Where your tip goes: clarifying tipping in America

[Clotho]

In the DDP changes thread, there was a slight derail in which there was a discussion brewing about tipping customs in the US. I even got a private message where someone was asking me how I could possibly justify someone paying 15% tip on their meal. I am shocked that any adult in the US has any confusion about tipping in restaurants, and the fact that servers are expected to make their wages off of tips. So I thought a little information on how tipping works, where that money goes, and the realities of what servers make.

First of all, in high end restaurants, a server can make a good chunk of change. But the work is hard, the hours are long, and the respect level is so horribly low. As is evidenced by the "I'll throw the server a couple bucks, but their work isn't worth more than that to me" attitude evidenced in the other thread. The amount of misunderstanding and disrespect for professional servers is dismaying. So here is a little lessong to learn about what you are really getting for your tip.

Where your tips go:
Servers have to not only give service with a smile, it is a juggling act! And not only that, your server is the face of an entire staff of people who you don't even realize are scrambling all night to make sure your evening goes smoothly, and ensure that all you remember is the great time you had.

What you see is a server greeting you kindly, offering suggestions based on their knowledge of the menu (and wine), taking your order, keeping track of your pace of eating and calling on a developed sense of timing and knowledge of the menu items you ordered and how long they take to prepare so they can bring out each course in its proper time (not bringing the meal when you're only halfway through your appetizer), cleaning away your plates, making sure your waters are filled, and on your chosen beverage bringing you refills or offering you another as the case may be, collecting your bill, and seeing you off with a thank you and a smile. And you aren't the only one (though their job is to help you feel like you are the center of their attention)--all these details they are keeping track of for 4-6 tables on average. The delicate balance of timing alone is an incredible feat, but they are doing it while seamlessly showing each table a good time, all while performing physically like someone at the gym getting a workout.

And when they are not taking care of you and 20+ other patron's orders and needs, depending on the support staff of course, they are doing things like stocking glassware and silverware (running it from one part of the restaurant to another--heavy stuff!), brewing coffee and tea, doing minor prep on dishes, and helping other servers. In smaller restaurants you have to arrive before your shift and stay after your shift to take care of other details, which can range from daily cleaning projects; and every server has to stay after, balance all their receipts, calculate their tips and tip out support staff before they go home. A typical shift is about 10 hours total. Evening servers are rarely home before midnight. They are also expected to come in on off hours to do food tastings, wine tastings and classes, and work on holidays you would cringe to imagine having to work on (in one restaurant everyone had to work two out of three of Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Years. Then there is Easter Brunch and Mother's Day Brunch--I had my family just come to the restaurant on those days to "celebrate", because I wouldn't see them otherwise).

Note the following phrase above: "tip out support staff". Yes, your server is not the only person who is affected by those who stiff on the tip. Servers are expected to tip a percentage of their tip to any support staff. At one upscale restaurant I worked at, servers had to tip their assistant waiter, busser, expediter (someone on the food line who helped run food during busy times), bartenders, hostesses, and if generous they would also throw some money to the dish washing staff. This is not an exaggeration. Even in smaller restaurants without a lot of support staff, you were expected to tip the bartender and hostess at the very least. So when you don't tip your server, you are stiffing up to 6 other people as well who worked hard to tend to the details of your evening. (This is why I usually tip closer to 20% for regular meals, and 15% for less stellar, and rarely any lower than that--my server may not have been awesome, but there are other people involved who should not be penalized for a server who doesn't smile enough or didn't refill my water often enough--there are so many details in a meal and I consider them ALL when tipping)

This is why servers are only expected to report a certain lower percentage of tips, not 15%. Because they DO NOT MAKE 15% WHEN YOU LEAVE IT. They make closer to 8-9% of the tip maximum, the rest being paid out to support staff. So imagine if Johnny Cheapskate decides he and his family don't have to pay more than a few bucks to their server--not only are they insultingly ignorant of the amount of work the server really does, but they are also not taking into account all the support staff who also went into making their meal special, and stiff them, too.

Also, to clarify further on my personal experience with paid wages versus tipping, I worked at a few restaurants where the following was the case: We did NOT make minimum wage PLUS tips. We made minimum wage as a literal minimum, but were expect to make our money in tips. To simplify it, imagine I work at a place that promises I will make at least $5/hour. I work a shift and make $4/hour in tips. The restaurant will only pay me the $1 difference between my tips and the promised minimum wage. So I did NOT make $9 as you think I would. I make what I was tipped plus a make-up $1. Period. So my wages really were paid through tips. And believe you me, I gave service with that in mind. I worked very hard to give a wonderful experience to all of my guests. I wasn't perfect--humans being IMperfect. But I knew that my entire paycheck rode on my ability to show my guests and good time...and ultimately, relied on the fact that here in the US *EVERYONE* should know that 15% minimum tip is EXPECTED for good service. More for exceptional. And yes, less if I failed at my job. How many jobs have you had where your paycheck changed from week to week based on not only your daily performance ("Sorry, Ted, but that presentation wasn't up to the standard I was expecting. Sorry your Grandmother died...but we're only paying you 90% of your wages this week"), but where on a whim, the people you are striving so hard to show a good time to, can up and decide the tipping customs in our country do not apply to them, and you will take your couple of bucks they deigned to throw your way and LIKE it. Besides, they really had to save to come to dinner here, and them saving a few bucks and going out for a fun time with their family is far more important than you paying rent this week. You understand... *condescending pat on head*

Working in restaurants was the hardest job I ever had. I did not make as much money as I did answering phones in an office years later (Cushy! Stock options! 401k!). Many servers do not have health benefits, so that is either another huge chunk to secure it personally, or none at all if you can't afford it. There is no sick leave. You just don't make money that night. There is no paid leaves of absence for children or family needs. They will simply replace you. There is no pension. You work your way up from the crummy shifts to the great shifts--the great shifts being weekend dinners, at times when you wish you could spend with your friends or family, but that is where the money is, so you take it when you can. You have to serve people who think you are lesser than them, and only do this work because you aren't qualified to do anything else.

But I also loved my job then. I loved serving people--making their evening special. I loved being called on to make suggestions for them, and hitting the nail on the head and seeing their eyes light up when they take their first bite or their first sip. I loved the hustle and bustle of the restaurant, and the fun and and friendly people I got to work with--hard to be a successful server if you're not fun and friendly (though there were notable exceptions! LOL). And one of the only ways to gauge my success at the end of the day was to open that billfold and see a large tip in there. Customers rarely thank you and say "great job". But when they leave a generous tip, it is acknowledgment that I worked hard, and they truly appreciate and understand how hard I did work to make their night memorable.

