What's the usual tip to give at restaurants in the US?

[Roysneon]

If you don't tip, you're just being a jerk. Period.

That being said; the regular tip amount should be put into context. Here the minimum that any server can be paid after a 3 month training/probationary period is $10.30. A 10% tip over that is not much but you're not letting people starve while working if you don't go 15-20%. If you give someone a $1.50 tip on a $30 meal in a place that it's legal for a restaurant to pay severs $2.xx and hour you are a jerk, plain and simple.

[alB5]

ok. quite a read here.
I was a server since i was 14. Just recently I'm getting out of it, but you people don't know how dependent the ENTIRE waitstaff is on tips. I, have never seen anyone give less than a 15% tip in the area and restaurant i was in. I always was the best waiter because there were mainly hispanics and such working, and every single night the tips from everyone are split into equal amounts, and that was the pay. No hourly bullshit, just straight pay. I know of tons of places like this.
I don't know why I've personally stayed in a situation like this for so long, but hey, it worked on saturday nights. I was clearing $150+ pretty easily.
Regular customers always had some special treatment too, either a free appetizer for two, or something along those lines.
/rant
what to get out of this is mainly, tip well and they'll treat you well

[Roysneon]

Thats the point. They have a low level of responsibility and are treated accordingly by management and customers.



I'm sorry that someone is asking you to do your job!

You just contradicted yourself. To say they have little responsibility and do not deserve pay for performance above what is given by their employer, but then say that they should cater to borderline unreasonable demands/requests. Either don't tip and expect someone to take your order and bring your food, or get things done perfectly, exactly how you want when you want and pay the server a little bit for it.

[profbooty]

You just contradicted yourself. To say they have little responsibility and do not deserve pay for performance above what is given by their employer, but then say that they should cater to borderline unreasonable demands/requests. Either don't tip and expect someone to take your order and bring your food, or get things done perfectly, exactly how you want when you want and pay the server a little bit for it.

Read the later version of my post, repeated below:

Thats the point. They have a low level of responsibility and are treated accordingly by management and customers. The previous poster invited others to post the type of work they do so that they could rip it apart.

-----
I'm sorry that someone is asking you to do your job! If you want more money, then demonstrate to management that you can turn over customers more quickly, or that they come and spend more money more often because of you. Demonstrate the same to the customer. The customer is not your employer, your employer is. The customer is under no legal obligation to give you anything, even if it is an expectation by society.

Then take those skills you have developed and move it into a more lucrative customer oriented career such as corporate sales.

[HarukoE30]

10% and that's because it seems like some asshole decided tipping was a must. 90% of the time I walk into the place knowing what I want before drinks are even started. I don't ask for refills & I am gone within 20-30 mins. I'm the easiest customer you get for the day, so why tip you for that?

I wish people at McDonald's got tips, or grocery stores for that matter. Hell even the good Wal-mart workers can't take tips. A job is a job so just do it or find another one.

[agent]

10% and that's because it seems like some asshole decided tipping was a must. 90% of the time I walk into the place knowing what I want before drinks are even started. I don't ask for refills & I am gone within 20-30 mins. I'm the easiest customer you get for the day, so why tip you for that?

I wish people at McDonald's got tips, or grocery stores for that matter. Hell even the good Wal-mart workers can't take tips. A job is a job so just do it or find another one.

Congratulations for making the second most ignorant post in the thread.

[Roysneon]

I don't think that a lot of people here understand how restaurants work. When restaurants decide how and how much servers are paid, they take tips into account. It isn't legally dictated that you have to tip, but if you won't tip according to the norm in a pay for performance way then you're not holding up your end of the equation.

[HarukoE30]

Congratulations for making the second most ignorant post in the thread.

Congratulations for falling to what is known as "trolling"...NEXT :finger:

In other news, of course I tip & it's usually based on performance with no set %. I leave $6 tips on $4 bills at BBW's regularly.

[GAbOS]

You don't have to be accountable for all that much:

Whoa.. I take what I put in my mouth very seriously. Oh, and I consider people messing with my food as important as a guy that leaves a sponge in my abdomen.

[profbooty]

I don't think that a lot of people here understand how restaurants work. When restaurants decide how and how much servers are paid, they take tips into account. It isn't legally dictated that you have to tip, but if you won't tip according to the norm in a pay for performance way then you're not holding up your end of the equation.

I'm well aware of how waitstaff, bartenders, hostesses, back of the house etc are compensated, how they divide tips, how they may have money held back to enable them to eat restaurant food, and how it is legally permissible to pay them less than minimum wage because the collect tips. I'm also aware of how shady various restaurant business practices are which are beyond the current discussion.

It's a pretty crappy system for those legally employed, with some exceptions. A tip should be for something done beyond one's expectations, not for merely doing one's job. That being said, I generally tip 15% and 10% at buffets.

[agent]

Congratulations for falling to what is known as "trolling"...

Now that you've proven what a cool guy you are, feel free to leave this conversation to the adults.

[mitch500]

I tip 15% on good service and no more.....

[mcr_driver]

I tip 15% on good service and no more.....

You can burn in hell you slanderous dog you :hitler:


. Fun story had amazing service last night at a BJ's of all places. Both my friend and I were shocked...this guy was on point took care of everything and was no BS when it came to service. Needless to say we both tipped him 5$ on a 20$ bill. Then we went to a boba that we're regulars at and got cold HOT tea, didn't address us and when we asked them about it we could the see the no fucks to give on his face :rofl: Our regular servers were out and some new people were there working. When our servers came in on their off night (to hang out) we were like what's up with them and they responded, oh they're like that they don't care. We left them a 0.02cent tip, why? Because those that don't give a fuck don't deserve a fuck. Don't be a bleeding heart just because society tells you it's appropriate. Give to those who deserve it, like the homeless who are truely needing as opposed to the one's that make 60k a year being panhandlers.

That's my point in all of this isn't not to tip, but to tip however you feel is appropriate for the situation. Just blindly tipping because you know they make $2.13 an hour is feeding an uneccessary cycle of stagnant job/career development.

[Thizzelle]

profbooty is ripping you guys up

[evandael]

no, he's providing good insightful commentary. but that still falls short of providing a good reason why a successful professional can't afford to tip the wait staff an adequate amount , especially when he ADMITS to knowing how dependent they are on tips, just because he doesn't believe in 'the principle of it'



you, on the other hand, are just looking for your own personal jesus in this argument to support why you're a cheap dick at restaurants. so kindly fuck off.