Tipping

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by TonyB06

I always prefer to tip with cash on the table vs. leaving the tip on my debit/credit card. I know the server is told/given the tip from my card, but I always think that when they see my cashless, recently vacated table their first words or thoughts are "oh hayle naw, that &$%^%$^ didn't tip me."

So, even when I'm leaving the tip on my card, I try to tell the server that's what I'm doing...

I think most servers know to look on the check if there is no money on the table, but most servers appreciate cash more.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by TonyB06

I always prefer to tip with cash on the table vs. leaving the tip on my debit/credit card. I know the server is told/given the tip from my card, but I always think that when they see my cashless, recently vacated table their first words or thoughts are "oh hayle naw, that &$%^%$^ didn't tip me."

So, even when I'm leaving the tip on my card, I try to tell the server that's what I'm doing...

LOL.

I tend not to leave cash on a table. I give the cash to the server or tell the server it is on the table before I leave the restaurant. At some restaurants I'm paranoid that the "table cleaning crew" may take the cash before the server sees it.

I usually leave tips on my card. Servers are quick to look on the receipt for the tip so I'm not afraid they will think I didn't tip.

[ASTalumna06]

I would always prefer to get a cash tip because the money could be taken home that night. My paychecks for 2 weeks were usually under $75 (remember, they have to account for taxes on all of the tips you make, which includes cash tips… so it’s taken out of your tips that you receive from credit/debit cards). Getting a paycheck so small is pretty depressing. But walking out of the restaurant with $80-120 in my pocket on a good night was awesome

I try to give servers cash whenever I can, but it’s not too often. Let’s face it… people generally don’t carry that much cash anymore.

[crusse10]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I would always prefer to get a cash tip because the money could be taken home that night. My paychecks for 2 weeks were usually under $75 (remember, they have to account for taxes on all of the tips you make, which includes cash tips… so it’s taken out of your tips that you receive from credit/debit cards). Getting a paycheck so small is pretty depressing. But walking out of the restaurant with $80-120 in my pocket on a good night was awesome

I try to give servers cash whenever I can, but it’s not too often. Let’s face it… people generally don’t carry that much cash anymore.

That's odd. As a server, I deal with lots of cash on a nightly basis. At the end of the night, I print out a sheet from the computer. It tells me how much money I owe the store. It takes the total amount of money paid to the store and to taxes and subtracts all credit card tips and your nightly tip-share to the busser and bartender. In this manner, you leave with exactly what you've made in tips minus what you tip out to those that helped you. I'm not sure why you don't get to touch the money from credit cards. Guess it just sounds strange to me.

[agzg]

A lot of servers prefer cash because it's easier to tip back (to table bussers, the kitchen, the hostess) and they can do it more quickly. Some also like it because they don't claim all their tips on their taxes. Cab drivers prefer cash for the same reason (that and they may not report your fare/claim that entire fare on their taxes, but if you pay with a card they will have to, as well as not being able to turn over so quickly).

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by agzg

A lot of servers prefer cash because it's easier to tip back (to table bussers, the kitchen, the hostess) and they can do it more quickly.

In which restaurants do servers have to distribute some of their tips to the hostesses and cooks? I’ve always given the bussers some cash at the end of the night, but that’s because they helped clean my tables, providing me with a faster turnover, and in turn, more money.

Is this done often?

ETA: Actually, I just remembered... Outback would have us calculate a whole bunch of stuff at the end of the night when cashing out, and the tip for the bussers was included, and was a specific percentage of our total sales for the night. At the other restaurants I've worked at, it was up to the servers how much they wanted to give. However, hostnesses and cooks were never included.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

In which restaurants do servers have to distribute some of their tips to the hostesses and cooks? I’ve always given the bussers some cash at the end of the night, but that’s because they helped clean my tables, providing me with a faster turnover, and in turn, more money.

Is this done often?

ETA: Actually, I just remembered... Outback would have us calculate a whole bunch of stuff at the end of the night when cashing out, and the tip for the bussers was included, and was a specific percentage of our total sales for the night. At the other restaurants I've worked at, it was up to the servers how much they wanted to give. However, hostnesses and cooks were never included.

