Tipping in the US (at a restaurant)?

Dave Smith wrote:
Juliana L Holm wrote:
[snip]
You're a cheap SOB. Don't go to such restaurants. You won't enjoy
yourself, anyway.

Oh? Should I feel better about myself because I paid $10 for a drink
that I could have got
elsewhere for $4? Should I enjoy myself that I left a $2 tip instead
of $1? Should it make
me feel special because I can make people dance for my coins?

When I go for dinner I tip. But I ain't no rube. I work hard for my
money and I see no
reason to be flaunting it my playing financial power games with
people who wait on tables
because they can't find a better job than that.



I fail to see why you would patronize a restaurant you think is
grossly overcharging you.
The servers work hard for their money too. If you don't want to pay
for what you
receive, don't go there.

(Peter Frank) wrote in
m:

I also saw some people paying to the cashier at the exit. Do you take
your check to the cashier then? I didn't see the people paying to the
cashier leaving any tipping money on the table (doing this may not be
possible if you only have larger bills or a credit card). If/when you
pay to the cashier, how does your waitress get her tip?

This is a good question ... Sometimes I don't know know myself! Check the
bottom of the bill, some restaurants write (Please pay at cash or Please
pay server).

Typically in more 'causal' (i.e. diners, fast food) you pay the cashier.
Otherwise you pay the waitress.

But if you're impatient (i.e. must leave, can't wait for waiter), it's OK
to bring your bill to the cashier .



--
Lucas Tam )
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(Peter Frank) wrote in
m:

I also saw some people paying to the cashier at the exit. Do you take
your check to the cashier then? I didn't see the people paying to the
cashier leaving any tipping money on the table (doing this may not be
possible if you only have larger bills or a credit card). If/when you
pay to the cashier, how does your waitress get her tip?

This is a good question ... Sometimes I don't know know myself! Check the
bottom of the bill, some restaurants write (Please pay at cash or Please
pay server).

Typically in more 'causal' (i.e. diners, fast food) you pay the cashier.
Otherwise you pay the waitress.

But if you're impatient (i.e. must leave, can't wait for waiter), it's OK
to bring your bill to the cashier .



--
Lucas Tam )
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

Juliana L Holm wrote in
:

You're a cheap SOB. Don't go to such restaurants. You won't enjoy
yourself, anyway.

Tipping is personal preference - and cultural too. In Canada we tip 10%
standard (after tax... so 15% before tax), and more if it's good service.
Otherwise the standard will do.

--
Lucas Tam )
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

Juliana L Holm wrote in
:

You're a cheap SOB. Don't go to such restaurants. You won't enjoy
yourself, anyway.

Tipping is personal preference - and cultural too. In Canada we tip 10%
standard (after tax... so 15% before tax), and more if it's good service.
Otherwise the standard will do.

--
Lucas Tam )
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

GQ wrote in
:

On 4/18/05 1:24 PM, wrote:
There aren't any "laws" in this manner and one can tip about
whatever
they want, or not at all.

Except that you hear more and more stories of servers who run after
customers saying they did not leave a good enough tip. I've never
experienced it here in Toronto, but I've heard of this on several
occassions from different people, particularly from restaurants in New
York. I wonder if this is becoming a trend.

Thankfully in Canada, servers understand that tips are NOT mandatory - but
rather a reward for good service. Of course I almost always leave a tip -
but it's good to know we have an option on how much to tip ; )

--
Lucas Tam )
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

GQ wrote in
:

On 4/18/05 1:24 PM, wrote:
There aren't any "laws" in this manner and one can tip about
whatever
they want, or not at all.

Except that you hear more and more stories of servers who run after
customers saying they did not leave a good enough tip. I've never
experienced it here in Toronto, but I've heard of this on several
occassions from different people, particularly from restaurants in New
York. I wonder if this is becoming a trend.

Thankfully in Canada, servers understand that tips are NOT mandatory - but
rather a reward for good service. Of course I almost always leave a tip -
but it's good to know we have an option on how much to tip ; )

--
Lucas Tam )
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

Peter Frank writes:
I was in California recently and had a breakfast at my hotel that was
not included in the price for the room. At the end, the waitress
brought me the check in one of those leather envelopes (or whatever it
is called). I only had larger dollar bills at that time, so I couldn't
just leave the amount including the tip on the table. The check had a
line where I could note down the amount of tip, which I did (it was at
least 15 %).

