Tipping a server

[virigarcia]

If the service is bad i still leave them a dollar, other than that i will tip them the 15%

[emily01]

I tip less if the service was crappy.

[visvern]

  i always tip, just not as much if the service was sub-par. i also tip extra when the service is excellent.

[jwallbank]

I would probably still tip but, very low, if I got that bad of service. I have noticed that some people, am I am not saying all think that the service is added into the price of the meal. Not true!! I have seen people not tip a cent even when they got "grade A'" service. My father was an owner of a restaurant and both my kids were servers when they were young. I think even to this day they only pay them about $3.00 an hour, the restaurant business is the only business that does not have to pay minimum wage because they are expected to receive tips. Alot of restaurants are charging now for large parties (over 6) a gratituity of 15-18 percent added on to the bill. Like I mentioned, I have worked and both my Kids have worked for tips and it isn't an easy job! I would probably complain to the management before I would drop below 10percent tip. I have been lucky with servers and I normally tip well above expected, I normally tip 20percent or better!!I know how hard the work can be!!!

[LDELARGY]

NO I DONT TIP IF THE SERVICE IS HORRIBLE. BUT I HAVE CAUGHT MY HUSBAND LEAVING A $1.

[Mykat]

If the service is bad no I do not tip. Tips should never be expected but given as a reward for excellent service. If people would stop tipping for no other reason then it has become a tradition then employers would be forced to pay more then slave wages.

If the employer had to pay more then the consumer would pay more too because they will pass those costs on to you. If they ever did that, most people probably couldn't afford to eat out.  To me to not tip in an establishment where it is customary to tip is stealing because it is a well known fact at least here in the US that servers rely on their tips for income. It is expected but the amount is subject to the quality of service. If someone doesn't want to tip, they should go to a Burger King or somewhere where tipping is not expected.

You are right about slave wages though. Some of the most popular restaurant chains are the worst at taking advantage of the servers with all the extra "side work" that is forced on them for a lousy $4.00/hr and often times it is at the expense of the service they wants to give their customers, but they have a manager breathing down their back forcing them to do other things.    Many of these companies also take a portion of the servers tip money to pay for credit card charges and tip outs to the bar, the  food expeditors and to  food runners/bussers (even when they don't have them or the server has to do the work because they aren't doing their jobs but they still get paid from the servers tips.)    Not to mention how many times servers who have given excellent service only to be stiffed but still have to pay to all the above because they have to pay according to the ticket totals and sometimes lose money for the shift.

I agree I might tip less if the service was horrendous and would probably not go back to that restaurant or particular server but knowing what I do about the restaurant industry I do believe that not tipping in general is wrong.

You are acting as if we don't already "pay more" by tipping. WHEN my husband and I do tip (which is the majority of the time) we tip very well. I do not care if the cost to the company is more. Why should they be the only industry allowed to not pay their employees? I have run my own company before and you can be damn sure I had to pay my employees properly! It is and insult to everyone that does pay properly and an even bigger insult to those that are "paid" that way.
And just to address your "stealing" comment... The ONLY stealing going on is on the part of the so called "employers" that are NOT doing their part. And to the burger king comment... Those waiting tables can go work at burger king if they want proper hourly wages. 

Hi Cuppycake,

To clarify: My initial response to your comment that tips should not be expected was meant to be a general statement and not an attack against your personal opinion, I hope I didn't convey that as it wasn't my intention.  I was expressing my own beliefs that tips are an expected part of income for servers based on  the business model full service restaurants operate on.     I personally don't see tipping as an option knowing what is taken out of a server's pocket.   (so--personally if I didn't tip I would feel like I was stealing).

As far as Burger King-- their business model does not include full service and therefore it is not necessary to tip.  If I wanted to eat out but didn't want the added expense of a tip I would choose a restaurant of this type. Personally, I'd hardly consider Burger King's wages a proper hourly wage...unless you were a teenager earning a few extra bucks but that is another discussion. 


I do know we already pay more by tipping, I just know we'd be paying WAY more if they paid full wages and that would certainly be passed on to the consumer.  Since it is the business model used in full service restaurants I take that into consideration before going out. 

After working for years, in  services/sales of both the food and beauty industries where I relied on tips and commissions, I never saw it as an insult...I always saw it as a  way to earn better wages based on the quality of my skills and service instead of being stuck in a rut with the same hourly wages.  I did very well.  Back then, businesses had more integrity and customers understood how service based businesses worked. Today, not so much it seems. jmo.

 To bring this back to the original question I would tip bad service  and deal with it another way.

[smarie62]

I still tip even when the service is awful because I think of it this way...that could be me

[dreamyxo]

I cannot understand why people tip for bad service.  Why are you rewarding bad behavior? All you're doing is contributing to the already over inflated sense of entitlement people have and shouldn't.  I refuse to do it.  I went to lunch with some coworkers once.  It was the first time I went to that restaurant but they had been there before. 

They told me how mean the waitress was and yes she was completely rude for no reason at all.  Ask me did I tip, hell no.  Why am I paying for someone to be rude to me?  Well they did tip I guess because like everyone else they have been brainwashed that it's just normal to tip even for far less than stellar service. 

[Sendmicheck]

If you are rude, you get nothing.  why should I give my hard earned money to someone who is disrespectful.  I waiter/waiteress should be polite.

[ptfunds]

I tip less if the service is bad.  I, too, have been in the industry and do not feel comfortable not tipping at all.  That being said, I like the way you handled your particular situation.  And I would have done the same.  If my server did not think doing his (in your case) job was important and someone else had to cover for them, then I, too, would directly tip the person who take care of me.  A wait person can make a lot by doing the job well or not care (as was the case with your server) and make a choice to make less. 

[MsLeadn]

I try to tip either way. Some say kindness kills the cat. I have had bad service from a server, tipped well, received that same server and received excellent service. I have also had times that I have given exact change for bad service. I guess it depends on what we would consider "bad service".

[jseiden]

IF YOU SAT YOUR BUTT DOWN LONG ENOUGH TO ENOUGH TO ENJOY THE BAD SERVICE YOU BETTER BELIEVE YOU SHOULD TIP

[raven1114]

I cannot understand why people tip for bad service.  Why are you rewarding bad behavior? All you're doing is contributing to the already over inflated sense of entitlement people have and shouldn't.  I refuse to do it.  I went to lunch with some coworkers once.  It was the first time I went to that restaurant but they had been there before. 

They told me how mean the waitress was and yes she was completely rude for no reason at all.  Ask me did I tip, hell no.  Why am I paying for someone to be rude to me?  Well they did tip I guess because like everyone else they have been brainwashed that it's just normal to tip even for far less than stellar service. 

Exactly this. I'm not paying extra money for rude servers. I'm not talking about someone just having a bad day, being new, making an honest mistake or something out of their control (like the cook put something on my food I didn't want or didn't cook my steak right). I get people have off days and that is fine. However when they are downright rude, ignore the customer or just plain lazy then no they don't deserve a tip.

[davidh121]

I tip regardless whether the service is good or bad, but I would just be less generous when I get bad service.

[sgluckadoo]

I tip less if the service is bad.  I, too, have been in the industry and do not feel comfortable not tipping at all.  That being said, I like the way you handled your particular situation.  And I would have done the same.  If my server did not think doing his (in your case) job was important and someone else had to cover for them, then I, too, would directly tip the person who take care of me.  A wait person can make a lot by doing the job well or not care (as was the case with your server) and make a choice to make less. 

Agreed