Bad Tippers?

Question

I am a waitress and I just dont understand why some people are so ignorant and tip so bad. it boils my blood when my service is perfect and people tip like 5%. do people understand that is my income? if you cant afford to tip then dont go out to eat! what do you normally tip? what are your thoughts on tipping, and people who tip bad?

Answer 1

A tip is something extra for good service, you shouldnt just expect it. I am not going to give you money out of pity. Its not our fault you make three dollars an hour. maybe you should have got an education.

my tip depends on the service, sometimes nothing.

Answer 2

i put 2 or 3 dollars down, if i get change back and its like 5 or 6 dollars i leave that....but normally youll be getting 2 or 3 dollars, and thats regardless of the service...

now if thats not enough for you, or you think it is rude, id say change jobs, b/c it is my income that im dispersing towards you...and i feel ive already paid for my meal, and thats normally high enough...so mybe 2 or 3 dollars is just fine maybe its not, but thats not my problem or concern...my concern is to get  a bite to eat, and enjoy the food and service...or i wont be paying for anything...

sometimes you have to just go with it... i mean i worked fast food where the manager didnt allow us to even take tips...and we got paid scrapes...so id be happy for what i can get...and just think some places like cothing stores dont even get tipped....

Answer 3

I am a server too, and I know what you mean. I try not to let it get me down though, b/c some people are cheap no matter what. and others don't know any better. And ashley e, the comment about "maybe you should've gotten an education" was in extremely poor taste. Chances are, if someone in their late teens/early twenties is waiting on you, they are in the process of getting an education. I myself am going to school to get my nursing degree, and it's ignorant people like you, who assume I'm "just a waitress" that really make my blood boil, tips or not.  

Back to the question, my thoughts on tipping are totally on service. If I get great service, I tip 25%. If I get poor service, I will leave 5%. Yes I am a server, but I do my job and I expect fellow servers to to theirs. Tips are earned, not expected.

Answer 4

I don't know...seems people who don't understand what tipping is all about are the lousy tippers.

I was a barmaid once...the tips were lousy.

My husband used to leave a couple of bucks on the table for a $50.00 meal when we were dating.

I gave him so much h**l and told him no less than 15% and if the service is good 20%.

I believe what is given to those who serve comes back many times over in many other ways...

Tightwads NEVER win!!

Answer 5

Although I do feel for you, because you seem like you do your job and do it well, there are some waiters/waitresses who do not need to be working at restaraunts. I generally tip well- like if the meal is $30.00 I will leave ten dollars, BUT I won't even leave a tip if we got no refills, napkins, rude server...etc. I feel a ten dollar tip is more than enough for a thirty dollar meal. I mean that is ten dollars in not even an hour plus whatever the other tables he/she had left as tips. I used to wait tables so I know how frustrating it is, but bad service just shouldn't be rewarded. I really feel there is no excuse for terrible service so when I get a rude person waiting on me I leave them a "tip" on the table, usually in the form of a note saying why I am not leaving a tip. The customers are the only reason waiters/waitresses have a job and I learned that on all those days waiting tables where service was extremely slow and then on those days I was grateful for the good...and not so good tippers.

Answer 6

RE: I always tip double the tax amount plus a few extra dollars on top. If you can't afford to tip at least 15% then you shouldn't eat at a restaurant.

2 seconds ago

What if there is no sales tax?  For all people that are retarded:  Take the total of the bill and multiply X 2 and move decimal point  EG:  $15 check = $3.00 tip  $75 check = $15 tip That's simple 20%  10% would be even easier  $75 check = 7.50 tip  

You should tip these people.  They work there asses off at there job for you and the other 5, 10, 15, 25 people they are waiting on at the same exact time!

EDIT:  I just wanted to say that I always average about 18% anyway, so what does it matter.  The good tippers make up for the bad:)  It's part of the industry and it's understood that you will have bad tippers and good.  But, it all evens out in the end.

Answer 7

I always tip double the tax amount plus a few extra dollars on top. If you can't afford to tip at least 15% then you shouldn't eat at a restaurant.

Answer 8

Since I haven't been out to eat since the 1990s, I can't say what I tip, but I personally wouldn't tip unless I had the money for it.  I have a gift card for a restaurant and will use it for a special occasion coming up.  And no, I probably will not tip because I don't have the money to tip.  

You said don't people understand that is your income - what about your customers?  Do you ever go up to them and ask them THEIR income?  I make about $9 000 a year... yeah, a year.  I work 3 part time jobs and full time student in college at the moment - 8am to 5pm M-F then I work the midnight shifts at my *food service* job.

