Should we tip because of the service or the amount of the bill?

Question

Example:

We ate at IHOP one day and the service was actually fast.....food was okay.....glass was always full or half full........and the cost was $29.00......I admit we tipped her $5.00

Okay next eat out night we ate at OLIVE GARDEN.....waitresses english was questionable......the steaks were still bloody inside (medium rare).......ordered well done........my food was okay........she didn't bring condiments requested till third time asked......drinks were empty for a long time........lets put it this way the service wasn't good.......the food was alright........we tipped her $10.00 but I feel tips really should be because of the service......after all isn't that what we tip for? Any good advice?

Answer 1

you should not have tipped the second waitress at all. or leave her a penny covered in ketchup if she finally brings you some.

Answer 2

I always tip because of service

Remember just because you went to a fancy steakhouse and paid $250.00 for two peoples dinner,it doesn't mean the waiter/waitress did anything more for you then the staff in a diner that cost you $25.00 for dinner would =)

I am however guilty of being lazy and sometimes basing the tip off of the amount of the check....

For Example: 5% of check for poor service, 10% for mediocre service, 15% for good, 20% for great service.

Answer 3

quality of service. I have told manager when the service was outstanding as well as when it was horrible. (I got 50 bucks taken off a check one night because of the horrible service.)

Answer 4

A tip is based on the quality of the service provided. Assuming you received good service, the tip should then be calculated based on the total of the bill. If you received poor service, tip whatever you feel is deserved.

:-)

Answer 5

OK, here goes...

I'm a waitress.  I like to think I'm a pretty good one but I've had my bad days too.  I like it best when people tip on a combination of the total bill, and the service.  I almost always make between 15-20% or more because I try really hard.  Some of the other servers don't, and tipping poorly doesn't inspire them to do better.  This type of server is a perpetual victim-nothing is their fault, etc etc.  They only resent poor tips and don't learn anything.  Trust me, I get to hear about it!  I've had $15 bills and gotten tipped more than the bill itself, I've had $300 bills and given excellent service only to be tipped less than 10%.  : (  That really sucks.  I've had people rave about my service and repeatedly request me, but still only tip 15%.

I start at 20% when I'm out to eat.  If everything goes smoothly, it stays-if everything goes exceptionally well, they get a few more bucks.  (One time I gave a server $50 extra because she went out of her way while they were slammed to get my daughter a side of ice cream that wasn't even on the menu. Plus she was really good anyways!)  The only time I'll lower my tip is repeatedly having to ask for something,  or, even worse, a bad attitude.  If the server is inattentive but I can see she's really busy, I cut her some slack, especially if she's friendly about it.  If I happen to sit with my friend for a long time and the place is fairly full, I tip more, because that is taking up a table and therefore another potential tip.  I also tip a bit more if I had the server repeatedly running to get things for me, like refills, extra sides, etc.  A few snags in the service I'm willing to overlook because I know how physically demanding and stressful the job can be.  I will admit I've really screwed up some times, but because of being so friendly and apologetic my customers were gracious.  If you experience a bad server, let their manager know right then, or call the next day.  Also please keep in mind, that if you don't like the food, a good server will try to offer you another choice or maybe even get a manager to discount your bill, but the servers don't cook the food or taste test it before giving it to you (thank god!) so please don't punish a good server if you weren't thrilled with the food.  Again, let a manager know-this is usually the only way things get corrected.  And last but not least, if you had great service and great food, PLEASE tell the manager!

Answer 6

I go with the service and next with a 15% gratuity tip. If you can't figure out the 15%, add the tax twice and if service was really, really good. throw in a couple extra dollars. ♥

Answer 7

Service over price ALL THE TIME!!!!!!

Answer 8

Here's my guide to restaurant gratuities.

Unacceptable service = talk to manager

Poor to average = 10% to 15%

Solidly average = 15%

Above average = at least 15% or more, depending on how deep your pockets go

If the service is so bad I consider not leaving at least a 10% gratuity, I'll ask to speak to the manager.

Sometimes the manager can smooth things over for you.

If the manager is problematic as well, leave with no tip left and find another restaurant to visit.

