It is not my job to compensate employees of an establishment that I am alreay patronizing. Bringing a plate of food to the table doesnt merit 20% of a $100 tab - and requires almost NO skill. Business owners simply have to start paying their help reasonable wages. I will not.

Servers will remember your cheap ass and be more than happy to tip you.

that's nice.


I notice in countries that don't tip that the service sucks.

Even if waitresses/waiters get paid a living wage one day (which I hope happens), I'd still tip. It gives them incentive.

Brofie said:

I usually don't mind tipping the 20% provided service is excellent. Don't expect just to bring me my food and I tip 20%. I expect my glass to be full and for waiter/waitress to cater to my requests in a timely manner. Crappy service begets crappy tip (if any), good service begets good tip.

Brofie said:

i never help old folks the street. dang wheelchairs always blocking up the crosswalk, i just shoves them out the way and moves on by "git over there!" i likes to shout, make they dentures rattle

If restaurant owners were to pay their staff more, they’d have to charge more. Which, they could just call it a mandatory service charge on every bill. So you’d be paying that tip anyway – only now the restaurant is dictating the amount.
The way it stands today, servers are incented to provide better service by getting bigger tips, especially for repeat business. If they all got the same amount, they may not be as much.

TheVoid said:

Totally agree.

CarrieMpls said:

yes

Sometimes it bugs me that we're expected to tip no matter what, even if the service sucks, but I agree we'd pay for it either way, I'd like to have some control in tipping more to those who deserve it most.

Depends on where I am. I always tip people who do my hair, nails and tattoos.
When it comes to food, if I like the service, I tip.
Last night at TGIF's, that bitch got a dollar. Period.
I got a tip for her alright...

So?

Its all in the attitude and friendliness of the server to me . Ill tip 20% minimum. If the server is nice and is putting forth a good effort ill tip more. If they are just ho-hum... want do want, you are bothering me im having a lousy day . no smiles ill go 15% or lower .

I'm a sucker of a sweet talking girl or a cute guy .

I am not so inclined to tip the person who hands me a bagel at the coffee shop or runs the register at the yogurt shop.

Even a guy who hands me a bottle of beer hardly deserves a tip for taking the cap off, but it's expected. That bugs me a little.

hummm. How nice of you. You know they often get paid below minimum wage right?

And you know that most places assume a certain percentage of tips based on their billing totals (called allocated tips) and they are taxed on that amount by the IRS.

You know that many places the waiter has to tip the bartender or even bus staff based on sales.

So when you fail to tip you may in face be costing them money.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

that's why he doesn't, because he feels it's the business' responsibility to pay them enough wages without tips.

But instead of hurting the business in a way that forces them to pay the servers more, this guy is just hurting the servers. It makes no sense.

NDRU said:

Yeah , this one does bug me .... Im standing in line at Subway for 15 mins , theres a tip cup by the register . Umm thank you for taking 2 mins to make my sandwich but you at least make minimum unlike the $3 an hour servers.

being a dick requires almost NO skill as well...

Be sure to let the server know you plan to fuck them over before ordering.

Maybe order a vinegar and water for a beverage if you want to code it.

Being a bad tipper is a total dealbreaker for me. I won't even associate with them, let alone date or be friends with them.

Brofie said:

I remember getting greif for this a couple years ago on here. I tip but not well.

Efan said:

That's true for me too.

thejason said:

Yeup

XxAxX said:

Efan said:

Actually, I've been in situations where my date was rude to a waiter or waitress, and I pretty much called it quits emotionally on the spot. It can ruin a date for me.

I've been very upfront and honest with business owners, hostesses, and waitresses before, but only if they give me really bad service up front and immediately. The last time this happened was in Cardiff when a waitress wouldn't seat me at a booth I asked to be seated at. She simply said, "no." when I asked if I could be seated at a booth, without explaining or expressing professional courtesy. She then sat me in the worst possible table I could imagine near a heavily walked pathway, etc. etc. I left before ordering and when she asked if I was going to order, I simply replied, "I don't want to eat here.".


But I've waited tables for years when I was younger, so I know the value of good service and getting tipped. I'm a very big tipper, and always polite to the staff. I don't think stiffing them to make some point about 'the system' is helpful. Actually, I echoe thejason's sentiments in that regard.

I wonder where CarrieLee is. She's got a few things to say on this subject I'm sure.

Efan said:

If you are like that in the gay community its the kiss of death. Being a bartender I'll be the first one to tell someone bout anothers cheapness.
[Edited 2/18/10 11:15am]

It's not tipping that bothers me. It's the fact that there are RULES on it. 15% or whatever. Who comes up with this?

If ya can afford to want to feel the need to great but don't make some weird rule about it. Like dont wear white to labor day or whatever.

If service is good I tip what I can afford. If it sucks. 2 dollars for you.

lazycrockett said:

Exactly. Bad tippers are a giant red flag: undateable, unfriendable, unfuckable.

Efan said:

TheVoid said:

Even though they get paid a living wage here, it is an unwritten rule that one should tip. And tipping a good waiter is a pleasure.

It amazes me how we reduce the worth of things down to money. Economics aside, you are sitting in a warm, dry, safe establishment of your choice -- maybe even with the frill of good decor, soft music and candlelight -- having another human being not only prepare your food exactly to order, but serve it to you... with a smile. All this at a whim. It's as if you're some regent or deity -- while somewhere someone would kill for a bowl of grain and glass of clean water. It baffles the mind.

That's worth 20% to me... even if the service is so-so. If you can't think enough of another person to throw a few extra pennies at them, think of the tip as going into the ether for good karma you probably haven't otherwise earned. Geez.
[Edited 2/18/10 11:33am]

Lammastide said:

I think the thread was bait to begin with though.

It certain spawned good conversation.