Tipping etiquette

$40 is about 20%-if you received good service-that would have been better and its just $4 more. Especially if you plan to return. Now a days 20% is more the norm than $15 for good service, of course in Keokuk it might be closer to 10%, but on both coasts, 25% these days is not out of line.

Of course based on our tight-assed Puritan traditions the first big meal in the US of A in Plymouth, MA hosted by pre-casino Native-American's, now called the first Thanksgiving, the colonists laid about 25 cents worth of wampum on the table and the deed to Providence they won in a whist tourney.

While I tend to tip 20% (including wine), I don't think there's any issue with tipping where you do 15%.

Here's one question- what are we talking about in wine? If I spent $119 for one bottle of Barolo or Brunello, I might tip closer to 15%. Few waiters at midlevel restuarants aren't going to feel that $18 isn't fair compensation for opening and pouring one bottle. If we're talking a bottle of Arneis, a bottle of Barbera, and two glasses of vin santo, maybe more like 20% - extra glasses, etc. Just a thought.

tipping has nothing to do with etiquette, manners, your individual opinion or any other such nonsense. it's simply an exchange of values, an exercise in capitalism and civility.

obviously the concept exceeds the grasp of most european, socialist states and petulant whine snobs.

if a guest walked into any of my places of business and forewarned us that he may or may not properly compensate the waitstaff, i'd personally throw him out on his lard ass. a customer is hardly qualified to evaluate the performance of a restaurant staff - effective ownership and management doesn't need any help in that area.

"good service" is not only irrelevant, meaningless and subjective, efficiency can be related to any number of factors outside a server's control. if the section was overseated, if the cook is drunk, if some tightass customer is tying up too much time with petty whining or special requests .... or if one just happens to have unreasonable expectations.

among civilized folks, the tip is as much a part of the cost as is tax or parking. among civilized folks, one doesn't dwell on $20. there is no % differential among the coffee, desert, entree, wine or appetizer. the bill is the bill. jeez!

only a pompous, cheapskate would make such references. the government requires withholding based on a percentage of sales - whether the server gets semi-stiffed or not.

assuming you have jobs, do you negotiate your paycheck week to week, based on how your employers'/customers' evaluate your performance?

only parasites and deadbeats would seriously discuss the merits of honoring an business obligation.

This is my formula:

Could you let us know the names/locations of your places of business?

Hi Chuck,

I've killfiled this guy about a month ago. Major troll and/or jerk.

All the best,

Larry

Obviously, I would never want to do business with you (assuming that you are not just running off at the mouth, which is probably closer to the truth). If you think that a patron isn't qualified to judge waitstaff, then you are sorely mistaken. As the consumer, I certainly can tell when I am being treated excellently, average or poorly and I will compensate accordingly. I have been known to leave 100% tip when the service warrants (a bit excessive in any case, but the example in question was well worth it considering the amount of "here, try this and tell us what you think" samples I was given).

The real problem, in my opinion, with tipping in the US is that it has become expected rather than it being earned. I agree that most restaurant/bar staff are underpaid with the intention of tips making up the difference but since nowadays it seems that you are expected to leave 15% or more, there's not much incentive to provide excellent or even average service in a lot of places. Fortunately, there are a good number of establishments that demand outstanding customer service from their staff and I am always happy to patronize them.

As Chuck mentions, please provide the group with the names of your businesses so that we can all avoid them.

Gary

"Brett Berrie" skrev i melding news:2Ge%d.605$ snipped-for-privacy@fe09.lga...

Troll or not, it may be interesting to note that I'd give about 5% for standard service and only when extraordinarily pleased raise to 10%. Different countries have different traditions. I've understood that in the U.S. waiters receive little by way of a decent salary and thus are dependent on charitable customers tipping. 15-20% seems to be the norm btw. Other places, like Iceland, have little or no tradition for tipping and some waiters would find the concept of tipping an insult to their professionality.... :-) So a discussion of whether 20% is correct probably is a bit too Americanocentric for an international newsgroup... Anders

The credit card has made it very easy to tip, but you are at the mercy of some formula, often unknown to you, used by the restaurant to split the tip among the staff. One solution is to just give a minimum decent tip and then reward someone who has been especially helpful with a bit of cash extra. There are a very few restaurants that do not allow tips and usually so state on the menu(a service charge is built into the price of the food and wine). Then there are "bribes" you often find at restaurants in tourist trap areas. You have to slip someone some money to be seated soon or to get a good table. A few restaurants will fire staff if they catch them accepting such "bribes". There are a few small restaurants where a family member serves you who would be insulted as being thought of as a servant by being offered a tip, but I have not seen this in a long time. There are restaurants that may have only average service but which send you outstanding food. In such a case the chef may deserve some special consideration. Some chefs would be insulted by a cash tip, and others not. Some would be glad to receive a bottle of wine. Others would greatly appreciate just being thanked by you if they have time to come out to your table. If an owner or manager is present, he or she may be able to help you thank a chef in the best way.

Reply to snipped-for-privacy@cwdjr.net .

FOR ALL A RESPONSE TO XENOPHOBE

So tell me the difference for the time it takes the waitstaff in opening and pouring a $120 bottle vs. a 40 bottle?

20% tip is between $8 and $24. Three times the amount with the latter. Tell me what's the difference in service?

And BTW - you might considering a new line of work.

You seem awfully pissed at your patrons.

My good friend is a chef in NYC and when we go out we begin at 20% and go up or down depending on how good the service is.

Was reading Chuck's post. ;-}

All the best,

Larry

Brett you are wasting the skin off your typing fingers.

Hang around for a while and you will noticed Xenophobe and a few others consider themselves the height of cutting wit and reparte.

You will notice this is a common theme on usenet.

Do yourself a favour, hang around for a while, get to know who is serious and who is not, and then start replying. You will quickly learn who to take notice of and who to not.

Mat.

Hi Brett,

You did specify it was a New York resteraunt.

A lot of the posters here are American, even New Yorkers / NY staters.

I can't see a problem with talking about specific things to a location.

I don't think you did anything wrong personally.

Mat.

funny, but if memory serves me correctly, in old English tea house TIPS were given to insure prompt service and not vice versa :-)