The New Intimacy

What percentage do you tip at a restaurant? (Be honest!)

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Contributor: HannahPanda HannahPanda
We all have days where we have sassy waitresses or waiters that aren't attentive, but does this reflect in the way you tip them?

If you have an okay waiter/waitress, how much do typically tip?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
How ever much I feel they've earned.
26  (35%)
A few dollars if it's quick and cheap.
3  (4%)
10% of the check
1  (1%)
15% of the check
14  (19%)
20% of the check
23  (31%)
Over 20% of the check
2  (3%)
Other
6  (8%)
Total votes: 75
Poll is closed
02/23/2012
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Contributor: ksparkles16 ksparkles16
I normally tip a few dollars over or more depending on how good of a job they did
02/23/2012
Contributor: ap-the-aper ap-the-aper
I tip 15% percent generally, rounding up with the change would be unwieldy.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Chirple Chirple
Depends. On a expensive dinner 15-20% probably.

There's a place I go where I can get a meal for $5, so I've left a 50%+ tip.
02/23/2012
Contributor: darthkitt3n darthkitt3n
It depends on the service I received. I will leave very small tips, usually $1 or less, for servers who are rude. I've had one tell me that I could just make the food I was ordering at home. She didn't get a tip. If they can come to the table to check on us at least a couple of times, they get a good tip.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
Usually we tip 20%, unless the server did a horrible job.
02/23/2012
Contributor: ~LaUr3n~ ~LaUr3n~
Anywhere from a single penny to 50% of the check. If you earn it, you get it.
02/23/2012
Contributor: RonLee RonLee
I've worked in food service many years ago. As a waiter you generally have to "tip out", share your tips with the bar tender and the bus boys. That tip out amount is based upon your gross sales NOT what you actually receive. So if you get stiffed all night you could walk home with less money in your pocket than when you got there.
I'll make my waiter work but I'll always make it worth his while. Twenty, twenty five percent or more. If I have someone who OBVIOUSLY doesn't want to be there, fifteen percent.
02/23/2012
Contributor: unfulfilled unfulfilled
We don't usually go out to eat that often, but if we do we give a few dollars but our meals not usually over $25
02/23/2012
Contributor: mlmac mlmac
20% is the average. A little less for not so good service and a little more for excellent service.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Aberrant Aberrant
I always tip 20% or more, because I have worked in a restaurant and it's a tough job.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
Usually 20% or so (move the decimal place to the left, times it by two). What's fun is watching a group of math majors figure out a tip ... they haven't used kitchen math in such a long time, they don't remember how to do it.

I also add more to it if we stayed for more than an hour or we were particularly demanding/loud and the wait staff was put under much duress.

My ex-husband was an awful tipper (pocket change type). Every place hated when he came in by himself. Waitstaff would tell me to sit in their sections when I was there.

Master brought up something interesting between our cultures ... In Britain, tipping is not practiced much (if at all), and this reflects in the poor serving attitudes in his country. He's always happy to tip whenever he visits America because the service is so much better.
02/23/2012
Contributor: ViVix ViVix
Quote:
Originally posted by HannahPanda
We all have days where we have sassy waitresses or waiters that aren't attentive, but does this reflect in the way you tip them?

If you have an okay waiter/waitress, how much do typically tip?
Usually 20%...only less for a really really bad waiter/waitress. One example...I ended up going up to the counter for my bill after more than an hr of waiting once, and she got sh*t.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Ciao. Ciao.
20% is generally what I aim for though I will go lower (or round up higher) depending on the actual quality of service.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Beck Beck
15-20% is our tipping, but we have given more to those who really earned it!

We go to this one restaurant and they are amazing about making sure you have fresh chips and salsa your entire meal and come to check on your drinks all the time. They are right on target no matter how busy they are. So, they have got some really big tips out of us, however there is a Denny's by us that we go to and the one waitress is the worst ever. She has got less than 15% because she never came back to check on our drinks. Instead her co worker did. The co worker got the rest of the tip she didn't earn.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Gracie Gracie
I always tip. If I get really crummy service I still tip, but only 10%. For average service I tip around 17% because I just double the tax. But when I get great service I tip 20% or more. I try to leave cash if I have it since when you tip on your card it takes a while for your server to receive their money. When my children were small and made messes I used to tack on extra in addition to the tip. We would survey the scene and say that's a five dollar mess or whatever. One time when he spilled milk I left 20 dollars on top of the tip. It was a 20 dollar mess. Whoever had to clean earned that money.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Ghost Ghost
We tip from 15%-30% of the bill, depending on what we think of the service.
02/23/2012
Contributor: TheSinDoll TheSinDoll
Usually at least 20% or over. I was a bartender for years so, it's habit.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Mihoshi4301 Mihoshi4301
I try to do at least a little bit even if the service was kinda bad and I'll do more if I really liked the service.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Kitka Kitka
I tip whatever amount I feel they've earned. I've had such horrible waitresses before that didn't get anything at all, but I've also had some great waiters/esses that have gotten a $20 tip on a $40 dinner.
02/23/2012
Contributor: snuggly snuggly
Quote:
Originally posted by HannahPanda
We all have days where we have sassy waitresses or waiters that aren't attentive, but does this reflect in the way you tip them?

If you have an okay waiter/waitress, how much do typically tip?
I voted for however much I think they've earned, but it's usually 20% or so. however i have had an AWFUL server where I tipped a penny. but to be fair, the guy was VERY rude to everyone at the table, and got most everything wrong.
02/23/2012
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
A couple bucks, usually around 15%-20%. Really, depends on the service.
02/23/2012
Contributor: Taylor Taylor
Quote:
Originally posted by Rossie
Usually we tip 20%, unless the server did a horrible job.
Same here. I usually try to tip pretty well, but sometimes they just don't deserve it.
02/23/2012
Contributor: rawsonbr rawsonbr
If they did a good job I go by for every 5$ I spend I leave 1$
02/23/2012
Contributor: Lover of Leather Lover of Leather
My girlfriend and I both spent our college years working as a waiter/waitress, and know first hand what all goes on behind the scenes. We tip 20% most times, more if the service was above and beyond expectation, and 15% if was so/so average. Most people don't realize that their wait staff are paid a very low hourly wage, usually below minimum. Unfortunately, they have to rely on tips to bring their wages up to, or above minimum wage. By the way, the "T.I.P" was initially given prior to any services being performed, tip stands for: To Insure Promptness. Somewhere, things changed a little.
02/23/2012
Contributor: indiglo indiglo
I like to tip well, and almost always give 20%, sometimes more if the server went above and beyond, or was just plain nice.
02/23/2012
Contributor: jokerzwild jokerzwild
20% unless they are terrible, if they are terrible then 10-15 %. I would never give less unless they are just outright rude.They get taxed on at least 10% of sales so if they are stiffed it actually costs them money.
02/23/2012
Contributor: switzerland switzerland
i usually just guess depending on how expensive the bill is and honestly how good the service was
02/23/2012
Contributor: geliebt geliebt
15 minimum, more if I really like the server. Less, though, if it totally sucks.
02/23/2012
Contributor: ThoughtsAblaze ThoughtsAblaze
I'm absolutely terrible at math. Once I figured out how to move the decimal over to determine 10%, I took up the habit of doubled that amount and then quickly rounding up to the next whole dollar or five-dollar increment.
02/23/2012