Author Topic: How much to tip?  (Read 32057 times)

hhihe730

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How much to tip?
« on: December 29, 2015, 03:15:45 PM »
My family says I tend to over tip at times. My main confusion is what is best to tip in restaurants, hotels, salons, etc. I don't go to any of these very often btw. But they're not the first to say I over tip.

onlykelsey

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2015, 03:18:37 PM »
Are you in the US?  I pretty much never tip less than 20% post-tax at a restaurant.  I am always lost in other tipping situations.  I rarely travel, and at salons I usually tip $15 on my (woman in Manhattan) haircut.

Honestly, I have so many stupid indefensible items in my budget, cutting back on tips to the service industry would be very low on my list of places to save.  I'd rather eat out 10% less and keep the tips flowing.

arebelspy

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2015, 03:19:54 PM »
Very much depends on the situation and culture.

In the states, for restaurants and other services where I tip, I tend to do about 20%.

When visiting foreign places, I google for their customs.
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monstermonster

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2015, 03:33:35 PM »
I also google/ask locals when I travel out  of country.

20% at all times for restaurants/bars.

$1 per drink minimum at bars, even if it is >20% ($1 for a $3 well whiskey.) I tip $.50 at coffee shops locally per drink ($3 coffee + $.50 tip.) If I lived in a state without a high minimum wage for servers (in most of the US it's $2/hour for servers) I'd tip more at coffee shops.

Haircuts and stuff confuse me, but I tip 10% on my haircut. And hope it's fair.

ketchup

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2015, 03:36:49 PM »
I tip 20% at restaurants, slightly more if excellent service.  This is more than most tip, but our bill never gets padded out with drinks/desserts/add-ons so it comes out about the same for the server.

I don't go to hotels fancy enough to tip anyone, and my girlfriend cuts what's left of my hair at home, so I can't comment on those.

arebelspy

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2015, 03:41:29 PM »
Being a decent tipper is a good example of the difference between frugal and cheap.

If you can't afford to tip your server, you can't afford to be going out to eat.

And yes, I'm aware of all the arguments of they should be getting paid enough from the owner, etc.  And that's nice, and I agree, it would be great if our society was that way.  I'd be fine paying higher prices, and not tipping. But that's not how we operate, so I'm not going to make them suffer for my disagreeing with the system status quo.

:)
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onlykelsey

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2015, 03:46:37 PM »
Quote
If you can't afford to tip your server, you can't afford to be going out to eat.

Agreed.  I tip 20% post tax as a minimum, and (thanks to my non-mustachian habits) often have alcohol, coffee, etc. I also always adjust if we've asked for anything strange or if we got happy hour specials (they don't cost less to bring to the table, folks!).  My husband thinks I'm crazy, but restaurant spending is so high in NYC, I will often gross up our bill as IF we ordered alcohol, even if we didn't.  Which is probably a bit extreme.

use2betrix

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2015, 03:52:15 PM »
Being a decent tipper is a good example of the difference between frugal and cheap.

If you can't afford to tip your server, you can't afford to be going out to eat.

And yes, I'm aware of all the arguments of they should be getting paid enough from the owner, etc.  And that's nice, and I agree, it would be great if our society was that way.  I'd be fine paying higher prices, and not tipping. But that's not how we operate, so I'm not going to make them suffer for my disagreeing with the system status quo.

:)

This x1000.

Great to see so many posters on a site about frugality still understanding the importance of gratuities.


Jack

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2015, 04:00:09 PM »
What's with all you 20% restaurant tippers? As far as I know, the traditional amount has always been 15% (and according to Emily Post, that's based on the pre-tax amount). Personally, I do 15% post-tax and then round to the nearest half-dollar (up or down).

The hard part is knowing whether or how much to tip at all of these "half-service" restaurants (e.g. where you order at the register but then they bring the food to you).

CanuckExpat

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2015, 04:15:02 PM »
Being a decent tipper is a good example of the difference between frugal and cheap.

If you can't afford to tip your server, you can't afford to be going out to eat.