It angers me when waiters/servers get mad over tips.  You should be thankful that you even get a tip as it's not required by law.  

The whole excuse of if people dont have money to tip they should go to the grocery store and cook meals is quite annoying.  So you're saying we NEVER can enjoy one meal out without having to tip $20 when we just spent $100 even if it's a birthday, anniversary, graduation, etc.?  Those who are well off will tip you.  Don't discriminate against those who want to enjoy themself.  Do you go out to eat ever?  I surely hope you don't otherwise you'd be contradicting yourself.

Answer 9

I always thought a tip was supposed to be TO INSURE PROMPTNESS, but it has become the restaurant ownder way of avoiding living wages for their help. Having said that, I will say that I have had every  kind of service and attitude imaginable. Since I'm more interested in being well treated than what to tip, I often will tell the server that "my tip starts at 15% and goes up or down according to the service." When I remind the waiter/waitress like this, I normally end up leaving a deserved 20 - 30% tip. I have had cases where I've had such bad service (wrong order, dinner served to me after everyone else has finished theirs, surly attitude, iced tea served with lemon when I requested none and having it "fished" out at the table and returned to me, etc.) that I've resorted to leaving a $0.13 tip on the credit card tab so the waiter/waitress won't think I forgot and so the manager can see it when the tally is done. I also have an issue with the practice of automatically adding 15 - 18% to the tab by the restaurant. In many cases, I refuse to add anything else, where I may have left 20 - 25%. Mostly, I'd like to say that I understand and respect the work you folks do, it's not easy being pumped all the time and getting c**p from your customers. I also understand that some people simply shouldn't be waiters/waitresses. If everyone gets crappy tips at your restaurant, it's time to look at another restaurant for a job. And if the person consistently gets poor tips relative to the other servers, it's time to look into another line of work.

Answer 10

I don't know why some people get so angry about the money that we make. People who say "you shouldn't have gotten into that line of work to get paid $2.13 an hour and I'm not making up for your lost wages" don't understand why people decide to hold those jobs. Most serving jobs have extremely flexible hours and you can decide to work only 3-4 days a week if you need to. We usually need this flexibility because we go to college full time and/or we have families to take care of. I myself have two small children with no convenient family near by to babysit them during the day. When my husband comes home from his normal 8-hour day job, I go to work at a restaurant that is only open for dinner hours. I have to work or my family would not survive. And I have to work there so I can go to work at 4 and come home at 10-11 and see my kids before they go to bed.

   I also think its stupid people complain that they don't get a tip for a job well done at their place of business...oh well...I do. Do you really need to complain about it? It's not my fault that I am trying to raise a family, go to school so my only job choice is one that decides to pay me $2.13 an hour. My family lives off my tips. I buy groceries, pay bills, and get things my kids need with the tips I get from customers.

    I do not think I automatically deserve a tip every time. I work hard for each and every one of them from all the people I take care of. I also know the economy is tough right now so I go out of my way to "wow" all of my customers. Sometimes, I'm rewarded and sometimes I'm disappointed that all the hard extra work I put into that table (i.e. I brought refills before they asked, extra napkins for tables with children, boxed their food for them) went unnoticed.

   Being a server means you have to take the good with the bad, I guess. Last night (Thursday), I made $120 (I took home $103 after my tip out) and that was even with one or two crappy tips. Considering that I only served for 5 1/2 hours, that's pretty good in my book.

   All that being said, I start my tip at 20% and then it can go up or down based on the service. I never go below 15% bc I understand servers are taxed heavily on their tips and practically don't receive a paycheck (every two weeks I get a $20-$30 check). I do also understand that some things go wrong that are not our server's fault and should not reflect in the tip. If your food is taking a long time or your steak wasn't cooked to our liking, it wasn't your server's fault. She/He did not cook it, they are just trying to help get everything out to a lot of hungry people in a timely manner. Bring up those concerns with the manager.

   Rarely do I go out and get poor service. This is due to the fact that the people who work at the places my husband and I frequent know we are good tippers and are genuinely happy to serve us because we are pleasant people. You would be surprised of the service you will get if you are just a genuinely nice person. I bend over backwards trying to do nice things for people who just have the decency to not be rude and treat me like a normal person when they go out.

   I really think that people who are low on money should just stay home and save it. Eating at a restaurant is expensive enough and then there is the tip. It is not my fault I had to waste my time on those without enough money to leave a decent tip. If they had not come in, I could have waited on a nicer group of people who would have tipped me accordingly. When I am broke, I don't go out to eat and that's that. But if you get bad tips its best to just have the "at least it's more money than I had" mentality or else you will just be sour the rest if the night and it will effect your other tables.