So for those of you who didn't understand how it worked before, hopefully you do now. And hopefully you will think twice before you leave a paltry tip for one minor concern, or godforbid you decide you don't need to top 15% minimum because your family needs that money more. As was said in the other thread: if you can't afford to pay for the meal AND the tip, you can't afford to eat there. If you want to eat someplace nice, save up enough for both the meal and the tip, and have some respect for the people who make a living on the assumption that you and all other patrons are tip-savvy, and who work so hard to show you a fun night out.

[Jen C.]

I agree. I NEVER tip less than 20%. My pet peeve was when people I dine with will say, "The food was bad, I'm not tipping well." I'm not sure what one has to do with the other:confused:. The server didn't cook it.

If we experience escpecially poor service, I have been known to say to the serve on leaving, "I hope your day get's better", with a smile, or I simply will no longer patronize that establishment if it happens on a regular basis. However, I never tip less at the time. My family thinks I'm crazy though:blush:.

[disneycouple2004]

AMEN to that one ..My mother has been a waitress almost all of my life.(and still is) I can tell you what you just posted is correct..thanks for the wonderful insight for others to see:thumbsup:

[Mickie the Pooh]

I agree with you completely, however I am afraid that your target audience could not possibly care less what the facts are. Then there is the pay a decent wage group but if their meals jumped by 30 to 40% to allow those wages to be paid? Well you know what they would say to that don't you.

[shan-ash]

Well said!!!!

[natkevnol]

Ok..well guess I'll be the first to disagree. I find it so hard to swallow that the people you "attack" are the consumers..the customers. I am one who firmly believes the restaurant should increase prices 30, 40 even 50% to pay their employees a competitive pay.

If it is assumed that I should pay a minimum of 15% then why not include it in the price of the meal. Because then it will be my choice as to where to spend my money. And then, when I patronize a restaurant that pays their employees correctly I can choose to "tip" based on service. A server who goes above and beyond what is asked of them. Not a server who can "expect" a tip regardless of how well they serve.

If you choose to be a waitress..you choose the pay. That's pretty simple. And if a restaurant wants to keep good help...then they pay them.

I just don't see how the orginial poster can blame customers for not tipping adequately. I pay what the restaurant charges...the rest is up to them and their employees. The original poster made some excellent points, however, as a consumer..that's not my problem. I don't think teachers are paid well either..which is why I choose to give them huge gift certificates from my children several times a year. They appreciate it, but they chose their profession knowing the pay/benefits. I assume servers do the same. They know the pay/benefits...if they don't like it..find another job. Not my place as the customer to make sure their paycheck is adequate.

[Clotho]

The old "I shouldn't have to pay your wages" argument, backed up by the predictable, "If you don't like it, get another job" argument.

Luckily, most people understand the system and work within it. That's like saying, "I don't like giving pedestrians right-of-way. So I will just speed through the crosswalks. You don't like it? Don't walk places!" The argument being that it's all about YOU.

Thing is, living in any organized society means adhering to certain agreed upon standards of conduct. In the U.S., tipping 15% happens to be one of those standards. And not only that, but the entire restaurant INDUSTRY is designed around that expectation. So if you want to live, and dine, in the US, this is the expectation. If you choose not to, don't blame the people who choose to work those jobs, or the employers who are simply working within those rules most everyone else has agreed to.

The beauty is that you DO have an option. If you have crummy overall service, etc, you have control over the ultimate number. So, too, can you be more generous. SO your argument that it should be built into the price rather than optional, and yet in the next breath you demand it to be an option...you contradict yourself.

I often wonder how people feel about tipping in other parts of their lives. Do they tip bellhops? Maids? Or are those professions also too below your care or notice that you refuse to adhere to standards of conduct for them as well?

[jszczur5]

Ok..well guess I'll be the first to disagree. I find it so hard to swallow that the people you "attack" are the consumers..the customers. I am one who firmly believes the restaurant should increase prices 30, 40 even 50% to pay their employees a competitive pay.

If it is assumed that I should pay a minimum of 15% then why not include it in the price of the meal. Because then it will be my choice as to where to spend my money. And then, when I patronize a restaurant that pays their employees correctly I can choose to "tip" based on service. A server who goes above and beyond what is asked of them. Not a server who can "expect" a tip regardless of how well they serve.

If you choose to be a waitress..you choose the pay. That's pretty simple. And if a restaurant wants to keep good help...then they pay them.

I just don't see how the orginial poster can blame customers for not tipping adequately. I pay what the restaurant charges...the rest is up to them and their employees. The original poster made some excellent points, however, as a consumer..that's not my problem. I don't think teachers are paid well either..which is why I choose to give them huge gift certificates from my children several times a year. They appreciate it, but they chose their profession knowing the pay/benefits. I assume servers do the same. They know the pay/benefits...if they don't like it..find another job. Not my place as the customer to make sure their paycheck is adequate.

Okay, I'll be the second to disagree.
Boy, did I ever get attacked in the original thread, but let's do the math. 4 people per table, average turn around of 5 tables per hour. (Yes, I was a waitress in university, so this is being conservative). Average bill, let's say of $100 times 18%. That's $18 times 5 tables equals $90/hr. plus whatever the hourly wage is. Even if half of that tip is siphoned off to support staff, that's still $45/hr. plus.
And yes, servers have to be friendly and smiley etc., but so do all the rest of us in the service industry.
When was the last time you tipped the CM at your Disney hotel check in? I certainly never have.
Besides which, the prices at WDW restaurants are significantly higher than at a comparable restaurant off property. Maybe it's Disney's job to pay their servers better. They certainly have the profit margin to do so.
When I was a waitress, many years ago, I hoped for tips...I did not expect them as my God-given due. Some people are better tippers than others, that goes without saying. But to tell people not to eat at a TS restaurant if they can't afford an 18-20% tip is "harsh" as I said in the original thread.
I appreciated the DDP the way it was, as I viewed it as being comparable to an "all inclusive" plan, and never carried money around with me. All I ever meant to say was that the new plan is not for the better, except for Disney's bottom line. I don't think the guests will benefit, and I certainly believe that the servers will find their pockets lighter as well.

