How much do you tip?

[Chankama]

You know, I have absolutely no problems giving 15% tip when I go eat and the bill comes to about $30 bucks. But, when it starts to increase higher, like in the $80-$100 range, I mean, how much tip are you supposed to give? I just feel really odd about leaving $15 dollars on the table for the waiter.. Should they get THAT much money?

I mean, we pay the higher money for the restaurant setting and the food and the cost of the chef. But a waiter is just a waiter.. They do the same job and you don't really need more qualifications to work in a "better" restaurant. Why should they get more money?

THoughts? And also HOW MUCH do you guys tip now if your meal costs $100 (to keep it nice and round)..

 

[sup2jzgte05]

For me it depends on the service I get. If the food is really good, the wait staff was really good I normally give 25% of the price including tax. Now if it is a waitress and I get all the above and she is smoking hot, I give a bit more ..................Yes I know I'm shallow you dont have to tell me.


The minimum I give is 0-15% I have only given a 0 tip when it took 45 minutes for some chicken parm in a DEAD restaurant, then when I finally got my meal the waiter was rude and the meal was cold. That is the only time I have ever not put a tip down and it was also the last time I went to that place.

The way I look at it is if you go out to eat you should expect to give a good tip because it is only fair if you get good service to give a good tip in return. Not to mention if you go to a certain place often and they know you are a good tipper I found that you get better service.

So for me if the bill is $100 I will leave $25+ (plus depending on other factors ) as a tip.

 

[bobojuice]

I usually leave about 20%. We had an alehouse tab come out to about 100 bucks the other night and we gave her about 25 bucks i think, so not bad.

 

[idiotec]

I usually go about 20% was well. So yeah, if it's $100 for dinner, I'll drop them a $20.

 

[forrestcupp]

If you have good service, you should tip at least 15% no matter what the price is. I normally tip 20%. If you are in a low-end restaurant and the price is high, that means the waiter had to do more work. If you are in an upscale restaurant, and the price is high, the waiter deserves a large tip. Why? because it's not as easy to get a job in a place like that as it is at a place like Applebee's or something. You have to pay your dues and climb the career ladder to get a job like that. Expecting them to deserve an Applebee's tip is like expecting an Applebee's cook to make as much as a chef in an upscale restaurant.

 

[moisiss]

I have worked in so many different types of restaurants.... from fast food to high end cuisine. I generally leave at least 20% (obviously depending on the service) and I feel that is just about right. Considering where I used to live, waiters got paid $2.15/hr, most of the income was based off of tips.

Also, I do think you need more quailfications to work in a "better" restaurant. You are expected to know a lot more about wine (with wine lists at some places listing hundreds of different types of wines), wine service, liquor, culinary terminology, service etiqutte, etc. Not to mention that the level of perfection demanded from the management is much higher in a "better" restaurant... you really have to be on your game and know what you are doing.

I was actually suprised when I first started working at a high end restaurant... it took me a while to learn all of the different terminology and even longer to become acceptably informed about wine and liquor. And the thing is, people who frequent high end places, expect you to be extremely knowlageable... and if you aren't, they are a lot less forgiving (which, by all rights, they should be if they are shelling out $30 a plate + wine + dessert). When you go to an Applebee's, in general the service is not going to be nearly as informed... like when you ask "what wine would you suggest with X meal", chances are greater that you might get some generic answer if not just a blank stare. Now, do most people who go to an Applebee's go for the fine service, wine list, etc?... no, they go to get some "nachos"(not that there is anything wrong with nachos...mmmmm) or a burger.

Point being, there is a huge difference in the quality of service that you recieve... and if you don't feel right paying 15%-20% of what your bill is... regardless of how much that means you end up leaving... I would only go to places where you are only going to pay $30 for the whole meal.

 

[Jorsoft]

I do 15-20%. A lot of places will already figure in a tip if you over a certain number of people dining or the check comes to a certain amount so make sure to check your bill.
If it's someplace I go a little more often I generally tip more because after a while you start to notice that you get everything faster and you get almost instant drink refills.

 

[Trotter]

10-15% is my standard. Most places we go the waitress only has to worry about drinks, so it will be a smaller tip. Bad service cuts it deep.

I have walked out without leaving a tip, more than once. A tip is something that is earned, not expected for squat.

I drink a lot (no, not alcohol). If I have to go hunting for a refill, the tip suffers. If my glass never hits bottom, the tip gets bigger.

But I never, never, never just tip because someone is there. I work for my money, and so can they.

 

[BennyV04988]

My gf thinks its 10% 0_o I look at her like shes crazy every time and i throw in an extra few bucks.

 

[Mr. Switch]

I do 20-25%, 25% if it's really busy. I used to work in a resturaunt, I know what it's like.