Tipping in the USA - do waiter/esses hate Europeans?

Question

I've heard that we Europeans get it wrong and don't tip enough.

It 's a vicious circle because the waiters/resses don't expect us to tip properly so they give bad service.

how much should we tip?!

Answer 1

15% minimum

Answer 2

i am a waiter and i don't think anything bad about any customer prior to seeing how i am treated by them.....that said   if a customer leaves a crappy tip after I think I've given them the best service possible out of my body...then i think poorly of them....we in the service industry in America usually work for below the minimum wage...therefore relying on the tips to make up the difference....we are still taxed upon 15% of all reciepts that we ring up whether or not we recieve a 15% or greater tip....thank you for asking and i hope this helps....enjoy your dining experiences

Answer 3

Don't assume the reason you get bad service is that you're European. Believe it or not, your waiter may be busy, and you may be shyer about requesting things than they are used to from the American patrons. Besides, it is not true that Europeans usually tip too little. Sometimes Europeans tip too much because they're not sure how much to tip, and they figure it's better to tip too much than too little. They're right--it's no fun working 10 hours on your feet to make only 60 dollars because you got bad tippers for an entire day...which happens to servers a lot more than people think.

As a rule of thumb, tip 17-18 percent for good service, 20 percent for exceptional service, and NEVER less than 15 percent in America, even if there is a bug in your food. I once was so infuriated by the service at a restaurant that I took out my calculator and figured out exactly 15 percent of a $8.77 bill. I think the waiter got the point.

On that note, if you are eating by yourself, it is generally accepted to leave at least a $3 tip--even if your entire meal was $8. It makes up for the fact that you're a table of one person instead of a table of four, and the waiter loses money by serving you alone. It DOES seem stingy to tip only $1, even if that happens to be 15 percent of your meal. Remember, in America, waiters survive solely on tips...often they are taxed so much on their below-minimum-wage salary that they get paychecks for 50 cents. $3 is fair on a $10 meal, even though $1.50 is strictly 15 percent.

Answer 4

You should tip a minimum of 15% of the bill.  Many people tip 20% if they got really good service or if they're at a nicer restaurant with guests (tipping 20% makes a good impression; tipping too little makes a bad impression).

If you are in a large group (8 or more people), read the bill carefully.  Often, for large groups, a mandatory minimum tip is already included in the bill when you receive it.

Answer 5

Send this answer to all your friends in Europe & Canada. Restaurants in the US do not add a VAT to your bill. Tipping should be no less than 15% of your bill. You give more for exceptional service. Servers in the US make 2-3 dollars per hour. 3 if you have been at the place for 20 years. Their livelihood depends upon the tips.

I am amazed that Europeans always act as if they do not know what to tip.