I have seen on menus, when they state "A gratuity of 18% will automatically be added for parties of x or more," that this charge can be discussed with the manager.

This leads me to believe that if the service was lousy (usually because the server thought they were guaranteed an 18% tip no matter the level of service - and yes, we all know it has happened), the tip (if any at all) can be adjusted.

On the flip side, I am sure that if a group wants to leave a 20% tip (or more!), then that could be adjusted as well.

The manager wasn't much better. She argued with us for a while even after the kitchen said they never made the food for our table nor were the items on the order form. It was a terrible experience all around and I have never returned back there again.

At home, my husband and I ALWAYS make our bill come out to an even dollar amount. I never cared as a server when people did that; money was money.

I'm just glad that here in Germany, as well as many other European countries, the tip is included in the bill. It's not an auto-add, it's figured into the prices on the menu. Being the "crazy Americans", we always add a tip at the end of the meal. It is well received, and usually gets us really good service on future visits.

We never had anything but top-notch service in Europe. I think that may be because servers didn't seem to be Joe Schmoes off the street, like you find in some American restaurants...they're on par with Admin. Assistants/Receptionists/Paralegals/etc and probably get paid accordingly.

I would have taken the bill, marked out the 18% tip, put in whatever tip (if any) I thought was appropriate, recalculated the total and handed that bill along with my credit card to the manager.

And I would hope he wanted to argue with me about it.

The LAWYER would say that.;)

Wouldn't that be like going into battle with an unarmed person?:p

When we lived in Chile (1995-1998), it was assumed by the restaurant staff that once you sat down at the table, it was yours for as long as you wanted to stay, even if it was the whole evening.

As a patron, we never felt "rushed" by the server in any way so they could turn the table. Actually, the server would not come over to take your order until you motioned for him to do so. Drinks were refilled without asking, and we were pretty much left alone to enjoy our meal - no one asking "How is everything?" as soon as you put food in your mouth (or asking after you've only had one bite - how could anyone possibly give an honest assessment after one bite?).

In the States, servers give you the check without you having to ask; it's their way of telling you that "you've finished eating, pay your bill and get out so I can have someone else sit here." In Chile, you have to ask for the bill. Even after you pay it, you can sit at the table as long as you want and linger over cup(s) of coffee. As one of my Chilean friends said, "The waiters view it as you paying for the table for the night. If you finish early and someone else sits there, that's okay, too, but it is *your* table for as long as you want it to be."

As in Europe, gratuities were figured into the price of the menu selections. We were never expected to tip, but we still left a small something, usually around 10%.

I would also tip the boys who carried out my groceries for me (they only work for tips - you could tell which Liceo they attended by the tie they wore) -- usually 100-300 pesos (back then, 100 pesos = a little more than 25 cents). As gas stations were only full-serve, I would tip 100 pesos for filling up the car (everyone tipped this for filling up the car), and another 100 pesos or so for cleaning the windshield. These guys also had a regular wage, so their tips were extra.

That's because Americans view meals as a chance to stuff our face and leave - while most other countries, meals are more about socialization than the actual eating. There's probably a pretty strong correlation between that and the weight problem in America.

My parents went to Namibia a few years ago and talked about the great service they recieved. At one restaurant they paid and then my Dad left a tip- and the server followed them outside to give him back the money that he left on the table. Apparently tipping isn't customary outside of the modern resorts.

At the place I work, we used to tip out 2.75% of our sales to the hostess and busser (who make $7.50, respectively). A couple of years ago, corporate upped the figure to 3.25%, so they wouldn't have to give the hostesses and bussers raises.

I worked at Cheesecake Factory for 1 summer. At Cheesecake Factory, the servers tip out on their tips, not their sales. I had to tip the busser 15% of my tips, the bartender 7.5% (whether I had any bar drinks or not), and the food runner 5%. So, if I made $100 in tips, I walked would walk out with only $72. I prefer tipping out on sales.

I know this is off topic, but I detest when a server brings your food and then immediately sets the bill down on the table.
HELLO?!? How incredibly rude is that!?! Let me enjoy my meal in peace for a few minutes at the bare minimum!

You are expected to tip the baggers at the DOD military commissaries....except at Ft. Leavenworth. Most bases hire military dependents (spouses and teenage kids) as baggers. They draw no wage at all. Leavenworth commissary baggers are inmates from the Disciplinary Barracks.

I worked at a higher-end restaurant in London one summer in college and the manager specifically wanted some American waitstaff because we "knew how to provide good service." We were paid a decent wage (I could afford my flat, at least, and a weekly tube pass) but it was nothing spectacular. There were a few times we received a tip over and above the bill, but they were rare (and usually came from the wealthy regulars).

Not any more. With the new prison there, they no longer use inmates to bag the groceries. In fact, my son was a bagger there all thru high school when we lived there.

wow, that is horrible! i have only done that when my tables ASK me to bring it to them.