Good tip? (restaurant, coffee, diner, breakfast)

[MSPLove]

*Came into 24-hour diner around midnight.
*Stayed about 5 hours, much of waitress' shift. (She told me she'd be leaving around 7:30 a.m.)
*Ordered small plate of cheese fries and coffee. Came to $5.68.
*Left tip of $2.30. (20% of $5.68 is $1.14. That times two is $2.28. Rounded off, $2.30.)
*Checked on me plenty of times, but had to ask for ranch for my fries three times. First time was when I ordered. Second time was when she brought fries, sans ranch. And a third and final time when I physically went up to the counter to get it myself.
*It appears she's taking care of whole restaurant by herself. It's spread out, but sparsely been occupied, overall. Steady, but no real rush persay. I haven't seen another waitress. Maybe there's another, but I'm not sure.

Is this adequate considering I didn't order much, but stayed several hours? (Note: This back room section I've been sitting in has been empty the entire time. I'm not taking up space for any paying people who could be sitting here.)

I was going to triple her tip at first to be nice, but when it came down to her actual service, well.... the ranch.

Oh... and she's kind of new. I think that's the part I'm struggling with here...

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by MSPLove

...Stayed about 5 hours...

Heck, you got off easy - I would have charged you rent.

[elnina]

You did good.
People here sit at Jim's all day long, reading books or on laptops. Nothing wrong if the restaurant is not full.
You waitress forgot your ranch because she was new, she was busy, it was (maybe) unusual order - people rather order ketchup for fries, etc. For a new waitress a whole big room was probably overwhelming and there was lots of running from one corner to another. Give her some time, and she will get more comfortable with customers and their orders.

[wadejay26]

Only ever stayed in a restaurant 5 hours one time and that was a 7 course meal with plenty of drinks flowing between each course. Restaurants are places to eat, not hang out for hours. And I have always felt that way. Not just since the advent of the laptop.That being said, I probably would have left a $20.

[missik999]

Originally Posted by wadejay26

Only ever stayed in a restaurant 5 hours one time and that was a 7 course meal with plenty of drinks flowing between each course. Restaurants are places to eat, not hang out for hours. And I have always felt that way. Not just since the advent of the laptop.That being said, I probably would have left a $20.

As a former server I can say that a $20 would have been the normal tip for someone who stayed at a table for five hours. Even if you don't order additional food or drink the server still has to keep checking.

And someone sitting for several hours after midnight would receive special observaton due to the possibility that he was up to no good.

[SXMGirl]

You owe her some money. You arrived at midnight, sat in an empty dining room, stayed 5 hours, and only ordered coffee and cheese fries. Maybe she was uncomfortable with the entire situation and that's why she could not remember the ranch dressing. I just think this is odd behavior. I am surprised that the manager didn't personally check on you.

When I meet with friends for breakfast or lunch, sometimes we do overstay our welcome by about an hour, but we also at least double the tip.

[missik999]

Originally Posted by SXMGirl

You owe her some money. You arrived at midnight, sat in an empty dining room, stayed 5 hours, and only ordered coffee and cheese fries. Maybe she was uncomfortable with the entire situation and that's why she could not remember the ranch dressing. I just think this is odd behavior. I am surprised that the manager didn't personally check on you.

When I meet with friends for breakfast or lunch, sometimes we do overstay our welcome by about an hour, but we also at least double the tip.

When I was a server our manager would go to the table personally if the person was behaving like the OP. The manager would visit the table several times so that the person would know that he had been noticed, was being watched, and that the server was not alone.

[momtothree]

It's an overnight diner, places like that are mainly for two types at that time of the night. People coming from getting drunk/partying/going out and grabbing a bite to eat before crashing at home. Or people that can't sleep for various reasons and want to be out and about. OP was fine for the length of time, but I would have left at least $10. Our tell the waiters not to check on you as you will be there for quite some time and will ask if you need something. That way they don't have to check in on you constantly.

[missik999]

Originally Posted by momtothree

It's an overnight diner, places like that are mainly for two types at that time of the night. People coming from getting drunk/partying/going out and grabbing a bite to eat before crashing at home. Or people that can't sleep for various reasons and want to be out and about. OP was fine for the length of time, but I would have left at least $10. Our tell the waiters not to check on you as you will be there for quite some time and will ask if you need something. That way they don't have to check in on you constantly.

The restaurant where I worked got robbed by a lone diner who had been sitting at a table for a lengthy period of time reading a newspaper. If a diner told me he would be there for some time and not to check on him it would raise my suspicions.

[momtothree]

Originally Posted by missik999

The restaurant where I worked got robbed by a lone diner who had been sitting at a table for a lengthy period of time reading a newspaper. If a diner told me he would be there for some time and not to check on him it would raise my suspicions.

Sorry that happened to your restaurant!

Around here the all night restaurants are normally populated by lone diners that stay for hours so it wouldn't be suspicious to me. Sad that there is always one jerk that ruins it for everyone else.