Christmas Eve crappy tippers

[BaristaGirl]

Hey guys, first off, happy holidays.

I'm a waitress; you folks know this. So I get two big parties within a few minutes of each other... I HATE big parties. Loathe. I love two-tops, maybe 3 or 4 at the most. But I had one table of 5, and one table of 7.

At the table of 5, a lot of stuff goes wrong; The woman's steak isn't done properly, I had to figure out which kind of rice they wanted, the children's meals didn't come out on time... Bah. But they left me an okay tip, yay, the stress was almost worth it.

Now... Table that came in before them, the party of 7. I worked a double on Christmas Eve; an opening double. I'd been there since 10AM. It was DEAD that afternoon. The night was busy, but not too overwhelming. So they came in to sit, oh, maybe 6PM. It took them about half an hour to order drinks. All of them except for the man who seemed to be the 'alpha male' of the party got water. He got coke.

That's $2.19 times three (the other three people at the table were kids so they had free drinks) that didn't get on the bill for soda or whatever; should have tipped me off right there. They take almost an hour (maybe more, I was dealing with my party of 5 so I couldn't watch the clock) to figure out just what they want to eat. Now, they had three kids. They ordered two kids meals and an extra plate, then scooped out the food aside for the youngest child. So, that's another $5 that didn't get on the bill. Whatever; they seemed to LOVE me, as I found out answers to all their questions, (specific food requirements such as egg allergies, vegan, etc.) and treated their children rather nicely (in my real life, I hate kids, but as a waitress, well, isn't little Billy just as cute as a button!). So, they like me! They're smiling, saying thank you, things are going slow, but well... Cut to later that evening.

They stayed after eating/dessert until almost 9PM. ALL of my other tables were gone. ALL of my sidework was done. I was just waiting for THEM to LEAVE.

So I get back the bill they signed. It was $50. I got a $7 tip. Yeah, $7.50 is 15%, but did it even seem to occur to them that I was giving up time with my family to be there? That I maybe need to make a living? That making sure every single need for 7 people is met 100% and without complaint isn't easy for me? That I wound up spending almost 12 straight hours at work because they wouldn't leave? Clearly not. No, that extra dollar to make it 8 would have just KILLED him.

(They looked like immigrants, their accents sounded fresh off the boat from India; I do not personally discriminate on the basis of nationality, but what my manager said made me really upset.) I went to cash out with my manager and when I mentioned my $7 tip for my 7-person table, (him knowing how much I hate big parties,) he said "A dollar a head. It's more than they usually tip!" x.x() Seriously. Is it that hard to find out how tipping is supposed to work?

More than they usually tip? Should I just start handing out "How-To-Tip" Guides for my tables?

[starla671]

Your place doesn't add a tip on parties of 6 or more? We do at my job and it's been a blessing, esp for those tables that I know wouldn't leave anything.

Yep, when the customers order plates to split and nit pick over the prices, you can tell that they won't tip you all that well if at all. I've been in this business for quite a few years(too many years!) and I've learned to spot a cheap sc at twenty paces. No matter how well you get on with them and they love your service, they won't tip worth a damn.

I understand your frustration. $7 on a $50 is kinda low, and I wouldn't look for the big tips anytime soon. January is coming and everyone will be broke and struggling to pay all of those credit card bills they ran up this month!

[Jester]

Honestly, if a $7 tip on a $50 bill is your worst complaint, you aren't doing all that badly.

Consider a table I had Sunday.

I should have known that things were going to be bad the way everything started off. Three of the four showed up, said they were waiting for the fourth, and they waited. And waited. And waited. Finally ordered drinks (sodas), but still waited.

FINALLY the fourth member of the party shows up, and before I can even go to the table to get his drink order, he is approaching me at the computer terminal.

SC: "Hey there, what beer specials do you guys have today?"
JESTER: "Actually, sir, we don't have any beer specials today. All of our specials today are on liquor."
SC: "So Brand X beer is $2 a bottle then?"
JESTER: "Um, no. As I SAID, we have no beer specials today."
SC: "I'm gonna have to talk to [Owner's Name] about that."

Oooookay. The Bar's owner is a somewhat well-known individual, especially in one particular large American city. And EVERYONE from that city thinks they are his best friend. Admittedly, when you meet the guy, he does make you feel like you have known him forever....but please. PLEASE. He has better things to do than worry about you and your $2 beer. And frankly, I'm guessing that if the price of beer is that big a thing to you, you are NOT running in the same social circles as the Owner, pal. The conversation didn't get much better, mind you.

