Tipping at a resteraunt

[Voodoo]

I'll bite... how are these two things related?

They aren’t but I’m only gonna pay so much over the price of my meal…Its outta control !

And very seldom do I have wait staff worth a **** then the joint puts up signs that say “please be patient we are under staffed”

**** on it !

[tvc184]

A tip is a thank you for good service.

What does a percentage of before or after taxes have to do with a tip?

I go to a favorite restaurant and have the huge 20oz ribeye and my wife has a filet mignon with a large appetizer. The bill comes to $100 and the waitress did a great job so I tip $25.

A few days later I go to the same restaurant and only get an 8oz chicken fried steak. My wife gets an 8oz NY strip and a small appetizer. The same waitress does the exact same job but my bill is only $60. The same 25% that I left for larger meal now only comes to $15.

The waitress did the exact same job and it was again the same excellent experience.

So why was she worth $25 one day and a few days later when I was not as hungry she was only worth $15? Because of my appetite?

I pay the restaurant for the food and the waitress for the service and I have no rule that they have to match.

Typically when I go out to eat, before the bill comes my wife asks how much we should tip since she usually carries cash and I usually only carry cards. We don’t look at the bill and try to guess any percentages. We pay for the service. I don’t care about 15% of $67.34, etc. If I had great service, I might tip $20-$25. I don’t care what percentage it is.

I surely don’t care if the tip is based on the final sale or before taxes.

[cehorn]

I know tipping is pushed way too hard. It is supposed to be earned and not part of your bill. I have a question about the percent you tip. Maybe I have been doing it wrong all these years.

I was at On the Border this weekend and the bill came and it had the suggested tips 15%, 18%, 20%. I looked at it and did the quick math in my head and saw it was wrong or maybe I have always been wrong. On the Border does the suggested % off the bill total BEFORE tax. I have always done it after tax. Their method makes more sense. I am tipping on the government tax they add to my meal.

So which is correct, Percent of total meal after tax or Percent of meal before tax?

I know I can tip whatever I want. I know what the server will say.

Always pre-tax and most of the time the easy math is just to double the tax.

I'm usually 15-20% but the pushing of raising what is expected from 15 to 20% has always been BS to me. The excuse is the server needs more money but the reality is the food prices increased so no need to increase tip percentage. It is covered in the price of the food.

[powderburner]

In the corporate world I live in have to tip off the amount before tax. and no more than 18% from there

[Voodoo]

Meal $200, tax $17, tip 20%, CC upcharge 4%, valet parking or paid parking in some spots.

Not happenin captain, someone is gonna suffer besides me.

[Sasqy]

Sorry service gets $1 these days, I used to leave a penny, to make a statement, but the economy is bad.
Good service gets 20% +, based on pre tax price.
I’ve tipped $100 bill a couple times, on a $50 meal.
Depends on the server and the service.

[Voodoo]

And half the time in these joints I have a separate bar tab because the wait staff is too slow !

[Traildust]

Sorry service gets $1 these days, I used to leave a penny, to make a statement, but the economy is bad.
Good service gets 20% +, based on pre tax price.
I’ve tipped $100 bill a couple times, on a $50 meal.
Depends on the server and the service.

Destiny and Roxy thank you!

[stinkbelly]

A tip is a thank you for good service.

What does a percentage of before or after taxes have to do with a tip?

I go to a favorite restaurant and have the huge 20oz ribeye and my wife has a filet mignon with a large appetizer. The bill comes to $100 and the waitress did a great job so I tip $25.

A few days later I go to the same restaurant and only get an 8oz chicken fried steak. My wife gets an 8oz NY strip and a small appetizer. The same waitress does the exact same job but my bill is only $60. The same 25% that I left for larger meal now only comes to $15.

The waitress did the exact same job and it was again the same excellent experience.

So why was she worth $25 one day and a few days later when I was not as hungry she was only worth $15? Because of my appetite?

I pay the restaurant for the food and the waitress for the service and I have no rule that they have to match.

Typically when I go out to eat, before the bill comes my wife asks how much we should tip since she usually carries cash and I usually only carry cards. We don’t look at the bill and try to guess any percentages. We pay for the service. I don’t care about 15% of $67.34, etc. If I had great service, I might tip $20-$25. I don’t care what percentage it is.

