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I always tip at least 20%. More when we're eating somewhere cheap like breakfast at Dennys or something. If my bill is '$10, I'm not going to leave 1.50 or 2.00. I would totally feel cheap. I will always drop a $5. So it would be a 50% tip. Those servers need that money more than I do.
As far as taking your change. If you wanted it back why didn't you ask for it back when the waiter never returned with it? How much are we talking anyway?
Thats why i don't go to $10 places. I either go big or go fast food/ to go! it is hard to figure out tip on $7.99 meal.
By the way, should one tip for togo or at buffet?
Thanks for your good talking manner. when I was saying 'my heart was breaking' and an internet search to get a job I was totally joking. Due to my bad temper, I won't be a waitress, and if I was a waitress, I would like people tip me for my service not because it is a rule or they think I am poor. If they don't give me tip, I take it as they are not satisfied with my service and will work even harder.
Anyway, a bit sense of humor could make it all understood. It is shocking some people reacted as if they ate a ton of gunpowder. I am happy to see decent people like you who can have discussion in a reasonable and decent manner.
As you said getting paid decently, however, the waiters or waitresses will never get decent pay in the lower-end restaurants if people stick to the twenty percent rule. Would a waiter in fine-dining industry agree his effort could be less appreciated when he worked in the lower-priced restaurants? So I always give more tips when I like the service especially in the lower-end restaurants. If the bill is 50 and the waiters are warm and smiling, I normally give 20. However, I will think 100 is too much if the bill is 500. I don't mean I won't give the amount, I do give the amount and keep my own thoughts which is my right.
Please get off your high horse and stop lecturing people about their "good talking manner". No one came after you with "gunpowder" and you getting "shocked" easily is probably another topic.
Your post was offense at so many different levels and if you don't see I feel sorry for you. Plus your disdain of the "culture" here will always get strong reactions. I'm not from TX but if I start bad mouthing the culture in TX, I fully expect people to react.
It cannot be a British thing either. My boss is from the UK and he is one of the best tippers I've ever come across. This is not India, when I visited I saw people had no problem spending in excess of Rs 10,000 on a fancy meal and when it was time for tipping they would tip may be Rs 20 or 30. I felt so bad for those servers who were obviously poor, provided great service and bent over backwards. But hey, it is the norm there.
Last edited by VegasMan_72; 11-16-2014 at 05:54 AM..
Thats why i don't go to $10 places. I either go big or go fast food/ to go! it is hard to figure out tip on $7.99 meal.
By the way, should one tip for togo or at buffet?
Since I am from Nevada, I consider myself an expert in buffets $1 or $2 per person is appropriate for tipping the server for bringing drinks only.
Thanks for your good talking manner. when I was saying 'my heart was breaking' and an internet search to get a job I was totally joking.
Anyway, a bit sense of humor could make it all understood. It is shocking some people reacted as if they ate a ton of gunpowder. I am happy to see decent people like you who can have discussion in a reasonable and decent manner.
As you said getting paid decently, however, the waiters or waitresses will never get decent pay in the lower-end restaurants if people stick to the twenty percent rule. Would a waiter in fine-dining industry agree his effort could be less appreciated when he worked in the lower-priced restaurants? So I always give more tips when I like the service especially in the lower-end restaurants. If the bill is 50 and the waiters are warm and smiling, I normally give 20. However, I will think 100 is too much if the bill is 500. I don't mean I won't give the amount, I do give the amount and keep my own thoughts which is my right.
Ahhh...gets called to the carpet and the response is "I was totally joking!" What a gas, right? Just like the schoolyard bullies who push the smaller kid around and keep throwing his/her hat back and forth and then justify it all with "come on, we were just playing with you...we were just joking around!"
Were you also "totally joking" when you called the server materialistic for wanting that $80 tip after you materialistically spent $400 on a meal - again a month's groceries for at least 2-3 people (probably 4 if you're careful)? I notice you glossed over that thought...
My guess is you were busy "totally joking" and didn't think about any of these aspects of the server getting that tip, and what happens in his/her daily life:
Didn't think about the likely $10-12 that went to tipping out the bartender and bus staff, possibly also the host/ess.
Didn't think about the $2-3 the restaurant may have kept if you paid with a credit card to cover the credit card commission (yep - some restaurants do this... at least did back in MN)
Didn't think about the 2 hours of work that remaining tip represents taking care of your table (as that tip is most of his/her pay), not to mention the time in prep work to prepare for your arrival and cleanup/reset after you leave - that they are receiving no tips and no practical pay.
Didn't think about the hours the server stands around with no tables (and no income) waiting to balance out with an $80 tip - probably especially in finer dining restaurants where people are less likely to just "pop in" for a quick bite.
As far the statement/question "As you said getting paid decently, however, the waiters or waitresses will never get decent pay in the lower-end restaurants if people stick to the twenty percent rule. Would a waiter in fine-dining industry agree his effort could be less appreciated when he worked in the lower-priced restaurants?"
I would argue yes.
The server has a far lower expectation placed upon them in terms of service provided and knowledge/skill set at a Denny's as opposed to fine-dining. I don't expect fine-dining level service at Denny's, and if I get Denny's level service/knowledge when I sit down to a $400 meal you can be quite certain I will not be a happy camper. Hence, different compensation for different level of service product.
