Tipping: why is 10% not perfectly adequate?

[burt-oh-my!]

I tip 10 or 11% for most meals, yet a lot of people seem to think that 15% is the minimum now. Yet I fail to see why I should pay say $5 for a $30 meal when the grand total time she spent serving me was at MOST 5 minutes. In fact the whole idea of tipping is annoying and silly, especially as we see it expanding into other areas.

If you work out what waitresses are getting on an hourly basis, it can be ridiculously high. and yes, I do know that the basic wage is low and they have to share, but waitresses can still earn $40 or more per hour. I find that over the top for a pretty low-skilled job.

What is most annoying though is how everyone moans and groans about low tipping of waitresses - yet we don't tip the staff at numerous other places who are alos earning low wages, like the person at the fast food joint for instance.

 

[kissykisskiss]

I'm still pissed off at the HST.Don't get me going.

 

[westendman]

Bcause when you tip 10% not all of that goes to your server, they in turn have to tip out usually 4% to 5% of their total sales to cover support staff like bartenders, hosts, bussers, foodrunners, and kitchen. Servers in a restaurant that sells liquor get a lower minium wage than those in the fast food indusrty. Because the government considers their tips to be part of their wage, and we have to claim them when we do our income taxes. So don't be a cheap bastard. If you don't want to tip, line up for your food at McDonalds or Burger King.

 

[BigBlueBobby]

I waitered for six weeks of my life. Had to quit, it wasn't for me. The job would have been easier if ridiculosly underqualified managers werent so busy hassling the staff to make sure they are never caught standing still, that they can't do their jobs effectively. That was more than 20 years ago. I still tip 15-20% to this day.

 

[Brill]

Why should the tip be reflected by the price of your meal? It's the same work to ensure your $100 dinner was satisfactory as it is to make sure your $50 meal was okay yet one gets twice the tip.

 

[goalie000]

Tipping is at your own descretion, the amount totally up to you. Although I just returned from vacation and saw a sign at one place that said "For all groups of 6 or more an 18% gratuity would automatically be added to the bill." WTF!

 

[red]

I tip 10 or 11% for most meals, yet a lot of people seem to think that 15% is the minimum now. Yet I fail to see why I should pay say $5 for a $30 meal when the grand total time she spent serving me was at MOST 5 minutes. In fact the whole idea of tipping is annoying and silly, especially as we see it expanding into other areas.

If you work out what waitresses are getting on an hourly basis, it can be ridiculously high. and yes, I do know that the basic wage is low and they have to share, but waitresses can still earn $40 or more per hour. I find that over the top for a pretty low-skilled job.

What is most annoying though is how everyone moans and groans about low tipping of waitresses - yet we don't tip the staff at numerous other places who are alos earning low wages, like the person at the fast food joint for instance.

thank you Mr. Pink

 

[SHAUNA SHA]

Burt... I have worked in the Hospitality Industry for many years. From the little diner..to casinos..to 5* restaraunts.
Tips mean> To Insure Proper Service. Some servers take this to the extreme! IE> you don't tip?? next time your service will be terrrible!! Servers should actually lookmat the bigger picture. Bad service..no customers..now looking for a new job!!
Tipping HAS become somewhat of a manditory thing! It will probably always be like that! ALSO..if an establishment does not serve alcohol?? Their wage is the same as minimum(10.15$)an hour! Which is pretty good money for alot of people..on top of that...they have their tips..which you are right..easy to make the hr wage increase to 40 or 50 dollars an hour!!

Any great server...should not expect a tip..!!!! so..in my mind....if you leave a dollar..or ten...you should not feel obligated!!!If you want to be generous...thats your desision!!

 

[bowser]

It's a shame basis set by our North American Culture. Japan has it done right: utmost service is minimum and therefore tips are not accepted. Imagine an experience nothing short of wonderful without the akwardness.

 

[westendman]

As someone who works as a bartender I give the benefit of a doubt to someone when they go cash and carry for their drinks, don't tip on the first fine, don't tip on the second try getting a third. If you complain I say " I think you've had enough tonight sir " and not only will managerment back me up but so will the police and province, because you have alcohol on you breath and have now gotten belligerent. Why fuck with someone who gives you something you put in your mouth.

 

[69Shooter]

What really bugs me is the basic premise of the business model surrounding tipping.

Companies underpay requisite staff and then add the cost of that staff to the customer in the form of tips.

