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

[myinfernalbmw]

Yeah, no. Shitty service, shitty tip. I don't care why someone can't do their job, I'm not a charity. And if they put down food and never come back, I'm not leaving a damn thing.

I agree with this sentiment for the most part. While it's happened less times than I can count on one hand, I don't lose any sleep for not leaving a tip when a server is absolute horseshit. If you're a little frazzled and screw up my drink order, that won't stop me from tipping you, but if you screw up my order then give me attitude, the tip (or lack thereof) that you get is on you. If a restaurant is obviously understaffed, I'm not going to take it out on the server because the manager doesn't know how to schedule staff properly. I'll forgive a mistake or things out of your control, but you are very much mistaken if you think I'm going to reward you for being an asshole to me when I'm paying for a service.

Tips are a reward. If you want to argue why as a society we've accepted paying a person less than minimum wage + tips as a social norm, that is fine. But to pretend that tips are actually mandatory and that you're the asshole for not automatically tipping 20%, isn't an opinion held by most patrons.

Edit: Maybe I'm wrong. I don't remember being taught this in school, but I guess I'm at the old end of the millennial spectrum. “I'm so upset because we have a nation of kids that are expecting to get paid and live their life just for showing up and it's not real." https://www.upworthy.com/florida-tea...PHLEtt0TcbW4UU

[MR E30 325is]

I am only a fan of tipping at sit-down restaurants. I can't handle tipping anyone else (i.e. workers who make at least minimum wage per hour, normally) like hotel maids, massage therapists, etc.

Minimum tip is 20% or thereabouts, but I have tipped up to 100% before for fantastic service.

Left a 500 dollar tip once, though the dinner did cost 2,000 dollars.

[Melon]

Background: I waited tables and worked as a bartender at Bennigan's for about 3 years, so I'm always sympathetic to the servers.

Usually:
15% to 20%

I'll tip 15% if it's a quick lunch and the server didn't do a whole lot.

If the server is busy, but hustling, I still give them a good tip, if they suck, I'll lower it to 10% or even 5%.

[Stanley Rockafella]

Sheesh, I don't even remember what inspired me to start this thread.

[e30austin]

Well, in Oregon, our food service workers earn $12.50/hour, and usually give completely shit service, so unless I'm blown away with the service I received, you will not get much from me. Not sure why I should feel "obligated" to tip someone a generous amount, when my entire party feels like we're a complete burden to someone, who also makes it obvious they don't want to be there.

A lot of restaurants here are set up like this: walk to the counter to place your order, pick up your food at the counter when it's ready, get your own beverages, and bus your own table when the meal is over. I simply refuse to tip at a place like that. I'm literally doing all the work for the gum chewing kid behind the counter, who can't even look me in the eye when taking my order.

We have a local fast food chain here, Burgerville. Supposed to be "locally sourced, sustainably farmed, always fresh", blah, blah, blah. The food has gone down in quality - significantly, the portions have decreased substantially, and of course, the prices always get jacked up. My last visit there, a few weeks ago, they now have a sign on their drive-thru window, stating "TIPS NOW ACCEPTED". You want me to tip at a corporate fast food chain?! LOL

[nando]

Relevant:

https://wapo.st/320ky02

Yeah, no. Shitty service, shitty tip. I don't care why someone can't do their job, I'm not a charity. And if they put down food and never come back, I'm not leaving a damn thing.

[roguetoaster]

I skimmed page one of this thread and saw nothing about giving a waitress the tip. R3V was slipping even back then.

[agent]

Relevant:

https://wapo.st/320ky02

[neighborhood]

Always a cash tip left. The better the service the better I tip. If they go out of their way, I'll leave up to a 50% tip plus ask to speak to their manager. While it usually freaks them out when doing so, telling their boss that they went out of their way, and that really, there is nothing wrong usually puts a smile on their faces.

I also believe in this: the food can be terrible, but the service was on par, I tip.
If the food was on par, but the service was sub-par, I'll tip, but only a couple of bucks.
If the service was terrible, I won't tip.
If both were terrible, I'm talking to the manager!

[lambo]

As stated by others the practice of tipping does exactly that if used in a sensible manner by the consumer. I do however hate the expectation to tip. I don't know how it works for you guys in the USA but here in The Great White North I am seeing the tipping "option" showing up on more and more debit terminals all the time. Should I really feel compelled to tip the teller at the liquor store? Umm wtf? I don't tip the grocery teller so GTFO.

