Tipping

[sageofages]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

Since I eat out a lot for work (and we are often in large parties), most of the places I've seen that auto-tip for bigger parties still include the extra tip line if you want to add more. I realize not every place does this, but the restaurants should

I know I could add more if I wanted to tip more. It is a PERSONAL DISCRETION issue for me. The auto-tip takes the control away from me in regard to determining if the service was acceptable or not. I want that control to reward based on the quality of service.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by sageofages

I know I could add more if I wanted to tip more. It is a PERSONAL DISCRETION issue for me. The auto-tip takes the control away from me in regard to determining if the service was acceptable or not. I want that control to reward based on the quality of service.

That makes sense. I didn't read your original post that way, I just read what you originally wrote (about adding more if the service was great).

I'd like to hear what servers say about people making the tip so that the total bill is an even dollar amount... i've done that a bit in the past

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

I'd like to hear what servers say about people making the tip so that the total bill is an even dollar amount... i've done that a bit in the past

If you left $4.45 instead of $4 and the guy next to you left $3.73 instead of $3 or $3.50, and you wait on 50 tables, it's going to add up. That could be an extra $25, easy. So, yeah, leave the extra change, rather than rounding down. Of course, if you'd rather round up, that's fine too.

[OOhsoflyDELTA#9]

in NC at least the auto tip can't be enforced by law...my ex is a cop and has been called to resturants because someone/group refused to pay the auto-tip, he said they are only required to pay the cost of food and tax...also when I was still in the military a large group of us were in New Orleans and got HORRIBLE service at a resturant...one of our officers is an attorney and he argued with the manger about the auto tip...I can't remember if we end paying it or not there...

[AlethiaSi]

I live in NY and have waitressed in Missouri as well. We always got WAY under minimum wage, usually 2-3 dollars an hour. Now usually we get a "shift" pay of around 35 dollars and at my last restaurant, we got 45-50 because we were the head servers.

Here's a question to the servers on here: How do you feel about people leaving you a tip of 4.37 on a 20.63 tab to make their total charge an even number? Do you really have to count out the pennies? Is it a pain in the butt? I've always figured it best for the server to leave an even dollar amount for a tip to take out of the register, but if everything is totaled up at the end of the day, maybe the 37 cents isn't that big of a crime???

It doesn't bother me much, because the last few places I worked at, they do the tips in a check (which sucks b/c we get taxed... grrr) and not cash, so it's not like you're counting out 43 cents, it usually gets rounded up if it is cash anyway.

[catiebug]

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.