What's your tipping policy?

[pbenn]

Ten per cent before tax.

[getbent]

Originally Posted by bossaholic

I've worked in the service industry most of my life and even though I made most of my living from tips (To Insure Prompt Service), they are NEVER mandatory, even when they say they add them to large parties.

Any place that forces the issue is wrong and if this ever happened to me, I'd sue.

so... if the tab was, say, 1000.00, you'd sue over 170.00?

Really? the filing fees and time away from work alone would make that a terrible financial decision...

I'd disagree that restaurants cannot enforce a gratuity, I believe they can. In many states, it can fall under the 'defrauding an inn keeper' statutes.. if a person has been on the wrong side of those statutes, the judgements are firm and sure.

[Jack S]

For food or drink and services I usually tip at least 20%, but I do not tip on pickup orders.

[Deadcenter]

If i have to prepay and clean up after myself, no tip.

Otherwise i tend to tip at least %20 - a bit more when my kids were little and left a mess.

I've never encountered a 'mandatory tip', but if so i probably would not increase it.

[TeleKato]

I like to use lots of math.

20% of the food bill (pre-tax)
10% of the bar bill (pre-tax)
0% of the tax bill

Or if I'm lazy and SWMBO didn't have a $15 martini and a $12 glass of wine (I don't drink) ... just 20% of the non-tax amount. If the waitress reminds me of my daughter, a little extra. If the waiter reminds me of my sons, a little less!

[jmaul]

20% of the total bill generally. For poor service I'll do 10%. I've gone even less or zero in jaw dropping nightmare situations.

If the bill is mostly drinks, say a happy hour, then I tip per drink.

[Chud]

I can't speak for outside of NY State and California legal practices on enforcing tips, but in those states (as a few others mentioned) a tip is never mandatory but a service charge is. A service charge is only for catered events where there is an agreed upon contract in place before the event. I waited tables and bartended for a long while up until about 4 years ago, and the "mandatory" gratuity is always removable at the guest's request.

[Slow Reflexes]

Originally Posted by Bones

What is the point of adding a higher mandatory tip to a large party? in theory, they will be spending more money and should be tipping higher anyway.

A single payment will usually include a reasonable tip. Generally if there's a large party, they end up splitting the bill - and the tips get fudged way down. Servers get hosed by large groups fairly regularly.

My personal policy is that I generally give in the 15% to 20% range. If I'm with a large group, I generally pay the whole bill on my credit card and keep whatever others throw in - mostly so that I can make sure the waitstaff doesn't get ripped off by people with conveniently bad math skills. Invariably I end up paying quite a bit more than my share.

[elicross]

I tip pizza delivery guys $2 to $3 on a single pie, generally depending on the weather they had to come through to bring me my food (if it's really hot or cold outside, I'll tip higher -- but I won't order a pizza when it's raining or snowing. I figure if I wouldn't go out in that weather to get food, I shouldn't ask someone else to come through it to bring me food. Is that neurotic?).

At a restaurant, I'll tip 15% to 20%, depending on service, unless the restaurant has a policy that specifies some other percentage. Never less than 15%, though. That's not because I'm generous; it's because I'd worry about what that total stranger thought of me if I didn't give him or her at least 15%, even if he/she was useless or nasty. (Is that neurotic?)

At a drive-through window, I won't tip -- except sometimes at Sonic, where they seem to expect a tip even though all they're doing is taking my money, making change, and handing me a bag. If my change would be less than a buck, I'll tell 'em to keep it. They can consider that a tip or me just not wanting to wait for the change; both are equally true.

I tip a few bucks when I get my hair cut. At the old-fashioned Southern barber shop I usually go to, they always seem shocked by that.

In closing, a classic tip story:

Frank Sinatra's been dining out with friends at a Vegas restaurant. After dinner, when the valet brings his car around, Frank hands the kid $100. The valet says "Gosh, thanks, Mr. Sinatra!" Sinatra says "Don't mention it. Is that the biggest tip you ever got, kid?" The valet says "Well, no sir. I once got $200." Sinatra says "200 bucks? Who gave you that?" And the valet says "You did, sir. Last week."