I surely don’t care if the tip is based on the final sale or before taxes.

I started to read your post and I figured you didn't get it. Then I kept reading and realized I don't get it. You are right. Tip for the service they performed and not on the cost. I guess they won't get more than a dollar or two from now on. They will get a buck or two on top of their salary. The service they perform isn't usually worth any more than that.

[piercebronkite]

Always pre-tax and most of the time the easy math is just to double the tax.

I'm usually 15-20% but the pushing of raising what is expected from 15 to 20% has always been BS to me. The excuse is the server needs more money but the reality is the food prices increased so no need to increase tip percentage. It is covered in the price of the food.

Keep in mind that a server relies on tips and the price increase of food is outside of their control. My college daughter is a waitress and gets paid $2.13 an hour, what she can control is great service.

[Tex_Cattleman]

For easy math, I take 10% of the total bill and double it for 20%. Good point on the tax issue. Guess I'm tipping more like 28%. I'm fine with that unless the service sucks. In that case, I tip $5 and be done with it.

[bullets13]

I tip based on service and total bill. Just last week I took the wife on a quick dinner date, and the tab was $184 and change. I gave the waitress $220, because I’m OCD and like even numbers. If I’d have given her a straight percentage she’d have a few cents more, but my mind would’ve bugged me the rest of the night. I frequent a bar near my house, and they have dirt cheap craft beers at $2. About once a week I’ll stop in for 2 beers. I typically just throw a $10 bill down and leave. It’s over 100% tip, but the service is great, and it’s still cheaper than I can have a couple beers anywhere else before tip.

I'm with you... I've given 50-100% tips plenty of times in hole in the wall restaurants where the prices were good and the service was great. That might only be $15-$20. But I'll give a 20% tip at pappadeaux. They aren't really working any harder there IMO, their food is just way more expensive.

[RMW]

We eat out for dinner and lunch probably 10 times per week, usually give 20% and if really good 25-30%. If I get bad service which is rare I give 15%.

[bullets13]

I'm almost always a 20% plus tipper, sometimes quite a bit more, especially on cheaper bills where they do the same amount of work for a lower price. I'd have to say there are two types of people that make the whole tipping situation such a contentious issue... the first are servers who think they deserve 20-25% tips at every table, no matter how good or bad of a job they do. The second is cheapskates who want to tip 10% and then walk around with their chest puffed out because they've been so "generous", expecting the wait staff to grovel and fall all over themselves in an effort to thank them for that two and a half bucks on their $25 order. Those second guys are always quick to blame the restaurant for not paying employees better, or employees for not working at different jobs, and even quicker to point out that if the service isn't amazing they just won't tip at all. It's worth noting that those "be grateful for my 10%" tippers are often some of the most difficult customers to please.

[rladner]

A tip is a thank you for good service.

What does a percentage of before or after taxes have to do with a tip?

I go to a favorite restaurant and have the huge 20oz ribeye and my wife has a filet mignon with a large appetizer. The bill comes to $100 and the waitress did a great job so I tip $25.

A few days later I go to the same restaurant and only get an 8oz chicken fried steak. My wife gets an 8oz NY strip and a small appetizer. The same waitress does the exact same job but my bill is only $60. The same 25% that I left for larger meal now only comes to $15.

The waitress did the exact same job and it was again the same excellent experience.

So why was she worth $25 one day and a few days later when I was not as hungry she was only worth $15? Because of my appetite?

I pay the restaurant for the food and the waitress for the service and I have no rule that they have to match.

Typically when I go out to eat, before the bill comes my wife asks how much we should tip since she usually carries cash and I usually only carry cards. We don’t look at the bill and try to guess any percentages. We pay for the service. I don’t care about 15% of $67.34, etc. If I had great service, I might tip $20-$25. I don’t care what percentage it is.

I surely don’t care if the tip is based on the final sale or before taxes.

Interesting question. What about when you decide to have a really expensive over priced steak and the meal comes to $200? Does she get $50? If so, why? In all 3 scenarios she did the same exact work, but due to restaurant prices she made vastly different tips. Is that right? is that fair? Should tipping be standardized for all wait staff every where regardless of the place of work? The hole in the wall cheap diner and the high end steak house all get the same tip? Just food for thought .