"How much do I tip?"

[Slayer]

The waitress kindly informed us that the gratuity was included in the bill as per local customs and we weren't expected to leave anything extra unless she did something extraordinary. Is that something that changed since then?

Could have been specific to that town. I've never heard of it being included unless it was for groups of 8 or more. It's why I was annoyed it was always included when I went to New York lol

[Tiberious]

I remember a time when I tipped over 100% (you'll see why soon enough)...

I was out with a bunch of friends, across the river in the neighboring state, celebrating one of their birthdays, and we were going to a club that offered alcoholic drinks. Well, they had essentially a bouncer checking IDs, for obvious reasons. Problem was, I'd forgotten mine (I think it had expired and I didn't renew yet).

Got turned away, naturally, and so I walked the few blocks to a Waffle House that my family went to on occasion, and called for a ride (I still don't have a driver's license). Remembering I was in a business, I got an order of hash browns so that I was a customer and wasn't loitering while waiting, as it was fairly cold out. I didn't rush while eating, precisely because I was more killing time than having a meal.

As I left when family showed up, I remember leaving something like $3 on a bill that was at most $1.75. Of course, my skinflint mother heard that (she's not so cheap as to stiff, but thinks 15% is 'plenty'), and wondered what would possess me to do something like that.

I had to tell her that the service they provided me that night was more than just a simple side item; they gave me a place to sit in safety and comfort at close to midnight, and that I felt it was worth what I gave them. Hearing that, she understood.

Not only that, but later, I figured that I did stay there close to half an hour, and while I was sure not to run the waitress any more than necessary, she was still working, and deserved compensation for that.

[Jack7957]

For restaurants, my starting point is 20%, and I'll go up or down from there depending on the service.

The girl that cuts my hair though, she gets a 100% tip. I originally was getting my cuts from her while she was at one of the mall based hair cutting places. Well, when she left there to go to a private shop, I followed. The price there, even with her tip, is still just about half what I had been paying at the mall shop.

[EricKei]

iPanda -- Having done my time in such jobs, I agree with the 1-cent tip thing If a custy leaves NO tip nor explanation at all, they are seen as cheap or one of many other possible things, none of them pleasant ... If a custy *who has experienced bad service* (specifically -- bad service, not bad food) leaves a "change only" tip on an order that would normally garner much more, it sends an overt message to the server. Leaving a polite message for the server explaining why, helps to back it up.

On a side note -- there was once a nice, mostly-formal place in town that served as a "dinner theatre" restaurant. All of the servers were actors and/or classical musicians and/or opera singers in training, and all were required to jump up on stage at least once during any full shift to do a song or other five-minute dramatic performance, as part of the gig, with any other servers on the floor acting as backup singers from wherever they were standing. The owner did his part, as well, often entertaining the guests with a violin performance.

The place was known for really good food and even better service...To the extent that, if someone either stiffed a server or badly under-tipped (in his estimation), the owner would follow them out to their car to ask them why. If they said the service was bad, he had the server come out to explain themselves, and possibly refute what they said; if the server could not explain themselves, they potentially got in trouble. If the customers simply could not explain the tip or lack thereof, or else said "We don't tip", he would tell them that they either needed to hand over a reasonable tip before leaving, or consider their entire party banned for life.

The upshot: His workers were loyal, and did their best to provide the best service they could, so that they could keep their jobs.

I'm not saying that following them out was a good idea, however >_>

[Sparky]

I have a friend who feels "why should the tip be tied to the price of the meal?" She leaves $2 at lunch and, I think, $4 or so at dinner. This makes a lot of sense to me. I don't do that, but I will generally never leave less than $2. It's not the waitress's fault that I ordered the cheap special.

I've also been known to tip around 25% to delivery people, especially in bad weather.

[Greenday]

Restaurant tipping aside, there's a couple people I always make sure to take extra special care of: bartenders and delivery people. Why? Because they remember who tips well. If a bartender sees two people waiting for drinks and one person always tips a buck and change while the other person doesn't tip, guess who is going to get their drink first and probably doesn't even have to remind the bartender what they want if they are that good? Same deal with deliveries, even moreso. Drivers seem to get stiffed a lot more so if they are making a run and one person tips especially well, guess who gets bumped up to the first person to be delivered to?

[Peppergirl]

Restaurant tipping aside, there's a couple people I always make sure to take extra special care of: bartenders and delivery people. Why? Because they remember who tips well. If a bartender sees two people waiting for drinks and one person always tips a buck and change while the other person doesn't tip, guess who is going to get their drink first and probably doesn't even have to remind the bartender what they want if they are that good? Same deal with deliveries, even moreso. Drivers seem to get stiffed a lot more so if they are making a run and one person tips especially well, guess who gets bumped up to the first person to be delivered to?

I agree with all of these points, very much so. Whenever I get a delivery, my food is always hot and fresh and usually WAY ahead of the estimated time given when I place the order.