I have had managers give me gift certificates or a free meal before.  Now, don't get me wrong, I don't go out looking for free stuff, but when I'm not taken care of properly, I do approach the management.

Answer 9

Most places these days are starting to include the tip in the "service" so it really doesn't matter - - your basically giving the waitress/waiter extra tip.  BUT I TIP ON SERVICE!!

Answer 10

TIP

to insure prompt service...

and, if you dont like your food, send it back to the kitchen...

Answer 11

The quality of the service.

Answer 12

You tip on service......If the food is not prepared correctly, send it back,  your server did not prepare it only serves it....Now if the server is truly bad, then tip no less than 15%, but speak to a manger on your way out, or ask to see a manager during your meal.  If the service is good 20 -unlimited amount of tip.....and let the manager know.

Answer 13

i always base the tip on the service quality.  but  i use the 20%  of the bill as a starting point  it goes up for  good service or persaonality  it goes down for bad service or no personality.

The server has a big effect on how the food tatses  if it is cold  that is usually the servers fault

I'd avoid the olive garden surely there are local italian restaurants  owned by athentic italians  the food there  will be  many times better than a olive garden or carrabbas  national chain ever will be

Answer 14

I say tip according to service, but remember to be a little more lenient in your judgment if the place is really busy.  The server might have a lot of tables and is trying to please you but is just too busy.  I judge the server by how nice/friendly they are and how hard they at least tried to please us.

Answer 15

Ask the waiter or waitress what they make for a salary and how the tips are distributed after the meal.  

Tipping 20$ for someone who doesn't have a college degree and is doing a low skill job is ridiculous.  

My rule of thumb is to tip enough so that they make something like 10$ - 13$ an hour, regardless of their service they should always be friendly and prompt.  If they aren't, then talk to the manager and get them fired.

Answer 16

The tip is payment for the service, not the food or anything else. That is what the bill is for. If the service was good, as you stated in your trip to ihop, then you left a good tip ( about 17%). If your service at Olive garden was bad (which from what you said, it's sounds bad) Then of course you should not have left a good tip. (you never said what the bill was there but I'm sure it was much more the ihop). Waitress and waiters need to know their job. They need to know that if they give good service they will get a good tip. Even though this doesn't always happen. I think the wage for servers now is 2.16 an hour. That is based on them recieving tips. So they should know that for them to recieve their full paycheck(including tips) they should do their job and do it right. My advice would be to tip as you think you should. But do take note on things like if the resturant is really busy, or Sometimes they also might be shorthanded, which is no fault of the server, in that case of course you want to leave a good tip, even though the service might not have been as good as it could have been, if you see your server staying busy with alot of customers then you know.  But if you see that the resturant isn't that busy and you see your server lounging around, horseplaying or talking with other employees and not busy then maybe if you leave a very small tip she or he will think about that when the next customer sits at their table.

Answer 17

15% is what most people say, but I agree that poor or exceptional service deserves an adjustment.  If your service was ok, then give a 15% tip, but if it was crappy or great then adjust down or up if you want.  Remember your food being cooked is not your servers fault, while they can check that it is cooked right, that is the problem of the chef.  If your food isn't cooked right and your server takes care of it well for you, then all is well.

Answer 18

Tipping is a combination of both amount and service. The amount you tip is BASED on the amount.  You can go higher or lower than base depending on the service. Also keep in mind, even poor service should be 'rewarded' with some amount of tip.  ZERO tip says you're cheap or worse.  A 25 cent tip on a 30 dollar meal says 'your service sucked'.

Answer 19

Tip big in regular places you go. This usually makes the workers treat you nicer in future visits.

But always tip in other places because of the service if your tipping for the food make sure you give it to the chef.

No point in tipping someone if they did nothing.

Answer 20

I ONLY tip if there is friendly, polite service AND good food AND enough of it.  If there is a hint of resentment of waitressing OR trying to save pennies on meat OR food not cooked properly, I mention  it politely to the manager BUT then DO NOT tip.  This way, the restaurant gets the message.

MY amount of tip depends on the total bill and its genuineness.