That line would be used if you wanted to have the meal and tip "charged
to your room", so you would pay them on the final bill when checking out
from the hotel.

She asked "You want me to bring you the change?".

She was hoping you would leave the entire amount of your change as
the tip, in which case she would not have to bring it. I often do say
"keep the change" if the amount is right, but I consider inappropriate
for them to suggest it before I do. (Unless I go there often enough
that they know what tip to expect.)

She then brought me the exact change without keeping the tip I
noted down on the check. However, I didn't realize that right away and
took all the change.

Is this line only looked at when paying with a credit card?

Only when charging to the room. If you pay by credit card, there is a
line on the credit-card form.

Or did the waitress expect me to take the exact change back and then
return to her personally the tip I wanted to give?

Yes. Usually you would do that by leaving it in the leather cover.

I also saw some people paying to the cashier at the exit. Do you take
your check to the cashier then?

Yes, that's how they know how much to charge you. This is usually
done at less expensive places; the check will often be marked "please
pay cashier".

I didn't see the people paying to the
cashier leaving any tipping money on the table (doing this may not be
possible if you only have larger bills or a credit card). If/when you
pay to the cashier, how does your waitress get her tip?

If you didn't have the right change for the tip before, usually you
go back to the table afterwards and leave it. And note that if paying
the check still doesn't give you the small bills you need, you can
ask for change. (Total is $19.85, you give the cashier a $20 bill,
then hand over a $5 bill and ask them to change it; now you have the
$3 you need. Same idea if you want coins.)

One last question: Do you always round up to whole dollars when
tipping even if that would raise the tip a lot?

No.
--
Mark Brader "The spaghetti is put there by the designer of
Toronto the code, not the designer of the language."
-- Richard Minner

My text in this article is in the public domain.

Peter Frank writes:
I was in California recently and had a breakfast at my hotel that was
not included in the price for the room. At the end, the waitress
brought me the check in one of those leather envelopes (or whatever it
is called). I only had larger dollar bills at that time, so I couldn't
just leave the amount including the tip on the table. The check had a
line where I could note down the amount of tip, which I did (it was at
least 15 %).

That line would be used if you wanted to have the meal and tip "charged
to your room", so you would pay them on the final bill when checking out
from the hotel.

She asked "You want me to bring you the change?".

She was hoping you would leave the entire amount of your change as
the tip, in which case she would not have to bring it. I often do say
"keep the change" if the amount is right, but I consider inappropriate
for them to suggest it before I do. (Unless I go there often enough
that they know what tip to expect.)

She then brought me the exact change without keeping the tip I
noted down on the check. However, I didn't realize that right away and
took all the change.

Is this line only looked at when paying with a credit card?

Only when charging to the room. If you pay by credit card, there is a
line on the credit-card form.

Or did the waitress expect me to take the exact change back and then
return to her personally the tip I wanted to give?

Yes. Usually you would do that by leaving it in the leather cover.

I also saw some people paying to the cashier at the exit. Do you take
your check to the cashier then?

Yes, that's how they know how much to charge you. This is usually
done at less expensive places; the check will often be marked "please
pay cashier".

I didn't see the people paying to the
cashier leaving any tipping money on the table (doing this may not be
possible if you only have larger bills or a credit card). If/when you
pay to the cashier, how does your waitress get her tip?

If you didn't have the right change for the tip before, usually you
go back to the table afterwards and leave it. And note that if paying
the check still doesn't give you the small bills you need, you can
ask for change. (Total is $19.85, you give the cashier a $20 bill,
then hand over a $5 bill and ask them to change it; now you have the
$3 you need. Same idea if you want coins.)

One last question: Do you always round up to whole dollars when
tipping even if that would raise the tip a lot?

No.
--
Mark Brader "The spaghetti is put there by the designer of
Toronto the code, not the designer of the language."
-- Richard Minner

My text in this article is in the public domain.

GQ wrote in
:

I noticed that in a couple of restaurants in Chicago and in Boston and
in Hawaii, there were some restaurants automatically adding in the
gratuity to the bill, even though its just 2 or 3 people dining (I
know this is standard practice for large groups). Maybe this is to
ensure that patrons don't undertipped and also discourage people from
overtipping???

Why not just raise the price of the entrees? : )

--
Lucas Tam )
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/