And yes, I'm aware of all the arguments of they should be getting paid enough from the owner, etc.  And that's nice, and I agree, it would be great if our society was that way.  I'd be fine paying higher prices, and not tipping. But that's not how we operate, so I'm not going to make them suffer for my disagreeing with the system status quo.

:)

I use my personal frustration at the arcane and ridiculous tipping system as motivation to eat out less
You can't be frustrated or confused by what you don't encounter :)

arebelspy

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #10 on: December 29, 2015, 04:21:20 PM »
That's a good solution too, and cost effective!
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alsoknownasDean

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2015, 04:24:52 PM »
When I was in the US recently, I tended to tip 20%, rounded (often up) to the nearest whole dollar.

Here in Australia tipping isn't customary, and it's acceptable to just pay the asking amount in many cases. If I do tip, it'll be to round the figure up to the nearest ten dollars (so a $47 bill might be rounded up to $50), especially if I'm paying with cash.

Does anyone feel like they're more inclined to tip more (as a percentage) in cheaper places?
« Last Edit: December 29, 2015, 04:29:17 PM by alsoknownasDean »

Gin1984

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2015, 04:32:43 PM »
What's with all you 20% restaurant tippers? As far as I know, the traditional amount has always been 15% (and according to Emily Post, that's based on the pre-tax amount). Personally, I do 15% post-tax and then round to the nearest half-dollar (up or down).

The hard part is knowing whether or how much to tip at all of these "half-service" restaurants (e.g. where you order at the register but then they bring the food to you).
It increased when restaurants started forcing servers to tip out the bar, the host and busser.  It has been 20% for over thirty years.

HPstache

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2015, 04:38:36 PM »
I tip about 15% typically at restaurants and nothing less than $1 per drink.  I also always make the bill come out to an even dollar... just a thing I do... e.g. bill is $15.18, I tip $2.82

arebelspy

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #14 on: December 29, 2015, 04:41:36 PM »
What's with all you 20% restaurant tippers? As far as I know, the traditional amount has always been 15% (and according to Emily Post, that's based on the pre-tax amount). Personally, I do 15% post-tax and then round to the nearest half-dollar (up or down).

The hard part is knowing whether or how much to tip at all of these "half-service" restaurants (e.g. where you order at the register but then they bring the food to you).
It increased when restaurants started forcing servers to tip out the bar, the host and busser.  It has been 20% for over thirty years.

I don't know anything about the reasons, but I do know when I was a kid, 10% was low, 15% standard, 20% high.

It did edge up to 15% lowish, 20% standard.

I would only give 10-15% for quite poor service now.
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Cassie

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #15 on: December 29, 2015, 05:43:23 PM »
Always 20% unless the service is bad.  At casinos the cocktail waitresses have to tip out the bartenders at the end of the day and give them 1/4.  If just having drinks $1/drink unless it is a specialty drink that took them time to make.  Then $2/drink.

humbleMouse

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #16 on: December 30, 2015, 10:18:54 AM »
What's with all you 20% restaurant tippers? As far as I know, the traditional amount has always been 15% (and according to Emily Post, that's based on the pre-tax amount). Personally, I do 15% post-tax and then round to the nearest half-dollar (up or down).

The hard part is knowing whether or how much to tip at all of these "half-service" restaurants (e.g. where you order at the register but then they bring the food to you).




Yeah, 20% is standard.  After working in the restaurant industry for 6 years.... I would be talking shit about you after you left me a 15% tip. 




rtrnow

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #17 on: December 30, 2015, 10:59:19 AM »
In general I'll go with 20%. In recent conversation though we have been discussing situations with a really large bill. For example a recent outing, a table of 4 racked up a $300 bill bc of an expensive bottle of wine and the place itself is pricey. Is $60 really warranted? The service was great, but that seems an insane amount of money. Is there a point where the price of the bill changes the tip percent?

