I got invited out to lunch with a friend today earlier and we out to eat. Our waiter was alright, the food was alright and everything was going pretty great then check came. She used her card to pay and we got our stuff together and she signed the receipt but never left a tip. I asked if she wanted me to leave a tip and she said "no, I got this" after signing her name. Then we left. I asked her later on while we were getting some krispy kreme donuts, why she didn't leave a tip for the waiter. She told me that their job is to take her food order, get drinks, get other stuff and if she felt the experience was above and beyond she would leave gratuity because she would be "grateful". Tips are gratuity and they should never be mandatory. She went on to say that when she worked as a waitress in high school, her job was to wait on people and that she was taught to never expect tips. She also mention that she knew coworkers that would do crappy jobs and they were still given gratuity because people felt that they owed their server something.
Just wondering what are your thoughts regarding her comment with gratuity vs the expectation.
Live fast, die young. Bad Girls do it well. Suki Zuki.
Re: Expectation vs Gratituity
Both my grandmother and my mom at different times in their lives used to wait tables. Because of this I was brought up to tip at least 20% if the service was good. If it's above average I'll tip more, if its under I'll tip less. I know that servers aren't paid minimum wage so that is why I always tip, except when in foreign countries where tipping is not the usual, or the server is extremely rude.
I was also brought up to stack plates, and limit garbage and such, but that was just something I think my mom taught me to be polite. I still stack plates if we're done with them and the server hasn't been by yet, the first time I did when me and FI were at a little diner, he looked at me like I was nuts.
ETA: Pargraphs
Live fast, die young. Bad Girls do it well. Suki Zuki.
Live fast, die young. Bad Girls do it well. Suki Zuki.
I'm the fuck out.
I waited tables as my first real job, over 10 years ago, and while making $2.13 an hour I totally expected tips - about 15-20%. Having worked that job for a little over 3 years, I tip 18-20% for average service.
Knowing that the waiter usually has no control over how fast the food or alcohol comes out (especially when I'm sitting in the bar and able to watch the bartender) I still tip my server according to the rest of my service. If my food comes out wrong, I'll tip based on how quick they fix it (if it gets fixed pretty quick, no deduction).
I'll tip 10% if my service is horrible...and that takes a lot. I either drink alcohol or don't, it's rare that I ask for water with alcohol, so if my nonalcoholic drink sits empty for a while - deduction! If food takes a while to be served without the waiter coming by to check on us (or tell us it's delayed, or should be out soon) - deduction again! Our dirty plates staying stacked on our table (we've had to ask waiters to take away our plates so we have room on our table) - another deduction! If I can see that they're waiting on a large party, who's running them all over the place, I'm more lenient and will tip more than if they weren't.
It takes someone really special to not get a tip - but it happened once after the manager got involved (and then she too ignored us once we got our food...all we needed at that point was our drinks refilled). We handed cash to the waitress who managed to check in on us in between her tables - so sweet of her. I wrote an email to corporate to inform them of the horrible experience, especially with the manager, and they were kind enough to send a $25 gift card, though I'm sure that's standard.
If someone goes above and beyond, has a great personality, etc., they'll get 30+% from me...but it's rare (or I'm a regular there with the same waiter/waitress, so of course they give me great service for a good tip).
I didn't get tipped once - with no explanation. We weren't busy so I saw when they were sat and greeted them within a minute, got their drinks right out and food order, food came out quick and was correct, their drinks never went empty, and I only interrupted them twice when it was absolutely necessary. They asked for togo boxes when they were halfway done eating and their check, which I had on me. They waited about 5 minutes to put their payment out, I ran the card, and they sat there for a little bit more talking (still, no empty drinks and they left fries on their plate that they were still munching on so no dirty dishes sitting there). Tip - $0.00. Awesome! I just paid for them to eat. That is one of the few experiences I remember from that job after all these years.
IMO, if you're not going to leave a tip, or leave a tip less than 10% (that was the minimum amount we had to claim at the end of our shift), you should talk to the manager. The waiter/waitress may just be having an off day, they might be new, or they could be on their way out and management needs to know there were problems.
Edited - typo.
Live fast, die young. Bad Girls do it well. Suki Zuki.