How much do you tip?

[Rye GB]

I double the tax at restaurants by default, good or bad service.
$10-$20 for a haircut.
10-15% on a cab ride.

Ideally why can't the business owners just pay a fair wage or just charge more for the service to accomodate what we pay in tips. You shouldn't have to suffer tip anxiety after the fact you've already forked over money for a meal/ride/cut etc.

I need to stash about $100 in singles in my pants whenever I'm away on business or vacation just to cover baggage handler at airport, cab ride, baggage handler from cab to front desk, baggage handler from front desk to room, doorman, maid, bathroom attendant.........goes on and on, it's getting silly.

 

[Dragon]

Originally Posted by jml90

Well tonight we went to Ground Round my bill came to $13.23 I left a $5 tip. I think that is more than reasonable. What say you?

I would of left $16, including the bill. Maybe only $15 if the service was on the bad side.

You gave $5 (or 37%) just for a $13.23 bill. I assume that there was not much service involved, since the bill is so low. I think giving tips like that (unless you received exceptional service) is throwing money around for no reason.

 

[jml90]

Originally Posted by Dragon

I would of left $16, including the bill. Maybe only $15 if the service was on the bad side.

You gave $5 (or 37%) just for a $13.23 bill. I assume that there was not much service involved, since the bill is so low. I think giving tips like that (unless you received exceptional service) is throwing money around for no reason.

Maybe it was maybe I didn't feel like changing a five. It wasn't a huge amount of service a water a coke a refill on each brought out popcorn (I guess they do that) and refilled it and brought out my order Triple AppetiZer sampler thingy.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by Dragon

I would of left $16, including the bill. Maybe only $15 if the service was on the bad side.

You gave $5 (or 37%) just for a $13.23 bill. I assume that there was not much service involved, since the bill is so low. I think giving tips like that (unless you received exceptional service) is throwing money around for no reason.

That's one way of looking at it. Another is going through that much analysis over whether to tip $3 or $5 on a $13.23 meal is evidence of skewed priorities.

Now paying $4 for a cup of coffee, that's throwing money around for no reason.

 

[Dragon]

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

That's one way of looking at it. Another is going through that much analysis over whether to tip $3 or $5 on a $13.23 meal is evidence of skewed priorities.

Now paying $4 for a cup of coffee, that's throwing money around for no reason.

I guess each man thinks differently.

I don`t mind the extra 2 seconds it takes to decide between the $3 or $5 tip. I wouldn`t give a $5 tip for a coke refill, because I feel that is just giving money away for no reason. $3 is plenty for a bill that is only $13, so I would give $3, no more.

I would rather enjoy a nice $4 cup of coffee, than throw away an extra $2 for no reason.

 

[itsstillmatt]

In an attempt to keep my math skills sharp I attempt to leave 1/6 or 16.66%. When I am less energetic, I leave somewhere between 15-20%, usually more at cheaper places where it is not the server's fault that the bill is low, or if I am paying with cash and want to bolt.

 

[LabelKing]

The nice thing about travelling in Asia is that you never have to tip, except for Hong Kong.

 

[jml90]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

The nice thing about travelling in Asia is that you never have to tip, except for Hong Kong.

How come?

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by jml90

How come?
It's not the custom. Hong Kong is different, I suppose, because it was under British control. I've never traveled to Burma or any other former British colony so I don't know what the habit is there.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by Brian278

If you do order the $2000 bottle, be prepared to tip at least 15% (assuming the overall service is satisfactory) on that. The argument that they didn't do anymore for it than a $50 bottle doesn't apply here, because that's not how the social custom of tipping works. If you order 2 waters that are refilled 4 times each, 2 $6 appetizers, 2 $16 entrees that comes with a salad, and two $7 deserts, you don't tip more than if you ordered 2 $30 entrees and two $20 single malts, do you? I think not. Then you don't get to cheap out on tipping with the expensive bottle of wine. Plus, if you're throwing around $2000 on a single bottle of wine, I'm guessing the $300 to $400 on a tip isn't going to kill you.
Well, that's an issue I have with our standard in general, but the idea is that it all evens out, because in a food situation, most of the prices are close to each other. I order a $3 appetizer, you order a $6 appetizer, the average tip for an appetizer at that restaurant is 45 cents. If you go to a more upscale restaurant where a an appetizer ranges from $16 to $20, then the average tip for an appetizer will be around $1.80. If there is caviar on the menu, there is some skewing akin to the wine issue, but let's ignore that for now, because it is a singular anomaly. Now go to the average upscale restaurant. Let's say the average tip on an entree is $10, app $5, Dessert $3. Sure there's some variance, but it works. Over time, all waiters serve the a bunch of each and end up with close to the average tip. With the wine list, the range of prices is much wider. I agree that an upscale restaurant may feature a sommelier, however he will give you the same attention if you order a fine vintage of Chateau mouton rothschild as if you buy a recent California table wine. Similarly, if you were bellied up to a bar, would you tip differently for a shot of Johnny Walker Blue vs. Black? probably yes, but I would tip $2-3 for the black and $10 maybe for the Blue...certainly not $30 as I think it is up around $125-150 / shot in some chicago bars. NOTE: The finest restaurants in this country (Per Se and FL) are service included. I believe any restaurant that is in that calibre will soon follow suit as it eliminates these odd inconsistencies with the current social convention and also promotes an atmosphere where servers have an incentive to make a career there instead of treating it as a temporary job.