Gin1984

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #18 on: December 30, 2015, 11:16:45 AM »
In general I'll go with 20%. In recent conversation though we have been discussing situations with a really large bill. For example a recent outing, a table of 4 racked up a $300 bill bc of an expensive bottle of wine and the place itself is pricey. Is $60 really warranted? The service was great, but that seems an insane amount of money. Is there a point where the price of the bill changes the tip percent?
No.  Not at all. 

onlykelsey

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #19 on: December 30, 2015, 11:19:34 AM »
In general I'll go with 20%. In recent conversation though we have been discussing situations with a really large bill. For example a recent outing, a table of 4 racked up a $300 bill bc of an expensive bottle of wine and the place itself is pricey. Is $60 really warranted? The service was great, but that seems an insane amount of money. Is there a point where the price of the bill changes the tip percent?

I rarely go out to dinners that are that expensive, but  think $60 is warranted if service was great (and often servers at those places also have training in wine pairing, for example, which ought to raise their value added).

I do adjust the other way.  If I get a $7 platter at IHOP, I'm not going to tip 1.40.  I'll probably tip $3.  Waiting tables for less than $3 an hour is awful, and customers at those places are so awful, it seems like a good use of money for me.

FerrumB5

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #20 on: December 30, 2015, 11:39:15 AM »
In general I'll go with 20%. In recent conversation though we have been discussing situations with a really large bill. For example a recent outing, a table of 4 racked up a $300 bill bc of an expensive bottle of wine and the place itself is pricey. Is $60 really warranted? The service was great, but that seems an insane amount of money. Is there a point where the price of the bill changes the tip percent?

I usually tip ~20%.
Good example on that bottle of wine. The waiter doesn't do more work serving the table with say $1,000 bill if $900 of it was a bottle of fancy wine than a table with $100 bill and 10 orders of beer. In fact a lot less work

charis

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #21 on: December 30, 2015, 11:41:22 AM »
In general I'll go with 20%. In recent conversation though we have been discussing situations with a really large bill. For example a recent outing, a table of 4 racked up a $300 bill bc of an expensive bottle of wine and the place itself is pricey. Is $60 really warranted? The service was great, but that seems an insane amount of money. Is there a point where the price of the bill changes the tip percent?
No.  Not at all.

If you tip less than 20% on the bill total, it will indicate to your server (whether you intend it to or not) that the service was sub par.   Why would you tip less because you chose to order an expensive bottle of wine?

Gin1984

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #22 on: December 30, 2015, 11:41:59 AM »
In general I'll go with 20%. In recent conversation though we have been discussing situations with a really large bill. For example a recent outing, a table of 4 racked up a $300 bill bc of an expensive bottle of wine and the place itself is pricey. Is $60 really warranted? The service was great, but that seems an insane amount of money. Is there a point where the price of the bill changes the tip percent?

I usually tip ~20%.
Good example on that bottle of wine. The waiter doesn't do more work serving the table with say $1,000 bill if $900 of it was a bottle of fancy wine than a table with $100 bill and 10 orders of beer. In fact a lot less work
But he or she has to tip out to the bar a percentage of the sales of the alcohol PLUS get taxed 8% of the sale of that alcohol, no matter what you tipped.  Frankly people can do what they want, but trying to find ways to cut the tip just comes out cheap.  If you can afford a $900 bottle of wine, you can afford to tip on it.

Giro

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #23 on: December 30, 2015, 11:49:46 AM »
What about massages?  I received a 9 massage package for Christmas and I used one of them already.  I have no idea what to tip.  The masseuse owns her own business so she isn't splitting it or anything.

I don't want to be cheap, but I don't like paying to use a gift I received. 

:/

Gin1984

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #24 on: December 30, 2015, 11:55:46 AM »
What about massages?  I received a 9 massage package for Christmas and I used one of them already.  I have no idea what to tip.  The masseuse owns her own business so she isn't splitting it or anything.

I don't want to be cheap, but I don't like paying to use a gift I received. 

:/
I tip 20% on massages if they are good.

Fishindude

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #25 on: December 30, 2015, 11:57:40 AM »
15 to 20%.
Less if service was crummy, more is service was great.

brooklynguy

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #26 on: December 30, 2015, 12:00:18 PM »
WaitButWhy has a post (Everything You Don't Know About Tipping) that addresses this question with its usual blend of thorough research, cogent analysis and spot-on, irreverent humor.

charis

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #27 on: December 30, 2015, 12:01:22 PM »
What about massages?  I received a 9 massage package for Christmas and I used one of them already.  I have no idea what to tip.  The masseuse owns her own business so she isn't splitting it or anything.

