Would You Have Tipped In This Situation?

[luvmy3]

Originally Posted by mjkacmom

I think he did own up to it, and offered to put in their order, and have it be free (which means the server would have to tell the manager about the mistake). He obviously didn't realize the mistake until they called it to his attention - it happens. The drink thing is a very easy mistake (strawberry vs. strawberry stripe), and I'm sure he would've made the correction if it was brought to his attention.

Busy Friday night? I think both the server and the manager bent over backwards to fix the situation. Free meals? Comped drink? Free anything they want? Coupons? I think most people who've worked in restaurants have accidently placed a wrong order, or forgetten to put in an order. It happens, they try to make it right.

Considering the OP took up to a table for at least an hour, I think the server was "punished" for his mistakes even with the tip. I would asssume he normally would've gotten at least $10 for a 2-top on a Friday night.

He owned up to it after the customer brought it to his attention, and that is just bad service. Busy Friday or not it was his job to make sure all of his tables were taken care of, and yes mistakes happen, but that doesn't excuse bad service. I think the OP was generous by giving him something, and I'm sure he learned his lesson from that punishment.

[The Mystery Machine]

Originally Posted by Bob NC

Yeah, just keep telling yourself that.

We BEGGED for the bill and I am not joking. We were completely ignored, it was bizarre. Server kept saying yes, I will get that. We waited for almost an hour. This was in the bar area of a restaurant at Happy Hour.

[MrsDuck]

No tip on my end either.

[Hrhpd]

Originally Posted by MIGrandma

I agree with this. I've been in the position of working hard but not being able to keep up with the demand and number of tables I was waiting on, mostly on the one night of the week where I was the only waitress in a restaurant that seats 100 people. At times I might have 10-15 tables, 50 or so people, to wait on. It's hard, if not impossible, to keep up with that many.

And I have been in that waiter's shoes before once or twice, forgetting to put the order in as I may have been stopped 2 or 3 times by other tables on my way to do that and being so far "in the weeds" that I thought I'd already put the order in, then realized I didn't! I would go to the table and admit my error and apologize to them, which I found that if you are just honest with your customers and own up to your mistake they would be very understanding. And would still tip.

Had I been in the OP's shoes, I still would have tipped a couple of dollars. Yes, the waiter made a mistake, but who hasn't made a mistake in their job?

Yes, everybody makes mistakes.

But in life, there are consequences to actions, even mistakes.

If the server had been the one to figure the mistake out and come to the table to apologize, I would have left a small (around 10%) tip to cover what they had to share with others.

But in this case, since the OP had to point out the mistake and the server never contacted the manager to smooth things over, I would not have left a tip at all. The most telling "mistake" is that the server continued to serve the tables around the OP. It is the basics of the servers job to at least glance at another of their tables and realize there is something wrong and that they had made a mistake.

I think it is absolutely crazy in this world that servers expect tips even when they do a horrendous job like the OP described.

TIPS - original acronym for To Insure Prompt Service. No service, no tip.

Now, if I had taken the server up on the offer of a free meal, then yes, I would have tipped.

[disney1990]

When you drink was wrong the first time, you should have mentioned it to the server so that a correct drink could have been brought out. The server gives your drink order to the bartender to make - the server does not make the drink. Also, your server put the order in, but it did not go through. Again, your server did perform their job. I think you are holding the server responsible for things that they do not control. I am sorry that you had problems, but blaming the server is not always the problem. I would certainly have tipped my server on the entire order that I received, not the lower price. I have great respect for the job that the server performs and this is what I would have done.

[MIGrandma]

Originally Posted by The Mystery Machine

This story reminds me when dh and I did a "dine and dash". Yes the service was so bad that is what we did.

We asked for the bill more than once and waited and waited. Finally we just left.

I had never, ever done that but in this case it was justified.

I would not have tipped since he forget to put in the order.

You can actually laugh after stealing from the restaurant? Wow. Just because you waited what you felt was too long for the bill doesn't make it right that you skipped out without paying. You could have flagged down any server, not just your own, or asked for the manager. Wasn't there a hostess who was seating people? You could have asked that person. Or heck, even the bus person. But to just walk out without paying? Wrong.

[Halloweenqueen]

Wow, can't believe the manager didn't clear your tab. I wouldn't of given a tip.

[mickeysgal]

Originally Posted by disney1990

When you drink was wrong the first time, you should have mentioned it to the server so that a correct drink could have been brought out. The server gives your drink order to the bartender to make - the server does not make the drink. Also, your server put the order in, but it did not go through. Again, your server did perform their job. I think you are holding the server responsible for things that they do not control. I am sorry that you had problems, but blaming the server is not always the problem. I would certainly have tipped my server on the entire order that I received, not the lower price. I have great respect for the job that the server performs and this is what I would have done.

You don't know this. The server could have put the order in for the wrong drink. The bartender could have made what the server ordered. The server also has the responsibility to check what they are delivering to the table as being correct. The server said the order didn't go through and that he lost the paper. Could be the server never put the order in. Plain and simple, the OP got a bad server. A good server knows how to operate and check their orders even given a busy night.

I wouldn't be tipping either.

