How much do you tip when a waitperson meets expectations?

[onehandle]

Knows the menu and bar selections pretty well. Refills beverages at the right time. Checks on you just enough and needs that come up in a timely fashion. Isn't too pushy with whatever the manager tells them to upsell.

Does a good all around job.

[Droopy]

1. I always tip 15% to 20% no matter what

The lone exception being if the waiter cussed me out. :)

[davsand]

9. If they are rude I ask for a manager.

I never go lower than 20% as a tip, but I also have zero problems with asking for a manager if there is a problem. They can't FIX it if they don't know about it.

I have waited tables and I know how bad your kitchen can screw you if they want to or if they are messed up. I also know full well what it looks like when somebody is screwing off -v- being really busy. I'm not gonna bitch at the wait when it is beyond their control. I'm gonna take it to the manager so it can be fixed at whatever level the problem is.



Laura

[Droopy]

12. I've never had a serious problem with a waiter

Nothing that I needed to talk to the manager about. And I know what waiters make and how hard they work so I won't stiff them even if I have some minor problem with them.

[davsand]

14. I don't sweat the little stuff either.

I DO, however, take exception to being told it isn't THEIR problem when I ask for somebody to wipe off a table so sticky my napkin has to be peeled loose.

I take exception to having to bus my own table while the staff stands at the bar having a laugh fest.

I get annoyed when I order a steak "medium rare" and it comes so overcooked it is BLACK (Honest, I think "cremated" is a proper description of that meat.) What further compounds my annoyance is the waitress asking "can't you just EAT it anyway?"

Yep, there ARE times when I am going to ask for a manager.



Laura

[mike_c]

2. I selected 23-24% without thinking, but I routinely tip 25% or more....

That said, and while I do enjoy showing the wait person my appreciation, I HATE the system of meal pricing that automatically leaves the dining room staff out of the cost. Wait staff should be paid a living wage and that cost should be reflected up front in the price of a meal.

[Deja Q]

3. 20%. And if they were going out with me, 20cm...

:evilgrin:



:hide:

[TK421]

4. I've actually been told that I tip too much

by a waiter at a local restaurant whom I know personally...that's fine. I'm usually happy with what I order there

[LeftyMom]

5. I don't do a percentage alone

Otherwise waitstaff would be paid less for working someplace downscale, or because I don't drink with meals, etc. If it's only me and the service is decent I usually leave about $5. More if more people, they took care of me, or whatever.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. I do that too.

At a diner or hole-in-the-wall with low prices and great service it's about the dollars left in tip, not a percentage. I also leave a bigger tip when I'm eating on the cheap, like having just a salad for dinner rather than a full entree. The server does just as much work and shouldn't be penalized.

[flvegan]

7. Depends on how many buttons are undone on her shirt.

Just kidding.

I tip 15% regardless. The service could be absolute shit and may not be the fault of my waitperson. Understaffed/equipment problems, etc shouldn't be reflected in the tip. I tip largely on knowledge and attitude. If they're pleasant and I can tell they're working hard, they'll get at least 20%. Now, if my bill only comes to $25 or so, they'll get a higher tip, more of a flat rate, like $8 plus rounding the bill up to the next dollar (don't care for change).

[XemaSab]

8. Depends on the amount of the meal or beverage

For a coffee it's usually 50 cents or a dollar, for a drinky drink at a bar usually a dollar unless it's a pitcher and then I usually tip 4 or so. At a restaurant never less than two dollars, and usually closer to 5.

So between 15 and 30 percent, I would say.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

10. meeting expectations = 15% above expectations = 20%

just a rule of thumb...for me. Below expectations? I still tip the 15% :thumbsup:

[Richard Steele]

11. A waitperson who does everything you describe has EXCEEDED my expectations.

That's a 20-25% performance there.

[JVS]

13. 15% through about 20%

If service is really good up to, but not exceeding 25%

[Taverner]

15. I always tip 15%. Even for shitty service.

They're taxed on 15% so I tip 15%. Now to get above 15%, the waitperson has to be nothing short of spectacular.

If it's an upper-end restaurant, and the service is spectacular, 15%.

If it's a lower-end restaurant, and the service is spectacular, 20%.

[Forkboy]

16. I'm an over-tipper.It's a tough ass job waiting on people.

[petronius]

17. 20-25% is my target, with a $4-5 minimum

I tend to be a lot more generous when I'm travelling on an expense account - I figure since I'm paid by the state I might as well give people some of their tax money back... :)

[Starbucks Anarchist]

18. I always tip 25% minimum.

[Orsino]

19. Always 30-33%, unless something is really effed up.

[mark414]

20. for small bills, usually up to 50%...larger ones, at least 20% - never less

people who don't tip are dicks

[hyphenate]

21. I always try to make it between

15% to 20%. There hasn't been a wait staff that I've been displeased with for some time, but the last time it happened, it turned me off to the restaurant. What happened on that occasion was that we had no problem in the restaurant up to the point when a large party got seated in our area, and the next time we saw the waitress was almost 45 minutes later. She apologized for the delay, but I felt she could have switched with another waitress for our table if she was going to devote herself to the large party. I was very vociferous about the treatment, and scratched that place off my list.

I still tip, but in this kind of a case, I believe that the waitress made a decision, and should not have been tipped due to her own bad judgement. If it's something that came from the kitchen or other potential source it's different.

I know that waitresses live off their tips to a large extent and I understand that, but there are times when they are the ones screwing up and their work should be criticized in the one factor that the customer can control, which is the tip. And at some point, it's not even about the monetary aspect of it--I've always made a point of telling the host/ess or manager when we've received excellent service and praised the wait staff.

[bigwillq]

22. 20 percent

maybe--maybe--a little more if they're really good.

[ulysses]

23. it's either/or,

and to get "or", you practically have to piss in my lap. 20% is my general rule, and I'll give that even for mediocre service because I know it's a crap job. I give it to delivery folks, too. The gradient is steep, though - be openly rude with my family and you'll get a nice, shiny penny.

[TommyO]

24. Since I frequently dine alone, I tend to overtip a bit

25% is generally my base if the service is even remotely passable, and 50% is not unheard of (I don't want to screw a waitperson just because I'm only taking up one seat at their two or four person table.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

25. If they were OK, we double the tax.

That's usually around 16%. IF they were friendly and good, 20%. If they exceed expectations, we have been known to tip up to 50%.
But if they suck, we will give them 5-8%. Last night was one of those nights. Our server sucked.
Duckie

[distantearlywarning]

26. We had a very good waitress at lunch today.

We tipped her about 30%. But we also wanted to make up for the fact that she had to wait on a large party of freeper-types at the next table, and we figured they wouldn't tip her anything.

[REP]

27. We tip 15% for crappy service; a lot more for good service

If the server is obnoxious and the restaurant isn't all that, we'll leave a decent tip and not go back. If the server if awful but we like te restaurant, we leave a decent tip and ask to be seated in another section when we come back. Food service is not a fun job; don't really have the heart to seriously undertip even awful service.