Tipping the Waiting Staff...

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Do you tip the waiting staff as a matter of course?

If the menu says there is a service charge, do you throw a tip on top of that too?

How much is an acceptable tip, how much isn't? What's excessive?

I ask because last night I went for dinner with my family, for my brother's birthday. The service was shíte. Took them forty minutes to bring the desserts after we ordered them. That's a long wait. In fairness, we complained and the manager didn't charge for the desserts on the bill. Thing is though, the waitress was expremely rude when she finally brought the desserts out. The manager obviously had had a word. The desserts would have required no actual 'cooking'. There were three other tables being used in the restaurant, each with 4-6 people at them.

When we went outside, I asked my Dad if he'd left a tip. He had paid for the meal. He said he had. I was shocked. I certainly wouldn't have left anything given the time it took for the last course to arrive, then the abject rudeness of the waitress when she finally got round to bringing them out.

Now, if the service is good, staff are friendly and everything is satisfactory, then I'll usually leave between 10-15% as a tip. This also depends on if there has been a service charge added too.

In the local pub, we have a very friendly lounge-girl, always stopping for a chat, and on Tuesday she saw that our group was larger than it normally is on a Tuesday evening (six of us instead of the usual three) and she came and told us there was a bigger, more comfortable table in another part of the pub, then helped us with moving our stuff. We always tip her the coin-change from the round. Say if me and one mate are there, she'll be tipped about €1.30 per round, about the change from a tenner for two pints, or more if there's three of us, she'd get the change from €15, then at last orders she always comes up at about 11.25, or 12.25 depending on the night, and asks us what we want, then makes it her very last drink to get for anyone. It's a busy pub so this could be at about 11.45. This means our pints aren't sitting on the table getting warm before we drink them. For the last order tip we'd throw her about three euro more each. It's worth it imo, for the excellent service she provides to us.

So, what do you think/do?

The Bollox

not again!

I will only tip if the waiter exceeds expectations. they get paid enough to be going with as it is, they don't need any more, but if they really put in the effort I will tip

Terry

Do you tip the people in McDonalds?

The Bollox

Terry wrote:

Do you tip the people in McDonalds?

me? **** no! I have only ever been served my ignorant **** in Mickey D's, same as Burger King

dodgyme

I tip approx 10%. If the bill includes a 10% service I do not. Some bills have 5% added so I usually give another 5%. If the service is not good I will often round up which means 5-8% app. If the service is really bad, I do not tip regardless of whether they say the coffee is free for the bad service etc. If I wanted free coffee etc I would have stayed at home. If the service is really good I can go over the 15%. I also try to leave most tips in cash.

The biggest issue is that when you bring people out and you want the night to go well. When the service is bad you dont want to make a fuss since you worry about ruining the night for people. It can be embarrasing for rest of the table if you are giving out about bad service etc. Often they will say to you that you were a bit hard on him/her (waiter) or something like that even though they might have been the ones to complain to you in the first place. I am flexiable to a point but bad service really annoys me.

zuutroy

I like the system here in Belgium. No need for tipping whatsoever anywhere. leave a euro on the table if you feel like it.

mickoneill30

I'd never tip any waiter / waitress that was rude to me or my group. Generally I'd only tip if the waiter did an average job or better. Waiting for food, bad service, rudeness are all below average.

As for tipping in McDonalds, they're hardly doing the same job. They don't visit you while you're eating to check everything is OK and fix any issues or top you up, they're reaching behind them and plonking a burger on your tray.

Collie D

If the service is decent, I always tip. However, in the case of the OP, I'd have left nothing. Name the pub with the good service, seansouth..seem to remember you saying you live across the road from me. I assume you're talking about the Goblet? Cos it's the only pub around there I know where the barstaff aren't complete arses

nesf

I tip 10% or so (because it's easy to work out) if I'm happy with the service. If I'm not happy I might throw a euro in the jar or something.

luckat

If the service is good I tip about 20%, if it's bad I don't.

Venom

If the service is really excellent and they put in some effort I'll tip . As has been mention by others they get paid enough.

Alanthroneus

has anyone been to that restaurant in New York called "the stardust diner" (i think) they get up on the tables and sing broadway musical songs. but they have a 26% service charge... then go around with a bucket asken for money on for their singin....then on top of that want a tip.........


BUT 26% Jesus........

needless to say i didnt tip....

markpb

If the service is the much better than normal, I'll happily tip over 15% and have often tipped higher if they really made an effort. If it's rubbish, good or even slightly better than average, I don't tip at all. If the restaurant charge a mandatory tip, I usually don't go there and if I do, definitely don't tip.

philstar

zuutroy wrote:

I like the system here in Belgium. No need for tipping whatsoever anywhere. leave a euro on the table if you feel like it.

same in ireland,

and most of europe too i think??

