Keep the tip?

I was reading an article in Reader’s Digest about tipping. They interviewed a water and blog writer and got his input on tipping. Reading it just irked me.
For instance he says a buck to a buck-fifty per drink is what you should be leaving at the bar. His reason was because you tip 15-20 percent at the table, why not at the bar? Well, first off, the waiter/waitress is running all around, filling drinks, clearing dishes away (more than a glass at a time) and generally doing more work. I think that’s ridiculous. If there are 8 people at a bar, he’s getting 8 tips. If there are 8 people in my party, the waiter is getting 1 tip. It should be a larger percentage.
I do tip when I dine out. In fact, I think I’m a fair tipper. If you do an adequate job I’ll tip 15%. If my kids are with me and there’s stuff on the floor I’ll bump that up no problem. If I have to flag you down to get that water I asked for a while ago, and had to remind you that I wanted the dressing on the side, don’t expect a stellar tip. I’ve tipped well over 20% plenty of times so I’m not a cheapskate. Heck, I tipped 35% on a $900+ tab once, the waitress did a perfect job with a large party, she deserved to be paid well that night. I HATE seeing tip jars at any place where there is human interaction. This idiot was saying you should tip your barista, I mean coffee maker all the time, but you should tip more when you want one of those fancy coffees that take a while to make. Well, yesterday I had to work extra hard to get some technical information into a training course, can I expect a tip? Heck, at least you get paid by the hour! If I put more time in tonight because of some issue that came up, I don’t even get paid for that time, let alone a freaking tip!!!
I just hate tipping. I can deal with it at a restaurant but I’d rather you just pay your employees properly and stop the fun and games. I know the reason for tipping is to ensure good service but that’s crap. If I get good service I’ll keep coming to your restaurant. If I get bad service I won’t. So, pay your people well. Then you’ll have good service, good food and a full-house regardless. Tipping is a way for restaurant owners to get out of paying a fair wage.

You should have called this thread: "Just the Tip".

DrBoost wrote: just pay your employees properly and stop the fun and games.

Tip when you get pizza delivered, the driver uses their own car and gas to bring you food because you are too lazy to get it yourself.

That's what the leper said to the prostitute? Oh wait.... sorry....

Just watch the movie Waiting and it will answer all your questions...

Tipping is getting out of control. I'm a pretty strict tipper. If I get great service I tip 18-20%. But I have no problems tip less if I feel like the service was bad. I had a waitress "remind" me that 20% was standard for tipping these days. I changed my tip to zero for her.

Agreed on tipping delivery people. Agreed on not tipping baristas.

I like to tip VERY well for great service. I enjoy it.. Often tipping 100% or more.. Tip at the bar.. Sure..

I also am not afraid to not tip for poor service..

Average service walks away with about 15%

Heck.. I always tip the Barber.

Drewsifer wrote: . I had a waitress "remind" me that 20% was standard for tipping these days. I changed my tip to zero for her.

Its more effective to give her a bright shiny nickel. Even better if you hand it to her with Montgomery Burns voice.

EvanB wrote: Tip when you get pizza delivered, the driver uses their own car and gas to bring you food because you are too lazy to get it yourself.

I always tip $5, but it ticks me off a little when there's a $5 delivery charge that i already paid in addition.

But $5 either way, unless it's a huge order. Every pizza joint i order from is literally within 2 miles of me anyways, so $5 is pretty generous i'd say.

If I get a mixed drink at a bar (very rarely) I leave a tip. If I just get a beer, no I don't leave a tip.

In Europe tipping isn't the norm, it was nice.

Drewsifer wrote: Tipping is getting out of control. I'm a pretty strict tipper. If I get great service I tip 18-20%. But I have no problems tip less if I feel like the service was bad. I had a waitress "remind" me that 20% was standard for tipping these days. I changed my tip to zero for her. Agreed on tipping delivery people. Agreed on not tipping baristas.

Agreed, I can't stand when I go to a food service place that doesn't actually serve me anything other than making my food behind the counter and giving it to me at the register, then has a section on the CC recepit for a tip. Seriously what extra service did you put in to this that any other restaurant wouldn't have done? When are we going to start seeing tips for "servers" at McD's? I hate tipping culture with a passion, how is it a tip for good service if the tip is expected?

MG Bryan wrote: You should have called this thread: "Just the Tip".

Just the tip!

Actual waitstaff and barbers are the only people who deserve a tip (along with maybe the pizza delivery kid).

