No tip, no service?

[Bateluer]

http://www.wxii12.com/news/22648863/detail.html

Personally, I always leave a tip, 15% for poor service, 30% for good. More if the service was exceptional. However, it galls me when restaurants add gratuity to the bill. An 18% gratuity added to the bill usually gets subtracted from whatever I would have normally tipped. Having said that, if I'm there with a large group of people, then having a minimum gratuity is more acceptable because of the effort that goes into serving larger groups.

Still, a tip is not a right and patrons are under no obligation to leave one. On the same token, the patrons are under no obligation to continue to go to the establishment if they felt the food or service was poor.

 

[jackschmittusa]

I never patronize a restaurant twice with a mandatory gratuity and I tell them so. I usually leave 15-20%, depending on the service. I always tip in cash, even though I almost always pay the bill with a CC. I have occasionally left 2 nickles when the service was especially horrendous (just to let them know that I did not forget a tip).

 

[DietDrThunder]

Bad service I tip nothing. Mediocre service I tip 10 to 15%. Good service 20% or more. If a resturant automatically added 18%, I'd refigure my bill and pay cash with what I thought was the appropriate tip, then leave. I'd also never eat at the establishment again. You also have to be careful. I've eaten at resturants which don't state that they've already added the % tip, and you could end up leaving a tip on top of that total. I also don't tip on the taxed portion of the bill. I figure out what the meal cost before sales tax, then I calculate my tip. Why should I tip a tax?

 

[ss284]

They should really add a 3 question survey to the back of the receipt so you can tell the server how good or bad of a job they've done.

 

[drebo]

I've never not tipped, but most of the restaurants around where I live don't have the service to warrant more than a 10% tip. Usually I'll see the waiter three times: once to take drink orders, once to take food orders, and once to give us the bill. If I have an empty glass for more than a couple of minutes, it's unacceptable. There have been times when my glass was empty nearly the entire meal.

That said, I've given 25% tips on $200 meals, so there are definitely places that have service warranting tips.

Tips should be earned, no expected.

 

[KB]

I too won't go to an establishment that adds a gratuity. My tip is usually greater than 18% and in cash, but when I am forced to pay the servcie usually suffers.

 

[Strk]

I don't see an issue with adding a gratuity for large groups. Hell, we have had several posts recently about people going out with groups and the groups not willing to split the bills properly.

However, I can understand having an issue with certain customers who don't understand how to tip. My aunt will make a server jump through hoops and will only hit 15% if she messed up on her math.

 

[StageLeft]

That lady is all kinds of fail. If she doesn't like it, stop going there.

I would never tip more than the minimum if there was one. Otherwise I typically tip 15%. I'm not sure I've ever given 0 but I have given just a dollar or so, to make a point.

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

This is an odd topic for P&N...it has OT! written all over it.

 

[soundforbjt]

Most countries tips aren't allowed, tried leaving one in Brazil and waiter chased me down and gave it back, even though I tried not to take it back, he insisted.

If restaurants here paid their help a good wage, we wouldn't feel obligated to tip either.

 

[waggy]

if its mandatory its not a tip its a fee.

 

[rudder]

Should you tip at a Sonic restaurant?

 

[OutHouse]

i have no issue with a mandatory tip (fee) for large groups. I do have a huge issue with mandatory tips if there is 2-4 in my party.

 

[Perknose]

On the same token, the patrons are under no obligation to continue to go to the establishment if they felt the food or service was poor.

Speaking of tips, here's one for you: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/token.html :sneaky:

 

[xj0hnx]

Most countries tips aren't allowed, tried leaving one in Brazil and waiter chased me down and gave it back, even though I tried not to take it back, he insisted.

If restaurants here paid their help a good wage, we wouldn't feel obligated to tip either.

Same in Germany. They actually pay a normal wage to the servers and tips are not customary. Kind of sucks for the wait staff of a shitty little dive, but works out great for some, I've seen waiters and bartenders that take home close to a thousand a night, and some that are barely scrapping by, depends a lot on where you work.

