How much would you leave for a tip? (restaurant, cheap, best)

[FreshFresh]

The food was meh, the service was ok, the attitude was ok, but nothing was particularly great or amazing.

How much would you tip?

[Fontucky]

20%. If the service and attitude were ok, I see no reason to punish the server for what the kitchen's turning out.

[Bandon]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

20%. If the service and attitude were ok, I see no reason to punish the server for what the kitchen's turning out.

Dang straight. And too many people actually do this. They also tip based on how attractive the server is, their hair color, makeup etc etc etc.

[slackjaw]

Weird is when you use a Groupon, depends on the amount of it and how much you order but we've been handed a bill for about $2 and left a $8 tip on it.

[FreshFresh]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

20%. If the service and attitude were ok, I see no reason to punish the server for what the kitchen's turning out.

but it was just ok, like nothing special, just adequate

so 20 percent is the rate for adequate?

[Bayarea4]

Originally Posted by FreshFresh

but it was just ok, like nothing special, just adequate

so 20 percent is the rate for adequate?

Yes, especially if you live in a major metropolitan area where the cost of living is high. Servers rely on tips for virtually all their wages. In most places it's legal for the restaurant to pay them less than the legal minimum hourly wage. By the time payroll taxes and other deductions are taken out of that minimum wage, their paychecks are often zero or close to it. Without tips, a server can't make a living. How would you like it if your boss decided not to pay you that day for some trivial reason, like a report was late or you weren't attractive enough?

Many servers are required to "tip out" to hostesses or bussers, so they don't even get to keep all their tip money. On top of that, the IRS taxes servers as if they received 8% tips on all their sales, regardless of whether they actually received anything at all. So if you stiff a waiter or waitress or tip less than 10%, you are actually costing them money.

20 percent is quickly becoming the new standard tip for satisfactory service, and you should never tip less than 15% unless the service is really poor. In that case it's best to speak to to the server or manager to explain why you were dissatisfied and give them a chance to make it right. If you stiff the server without saying anything, they won't know why the tip was so low, and they'll assume you are merely a cheapskate.

By the way, I don't work in the restaurant industry and never have, but I dine out a lot and have nothing but appreciation for the hard work servers do.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by FreshFresh

but it was just ok, like nothing special, just adequate

so 20 percent is the rate for adequate?

20% is my minimum. If I get **** service, I leave nothing. I don't have a sliding scale for less than adequate service.

[Bette]

You're absolutely right on the 20%. Believe, the servers and the others depend on these tips.

My son has worked in a restaurant for 3 years. He started out as a runner and is now a server. He also is the assistant banquet manager. The restaurant closes at 10 PM during the week and 1 AM on the weekends. He is often there at least 2 hours later.

These guys and girls depend on your tips and often, things aren't their fault but they get the brunt of it. It's harder work than you think.

They work for every dime.

[NinaN]

I usually leave at least 20% but never less than $4 (for a cheap lunch, 20% can be $2). My feeling is that a few extra bucks means not much to me, but could be really helpful to someone living on tips. If the service is bad, I still leave about 15%. If it's RUDE I don't leave much. I rarely have rude service, just servers that aren't very attentive or too busy with other tables.

[Sillypups]

We leave 20% but if the service is out of this world... we leave a bit more.

I just wish the tips went like the old days.

I think all the servers should be able to keep their own tips.