"Suggested" Tip?

[Kai]

I was in a restaurant today.

I was alone, and the total for my breakfast came to $31.

When I received the bill,the waiter had hand written in "suggested tip" and the amount of $6 in the space where one normally specifies the tip.


What's up with this?

I was a bit pissed off.

I waited tables for many many years, and would never have considered writing a "suggested tip" amount on a customer's bill.

Anyone else seen this? Would anyone else consider this rude?

 

[odoreater]

Maybe he thought you were a foreigner.

 

[j]

That's a pretty d-bag move. I'd write something like "suggested that you learn manners" and put $0 on it. I've noticed they print a little guide to what the tips would be at certain percentages sometimes, and it's usually 15%, 20 and 25%, as if no one would ever want to tip less than that.

 

[acidboy]

I'd give it back sans tip for the rudeness. Of course, I'd never go back there either.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by Kai

I was in a restaurant today.

I was alone, and the total for my breakfast came to $31.

When I received the bill,the waiter had hand written in "suggested tip" and the amount of $6 in the space where one normally specifies the tip.


What's up with this?

I was a bit pissed off.

I waited tables for many many years, and would never have considered writing a "suggested tip" amount on a customer's bill.

Anyone else seen this? Would anyone else consider this rude?


I would be pissed off, and would probrably just leave $1 or 2.

 

[matadorpoeta]

Originally Posted by Kai

I was in a restaurant today.

I was alone, and the total for my breakfast came to $31.

When I received the bill,the waiter had hand written in "suggested tip" and the amount of $6 in the space where one normally specifies the tip.


What's up with this?

I was a bit pissed off.

I waited tables for many many years, and would never have considered writing a "suggested tip" amount on a customer's bill.

Anyone else seen this? Would anyone else consider this rude?
that is rude. i would have told the manager how tasteless i found it. what did you do?

 

[Girardian]

The Three Part Question
The question is threefold:

1. What is an appropriate tip for the service you received before the bill came?

2. Is the 'suggested tip' comment on the bill to be considered part of that service?

3. If so, what is the appropriate reaction to the unbecoming suggestion?
3a. A deduction from the tip with no comment.
3b. A deduction from the tip indicating why you are reducing the amount given.
3c. No deduction from the tip, but a comment to the waiter informing him that you find the suggestion to be out of place and potentially endangering him of a tip otherwise earned by the quality of his service.

The 'Suggested' Tip Amount
By Percentage
- At $31 (presumptively inclusive of tax), an 18% tip would be $5.58.
- If you choose not to 'tip on tax', an 18% tip would be closer to $5.
* A $6 tip by percentage is 20%, which (depending upon your tipping practices) many people consider appropriate for very good service.

By Amount
- Some people tip based both a consideration of the percentage of the bill and the total bill itself -- finding good service on a smaller tab may warrant a larger tip, whereas good service on a very large bill may equate to traditional percentages appearing generous.
* A $6 by tab amount does not abandon tipping norms because of the size of the tab (i.e. it is within 15-20%) even though it is a relatively small tab.

By Payment Method
- Some people adjust the amount the tip based on the method of payment, suggesting it may be appropriate to tip more if you presume taxes will be taken on the income, and to tip less presuming this my be a 'tax free' benefit to the waiter/waitress.
* On $6, taxed or not this is not an issue. On a side note, I find it always a pleasant gesture to tip in cash when possible.

****
Good sirs of SF: how would you answer these questions?

 

[tiecollector]

I would have left a penny, just so he didn't think that I was the type of person that didn't tip.

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by j

I'd write something like "suggested that you learn manners" and put $0 on it. I've noticed they print a little guide to what the tips would be at certain percentages sometimes, and it's usually 15%, 20 and 25%, as if no one would ever want to tip less than that.

+1. I've done 10% for miserable service. I would do zero in this case for the insolent hubris.

~Huntsman

 

[VKK3450]

I have gotten into many discussions advocating tipping and taking care of serivce people, but this is absurd!!! It's worse than the restaurant putting the little tip guide. At least in that case, it is automatically printed, and not the server activly writing it in

To assume that one would get a tip is one thing, another to assume that every tip will be 20% and a hell of another thing to write it on your bill.

I would have crossed it out, and informed both the waiter and the manager that a tip is not obligatory, and that you are able to decide on your own how much he would recieve.

In this case, I would have left nothing and let the reason why be clearly known!! (and in the US, I am normally a 20% plus tipper)

K

 

[Concordia]

It's unlikely that the waiter was doing this on his own initiative. Some dingbat in managmenet probably thought it would raise income and staff morale.

Even (especially!) if he was freelancing, the correct person to complain to is his manager.

I'd tip what you were going to before the check came ($5-6), and have a subsequent chat with the manager, perhaps by phone so you don't get PO'd while you are in a hurry.

Personally, I hate the whole tipping regime. My favorite part of staying at a club while travelling is that tipping is forbidden. Next best method is the European system of calculating service and adding it before the bottom line.