SC: "Well, I guess I'll just have a Bud then."
JESTER: "Actually, Brand X is the same price as Bud, if you would like a Brand X."
SC: "Nah, I'll stick with Bud. Brand X doesn't sit well with me."

But yeah, it would have been perfectly digestible if it was $2? Idiot.

Things went downhill from there. This guy actually complained to my manager about me, after being very rude to my coworker when asking for the manager. His complaint? I had joked around with them (as I do with everyone) and told them not to call me "sir" but then I turned around and called the guys at the table "sir." Luckily my manager recognized what an asshat this guy was, so I didn't get in any trouble. (There was more asshattery that I have not detailed, but to be polite, this guy was "high maintenance.") Not surprisingly, these Emmy Award winners left me a whopping brand new shiny $1 on a $40 tab, after hanging around for a long time taking up my table.

Yeah, I would have gladly taken an almost 15% tip and a camping table over the crap I had to deal with from this idiot. Just remember, things could've been a lot worse for you.

[UncleImpy]

I have to agree. In my short time as a cook, we had waitstaff that broke down in tears when a high-maintenance party stiffed them on a tip on a $100+ check, and they knew they had to tip out 2% to bus staff.

I'm just glad I'm out of THAT industry. My wife now understands why I usually tip 30-40%.

[poofy_puff]

I'm just glad I'm out of THAT industry. My wife now understands why I usually tip 30-40%.

Me two.

I have never worked in a restaurant that uses tips, but we leave 25 or 30% unless it is a buffet, where we leave probably 10 to 15%. It is always better to leave a little more, if your percentage ends in change. The more I have been reading about this, the more I tend to tip (or tell Husband to leave as a tip).

If anyone reading this would like, I have a couple of books that I don't need anymore. The first one is "Waiting" by Debra Ginsberg and the other is "Nickel and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich. If you enjoy reading this message board, you would probably enjoy the stories in these books.

[Reyneth]

All of them except for the man who seemed to be the 'alpha male' of the party got water. He got coke.

That's $2.19 times three (the other three people at the table were kids so they had free drinks) that didn't get on the bill for soda or whatever; should have tipped me off right there.

While they don't sound to have been the nicest of people, getting water doesn't always mean cheap. Sodas = extra calories, extra sugar, not the healthiest of choices. Teas and lemonaids have the acid and sometimes sugar.

Some people get water because that is what they like out of the selection, not because they're cheap. Please don't get offended if that is what they want to drink. Be frustrated because they are legit jerks by how they act not by what they order (if it's not a high-maint changing everything order).

[BaristaGirl]

While they don't sound to have been the nicest of people, getting water doesn't always mean cheap. Sodas = extra calories, extra sugar, not the healthiest of choices. Teas and lemonaids have the acid and sometimes sugar.

Some people get water because that is what they like out of the selection, not because they're cheap. Please don't get offended if that is what they want to drink. Be frustrated because they are legit jerks by how they act not by what they order (if it's not a high-maint changing everything order).

I don't usually mind, but on a table of 7? At least ONE of them could've ordered spring water! I promise, it's cleaner than the tap water we offer... x.x() Not that I can talk anymore.

[Greenday]

But yeah, it would have been perfectly digestible if it was $2? Idiot.

Do you think college kids would still drink Keystone or Natty Light if it wasn't so ridiculously cheap compared to any decent beer?

[alphaboi]

...So I get back the bill they signed. It was $50. I got a $7 tip. Yeah, $7.50 is 15%, but did it even seem to occur to them that I was giving up time with my family to be there?...(They looked like immigrants, their accents sounded fresh off the boat from India; I do not personally discriminate on the basis of nationality, but what my manager said made me really upset.) I went to cash out with my manager and when I mentioned my $7 tip for my 7-person table, (him knowing how much I hate big parties,) he said "A dollar a head. It's more than they usually tip!" x.x() Seriously. Is it that hard to find out how tipping is supposed to work?...

When your manager said "they" did he mean those particular people or "Indians" in general? If it's the latter then then they may in fact be recent arrivals to the country and not understand how tipping works. They probelly read in a guidebook that about 15% is normal and are sticking to that. Personally I think tipping is a stupid idea and would prefer it if restaurants either payed their staff a decent wage and adjusted their prices accordingly or added a mandatory service charge.

