waiter/waitress tipping?

[Himark]

I was out with a group of 4 different couples last Saturday each got there own check. So we all know the standard tip rates but what bothers me is when you know you have gotten marginal service at best if not border line walk out poor and the other peeps in your group still feel obligated to tip 20%. Im like WTF??? I dont mind tipping the norm or above with good service but when confronted with poor service why do people feel obligated to tip the norm? I asked this question to 2 of the couples that frowned at me for leaving a 5% tip when they were dropping the conventional 20%. I asked them if they thought they had good service..they all agreed absolutely not but didnt want to tip any less because....." I know the waiter is only getting like 2.00 and hour so he has to get his wages somewhere" This will never change the service they offer with this attitude. We have become a society of enabelers.
MY SOLUTION,
I want to get a server "score card" made up in a business card size that has the top 5 or 6 things that effect a tip on one side and the results on the back. Basically I want to put a value of % deduction for each category with a score of say 1-5 1 being the best 5 the worst. Circle the appropriate # then add all the #'s up and put it through a formula on back that says how much to tip. I scoured the internet this weekend and couldnt find any such thing?? Has anybody seen this?? This would be a good tool to help justify why a waiter gets a 5% tip or why a waiter gets a 30% tip as well.

 

[Scott]

A tip is NOT required.
A tip is a gift to show thanks for good service.
A tip is earned.

If it's required and expected for all qualities of service then put it on the menu.



BTW, when did the standard go to 20%? I always thought it was 15%.

 

[Rattlin_Ram]

I agree 100% with Scott....

If I get poor service I make sure to leave a poor tip... I don't leave nothing so they don't think I just forgot to leave one... Good waiters/waitresses/bartenders make good money on tips... bad waiters/waitresses/bartenders can usually never figure out why they don't make any money on tips...

 

[newmy1]

Bad service = little to no tip.

The food could suck but with good service I provide a good tip. 15% is the standard but good service is worth 20%+ IMO.

 

[coreyt700]

It really is simple. I have some friends and family in service oriented positions.

Use a scale of 1-5 just like you said. 1 being poor, 3 being just fine, and 5 being awesome.

Grade on the following things.

Attitude. (do they make it obvious they hate their job or are they making the best of doing what they do to make money?)

Service. (Did they get your order right? Keep empty dishes out of your way? Keep your drink full?)

Food Quality. (I know they don't cook the food, but if they are good servers they will let their cooks know they appreciate them making them look good)

General Appearance and cleanliness. (Show me someone who wants to eat what a dirty slob brings them)

Whatever else is important to you? (did they make you feel like they were catering to you on your schedule, did they listen to your specific needs)

Add up all the scores and that will give you your tip %

Example:

Attitude: 3 (Their attitude had no effect on mine for better or worse)
Service: 5 (never had to wonder if my drink was going to be empty,
never fumbled with empty dishes.)
Food Quality. 3 (I got exactly what I expected)
Gen. App. 4 (Clean cut, clean clothes, tucked in shirt etc.....)
Other import. 3 (Did just what they needed to make your dining experience
not horrible)
Total: 18
you should tip 18%

If it absolutely a horrid experience throw down a quarter nickel and penny. That way they know you didn't forget and you went through the time and effort to show them.

If it is a fabulous experience all the way around they will get 25% tip more to show you appreciate them.
I have learned that the worst thing you can do is give the exact same % tip every time. They will then expect that all the time no matter what. Let them know the better they do the better you tip. If it is somewhere you frequent they will do their best to keep up their performance.

 

[Pinner]

Maybe they should be paid $10-$15-$20 bucks per hr depending on how expensive the restaurant is... And if you get exceptional service, they get a tip. If they are no good at the job, they can go look for another job. Fired.

Kids at McDonald's make $9-$10 per hr in Canada.

 

[Himark]

Exactly like Corey said. That is the example I was looking for. I was thinking of leaving the score card with the appropriate tip so they could better figure out why they got what they got. ie,

If the drinks were not on time they would get a deduction and they could take that tip card at the end of the night to the manager and say..."bartender bob is not getting me my drinks as quickly as he should" Heck it could be an issue of the bartender not liking this waiter or he just likes catoring to the hot waitress's rather than the guy waiters and makes them wait. Ultimately I want them to KNOW why they did or didnt get a good tip so they have an opportunity to correct it.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

Most places I have been to where there are groups with parties as large as yours or bigger the tip or gratuity is already included in the bill and that is when the service really takes a nosedive.

Generally I tip on quality of service and I notify him/her on the quality of the food. If the food is ok but something just wasn't to my liking and I find that I was discounted or my bill was forgiven in part then the server gets a larger tip. My wife used to be a hair stylist and she used to tip like a fiend, no matter how the service. I have broken her of that habit.

 

[sledin]

Reminds me of a Vegas trip where me and my girlfriend had the worst service ever.Ripped a dollar in half and threw half on the table.Still have the other half 9 years later.LOL.Usually I give 20 percent unless they are just that bad!!Do your job and do it welll!!!!

