I like your response, dconklin, and I agree with you completely. I basically factor the average tip amount into how much I will be planning on spending. If I can't afford to eat and tip at a nicer restaurant, then I'll choose a more affordable one. I always tip bartenders well, too; I usually tip $1 a drink, but I might slip in an extra few dollars or a $5 if I buy a lot of drinks and if the server helped contribute to a good night.
Great way to look at it. I'm assuming that many people don't think ahead before going to a restaurant or bar. It can be easy to get caught up in going out and having a good time. I'm thinking most people get stressed or annoyed when having to figure out expenses, so maybe this is why they don't consider the costs ahead of time.
Most of the time I get decent service and good ones here and there. Though if the waitress is actually very kind and keeping me updated on my food as I wait and has a general welcoming attitude, I'll tip higher. I can't put the blame on the one who took my order if it's taking too long. I had instances when kind people would come around every few minutes if the wait was abnormal. I did not mind that as they were doing what I expected when starving. x_x In all seriousness, I try to tip all the time and I don't decrease the norm, just pay more if I'm really satisfied.
I know that there are some people that tip a lot more than I tend to tip. I will typically tip a dollar or two and no more than that when I go to a buffet type of restaurant because I don't feel like the servers are really doing a lot. Whenever we go to something where our food is actually brought to us I will typically tip between ten and fifteen percent.
Tipping is such a ridiculous tradition!! We need to just be done with it. But anyway...I don't go out to eat unless I can afford not just my meal, but also a tip. I typically tip about average, but if the service is REALLY awful, I'll tip the minimum acceptable amount.
I tip as much as I can at any particular point in my life. I've found myself a bit broke at times, so I tend to tip a bit less during these times, but I tend to avoid restaurants where I'd need to tip the waiters in when I am short on money and instead usually just buy from cheap takeout stores. When I am doing well, however, I tip as much as I can and don't just limit it to waiters and waitresses. I also tip taxi drivers and any other service provider that does the job well.
I have to admit when I was younger I did not tip very well. Now, I tip based on the service given and I have a tip calculator. I understand that the waiters and waitresses rely on the tips but they should also realize their attitude and service affects their tips also. I also just found out that tips are no longer automatically included in large parties...at least here in Florida it isn't. I'm sure a lot of people will be giving less tips in group settings now because of this and that is sad.
Tipping is something I feel very uncomfortable about. I never know who to tip and how much to tip. For example, I've been having my hair cut on my own for 20+ years and I only found out last year that you are meant to tip the person who cuts your hair. I have had my head shaved every two weeks for the past 10 years at the same barber, do I tip him if I go there every two weeks? How much are you meant to tip your barber?
Well, I don't usually tip where waiters expect it from you. Some of them even ask for it in an implicit manner. I just don't like that. They have a contract, so their service is already paid. So, why should I give them something more? Instead, sometimes I tip those people who work at fast food chains. It's always a huge surprise for them, as it almost never happened normally. Moreover, I consider their job as a much harder one. They have customers all the time. All the time, yes.
Personally, I base my tip on the waiter's service. If the service is great, then I would tip more than enough. Being a waiter or waitress is a tough job, that I know of. And if we can have a way to give back to them, it's certainly by tipping them as well as respecting them as well. When it comes to great service, it simply means that they give service with a smile, accept our requests and overall adhere a positive attitude. There have been times that the waiters we had did not give great service. Like our requests were met with a frown or scornful face. Or maybe our orders were not taken correctly. And during these times, we still tip although not much. My FIL always gives great importance to tipping since he was a bell boy once in a hotel. The tips have saved him in some financial emergencies as well. So if he is your customer, except a great and big tip from him. Lol.
Luckily, I live in a country where tipping is not mandatory and expected, so I don't tip at all. I know some countries require you to tip, unless you want to be seen as a social pariah.
Same here @sidney, tipping in Botswana is encouraged but not mandatory. This gives me the freedom to decide when to tip, and I really do like that freedom because some people just don't deserve it. I'm sorry but that's my truth, based on my experiences. Some servers can be so sloppy, neglectful, passive aggressive and even outright rude, and I refuse to leave them a tip. But where I feel the service was average to outstanding, I ALWAYS tip. If it's average, then I leave a 10% tip, but where the service is outstanding, my friends and I have been known to leave a very, very generous tip. It can be as high as 5-7 times the standard tip, depending on how many of us there are at the table. For instance, if the service is passable, we leave one lot of the 10% of the bill tip. If we were blown away, each one of us leaves the 10% tip or over; so that if there's 7 of us, the server gets their standard tip or over, multiplied by 7. I've been a waitress and know exactly how hard it can be. But by the same token, if you sign up for the job, remember, the customer doesn't have to know about how miserable you are or how much you hate your job. It's not fair to them at all. So don't complain if you get a big fat zero for a tip.
I may be thrifty at times but I also have generosity in my blood. When the service is good, of course, I would give a tip generously. Yesterday me and our neighbors had a trip to a nearby province. I rented a van so our trip would be convenient for us. And since the driver was of good service, I tipped him 500 pesos, that's more than $10 on top of the rent of 3,000 pesos (roughly $80). And the driver had enjoyed the trip because we had breakfast in Burger King and lunch in a nice restaurant. But I only give a tip when the service is good. Otherwise, sorry.
@Lushlala, Over here, tipping in fast food chains is unheard of, and it's more common in restaurants. How about there? I think if you can afford it and the service was good then those employees deserve to be tipped.
