View Full Version : Tipping "who to"
I have always wondered when dining in the type of place (like Dennys etc) where you pay the bill at the till on the way out rather that paning the server, what is the best method of giving a tip? Do you leave it at the till when payning the bill, leave it on the table or hand it to the server in person.
I have done both - if paying by card and have no cash I would add it to the bill at the till and if I have enough cash will leave it at the table.
Even if you pay on the way out, they will know from the receipt who the server was, so the server will still get the tip.
Strangely enough I was in a Cracker Barrel today and asked the waitress if they got the tips from credit card payments. She thanked me for asking and said they got their tips at the end of their shifts, most restaurant expect you to wait until pay day. Obviously no tax paid on these tips!
As I paid the amount in the Cracker Barrel shop the assistant said that 'Christine' would get her tips at the end of her shift - it was a canny coinicidence that I had just raised the subject.
My daughter, Charlotte, works in Macaroni Grill on the 192. Any tips they get (even cash left on the table) they enter in to the computer. They get to keep their tips from cash and card payments at the end of each day (minus some for tip share that goes to the hosts, bussers and chefs). When they get paid each month for hours worked, income tax is deducted for the tips also. Tips make up the main part of her income, so the tax usually wipes out most of her monthly wage check.
Strangely enough I was in a Cracker Barrel today and asked the waitress if they got the tips from credit card payments. She thanked me for asking and said they got their tips at the end of their shifts, most restaurant expect you to wait until pay day. Obviously no tax paid on these tips!
As I paid the amount in the Cracker Barrel shop the assistant said that 'Christine' would get her tips at the end of her shift - it was a canny coinicidence that I had just raised the subject.
Katys Grandad
22-01-2013, 06:45
My daughter, Charlotte, works in Macaroni Grill on the 192. Any tips they get (even cash left on the table) they enter in to the computer. They get to keep their tips from cash and card payments at the end of each day (minus some for tip share that goes to the hosts, bussers and chefs). When they get paid each month for hours worked, income tax is deducted for the tips also. Tips make up the main part of her income, so the tax usually wipes out most of her monthly wage check.
That's very useful information Roger, thanks.
May I ask just what is seen as an appropriate level of tip? I'm usually in the 15-20% range in restaurants but I never really know if I'm over or under tipping.
That's very useful information Roger, thanks.
May I ask just what is seen as an appropriate level of tip? I'm usually in the 15-20% range in restaurants but I never really know if I'm over or under tipping.
Me too and I am never sure. My wife thinks I over tip but I am always in the 15 - 20% area. I like to tip because it's the way thing are over there and I think you should respect the way of life wherever you are on holiday. However there are some servers who go out of the way to be pleasant and some who just do their job adequately and then there are those that just don't bother to be pleasant.
If someone has been good I want them to know they were appreciated and that's where my question over where to tip comes in. If i tip at the till then the server is not aware of it until I have left and probably will not remember people at the end of her shift, If I tip the server direct then the person on the till is not aware of it and I have had some bad looks and the odd question something like "was the service OK for you sir".
I have to say that some of the most attentive service I have had has been in places like Bob Evans and Perkins and the more up market I go the service seems less personal.
So the old adage that the 'staff live on their tips' does appear to be true.
steph_goodrum
22-01-2013, 11:53
We always if at all possible give the tip direct to the server so we can at the same time acknowledge their service personally. A thank you goes a long way when you are doing jobs like that, I know from experience.
steph_goodrum
22-01-2013, 11:55
So the old adage that the 'staff live on their tips' does appear to be true.
I think in this day and age it is appalling the Government encourages/allows businesses to carry on like this. They are allowed to assume that something like 25% of the hourly rate (even minimum wag) will be made up of tips and tax accordingly. Of course if the place isn't busy or the chef is lousy, those who have still worked an 8 hour shift etc. but not have customers to serve or they have not left tips because of food, will have that deducted from their wages automatically.
A 15% tip is the right amount for good service. If the service is outstanding then 18 - 20% is appreciated. The staff know that some people leave tips at the table, and some at the check-out or on the card, so no need to feel that the staff are assuming you have not left a tip just because they don't see you leave it. A good tip, when deserved, is always appreciated. Charlotte always comes back with stories about her great customers that left a nice tip, as well as nice customers who were very happy with everything, but left no tip.