 

[coon daddy]

I must be a tight wad. No one gets more than 15% from me and it goes down from there according to the service received. Cracks me up that everyone thinks waitresses or waiters make about 2 bucks an hour. Not in this day and age, at one time that was a fact. Why on the other hand do people in certain industries expect tips? I have been in the work force for 38 years and I have never been given a tip by anyone for doing my job. That includes the minimum wage and less than minimum wage jobs I worked at when I was 13 and 14. When are we going to be expected to tip the checker at Wal Mart?

 

[mattymac]

they work for their wage, they earn a tip IMO!

 

[Himark]

Name the top 5 things to score a waiter/waitress on.


food order taken timely
Food is as ordered
Drinks are timely
table is bussed


What else can you guys throw in here and will put in order of importance.

 

[Scott]

Name the top 5 things to score a waiter/waitress on.


food order taken timely
Food is as ordered
Drinks are timely
table is bussed


What else can you guys throw in here and will put in order of importance.

How about"
--a "thank you for supporting our establishment with a smile" attitude.
--a periodic "check in to make sure things are OK"


That really goes a LONG way to make a customer happy.

 

[mattymac]

there was a survey done a while back that I cought about the little things that go a long ways when it comes to tipping, some of the ones that stood out were...

when the waiter/waitress give you their name for a bit more personalized service.

sitting/kneeling down to take your order (this could go either way for some people)

checking table a certain amount of time and X number of times (dont remember the timelines that were given)

and how they look in those little orange shorts.

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

Having working in resturants/foodservice for a few years, mostly in the back of the house.. but still. learned a lot about it.

I understand, as far as jobs go, its not the most fun, and honestly, being an above average waiter/waitress takes quite a bit of effort. getting food out and keeping the table bussed.. you can teach a robot to do that. trust me.. I worked with some. I understand that a tip is sort of part of the way they make there wages.. but again.. its erned.. dont expect. 15% or more if you make it obvious you dont give a crap. I often came in to eat with my family at the place I worked at, a rather nice resturant, and had pretty much all of the waiters, waitresses that I worked with all week. Some of them really were very social and super fun, they make eating a good itme, the expereince is a pleasure. then there were a few I would have rather gotten take out then be served by. The interesting thing about his is the kitchen staff got tipped out by the waitress a tiny bit, and the good waiters/waitress always tipped more and it was obvious which of them made more in tips.


back to the topic thought. If they do a piss poor job I make sure they know it.. 5% or less.. just enough to let em know I didnt forget. If they are super firendly, fun to be around.. easily 20% or more depending on bill... if its small I throw down plenty. I appreciate good service and will let them know it.

 

[Snoman69]

Here are mine...

Resturant Quality - Is the establishment maintained, etc....
Service Quality - Was order taken in a timely manner, were drink brought in a timely manner, was food brought in a timely manner, Was check brought in a timely manner?
Food Quality - Was the food and drinks what was expected?
Server Attitude - Did they act like they enjoyed what they were doing. Where they happy or pissy?
Overall Experience - Would you come back?

Like others have said, I would rank on a 1-5 scale, 1 being horrible, 5 being excellent. At the end if they score a 5 they get a 20% or higher tip....

I don't have a card, but tip based on this scale.... The only time the get more then 20% is when the waitress is extrememly hot and appears to be having fun, joking around, and overall making us feel like we are her only customers.... I must be sexist, cuz I never tip a guy waitress over 20%

 

[PJ-Hunter]

I must be sexist, cuz I never tip a guy waitress over 20%

That would make you gay if you did.

 

[Pit Crew]

I have had bad servers who made the experience fun, alot of my tip is based on attitude.

 

[Gone Sleddin]

ever seen someone catch a customer at the door and ask why they didnt tip enough?? when we were in aspen in january we went to a bar one night at around 11. it was pretty busy and there was a hightop table open that sat about half our group. the waitress would not let us move in any extra chairs because she said there would be no room to walk... ok. got a round of drinks. (a pitcher of beer and to mixed.) soon after, we were able to move to a booth that was vacated. took pry 15 minutes for them to get the other dirty dishes off the table and get it wiped clean. sat most of the night with empty glasses. as 2 guys were walking out the door, the waitress chases them down and confronts them about only leaving a 5% tip. there was some chatter back and forth and she handed them a pen and reciept to change their tip. i soon got up and left, leaving money to more than cover my share of the drinks. when the rest of the group left, the reciept listed what amount tip should be left for 10, 15, and 20%. they left somewheres around 7% tip and got up and walked out. as they were walking away, the waitress sticks her head out the door and yells, "Thanks for the tip, *******s!!" i thought that was more than enough for doing a piss poor job of getting 3 rounds of drinks.

 

[xrated]

Name the top 5 things to score a waiter/waitress on.


food order taken timely
Food is as ordered
Drinks are timely
table is bussed


What else can you guys throw in here and will put in order of importance.

Boobs and ace.

hey I can put up with a lot if there are nice boobs on a nice looking chica.