15% Tips for great service are no longer acceptable. (elementary school, cost)

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by baiaxaba

why not tip 30% or 40% then ? why stop at only 20%?

I also work in a field where I make no base salary, I have no benefits, no pension. Sometimes I go visit clients and after driving 1 hour we do not close the deal. Funny enough, no one ever gave me any tips.
Tons of people dont make enough money, yet only servers feel entitled to demand more tips or a higher percentage. People working at grocery stores, drivers, etc. Do we tip them too?
When you visit Mcdonalds or Wendys... do you tip?

I hate the fact that now we are creating a new standard in the industry. In the food industry, the cost and responsibility for labour costs is not on the owner, rather it is on the clients that now MUST cover those costs. Why not make this the standard everywhere? Maybe owners of matress stores should not pay their sales reps any base salary (or maybe pay next to nothing) and buyers should tip 10% of the total purchase price, to help the poor sales guy make a decent living.
Dont forget to tip the guy at Publix 20% of the total bill, for packing the groceries with a smile in his face. We should also tip hotel maids 20% minimum, for doing they work. After all, they dont make enough.

Reminds me of an experience. I was working for a gentleman and his daughter pulled up in her car. She asked him for $12.00 for gas. He remarked that it was an odd amount, how about $10? She said, I'm getting $10 but I need $2 for the tip..........

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by HarryWho?

Reminds me of an experience. I was working for a gentleman and his daughter pulled up in her car. She asked him for $12.00 for gas. He remarked that it was an odd amount, how about $10? She said, I'm getting $10 but I need $2 for the tip..........

A little bit different though. When there used to be full serve stations everywhere you were paying for the gas, if the guy asked if you wanted your oil checked, windows cleaned, etc. then they were going above and beyond what you were paying for.

[bentlebee]

I think that more and more people will avoid place where they have to tip if the people working there a feeling entitled to a tip like the OP instead of working for it and providing good service...specially with $ 4.00 a gallon for gas...

[twgerber]

My experience varies. I have noticed in Florida that people tend to tip less - generational thing?

I know that tipping can vary quite a bit and most restaurants now say 15 or 18% is the expected tip for normal service.

I also know that many places pay $2.50 or less per hour to a server.

Most servers I know and have socialized with struggle to make it because people assume serving is easy and don't feel like they should have to tip very much. I routinely see elderly folks just leave a few bucks for a tip. I know most are on fixed income so not sure why they are eating out in the first place.

Anyway I know most servers struggle due to under-tipping. I wish the places would pay a higher min wage to help that out.

Myself I routinely tip 20% for good service and sometimes more. Especially when I see others undertipping someone who is doing a good job. And I like to be remembered next time I come back ;-)

Most place will tell new hires that 18% is the norm but I don't think most tip that much as a norm today.

While a few servers can do very well at higher end place most struggle to make ends meet at the everyday places.

Serving is hard
Serving doesn't pay well generally.
TIP for good service is the key here. Min 15% is the norm and more has become more common place. No different than pizza places charging for delivery when it use to be free.

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by Mike1306

A little bit different though. When there used to be full serve stations everywhere you were paying for the gas, if the guy asked if you wanted your oil checked, windows cleaned, etc. then they were going above and beyond what you were paying for.

Not Really. I worked in gas stations in Jersey as a kid. You received minimum wage so tips weren't an issue. You were expected to be courteous, clean windshields, and check oil. You received commissions on oil sales.

[mco65]

I don't see an issue with a 15% tip..
The price of a meal has gone up over the course of 20 years so even at 15%, the tip has gone up as well..
My wife is a big 20% tipper but I don't see the issue with 15%.

The only time I tip 20% during lunch with co workers and I typically tip $2.. but that's based on a <%10 meal so I am tipping over 20% but if I am out to dinner with my family and the bill is ~50 I will typically tip $7 to $8... 20 years ago the same dinner would have been $35 and my tip might have been $5... so I see that a 15% tip is keeping up with the cost of the meal and there is no reason to tip 20% simply because of time.

[Pragmaticus]

Originally Posted by mco65

I don't see an issue with a 15% tip..
The price of a meal has gone up over the course of 20 years so even at 15%, the tip has gone up as well..
My wife is a big 20% tipper but I don't see the issue with 15%.

The only time I tip 20% during lunch with co workers and I typically tip $2.. but that's based on a <%10 meal so I am tipping over 20% but if I am out to dinner with my family and the bill is ~50 I will typically tip $7 to $8... 20 years ago the same dinner would have been $35 and my tip might have been $5... so I see that a 15% tip is keeping up with the cost of the meal and there is no reason to tip 20% simply because of time.

I am more like you in a sense that I actually look at the dollar amount than just the percentage. I give higher percentage for less total dollar amount and as the cost of meal increases, my percentage starts to decrease for the same service. Just me.

I also tip people those that are forgotten by others like the pizza delivery guys, hotel maids, car washers, fast food drive through folks and even doctors and nurses . No kidding! True story. We were on a trip to Cuba and we had to take our son to an emergency and the guys at a poly clinic were great all for FREE! I estimated my co-pay would have been $50 here with my insurance picking the rest. So, what did I do? I tip it to the guys. They were so happy since what they get per month is less than that!

I have a solution though for this restaurant workers tipping thing: How about the owners pay them enough and put it in the cost of meal and put a sign in big letters NO TIPPING . If the service is not good, restuarant will lose business and would fire them. Now it is in the hands of the restaurant to control quality and service just like any other business

[flviking]

Tipping Is out dated and should be phased out. Lets pay servers by salary like most all service jobs.

[Not_liking_FL]

^ If tipping was phased out you would see the cost of your meal go up drastically, probably more than if you left a tip. A lot of restaurants are struggling and could never afford to pay their employees a salary.

[user8]

Originally Posted by bentlebee

I think that more and more people will avoid place where they have to tip if the people working there a feeling entitled to a tip like the OP instead of working for it and providing good service...specially with $ 4.00 a gallon for gas...

I sure would.

I was approached by a waitress once on my way out the door. She moaned about her tip (which was 15% to the cent). I turned around and demanded to speak to her manager. Never went back.