Answer 11

I couldn't agree with you more. I am a waitress myself, and people will never understand until they have worked in the restaurant industry themselves. Plus, economy sucks now, so it's expected. When I myself go out to eat, I am usually a more generous tipper, because I know what it's like having that one upsetting table that seems so nice and leaves you a dollar fifty.

Answer 12

I bartend and wait also. I think those people have never worked in the service industry and just don't care. They also think that the restaurant should pay you more money. They don't realize that if a restaurant paid all the waitresses $10 an hour, the restaurant would go broke. Some people might not even realize that you make like $3 an hour.

Answer 13

I am middle-waged, and I leave tips because its what gets you good service when you return to that restaurant.

My husband and I usually tip 20%. If the service was good (i.e. drinks are refilled promptly, napkins are brought out without having to ask, server is pleasant, etc.) then maybe more! Up to 40%, but there are exceptions to the rule where we may have tipped even higher on one or two occasions when we were able.

We get mad when we notice someone leaving a table and not tipping. I've witnessed that happen a few times while dining out (at a buffet where you have already paid for your meal before being seated, but there is still a server bringing you drinks and napkins and things). I think once my husband may have even left a tip on someone else's table that didn't tip.

I think many people don't tip because they are honestly short on cash. I agree with the previous poster who said people shouldn't be eating out if they can't afford to tip 15%. I also think there are a lot of cheap people out there who have the money but don't tip. Those people have a special place in h**l.

Answer 14

Like someone said, change careers or until you finish school,check out these celebrities that do not tip.

http://www.glamorati.com/celebrity/2008/...

Word in L.A. is that Eddie Murphy is the absolute worst!

But this actor is the best - maybe you should apply at this restaurant! http://www.tmz.com/2008/07/13/martin-to-...

Answer 15

I'd be interested in finding out how 'little' you actually make a day. Then my blood would probably boil that you get off on bitc*ing about bad tippers. I myself never tip under 15-20 percent  and I've tipped over 50 percent when I was by myself and didnt eat much, but the fact is you more than likely make MORE than people with jobs that don't get tips for the most part each day. And it is ridiculous for you to assume just because someone doesn't tip you what you expect that they have no right to enjoy a night out. Get over yourself and if you don't like it...here's the wonderful thing, you have the right to quit and get a job that actually pays minimum wage!(again probably less than you actually make a night)

*edit* lmao I was correct. You make more than some people that work their as*es off even harder than you do and you still have to complain. I'm glad you get *****y tips with that attitude....probably has something to do with it too sweety;) And I'm perfectly fine with my income, My concern was for others who have it harder off than me and even yourself yet they don't complain like you lmfao Thanks for making my day. Oh and by the way, Minimum wage where I live is close to 8 dollars an hour...so don't know what part of your as* you pulled six dollars from, nor do I want to know.

*edit* this is not a legitimate question for this site. it is chatting and a rant. You should not expect legitimate 'answers' And I gave my 'answer' on the subject, you are the ignorant stupid one not the bad tippers. I'm done wasting my time on this 'question' Have a good night....sweety=D

Answer 16

First off (the meaner part)....last I thought you chose to work at a certain location and you were not forced to work to work at a restaurant.  If you want a better job, leave the job your at and go elsewhere that doesn't DEPEND on tips.  Also, you shouldn't expect to get tips...it should be an reward for the service you did.  Some people don't know the amount of work you do or they really don't care.

When I go to a restaurant, I usually tip 15-20% depending on how the service was like.  If you did not refill my drink or your behavior was not what I expected, your tip will definitely be less.  You have to do something pretty bad for me not to tip anything.  Based on people my age (20), I think I tip pretty good for this age level.  Many of my friends go to a restaurant and barely tip (which leaves me embarrassed) and I usually have to leave even more to make up for their lack of tipping...which drives me crazy.  

But, like many of the other people said above, if you can't afford the tip (at least 10%), don't go out to eat at a restaurant.

Answer 17

Maybe they don't have enough money and are on a budget at home. They probably only have enough to eat out with their family and they probably think the bill they paid also goes to your paycheck. I myself always give tips depending on the waiters/waitress. If they're Mexican/Central American Indios (more likely illegal immigrants) I see working at Old Country Buffet, Shooters Buffet, Chinese Buffet, Filipino Restaurants, or Greek Restaurants, I usually give a dollar tip since they're here illegally. They won't complain. English speaking American citizens (like you) irregardless of their race or ethnicity, I usually give $3 to $5 dollars maybe even $10 dollars if I have a lot of pocket money that day.