[JayFreddy]

Originally Posted by Hiker

15%-20% depending on the service received. Any of you ever lived on a tip income? I relied on that type of income in the past! Poor tippers are often those that have never lived on tip income.

+1.

Originally Posted by schoolie

Always 20%. I don't want any problems. I'm still confused whether to tip and how much, if I pick up food to go from a sit-down restaurant.

In buffet style restaurants where you serve yourself, I only tip 10%, because those employees are paid at least minimum wage, not waitstaff wages, which are considerably lower.

Originally Posted by Andy Summers

I never know either..I thought 15 was the norm.but after reading here, I may up it to 20.

I was a 15% guy for years... I do believe it's gone up to 20%, at least for good service. 0% is for no service. 10% is bad service. 15% is for just okay service. 20% is for good service. Higher than 20% means great service.

Originally Posted by getbent

so... if the tab was, say, 1000.00, you'd sue over 170.00?

Really? the filing fees and time away from work alone would make that a terrible financial decision...

You would think that to be true, but you don't expect people to bring firearms to school and unload on their old teachers either (e.g., as recently happened at an Oakland nursing school...)

I think there are a lot of nutty people out there. Even most so-called normal people have moments where we're nuts too... You never can tell if someone is suddenly going to act in a way that is not in their own best interests.

I find it's generally best not to push people, because you never know how people are going to react...

Originally Posted by TeleKato

If the waitress reminds me of my daughter, a little extra. If the waiter reminds me of my sons, a little less!

Originally Posted by Slow Reflexes

Servers get hosed by large groups fairly regularly.

My personal policy is that I generally give in the 15% to 20% range. If I'm with a large group, I generally pay the whole bill on my credit card and keep whatever others throw in - mostly so that I can make sure the waitstaff doesn't get ripped off by people with conveniently bad math skills. Invariably I end up paying quite a bit more than my share.

I've noticed this too. When people are in groups, they are less likely to feel personal responsibility, so they have fewer qualms about leaving a bad tip, or no tip at all.

[Joe-Bob]

I tip for good service. The specific amount depends on the food/drinks and the service.

I do not tip for poor service...at all, and I'm going to tell the manager why.

[Bulldog87]

Usually about 20%. If there is a "mandatory tip" that is all they're getting. Gratuity is and should be just that!

[PennyCentury]

Trouble with tipping?

NSFW - Language

[Colo Springs E]

20-25%

[Joely]

being a grumpy bloke in the UK I hate tipping.....I hate having it put on my bill and having the puppy dog eyes of the waiter/tress looking at me..... I think tipping is bigger thing in US as if you dont tip over here people think your a bit tight with your wallet.....I hate tipping when they get a minium wage but some one who works a shop on the same wage doesn't.... I do tip but I hate doing it....unless they are super or they have really gone out of theit way to help i would leave a good one....

[HOBBSTER01]

Sorry but hairdressers do not make my list.

[rolling56]

I drive a taxi/cab for something to do and some extra cash a couple days a week and when the fare is say $4.90 people will give me $5 bill and want their 10 cents back............when i have people that work for tips i get tipped good. I also take credit/debt cards on my phone and some people will add a tip but not always with them lol

Edit:

I always have tipped 12% - 15% but i guess that's a little low for todays standards?....

[tpaul]

20% is standard for me. If it's really lousy service I'll go a little under, if my kids are creating extra work for the wait staff I'll leave a little more.

The exception is places where you order and pick up your own food at the counter, find a seat, eat, clean up after yourself and bus your own dishes. In that case I just tip myself.

[southwoodgtars]

$1 per beer at a bar and around 20% or so fer food works fer me most of the time a little more.

[notdave]

Originally Posted by southwoodgtars

$1 per beer at a bar and around 20% or so fer food works fer me most of the time a little more.

You tip bar staff? Every time you buy a drink? Sod that. I'm glad I live in a country where the tipping culture hasn't gone barmy.

It's even easier in France, 15% service charge is added to the total bill by law.

http://gofrance.about.com/od/travelp...nginfrance.htm

And, regardless of the advice in that link, never call your waiter garcon. Ever. It's damn rude, and it sure as hell won't improve the service.