The wage for servers is around $4 per hours so very low. Without the tips, it would not be worth going to work by the time you pay gas money and car running costs.
Where Charlotte gets upset is when she has worked really hard and would normally earn a good tip, but the kitchen mess up and perhaps the food is a bit cool, or someone gets the wrong dish due to kitchen staff making an error. She is then the one that gets no tip from the customer.
Visitors from the USA (either local or from other states) are generally the best tippers, followed by Canadians and Brazilians. English are some of the worst tippers, probably because it is not such a big thing in the UK. However the English complain about problems less than the Americans.
Over here, waiting can be a career (rather than just an evening job for a student). Good staff can earn way more than an average salary based on the tips, and with experience can move on to more expensive restaurants and therefore earn more. Top staff in high-end restaurants (that do a good job) can make a very nice living.
That's very useful information Roger, thanks.
May I ask just what is seen as an appropriate level of tip? I'm usually in the 15-20% range in restaurants but I never really know if I'm over or under tipping.
I think in this day and age it is appalling the Government encourages/allows businesses to carry on like this. They are allowed to assume that something like 25% of the hourly rate (even minimum wag) will be made up of tips and tax accordingly. Of course if the place isn't busy or the chef is lousy, those who have still worked an 8 hour shift etc. but not have customers to serve or they have not left tips because of food, will have that deducted from their wages automatically.
Yes, but if you are good at your job as a server, would you work in such a place? In fact would the business survive at all? Perhaps if it was in a great location with a good churn of footfall, then it won't matter as you'll get people in anyway, but if the place is quiet the business is not viable and it is up to the management to sort it or everyone loses their jobs and management/owners lose their business.
That's all good information Roger. It comes as no surprise that brits are some of the worst tippers and I feel pre judged in some places. More so in the Orlando area than when we are down on Marco.
Interested in the Roger's comment about 'cool' food - one of the thing that really niggles me in restaurants here, apart from lack of vegetables, is that the food is not 'hot' as we would have it served in the UK. Guess with the warm temperatures people don't want their food hot but I often wonder if it is actully cooked as it should be.
We met with some Swedes who were staying at a villa near ours at New Year and they too don't have a tipping culture and were finding it very strange. As Vikk says, though, it's how it is there so when in Rome ...
Katys Grandad
22-01-2013, 14:32
I'm off for some winter sun to the Middle East again next week and then on to Bangkok. It used to be the case that tipping was almost unheard of in both places but the Americans have ruined that by insisting on imposing their culture there. The only place I visit where good service seems to be given for the pride of it is Japan where they are actually offended if you offer them anything.
I wish Americans also followed the 'when in Rome' approach.
A good server in a popular restaurant can make really good money.
When we are in Florida we will often eat in one of the hotel restaurants mid afternoon when they are not so busy. This often gives you a chance to talk to the servers as they are not as busy. One that we talked to last year was promoted to be a host and while they liked the job they could not afford to keep it and asked to go back to serving.
Normally the hosts get a fixed wage plus a % of the tips. In this case however it did not make up for the amount that a good server could get in a busy upscale restaurant.
We normally tip between 15% and 25%. My wife has an odd food allergy, how well the server deals with the request decides how far up the scale we go.
Dave
Either 10% or 20% depending on the server and what they have actually done.
We were chased by a server out of Golden Corrall a few years ago. She caught up with my mum and asked if we had forgotten to leave a tip. I questioned what she had done as we had found our own table, got our own plates and cutlery, served ourselves the food and even cleared up after us. All she did was fill 6 cups up with coffee! We were a party of 12 people so a 20% tip would have been around $20....for pouring 6 cups of coffee, i don't think so!!!
On the flip side, we have left 25% in places like Morton's, Manny's and even iHop if you get someone who is always there in a flash, friendly, attentive and actually does his/her job.
When you're a large party and when a lot of them are kids, it's a tough one as you are spending a lot of money on the meal ($300 in Raglans Irish Pub) so to leave an additional 25% on top is hard! Should they really expect me to leave an additional $75???
My wife has an odd food allergy, how well the server deals with the request decides how far up the scale we go.