[Special Patrol Group]

I feel sorry for them. If they were recent arrivals they probably thought tipping 15% was the norm (as I would), drank water because they either liked water or didn't have enough money to pay for their meal and tip the obligatory 15%, probably didn't realise that they had to tip more at Christmas because if they are from India may not celebrate Christmas.

Coming from a country where tipping isn't the norm I'd have to say that yes, it is rather difficult to work out how much you have to tip without having your server pay you out afterwards.

[Bank Lady]

I have to agree with Jester. Although 14% isn't fantastic, it's not the worst tip ever. I waitressed for 5 years at a family-owned restaurant. The owners were very "customer-friendly" so there was never a standard gratuity added to the bill, no matter how big the party. I remember numerous times of waiting on parties of eight (or more) and getting completely stiffed.

Our dining room wasn't huge, so if I had the big party I usually wasn't given any other tables (maybe just one couple) for about an hour and a half. That makes for a sucky night.

It usually seemed to be the big family reunion type gathering that did it too. One guy would volunteer to pick up the check, but he apparantly hadn't factored in the tip when making that decision (or he assumed someone else would pony up some cash for poor little me).

[PepperElf]

I don't tip here - but I'm in Japan where it's not expected. I know someone who left 10 yen behind (less than a dime) and they chased him down to give it back.

but in the states.... i consider 15% is what you give when the service sucks. For good service it should be at least 18%. And if you're in a large group, even sucky service should get that.

and if it's christmas, well that's even better reason to be generous.


and... if was good service and someone else is giving the waitress a hard time - another customer or worker - that's when you tell the manager how much you liked the service and how wonderful the waitress was.



My family had that issue once. We went to our favorite Chinese restaurant and two waitresses were handling our table: one was the waitress and the other was in charge I think. The one in charge kept trying to rush us through and out while the other let us take our time and relax. After our meal, Mom made a specific point of telling the manager how wonderful our service was and named the waitress who let us take our time.

She figured the other one might try to complain...but if the manager has good feedback from a customer it would outweigh the other one ranting.

[Jester]

Do you think college kids would still drink Keystone or Natty Light if it wasn't so ridiculously cheap compared to any decent beer?

Oh, I know why people drink cheap beer. It isn't the taste. But this guy wasn't talking about the TASTE of the beer, he was saying it didn't sit well in his stomach. I.e., it caused him gastrointestinal distress. Even college kids I've known aren't going to drink a crappy beer if it makes their tummy hurt. This guy was, in so many ways, a complete and total tool.

[Ayleah]

in the states.... i consider 15% is what you give when the service sucks. For good service it should be at least 18%. And if you're in a large group, even sucky service should get that.

Okay, I am about to make my self TERRIBLY unpopular, but I thoroughly have to disagree with you here. Isn't a tip supposed to be a reward for good service? How on earth did we get away from that? (Yes, I know that for whatever bizzarro reason, it's now pretty much the norm for a business to pay it's employees jack, and expect them to grovel the rest of their wage from customers. If a restaurant considers serving food to tables part of it's business model, it should treat servers as regular employees. And if you know you have terrible people skills, and are incapable of being a good server, then perhaps another line of employment would better suit you).

If I get decent service (no complaints, but nothing notable), I'll leave 15%. I consider this doing your job. If you want more, go out of your way a little.

If I get great service (which means that no matter what went wrong, the waitstaff genuinely apologetic and tried their best), I am very generous, usually beginning at 25-30%.

And when the waitstaff can't even muster so much as a "Gee, I'm sorry it took half an hour for me to drag myself away from the pile of cute college students over there to come get your drink order, and oops, I screwed up all the dishes because I was busy fluffing my cleavage and checking out the bartender the whole time you were ordering because I have the attention span of a gnat's peter"; then they get crap.

I am sorry that the restaurant won't pay them a real wage, but you can't be a crappy waitperson, and then get mad that your customers didn't tip.

And NO, I'm not saying the OP was crappy, she sounded lovely. I'm referring to the quote above.

[Broomjockey]

I'd like to remind people that tipping threads have a long history of going down in flames and being locked on this board, so bring it back to the SCs quick, and leave opinions about tipping out of it.