That said, Denny's serving isn't intended to be a lifelong career. It's a "right now" job and step to a better job - be it higher level of restaurant serving, management, or get you through school to obtain a professional job.
I'm not originally from TX so whether the OP posted the question about DFW is of somewhat less importance to me. It does annoy me, when you have people willing to do work and not give in to entitlement mentality, they have to put up with people who have no problem asking high level of service while spending a lot of money on one meal, and who come close to denigrating the effort. I despise unions and all the mentality of "gimmedat" that comes with it, but I'm almost slightly sympathetic when this is the attitude they see.
I think it is the utmost of rudeness and unprofessionalism when a waiter does this. I have had it done to me several times but not in Texas. I say yes I would like my change please, and I do not return to the restaurant. I get especially annoyed when I go out for a quick lunch, that cost maybe 9 or $10 and I am paying with a $20 bill. I can't imagine any waiter having the gall to think the rest of that $20 is their tip. Yet I have had it done to me. Personally if I owned a restaurant and found my servers were behaving this way. Then I would instruct them. Not in my restaurant.
As you said getting paid decently, however, the waiters or waitresses will never get decent pay in the lower-end restaurants if people stick to the twenty percent rule. Would a waiter in fine-dining industry agree his effort could be less appreciated when he worked in the lower-priced restaurants? So I always give more tips when I like the service especially in the lower-end restaurants. If the bill is 50 and the waiters are warm and smiling, I normally give 20. However, I will think 100 is too much if the bill is 500. I don't mean I won't give the amount, I do give the amount and keep my own thoughts which is my right.
That will be balanced somewhat by the numbers. A waiter in a fine restaurant where the tab is typically $500 may serve only two tables a night. A waiter in a lesser restaurant may serve thirty.
In addition, the tip in a fine restaurant is split among everyone involved in servicing that table, such as the busboy and the sommelier (although sometimes the sommelier is tipped separately...which is still a matter of the overall "tip" for service).
Ahhh...gets called to the carpet and the response is "I was totally joking!" What a gas, right? Just like the schoolyard bullies who push the smaller kid around and keep throwing his/her hat back and forth and then justify it all with "come on, we were just playing with you...we were just joking around!"
Were you also "totally joking" when you called the server materialistic for wanting that $80 tip after you materialistically spent $400 on a meal - again a month's groceries for at least 2-3 people (probably 4 if you're careful)? I notice you glossed over that thought...
My guess is you were busy "totally joking" and didn't think about any of these aspects of the server getting that tip, and what happens in his/her daily life:
Didn't think about the likely $10-12 that went to tipping out the bartender and bus staff, possibly also the host/ess.
Didn't think about the $2-3 the restaurant may have kept if you paid with a credit card to cover the credit card commission (yep - some restaurants do this... at least did back in MN)
Didn't think about the 2 hours of work that remaining tip represents taking care of your table (as that tip is most of his/her pay), not to mention the time in prep work to prepare for your arrival and cleanup/reset after you leave - that they are receiving no tips and no practical pay.
Didn't think about the hours the server stands around with no tables (and no income) waiting to balance out with an $80 tip - probably especially in finer dining restaurants where people are less likely to just "pop in" for a quick bite.
As far the statement/question "As you said getting paid decently, however, the waiters or waitresses will never get decent pay in the lower-end restaurants if people stick to the twenty percent rule. Would a waiter in fine-dining industry agree his effort could be less appreciated when he worked in the lower-priced restaurants?"
I would argue yes.
The server has a far lower expectation placed upon them in terms of service provided and knowledge/skill set at a Denny's as opposed to fine-dining. I don't expect fine-dining level service at Denny's, and if I get Denny's level service/knowledge when I sit down to a $400 meal you can be quite certain I will not be a happy camper. Hence, different compensation for different level of service product.
That said, Denny's serving isn't intended to be a lifelong career. It's a "right now" job and step to a better job - be it higher level of restaurant serving, management, or get you through school to obtain a professional job.
I'm not originally from TX so whether the OP posted the question about DFW is of somewhat less importance to me. It does annoy me, when you have people willing to do work and not give in to entitlement mentality, they have to put up with people who have no problem asking high level of service while spending a lot of money on one meal, and who come close to denigrating the effort. I despise unions and all the mentality of "gimmedat" that comes with it, but I'm almost slightly sympathetic when this is the attitude they see.
Very nicely said. I couldn't agree more. It's her attitude more than anything else. The lady keeps talking about servers to "earn" their tips. I would hate to be her waiter. I wouldn't know what to do to earn her tip. Bow to her? Address her as "her majesty"?
Reading her posts tells me that English is not her native tongue.
It is not customary to do so any where around here.
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it is hard to figure out tip on $7.99 meal. 
. Due to my bad temper, I won't be a waitress, and if I was a waitress, I would like people tip me for my service not because it is a rule or they think I am poor. If they don't give me tip, I take it as they are not satisfied with my service and will work even harder. 
I am happy to see decent people like you who can have discussion in a reasonable and decent manner. 
