Whould you tip me well?

Question

I'm a waitress and I'm having a pretty crummy week at work. With prices rising, I'm getting some customers who complain about the bill and then leave me a really crappy tip. It sucks, because right before I dropped it off at the table, we were talking and having a good time and they tell me what a great server I am and how everything was wonderful. Then after they get the bill they don't talk to me much anymore, leave me a crappy tip and then rush out the door. I think I'm a good server. I look neat, I'm attractive, I smile alot and I'm genuinely trying to make my guests have the most positive experience at our restaurant. I give refills before they need to ask, extra napkins for families with children (I even ask the parents if I can bring out fruit or oyster crackers for their little babies if they get impatient). I always check up on them to make sure everything was cooked to they're liking. I don't hover, but I make myself available should they need anything.

Answer 1

Ive worked at a steakhouse for two years and for the most part the one thing i find customers respond to best when faced with a high bill is agreeance.....make them feel like your on there side and are getting screwed as if u were eating there full price (hehe). Saying things like "man yall really ate tonight!, how was that 16oz prime" something to make them bring up how displeased they are with the bill then side with them and express how thats the sacrifice for good eating now adays dadadayayaylalla.....ya no really make them feel like ur screwed too without really saying that exactly....and sometimes unless you work in a slow resturant where you cant get away with things....slip them a scoop of ice cream or dont ring the drinks up ring up water......just do stuff they will notice, so that they KNOW you know the price is kickin there ***.....but if that fails some people just come to a 70 dollar resturant with 75 and 5 is going in the tank to get home ya know.....sometimes ya cant win but as long as they dont feel like you are "associated" witht the overpriced pricers of the food then theyll help u out too...keep busting your butt tho cuz believe me once you get that i dont care attitude theres no hope and u might as well just go find a check job. waitressing is chance man.

Answer 2

how old are you (if you are over 18/21 get into bartending or coctailing you are paid higher wages do less work and get better tips it is also more fun !? and what kind of resturant are you working in(if you are working in a resturant like the resturant chians for example ruby tuesdays fridays that kind of place.... where people of all incomes come to eat they are going there because they think it is within their budget and affordable ,they don't go there because it is an expensive resturant  ).go to a resturant where they don't have the prices on the menu where your customers don't see money as an issue. ? what do you think is a good or bad percentage of tips?people over 50 think 10% when they are in the middle class ...people under 22 who have not worked for tips forget the concept of tips.. i tip usually 25% because i am a bartender and  i have waitressed .

Answer 3

Sounds like you are going through a slump but it also sounds like you are a waitress that I would tip well.  If you like the work and can stand the current tipping situation, I would stay with it or look to go into management or other food service.  

Things can be just as bad on the other side of the fence.  If you have always done well at what you are doing just look at it as an off period.  Things will get better.  Maybe you have just had a run of dead beats.

Answer 4

I always tip 20 percent unless there is a problem with the service. The price of the meal or even the taste of the meal is not the responsibility of the server.

If my meal doesn't taste good, it is MY responsibility to say something. If the prices seem too high, I can say something to the manager or not dine there again.

You sound like a terrific waitress! You'd definitely get 20 percent (or more) from me.

Did these people not see the prices on the menu? People can be just awful to those who work in retail or the service industries.

Have you ever seen the movie, "Waiting"?

Good luck with your NEXT week at work. I hope it gets much better.

Answer 5

I tip 20%  I also do not put my tips on the credit card I tip in cash.

It sounds like you do an execptional job.  And you seem to take pride in what you do.

It is not your fault the prices are up and the person you just waited on is having a bad day.  I know it's hard but keep doing what you do.  (I sure as heck wouldn't want your job!)

I hope next week is better.  

By the way thank you, and all the other waitresses and waiters that will read this.

Answer 6

i have a sister that has been a waitress for 25 yrs....things are tight right now as people just don't have it but it's not your fault....we're here in Florida and an article was just posted today about the cut in restaurants

Answer 7

In the restaurant business you will have good weeks and you will have bad weeks. I don't know why it ends up working out that way, but it seems like during that week everyone will tip like c**p and the following week everyone will tip great. It all evens out in the end. Sometimes it doesn't matter what you do or how much of your self you put out. Just remember to treat everyone like they are going to be the big tippers even if they are not.

Answer 8

I waitress too, and actually, this week was a decent week for me!!! Weird, huh?

People will be cheap no matter what. I know what you mean about the tips and gas prices. I've heard that the first place people cut in spending their money is eating out.

I had a table yesterday that complained about the prices, and they left me $2 for a $30+ bill. I was torqued! They order food, and then they complain when they get the bill. Like duh, the prices are in the menu!

I think it is only going to get worse for us. I've been waitressing for almost 25 years, and it's stressful. But some people are cheap no matter what.

It'll get better next week. Just keep what you're doing and it will be fine!!

Answer 9

If my waitress did half the stuff you described doing, I'd leave a pretty good tip.  These days I'm getting the bad servers.  Always with an attitude or giving me looks if I ask for silverware (sometimes they forget I need them to eat).

If you were my server and I ended up with a $40.00 bill, I'd leave a $20.00 as a tip.

Answer 10

Whenever someone complains about the tip, laugh politely and say something like you don't make the prices and it's not your fault prices are high AND that you just offer the best service you can. That will hopefully remind them that you are a good waitress and you deserve a good tip. And yes, I would suggest getting a job with an hourly wage.

Answer 11

honestly i just give 5 bucks for tip,

justt me and my husband tho.

is that a crappy tip? im sorry if it is thats all i can afford. im just a waitress too

Answer 12

no

Answer 13

I tip according to service.For the service you said that you give, I would leave a good tip. By good I mean 15-20%.

I think I have a right to good service so Imust see better than good to leave a tip.The service you stated would qualify for that.