My son asked me a very good question?

Question

How do you decide what to tip in a restaurant? Do you tip 20% all the time, even if the service was bad. Or, do you tip what you think the service was worth? How do you decide?

Answer 1

you should take all factors into consideration, and THEN tip. 15-20% is good, and no matter what, we usually end up tipping that much anyway. just don't go to a restaurant if it usually gives low quality service

Answer 2

15-20%, depending on how good the service was.  If it REALLY sucked, I'll leave even less and if it was REALLY good, I'll leave more.  I don't care if that's how the waiter makes his/her living -- if he/she wants a good tip, I want good service!

Answer 3

I try to determine if they are just maybe having a bad day or just slacking off & adjust the tip accordingly.  20% is too much for a slacker.

Answer 4

I usually tip the usual.  I have a set tip in mind, such as 4 or 5 dollars. But this is interesting because if the waiter or waitress does a good job, then you should tip them extra.  So paying attention to the job performance is key in deciding your tip.  The waiters or waitresses I have come in contact with usually do a good job.. so I tip accordingly..

Answer 5

I tip commensurate with the level of service.  Crappy or crabby serive, there might be no tip at all.  Great service?  It might be 30% or even better.  I am only obligated to pay my bill.  If I choose to tip, it is a gratuity, which means a form of thanking the server.  And if the server didn't do well or was less than polite, then I'm not going to thank them.  That simple.

Answer 6

i tip based on the service i get

Answer 7

u tip wat u think the service was worth.

Answer 8

I'm one of those odd balls who doesn't believe in tipping. I think a restaurant should pay its employees a decent wage, with full benefits. Tipping means that you are doing what their employers should be doing. Teachers don't get tips, doctors don't get tips, sales clerks don't get tips, lifeguards don't get tips, mechanics don't get tips, soldiers don't get tips -- the list goes on and on. So why should servers get tips? It just doesn't make sense. There are a few restaurants now who do not allow tipping (and the employees will say 'thank you, but we don't accept tips') who pay decent wages with lots of benefits. I patronize those places almost exclusively.

In any case, I would not tip for poor service. That's just rewarding someone for not doing their job properly.

Answer 9

Waiters and Waitresses make very a little an hour - far below minimum wage.  They depend on tips for their livelihood.  Waiters and Waiters do have to pay some tax on their tips.  So if you don't tip them, very often it means they may be still taxed for it because it is assumed you tipped them in cash.

15% is the minimum for adequate service.  20% or more if it is good service.  10% for poor service.  If it is truly horrible service leave nothing but first ask to speak to the manager and explain exactly why.

If you have received a gift certificate tip the server the percentage according to how much the meal would have been before the discount.

For take out orders at a restaurant the standard is 10%.  This is because it is still a waiter or a waitress that is helping you out.  

No tip is necessary at a fast food restaurant since the workers make at least minimum wage and are not dependant on tips.

Answer 10

I usually tip about 20% just by force of habit.  If the service is consistently bad, I tip anyway and then find a better restaurant.

Answer 11

I usually 15% percent no matter how the service was.  I think it's just common courtesy.  

I pay 15% because I didn't know it went up to 20%   ( if it has)  what is the percentage now 15% or 20%??

Answer 12

You tip 15% for normal service, 10% if the service was bad (not none since tipped employees get paid less), and 20% if excellent service.  Also 20% is standard at fancy/expensive restaurants (you'll be able to tell which ones).

Answer 13

I tip what I think the service is worth everytime. Many of my colleagues will tip at least 10% regardless, but not me (;  Sometimes I go way overboard, especially if I have some spirits.

Answer 14

I was a waitress for a good number of years. I am hard on a waitress when I go out. I was a very very good one, I expect the same when I am out.

I start with saying tip anywhere between 15-20% of your bill, however it can go up or down from there.

If they are not very attentive to my needs, guess what? The tip drops 5-10%. If they were great....the tip goes up 5-10% on top of the 15-20%.

That's just the way I figure mine.

Customers and waitresses need to REMEMBER the real reason why tips started in the first place: It was a gesture of thank you so much for taking care of us so well and making our night even more pleasurable. You did a great job.

This was something extra from the customer, not something that was expected no matter what. Today unfortunately employers see tips as a way to help pay the wage they should be paying to their employee.

Answer 15

It's important to consider how your SERVER was.  Keep in mind the things that the server was in control of.  He didn't cook the food and is not responsible for being out of certain food items.  

That's a key thing to remember for tipping.  And, yeah, tip 20% if he did all that he could do.