We haven't had a conversation about tipping in awhile

[Alidar Jarok]

My friend posted this picture on facebook:

I like this picture because it sums up my complaints about people who give bad tips. The (nonexistent) tip here isn't because of bad service. This person basically felt a compliment was interchangeable with a tip and decided to save money by not paying. I'm fine with giving a bad tip for bad service, but the rule still remains that, if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to go out to eat.

PS, I thought about putting this topic in TNZ because it has gotten heated in the past, but I wanted to get a larger view of both the pic and the issue in general.

 

[Squiggy]

If you can afford 138 dollars of food, you can afford a tip.

If not...COOK YOUR OWN FOOD OR EAT LESS.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Since we in the U.S. live in a society where tipping is customary and wages are based on the assumption that servers get tips... yes, absolutely, if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat out. Single Mom was way out of line.

I had an annoying experience at a new restaurant near me. I'm used to some places including a 15 or so percent service charge for parties of six of more, but this one included it for everyone. Also, if you ask for separate checks, they make you pay before the meal. What?! When I complained to the manager, the owner came out and gave me this long song and dance about how some servers don't report their tips, and some customers run out without paying and on and on. He was so arrogant and patronizing! If he thinks so little of his staff and his customers, maybe he should get out of the restaurant business.

Oh yeah, he also babbled about service being included in Europe -- even mentioned the names of a few countries, I guess to make sure I knew where Europe is. Right, but we weren't in Europe.

 

[od0_ital]

Yeah, a tab that high demands a tip, not an excuse, especially if she had her kids with her.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

When I lived in the US I was a ridiculously generous tipper. I worked as waitress at one point and all the wait staff I knew used to tip like lunatics because you knew what a great thing it was to get a great tip.

I've never tipped in Australia though apparently it's done sporadically in higher end places. People I know who wait tables in a hotel earn 17.00 an hour so though it would be nice to get a tip it's not exactly built into the wage.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

How do you tip like a lunatic? I didn't know lunatics tipped. Tipped OVER, maybe...

 

[Kestra]

Ugh I feel like going Kestra SMASH already. 99.999999999999% of customers would not do something like this or use this type of judgment when deciding how to tip. Funny picture to get outraged at, but not really worthy of starting the discussion over again.

How about a new rule that if your employer isn't going to pay you minimum wage, you work at changing that? aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I hate tipping

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

This thread has reached a tipping point.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

^But maybe it serves a purpose?

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

How do you tip like a lunatic? I didn't know lunatics tipped. Tipped OVER, maybe...

You leave someone 10.00 when you've had a cup of coffee.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Or, if it's a Starbucks, $10 pretty much IS the cup of coffee.

 

[Amaris]

I don't believe in the idea of "if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat out", and I say that as someone who has been a server, and a busboy. I don't like the idea of "if you can't give me a tip, then you shouldn't be here".

That said, I do tip well. When it comes to eating out in a sit down restaurant (say like Applebees, or Cracker Barrel), I tip $5 for myself, and $1 for every friend with me, not counting what my friends might leave as a tip. I plan ahead for that.

When I order a pizza, the driver gets $3 if it's a small order, $5 if it's a larger order, $7 if it's a large order and it's raining, and $20 if it's any time during the week leading up to Christmas.

I've been tipped generously by small groups, and not at all by large groups (fuck you, Amway meeting. Also, fuck you Southern Baptist Church with your 20 goddamn kids). One time, a little old man tipped me 25 cents, and he patted me on the back and said I did a fine job. I thought it was adorable.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Ugh I feel like going Kestra SMASH already. 99.999999999999% of customers would not do something like this or use this type of judgment when deciding how to tip. Funny picture to get outraged at, but not really worthy of starting the discussion over again.

How about a new rule that if your employer isn't going to pay you minimum wage, you work at changing that? aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I hate tipping

Yeah, I know we've had this discussion before, so I appreciate your input. However, part of my thought is I genuinely believe that, if you give bad service, you don't deserve a good tip. The tipping system allows servers, who work a flexible schedule so they wouldn't make much for the difficulty of the job if they get paid minimum wage, to make a better wage for doing well. The problem is there has to be an agreed amount that gets reduced for bad service, rather than treating it as something that's a reward for exceptional service.

 

[Gov Kodos]

I don't believe in the idea of "if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat out", and I say that as someone who has been a server, and a busboy. I don't like the idea of "if you can't give me a tip, then you shouldn't be here".

That said, I do tip well. When it comes to eating out in a sit down restaurant (say like Applebees, or Cracker Barrel), I tip $5 for myself, and $1 for every friend with me, not counting what my friends might leave as a tip. I plan ahead for that.

When I order a pizza, the driver gets $3 if it's a small order, $5 if it's a larger order, $7 if it's a large order and it's raining, and $20 if it's any time during the week leading up to Christmas.

