tips in restaurants - moral question

Faith177

I have worked in resturants and trust me you don't get a good wage at all.

It's often long 12 hour shifts spent on your feet ofter with no breaks becuase it's too busy. You work your butt off for little return and 9 times out of 10 people treat you as a lower form of human because you are *shock horror gasp* a WAITRESS! Apparently to some people this means that you are thick and need to be patronised at every turn.

I nearly always tip a couple of quid and if the service is excellent and the food amazing I have even tipped up to £10.

My biggest perv is massive groups of people i.e 10 plus who you have done everything for including getting their drinks saving them tips to the bar and they leave nothing not so much as a thank you.

Even on Christmas Day people hardly ever give tips and often the staff are on normal pay and have given up their day so you don't have to cook why shouldn't you tip them

Peater

ElefantEd wrote: »

You're in saving mode but frequently eat at restaurants? You may want to rethink that............

^This.

I generally leave a 10% tip providing the food and service are up to scratch. If I feel the food is particularly overpriced, I would consider not tipping.

The last time I didn't tip, this happened:
A colleague and I were away with work. We went into the city centre for dinner (on expenses) and had a completely satisfactory meal. It wasn't busy so the waiting staff we're very attentive (and attractive...). It was a good experience.

Anyway, as we settled up, my colleague starts putting on his jacket. "How much do you want to leave for a tip?" I asked. He shrugs his shoulders and says "None. It's not like we'll ever be here again. Besides, we can't claim the tip back." After a brief 'discussion' we left and I decided that I wasn't going to leave a tip on his behalf If he was being an a-hole so we left without leaving anything.

Got outside of the covered complex the restaurant was in and it was chucking it down as it was when we arrived. I realised I had left my umbrella under the table..... There was no way I was going back for it after that.

I wish I'd just left a bloomin tip, the meal was 'free' afterall!

Voyager2002

Peater wrote: »

^This.

I generally leave a 10% tip providing the food and service are up to scratch. If I feel the food is particularly overpriced, I would consider not tipping.

The last time I didn't tip, this happened:
A colleague and I were away with work. We went into the city centre for dinner (on expenses) and had a completely satisfactory meal. It wasn't busy so the waiting staff we're very attentive (and attractive...). It was a good experience.

Anyway, as we settled up, my colleague starts putting on his jacket. "How much do you want to leave for a tip?" I asked. He shrugs his shoulders and says "None. It's not like we'll ever be here again. Besides, we can't claim the tip back." After a brief 'discussion' we left and I decided that I wasn't going to leave a tip on his behalf If he was being an a-hole so we left without leaving anything.

Got outside of the covered complex the restaurant was in and it was chucking it down as it was when we arrived. I realised I had left my umbrella under the table..... There was no way I was going back for it after that.

I wish I'd just left a bloomin tip, the meal was 'free' afterall!

Personally I would have "remembered" that we had forgotten to tip and returned to put things right, and incidentally recovered the umbrella...

JReacher1

Edwood_Woodwood wrote: »

Surely your gastronomic experience to your palate isn't determined by whether the waitress who serves you is a beauty or a munter?

Yep makes absolutely no difference to the food but I am unfortunately a very shallow person!

Although to be honest I don't really like to tip that often. I like to fully receipt all spending (i'm a very sad person) and as tipping is undocumented spending it messes up my financial records.

Voyager2002

kaushal101 wrote: »

My wife doesn't believe in leaving tips.

Nor do I. However...

In a situation where staff do a reasonably good job, and can reasonably expect a tip for doing so, then it is dishonest to allow them to work and fail to pay them for doing so. That is most certainly the situation in the USA.

If I do tip, I always do so in cash, and directly to the person who has served me. Tips paid by card are likely to be stolen by the restaurant.

I object to paying a "service charge", and if I have to do so then I will certainly NOT tip as well.

I am puzzled by the post from a waitress with her complaint about large groups: it is usual for large groups to be charged for service instead of tipping being left to their discretion, and she should remind her employer to ensure that part of the service charge is passed on in lieu of the tip.

vuvuzela

Edwood_Woodwood wrote: »

Surely your gastronomic experience to your palate isn't determined by whether the waitress who serves you is a beauty or a munter?

Irrelevant point though, the OP has paid for the food in the bill. The tip is for the intangibles, the speed and friendliness of service etc.

ThumbRemote

ElefantEd wrote: »

You're in saving mode but frequently eat at restaurants? You may want to rethink that............

The two are not mutually exclusive.

bob_bobson

Surely it depends on whether service is included in the bill?

Even so I would always leave something.

whatmichaelsays

I'll usually round up to the note or a 'keep the change'.

A little tip can often go a long way. My local cab firm knows that I tip and, as a result, I'm rarely left waiting (they've even confirmed as much - they recognise my number and mark me on their system as a "good customer"). I always tip on the first round in busy bars as well - I'm rarely left waiting for the next one.

theEnd

Edwood_Woodwood wrote: »

She's just tight.

When you go to your regular restaurant no doubt the staff will clock you both and think here come the tightwads.

Which is why you may experience unpleasant food and service.

This.

Sure, you can get away with it abroad, but doing it at your regular is just cheap. You can be certain they see you coming and have names for you.