[CleveSJM]

I'm mostly with natkevnol here. It isn't up to the diner to know all the payroll processes behind the particular restaurant they are eating at. I agree they should come in expecting to pay a 15% tip. But then it's totally about service. If it's good, I'll go 20+, average is 15% and bad is 10% or $1 if I really want to send a message to the restaurant. That's how we diners can influence management and motivate poor performance, with our wallets.

True, Europeans and others need to know that wait staff are not paid a fair wage without tips but most Americans know the drill.

[Wolf]

Ok..well guess I'll be the first to disagree. I find it so hard to swallow that the people you "attack" are the consumers..the customers. I am one who firmly believes the restaurant should increase prices 30, 40 even 50% to pay their employees a competitive pay.

If it is assumed that I should pay a minimum of 15% then why not include it in the price of the meal. Because then it will be my choice as to where to spend my money. And then, when I patronize a restaurant that pays their employees correctly I can choose to "tip" based on service. A server who goes above and beyond what is asked of them. Not a server who can "expect" a tip regardless of how well they serve.

If you choose to be a waitress..you choose the pay. That's pretty simple. And if a restaurant wants to keep good help...then they pay them.

I just don't see how the orginial poster can blame customers for not tipping adequately. I pay what the restaurant charges...the rest is up to them and their employees. The original poster made some excellent points, however, as a consumer..that's not my problem. I don't think teachers are paid well either..which is why I choose to give them huge gift certificates from my children several times a year. They appreciate it, but they chose their profession knowing the pay/benefits. I assume servers do the same. They know the pay/benefits...if they don't like it..find another job. Not my place as the customer to make sure their paycheck is adequate.

Ok this one I gota fight back to. I can see someone who has never been a waitress to say this. I have been waiting tables to pay my way through college for almost 2 years now. I make $2.13 a hour. I rely PURELY on tips. my check every week barely puts half a tank of gas in my car. No we dont choose our professions because of the bennefits, we choose it because we have to have a job for God's Sake! We all aren't lucky enough to have desk jobs. Every waitress you ever see is either a MOTHER or a student. Think about your mother waiting tables making that $2 a hour before you decide not to tip again cause I can promise you the managers aren't going to pay us any better because you want to be cheap.I am lucky to still be on my fathers insurance because I'm still in school. My mother has been a waitress for nearly 10 years now and works her tail off to make things work for us including our trips to disney. I really advise you to never go in the same resturant more than once, I can honestly tell you we do remember the faces of those that don't tip us.

[magicman]

I am a good tipper, so please don't think my opinion below means that I'm stiffing these hard-working folks.

How did restaurant business models evolve to direct payment from the customer to the server? I'm not certain, but I would guess it was the "slippery slope concept". I'm guessing some nice, generous folks paid their server for superior service a long time ago; then, it became standard & businesses thought...hmmm Wally Waiter is getting pretty good tips, let's cut back on his salary and ultimately WE won't have to pay Wally. As a bit of anecdotal evidence that this is the case, I'm old enough to remember when the tip was supposed to be 10%, then it changed to 15%, now 18% (we're sliding down the slippery slope). Shouldn't the percentage have remained the same since inflation would be covered by the increased bill?

My final thought (and I know that I'm all over the place with my train of thought)...What if the man behind the counter at a gas station gets a tip? Will his employer think, "Hey, let the customer pay him directly." What about you and your job? What keeps your company from saying, "We want our WONDERFUL customers to get great service from our employees, so they work only on gratuities from the customers."

[kgoulash]

i'll admit i skimmed thru some responses, but after 8+ years as a waitress i never made more than $2.60 an hour by my employer the rest was from tips. i did a good job, i believe, and was often rewarded with generous tips. that's the restaurant biz, if you don't want to tip well than you shouldn't eat out:mickey:

[CleveSJM]

I think some are missing the point of the "disagree" posts.

We are all saying we think restaurants should pay a fair base amount to each employee and have the tip really be a bonus. This is the European model and it works but makes the basic meals more expensive.

The system is broke if a +18% tip is assumed for all service. A generous tip needs to be earned.

[Wolf]

The thing is the employers don't care. The Government won't raise the demanded pay and resturant managers refuse to even consider pay increases for waitresses. Mainly because most civil people tip good servers. I always run my tail-feathers off for people, smile and keep drinks up and get food out quick as possible. Its a extremely hard job that noone appreciates until you have to do it one time. The servers you don't deem worthy to tip because you think the system "should change" do not deserve your arrogance. If you don't tip go to McDonalds.

[magicman]

i'll admit i skimmed thru some responses, but after 8+ years as a waitress i never made more than $2.60 an hour by my employer the rest was from tips. i did a good job, i believe, and was often rewarded with generous tips. that's the restaurant biz, if you don't want to tip well than you shouldn't eat out:mickey:

My job is to make semiconductors (computer chips). Do you think it would work if I said, "If you don't want to tip me well, then you shouldn't expect that chip in your pacemaker to work.";)

I agree that right now we have to tip...out of fairness...or obligation...or pity, but WHY IS IT THIS WAY, and should it (could it) be changed?:confused:

I'd like to hear from someone who is a server on whether they would prefer to get a flat salary or do they prefer tips?

I conclude by thanking all the great servers. A good server can really brighten your day and they touch lives more than most other occupations that I can think of. Hats off to you.:tiphat: And please, please don't spit in my food if you don't like me.:silly:

[conorsmom2000]

:cop: Moderator Warning!! :cop:


Tipping is very personal to each of us - please refrain from attacking someone's opinion or name calling. If this thread continues in the direction it was headed, it will have to be closed.

Thank you! :mickey:

[Mousefever]

My job is to make semiconductors (computer chips). Do you think it would work if I said, "If you don't want to tip me well, then you shouldn't expect that chip in your pacemaker to work.";)


This comparison would work well if you also made $2.60 an hour. I'm sure you make quite a bit more than that. Besides, when you initially made the semiconductor, you wouldn't know if the pacemaker patient was going to tip you well or not, just like a server. Not quite the same thing.

I always tip 20% or more unless the service is terrible. If all restaurant employers in the U.S. decided to raise prices and pay their employees a living wage, that would be fine with me. However, I don't see that happening.



:dory:

[magicman]

If all restaurant employers in the U.S. decided to raise prices and pay their employees a living wage, that would be fine with me. However, I don't see that happening.
:dory:

You never know. Maybe some very ethical business owner might say that she's going to take a stand & treat her servers/employees as their most valuable asset. She's going to pay them well. Then, word of her ethical stand gets out to the very best servers at competing businesses. The very best servers come to work for her. The business flourishes because of the great employees working there. Other businesses change their models so they can compete. One person...the right person...can still make a difference.