Hope this is useful.  Wish you many happy dinners out.

Answer 21

I have worked in food service, because of this I try to always tip well; like you did at IHOP.  As a food service worker I understand how hard and demanding serving people is. Servers usually don't make as much as other employees; they really depend on the tips. I have had experiences like yours at Olive Garden and even though I tipped the 15%, I would not give any extra.I don't feel you would have  been wrong to have tipped less. Like you said, if the service is horrible then why tip so well?

Just keep in mind that in most restaurants the server is the lowest paid. The company does not have to pay them minimum wage because they receive tips. Also in a lot of restaurants, they also tally the servers sales and the server has to pay income tax on the tips they are supposed to have received. I had a friend who worked at IHOP and she wasn't receiving tips, (honestly she wasn't a very good server) but she ended up quitting because she was paying more than she was getting; if that makes sense. Also keep in mind that when your food takes longer to get to you or is incorrectly prepared, a lot of times that is the kitchens fault. Now the drinks and condiments is on the server. If I were in your shoes I probably would not have tipped her very well and may have even complained to the manager.

Answer 22

Tip should always be based on servie, as the food is not under their control unless ordered wrong, it is her job to bring everything that you need. If service is good the tip is good if service is bad the tip is bad.

Answer 23

Definitely tip for the service.  I've left $20 for $10 checks before... and left $3 tips for $40 meals.  For me, it's all about the service.  Since I am in the customer service field, a bad waitress is like a train wreck that I can't pull my eyes from.  (Or open my wallet to.)

Answer 24

Both.  You should tip no less than 15%, especially if the service is excellent or, at the very least, acceptable.  

Tips stands for:  To Insure Prompt Service.  Your server cannot help the quality of the food but should cheerfully return it to the kitchen to be recooked when told about something being wrong, as in the case of your underdone steaks.  

For me to not leave a tip at all, the service has to have been poor and the server's attitude questionable!  

I have little aluminum coins which say " You get what you give" and there is a zero with a cent sign beside it.  I've given out maybe 10 of these in 15 years or so.  I don't know what I'm going to do when they're all gone.  I found them in a junk store and there was 100 in the pack at that time.  I refuse to leave a penny--just in case the server thinks I "accidently" left it.

Answer 25

I just double the tax for the tip and not think about it.

Answer 26

As a former food server, I always have to take into consideration several variables. You must first remember that you are tipping for service, not for the way the food was prepared. If your server was polite, and kept your drinks full and promptly brought you what you asked for, they deserve a good 15-20% tip. However, servers make their money off tips, and if they are crappy or don't care, then why should you. A common problem is when we punish the server for things like raw food or food taking too long. That was not the servers fault, they didn't cook it. It drives me crazy when people undertip for stuff that was beyond the servers control.

Answer 27

The quality of service.  If you are eating at a resturaunt where it is pretty much mandatory to tip your waitress, you will know automatically because of the wonderful service that they are providing to you.  Yes waitresses usually make less than $3.00 an hour before tips, however, if they are not providing you with adequate services, do not tip them, they are seemingly not worth any more than the $3.00 that the resturaunt is paying them, if that much.

Answer 28

I take price as well as service into consideration.  If I went to Olive Garden and spent $30+ and the service was poor, they would get a poor tip.  If service was good, I can see tipping $10+.  I think that a $5 tip at iHOP is not that bad.  I've worked as a server, and I know what it's like when I get a good tip.  Makes you feel really good, like you helped their dining experience be that much nicer.

Answer 29

As a server myself, i feel that i am working on my tip from the moment that i greet you. i try to always keep drinks full, kids happy and my conversation with my customers to a minimum (unless they want to talk to me) then i will talk to them. i go to the table apprx. 5 minutes after i serve the food to make sure that everything is ok, and if it's not i take care of it right away. i don't care if your bill is 200.00, the tip should be based on performance. if you base it on the bill then you could end up with a slacker server that thinks they are getting a good tip no matter what.

Answer 30

Both should be a factor but I so appreciate good service.  If it's good I tip really well, if not, I hold back a bit...however I always tip.