I don't want to be cheap, but I don't like paying to use a gift I received. 

:/

The tip is considered an expression of your appreciation for the service that you received.  The gift giver cannot do that for you.  Traditionally, one did not tip the owner of an establishment, but it has become common practice to do so.  If you don't want to tip, then don't, or pass the rest of the massages to someone else.

I'm a red panda

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #28 on: December 30, 2015, 03:39:32 PM »
I tip a 15% plus a bit to make a nicer number.
People have told me that 20% is standard because prices have gone up, but that's what percents are for. If prices went up, the amount given at 15% went up too!

But I do not use services that need tips almost ever.

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #29 on: December 30, 2015, 03:41:43 PM »
What about massages?  I received a 9 massage package for Christmas and I used one of them already.  I have no idea what to tip.  The masseuse owns her own business so she isn't splitting it or anything.

I don't want to be cheap, but I don't like paying to use a gift I received. 

:/

The tip is considered an expression of your appreciation for the service that you received.  The gift giver cannot do that for you.  Traditionally, one did not tip the owner of an establishment, but it has become common practice to do so.  If you don't want to tip, then don't, or pass the rest of the massages to someone else.

The place I get massages includes a 15% tip in their gift card price.

klystomane

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #30 on: December 30, 2015, 04:02:57 PM »
Is 0% for bad service ever acceptable?

onlykelsey

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #31 on: December 30, 2015, 04:04:22 PM »
Is 0% for bad service ever acceptable?

If it's that bad, you should be talking to a manager. Where I've waited tables, it cost me between 5 and 10% of the check for the privilege of serving the table, so tipping 0% really seems like theft.  Yes, it's a shitty restaurant set up, but taking that out on the weakest link (the waitstaff) doesn't seem fair.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #32 on: December 30, 2015, 04:58:44 PM »
One thing I had issues with as a foreigner was wondering where it was appropriate to tip.

Restaurants and bars, sure. But what about Starbucks et al?
« Last Edit: December 30, 2015, 05:00:19 PM by alsoknownasDean »

Gin1984

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #33 on: December 30, 2015, 05:06:14 PM »
On the dining out note, I've been embarrassed before when someone else pays for my dinner and they left an abysmal tip. I have offered to leave the tip myself. But if it's a group thing it's too awkward to do that. Has anyone else experienced that?
I'll just step out to the restroom and slip the server extra.

Gin1984

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #34 on: December 30, 2015, 05:07:29 PM »
I tip a 15% plus a bit to make a nicer number.
People have told me that 20% is standard because prices have gone up, but that's what percents are for. If prices went up, the amount given at 15% went up too!

But I do not use services that need tips almost ever.
That is not the reason.  I mentioned the reason up thread.

arebelspy

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #35 on: December 30, 2015, 05:08:37 PM »
I tip a 15% plus a bit to make a nicer number.
People have told me that 20% is standard because prices have gone up, but that's what percents are for. If prices went up, the amount given at 15% went up too!

But I do not use services that need tips almost ever.

Yeah, that explanation makes no sense.
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onlykelsey

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #36 on: December 30, 2015, 05:12:45 PM »
Restaurants and bars, sure. But what about Starbucks et al?

I'll round up at cafes (2.50 drink means I leave 3) but they are not paid 2-3 an hour, and rely less heavily on tips. 

Villanelle

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #37 on: December 30, 2015, 05:17:04 PM »
One thing I had issues with as a foreigner was wondering where it was appropriate to tip.

Restaurants and bars, sure. But what about Starbucks et al?


I never tip at places like that.  Staff is paid a full wage, and they aren't really offering service.  (Ringing up my order doesn't really count.)  On the rare occasion I pay cash, I might dump the change in the tip jar, but that certainly doesn't happen much of the time.  Some with fast food places.  It actually irritates me to an irrational level that everyone seems to have a tip jar now. 

