after poor service do you still tip good ???

ScatteredThoughts

I don't see the point of leaving a good tip for poor service. That being said, we generally leave 15%, 20% or more if the service is really good, 10% if its bad.

BAMFMeredith

I am a good tipper, generally speaking. I know the hourly wage for servers is like nothing, so tips are what they live on. That said, if service is TERRIBLE, that 20%-25% tip I usually leave gets cut down to 10%. I'd never NOT tip just because I mean, I know I have days where I suck at work but I still get paid for it, so maybe the server was having a bad day.

Often times, if a meal takes too long or something, it's not even the server's fault, it could be the kitchen's fault for screwing up an order or something. I give people the benefit of the doubt, they've got bills to pay too. If service is just mediocre, I still tip 20% because, again, we've all got bills to pay and I don't know if the server is having a bad day, isn't feeling well, whatever. Those things affect me at work, too.

If service is AMAZING, I get ridiculous with the tip. I had the most incredible server this past Valentine's Day at an upscale steakhouse here, and I made sure she got a really generous tip.

_Elemenopee_

I generally tip well (20% or more if it's deserved) but if the service is really bad I'll tip 10-15%. But I ALWAYS tip.

kansasbelle

Please know most servers make 2.15 to 2.50 an hour plus tips. Then they have to tip out the bussers and the bar 10 to 15 percent of what they make.

As a former server. I can honestly say that you have to do something pretty horrible to get 10% from me, but it has happened. I usually over tip. 20% + and I make sure I request that server again, Especially if the service is great. Also be sure to let a manager know that the service was great. It can effect what stations, how many tables in there sections and how long a server is on the floor for, therefore you could help increase their income. It could also help with promotions. I was the head server trainer for many years. It does make a difference. I have actually had people from other servers tables tip me because I helped them more than there server did LOL. Plus my former regulars wrote my recommendations for my office jobs.


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d0gma

I usually tip 20%. If the service is bad, I tip bad and, on at least one occassion, I wrote on the back of the receipt why I tipped so low.

easleyee

Sunday was Mother's day also. She may have worked 10-15 hours taking care of people all day. Service industry people don't get breaks. She may even be a mom. How would you feel the next day? Yes, sometimes there are no excuses, but what would tipping less save you? Three dollars? Five? If you need to be saving three to ten dollars, maybe you shouldn't be out.

JadedSouls

I always tip regardless of how poor the service was but it's not the usual 20-25%.

It could have been an off day for the server or something else - alot of these people live on their tips!

gpstrucker

Generous gratuity for good service, lower if the service is poor.

batgirl8809

At worst I think I leave about 10%...but having a bad day in your personal life is absolutely no reason not to provide good service.

tsh0ck

it isn't my fault they work there for crap pay and they consider tips part of their hourly income. and if that's the case, do the job well. if you do an awful job, why would I reward you with anything extra, out of my bank account?

First of all, not everyone can GET a job that doesn't have crappy pay! Trust me, they'd rather be making more doing anything else.

Also, apparently you don't know that a lot of restaurants only pay $3.00 an hour and the rest of their 'wages' are tips and that they have to include 10% of sales as their wages whether they get the 10% or not! Food service companies are allowed to do this. Applebees is one of them and my kids all worked there while going to college. I'm proud of them for working to help pay for school, etc. I suppose you never had to work for minimum wage or less huh? You're lucky.

So, essentially, because the company is allowed to pay low wages, the worker is then allowed to do a piss-poor job while still expecting to get a tip from me? Sorry. Not gonna happen. A tip is a bonus given. Bonuses aren't given out of obligation. They are earned. Don't want a bad tip? Sweet. Because I don't want bad service. This is what we call a win-win scenario.

(And I worked a pair of jobs as a full-time student to help put myself through school. One minimum wage at a radio station, one just barely over that at a newspaper. Didn't get a bonus for playing good songs or reading the weather well. Did get a christmas bonus at the paper -- one based on how well I had done that year.)

