I guess I usually tip "before tax", because I've learned that in most cities, if you double the tax (and round up, if it's a city with low taxes), you get your 15%.

Are there any states that DON'T tax restaurant food? During my fast food sojourn many moons ago, I gave a customer the price and she said "that's not what's on the menu." When I told her there was tax, she looked at me like I had 3 heads.

More stories here:

http://stainedapron.com/celebs.htm

This is the way I've always done it, in California it comes out to a little over 16%. This is what I do for average service, which frankly is what I receive the vast majority of the time...I rarely receive service that I think is terrible, and I rarely receive service that I think is truly exceptional. I tend to add a little more if it's a cheap bill (since others have pointed out, the difference between 15% and 20% can be minimal) and of course if it's exceptional service they will get something like 20%.

The entire reason for it being 15% is because it "scales" with the food price, which increases when things like "cost of living" and "price of commodities" (which directly influence the price of meal) go up.

There is literally no reason to move up the percentage - it already takes into account the things you're worrying about, by its very nature.

Minimum grat is intended to push people away from large groups, which take up disproportionate time compared with smaller tables. You've actually disproven your own point there - the 18% is intended to be punitive, not indicative.

lol
Yep, 30% - 40% is generally what I tip, too. If it's bad service then I don't leave anything, and I also don't return to the establishment. I tip high because every time I come back they know me by name, and I get better service.

Bottom line, you get what you give. You give nothing, you get nothing in return. And this applies to pretty much anything in life.:)

Hear, hear. I'm a 15% tipper, unless service is superior. I'm not a regular anywhere, because I don't eat out very much.

Again, that's great if you want to do that. But your generosity shouldn't be confused with the standard.

I think it's great if I want to do that too, but who's getting my generosity mixed up with the standard? :confused:

The post that you were responding to.