I've been tipped generously by small groups, and not at all by large groups (fuck you, Amway meeting. Also, fuck you Southern Baptist Church with your 20 goddamn kids). One time, a little old man tipped me 25 cents, and he patted me on the back and said I did a fine job. I thought it was adorable.

This I can well agree with. Honestly, the cook is the one responsible for the meal. I'd much prefer the one making the meal be substantially rewarded. I have little patience for a sense of entitlement from the gophers.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

But the cook is (I assume?) paid a living wage and not paid as though they were going to make their living off tips.

 

[Amaris]

I don't believe in the idea of "if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat out", and I say that as someone who has been a server, and a busboy. I don't like the idea of "if you can't give me a tip, then you shouldn't be here".

That said, I do tip well. When it comes to eating out in a sit down restaurant (say like Applebees, or Cracker Barrel), I tip $5 for myself, and $1 for every friend with me, not counting what my friends might leave as a tip. I plan ahead for that.

When I order a pizza, the driver gets $3 if it's a small order, $5 if it's a larger order, $7 if it's a large order and it's raining, and $20 if it's any time during the week leading up to Christmas.

I've been tipped generously by small groups, and not at all by large groups (fuck you, Amway meeting. Also, fuck you Southern Baptist Church with your 20 goddamn kids). One time, a little old man tipped me 25 cents, and he patted me on the back and said I did a fine job. I thought it was adorable.

This I can well agree with. Honestly, the cook is the one responsible for the meal. I'd much prefer the one making the meal be substantially rewarded. I have little patience for a sense of entitlement from the gophers.

Well, I'm not saying servers don't deserve to be tipped well. I'm just saying that being a server shouldn't automatically mean a tip must be forthcoming. Poor service gets a poor tip. If the server has a bad attitude along with the bad service, I give no tip. Some servers find that harsh, I find it fair.

There are people who say that if you don't have the money to tip, you don't have the money to eat out. Fine. I say if you don't have the ability to offer a reasonable level of service, you don't get a tip.

 

[Gov Kodos]

But the cook is (I assume?) paid a living wage and not paid as though they were going to make their living off tips.

Presumably, I don't believe in rewarding poor service. I've no problem leaving no tip and making sure the manager knows why.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Oh I wouldn't have tipped if the person was a jerk or something, but I don't recall ever having that experience in the US.

Now in Australia..

 

[Gov Kodos]

I don't believe in the idea of "if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat out", and I say that as someone who has been a server, and a busboy. I don't like the idea of "if you can't give me a tip, then you shouldn't be here".

That said, I do tip well. When it comes to eating out in a sit down restaurant (say like Applebees, or Cracker Barrel), I tip $5 for myself, and $1 for every friend with me, not counting what my friends might leave as a tip. I plan ahead for that.

When I order a pizza, the driver gets $3 if it's a small order, $5 if it's a larger order, $7 if it's a large order and it's raining, and $20 if it's any time during the week leading up to Christmas.

I've been tipped generously by small groups, and not at all by large groups (fuck you, Amway meeting. Also, fuck you Southern Baptist Church with your 20 goddamn kids). One time, a little old man tipped me 25 cents, and he patted me on the back and said I did a fine job. I thought it was adorable.

This I can well agree with. Honestly, the cook is the one responsible for the meal. I'd much prefer the one making the meal be substantially rewarded. I have little patience for a sense of entitlement from the gophers.

Well, I'm not saying servers don't deserve to be tipped well. I'm just saying that being a server shouldn't automatically mean a tip must be forthcoming. Poor service gets a poor tip. If the server has a bad attitude along with the bad service, I give no tip. Some servers find that harsh, I find it fair.

There are people who say that if you don't have the money to tip, you don't have the money to eat out. Fine. I say if you don't have the ability to offer a reasonable level of service, you don't get a tip.

I agree. I seldom tip above the standard, that's for truly exceptional service. Poor service, the gratuity falls rapidly with the dissatisfaction.

 

[Kestra]

Ugh I feel like going Kestra SMASH already. 99.999999999999% of customers would not do something like this or use this type of judgment when deciding how to tip. Funny picture to get outraged at, but not really worthy of starting the discussion over again.

How about a new rule that if your employer isn't going to pay you minimum wage, you work at changing that? aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I hate tipping

Yeah, I know we've had this discussion before, so I appreciate your input. However, part of my thought is I genuinely believe that, if you give bad service, you don't deserve a good tip. The tipping system allows servers, who work a flexible schedule so they wouldn't make much for the difficulty of the job if they get paid minimum wage, to make a better wage for doing well. The problem is there has to be an agreed amount that gets reduced for bad service, rather than treating it as something that's a reward for exceptional service.

I think the problems go beyond that, but everyone defines all the terms (exceptional, reward, etc.) differently. Ultimately the problem is the same thing that affects most of us; people rarely get what they deserve.