The New Rules of Tipping

@mple of FL

That doesnt even make sense, you are prolly one of the cheap skates that tip like crap and make the servers un-happy for the rest of us. I have never worked in food service but always tip with the rule of 20% if they are average, 15% if they are really bad and 25-30% if they are good. This isnt 1970 anymore and $10/hour is not a great wage lol ...some of us are blessed with good jobs that others simply cant do or get. If you cant afford a 20% tip then dont go out to eat!

LMAO of IN @ Oct 03, 2009 22:49:54 PM

Pay how much tip

It is non of our business how much they make hourly. We should pay them how much is the rule!

Amir of CA @ Aug 27, 2009 02:41:41 AM

another way to figure out the tip

Look around and see how many tables the server has at the same time. Figure that she gets $2-$3 from her boss. Tip her (considering the other tables) the amount needed to bring the wage up to $10 an hour. That's what a job is worth that it requires no formal education. If the server is not happy then she can find another better paying job!In today's econoky, 50 eople would take the job and not complain.

No way is the job more stressful or demanding than a teacher, nurse, daycare provider, charter pilot. They all start at salaries in the twenties in many parts of the country. $10 an hour is more than $20,000 a year.

mple of FL @ Jun 26, 2009 11:56:52 AM

Tipping in Establishments that charge service fees

This is a very interesting article that you wrote. You mentioned that the 10%-15% rate on tipping is old but I must say that the "rule" still applies here in the Philippines.

It is also a common practice here to check if the restaurant has included service charges (ave. 10%) before leaving a tip. Most people would explain that the wait staff already gets a portion of this service charge.

I would just like to know if this is proper or not, in your opinion.

Edward Gador @ Jun 24, 2009 23:17:35 PM

Not Tipping = STEALING

Most waitresses, waiters, and bartenders are paid a meager sum by the employeer (2.00-4.00 per hour), as it is known that tips will be made to off set the hourly pay rate difference. I have spent half of my adult life as a server, and rely on my tips to provide a decent wage. Please consider this scenerio;

Mary is a waitress at a nice resturant. She is paid 2.37 per hour from her employeer, and receives the remainder of her income from her customers in the form of tips. At Mary's restaurant, she is required to 'tip out' other employees that she works with, as without them and their job duties, she would not have thhe ability to make any tips. One night, the resturant was full, mostly with high school seniors on their prom dates. Mary waited on 5 tables throughout the night with combined ticket sales equaling 250.00. Her tips from four of the tables equaled 25.00. The fifth table did not leave a tip. At the end of her shift, based on her sales, and her tips being calculated by the employeer at 15%, it is determined that Mary has made at least 37.50 in tips. Based on that amount, Mary must tip out a combined total of 30% of her estimated tips to the busboy, dishwasher, and hostess. This amount comes to 11.25. Mary pays the 11.75 out of the 25.00 she was actually tipped, leaving her with 13.75. What about the 2.37 per hour her boss pays her? That is not even enough to pay for her Medicare, State, and Social Security taxes after her employer deducts 15% of her incorrectly estimated tips to be applied to FICA! In conclusion, Mary actually lost money by working that night. The one table that did not leave her a tip actually cost her money to wait on them! One can only hope she didn't have to buy gas, groceries, or pay a baby-sitter when she got home.

Kelly of ID @ May 25, 2009 01:59:26 AM

are you kidding me!?

Gale of CA have you ever done a hard days work? I am a student that lives at home and I have one job as a waitress and oneat a hospital and I give excellent service because I was raised to. So please do not take shots at students that live at home because we are the next generation and we make the restaurant industry run! Think before you type and stereotype!

Megan of NE @ Apr 05, 2009 19:03:43 PM

tipping

I don't like the "tipping is not mandatory" part of the article. I am a waitress who makes $2.68 an hour. This is in Massachusetts. We do not get raises. This amount has been the same for over 10 years. We rely on tips to live. However I do agree that if the server is not attentive, not friendly or makes your dining experience not pleasant, then they should not be tipped well. I give my all when I serve a person and it is reflected in my tips, for the most part. There are still people out there that don't know how to tip.

Lisa of MA @ Apr 05, 2009 16:44:26 PM

Tipping is not mandatory.

"Tipping is not mandatory."

If it's not, they why do many people EXPECT a tip? If I get good service at a restaurant, they get a tip, if I get crappy service, they get no tip. If the person cutting my hair listens to what I want do, and does it without asking again every two minutes they get a tip.

name of MD @ Mar 18, 2009 11:32:24 AM