Depends on the restaurant, really. When I was serving at a teeny outdoor bar and grill we always tipped back to the barbacks and cooks.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by agzg

Depends on the restaurant, really. When I was serving at a teeny outdoor bar and grill we always tipped back to the barbacks and cooks.

Oh yes, the other person I would tip was the bartender. Again, Outback required a certain percentage… I believe it was !0% of all alcohol sales. At other places, it was up to me.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

The restaurant I work at (an the restaurants I worked at before) doesn't allow servers to keep tips. We have to put all of our tips into a jar, and they add all of it up and everyone receives a bit. 80% is shared between the kitchen, host and take-out staff, and the remaining 20 % is shared between 14 waitresses. In the end I get to keep about 2 % of the tips I receive from customers.

This is actually really terrible. Where I worked, since those folks made minimum wage or above (and I did not), we tipped about 30-40% back (which was split among them, and if they did something really awesome for us, it would be more), then the rest was ours.

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Oh yes, the other person I would tip was the bartender. Again, Outback required a certain percentage… I believe it was !0% of all alcohol sales. At other places, it was up to me.

We had a "bartender" but since we didn't serve spirits it was no more than opening a bottle of beer. Typically, the "bartender" was just a server assigned to bar - we all did our turn but did not tip back. I would imagine that if you were in an establishment that served spirits you would need to bartender to make drinks so you would tip back.

[Tulip86]

The restaurant I work at (an the restaurants I worked at before) doesn't allow servers to keep tips. We have to put all of our tips into a jar, and they add all of it up and everyone receives a bit. 80% is shared between the kitchen, host and take-out staff, and the remaining 20 % is shared between 14 waitresses. In the end I get to keep about 2 % of the tips I receive from customers.

[christiangirl]

People rag on me all the time for tipping housekeeping when I go to a hotel. "Stop paying people for doing their job." But my parents taught me to tip housekeeping, so I do. All this tipping talk made me look up how much one should be tipping the housekeeping staff aaaaaannnnddddd......I overtip them. By a LOT.

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/fami...-tipping-apr05

Do you remember to tip housekeeping?

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Do you remember to tip housekeeping?

Always. I learned this from my first job out of college (which required weekly travel). My parents never tipped housekeeping when we traveled but I was specifically told that I could expense $3/day as a housekeeping tip ... so I left the specified tip and I expensed it. A good thing too... that company did a lot of business with that hotel, and I was there practically every week, so much so that the front desk staff would see me walk in on Monday evening and immediately print up my sign-in papers and keycard. (They got very confused when I got married and they looked up my reservation under my maiden name and didn't find it... and the usual Monday evening front desk clerk couldn't pronounce my married name (it's not that difficult, really!) so she insisted on calling me Ms. Maidenname...)

I usually picked up a taxi at the taxi rank at a hotel near my apartment building, so I tipped the doorman (if present) as he would load my bags into the trunk.

I briefly dated a guy who would.not.tip.a.taxi.driver. Ugh. That should have been a sign that he was an ass and deserved the royal kick to the curb... well, live and learn.

[PincGator Que]

Originally Posted by kddani

I wasn't even talking about a first reaction - I certainly don't expect that. But if you go through the entire meal without even looking at her and smiling, it comes across as pretty rude. I don't expect people to play peek-a-boo with her, but if you act as if she isn't even there the entire meal, that's rude. Especially in a service industry.

The fact that you think somebody on their job should give a damn about your baby is rude and borderline arrogant.

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Wait...people expect servers to speak to their babies??

So, I'm not the only one who thought her post was stupid.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

People rag on me all the time for tipping housekeeping when I go to a hotel. "Stop paying people for doing their job." But my parents taught me to tip housekeeping, so I do. All this tipping talk made me look up how much one should be tipping the housekeeping staff aaaaaannnnddddd......I overtip them. By a LOT.

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/fami...-tipping-apr05

Do you remember to tip housekeeping?

I tip housekeeping. From that list, I tip them appropriately, but I way overtip valet parking attendants apparently.

[psy]

How much / do you tip at restaurants with no waitstaff? For example, a local pizza by slice joint gives you your food at the counter when you pay. What is appropriate tipping in that situation?