Rou
Ranting. Raving. Screaming at the stars!
Apr/17
2005
2005
Tips and tipping
Tips. Gratuities.
Servers. Drivers. Barbers. Delivery boys. Bellhops. We tip lots of people. Or we’re supposed to at least.
I’m a good tipper. I’ve worked for them before and understand that some professions really require a good tip in order to survive. However, one thing has always bothered me: the expectation that I should tip. Even when I worked for them, I never assumed I'd get a tip regardless of the service level I provided.
So, when I get the check, I consider my service. Was it good, bad or just ok? As I said above, I’m a good tipper. For an average level of service for a server I’ll give them, a 20% tip. I don’t have a problem with that. For exception service, more can be expected.
In my years of dining out, I can count on one hand the number of bad dining experiences I’ve had. But they always face me with a dilemma. When you don’t tip well, the server staff will generally treat you worse and punish you the next chance they get. Everyone has heard the stories of what goes on behind the scenes. They punish you because you don’t tip them well.
What if they don’t deserve it? I mean, if my waiter sucks ass, why should he expect a tip? But if I don’t tip him well, and he gets a chance, what will he do to my food? The problem is that he expects a tip regardless of how crappy a job he does. It’s built into his wage, so he thinks it should be set in stone.
It’s just not right in my eyes. If you suck, you don’t deserve the extra tip from me. A tip is a gift, a reward for premium service. Even dulling that down to average service, if you don’t meet the bar, you’re not realty deserving of the damn thing, are you?
The best meal I ever had involved a four person server staff that was focused entirely on our needs. When a glass was half-empty, it was refilled. When bread crumbs got on the table, they were cleaned up. Plates landed in front of each person at the exact same time. The covers removed with precision. It was marvelous. I gave nearly a 40% tip on a very expensive bill. The waiter sent me a postcard within a week, thanking me and inviting me back. He (and his team) deserved it. They were rewarded with a nice gratuity.
Now, I don’t expect that when I go out to the local chain restaurant. But I do expect certain levels of performance. You don’t need to smile, but you can’t really grimace. My drinks don’t have to be fast, but if it’s empty for over half the meal, we’ve got a problem. If the order is completely wrong, something is amiss. I understand busy nights. I understand that the waiter is at the mercy of the kitchen if the food just isn’t good. I wouldn’t dream of punishing for trivial things like that.
But damn it, I don’t think a bad service person should be able to expect a tip they didn’t earn. It’s extortion by playing on the fear that they will do something to my food/ luggage/ whatever the next chance they get. On top of that, it demeans those people that actually put forth the effort to earn good tips.
Drives me up the wall that I actually have to think about that sort of thing. Fact of the matter is that tips are implied in some service jobs. Failure to tip is done at your own peril, regardless of the poor performance you received.
3 comments
Comment from: sTmykal [Member] 
I was eating in Sherman New York. Amish country. The local diner gets its share of tourists, perhaps, but it's all fairly laid back. I went with a group of folks from the yearly UFO death cult end of the world party that's held at a nearby campgrounds (think Burning Man and you're on the right path).
My check, was about $6. I paid with a ten dollar bill. Everyone else at my table paid up to their own bill, with tip included, saying "Keep the change". I did not.
I patiently waited for the server to return with my $4 in change. Which she never did.
I had to track her down and ask for my change. The mental capacity was not high on this one. Her tip was equally as vacant as the space between her ears.
I hate it when servers assume things.
Like when I met a party of 5 or six at a local brew pub. I said to the server, "More people might be coming".
I had a coke, and that's it. I wasn't sticking around. Slowly, more people began showing up and filling the room we were in - in fact - about 30 people arrived, whom all knew each other in some capacity because we were all attending the same function (more UFO death cult stuff).
The server could not ring me out when I went to leave because she had included my coke with *everyone elses drinks and food*.
"What?" I said "I don't even know these people! Can't I pay for my coke and go?"
It turns out that the server was not even keeping much in the way of track as to who had what, just that they had it - and it was going on one big bill.
I would hazzard a guess that this server was either fired or quit that day. It was seriously fucked up.
Normally I tip 15% just to be a decent person. But I'm not worried about being a jerk to someone who isn't inclined to do their job. Good cleavage generally gets a better tip though.
My check, was about $6. I paid with a ten dollar bill. Everyone else at my table paid up to their own bill, with tip included, saying "Keep the change". I did not.
I patiently waited for the server to return with my $4 in change. Which she never did.
I had to track her down and ask for my change. The mental capacity was not high on this one. Her tip was equally as vacant as the space between her ears.
I hate it when servers assume things.
Like when I met a party of 5 or six at a local brew pub. I said to the server, "More people might be coming".
I had a coke, and that's it. I wasn't sticking around. Slowly, more people began showing up and filling the room we were in - in fact - about 30 people arrived, whom all knew each other in some capacity because we were all attending the same function (more UFO death cult stuff).
The server could not ring me out when I went to leave because she had included my coke with *everyone elses drinks and food*.
"What?" I said "I don't even know these people! Can't I pay for my coke and go?"
It turns out that the server was not even keeping much in the way of track as to who had what, just that they had it - and it was going on one big bill.
I would hazzard a guess that this server was either fired or quit that day. It was seriously fucked up.
Normally I tip 15% just to be a decent person. But I'm not worried about being a jerk to someone who isn't inclined to do their job. Good cleavage generally gets a better tip though.
04/17/05 @ 09:09
Comment from: odessa [Member]
I try to be a good tipper, too. But I do have certain expectations. My tolerence is pretty high. I will ask for refills of water and I will forgive minor, honest mistake screw-up. However, severe rudeness and complete incompentence have illicited two pennies from me on a few occations. Why two pennies? 1) Its the obvious metophor, 2) It shows that I did not forget. Oh and BTW, I ussually will not go back if the service is that bad. I don't want to know how the kitchen is run if the manager is so asleep that the front end is run so bad.
04/17/05 @ 09:28
Comment from: u235 [Member]
I tip between 15 - 20 percent 99% of the time. On one occaision we were at an extremely high end restaurant and had allotted 1.5 hours for dinner. At the start of the meal we informed our server of our schedule. It took 30 min just for the appetizer, over an hour for the main course and now - exceedling late, they tried to serve us dessert. 20 minutes later - and well after the couple next to us had arrived, eaten and were on their coffee we were STILL waiting and I was furious. We had to demand the check from the hostess, paid it up front and left - quite angrily. This was supposedly a 4 star establishement.
On the other hand I tend to frequent a diner in the mall that serves burgers. They have amazing service, make every accomodation for what you ask and are amazingly prompt. I leave them at least 20%. At this point I know the wait staff personally and they greet me. Luckily I eat there more often than than the bi-annual 4 star restaurant.
JOHNNY ROCKETS 4-EVAH!
On the other hand I tend to frequent a diner in the mall that serves burgers. They have amazing service, make every accomodation for what you ask and are amazingly prompt. I leave them at least 20%. At this point I know the wait staff personally and they greet me. Luckily I eat there more often than than the bi-annual 4 star restaurant.
JOHNNY ROCKETS 4-EVAH!
04/18/05 @ 06:51
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