Is it a law that you have to leave a tip to a resturant waiter??

Question

and if it is how much does the tip have to be??? are you allowed to give wat you want?

Answer 1

One answerer mentioned servers have to pay taxes on their tips, this is true, so if they don't make enough in tips to claim taxes on what would ordinarily be min. wage, they actually lose money...

Answer 2

ok first it isn't a law expecially if your service sucked second the common amount is about 15% of your bill but other wise you are ALLOWED to give as much or as little as you would like :D

Answer 3

As far as I'm aware, it's not law.

I know in the USA (i don't live there), it's customary to leave between 15-20%.  But am I the only one who thinks that really exorbitant?

Generally, except in really fine restaurants, all the waiters/waitresses do, is take your order and bring you the food?  Is that really worth 20% tip?

And as for the argument that that is how they make the majority of their money as the actually salary is very low.  Well, isn't that their choice to do that job?  Salary negotiations should be between the employee and employer.....not the employee and the customer.

Just my two cents, though I know it won't go down well with the waiters here.

Answer 4

ok... idk what backwards state everyone else lives in, but where I am from (WA), the servers make at LEAST $8 an hour, and standard tipping is 20%.

Unless you suck.

Like that Crystal ***** at Chevy's on 38th. She will never get a dime from me!

Servers everywhere, move to Washington and get a $5 an hour raise!

Answer 5

15-20 percent depending on the quality of the service. If the service is horrible, leave a dime.

Answer 6

No, certainly not. Tip stands for TO INSURE PROMPTNESS. If they aren't prompt then they don't deserve a tip and certainly aren't entitled to one.

Answer 7

I can't assume that you are talking about the Untied States, but I will anyway!!

It is not a law, but rather a common courtesy. Servers make less than $3/hour and their living depends on tips. It's customary to give 15%, but you can give more or less, or if you're rude, none at all! Some restaurants have gratuity included, which is on the menu and you do have to pay that.

Answer 8

No, there is no law that you have to leave the tip.  However, if you do not leave a good tip, then there will be consequences.  The norm for tipping is not 15% anymore. The norm is 20%... especially considering that we're in a recession.

Answer 9

Its not law,if service and food is rubbish NO TIP should be left its the owners who should look after their staff. Whatever happened to customer service!!!!!

Answer 10

No! it's is just to show them you like their service or you like them.

Answer 11

No, it is not a law, however, it is customary to leave 20 % of the meal's cost as a tip. You can leave more, or less, depending on the type of service you got.Waiters, and waitresses dont get paid a regular salary; They depend on tips to earn a living wage.I have a lady-friend that is a waitress in a "fancy" restaurant in Dallas, and she gets upset, if she makes less than $ 250.00 per day ! ( She has to pay taxes on her tips ) !

Answer 12

No, it is not a LAW that you are required to leave a tip.  It's just a courtesy.  I usually tip 20%, but more if the service is excellent.   I think the smallest  tip I ever left at a dine-in resturant was $1.00.

Answer 13

No, this is a rumor started by waiters.

Answer 14

Its not a law that you give it, but its a law that the server pays taxes on the money the government is going to figure you left, whether you did or not.

Its generally fifteen percent, more if there was extra work or attention, less or even none if the server was really bad.

In some areas it may be twenty percent.

All they do is take your order, and run it into the kitchen, fill your water glasses, and make sure they stay that way, yell at the kitchen to hurry it up, make sure you get the right order with the right sides and the rest of your table comes out at the same time, then they carry heavy trays and clear your tables with a smile and make sure its the way you want it and bring the extra sugar or ketchup or steak sauce, then they add up your bill and see that its picked up and the correct change is given and all with a welcoming smile and alacrity.

Sure they have chosen to do that job, but they chose it knowing that their minimum wage would be supplemented by the customary tip.

Most of us choose our jobs and it doesn't  always matter if we are driven crazy or not, we go home with the same money, a server knows no matter how bad the customer, shes got to be careful or she gets nothing.  Have a little mercy, just because you don't know what goes on besides giving her your order, doesn't mean she only writes it down.