tipping

[millienoahleo]

And now i think the thread is going off topic.
i'm not against tipping for good service,

i am against it being expected that if my bill is $200+ i'm expected to pay about same amount as what it cost for the meal.
but if my bill is only $100 for the same amount of time at the same table with same amount of work involved they would be quite happy with $18

And i think i've made up my mind that this time ill set my max tip at $20 regardless of the bill amount,
i don't think that's bad on top of their wages for what will be an hours work tops.

[dan223]

It's an interesting one, typically I've always tipped 18% plus unless the service wasn't good. Generally I find the service in the US much better than in the UK, as there is normally one server their for a few tables, whereas here a server is doing considerably more tables. Food is generally faster in the kitchen as well.

In your situation it is a lot of money, but I think I would still tip the 18%, the way I look at it generally is the cost of the food on the menu is + 18%, and if you can't afford that, then maybe you shouldn't be eating at such expensive restaurants.

[Dr.JumbaJookiba]

Originally Posted by millienoahleo

And now i think the thread is going off topic.
i'm not against tipping for good service,

i am against it being expected that if my bill is $200+ i'm expected to pay about same amount as what it cost for the meal.
but if my bill is only $100 for the same amount of time at the same table with same amount of work involved they would be quite happy with $18

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….and we’re trying to explain that unfortunately, like it or not, that’s how things work in the US restaurant industry.

[EssexSue]

I don't think tipping a percentage of the bill is always fair, (I'm talking about in the same venue to be clear) it's less work to bring a bottle of wine and a glass for example than keep trotting back refilling coke and no more work to bring a steak dinner than a burger. It's illogical.

[sam7]

Originally Posted by EssexSue

I don't think tipping a percentage of the bill is always fair, (I'm talking about in the same venue to be clear) it's less work to bring a bottle of wine and a glass for example than keep trotting back refilling coke and no more work to bring a steak dinner than a burger. It's illogical.

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I agree. I have always thought surely the server in Perkins is surely earning less than the one in Longhorns, yet gets half the amount in tips - as much work to carry a $30 plate of steak as it is a $10 burger meal

[millienoahleo]

Originally Posted by dan223

It's an interesting one, typically I've always tipped 18% plus unless the service wasn't good. Generally I find the service in the US much better than in the UK, as there is normally one server their for a few tables, whereas here a server is doing considerably more tables. Food is generally faster in the kitchen as well.

In your situation it is a lot of money, but I think I would still tip the 18%, the way I look at it generally is the cost of the food on the menu is + 18%, and if you can't afford that, then maybe you shouldn't be eating at such expensive restaurants.

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maybe
or maybe its the principle
maybe i just don't like being told that it is optional and discretionary - but this is how much we expect you to give.
now that makes me not want to give anything at all,
because then if you tip lower the server thinks they've given bad service, and it might lead to confrontation about what they've done wrong.

[YorkshireT]

Ah, what wonderful times to be back to a tipping thread.

I would say it’s a totally different conversation really about tipping wait staff in general, and tipping Disney restaurant staff.

I had this from the horses mouth (I know Tom has had similar) that Disney restaurant wait staff are often on silly money. One ex hostess told me the best cars in the car park near the restaurants at Disney Springs are the wait staff cars. And she was only half joking. There was once a Reddit (supported by pass etc so looked genuine) and one said they were bringing in 50+ grand a year for part time work in a MK hotel restaurant.

It is apparently the panacea of wait staff jobs to be working in a Disney restaurant. Not only a constant footfall no other restaurant could dream of (I read Boathouse makes more money than virtually any restaurant in the USA*- some of the Disney ones make more it is suspected, but you can’t get the figures from Disney), but food prices are inflated resulting in higher tips.

Personally I do leave the 18-20% but the service better be top notch otherwise I would reduce. And have no bones about doing so.

Information on what is being taken home is lacking- because it’s kept fairly quiet.

This however is a good indicator- Hymecomin’ recently posted a job advert saying it’s servers earn on average $300 in tips on an afternoon shift. That’s $66000 a year if they work 220 days a year (many will work more). Doctors in the UK are often not paid that kind of money. Servers in the UK could only dream of that. Many of their paying guests will be poor in comparison.

I don’t think anyone should feel guilty about leaving, say 10% in a Disney restaurant due to the phenomenal money they make for the job. I wouldn’t, but I also wouldn’t tip shame someone for doing so.

I would feel guilty though about leaving the lady in Applebees in St Petersburg 10% because she will be on a fraction of the Disney employee. I would be critical of that, and in such scenarios I usually leave 20%+


* In 2018 it was 6th in the USA raking in $31,000,000. Rumoured to be very top are a number of Disney restaurants- places like O’Hana but Disney give no breakdown. Many of the restaurants in Disney are turning over $20+ Million.

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by archibald

Which is great, but the person working at Golden Coral clearing the mountains of messy food and plates per diner, as well as cleaning the floors and constantly refilling drinks probably deserves more.

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I’ve never been, but I’m sure they’ll appreciate you dropping a $20 bill for your $5 buffet. Knock yourself out…

[2point]

We tip the expected amount for the expected level of service.

As customers we have a choice where we eat, if we feel we are being taken advantage of by practices such as charging $15 for a portion of broccoli then we'll find places that don't.

Over charging for extras AND expecting a large tip on top? Nope, not happening.

[dan223]

Originally Posted by millienoahleo

maybe
or maybe its the principle
maybe i just don't like being told that it is optional and discretionary - but this is how much we expect you to give.
now that makes me not want to give anything at all,
because then if you tip lower the server thinks they've given bad service, and it might lead to confrontation about what they've done wrong.

See more...

Understood, and it is discretionary to a point, but there is an expectation to tip if the service is good, and there is a "recommended" amount based on good service. If you don't like being told then don't go to restaurants in the US, not sure what else there is to it.

As others have said it is becoming more the norm here to tip, barber/hairdresser, taxi driver etc. I certainly would with those.