[sam_gordon]

Originally Posted by disney1990

When you drink was wrong the first time, you should have mentioned it to the server so that a correct drink could have been brought out. The server gives your drink order to the bartender to make - the server does not make the drink. Also, your server put the order in, but it did not go through. Again, your server did perform their job. I think you are holding the server responsible for things that they do not control. I am sorry that you had problems, but blaming the server is not always the problem. I would certainly have tipped my server on the entire order that I received, not the lower price. I have great respect for the job that the server performs and this is what I would have done.

We don't know if the server put the order in or simply forgot to. Again, to me, the big problem is the customer had to tell the waiter there was a problem.

I agree with the OP on the messed up drink. If that happened on it's own, no big deal, not worth complaining about. On top of everything else, it adds another problem to a bad experience.

And no, the server is not always the problem. However, they are the "face" customers see and are responsible for getting things right. If a cook makes a steak well done when you ordered medium rare, do you go back to the kitchen and complain? No, you tell your waiter, and they "make it right".

[Hrhpd]

Originally Posted by disney1990

When you drink was wrong the first time, you should have mentioned it to the server so that a correct drink could have been brought out. The server gives your drink order to the bartender to make - the server does not make the drink. Also, your server put the order in, but it did not go through. Again, your server did perform their job. I think you are holding the server responsible for things that they do not control. I am sorry that you had problems, but blaming the server is not always the problem. I would certainly have tipped my server on the entire order that I received, not the lower price. I have great respect for the job that the server performs and this is what I would have done.

No, it is the server's job to notice that one of their tables is sitting idle for a long period of time without food when their other tables are getting their food.

The server is the customer's connection to the kitchen. If the server notices that their customer has been there for quite some time without food, it is THEIR job to contact the kitchen to see what the heck is wrong. Then go and get the manager to make amends.

No passing the buck here. The server did not do the basics of their job.

There are consequences to being too busy to notice your customer idling at their table. One of those consequences is not getting paid.

[Hrhpd]

Originally Posted by sam_gordon

We don't know if the server put the order in or simply forgot to. Again, to me, the big problem is the customer had to tell the waiter there was a problem.

I agree with the OP on the messed up drink. If that happened on it's own, no big deal, not worth complaining about. On top of everything else, it adds another problem to a bad experience.

And no, the server is not always the problem. However, they are the "face" customers see and are responsible for getting things right. If a cook makes a steak well done when you ordered medium rare, do you go back to the kitchen and complain? No, you tell your waiter, and they "make it right".

I agree. If my steak came out grey rather than my preferred dripping pink, that is obviously the kitchen's mistake and the server should not be held accountable (unless he/she refuses to return the item).

However, not noticing that your customer is sitting at their table without food is the server's job and it is the server's responsibility to figure out why there is no food.

Problem solving and then telling the customer what happened would earn the tip. Ignoring it till the customer brings it up and then blaming somebody else; sorry, no tip.

I have worked corporate, commissioned sales. It was my job to stay on top of all aspects of the sale to make sure the sale went through. As the link to all the departments involved, it was my job to follow up continuously to make sure all the pieces fell in place for the customer. If the sale did not happen, no commission. My boss would not come to me and say "Oh sorry, you were too busy to follow up on that sale, but we will give you the commission anyway."

Mistakes in life can sometimes cost you. One thing, you rarely make that mistake again.

[happygirl]

Originally Posted by MIGrandma

You can actually laugh after stealing from the restaurant? Wow. Just because you waited what you felt was too long for the bill doesn't make it right that you skipped out without paying. You could have flagged down any server, not just your own, or asked for the manager. Wasn't there a hostess who was seating people? You could have asked that person. Or heck, even the bus person. But to just walk out without paying? Wrong.

I agree, people can justify anything. There is no excuse for dine and dash

[disney1990]

Like I said, this is what I would have done. Apparently, the OP questioned what she did and is looking for approval. I, for one, do not think that she did everything she should have done in the situation. Both parties are partially responsible.

[stargazer2892]

I would have tipped. servers don't make alcoholic drinks, the bar does. He may not have known it was wrong and since you didn't say anything how was he supposed to know. And in the hustle and bustle of a kitchen tickets DO get lost, it happens quite often, weather it affects the customer or not is up how quickly they catch it and how the staff reacts. However knowing that when it is slammed and you have 6 tables to deal with occasionally a ticket DOES get forgotten about and again that is up to how the staff to remedy without letting the customer know. Personally the only time I don't tip well is if it is blanetly the server. For example putting a plate that they need a rag to carry because it's to hot to hold directly in front of my 10 month old, or putting a drink directly in front of him and getting upset that he grabs it before I can and theres beer everywhere and expects me to still pay for my drink that I never got a chance to drink because of him/her. Getting upset because DH and I ask for fresh coffee because ours is cold and at least 5 hours old.

[mickeysgal]

Originally Posted by The Mystery Machine

We BEGGED for the bill and I am not joking. We were completely ignored, it was bizarre. Server kept saying yes, I will get that. We waited for almost an hour. This was in the bar area of a restaurant at Happy Hour.

I certainly wouldn't have waited for an hour for a check either. However, when and if I didn't get a response from multiple requests from the server, I would have gotten up to find a manager.