:flag: (patriotic music should be playing right now):flag:

You know...you never know what can happen when a wish is made.:tink: You might even be that person.

[btuskan]

Okay, I'll be the second to disagree.
Boy, did I ever get attacked in the original thread, but let's do the math. 4 people per table, average turn around of 5 tables per hour. (Yes, I was a waitress in university, so this is being conservative). Average bill, let's say of $100 times 18%. That's $18 times 5 tables equals $90/hr. plus whatever the hourly wage is. Even if half of that tip is siphoned off to support staff, that's still $45/hr. plus.
And yes, servers have to be friendly and smiley etc., but so do all the rest of us in the service industry.
When was the last time you tipped the CM at your Disney hotel check in? I certainly never have.
Besides which, the prices at WDW restaurants are significantly higher than at a comparable restaurant off property. Maybe it's Disney's job to pay their servers better. They certainly have the profit margin to do so.
When I was a waitress, many years ago, I hoped for tips...I did not expect them as my God-given due. Some people are better tippers than others, that goes without saying. But to tell people not to eat at a TS restaurant if they can't afford an 18-20% tip is "harsh" as I said in the original thread.
I appreciated the DDP the way it was, as I viewed it as being comparable to an "all inclusive" plan, and never carried money around with me. All I ever meant to say was that the new plan is not for the better, except for Disney's bottom line. I don't think the guests will benefit, and I certainly believe that the servers will find their pockets lighter as well.

In most restaurants around the US, this is not a typical scenario. When I worked as a waitress, I was lucky if I got one shift per week where I made above average tips. Most days I made enough in tips to provide an average wage of about $10/hour...not $45. I think I'd still be a waitress if I was making $45/hour...that would be $90,000 per year working 40 hrs/week and taking two weeks off with out pay.

[dtootsie42]

We are a family of 5 and when we do go out to eat we try to tip between 20 and 30% mainly because we are a larger family. We tip 10-15% if the service is just so-so and I hate to admit if the service is really poor we usually leave just a few dollars. However, when we leave just a few dollars I usually leave a note or talk to the manager about the service. Unless it's one of our favorite places we don't go back to a place that gives us poor service.

Wait staff work very hard so that people can enjoy their night out. I really appreciate all the hard work. When we go to Disney there is never a question on how much to tip. If we tried to be cheap our three daughters, ranging in ages from 20-16, would give us heck!

Just wanted to share my thoughts!

[Clotho]

We are all saying we think restaurants should pay a fair base amount to each employee and have the tip really be a bonus. This is the European model and it works but makes the basic meals more expensive.


If you want the system changed, start a letter-writing campaign. Good luck with that, but that would be the appropriate way to do it. Waiters and waitresses have no control over the system, they simply work within it. Stiffing them on a tip is punishing THEM for a system that MOST people in the US agree to work fine for them.

You don't have to know all the wage vs/ tipping conventions to know that it is expected that patrons will pay a 15% on their bill. This is the system in place in the US. Not all social norms are ones we enjoy, but we abide by them because they are commonly accepted practices. This is one of them. Go march on the steps of the capitol building if you disagree. But don't punish your servers who are working hard for the money they earn. If I don't think I should have to slow down in a construction zone, I don't speed through and take out a few of the flag-men while I am at it, to try and get my "message" across...

And I will also chime in that the inflated numbers of $45 per hour is ridiculously high. When I worked at Spaghetti Factory, for instance, the average check was under $20. The place was always a bustle of many tables, and you were chasing your tail all night long just to keep up. The turnover on tables was faster, but you had to make up for the low bills (and tip percentage) in volume. We often had to serve large parties, which were the worst at tipping and sometimes shorted the entire bill, despite them being far more work than, say, a couple. And in family restaurants, you always have the "my baby is going to throw spaghetti all over the place, and we're just going to leave it for you to clean up". That wasn't how I was raised...

At lower menu-price restaurants, I got stiffed far more for working harder at a faster pace. People leaving little or no tip was common. It was chalked up to a more ignorant clientele, or, as evidenced here, people with families who justified not tipping the waitress because this was their "splurge night out", and they didn't budget in a tip. Now I can add "trying to make a political statement about the tipping system in the US" to the list of people who stiff waitresses. At least leave your pamphlet at the table explaining why you believe servers shouldn't get a tip from you, so they can donate to the worthy "We Shouldn't Have to Pay Servers' Wages in Tips!" campaign. Right up there with save the ozone, stop apartheid, and nuclear disarmament!

When I worked in fine dining, the table turnover was incredibly slow. Like 90 minutes and longer per table. You also had far fewer tables, because the service standard was higher and your expectations of service were far more varied and specialized and required more time and attention than spaghetti slinging. The individual tickets were higher, though, which sometimes balanced (when people tipped well), and sometimes didn't (getting stiffed on a few tips there really would decide if you could pay for groceries that month, so a lot was riding on giving good service and getting people who tipped appropriately and fairly). People almost always left 15-20%. It was a savvier dining crowd in general, who knew that a 15-20% tip was part of any table service meal.

I am guessing at Disney, between the "we don't go out to eat much so we're not tipping you" crowd and the "we're from another country and don't know the tipping customs" crowd, the servers probably don't get very good tips from about 50% of their tables. Thank goodness the dining-savvy, "I'm just happy to be on vacation and I am going to tip you generously" crowd helps make up for it. But in the end, they likely work harder than the average server and make less in tips (and possibly wages, from what I have read of Florida state minimum wage laws for restaurant employees).

As for "get another job", for many people, you cannot get the flexibility you need at any other job, and still make a living wage. As someone pointed out, mothers and students are the most common "day jobs" of most waitstaff. And frankly, some people really enjoy the work. I would do it again, myself. As I said, it was hard, but it was rewarding emotionally, physically, and monetarily. The occasional ignorant non-tipper (or political non-tripper) wouldn't be enough to turn most servers off of it. But you're welcome to keep trying punishing them in hopes of changing the system...

[DizneyRox]

Frankly, I don't care much about what I'm supposed to tip. I do understand that I am expected to pay between 15-20% of the bill. However, my problem is that it IS NOT a given. That 15-20% is based on good service. I might even say adequate. When I'm eating at home, I get my own drink, I get my own food, if I spill something I clean it up, I put my dishes away, etc.

