How much do you tip?

KevinWI

KevinWI

Oldest Operating Motor Speedway In The World
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How much do you tip at restaurants/bars?

20% normally for me. 25% if service is exceptional. I think I over tip for two reasons:

- People from Wisconsin have a reputation for being cheap tippers, so I try to average it out.
- I wouldn't want to be bartender/waitress, so I try to take care of them.
 
I have no set amount. It depends on the service. If its excellent service...I've been known to throw down more than my bill for a tip.
 
It depends on the quality of service and on the attitude of the individual.Having worked in the industry before, I know what waiters encounter and I know how difficult it is to provide good service at peak restaurant hours. Most waiters are paid minimum wage and rely heavily on their tips. A good waiter maintains a positive attitude regardless of work load and a good waiter makes himself/herself available at all times. For average quality service I tip 20%. For poor service, I tip less. For excellent service, I tip more. Attitude, personality and quality of service are always the determining factor on tip percentage.
 
Minimum of 20% and I don't tip male bartenders...a guy gets another a beer, that's just the way it is.
 
If traveling 20% if the service is decent, at home always 20-30%, we are overrun with snowbirds from Thanksgiving to Easter and they are notorious for not tipping, and if they do It's usually 5-10% so the locals try to help make up for it.
 
A lot depends on the service. Since I'm frequently alone and female, I sometimes don't get very good service, so I tip accordingly. If my server
pays attention --- refilling my glass, asking if they can get me something else --- I tip at the very least 20%.

If I have to attack the server to get my tab, it will show up in the tip --- or the lack thereof.
 
I worked in the profession as a young man and know a waiter/waitress has to work as hard to serve a hamburger as they do a more expensive meal, so have a minimum tip if it involves taking an order for food and drink. Until the tab gets to $30.00 and then it becomes 20%. Even then, the tip could be more. Or less, depending on the service.
 
BobbyFord said:
It depends on the quality of service and on the attitude of the individual.Having worked in the industry before, I know what waiters encounter and I know how difficult it is to provide good service at peak restaurant hours. Most waiters are paid minimum wage and rely heavily on their tips. A good waiter maintains a positive attitude regardless of work load and a good waiter makes himself/herself available at all times. For average quality service I tip 20%. For poor service, I tip less. For excellent service, I tip more. Attitude, personality and quality of service are always the determining factor on tip percentage.
Click to expand...

Waiters are paid minimum wage? Where?
 
I usually tip around 30%. Only times I've ever really had crappy service are when the place is packed and I can almost certainly understand it... especially when I'm eating somewhere where there are a bunch of idiot drunk Redskins fans.
 
Fed minimum wage for wait staff is $2.13. The thinking is tips will bring the wages to the state and/or fed minimum wage requirements. Cal., and several other states don't allow tips to enter into the minimum wage equation so they are paid min wage.
Wait staff have told my brother they average $100+ a shift where he manages. More if there's a baseball, hockey, football game on.
 
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Florida Tipped Wage Example:
Annette works in Florida as a waitress, and earns over $30 in tips a month. This hour, Annette earned $2.70 in tips. Her employer must pay her a cash wage of at least $5.09, to bring her total earnings for the hour up to the Florida minimum wage of $7.79. Alexandra, who also works as a waitress, earned $17.70 in tips this hour. Because she is already earning at least the minimum wage, her employer can pay her the Florida tipped minimum wage of $4.65 for this hour.

California Tipped Wage Example:
Amy works in California as a waitress, and earns over $30 in tips a month. This hour, Amy earned $3.50 in tips. Her employer must pay her a cash wage of at least $4.50, to bring her total earnings for the hour up to the California minimum wage of $8.00. Annette, who also works as a waitress, earned $10.50 in tips this hour. Because she is already earning at least the minimum wage, her employer can pay her the California tipped minimum wage of $8.00 for this hour.
 
Texas Tipped Wage Example:
Amy works in Texas as a waitress, and earns over $30 in tips a month. This hour, Amy earned $3.50 in tips. Her employer must pay her a cash wage of at least $3.75, to bring her total earnings for the hour up to the Texas minimum wage of $7.25. Annette, who also works as a waitress, earned $10.50 in tips this hour. Because she is already earning at least the minimum wage, her employer can pay her the Texas tipped minimum wage of $2.13 for this hour.
 
I have a friend that worked at Fry's Electronics. They have a "different" model. They are required to pay minimum wage, but they count the commission as a tip. So they do just as outlined as above- pay whatever it takes so that the pay + commission = minimum wage. The problem is, their commission is really low- 2.5%, so it is hard to make enough to reach that 2.13 minimum wage where the commission becomes "profit". And he quit because he told his manager that he could make the exact same money flipping burgers at mcdonalds, and have one hell of an easier job.
 
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