Originally Posted by Huntsman

I've tipped 0% for inappropriateness. 10% for really poor service. Last Thursday was 25.6% on a $214.00 bill, and Saturday was 31.6% on a 190.00 and 120% on a ten dollar bill. ~ Huntsman
I would never tip 0-10% without having a discussion with the manager about the specific reason for my action. The only thing that happens if you do otherwise is you walk out and the inappropriate/poor server talks about what a cheap bastard you are. If you are going to do that, you should really give a reason.

 

[ChicagoRon]

http://www.starchefs.com/features/ed...te/index.shtml Here's a decent source that reiterates the idea that you should tip 15-20% on the wine regardless of price because "if you are buying wine like a big spender, you should tip like one". I still have an inherent problem with the idea that you should do something simply because you can afford it. However, as a frequent diner and good customer, I have never bucked these conventions myself... I am a generous tipper....I just think there are some issues with our current system.

 

[Lel]

15% always rounding up to the nearest dollar because I mostly use debit card and even dollar amounts makes balancing easier.

 

[jml90]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

Similarly, if you were bellied up to a bar, would you tip differently for a shot of Johnny Walker Blue vs. Black? probably yes, but I would tip $2-3 for the black and $10 maybe for the Blue...certainly not $30 as I think it is up around $125-150 / shot in some chicago bars.

That seems a bit exorbitant as it seems it can be bought for around $200 a bottle.

 

[thepataphysician]

As a former waiter, I am surprised how many people have said that they tip 15%. 15% is a bad tip. If the service was good enough that you would return to a restaurant, you shoud be tipping at least 20%. And exceptional service should be treated exceptionally. If you, your guest or your girlfriend are super needy take that in to account. I also think it is important to say if your food isn't good and you don't bring it to the attention of the staff, don't leave a ****** tip - your waiter didn't oversalt the mashed potatoes. that said, if something is wrong with service or meal, speak with the server or the manager, if they can't fix it, don't return to the restaurant.

I believe that if you are served by the owner, tipping is not necessary. someone please correct me if I am wrong.

I am interested in how people tip barbers. my barber shop is an old italian shop, a hair cut is $14 and a shave is $10. I usually pay $18 to 20 for a cut or $40 a shave and a cut.

 

[Brian278]

Originally Posted by thepataphysician

As a former waiter, I am surprised how many people have said that they tip 15%. 15% is a bad tip. If the service was good enough that you would return to a restaurant, you shoud be tipping at least 20%. And exceptional service should be treated exceptionally. If you, your guest or your girlfriend are super needy take that in to account. I also think it is important to say if your food isn't good and you don't bring it to the attention of the staff, don't leave a ****** tip - your waiter didn't oversalt the mashed potatoes. that said, if something is wrong with service or meal, speak with the server or the manager, if they can't fix it, don't return to the restaurant.

I believe that if you are served by the owner, tipping is not necessary. someone please correct me if I am wrong.

I am interested in how people tip barbers. my barber shop is an old italian shop, a hair cut is $14 and a shave is $10. I usually pay $18 to 20 for a cut or $40 a shave and a cut.

I tip $10-$15 on a hair cut for which I pay $30-$40. I only get it cut every 7 weeks or so and my hair is something I want somebody to put a lot of effort into, asking me questions about, etc. so I try to spend accordingly. At the places I've been recently the stylist usually shampoos my hair and often performs a scalp massage so I feel it's warranted.