However, in a restaurant, I can't do those things, someone has to do them for me. If they are done, then that is acceptable service and a tip should be expected.

BUT, if I'm thirsty and need something to drink, but it doesn't come around, then there goes part of the tip. If my plates are sitting around for too long, there goes some of the tip. If I'm sitting around waiting to pay my bill instead of doing other things I want to be doing, there goes some of the tip.

All of those are examples of what I feel is unacceptable service. Something I could do if I was at home, and are now my servers responsibilities. They need to know that, I shouldn't have to remind them. I have no need to rectify the situation by bringing it to their attention, nor should I have to. It is so much easier to adjust the tip, in my mind, that's what it's there for.

On the flip side, if something/someone goes above an beyond, sure, why not add a couple more bucks to the pot.

To go into a meal expecting to leave less than the standard tip is not right however. That I agree with. But blindly tipping a set amount just because I'm eating there is not right either. It's a sliding scale.

What happens with that money after I leave is of no concern of mine. I don't know how many people are out back doing whatever it is they are doing. Maybe I should ask for a policies and procedures from the management when I sit down so I can decide what I'm supposed to be doing when I go out to eat.

[sashiroo]

I agree a tip is earned, but I think some people are missing the point here. A server's job is to serve people. When you go to a TS meal in Disney, you are being served by not only a server, but also a CM. For example-Prime Time, they are servers and entertainers. Several other TS restaurants are like this as well. IMHO I really believe a good server deserves a good tip. If I am willing to "be served" in a restaurant, then I should be will to pay for being served.

[Clotho]

We are a family of 5 and when we do go out to eat we try to tip between 20 and 30% mainly because we are a larger family. We tip 10-15% if the service is just so-so and I hate to admit if the service is really poor we usually leave just a few dollars. However, when we leave just a few dollars I usually leave a note or talk to the manager about the service. Unless it's one of our favorite places we don't go back to a place that gives us poor service.

Thank you. To you and everyone who supports your waitstaff, show your appreciation, and use communication as a tool for change rather than passive-aggressive nonaction. It is truly appreciated.

[Clotho]

What happens with that money after I leave is of no concern of mine. I don't know how many people are out back doing whatever it is they are doing. Maybe I should ask for a policies and procedures from the management when I sit down so I can decide what I'm supposed to be doing when I go out to eat.

Thank you for reading my long post so that now you DO understand what happens to the tip when it leaves your hands. I think empathy and understanding is important for ALL of us. I am trying to give you all who may NOT have worked this profession some insight into why that tip is important, and not think that servers are greedy people who expect a tip for no work, and go home with piles of cash that they fill their swimming pool with, like some people make it sound.

[RaRaRoundTheWorld]

We average 15% when we eat out, sometimes more, sometimes less. How people chose to run their restaurants varies, and it is not our job to figure out how all that works. We feel that a tip is like a bonus for a job well done. We do not feel compelled to determine the economic status or motivations of the person who brings us our food. Everyone has a different reason for why they chose to support themselves with the profession they decide to pursue.

In many other countries, the tip is included in the price. Having experienced the service over the years in these foreign restaurants, it's obvious that when the pressure to win a tip is removed, the service is much better.

Since ours is a great country where anyone can attain anything they have the will to, I don't feel sorry for anyone who is gainfully employed. I do think that American servers should find a way to demand better payment terms, if the amount of money they are making is indeed so paltry. Personally, everyone I know who has worked as a server has made /is making a solid to generous living, and they haven't complained about how most people tip. But, I have to clarify to say that these people were all using the job temporarily, to get through university or to have the freedom in a job to do other things.

[ElenitaB]

I worked as a waitress during grad school, and I think the experience really did a lot to change my perspective on the service industry. This was one situation in which the old adage about "walking a mile in someone else's shoes" was proven true. I also found a lot of value in Clotho's original post, which explained how tips are distributed to many people, dispelling the idea that the server is the only person benefitting from the gratuity you choose to leave.



(Another) Moderator Alert
We are a pretty passionate bunch here at Intercot, otherwise we wouldn't be spendin time participating in a community passionate about Disney destinations. Please let's keep our civility about us while indulging our passion, and take a moment to reread your posts before you post something that others might see as offensive (always a good practice). Also, let's not rehash what was said in another (equally passionate) thread.

Thank you!

[DonaldDuck1117]

First of all this is coming from a waiter and a college student, but I have NEVER tipped more than 15%, heck I rarely even tip that much! I usually tip a little more than 10%, and since I am a waiter I am harder on my server because I know what they should be doing.

The one thing I absolutely cannot stand is when a pay with cash and the server tries the nice trick of sticking me with only $5's for change. If that happens I leave them the coins they brought back and that's all. :mad:

[Clotho]

Thanks, ElenitaB. ANd sorry for my impassioned responses. It's been a decade since I worked in restaurants, but I still feel strongly about the tipping customs in the US and those who choose to ignore them. I appreciate your feedback, and your reminder. :secret:

[snifflesmcg]

First, let me thank the original poster for the break down of a server's life. This is 100% accurate!

Let me start by saying that servers don't get "Holiday" pay. My boss told me that working on busy days on holidays is "holiday pay". We were nights, weekends, holidays, summers and winters. When school is out, servers are still there serving you your food. We generally don't get vacation time or good benifits.

Onto the "math" issue. You can never assume that every table a server has 4 people sitting in it. Alot of times there are less and sometimes more. I know when I go out to eat, it's mostly a party of 2. You also cannot assume you will get 6 tables (my old job we were only allowed 3 on the weekends) or that the check will be $100. Think about this, the 50's diner has meatloaf for $13.49. With no appetizer, no dessert and water.....that is $27 for the check. Let's say that table decides to rest awhile and sit and talk for 2 hours. That means you made a whole $5 (providing they tipped appox 18-20%) for 2 hours which you now have to give half of it to the government and other co-workers. Times that by 4.....that's $20 but still half of it goes out the window. AND THAT'S WITH A GOOD TIP. Imagine the people who DON'T tip.

Think about having to give the government money because you are taxed on money whether you got it or not. I remember a cold winter day where I only worked a lunch shift. I worked about 3 hours, got 1 table and since the tip was so small, I actually had to PAY out of my own pocket for going to work.

To say "That's not MY problem that the restaurant doesn't pay them" is just sad. Please, the next time you decide to go out, please look at your server and say, "Don't give me good service because I don't plan on tipping you well tonight". You shouldn't eat out or if you do, go somewhere where you throw away a wrapper and put the tray back over top of the garbage can because that is the only place you deserve to eat!