Your last few statements are my exact point. Why are waiters and waitresses held to some double standard of service? When I'm at the computer store, I expect the sales associates to help me with my purchase. Do I entice them to do so with a somewhat arbitrary addition of money added to what I'm already purchasing? No.

I don't think the guilt of having to tip so someone can provide food and shelter for their family is right by any means. That should be the employers job. Not mine.

[Massimo]

Jobs like that are generally on casual(no paid sick leave, or holidays) but get around $22-$25 an hour. If they're on full time it's probably around $20 an hour but with paid sick leave and paid holidays.

Service can be hit and miss in Australia. I avoid cities and go to small places in the hills. People tend to be friendlier and genuinely want your business.

This, you will find places that have appalling service and then you will find others that are out of this world.

[Hooffenstein HD]

And Australia also has a pretty damn high minimum wage doesn't it? Still have to say I got very shitty service everywhere I went there compared to Canada and the US.

Jobs like that are generally on casual(no paid sick leave, or holidays) but get around $22-$25 an hour. If they're on full time it's probably around $20 an hour but with paid sick leave and paid holidays.

Service can be hit and miss in Australia. I avoid cities and go to small places in the hills. People tend to be friendlier and genuinely want your business.

[Adrian_Visser]

So......which of you generous tippers here tips your gas station attendant or your walmart aisle staff, or your construction worker who is selling labour for money?

Tipping in the food industry is a North American plague and is institutionally subsidizing the practice of poor base wage conditions its people are suffering from. If everywhere else in the world can sustain a food industry without tips, why can't we?

FYI Chinese restaurants do 10% here in Vancouver Canada. The tips don't go directly to your server. They are pooled, the owner, the managers and the kitchen staff all have their fingers in the pool. Servers get the last cut. Good service or bad, it's 10%. Keeps things simple. If servers aren't happy with this, they go find other work.

While I don't agree with the food industry paying shit and expecting the consumer to make up the difference for their employees I do have to say that without the incentive of a tip you do get noticeably worse service. Case in point: Australia. I have never gotten such reliably shitty service from servers and bartenders as I did there. I would literally have to wave them down after seating myself in their restaurant just to get a menu.

Man I wish tipping would die out and people would be paid what they deserve from the get go. Such a sham.

As stated by others the practice of tipping does exactly that if used in a sensible manner by the consumer. I do however hate the expectation to tip. I don't know how it works for you guys in the USA but here in The Great White North I am seeing the tipping "option" showing up on more and more debit terminals all the time. Should I really feel compelled to tip the teller at the liquor store? Umm wtf? I don't tip the grocery teller so GTFO.

I will tip the barber, the pizza guy, taxi drivers and obviously workers in the service industry.

It is pretty fucked up that some states get away with paying less than minimum wage to servers though how does that work? Most servers I know who are good looking females and work night shift in pubs or pub/restaurants make pretty good money for having no education. Equivalent of $18/hr/40hrs/week good. Bartenders can have $600 nights in tips for Chrissake. Of course a lot of those kids put the money up their nose.

So I work at a Chili's. Host, not a server, but still, I deal with this dilemma every day.

My stance on this is if you give me good service, drink full, foods correct and on time, not having to wave you down for something because your a retard, you get 15% give or take. If you entertain me, chat/joke with me or whatever the case may be. If I enjoy my experience, you'll get 20%+ largest tip I've ever given was $30 on a $20 tab (percentage-wise) because it was me and a buddy shooting the shit with this really cute server for the better part of an hour.

Overall I tip well, unless you fuck up.

Every time this conversation comes up I think about the awesome scene in the diner at the beginning Reservoir Dogs.

I completely agree, I still have a hard time giving no tip though, usually I'll give 10% at the lowest unless they've been a complete waffleswaffleswaffleswaffleswad.

Never Tipped in my life.

Australia...

Unlike most places if you work weekends or if you work at night or early morning you get loading on your pay, anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 times your standard amount.

So that is why you do not tip in Australia

And Australia also has a pretty damn high minimum wage doesn't it? Still have to say I got very shitty service everywhere I went there compared to Canada and the US.

[HennaE30]

So if the cook in the back screws up your order, you screw your server out of a tip when it could of been completely unrelated to them? :tsk:

No no, I'm saying ringing up food wrong. I don't tip poorly because my steak is wrong

[jhaurimn]

I mean like screw up the order in some way, never come by the table to check up, stuff like that. A little slip up here or there I'm not gonna eat your lunch.

Overall if you do your job correctly, I'm not gonna screw you

So if the cook in the back screws up your order, you screw your server out of a tip when it could of been completely unrelated to them? :tsk: