15% Tips for great service are no longer acceptable. (how much, salary)

[solgal]

I am compelled to write this post. I know this is subject which can bring alot of negative comments about "bad servers who need to do a better job" or "don't like it, get a real job" etc. Simply trying to get the word out, if you go to a nice place for dinner and get great service (a smiling, helpful person who keeps your water glass full 90% of the time and brings your drinks and food in a timely manner), please tip more than 15% of your bill. That tip was good 20+ years ago, the minimum tip these days is 18%. If you have a great time and want to show it leave 20%. I am truly shocked at the volume of 15% tippers in the area who will say to their server "you were great, thank you so much" then leave 15%. Please spread the word.

[crazynip]

Sometimes 15% is too much. I have tipped zero before if service is horrible.

You are gonna have to do something pretty extraordinary or be super hot and act really flirty to get more than 15%

[solgal]

Like I mentioned in the post, people will use the opportunity to bring up bad tipping experiences. I am talking about a great experience in a nice atmosphere. If you want flirty "CrazyNip," try a massage parlor or a strip bar, I am trying to bring attention to dining in a nice restaurant with a male or female professional server.

[boxus]

"That tip was good 20+ years ago"

And why is it not good now?

Given the price of eating out, I think 10% is good. For a thirty dollar meal (two people), that is three dollars. Add that to your hourly wage, with just two tables with a three dollar tip each, that already puts you well above minimum wage. How much do you want for unskilled labor? And if the place is that slow, or you get assigned bad tables, then you should find another place, it is not my job to supplement a bad business plan.

"If you have a great time and want to show it leave 20%. I am truly shocked at the volume of 15% tippers in the area who will say to their server "you were great, thank you so much" then leave 15%. Please spread the word."

What, I am suppose to give more now because you are doing your job? You doing your job is what brings back customers, thus management is suppose to reward you a performance bonus, not the customers. Again, my job is not to supplement a bad business plan nor bad management. If you do not do your job, I do not come back, the business does not get my business, word gets out, business slows down, business is out of business, you are looking for another job.

I could just imagine asking for more money from my customers in my current job "hey, since I did such a great job at this financial audit, can you please give me more money?" No, my services keeps customers, and brings more customers to the company, thus I get paid by my company in salary and bonuses.

[slowdog101]

Originally Posted by boxus

"That tip was good 20+ years ago"

And why is it not good now?

Given the price of eating out, I think 10% is good. For a thirty dollar meal (two people), that is three dollars. Add that to your hourly wage, with just two tables with a three dollar tip each, that already puts you well above minimum wage. How much do you want for unskilled labor? And if the place is that slow, or you get assigned bad tables, then you should find another place, it is not my job to supplement a bad business plan.

"If you have a great time and want to show it leave 20%. I am truly shocked at the volume of 15% tippers in the area who will say to their server "you were great, thank you so much" then leave 15%. Please spread the word."

What, I am suppose to give more now because you are doing your job? You doing your job is what brings back customers, thus management is suppose to reward you a performance bonus, not the customers. Again, my job is not to supplement a bad business plan nor bad management. If you do not do your job, I do not come back, the business does not get my business, word gets out, business slows down, business is out of business, you are looking for another job.

I could just imagine asking for more money from my customers in my current job "hey, since I did such a great job at this financial audit, can you please give me more money?" No, my services keeps customers, and brings more customers to the company, thus I get paid by my company in salary and bonuses.

Servers don't get bonuses. And in many places, they get paid much less than minimum wage, like $2.50 an hour. You combine the $2.50 an hour with the $6 in tips they would make under your scenario, and they make a whopping $8.50 an hour. And then they are expected to put up with the cads, drunks, all-around jerks, AND be on their feet for 6-8 hours/day running around serving. I want better service than what a 10% tip is going to bring me. If you tip that little, I can almost guarantee the servers who remember you from your previous visits hate serving you and will tell all the other servers what a poor tipper you are. You will be despised.

[crazynip]

If 15% isnt enough, go get a real job...

[solgal]

Again, Crazy Nip, not biting.

[jentwentynine]

Umm, massage therapists really have nothing to do with strippers. Totally different fields....

[solgal]

This is why I started this thread, servers in 2012 are payed 4.29 dollars an hour. Servers usually pay a percentage of up to 20% of their total earnings of the night to the bartender (person who made your drink), foodrunner( (person who brought your food from the kitchen to your table),busser (person who clears the table when you are done and resets it for the next patron). So, if you eat out at a nice restaurant and tip your server 10%, your server will now have to pay the other people out of their own pocket at the end of the night to cover your time you spent at the restaurant. The owners of the restaurants will always receive the amount needed to pay for the food you ate. The server will only receive any portion of tip you leave it is over the amount to cover the tipout for the other support staff. This is why 18% minimum and 20% for great service is the industry/countrywide norm in 2012.

[solgal]

I was not directing this towards legit massage therapists. this area has a ton of non-legit "massage parlors". No offense to you.