Jigsaw

Simple really.

Giving a tip is a gesture you make in recognition of having received high quality service above and beyond the call of duty.

Bad service = make a complaint
Average service = Pay for the meal and leave - no tip
Above average service = leave a tip

pdebarra

Well, in Austria, it's common to round up the bill, so if your table's bill is 45, you might give them 50, or whatever. In bars, you don't really tip, although you might leave a few coins on the bar.

I prefer it in Iceland, though, where it's often considered rude to tip, and a tip is never expected. We got into an argument about that, my sister and I, she insisting on tipping in a restaurant. The waitress pointedly returned the excess. Then again, though, when your beer costs €7.50 in a pub, you're not really inclined to be leaving a tip anyway.

red_ice

uh uhh i dont tip. i dont believe in it. if she dont make enough money she can quit. I dont tip because society says i have to, alright ill tip if someone really deserves a tip, if they really put forth the effort ill give em something extra but i mean tipping automaticly its for the birds. as far as im concerned they are just doing their job.

zuutroy

philstar wrote:

same in ireland,

and most of europe too i think??

Yeah but at home now I get the feeling it's 'expected' to a certain extent. Here it's the exception rather than the rule.

zuutroy

red_ice wrote:

uh uhh i dont tip. i dont believe in it. if she dont make enough money she can quit. I dont tip because society says i have to, alright ill tip if someone really deserves a tip, if they really put forth the effort ill give em something extra but i mean tipping automaticly its for the birds. as far as im concerned they are just doing their job.

Is that post almost word for word the monologue in Reservoir Dogs?!

One Cold Hand

Heres a tip:

Don't play the piano in a marching band.

Reku

Any decent restaurant I'll tip in, but not McD/Supermacs/BK, I tip cabbies and I tip tattoo artists.
Waiting staff you're tipping so they won't spit (or worse) in your food/drink next time you're there (so if the meal & service was ****e you needn't bother, you're not going to be back there).
Cabbies you tip for not taking you down the back arse of nowhere for a roundabout trip just to push up the fair.
Tattoo artists you tip so they don't put "I suck c**k" or the like the next time around.

Savman

Jigsaw wrote:

Bad service = make a complaint
Average service = Pay for the meal and leave - no tip
Above average service = leave a tip

Yep thats pretty much how I feel about it too. I'm happy to throw the Waiter(ess) a fiver for just being nice and efficient. From the time we walk into the gaff, the tip is theirs to lose.

red_ice

zuutroy wrote:

Is that post almost word for word the monologue in Reservoir Dogs?!

nay, it is! I youtubed it

red_ice

farohar wrote:

Tattoo artists you tip so they don't put "I suck c**k" or the like the next time around.

what freaky ass tattoo artist are you going to? If one of them inked that on me it would be a straight court case.

Ruu_Old

Bad service, I leave a penny and I've done so because at least they won't think you've forgotten. Normally tip well if the service is very good.

The Bollox

Ruu wrote:

Bad service, I leave a penny and I've done so because at least they won't think you've forgotten. Normally tip well if the service is very good.

I like that idea. I think I'll [strike]steal[/strike] use it

cooperguy

Never tip anybody who is rude or does not do their job properly. If they are friendly and give a good service then I will

K-9

Brings back memories of the first scene in Reservoir dogs. Class. "Your idea of good service is if the waittress brings u out the back and gives you a b***job!" Brilliant.

K-9

Brandon block got there beofre me on the other thread.

Quote:
Nice Guy Eddie: C'mon, throw in a buck!
Mr. Pink: Uh-uh, I don't tip.
Nice Guy Eddie: You don't tip?
Mr. Pink: Nah, I don't believe in it.
Nice Guy Eddie: You don't believe in tipping?
Mr. Blue: You know what these chicks make? They make ****.
Mr. Pink: Don't give me that. She don't make enough money that she can quit.
Nice Guy Eddie: I don't even know a ****ing Jew who'd have the balls to say that. Let me get this straight: you don't ever tip?
Mr. Pink: I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job.
Mr. Blue: Hey, our girl was nice.
Mr. Pink: She was okay. She wasn't anything special.
Mr. Blue: What's special? Take you in the back and suck your dick?
Nice Guy Eddie: I'd go over twelve percent for that.

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And someone in this thread got in before both of ye.

gizmo

Unless the waiter/waitress is actually rude I'll always leave a tip, usually 10-12.5% of the bill. If the person happens to be extremely nice/good and there was a group of us then I'd leave more.

I do however find it funny that people will not leave a tip if they are waiting for food. You do realise its not your waiter/waitress that is cooking it right? I've worked in places long enough to know that only in extreme cases will the food be ready to eat and not on your table. If its not there it will nearly always be because it simply isn't ready yet. Of course there is the odd occurance of a lazy/incompetent waiter but I wouldn't punish the rest of them for that.