BabeedollB

I think you handled it well. Telling the manager could have very well cost her the job. As far as tipping, I usually do 15%, if the service is poor I will go lower but ALWAYS tip!

RipperSB

yep.. i tip..and I still tip 20% .... i married a bartender...these are just the rules folks, everyone has a bad day!

No, I'm sorry but no, it is not a rule. A tip is optional.

vendygirl

I never tip less than 20%, ever. Maybe because I was, at one point, a waitress?

I too was a server for years and if I get crappy service I tend to tip low if the service sucked. Now I also have high standards, being a former server myself but even if you are having a ****ty day doesn't mean you give crappy service. I had plenty of days where I was not in a great mood but still gave the best service I could. I also got stuck with all the "crazy" regulars in one restaurant because I had the tolerance to deal with their quirks (one guy had to have a different glass for EVERY drink he had, including one that had just ice in it. OCD oh yeah).

That being said, I would tip low and let the manager know. It is their job to manage the staff. I tip between 10-15 depending on how bad the service is and I put it on the CC wheN i do that. If they are REALLY good I give them 20-30 and leave it in cash. That way they can claim what they want.

RipperSB

Please know most servers make 2.15 to 2.50 an hour plus tips. Then they have to tip out the bussers and the bar 10 to 15 percent of what they make.

I don't know where you are but in Canada they make minimum wage, which in Saskatchewan means $9.50 / hr plus tips. So a little quick math... 5 tables, $30 bills at each table, 20% tip equals $30 plus the $9.50 equals $39.50 / hr... that doesn't seem so bad.

Mrsfullwood

Last night I went out to a nice casual dining restaurant and the waitress was super slack. Now it was Monday night and not really busy at all. She only had three tables while I was there. On a couple of occasions I saw her chit chatting with a co worker and another time checking her cell phone. She took the order wrong, didn't come to ask did we need refills and I had to get up to get her attention to get my bill after we had finished cause it didn't look like she was coming back. At first I was going to give her my usual "poor service 10% tip" but I had an idea. I would leave her my usual 20% tip cause she probably had kids or a meth habit to support but I would also speak to her about her service. Well I pulled her to the side ,discussed the issues I had and said hopefully she would improve her quality of work. Well she started crying! I wasn't mean or derogatory I just pointed out what I didn't like. What do you do when you receive poor service? Was I wrong to address the server directly ?

I think you did right. I normally tell them too and I also add: "if you don’t like your job I know a few people who would love to have it." The only time I go to the manager is if I want my meal to be free, other than that I really don’t bother with it.
In my book everyone starts off with a tip. I catch you slipping, talking on the phone, not refilling my drinks ect...I'm taking money off. Sorry that's just how it is, I used to waitress and I was damn good at it b/c I knew I only got paid $3 and some change an hour. Why would I set myself up for failure and have a disgusting attitude and do a half *kitten* job?

RipperSB

I don't want to go off on a rant here but...

My problem with tipping (aside from the mistaken belief some people have that it is mandatory) is that it is based on a percentage of the bill. So, because a joint charges more you should tip more? WTF? Just because you can afford to eat here, you are obligated to tip more? That just seems wrong. The other problem is with who you tip... waitstaff but not retail? Both provide a service but we tip one but not the other? To quote Mr. Pink "That's bullsh*t"!

Of course, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Mrsfullwood

Please know most servers make 2.15 to 2.50 an hour plus tips. Then they have to tip out the bussers and the bar 10 to 15 percent of what they make.

I don't know where you are but in Canada they make minimum wage, which in Saskatchewan means $9.50 / hr plus tips. So a little quick math... 5 tables, $30 bills at each table, 20% tip equals $30 plus the $9.50 equals $39.50 / hr... that doesn't seem so bad.

minimum wage is pretty darn good in Canada!

k8blujay2

it isn't my fault they work there for crap pay and they consider tips part of their hourly income. and if that's the case, do the job well. if you do an awful job, why would I reward you with anything extra, out of my bank account?