Tipping is something that is part of the restaurant experience. I would never expect someone to give a good tip (or even one at all) to someone rude or undeserving of it. Most of the time, this is not true and people are just being cheap about it.

:offtopic: Just for the record, I do think teacher's get paid just fine. Teachers in this area get between $40,000-60,000, great benifits, pension plans, and they get off EVERY weekend, EVERY holiday, night and THE ENTIRE SUMMER. That is a bit steep for people who send kids home with hours and hours of homework.

[DizneyRox]

:offtopic: Just for the record, I do think teacher's get paid just fine. Teachers in this area get between $40,000-60,000, great benifits, pension plans, and they get off EVERY weekend, EVERY holiday, night and THE ENTIRE SUMMER. That is a bit steep for people who send kids home with hours and hours of homework.
OH BOY! I know this is getting WAY Off topic, but I had to point out I haven't met a good teacher yet with weekends, holidays, and summers off. I used to live with one...

[SurferStitch]

snifflesmcg.....

You are SO right on everything in your post, and I mean everything. ;):thumbsup:

My mom was a waitress for a few years back before I was born, worked like a nut, and relied practically entirely on tips. She said she did well, but it was a lot of work.

Are there some bad servers out there? Sure, but after years of eating meals out, they are few and far between. Most have been good/great, and we tip very well to compensate that.

Tipping is a part of American culture, so to be a rebel and try to squash it by taking it out on the servers is so unfair.

If I can afford to eat a nice meal at a restaurant, I can be mature and classy and afford a fair tip, too. If you can't do what's right and expected of you as a patron, then don't go out to eat at a sit down restaurant.

[LauraF]

I may not agree with the system, but I still tip at least 15% for acceptable service. As someone here alluded to, I walk in the restaurant prepared to tip 15%, but the waiter/ess forgets to refill my drink when asked, doesn't get my order correct, or is downright surly, then they lose a percentage of their tip.

If I recieve outstanding service then I tip accordingly. (I left a 30% tip for one waitress at Jikos. She totally deserved it. I told her I didn't like peppers and she went so far as to find out that the meal I wanted was cooked with pepper oil and asked me if I wanted the chef to substitute another flavor. That, and being on the ball with every other aspect of her job earned her tip.) However this kind of exemplary service doesn't appear at the type of restaurant most Amercians frequent. Therefore I'm not surprised to hear of people who don't tip. It's disappopinting, but many see it as a way of "saving money." (Until they have a child or themselves doing the job. then we'll see what happens.)

[locodemickey]

:offtopic: Just for the record, I do think teacher's get paid just fine. Teachers in this area get between $40,000-60,000, great benifits, pension plans, and they get off EVERY weekend, EVERY holiday, night and THE ENTIRE SUMMER. That is a bit steep for people who send kids home with hours and hours of homework.
It always amazes me that people think teachers do not work on the weekends (and on weekday nights for that matter) nor in the summer. Many are taking classes that are required to keep their certification and who do you think gets the room ready before the kids come? Benefits have also diminished over the years. We don't need more teacher bashers - they work very hard to educate and care for our youth. I also know this is :offtopic: but I had to respond.

[magicman]

In re-reading the original post and how tips are divided up, it would seem to me that Disney should have left the gratuity included so that the server (and support staff) would be better accomodated.

I wonder what group pushed to no longer include gratuities in the DDP??? Also, I wonder how the actual Disney Servers feel about the changes being implemented in 2008, and if they think will come out better?

Any insights...

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I partially disagree with the OP.
2) To us, tipping is NOT a "must", it is a reward.
3) We start out with a percentage, DEDUCT for bad service.
4) Kind of a reverse method.

5) We owned both medium and fine dining eateries.
6) Although much of OP's post is accurate, things are left out.
. . . most or all cash tips are not reported to IRS
. . . thus, the tip is actually 40% more than left on the table
7) I take this into consideration for my tip percentage.
. . . if I were to leave 20% in cash, I leave 10%-%12
. . . if I were to leave 15% in cash, I leave 8%-%10

NOTE: Taxes are the main reason why unionized servers at WDW wanted the DDP to not include tips. The tip from DDP had to be reported to the IRS and taxes paid. Without DDP, cash tips didn't get reported. I pay my taxes, why shouldn't they?

For the OP, did YOU report all your tips and pay taxes on them?

EDIT: Tipping on a credit card is different for us. Since the eatery reports these to the IRS, we tip a non-discounted percentage.

[MMouse6937]

My DH and I are tippers way and beyond 15%, we eat out a lot and appreciate the service they provide.

With that said, I really thought this was a Disney vacation planning site. I know this started out with the changes on the Dining Plan but has gone way beyond that.

[bleukarma]

I usually leave at least a 20% tip and if my waiter/waitress is bad I take the percentage down but I normally don’t go under 10%. But most of the time I get good service so I most of the time I leave a 20% or more tip.

For the people that talk about how they do things in Europe…well I agree with a lot of the ways that things are done in Europe but I don’t live there. I live in the United States where it is common knowledge (at least it should be) that wait staff get a minimum wage salary and the rest is made up on tips.

I also agree that maybe the system should change and the wait staff get paid a higher income and not expect tips, but right now that’s not how the system works. Until that plan changes I will continue to leave my 20% tip.

I don’t agree with paying other people (like the hotel check-in staff) a tip because they make more the $2.50 an hour. Part time I work for a department store where I certainly work much harder then my daytime office job. I think a lot more goes into it then people realize. I have to pick up after the people that messes up the tables, pick up after the people that throw clothes around in the dressing room, take things back to the their proper department that people have left in my area, make sure I don’t need change before I help the next person in line and you don’t even know how many times a shift I am told I am doing something wrong (If I work in the men’s department how am I supposed to know that the bra you a purchasing is on sale?!). Do I think I deserve a tip because I keep on top of these things? No. But I make $7.25 an hour, not $2.50. Yes I knew taking the job that I would to do all this stuff for the small pay but the customer service industry is about the only jobs that will work around my full time office job. Just like it’s about the only industry that will work around a college students job. For the record, I could not serve because there would be too many times where I would “accidentally” spill a drink on people with attitudes. I made the wise choice to stay away from the food serving industry! And that is the reason I give decent tips, because I couldn’t do it.

