Dining out - Tipping?

Question

Should a server at a restaurant feel entitled to a 15% tip for something they're already being paid to do? If you go out for a meal, get a regular "hello, here are our specials for the night", "ready to order?", "hows everything" and the typical "THANKS!" written on your receipt, do they really deserve that 15%? Do you tip even though you get lousy service? What is your view on tipping?

Answer 1

Although minimum wage in America is $5.15, I get paid $2.13 an hour to serve .. that is less than half! So considering you're Canadian counterparts get paid 8, the might make 3 or 3.50 an hour .. that is not enough to survive! After being taxed, you always get absolutely nothhing on a paycheck.

In regards to tipping, 15% is the norm for impoverished areas, 20% is the norm for average income areas, and in above average income areas 20% can feel like I did a terrible job ... so if they actually went over specials, said how is it, and took the time to write thanks, tip at least 20%, more if they were speedy or particularly nice ..... and never less! I would only tip 15% if the sevice was truly truly terrible!

Answer 2

not sure about canada, but in america sesrvers don't make minimum wage.  they make less and rely on tips to help boost their income. now if the service sucks, then they deserve less or no tip at all.

Answer 3

I encourage 3-4% service charge to good services. Gifts and Sickels to handsome or beauty maidtress with very close servicein open

Answer 4

When you come to the States please remember waiters here mostly make $2.39 an hour and depend on tips.  Most Canadians do not realize this and Canadians are regarded as lousy tippers.

Answer 5

Wait staff and those who rely on tips as part of their income are not subject to minimum wage laws. Look at your newspaper and see how much wait staff are paid in your area. Usually it tends to be half of the regulated minimum wage.

I tip 15% always - 20% for good service.

Answer 6

If I get bad service I tip a nickel.  That way they dont think the bus boy stole it.  My dining meals usually run 7-8 dollars and I tip 1 or two dollars.

Answer 7

I never tip if I get lousy service. I used to be a waitress so I know what to expect. For example, my best friend took us out to eat for helping her move. The waitress took our orders brought us our drinks and food. The woman never came back. At all. The restaurant was slow and it pissed me off. We needed more napkins, more drinks. We had to go and get her. She got NOTHING.

Answer 8

Servers do not make minimum wage!  they rely on tips to make up for what the restaurant doesn't give them.  So if you're really upset about tipping you should complain to the restaurant that they should pay their servers a decent wage so you don't have to make up their salary.

However, as we all can imagine, good servers make well more than minimum wage, as they should if they give good service.  I tip even if i get lousy service if the person was at least trying and i got the bare minimum level of service i should get.  it goes up depending on how well they did their job, usually 20% or more if really outstanding.

Answer 9

I usually only do 10%, for medium service.  I carry around a tip card chart as well.

Answer 10

A lot of time servers are paid below minimum wage as restaurants expect their income become at least minimum wage with the tips your provide--which also goes to the hostess and others in the restaurant. These people work very hard and put up with a lot of c**p. Having worked in the back of the house I now tip 20% whenever I go out to dinner.

Answer 11

For a wait person to survive solely on minimum wage is hard.  They rely on tips to help bring them up to what would be considered a decent wage in their profession.  

Here in the US, the Internal Revenue Service will automatically establish a certain amount of gratuities paid on a person's wages if they don't report their tip income.  

For good service and good food, I usually tip 20%.   If service/food quality are substandard I'll tip less and speak to the manager.