Would You Have Tipped In This Situation?

BeachGirlFLA

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Yesterday, DH and I went to On The Border for our Friday night date. I went in and ordered a strawberry swirl margarita. The waiter brought me a regular strawberry margarita, but I just went with it. We ordered an appetizer and got that. Then I ordered another Strawberry Swirl Margarita and made sure he got the fact that it was supposed to be Strawberry Swirl. We ate our appetizer and waited a good 15 minutes watching other people who had gotten there after us getting their entrees before us. We finally said something to the waiter. He came back about five minutes after telling us he would check on it to tell us "bad news...it looks like the order didn't go through and I lost the piece of paper with your order on it. Do you still want your food? We'll give you a free meal." Because we had been waiting so long, our appetizer had settled and we were both (me so more than my DH) full so we said no. We also waved down the manager to complain. He knocked my regular strawberry margarita (which I told him was wrong but that I hadn't said anything because it wasn't a big deal) off the bill along with the appetizer and gave us $15 in coupons and offered us ice cream or whatever else we wanted but we said we were full. That took our bill down to $16 from $33. I still gave the waiter $2 but was curious as to whether I really should have given him anything at all since the order not going through was most likely his mistake and the manager seemed upset that the waiter hadn't come to him before telling us what happened.
 
I think you did fine. Sounds like the guy totally dropped the ball, yet you still left him a couple of bucks. Even if the error wasn't all his doing, he sure didn't do anything to help matters. I'd say you were generous. :)
 
I probably would have done the same thing. It seems like the waiter messed this up but I couldn't leave nothing.
 
I personally think they should have apologized and told you that they didn't owe you anything. At that point, I would have left (and no tip).

ETA: Make that "told you that YOU didn't owe THEM anything"! (typed it backwards)
 


So wait, not only do people tip when waiters do their job, they tip when waiters DON'T do their job?

Sorry, OP, to me this is the classic definition of when a tip isn't needed. The waiter should know you're not "stiffing" him. *HE* messed up... more than once.
 
Absolutely not. What part of that service deserved a tip? I know things are different in the States, but still.
 


In that situation I would not have left a tip.
 
Depends. If I see the server working really hard, I still tip 20%. A few times we've been out for dinner and haven't received the best service. If I see the server is working really hard, I still tip 20%. It's not their fault if the restaurant doesn't have enough help on duty.
 
I would not have tipped. What motivation do they have to provide good service if they receive a tip regardless of how bad it is?
 
Yes, I would have tipped.I wouldn;t have complained you choose to keep the drink you could have sent it back, you only complained only after you drank the whole thing.
 
I wouldn't have tipped him anything. And frankly, I think the manager was a fool for not just comping your entire bill and sending you on your way with a freebie.
 
Yes, I would have tipped.I wouldn;t have complained you choose to keep the drink you could have sent it back, you only complained only after you drank the whole thing.
Happygirl, the drink wasn't the big deal...if they hadn't messed up the submission of our entree order (as in not submitting it) we wouldn't have complained.
Horseshowmom, that's okay...that's what made sense with what you said but I wanted to make sure.
Now I feel like a wimp for tipping but I would have felt guilty not doing so.
 
OP, i probably would've felt guilty afterward, but, in this situation, i wouldn't have left a tip. the server totally dropped the ball.

once, when we went out to eat at cracker barrel, our waitress never showed up to our table. after waiting over 10 minutes, a waiter showed up and apologized, saying our waitress was "having a rough night", and took our drink and food order. he then brought us our drinks, and another waitress brought us our food. we never did see the waitress who was assigned to our table, even though she waited on the table next to ours. when it came time to leave, our waitress was a little dismayed when i gave our tip to the waiter who took our order and brought our drinks. i think she actually believed she deserved a tip, when she hadn't even bothered to say "hi" to us! the waiter may have given the money to her, or split it with her, but i gave the money to the person who earned it.
 
We either would have left nothing, or something really small...like a quarter.
 
They should have given you your apps and drinks for free. I would have tipped the server still. It sounds like the kitchen made the screw up.
 
They should have given you your apps and drinks for free. I would have tipped the server still. It sounds like the kitchen made the screw up.

I respectfully disagree. We have no idea why the "order didn't go through". However, the server freely admitted to losing the handwritten copy. It makes me wonder if he lost it first and therefore never actually entered it. We do know the OP had to remind the server they did not receive their food. He should have noticed they were just sitting there and waiting.

As for complaining on the drink, I do understand it. It's not a major thing except when it's just one more thing on top of poor service and no entree. I would have brought it up, also.
 

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