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

[LowR3V'in]

Don't give them shit. The food is expensive enough.

Do you guys tip the car wash guy?
I don't tip the pizza delivery guy even though they charge you 3 bux extra just for delivery
and then they expect you to tip the delivery boy. screw that.

[ST1G]

Agreed 100%. In OR, where I currently live, minimum wage is $9/hr. This includes servers and bartenders. While some are great, and I tip in the 20%-25% range for great service, most range from mediocre to really shitty. Many act like it's a privilege for you to eat/dine in their establishment and they're annoyed by your presence. It's striking compared to what you get in CO, NY, PA, or even Seattle. Before I moved to Portland I almost never tipped in the 10-15% range. Since moving here, it's become more common.

I hate it when they act like you're doing them a disservice by eating there. I'm not scared to tip 10% when it's super shitty service and 30% when it's great. In Boise the servers make $3.25 an hour and I rarely have bad service.

[ajhostetter]

Relevant:

http://dougdemuro.kinja.com/1695306011

Agreed 100%. In OR, where I currently live, minimum wage is $9/hr. This includes servers and bartenders. While some are great, and I tip in the 20%-25% range for great service, most range from mediocre to really shitty. Many act like it's a privilege for you to eat/dine in their establishment and they're annoyed by your presence. It's striking compared to what you get in CO, NY, PA, or even Seattle. Before I moved to Portland I almost never tipped in the 10-15% range. Since moving here, it's become more common.

[UlrichFennec]

I work at a Sonic Drive-In as a Crew Leader.

If you want to get a tip, you have to bust your ass, smile at all times and be as fast as possible while still being organized and smooth with presentation. Sometimes, you won't get a tip, but in the end, it doesn't matter. You get paid minimum wage if you don't make tips, and your tips get taxed if you do. Either way, the kids will complain about "not making enough money" when they're basically making the same as if they straight up worked in the kitchen, just part of their paycheck is in their hands.

I try to tip 15-20% if the service is good, and if it's awesome, I'll do 25% and give them a nice note about how I appreciated their service. Working in the food industry sort of humbles you to the shit that people go through.

[mrsleeve]

nope, its a backronym

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

Sorry grand dad passed that on to me back when the TRS80 was state of the art, and windows were something made of glass and you looked though. Quite possibly when you were still just a twinkle in your pop's eye

[slaterd]

If it's a typical sit-down restaurant where the server is an actual server, I'll typically do 20%. If it's a place like a sushi revolving bar where they just get you drinks I'll do 5%.

[BraveUlysses]

Does anyone here even know what TIPS even really stands for......


..................To Insure PROMPT Service......................

nope, its a backronym

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

[golde30]

I tip because the servers are underpaid and rely on tips for their income. That said I don't consider it a real full time job. It's more of a 2nd job.

I agree with the first part, but not the second. My mother supported 4 kids working as a server/bartender, so it is for sure a real full time job for many many people who are living in the majority population of this country.

[pandaboo911]

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

I tip because the servers are underpaid and rely on tips for their income. That said I don't consider it a real full time job. It's more of a 2nd job.

Honestly the 10% tip should be included automatically, and that money should go directly to the cooks and servers, not the restaurant owner, like in the rest of the world.

I always leave my change at my favorite sandwich and coffee places, but that's cause I know the people working there

[mrsleeve]

Does anyone here even know what TIPS even really stands for......


..................To Insure PROMPT Service......................

[Joe G]

I always give em just the tip. Not matter how good or bad the service is.

[Stanley Rockafella]

Christ, this thread is still going.
Must have been one of my best thinking days ever!

I found this especially interesting:

http://jalopnik.com/if-you-don-t-have-service-records-you-don-t-have-anyth-1694816647

[agent]

Relevant:

http://dougdemuro.kinja.com/1695306011

[Dozyproductions]

phone in and pick up or even order to go warrants no tip in my book

Many places the servers tip the cooks... the people that made it for you.

[jhaurimn]

So this happened to me yesterday, I was picking up a to go order from a restaurant that's a sit down place. I was paying my for my food and I didn't leave a tip. I can tell the hostess was a little miffed. Now, I'm all for tipping when it's warranted but, there was no customer service involved. It's no different if I went to Mcdonalds and ordered a cheeseburger, do you tip there? No. If I sat down at that restaurant and ordered my meal from a server, ate my meal there, asked for refills on my drink, and someone cleaned up after me yeah I would of tipped. It kind of annoyed that she was expecting a tip.

Chances are, she was annoyed with something else. Probably the sit down people not tipping. A tip is not needed when picking up a take out order. However, if you order a lot of food for take out, and its all packed up nicely, you should tip a dollar or two.