Standard practice is to tip 20% for waiters, a bit less for bartenders. You may think you are a good tipper, but if you tip less than 20% your server thinks otherwise.

For a bartender, tipping heavily for the first round will insure you get prompt service for later rounds. (if the bartender is competent) If you don't tip, don't expect to get good service.

If you are with a group of friends and you are all paying with plastic, buy an entire round each---- instead of paying for one beer each individually and cashing out each time. Wasting a bartender's time while he/she is busy will put you towards the back of the line the next time you want to order.

Service industry folks live on tips. They can't make a living on the hourly wage they are given. Tip however you see fit, but realize that these folks will appreciate that extra $5 where you won't miss it.

You can really make someone's day by tipping them an extra $5 or so. In the long run you won't notice the money, but it may turn a bad day into a good day for them.

About the only people I won't tip are bathroom attendants. I really don't need any assistance in there.

I tip barbers and waitstaff.

TIP THE DAMN PIZZA GUY! Jeeeeeeeeez. The pizza place only gave us like $0.20 for gas per delivery. Also, if you gave us a coupon and we forgot to check that it was expired, they would take OUR TIPS. (I still dont know if this is legal, but it happened all the time)

When I did delivery, I hated non-tippers. Most people tipped though.

sadly, tipping has gotten out of hand BECAUSE the restraunts, coffee houses, bars, hotels, Pizza delivery, etc, etc,etc.. know that they can pay next to nothing for help and the people will be guilted into tipping the people they should be paying in the first place.

Tipping in Asia is often a gift, not money

Joe Gearin wrote: Standard practice is to tip 20% for waiters, a bit less for bartenders. You may think you are a good tipper, but if you tip less than 20% your server thinks otherwise.

I don't know any place where 20% is standard practice. I will tip 15%, very rarely more, and less when it's deserved. It's not my problem that they've chosen a job that doesn't pay well.

Zomby woof wrote:

Joe Gearin wrote: Standard practice is to tip 20% for waiters, a bit less for bartenders. You may think you are a good tipper, but if you tip less than 20% your server thinks otherwise.

I don't know any place where 20% is standard practice. I will tip 15%, very rarely more, and less when it's deserved. It's not my problem that they've chosen a job that doesn't pay well.

I was in the service industry for over 8 years. (in 3 different states) For waiters, 20% is seen as average / decent. Anything more is great, anything less is ....well, less than great. A waiter won't hate you for tipping 15%, but they also won't consider you a good tipper.

Quality bartenders and waitstaff can make good money. For every 10% -- 15% tipper there are 35% and 50% tippers out there that pick up the slack.

and that right there is why 90% of the time i think ZW is a berkeleying douchebag.

Way to be, Dwight Schrute.

I tip the bartender big time on my first drink to ensure good service when I'm out with friends. Throw the guy a $20 at the beginning of the night and he'll be attentive everytime you come back for another round.

And use cash for tips.

when traveling for work i deal with a lot of bartenders and waiters, standard practice is usually 18-20% tip, more if we're in a small town and the place might not make it to when we're there next year...

at bars, if i'm drinking beer, i'll usually tip a dollar every other beer (we're not talking fancy $8-9 per beer) or so, plus another couple when i order my last and close out. mixed drinks usually 1-2 per order, not per drink, like i'm sure they'd like

poopshovel wrote:

and that right there is why 90% of the time i think ZW is a berkeleying douchebag.

Way to be, Dwight Schrute.

Should the amount I tip be based on how much they make, or how good the service was?

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

EvanB wrote: Tip when you get pizza delivered, the driver uses their own car and gas to bring you food because you are too lazy to get it yourself.

I always tip $5, but it ticks me off a little when there's a $5 delivery charge that i already paid in addition. But $5 either way, unless it's a huge order. Every pizza joint i order from is literally within 2 miles of me anyways, so $5 is pretty generous i'd say.

The place I work at charges $2 for delivery. The driver gets 5% of the total order price for gas for "commission". So on a normal order, $13-15 I get around $.75. It normally isn't a problem but when I deliver to a place in the country with a 20 mile round trip for a $13 order and they don't tip I just used a gallon of gas out of my pocket and got $.65 for it. I think tips should be proportionate to the distance you are from the store.

I don't mind tipping for food/bar/pizza service. I hate bellhops, doormen and other things I would do myself if they would get the berkeley out of my way. I reserve a special place in my torture chamber (2nd item on the list after I become supreme leader) for parking valets at city garages and that motherberkeleying tool that stands in the E36 M3ter with cologne and hand creme.