Dave
Dave, do they not take the food allergy seriously? I thought restaurants were very good at this stuff now due to fear of litigation.
Either 10% or 20% depending on the server and what they have actually done.
We were chased by a server out of Golden Corrall a few years ago. She caught up with my mum and asked if we had forgotten to leave a tip. I questioned what she had done as we had found our own table, got our own plates and cutlery, served ourselves the food and even cleared up after us. All she did was fill 6 cups up with coffee! We were a party of 12 people so a 20% tip would have been around $20....for pouring 6 cups of coffee, i don't think so!!!
On the flip side, we have left 25% in places like Morton's, Manny's and even iHop if you get someone who is always there in a flash, friendly, attentive and actually does his/her job.
When you're a large party and when a lot of them are kids, it's a tough one as you are spending a lot of money on the meal ($300 in Raglans Irish Pub) so to leave an additional 25% on top is hard! Should they really expect me to leave an additional $75???
I always leave 15-20% in full service restaurants if the service has been good but still feel that in some restaurants the servers pre judge us because of our accents. I thought the rule of thumb in places such as buffet restaurants such as Golden Corral, Sweet Tomatoes etc was $1-$2 per person for basic service or more if the server was particularly attentive.
Dave, do they not take the food allergy seriously? I thought restaurants were very good at this stuff now due to fear of litigation.
Her food allergy is to something call Annatto which is a food colouring made from the seeds of the Annatto tree. If you eat a cheese that is yellow/red then it has almost certainly had Annatto added to it. It can also be found in many vanilla ice creams to make them look more creamy.
We have had a number of chefs come to our table and state ' you're fine here we do have that product in our kitchen'. I then point out to them the items on the menu which do have it in and they go away and check properly.
Conversely we have had chefs come to the table with the complete list of ingredients for a meal and others who have altered a dish so that it was possible for her to have it.
Disney and Universal both Parks and Hotels are always excellent, Downtown Disney and CityWalk are almost as good as are large percentage of individual restaurants.
If you have one of the big well know allergies then everyone is on the ball it's the strange ones that can catch them out.
Dave
Every day's a school day, thanks Dave.
florida4sun
25-01-2013, 09:05
25% is excessive for any service but that is your choice:
15% for good service
10% for ok service
20% for great service
for poor service leave $1 and write service on it and they will understand.
Leave nothing and they dont know if was the service or you were a tightwad :p
As Roger says a good server can make serious money and a strong career out of the job. Another thing which I have witnessed twice is people doing a runner, always when a restraunt is really busy. The server covers the loss, it is their table and they should look after. Once served by an old dear in ihop. She was distraught as it was her second that day. She was lovely and got a tip big enough to cover the loss (ok affordable in ihop, would though twice in main stream restraunt).
Tipping is catching in here in england but staff are not paid the same way, tips are bonus and not a neccesity. In the usa tips are the difference between going home with money or not.
Either 10% or 20% depending on the server and what they have actually done.
When you're a large party and when a lot of them are kids, it's a tough one as you are spending a lot of money on the meal ($300 in Raglans Irish Pub) so to leave an additional 25% on top is hard! Should they really expect me to leave an additional $75???
25% is excessive for any service but that is your choice:
I totally agree and would not normally go this high.
However when a chef makes a special sauce, alters a meal or cooks a special meal and deliveries it to the table himself we increase the tip. I know it does not all go to the chef. As well as thanking them I hope the message that we appreciated the effort gets back for the next guest who needs this service.
We are also in the Orlando area a lot so often go to many of our favorite restaurants where we see the same servers. Most of the time it's just the two of us so the difference between a normal tip and a good tip is an extra $5 which I feel is worth it.
Dave
Katys Grandad
25-01-2013, 11:03
The thing about tipping that make no sense to me is the fact that it is calculated on a percentage basis and doesn't reflect the amount of work and attention involved. I don't think there's any more skill or ability required in a waiter delivering lobster to a table than egg and chips. The whole system actually penalises the big spender in an expensive place which seems the wrong way around.
