Tipping

[Munchkin03]

I have absolutely no problem with the automatic gratuity. Most of the time, groups that large inevitably have one person who wasn't raised right and will undertip. This way, the server doesn't get screwed.

In my experience (beach towns in Florida 10 years ago), the servers got below minimum, while the hostesses and busboys started at minimum.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

In my experience (beach towns in Florida 10 years ago), the servers got below minimum, while the hostesses and busboys started at minimum.

The restaurant I worked at, the hostess got $5/hr (under the table), tips from waitresses not mandatory, and the busser got $2/hr(under the table) + 10% of waitresses tips. Although there was a few times when my friend was bussing that she would show me how much she got, and I KNEW the waitresses stiffed her, because I watched them count their tips. There was one waitress who would actually keep a seperate pocket, and tables she cleaned herself went into that pocket, and tables the busser cleaned went into another pocket. That's just plain rude. When one busser is working 6 waitresses who each have 7-10 tables, the busser is NOT going to get to every one of your tables. She does what she can. We only had a busser on the weekends, anyway, so it's not like the waitresses didn't know how to clean tables. I actually tipped the busser MORE than 10%, and guess what? My tables magically stayed clean, and those who were consistantly stingy with their tips had more dirty tables. Yes, I realize that creates a cycle, but if they would have tipped her fair to begin with, it wouldn't have happened like that.

[Buttonz]

Originally Posted by ZTAngel

I'm a person who regularly tips 20% or more. I know that servers don't generally make a lot of money and that they work very hard. With that said, I have come across some pretty terrible servers and usually they'll get 15% (or sometimes less). But what I absolutely loathe is the included 18% gratuity that is automatically put on the bill of a party of 6 or more. If they're a good server, they lose out because now I'll only give them 18% versus the 20% plus that I would've given had gratuity not been included. Also, why should I have to pay 18% is the service is terrible? I had a really bad experience at a restaurant last year on my friend's b-day. The waitress was flat-out nasty. She put a bunch of items on our bill that we had never ordered and told us that we were liars when we said we had not ordered the items nor had they ever been brought to our table. When the kitchen finally told her that she was wrong, she mumbled an apology and had the manager fix our bill while she hid in the back. While those items were removed from our bill (and we got a free piece of cake....to share between 9 people), the 18% gratuity was not. It's like this waitress was being rewarded even though she was a general asshat to us.

That's when it drives me crazy. In your situation I would have called over the manager and told him/her flat out there was no way you were tipping that much with those issues. I've found a lot of managers will do whatever they can to make you happy.

[ZTAngel]

Originally Posted by Buttonz

That's when it drives me crazy. In your situation I would have called over the manager and told him/her flat out there was no way you were tipping that much with those issues. I've found a lot of managers will do whatever they can to make you happy.

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.

[scbelle]

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.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by scbelle

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.

[catiebug]

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.

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

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.

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

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 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).