First of all, not everyone can GET a job that doesn't have crappy pay! Trust me, they'd rather be making more doing anything else.

Also, apparently you don't know that a lot of restaurants only pay $3.00 an hour and the rest of their 'wages' are tips and that they have to include 10% of sales as their wages whether they get the 10% or not! Food service companies are allowed to do this. Applebees is one of them and my kids all worked there while going to college. I'm proud of them for working to help pay for school, etc. I suppose you never had to work for minimum wage or less huh? You're lucky.

So, essentially, because the company is allowed to pay low wages, the worker is then allowed to do a piss-poor job while still expecting to get a tip from me? Sorry. Not gonna happen. A tip is a bonus given. Bonuses aren't given out of obligation. They are earned. Don't want a bad tip? Sweet. Because I don't want bad service. This is what we call a win-win scenario.

(And I worked a pair of jobs as a full-time student to help put myself through school. One minimum wage at a radio station, one just barely over that at a newspaper. Didn't get a bonus for playing good songs or reading the weather well. Did get a christmas bonus at the paper -- one based on how well I had done that year.)

Technically, they aren't "allowed" to pay crappy wages... at least not here in Texas.. it's just not enforced because no one pushes the issue... I bet if servers realized around here that they were due minimum wage regardless of tips, and complianed, loudly, to the department of labor and elsewhere that they weren't getting paid what they were due, that they would actually be paid minimum wage... but then that would probably mean they would have to declare ALL their tips... not just the ones on a credit card reciept.. and who wants to do that?

k8blujay2

I'm sorry, but if you can afford to go out to dinner, you can afford to leave a decent tip.

Don't like it? Eat at home.

I'm sorry, but if you don't like your job as a server, then find a new job (perferably one that doesn't require interpersonal interaction)... don't take whatever personal problems you are having that day out on innocent costumers... Yes, there are going to be jerks that don't tip properly... but on the same token, there are people that do actually want to tip properly and perhaps above and beyond what is normal... however, if you are doing a half *kitten* job for any other reason other than being new (and even then it's a stretch), then you really don't deserve a tip.

Like I said before, my husband and I have been known to tip on the upwards of 50%.... but a server won't get that if they are being rude, have a bad attitude, don't inform us on what is going on, etc.

Part of your job is to make our experience at your restaurant pleasurable... it's not pleasurable if we have to ask another server to refill our drinks or to find our order.

I'm not even a server, I'm an accountant, but even I know that not tipping doesn't solve anything - no other service allows the patron to get that service for free and then decide afterward whether or not they want to pay for it. Would you eat a whole meal and then not pay for it because you didn't like it? Wouldn't the smarter thing to do be to right the problem at the beginning so that in the end, everyone wins? Tipping badly does nothing but frustrate the server and never actually gets you better service. The whole experience could wind up pleasant for all parties involved.

Again, that is way people should state a reason, whether on the reciept or in person, as to why there is no or little tip. Why should I pay for a service that wasn't fully rendered? I don't pay a contractor for putting up dry wall and painting, if they never painted? So why should I pay a server for half the job? And again, like I stated previously, I take the whole situation into consideration not just how their serving affected me.... if I notice them working their tails off they will still get a decent tip. And in my opinion tipping bad servers well encourages that person to continue on with the job... even if they aren't suited for it.... if they want to work in food service and get minimum wage, then work for McDonalds... I am always seeing "hiring" signs there.

Sapporo

No I don't tip good after poor service. The point of tipping is to reward good service. I used to be a waitress and I still won't tip a person who gives me poor service the same as I do for regular service. I have even tipped nothing 3 times in my life and the last time wrote the waitress a note so she would know why. Usually 10-15% for meh service, 18-25% for regular to good service, and amazing service get 25%+ but that is rare.
Our waitstaff get paid minimum wage usually, I got higher than minimum wage in Toronto just due to cost of living. Not all waiters know that they suck, some just think the customer is being cheap so talking to her was a good idea I think, even though you still tipped normally.