Tips should be a bonus for good service, not the final step in paying staff a working wage.

Yep!

 

[kissykisskiss]

As someone who works as a bartender I give the benefit of a doubt to someone when the go cash and carry for their drinks, don't tip on the first fine, don't tip on the second try getting a third. If you complain I say " I think you've had enough tonight sir " and not only will managerment back me up but so will the police and province, because you have alcohol on you breath and have now gotten belligerent. Why fuck with someone who gives you something you put in your mouth.

You sir,are an asshole.

 

[shack]

Why fuck with someone who gives you something you put in your mouth.

Not sure I'd want my SP thinking that way.

 

[Mister K]

I have no problem tipping for good service, usually between 15-20%. When being served by someone who is not only pleasant, but helpful, and remembers what I drink or eat, then the tip goes up.

I find it interesting that men tip more than women. For some reason women in general tip poorly OR not at all. Not sure where it comes from.

Over the years my experience has been that when I tip it pays itself forward at some point when I need a favour or something extra. My hairdresser has opened up appointments for me when her schedule was full, I have had better tables and even noticed that on bills I am not charged for a drink or a refill. I used arrange for a KFC luncheon for the dealership service staff and their manager each year. Cost to me about $125 each year, but not only did they go out of the way for me but it was amazing how work and parts that I should have been charged for were suddenly considered "warranty" items. On one occassion the mechanic charged the parts to the warranty on a different vehicle because I had too many kilometers on my vehicle. When I thanked him he just smiled and said that he and the rest of the guys really appreciated the KFC lunchs.

So tipping IMHO has its place. I can tell you that if I don't get good service, or the meal is less then satisfactory, believe me I am the first one to complain. On the other hand I have also written letters to owners and managers when I have received above average service.

 

[5hummer]

I go 15%, but if the service is exceptional, I'll go more. I also tip at cafe's, etc.
Most of the places I like to go aren't pretentious, chains or trendy, but more independent or just start up's. And, they don't have the high turnover rates of the popular places (eg. Astors, etc.), so I don't mind giving a little extra if the service is good.

 

[james t kirk]

I just figure that tipping is part of the cost of the meal. (Which it is, if there was no tipping, then restaurants would need to raise the price of their goods to pay their servers more.) Bottom line, if you're not making $20 an hour in Toronto, you're below the poverty line. A good wait person is worth 20 an hour, so if they are making 10 an hour base, you need to tip to bring them up.)


I tend to tip far more on a low bill - say a $20.00 lunch bill, I'll leave a 5 as a tip. (Cause he or she did just as much works as if the bill was $100.00.)

On an expensive meal - say $300.00 for 2 people - I'll go say $50.00 which I figure is fine.


BTW, if you're in the USA, the standard is 20% because there, the servers get paid LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE. Wait staff in the US think Canadians are all a bunch of cheap fucks.

Oh, and if the service was terrible (rare, but it does happen) - I don't have a problem leaving very little.

 

[afterhours]

what scares me is people who don't tip enough and go to the same places.
If you invite me to dinner and the waiter knows you and you leave bad tip I assume that the waiter knows you as a bad tipper and that he accordingly had spat in our meal.

 

[Consilio]

What really bugs me is the basic premise of the business model surrounding tipping.

Companies underpay requisite staff and then add the cost of that staff to the customer in the form of tips.

Tips should be a bonus for good service, not the final step in paying staff a working wage.

I agree. I wish they'd just pay staff a proper wage, build it into the price of the food. Then if the service was great we could tip a little extra, if we wanted to.

There are several countries in Europe that operate this way. You pay a bit more up front but they either tip a very small amount, or not at all.

 

[zz000ter]

I wish that restaurants would just pay the staff a fair rate and that way "tipping" is not necessary. Tipping is not a global thing. You do not do it in many countries in Europe for example.

Think of this - waiter/waitress might spend a total of 5 minutes on your order. That means that they can serve 12 people per hour. 12 x $5 on average for two people table is $60 per hour. Say the waiter/ress gives $20 for the staff kitty - they still make $40 in tips. At their $10 minimum wage and you get $50 per hour. Pretty good for waiting tables. This is more than I earn.

 

[fmahovalich]

In Ireland TIpping is frowned upon..In fact bartenders and others are insulted if you tip them. They feel it is below them...as if your giving a few quid to a 'servant'

Having said that..they are paid an excellent wage to slug Guinness!!