Quote:
Originally Posted by ASTalumna06
I've always tipped generously. I usually give 20%, and up to 30% for really good service. I will also tip bartenders up to 30% if I'm a regular and they throw some free drinks/appetizers my way.
I think I'm inclined to tip generously because the places I usually go won't run my meal+drinks above $25. So what's the difference between 15% and 20%? A little more than a dollar? I know from being a server myself, that an extra dollar can mean everything.. especially when you're a broke college student.
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No joke, there are some bars where we tip ASTRONOMICAL percentages. 50 up to 60% sometimes. For bars where we're regulars, it's worth it to us for the servers to remember us and we often get a number of freebies. If my group of friends is out doing a LONG night of drinking, it's not unusual for us to tip almost the amount on the tab (if we get a lot of free appetizers/drinks/etc. because we have a history with the bartender/servers). Of course, we try to tip as we go so they know they're not going to get stiffed at the end of the night. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that we'd accidentally tipped MORE than the tab because of that method, though.
We always get super excellent service at these places, though, obviously, or we wouldn't be going back. For new places or places where it's not one of our regular haunts, we'll do the typical 15-20%. As an aside, I do NOT like when they add a gratuity to a big group when you're at a bar, since we may open a tab on a card but typically tip with cash as we go. Most of our favorite places don't do that, though.
ETA: You can also tell that we go out with folks who are a little farther in their careers than us. Just reading that back seems "moneybags" to me, but we don't go out that often, and everyone pays their share, so it's not like live-in and I are just partying it up by ourselves. LOL