If it’s close to payday and decide that I want to eat out then I figure out how much money I will need for my meal plus tip. If I don’t think I can make it then I stay home and make a sandwich. The same thing should be true if you’re on vacation. I would love to eat at Raglan Road but if I spent extra money on that souvenir and I don’t think I could tip my waitress then I go to Earl of Sandwich. The thought of stiffing my waitress wouldn’t even enter my head. It would be like me planning a trip to NYC and deciding that if I stiffed all the wait staff at every restaurant I went into then I could afford that ticket to the play I want to see. I’m just not that type of person and I will have to see that play the next time around.

[kgoulash]

I'd like to hear from someone who is a server on whether they would prefer to get a flat salary or do they prefer tips?
:

as a former waitress i can only say my opinion, looking back it would have been nice to earn more per hour and not owe so much to taxes at the end of the year, it would have also been nice on those lunches i walked out with only $5
however it is nice to have your good service rewarded with a nice tip.
if the restaurant biz was changed so servers received a higher wage and therefore lower tip % so be it, it would be up to an individual whether it would be a good enough job for their bills
my biggest problem (and i don't intend to attack anyone ) is i can understand if one does not agree with the current situation but it is what it is and in my opinion by going out to eat one is assuming responsibility for their whole meal, food and tip

:mickey:

[jedigrrrl]

First of all this is coming from a waiter and a college student, but I have NEVER tipped more than 15%, heck I rarely even tip that much! I usually tip a little more than 10%, and since I am a waiter I am harder on my server because I know what they should be doing.

The one thing I absolutely cannot stand is when a pay with cash and the server tries the nice trick of sticking me with only $5's for change. If that happens I leave them the coins they brought back and that's all. :mad:



wow.

[BronxTigger]

OH BOY! I know this is getting WAY Off topic, but I had to point out I haven't met a good teacher yet with weekends, holidays, and summers off. I used to live with one...


It always amazes me that people think teachers do not work on the weekends (and on weekday nights for that matter) nor in the summer. Many are taking classes that are required to keep their certification and who do you think gets the room ready before the kids come? Benefits have also diminished over the years. We don't need more teacher bashers - they work very hard to educate and care for our youth. I also know this is :offtopic: but I had to respond.

As a teacher, THANK YOU!!

Yes, I get two months for summer, but one month of that was paying for and sitting in classes for an education that I have to do in order to keep my job.

Additionally, I spend plenty of my own time preparing for the actual class time, as well as plenty of my own money paying for things that the parents or school should be providing, but don't.

And then their is the atrocious behavior of some of the children....

Yes, I knew about this going into the profession, but the lack of respect and awareness is still bothersome, to say the least.

[jedigrrrl]

:offtopic: Just for the record, I do think teacher's get paid just fine. Teachers in this area get between $40,000-60,000, great benifits, pension plans, and they get off EVERY weekend, EVERY holiday, night and THE ENTIRE SUMMER. That is a bit steep for people who send kids home with hours and hours of homework.


wow again. double wow.
I am appalled by some of the stuff being said on here.

[tyandskyesmom]

I'm coming in late on this one but I completely disagree with the original poster. I did not read all the posts throughly and I am using the word "you" in a general sense here.

You cannot tell me that because you chose the job you chose that I have to make up the pay you lack. You knew what your base pay would be going into the job just as I did when choosing to do the job I do. Your tip is your bonus for a job well done just as the bonus i may earn is a relfection of the work I did during that month. I need to make sure that the job I chose provides me with enough funds on an everyday basis to live...I cannot count on my bonus as my living wage...if I did could I call all the patient's who's accounts I got the insurance companies to pay that month and ask them all to tip me? I don't think so.

It is great that some wait staff love their jobs and are very good at it...in that case a tip should not be a problem but the sad truth is that a lot of wait staff are not worthy of even a 10% tip.

There was an argument that the restaurant owners do not care enough about wait staff to actually raise the prices of the food and actually pay the staff more...well, again, this is not my problem...I don't feel my employer cares enough about me (or my co-workers) to pay me what I are worth either but again I cannot call all those patient's I helped out and tell them that since i got their bill paid for them that they nee dto tip me.

The fact is YOU CHOSE THAT JOB, no one forced you to take it and no one forces you to stay there.

Ahhh, in a perfect world all wait staff and all tips would be good...however, I don't live in a perfect world...do you?

[Disney Doll]

As someone who has never worked in food service this thread has really opened my eyes. I look at 15% as a minimum (the old double the tax rule) and then I make increasing adjustments from there. I assume if the server only gets 15% I have sent the message that the service could have been better. I cannot believe that people will actually leave less. If you are uncomfortable leaving 15% then you should speak to management because something has gone way wrong. Otherwise, pay the 15% and move on. 15% isn't really that much. Of course DH and I usually frequent the more casual dining establishments and we don't drink so the bill for 2 of us is rarely more than $40.00. 15% of $40.00 is only $6.00. I'm not going to squabble over $6.00. I understand that prices for fine dining can be considerably more and the tips in those cases could get pretty large, but if fine dining prices and tips don't fit your budget- don't go. We don't.

Let's leave teachers out of this. I'm not sure where teachers are getting $40,000- $60,000 plus all that time off, but that was not my experience.

[Momto2Princesses&1Pirate]

WOW!!!! I think tipping practices needs to be added to the list of topics that should not be discussed openly due to the hostility that can occur..........religion, politics and tipping practices......it's hard to believe that this thread is coming from the same wonderful people who give such great advice about "the HAPPIEST place on earth".:grouphug: I think several more are needed.....:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[Clotho]

I'm coming in late on this one but I completely disagree with the original poster. I did not read all the posts throughly and I am using the word "you" in a general sense here.

You really should read before replying. It helps to keep from redundant explanations.



You cannot tell me that because you chose the job you chose that I have to make up the pay you lack. You knew what your base pay would be going into the job just as I did when choosing to do the job I do. Your tip is your bonus for a job well done just as the bonus i may earn is a relfection of the work I did during that month.

What you and some others seem to refuse to accept is that a tip is not a "bonus". It can be "incentive", but it is not above and beyond their regular pay. That is why I wrote this thread. IN THE US, THE TIP IS PART OF THE COST OF TABLE SERVICE DINING. And that tip is an expected part of the waiters INCOME. That is how the system works. When waiters take a job as such, in the US, it is understood that you take a lower base wage, and if you work dilligently and show your patrons a good time, there is 15-20% of the bill that gets collected in tips. As I explained in another post before, which you obviously have not read, state-to-state there are laws that allow restaurants to pay their servers UNDER MINIMUM WAGE because it is expected that patrons will pay the tip, as is the custom in the US. So if you have an issue with the way restaurants are run, and the tipping system, then you need to take it up with your local GOVERNMENT. Because they are the ones that allow minimum wage to be ignored for wait-staff.