Why should I tip the waiter $15-20 on a $100 bottle of wine when there's no more work to opening and pouring a $20 bottle? That said, I actually do!
caroline
25-01-2013, 12:01
The thing about tipping that make no sense to me is the fact that it is calculated on a percentage basis and doesn't reflect the amount of work and attention involved. I don't think there's any more skill or ability required in a waiter delivering lobster to a table than egg and chips. The whole system actually penalises the big spender in an expensive place which seems the wrong way around.
Why should I tip the waiter $15-20 on a $100 bottle of wine when there's no more work to opening and pouring a $20 bottle? That said, I actually do!
I'm totally with you on the wine!
In a similar vein, you sit at the bar and order 2 cocktails - the bill comes to say $20 - fair bit of 'bar tending' to make the cocktails or you order a $100 bottle of wine - pops cork and pours 2 glasses... what would you tip in each situation?
I agree that it should go on how much work they do rather than the bill. Obviously that's not possible but agree in principle.
We have the issue sometimes that we are usually a party of 8+ people so 18% is automatically added to the bill. This is ok in some instances but when 5 of the 8 are kids then i would rather decide on the tip myself. A difficult one to stomach is the character breakfasts. We were at party of 10 last year and the bill was from memory around $240 and we didn't have a server as it was all help yourself buffet, so over $40 went to who?
Be careful with this,we just got back and i cant remember it being this bad!
5 of us evening meal or any meals come to think of it,they automatically put 12-18% on your bill,good service or not.
Be careful with this,we just got back and i cant remember it being this bad!
5 of us evening meal or any meals come to think of it,they automatically put 12-18% on your bill,good service or not.
Something doesn't sound right there. We live here, and the 6 of us eat out around twice a week every week, and I can't think of a single occasion when a tip has been automatically added. When we go out with friends, and there are 8 of us then the tip usually is added automatically (and very rarely with 7 of us it is added).
florida4sun
25-01-2013, 18:05
I have had this happen with 4 of us, rare but it happens. I was miffed and asked for it to be removed, as I will decide what the tip is. Cannot remember where we were but a shopping center rings a bell. With any tip added to a bill, they will remove it if you ask or have good reason to remove/reduce it (something us brits are not good at).
Something doesn't sound right there. We live here, and the 6 of us eat out around twice a week every week, and I can't think of a single occasion when a tip has been automatically added. When we go out with friends, and there are 8 of us then the tip usually is added automatically (and very rarely with 7 of us it is added).
No Shoes
27-01-2013, 10:38
We eat out a lot over the many winter months we spend there.
Increasingly I have noticed that rather than add the tip, they put a scale on the bill telling you how much it would be at 15/18/20 %
Something local friends said to us: many people calculate the tip on the before tax value of the bill!
We eat out a lot over the many winter months we spend there.
Increasingly I have noticed that rather than add the tip, they put a scale on the bill telling you how much it would be at 15/18/20 %
Something local friends said to us: many people calculate the tip on the before tax value of the bill!
I was told that too . I read somewhere that was the correct thing to base the tip on
sunseeker
27-01-2013, 12:09
The thing about tipping that make no sense to me is the fact that it is calculated on a percentage basis and doesn't reflect the amount of work and attention involved. I don't think there's any more skill or ability required in a waiter delivering lobster to a table than egg and chips. The whole system actually penalises the big spender in an expensive place which seems the wrong way around.
Why should I tip the waiter $15-20 on a $100 bottle of wine when there's no more work to opening and pouring a $20 bottle? That said, I actually do!
I can see your point but I would like to think that the quality and knowledge of the server at a high end restaurant would be far superior to that of one at a Ponderosa, and for this I would expect to pay more.
Dave
I also think that 25% is an unnecessarily high tip and I wouldn't tip that much myself......unless I'd drunk a few too many glasses of that $100 a bottle wine!
I more or less tip as per Martin's scale below although perversely I do tend to leave a higher percentage on lower bills as sometimes the tip just doesn't seem adequate. Very rarely have we had to tip poorly as the service in general is so good.
As tipping is expected and providing an amount is left which at least reflects the service received then how high to go is really up to the individual.....and how generous they feel.
25% is excessive for any service but that is your choice:
15% for good service
10% for ok service
20% for great service
for poor service leave $1 and write service on it and they will understand.