Jack

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #38 on: December 30, 2015, 05:33:08 PM »
What's with all you 20% restaurant tippers? As far as I know, the traditional amount has always been 15%
It increased when restaurants started forcing servers to tip out the bar, the host and busser.  It has been 20% for over thirty years.

That's bullshit. The 15% has always been for the busser too, and the host and bar don't deserve tips under normal circumstances. If I ordered alcohol (which I almost never do) the bartender only deserves the portion of the tip that corresponds to the cost of the drinks anyway.

Everyone: 15% is fine, and always has been.

Servers: if 15% isn't good enough, make your employer pay you more!

Gin1984

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #39 on: December 30, 2015, 05:57:50 PM »
What's with all you 20% restaurant tippers? As far as I know, the traditional amount has always been 15%
It increased when restaurants started forcing servers to tip out the bar, the host and busser.  It has been 20% for over thirty years.

That's bullshit. The 15% has always been for the busser too, and the host and bar don't deserve tips under normal circumstances. If I ordered alcohol (which I almost never do) the bartender only deserves the portion of the tip that corresponds to the cost of the drinks anyway.

Everyone: 15% is fine, and always has been.

Servers: if 15% isn't good enough, make your employer pay you more!
Actually no, thirty years ago tipping the busser was option (and it was not a tipped position), now the restaurants require a server to tip the others out and pay less then minimum wage.  This is not a choice the servers are making, it is their employer, the business you are giving your money to.  If you object, don't spend your money there but don't force the server to pay taxes on money they don't earn because you don't think they should tip out. 

onlykelsey

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #40 on: December 30, 2015, 06:00:58 PM »
Actually no, thirty years ago tipping the busser was option (and it was not a tipped position), now the restaurants require a server to tip the others out and pay less then minimum wage.  This is not a choice the servers are making, it is their employer, the business you are giving your money to.  If you object, don't spend your money there but don't force the server to pay taxes on money they don't earn because you don't think they should tip out.

Agreed.  I don't think you should register your complaints with the system with the weakest link of it.  As I mentioned above, where I worked I was expected to tip the bus boys out 5% of every check (but in no case less than 20 a night), plus whatever the bar got, so I was operating at -10% when I walked up to a table.  10 and 15% tips really hurt.  I quite literally PAID for the privilege of serving people quite often. 

I'm a red panda

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #41 on: December 30, 2015, 06:08:38 PM »
I tip a 15% plus a bit to make a nicer number.
People have told me that 20% is standard because prices have gone up, but that's what percents are for. If prices went up, the amount given at 15% went up too!

But I do not use services that need tips almost ever.
That is not the reason.  I mentioned the reason up thread.
20% has not been a norm for over 30 years as you mentioned up thread. 15% was standard when I was a server 10 years ago. And we tipped out Buser, expedite, and bar. Plus we had to bribe the hostess.

Gin1984

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #42 on: December 30, 2015, 06:14:41 PM »
I tip a 15% plus a bit to make a nicer number.
People have told me that 20% is standard because prices have gone up, but that's what percents are for. If prices went up, the amount given at 15% went up too!

But I do not use services that need tips almost ever.
That is not the reason.  I mentioned the reason up thread.
20% has not been a norm for over 30 years as you mentioned up thread. 15% was standard when I was a server 10 years ago. And we tipped out Buser, expedite, and bar. Plus we had to bribe the hostess.
Where are you from? I am from the west coast of the US and it has been the norm there for thirty years. 

GuitarStv

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #43 on: December 30, 2015, 06:16:07 PM »
Being a decent tipper is a good example of the difference between frugal and cheap.
4
If you can't afford to tip your server, you can't afford to be going out to eat.

And yes, I'm aware of all the arguments of they should be getting paid enough from the owner, etc.  And that's nice, and I agree, it would be great if our society was that way.  I'd be fine paying higher prices, and not tipping. But that's not how we operate, so I'm not going to make them suffer for my disagreeing with the system status quo.

:)

Agreed.  However, because I vehemently disagree with a ridiculous system status quo of ever increasing tips and complicated tipping etiquette . . . I eat out only about once a year.