Again, a reminder: if you don't like it, if you don't agree with it, if you are going to take the "you can't make me do that" attitude, then take it to legislature. Don't punish your server. They are there to show you and your friends and family a good time, they work hard for it, and in the US you are EXPECTED to tip. If you choose to ignore that, it doesn't make you more powerful. It makes you someone who is robbing your hard-working waitstaff of the money they need to live on within the current system.

As for someone who asked if I claimed all my tips when I worked in restaurants, sometimes I did and sometimes I didn't. But I guarantee you the difference between the two was very slim--I wasn't taking that tax free money and running out and buying yachts with it. Come on. I was living in a shared house with two other people, driving a 10 year old two-door sedan, and I certainly wasn't running off to Disney every year for a vacation...not even every 5 years. The money was better than flipping burgers, and more rewarding, but it was hardly a way to get rich.

[Maleficent's Dad]

Forgive me for "stirring the pot..."

IN THE US, THE TIP IS PART OF THE COST OF TABLE SERVICE DINING. And that tip is an expected part of the waiters INCOME. That is how the system works.
The term "expected part of the waiters INCOME" is a DIRECT CONTRADICTION to your next statment:

if you work dilligently and show your patrons a good time, there is 15-20% of the bill that gets collected in tips.
I'll explain
"expected" and "if you work dilligently..." are two very different things.
I will gladly, even happily give 20% and more to a server who does a good job.
When they do not work "diligently," to use your term, they do not get what they "expect." Sorry - that is a fair way of doing business.

So if you have an issue with the way restaurants are run, and the tipping system, then you need to take it up with your local GOVERNMENT. Because they are the ones that allow minimum wage to be ignored for wait-staff.
On this point, I do agree with you whole-heartedly! We, as a country, have a "minimum wage." I find it disheartening that some businesses - namely the restaurant industry - are allowed to skirt this 'law.'

Just my $0.02.

[DizneyRox]

WOW!!!! I think tipping practices needs to be added to the list of topics that should not be discussed openly due to the hostility that can occur..........religion, politics and tipping practices......
and refillable mugs, and the need for tickets for a 3 year old, and buying tickets on eBay, and don't forget the sccoters/wheelchairs.

This one is actually quite civil! ;)

[ElenitaB]

(Yet Another) Moderator Alert

Please let's keep this thread CIVIL. To loosely quote what Jason said so eloquently on another thread:

The INTERCOT Terms of Service (http://www.intercot.com/disclaimer/boards.asp) are very clear that we do not allow personal attacks or arguments on the boards. Several posts in this thread are coming mighty close to crossing those lines.

Everyone agreed to the Terms of Service when they joined. If one has not reviewed them in a while, it is suggested to do so again.

Thank you,
INTERCOT Staff

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . We, as a country, have a "minimum wage." I find it disheartening that some businesses - namely the restaurant industry - are allowed to skirt this 'law.' . . .

1) On this point, I agree.
2) We should be more like Europe.
3) Pay the hourly wage, and forego the tipping.

[MouseManiac]

Wow… there are so many angles that you could approach this topic…However, I would say this… Perspective is created by situation and experience. I would imagine that there is a huge difference in opinion between someone who is wait staff at Denny’s and someone who waits at Chateau Foofy-doof… Meaning the average amount of the bill (being cheaper in one place than the other) is a direct coloration to the tip. Conversely, the experience and expectations of the diner is markedly different between the two places as well.

Believe me, by heart goes out to anyone who works tables at Denny’s where the end bill is $15 for two Grand Slams, plus free refills of coffee…AND the couple makes a 2 hour soul session out of it! Look, I would tip $30 just for the inconvenience!

HOWEVER!! I live in a community where if you spend less than $100 for dinner for two, you’ve had a cheap night out! We NEVER tip less than 20% unless the service is SEVERELY lacking in some way. I understand that wait staff rely on their tips… I am sympathetic to that and will gladly leave upwards of 30% for exceptional service.

That being said… I am paying a baby sitter $10 an hour to spend a few peaceful hours of dining pleasure with my husband… If you have PMS, your girlfriend/boyfriend broke up with you, or have any other issue that will effect you ability to give me adequate, courteous service expect that to be reflected in you tip!

I do not want my appetizer served at the same time as my salad… which I would like to finish BEFORE my entrée arrives… I would like my dinner plates cleared before my dessert is added to the pile… And if my glass is empty, chances are I would like another or at least like to be asked. These are the things that tipping reflects… Quite frankly the sense of entitlement is rather beneath anyone who truly understands the nature of his or her job or the etiquette of tipping.

Let’s be clear… tipping is a courtesy, a matter of etiquette, not a law or point of public safety as has been alluded to. Unfortunately for wait staff, it is the arbitrary nature of the business. Depending on your culture, socioeconomic background, and a multitude of other factors, it reflects different things to different people. If we could get all people to agree on all things, there would be world peace.

Just my :twocents:

[BronxTigger]

There is an article many of you on this thread may find interesting. It's on MSN Money's page, and it's titled "Here's a tip: 20% is the new 15%" and it is written by Liz Pulliam Weston.

A lot of the topics/opinions that have already been shared in this thread are listed in that article, in a concise format. Think of it as a summary of this thread.

[DisneyGiant]

Totally get the point and agree with the OP 100% !!!!

I think it helps having worked as a waitress - you know how hard the wait staff works, and for the lousy $2.00 an hour paycheck.

It was $2.00 an hour when I was waitressing in the 80's!!!!!

And if your wait staff isn't giving you the service you expect - the time is not at the tipping time to tell - I routinely call over the manager if I feel the service is not good. Why let it get to the point at the tip time?

A couple of times I was left a penny as a tip - not due to my own fault - but to the kitchen, management's lack of staffing etc - its the biggest insult there is.

And now the government makes you add up your checks at the end of the night and declare the taxes right then and there. So if you didn't tip me on your $100 bill - I'd still have to pay taxes on the mythical $15.00 I was supposed to have received!

We always try to bond with our wait staff - thus making the giving of the 20% all the more special.