A question for Waiters/Waitresses

Tight_as_a_Drum

As a regular restaurant user I'm interested to find out from any Waiters & Waitresses roughly what percentage of their customers leave a tip, it seems to be the done thing these days and seems to be more expected of me but how many customers actually do it?

Is it a shock when people do or is it more shocking when they don't?

I've tried looking online for any survey results but can't find much, personally I would imagine it to be a rather boring 50/50 split so, nice when it's received but not expected...

hohum

I've waited off and on since i was 15. It depends on where you are and the customers. For a restaurant I'd say roughly 70% of customers but that's a total guesstimate. Nicer the restaurant and more fancy the service, more I think a tip is warranted. I don't expect customers to a cafe/deli to tip but I'd say 30% tip well enough for it to be an amount that 50% wound contribute.

In most places where I have worked the tips are split across the team, although floor staff receive a greater percentage share.

There's are still places where the staff will not see any tips you give if they are via credit card, or the management see fit that tips fund staff wages. If this bothers you, do check with the person seving you.

It is more insulting than shocking if you've say ensured a large table had a great night, gone and bought some ketchup for a picky kid (I've done this!), listened patiently to uncle bob's hilarious anecdotes, entire table tells you what a great night they had...and leaves you a 1% tip. On the flip side, it's always lovely of people to tip and I especially like the little old ladies who leave me 50p on their coffee and cake bill.

I think the only time I've been shocked by behaviour around tipping was when a family group left a tip, which a member of the group waited until everyone had left the table and pocketed it himself!

The tipping is not usually the shocking behaviour though. I've worked in nice independent and well regarded places....the things I could tell you about customers! Probably not the time and the thread though...