How much should I tips? (Orlando: sales, hotel, home)

[LeafsFan85]

The unwritten rule of thump where I'm from up North is 10% for lunch and 15% for dinner. I'm here right now in Orlando on Vacation and wondering what is the
% here in Orlando?
IN case you wondering why am I up so late (4:00 Am) here in Orlando, well my
$69 dinner for two ($60+$9 tips) kept me from sleeping due to constant running to the John

[P+N]

I think the new understanding in general, regardless of location is 15% for lunch and 20% for dinner. We tend to do 20% at any meal. The wait staff work hard and get paid very little!

[LeafsFan85]

Originally Posted by P+N

I think the new understanding in general, regardless of location is 15% for lunch and 20% for dinner. We tend to do 20% at any meal. The wait staff work hard and get paid very little!

20% Wow! i guess i haven't been eating out much lately
I remember a long long time ago working in 4 season hotel the wait staff don't really care much about the actual hourly wages, they only care about the tips, some night they bring home $400-$600 a night Tax free.
BTW: the hardest working guy/girl in the restaurant is not the wait staff, it's the busboy, they also get paid very little and no direct tips from the customer.

[doom1001]

Originally Posted by LeafsFan85

20% Wow! i guess i haven't been eating out much lately
I remember a long long time ago working in 4 season hotel the wait staff don't really care much about the actual hourly wages, they only care about the tips, some night they bring home $400-$600 a night Tax free.
BTW: the hardest working guy/girl in the restaurant is not the wait staff, it's the busboy, they also get paid very little and no direct tips from the customer.

Inocorrect,busboys at most major restaurants are paid the same $3 an hour as waiters and they get tipped a percentage of the waiters sales.Waiters also have to tip other staff members for example if I worked a shift from 11 am to 5 pm and made $100 in tips from my sales I wouldn't be leaving with $100.Let's say my tables total checks were about $700 and I made about $100 so I made about 15% average in tips.Now I have to go tip the bussers about $18-$20,the food runners about $10 and the bartenders also about $10.So instead of leaving with $100 I'm leaving with about $60,less than 10%.This is exactly why tips should be between 18-20% for lunch or dinner.And as you can see busboys do make their money from tips left by the customers.As a server depending on how much you make in tips your paychecks from the $3 you make an hour could have you getting paychecks for $0 if you made a lot in tips in comparison of the hours that you worked.So it's possible and likely all the money you're making is from tips.

[2martins]

tips are not tax free. they are taxable income and the government assumes you get tipped at least 10% and taxes you for that as a minimum if you don't declare more.

at least that is my vague recollection of my waiting days from long ago. but at the very least, it IS taxable income by the feds. most states also tax it, so i am confused as to where anyone is earning $400 a night "tax free."

[LeafsFan85]

Originally Posted by doom1001

Inocorrect,busboys at most major restaurants are paid the same $3 an hour as waiters and they get tipped a percentage of the waiters sales.Waiters also have to tip other staff members for example if I worked a shift from 11 am to 5 pm and made $100 in tips from my sales I wouldn't be leaving with $100.Let's say my tables total checks were about $700 and I made about $100 so I made about 15% average in tips.Now I have to go tip the bussers about $18-$20,the food runners about $10 and the bartenders also about $10.So instead of leaving with $100 I'm leaving with about $60,less than 10%.This is exactly why tips should be between 18-20% for lunch or dinner.And as you can see busboys do make their money from tips left by the customers.As a server depending on how much you make in tips your paychecks from the $3 you make an hour could have you getting paychecks for $0 if you made a lot in tips in comparison of the hours that you worked.So it's possible and likely all the money you're making is from tips.

Thanks for the info. i did not know that you have to share your tips with the
the rest of the staffs. I guess from now on, whenever i'm in orlando i have to make sure i give at least 20% tips.

[LeafsFan85]

Originally Posted by 2martins

tips are not tax free. they are taxable income and the government assumes you get tipped at least 10% and taxes you for that as a minimum if you don't declare more.

at least that is my vague recollection of my waiting days from long ago. but at the very least, it IS taxable income by the feds. most states also tax it, so i am confused as to where anyone is earning $400 a night "tax free."

what i'm trying to say is that the gov't can't not find out exactly how much you make from tips in a year. for example if you make 60k this year from tips alone and if you declare 10k,20k, or a full amount 60k, how will the gov't know the exact amount you make this year?

[2martins]

there is a big difference between something being tax free and something being easier to hide if you are the sort of person that cheats on your taxes. tax free means LEGALLY tax free.

and i do think the government assumes for the purposes of withholding that you get tipped 10%, so they tax you accordingly. i am not sure about that though. that's just my vague recollection. still, if they see that you work full time as a waitress and don't declare any tips or very few, i am sure that's an audit flag!

[right-here-i-say]

I do at least 15%, many times 20%+. One time my waitress sucked, and I tipped 10%, and she ran out screaming at us. Ever since then, even if the service is horrible, I give at least 15%. I would rather not get yelled at when I pay good money for a meal.

[AONE]

I tend to agree with the 20% folks, regardless of the meal. I have not seen any place in the country that is still at 10%... Mind you I have seen many people that are l;iving like they are still in the 60's ... when that was the standard. I think the current hourly is about $3.25 here for servers.
Oh and if you occupy a table and drink only coffee... you should tip way above what the standard is. You have taken away their opportu ity to make money by sitting there. so the >25 cent tip for your coffee doesnt cut it. make it $2-5 or just stay at home.
Remember if there is a problem with the food... the waiter did not cook it, take it up with a manager or the cook. If the server was friendly, prompt, attentive, and aware of your dining experience then tip them. I have no qualms telling people that can't tip to eat at home you are not wanted in public dining situations.