 

[umbrella39]

I don't see an issue with adding a gratuity for large groups.

This 100%. As someone who worked fine dining for years to pay for school I can tell you that it is the standard in the industry for parties of 8 or more. People who can't grasp this concept shouldn't be dining out in a nice restaurant and we did not miss your business if that mandatory tip kept you from frequenting our establishment again, go to Bob Evans if it hurts too much. Parties less than that, all bets off. To be honest the mandatory tip in many cases hurt how much we would have gotten but it beats the shit out of getting stiffed for no other reason than the person paying the bill was a cheap asshole.

 

[theeedude]

If they add gratuity, I ask the manager to take it off and tip nothing.

 

[DietDrThunder]

Should you tip at a Sonic restaurant?

I've read somewhere that if you order and dine at a Sonic type resturant you are supposed to tip the server, but if you order then take it with you and leave, you don't. I personally don't tip Sonic. It is fast food for cripes sake and if they had a drive through at the Sonics near me, I'd use it.

 

[HumblePie]

This 100%. As someone who worked fine dining for years to pay for school I can tell you that it is the standard in the industry for parties of 8 or more. People who can't grasp this concept shouldn't be dining out in a nice restaurant and we did not miss your business if that mandatory tip kept you from frequenting our establishment again, go to Bob Evans if it hurts too much. Parties less than that, all bets off. To be honest the mandatory tip in many cases hurt how much we would have gotten but it beats the shit out of getting stiffed for no other reason than the person paying the bill was a cheap asshole.

^^^ The problem with many servers is this attitude. ^^^

Meaning if I get shitty service and leave no tip, the server never takes that message that I felt their service was in adequate. To the contrary, I the patron am now labeled as a "cheap asshole" for not tipping shitty service.

Oh and heaven forbid I actually complain about something before the end of the meal to possibly get service from being shitty to a bit more adequate. Doing so labels me as a "problem" and I'll be lucky if I don't get spit in my food. I've had that happen once since I check my meals before eating and found a nice green snot rocket in my sandwich before. Called the manager over and got the kid fired for it but I was not happy.

Personally, I rather eat somewhere that doesn't pay tip wages to people. I think the whole "forced tipping" is a load of BS. Pay the people a fair wage and I want to tip on top then I can. If not, oh well. Don't make me feel guilty for not leaving a tip because my service sucked.

*EDIT* side note, sonics near me all have a drive through. I never tip for that.

 

[jhu]

This is an odd topic for P&N...it has OT! written all over it.

It's Bush's fault. Happy now?

 

[Strk]

If they add gratuity, I ask the manager to take it off and tip nothing.

Even though the server has nothing to do with it? That's nice.

 

[HumblePie]

Even though the server has nothing to do with it? That's nice.

LOL, the worst is I went to lunch with a bunch of people from work. There was bbout 8 or 9 of us. We went to a Chinese buffet. All they brought me was one glass of water. I have to get out of my seat and get my own food. They automatically added 18% gratuity to my ticket. I was pissed at that since I only tip 10% max at a buffet. Sorry, I do NOT feel bringing me a glass of water is worth 2 to 3 bucks as a tip when I am doing the work of putting together my own meal.

 

[KMFJD]

Most countries tips aren't allowed, tried leaving one in Brazil and waiter chased me down and gave it back, even though I tried not to take it back, he insisted.

If restaurants here paid their help a good wage, we wouldn't feel obligated to tip either.

For some reason people think that it would lead to shitty service....

 

[HumblePie]

For some reason people think that it would lead to shitty service....

No what leads to shitty service is servers always expecting to get a good 20% tip no matter what they do around here. And the fact they are getting tips "proves" they are doing a good job to the boss and won't get fired.

If they earned a real wage, then patrons might be more apt to complain to supervisors and managers when service sucks. But no we can't have that! That would make someone lose their job! We would be stuck with crappy service forever if people lost their jobs!

 

[theeedude]

Even though the server has nothing to do with it? That's nice.

He can take it up with his boss. Plus he has something to do with it since he profits from it.