10 worst celebrity tippers

[agzg]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

I believe high-end restaurants consider this practice gauche.

Perhaps. It's more common in Europe, but really, it's way more work to take care of a table of 12 than it is to take care of 3 tables of 4.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by agzg

Perhaps. It's more common in Europe, but really, it's way more work to take care of a table of 12 than it is to take care of 3 tables of 4.

I thought it was more common in mid-range American restaurants, since in many European countries, service charges are added to the cost of a meal. An extra two or three Euros can be added if the service is exceptional.

It strikes me as pretty funny that most of the "bad tippers" haven't had the best publicity of late...Tiger Woods? Others might just be the victims of beef...LeBron James? Did a disgruntled Cleveland native write this article? These articles are silly...as is most anything related to "The Frisky."

[Tulip86]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I thought it was more common in mid-range American restaurants, since in many European countries, service charges are added to the cost of a meal. An extra two or three Euros can be added if the service is exceptional.

Depends on what country you visit. In some counties servers just get paid more because tipping isn't the standard. But in most servers make the minimum and rely on tips. Adding a service charge is not "what they do in Europe" but what they do in some European counties and it's usually mentioned on the menu.

I make minimum wage, and work my ass off (in my personality,huge perfectionist) and it sucks that people rake up a huge bill and just leave a few euros.
In The Netherlands the minimum wage for servers is a bit higher than in the US, so the standard is 10% for average service, more if it was really good and nothing if it sucked or if you're cheap. Also, we have to share the tip with the other servers, the kitchen staff and the bartenders so I only get to keep about 5% of what I get tipped.

I usually tip 10-15% here (15-20% when back in the U.S.) and always compliment a server if the service was good, tell the manager when it was exceptional.

ETA.
One huge difference, I've noticed the Dutch only tip in Bars/Restaurants and maybe Hotels. Not for hairdressers/coatchecking/gasstation. First time I went to the salon here I tried to leave a tip but the came after me, thinking I forgot my money .

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

Depends on what country you visit. In some counties servers just get paid more because tipping isn't the standard. But in most servers make the minimum and rely on tips. Adding a service charge is not "what they do in Europe" but what they do in some European counties and it's usually mentioned on the menu.

.

Isn't that what I said..."in some European countries?"

I tend to tip more than 15% because I rarely go to sit-down restaurants and when I do, it's usually for special occasions or large groups. Also, I would really prefer to avoid certain stereotypes about some groups not tipping...

[Tulip86]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Isn't that what I said..."in some European countries?"

I know you did, just adding my experience with tipping in Europe.

I've travelled most of the continent and it's very confusing. In some countries adding a service charge on top of the bill is mandatory, in some service is included in the price of the food.

[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 once being a server myself, that an extra dollar can mean everything.. especially when you're a broke college student.

Only once did I not leave a tip, and that's because the server was extremely rude. I went out with two of my friends in Boston for dinner. I asked for a burger, and said that I'd like onion rings instead of fries (a $1 charge according to the menu). My one friend said, "I'll have the same." When the meal came, the server brought us each a burger with fries and an extra order of onion rings on the side. We both stared at the huge plates of food in front of us, and I nicely said to the server, "I'm sorry, but we actually wanted to substitute the onion rings for the fries." She snapped at us and said, "You never told me THAT." We, again, very nicely said that what we wanted was the onion rings instead, but then said she could just box the food we had left over.. No big deal. Then she flipped and said, "No I'll take it back. And by the way, this is coming out of my pay.. I hope you're happy." She ignored us for the rest of the night, and if we wanted anything from her, including the check, we had to yell for her or track her down. What we left for her instead of a tip: a note, which basically said that if she had been nice to us and simply apologized, we would have covered the cost of the extra sides of rings in her tip.

[agzg]

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.

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

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Also, I would really prefer to avoid certain stereotypes about some groups not tipping...

LOL. Stereotypes persist regardless of what some people do. You will simply be considered an exception to the "Blacks don't tip" rule.

Originally Posted by BluPhire

And I stand by 15% minimum.

Like I said, the people most passionate about this are the ones that work it.

I don't believe in being cheap, but I also don't believe in being bullied to satisfy your personal view of what should and should not be.

Ditto!