after poor service do you still tip good ???

DavetheHYNIC
DavetheHYNIC Posts: 318 Member
in Chit-Chat
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 ?
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Replies

  • rossi02
    rossi02 Posts: 549 Member
    I would leave a small tip if the service was bad. However, I wouldn't tell the server directly.. but if it was as bad as you stated, I would tell the manager. I'd let them be the one to correct their waitstaff's behavior.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    I'm pretty generous tipper, but if the service is truly poor, I leave what I consider to be the minimum (15%)

    If she started crying, I'd be pretty concerned that something else was bugging her, unless you were mean about it.

    I'd wonder why you didn't tell a manager, though, instead of confronting her directly?
  • Loraah
    Loraah Posts: 111 Member
    As a restaurant manager and having been in the position of that girl I would like to be told, any feedback is good. I would still tip but lower than my usual however I had this discussion with a group of friends and a lot said they wouldn't tip at all (tipping is slightly less customary here in Australia)
  • JAPANFOXX
    JAPANFOXX Posts: 27
    No.. I think it was good advice.. I think!!! But from y ou Dave I wonder.l give feedback good and bad because I made a great living waiting tables 7to 900 a week... But it was because along the way customers gave me feedback... She crying now but maybe she will apply some of the advice..
  • SofaKingRad
    SofaKingRad Posts: 1,592 Member
    I tip low.
  • Loraah
    Loraah Posts: 111 Member
    I'm pretty generous tipper, but if the service is truly poor, I leave what I consider to be the minimum (15%)

    If she started crying, I'd be pretty concerned that something else was bugging her, unless you were mean about it.

    I'd wonder why you didn't tell a manager, though, instead of confronting her directly?

    I can't say I blame you not telling her manager. That would more than likely get her in a lot of trouble and it was probably quite effective going directly to the source of the issue
  • MrsLVF
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
    I would leave a small tip if the service was bad. However, I wouldn't tell the server directly.. but if it was as bad as you stated, I would tell the manager. I'd let them be the one to correct their waitstaff's behavior.
    Yes, this^

    On the flip side, this weekend we had excellent service & tipped 50%. Also letting the staff know that we appreciated the fantastic service & delicious meal.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I usually go with 10% for poor service too. It's just low enough for them to hopefully get the idea. I've never addressed the issue with a manager but it's not a bad idea. Someone needs to tell the waiter/waitress why they're not being tipped well and how they can improve their performance and income.
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
    i, too, would have addressed it with the manager rather than the server.

    Would you want random people telling you that you were doing a bad job?
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    Bad service? I don't tip.

    Tips are earned...
  • lickmybaconcakes
    lickmybaconcakes Posts: 1,063 Member
    Should be happy with 10% , that's pretty good here.
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,832 Member
    I always leave the minimum. Waiters / waitresses make their money off of tips, and for all I know they could just be having a bad day.
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    Nope, I'm a strong believer in capitalism and merit- or performance-based pay, so if a server does a crappy job, they deserve to get a crappy tip. I've started leaving a note to let them know it wasn't an oversight, and I'm not cheap - the lousy tip was because of their lousy performance. On the flip side, I tip well for above-average service. If I'm in a group and the grautuity is already added in, I'd tell the manager.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    I never tip less than 20%, ever. Maybe because I was, at one point, a waitress?
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
    As a restaurant manager and having been in the position of that girl I would like to be told, any feedback is good. I would still tip but lower than my usual however I had this discussion with a group of friends and a lot said they wouldn't tip at all (tipping is slightly less customary here in Australia)

    as a former waiter, i think i would prefer someone go to my manager, as he/she would have a better knowledge of me and my normal performance and could address me appropriately.
  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
    In this age, if you do, you are only reinforcing poor service.

    If It's horrible, they get nothing but a complaints to ownership/management. If its just bad, 10% (there could be reasons why), if its OK, 15%, if its good 20%, if it outstanding 30%
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
    I tipped 25% the other day for excellent service. I've only ever tipped lower than 15% when the service was absolutely awful. You pay for a service. I'm sorry if you earn your wages via tips, you should be doing a better job if you know that's how you're making the majority of your money.
  • SofaKingRad
    SofaKingRad Posts: 1,592 Member
    Maybe skip the bill and give her just the tip.
  • debloves2ride
    debloves2ride Posts: 386
    I always tip well because - been there done that. BUT if it is exceptionally poor service, and it has to be really bad - I leave a penney. that lets them know you didn't forget, that they suck. Unless they are so incredibly stupid and don't get it. The word TIP is actually an acronym To Insure Promp service. So if you don't live up to it, don't expect it.
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    I never tip less than 20%, ever. Maybe because I was, at one point, a waitress?

    I was a waiter back in the day. What does that have to do with anything??
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    yep.. i tip..and I still tip 20% .... i married a bartender...these are just the rules folks, everyone has a bad day!
  • trybefan
    trybefan Posts: 488 Member
    I never tip less than 20%, ever. Maybe because I was, at one point, a waitress?

    agreed
  • dlyeates
    dlyeates Posts: 875 Member
    I would still tip but it would be lower. I think that's a gentle way of saying maybe something wasn't right. I'm not big on going to a manager because I've seen people get fired for little things and maybe they were just having a bad day or were new. A lower tip is just a gentle reminder to step it up but I don't want anyone getting fired for maybe having a bad day.
  • kayleesays
    kayleesays Posts: 564 Member
    Truly horrendous, I still leave about a 10% tip. Kind of bad, 15%. Normally, 20%.
  • Sierra_419
    Sierra_419 Posts: 201 Member
    i dont tip squatttt ,. ill tip some advice to the manager if its really that bad & leave with an attitude lol . im horrible i kno . maybe that will teach them next time,.
  • justbecause2014
    justbecause2014 Posts: 371 Member
    I tip well, but tip less for bad service. There was this one time that the service was bad, like really, really bad! I didn't tip at all!
  • mkbledsoe
    mkbledsoe Posts: 132
    I always try to leave a good tip, but if my waitress is like what you're talking about then I may possibly only leave 1 or 2 dollars. It happened to me recently also. I had a friend who left his waitress a $20 tip on a $50 bill and he realized later that the waitress had messed with his credit card receipt and added a 4 to the 50 making it a $450 bill and she pocketed the money. Luckily he noticed the bill on his credit card statement. He had left her a killer tip and she still screwed him over. I was a waitress for many years and I almost always leave a good tip, but I say give what they deserve. They shouldn't get a good tip for half *kitten* service.
  • amalthea23
    amalthea23 Posts: 44 Member
    I tip the minimum 15% if service is bad, but if it's good, I'll sometimes tip up to 30%.
  • KNarrainen
    KNarrainen Posts: 135 Member
    I think tipping is a bigger thing in the US, do you have minimum wage there?

    In the UK I consider tipping to be earned by good service, i reaaly don't like it to be on the bill already. It can lead to bad service as they don't care because they will get the service tio regardless.

    If the service is bad I won't tip.
    I probably would but low if I was in the US
  • m16shane
    m16shane Posts: 393 Member
    I tip 20% as an average. More if the service was amazing. Though I've had a very few times that the service was beyond bad, and I didn't tip.

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