simple as taking drink/food orders and bringing them to tables and not all customers are nice/easy-going), I think tipping shouldn’t be a hard thing to do if the server did a really good job. I walk into a restaurant with the tendency to tip 20%. However, I’m a firm believer of the server having to earn his/her tip. I’m not tipping 20% unless the server is fast, attentive, friendly and ensures a pleasant experience for me.
Having also worked as a cook, when something gets screwed up, I can usually tell whether it’s the server’s fault or the kitchen’s. I would still tip the server well even if the food takes a while because that’s likely the kitchen’s fault. Even having the server ring my order in wrong won’t deter me from tipping because everyone makes mistakes, but the tip will be lower unless the server compensates me in some way (e.g. discount or drink off the bill).
The only time I won’t tip is if the server is rude. There was one time I did not tip at a certain downtown pub.
The tip I would have given flew right out the window after this happened–
Me: I’ll have a Keith’s.
Server (bluntly): No, you won’t. We’re out of Keith’s tonight.
“No, you won’t”?!?!?! I would NEVER say that to my customers! Okay, I guess it’s true that I WON’T have a Keith’s if you don’t have it, but a simple and friendly “I’m sorry, but we’re out of Keith’s. We can offer you….”.
…but a simple and friendly “I’m sorry, but we’re out of Keith’s. We can offer you….” **would be a tad more professional.
service very bad= no tip
When I go out to eat, usually once a week, sometimes twice depending on my mood, I never go in thinking “I’m going to fuck with the waiter and give him no tip”. Never. I see how the night goes. For me not to tip the service has to be bad, plain and simple.
As long as you are attentive, nice, and punctual you will get a tip. Just show up to drop a plate off and leave for 40 minutes will get you jack shit in the end. And even less if I have to find you to get the bill!
If the service is not what a customer comes to expect, the food quality sub par, etc…then no tip should be left. Tips should only be left when the customer is left with that “wow” factor. If the customer is leaving the restaurant without having had that feeling, then the restaurant is doing something wrong. I only tip when a restaurant goes beyond my expectations. Having a mindless, robotic server or food that tastes like it was nuked results in no tip left by me.
I just got back from taking my daughter out for a significant life milestone (she was 21) and we had a wonderful meal at Cafe Chianti – I know we’re not supposed to name names – and the service was superb, and I tipped accordingly.
I’ve been wanting to try them in their new locale. Good to know, thanks B&B. I think no naming names is if it’s derogatory – giving praise is always allowed. 🙂
painey – I remember, I dreamt last night that you ran Robie Foods on the corner of Young. You were a person of asian decent, and the bear was this huge guy with a bloody apron. The food was good, if I remember correctly and you made me take some suckers and skittles home with me. I laughed at it this morning as I walked by. Seriously, LTWWB is now in my dreams.
Welcome to the land of crazies, huh?
As a former server who worked her can off… I approve of this bitch
be sure to tell that to your shrink ralmn
it IS of importance.
You might be right, z3… I’ll make a note of it for Dr. Freud.
Screw Freud – pitch the idea to Tarantino – and make damn sure a lawyer is present.
nice dreaming ralmn, i was thinking tim burton commander *cough* freak^^thanks for the new kitty pic you crazy lady❥❥❥
Are you suppose to tip when you get take-out?
I do Real Chick, in hopes it makes it to the kitchen staff! Who knows if it does though.
I do too. I think I tip too often, really… does anybody tip their cab drivers? And what about hairdressers? Sigh, I always question it… they provide a service, but they also get a lot of the profit?? Hmmm…. So I tip everyone. I think I need to change my habits.
I tip cab drivers, and hair dressers and delivery guys really well …. and servers when I go into a restaurant to eat….but I never thought about tipping for me picking up an order I called in. I just never thought about it. Now I feel cheap cause I got take out from a restaurant today and I never tipped.
You know what’s starting to piss me off? The tip jars at every freaking fast food place out there. Ok FINE I get it — if servers get tips why can’t you…but the expectation bugs me. It’s like I feel like a shit for not leaving a tip when I buy a $2 fountain drink and I know I shouldn’t but it pisses me off that it makes me feel bad. Because why SHOULD I tip you when all you did is put a paper cup under a tap and pressed a button? I did more than THAT as a cashier at a grocery store in my day and I never got an effing tip.
If I want to tip you, I’ll give you a tip and you can put it in a cup behind the counter. But pls, don’t leave your filthy tip cup in my face.
PK – silly me, I thought that cup was samples and I always helped myself, like the mints they used to give out with your bill – lesson learned, or is it learnt?
hahahahahahaha you’re my new favorite poster, B&B 🙂 That actually made me LOL fo’ realz!
learnt is british english and learned is american. either/or are correct, according to the interweb anyhoo. i thought those jars were for making change baz^^^