Tipping Etiquette
OK, I have to ask – how much do you tip a Server at a restaurant?
This question has been bugging me for months! I’m originally from the Northeast though I have been in the south for quite some time. I was taught to tip the Server 15%-20% depending up on the service, the quality of the food, etc. Having been a waitress myself (in years past), I’m usually very concientious of how much I tip and it’s usually 20% or MORE. Where I live now, it’s amazing the Servers at the restaurants I frequent even make ends meet…and for some of them that IS their only means of income!
Just the other day, a friend of ours who also happened to be our Server, had received a tip of only $2.00 out of a $40 check. She’s a GOOD Server. She knows her stuff, is very friendly, and the quality of the food is usually just as good. I could not understand for the life of me how a $2 tip on a $40 check was even possible. She proceeded to tell me that she feels blessed if she gets $5 tips most days. I couldn’t even believe that! (An average meal cost at this particular restaurant is $25-$35.) When I asked her why, she explained that customers in this particular area generally don’t tip well. My reaction – You have GOT to be kidding me! 15% should be the standard, if anything, for goodness sake!
There is no excuse for poor tipping unless, of course, one’s meal is truly UNacceptable. What do you think?
It used to be 10%, then it became 15-20%. A rule of thumb in this area is to double the tax. That’s 16 1/2%, unless your service was excellent, then leave more.
I generally tip $10 regardless of the bill unless it’s over $100. Of course, it the service stinks or is non-existent, then so does the tip. Recognizing that servers depend on tips for income should prompt them to work harder. If they are not working hard then clearly, thay are not in great need of a tip or need to change fields.