Leave nothing and they dont know if was the service or you were a tightwad
mary and colin
27-01-2013, 16:28
We are in the 15 20 % bracket most of the time. Occassionaly higher like Linda it is usaully when it is just the two of us and we round up the dollars.
I do like the guide Martin has shown us as i feel relieved that we are not in the tightwad group, as sometimes the servers do look at you and go "Oh thanks" and we think maybe we are under tipping, now i know we are not.
Never really had bad service but had some great service which we have told the manager as we have left. (as well as the tip of course) [msnwink]
Mary
ujpest doza
28-01-2013, 11:21
Something doesn't sound right there. We live here, and the 6 of us eat out around twice a week every week, and I can't think of a single occasion when a tip has been automatically added. When we go out with friends, and there are 8 of us then the tip usually is added automatically (and very rarely with 7 of us it is added).Last 2 times we have been has been in a big party of 8 or 9. Us + My sister in law and mother in law and family. We always ask for 2 seperate bills, us 4 and them 4 or 5 as it is easier for us regarding payment.
There has always been a surcharge/gratuity automatically added when we've ate out due to the size of the party even if we split the bill as most menu's state that they do this for parties of 6 or 8 and over.
We were surprised at the Character breakfast at Disney to find that the automatically added 18% to the bill, regardless of how many we're in the party. My son and I had a argument as to whether we should still leave a tip. I didn't, especially when it was self-service anyway. At what amounted to $46 each I thought it was a bit of a rip off anyway. The characters only 4 of them, sent about 2 minutes t each table and that was that. The breakfast was god though, just not worth $46. We go Harbor Hills Country Club often on a Sunday morning and get a great breakfast for about $12 each and in a wonderful setting.
Andrena
florida4sun
29-01-2013, 21:19
The tip is still discretionary and you can have it removed or adjusted. If it is added to the bill, there i no need to leave an extra tip :)
We were surprised at the Character breakfast at Disney to find that the automatically added 18% to the bill, regardless of how many we're in the party. My son and I had a argument as to whether we should still leave a tip. I didn't, especially when it was self-service anyway. At what amounted to $46 each I thought it was a bit of a rip off anyway. The characters only 4 of them, sent about 2 minutes t each table and that was that. The breakfast was god though, just not worth $46. We go Harbor Hills Country Club often on a Sunday morning and get a great breakfast for about $12 each and in a wonderful setting.
Andrena
Sat last night at the bar in Manny's enjoying a nice bourbon and coke waiting for our table. My husband and I remarked at the tips bucket it was just over flowing and that was at 6.30, they must do so well there for tips, just amazing.
Val
Just to put a different slant on my original question. We have now booked a few nights in a hotel on International Drive at the start of our upcomming holiday. The rate includes a full buffet breakfast.
What is the tipping protocol in this situation as I will not be paying a bill at the end of breakfast and most of it will be self service?
Katys Grandad
03-02-2013, 20:16
Just to put a different slant on my original question. We have now booked a few nights in a hotel on International Drive at the start of our upcomming holiday. The rate includes a full buffet breakfast.
What is the tipping protocol in this situation as I will not be paying a bill at the end of breakfast and most of it will be self service?
Even though the meal is included in the rate, you'll still get a 'check' with the opportunity to leave a tip. I usually leave a couple of dollars a person for the coffee/juice service. I've never received any negative response to that.
Even though the meal is included in the rate, you'll still get a 'check' with the opportunity to leave a tip. I usually leave a couple of dollars a person for the coffee/juice service. I've never received any negative response to that.
So you sign the check and fill in the tip space and have it charged to the room?
florida4sun
04-02-2013, 07:23
I ghink we are talking about restraunts generally. The tip can be charged to the card or you can leave cash or if you are in a hotel, charge it to the room. I would agree for inexpensive meals such as breakfast a couple of dollers per person is fine. Bars it is usually a buck per drink.
So you sign the check and fill in the tip space and have it charged to the room?
Katys Grandad
04-02-2013, 12:08
So you sign the check and fill in the tip space and have it charged to the room?
Either do that or, if you prefer, leave cash. I've done both without a hitch.
So you sign the check and fill in the tip space and have it charged to the room?
Either do that or, if you prefer, leave cash. I've done both without a hitch.
Thank you