As for not tipping in McD/Burger King, well the reason I don't do that is becuase I would consider that job a good deal easier than working in a restaurant. Taxi drivers will get a tip if they're nice/chatty but not too chatty/interesting and most importantly, don't take the long route which costs more anyway.

K-9

seansouth wrote:

And someone in this thread got in before both of ye.

Missed that. Good service. Thanks for the tip

Degsy

A lot of the bill isnt worth paying so i certainly wont be leaving a tip

jdivision

Tip 12.5 per cent normally but wouldn't if service was crap. Maybe I'm lucky but it's only ever happened once where food and service was crap. That was The Shebeen outside Westport. Shudder at the memory.
What I do hate though is the compulsory service charge plus then leaving a space for a tip when they print out your credit card receipt.

mikemac

Don't tip in restaurants and I worked in hotels for years in a number of positions.
Being a waiter is a tough job but it's nowhere close to being as tough as a chef or as thankless as a kitchen porter. Fair enough about the chef as they might be on decent money but spare a thought for the porter watching the waiting staff adding up their tips and they've worked harder and got nothing.

It's also annoying if you're due say €20 change they give it in €5 notes and coins thus making it easier to leave a tip but the customer gets too much change.

Tip: If you add a tip to a credit card bill, often staff will never see it. Management often use it for running costs of the business. If you're determined to tip use cash always

I would tip lounge staff for bringing drinks though.

Rb

Providing the service is to an expected standard or above, everyone should tip.
I tip almost all the time, with the exception of bad service or where there's a "service charge", in which case they can f*ck themselves.
The rest of the time, 15%-20% based on how good the service is. At one meal lately, I gave a tip of between €20 and €25 on a €80 meal, as the service the waiter provided was exceptional.
If you've had a nice evening, giving the guy who provided the service some cash and a thank you shouldn't be a problem. If you've been provided with good service and you don't tip, you're a stingy f*ck.

miju

I always tipi lounge staff bringing me drinks. If I'm in a resteraunt I wont tip if it says service charge or if the service is ****e.

If the service is good then I'll tip and I've tipped even after big **** ups because they went out of their way to make up for it

Degsy

rb_ie wrote:

I gave a tip of between €20 and €25 on a €80 meal

So how much exactly did you tip?

Actually i couldnt care less as the whole thing is bull**** to try and make yourself sound cooool

Reku

red_ice wrote:

what freaky ass tattoo artist are you going to? If one of them inked that on me it would be a straight court case.

It's a joke we had over on the tattoos and piercings forum, all these fools getting things tattooed on their bodies in languages they don't speak, so for all they know it says stuff like that.
Seriously, if someone provides a service and does a decent job of it I'll usually tip. Except for haircuts... >€150 a year on haircuts for a lad (and a very basic haircut, nothing fancy in the slightest) is more than enough without throwing in tips too.

Degsy

farohar wrote:

It's a joke we had over on the tattoos and piercings forum, all these fools getting things tattooed on their bodies in languages they don't speak, so for all they know it says stuff like that.
Seriously, if someone provides a service and does a decent job of it I'll usually tip. Except for haircuts... >€150 a year on haircuts for a lad (and a very basic haircut, nothing fancy in the slightest) is more than enough without throwing in tips too.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/PROFESSIONAL-QUALITY-HAIR-TRIMMER-WITH-ACCESSORIES-NEW_W0QQitemZ270149071978QQihZ017QQcategoryZ11856QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Reku

nope, just a scissors cut, not even as fancy as one of those electric razors.:(

AbusesToilets

Don't know what you're on about waiters working harder than people in McD's/Burger King.I ****ing worked my ass off in McD's,cooking,cleaning,sticking,taking out the trash etc.All the waiter does usually is take your order and bring your foot.After that they usually just come back every 5 mins when you don't need them to bother you.
I've always resented tipping waiters because of this.I'm not bitter,i swear

mickoneill30

AbusesToilets wrote:

I ****ing worked my ass off in McD's,cooking,cleaning,sticking,taking out the trash etc.All the waiter does usually is take your order and bring your foot.After that they usually just come back every 5 mins when you don't need them to bother you.
I've always resented tipping waiters because of this.I'm not bitter,i swear

Now I don't see you doing all that work. That doesn't mean you don't do it.
You don't see waiters doing all that work either. Does that mean they don't do it. Or does the place clean itself.

We're not talking about tipping because you work hard. Everybody (nearly) works hard. We're talking about tipping because of good service. Like it or not there's not a hell of extra frills you can put on your service during the 30 seconds when you're handing me a big mac meal. Maybe you can but any time I've ever been served in a McDs the service has always been pretty much the same.

A good waiter can make your meal very pleasant or a pain in the arse depending on how good he / she is at their job. That's what you're tipping for.