As an aside, it always seemed weird to me that a waiter who takes your order and maybe gets you one measly refill of water expects 15% (or apparently 20% now?), but the dude who uses his car to drive half way across the city in the middle of a heavy storm in 25 minutes is ecstatic to see 5$ on a 40$ pizza order.  :P

Jack

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #44 on: December 30, 2015, 06:18:47 PM »
I tip a 15% plus a bit to make a nicer number.
People have told me that 20% is standard because prices have gone up, but that's what percents are for. If prices went up, the amount given at 15% went up too!

But I do not use services that need tips almost ever.
That is not the reason.  I mentioned the reason up thread.
20% has not been a norm for over 30 years as you mentioned up thread. 15% was standard when I was a server 10 years ago. And we tipped out Buser, expedite, and bar. Plus we had to bribe the hostess.
Where are you from? I am from the west coast of the US and it has been the norm there for thirty years.
Oh, so maybe it's another silly California thing, then.

onlykelsey

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #45 on: December 30, 2015, 06:22:39 PM »
Oh, so maybe it's another silly California thing, then.

Well, I'm from the east coast, worked in Texas and am now in NYC and it's definitely the norm both of those places.  I will say, I've heard that midwesterners and southerners are the absolute worst with tipping.  In Austin I know servers loathed hearing those accents at their tables.  Can't speak to west coast.

detailoriented

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #46 on: December 30, 2015, 09:48:27 PM »
I am a east coast ex-waiter and 18 years ago 15% was the standard.   I have been out of the system since but I tip 15% as a base of "you got me my food and my water cup was never empty."  The tip grows from there and 20% is easily achieved by any decent waiter.

DO
« Last Edit: December 30, 2015, 09:50:26 PM by detailoriented »

yakamashii

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #47 on: December 30, 2015, 11:12:02 PM »
How about eating in restaurants and patronizing other businesses that have abolished tipping in favor of paying staff better and charging the extra that that costs? I'd rather pay what something costs than deal with hidden costs or deceptive pricing. Maybe the inevitably higher price tags would highlight the fact that eating out is indeed a luxury.

I live in Japan, where no tipping is expected in the service industry, but gifts and the like are expected in certain business situations, on house visits, etc. Until retailers were required to display pre-tax prices with the consumption tax hike a couple years ago, it was very refreshing to always pay what the price tag said, and only that, pretty much everywhere. Prices at restaurants here seem high, particularly for dinner and drinks, but factor in the lack of tips and it's a wash at worst (and cheaper here at best).

arebelspy

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #48 on: December 31, 2015, 12:42:02 AM »
I tip a 15% plus a bit to make a nicer number.
People have told me that 20% is standard because prices have gone up, but that's what percents are for. If prices went up, the amount given at 15% went up too!

But I do not use services that need tips almost ever.
That is not the reason.  I mentioned the reason up thread.
20% has not been a norm for over 30 years as you mentioned up thread. 15% was standard when I was a server 10 years ago. And we tipped out Buser, expedite, and bar. Plus we had to bribe the hostess.
Where are you from? I am from the west coast of the US and it has been the norm there for thirty years.
Oh, so maybe it's another silly California thing, then.

Nope.

You're from Atlanta?  Discussion thread on Atlanta tipping: http://www.yelp.com/topic/atlanta-restaurant-tipping-amount

Most said 20%.

You may want to consider that it's just you that still does 15%.  :)
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BrickByBrick

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Re: How much to tip?
« Reply #49 on: December 31, 2015, 04:19:50 AM »
Being a decent tipper is a good example of the difference between frugal and cheap.

If you can't afford to tip your server, you can't afford to be going out to eat.

+100

My default is 20% whenever a tip is involved, unless the service was very bad (and I can honestly attribute it to the server/employee and no other factor) in which case I'll do 15%, never nothing.

I admit though to sometimes tipping very little in some of these 'self-service' restaurants, because in some of them literally no one provides me service personally, and I don't know how the tip gets disbursed.  Does the guy who cleaned the table before we got there get it?  Do the cooks get it?  Does the hostess get a portion?  I don't know in those cases - I don't want to tip someone who did nothing, especially if there's an indication that there's a line item on the bill for service fees.