Cheap People

[kimluvswdw]

I work as a server in a nice seafood restaurant at the oceanfront in Virginia Beach. I had a question for other servers out there, are people becoming cheap when it comes to tips? I always give great service to my tables, talk and listen to the customers, etc. I have had 2 different people tell me this week that I was the best waitress they have had in a long time, and then they left me about a 5% tip. Alot of the servers in the restaurant are having the same problem. We average about 5-10% tips. I am not asking for 20%, but come on. For the good service tht we are providing, we deserve at the very least close to 15%.

Are people becoming just cheap? If people can afford to eat at such a nice restaurant, why can't they tip better? Is anyone else running into this?

Kim

 

[Kath2003]

If you get a lot of tourists, it's not common for people in Europe to tip highly
(or in some places, at all) because the minimum wage is $12/hour.

 

[disney4us2002]

Just from the other perspective, yes, everything is more expensive but we still tip well. Sometimes dh overtips, lol. He is opposed to adding tip onto cc check for whatever reason so he'll tip in cash and always has to round up because he doesn't have a lot of small bills. What a nut!

 

[Angelhalo]

If you get a lot of tourists, it's not common for people in Europe to tip highly
(or in some places, at all) because the minimum wage is $12/hour.

but it's not here

 

[Kath2003]

but it's not here

I know that, but not all tourists do their research. It's a culture thing, I have to remind myself to tip when I'm in the US because I know that wait staff don't get paid as much. Here I tip 5% average, not least because I work in a shop, don't get any tips and make the same wage as the wait staff but cannot possibly get any tips. So I don't tip them much for doing their job when I do mine and get exactly the same wage.

 

[suzimar57]

wow, 5% - us, we always tip 20% (unless service, not food, is less than stellar - then it might be 15%)

i'd be embarassed to leave only 5% (unless service was horrible, in which i'd have asked for a manager first....)

sorry you've been getting cheap tippers

 

[ChrizJen]

To me, part of being able to afford going out to eat is figuring in the tip. If you cannot afford a decent tip in addition to the meal, then you can't afford to eat out.
Sounds to me like people are selfishly "indulging" by eating at a restaurant that they cannot afford. OP, I'm sorry that your income has to suffer for it.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

We are cheap people, BUT..we don't ever tip less than 10-15% (depending on the service) when we go out to a sitdown resteraunt. We've both been in customer service and are as polite to other cust. svc employees (incl. servers) as we can possibly be. Because we've been there and we know how badly those kinds of jobs tend to suck.

 

[NY Disney fan]

To me, part of being able to afford going out to eat is figuring in the tip. If you cannot afford a decent tip in addition to the meal, then you can't afford to eat out.

I think that's an unfair statement. If you pay your restaurant bill in full without tipping, they aren't exactly going to make you wash the dishes, or stop you from leaving.

 

[ChrizJen]

I know that, but not all tourists do their research. It's a culture thing, I have to remind myself to tip when I'm in the US because I know that wait staff don't get paid as much. Here I tip 5% average, not least because I work in a shop, don't get any tips and make the same wage as the wait staff but cannot possibly get any tips. So I don't tip them much for doing their job when I do mine and get exactly the same wage.

I can certainly understand that. If we had fair wages for servers at restaurants here, then I would totally understand paying little or no tip. And I get your point about European tourists maybe forgetting to tip. But for someone who lives here and is familiar with customary tipping standards, there is no excuse for eating an expensive meal and skipping the tip.

 

[Mellie2162]

wow, 5% - us, we always tip 20% (unless service, not food, is less than stellar - then it might be 15%)

i'd be embarassed to leave only 5% (unless service was horrible, in which i'd have asked for a manager first....)

sorry you've been getting cheap tippers

Same here. Service has to be very crappy for us to leave less.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

I agree that if you can't afford the tip, you can't afford to eat out. I do NOT agree with NY Disney Fan who said: "I think that's an unfair statement. If you pay your restaurant bill in full without tipping, they aren't exactly going to make you wash the dishes, or stop you from leaving."
No, they aren't going to stop you, because its not illegal, but its also not moral. Karma baby, karma.

 

[ChrizJen]

I think that's an unfair statement. If you pay your restaurant bill in full without tipping, they aren't exactly going to make you wash the dishes, or stop you from leaving.

Of course they're not going to make you wash dishes. But to me, the tip is part of the price of the meal. When I budget for going out to eat, I always plan a tip of 20%. That way, if the service is great, then I can "afford" to tip the full amount. If it is less than great, then I'll adjust the tip accordingly. But to short tip a server who worked to make your meal enjoyable is just inexcusable in my opinion. And until our customs change and servers start earning livable wages, we as consumers are still expected to tip.

 

[jrmasm]

I think that's an unfair statement. If you pay your restaurant bill in full without tipping, they aren't exactly going to make you wash the dishes, or stop you from leaving.

Yes but back in the day when I waited tables I was taxed on my sales. That meant the gov't assumed you tipped me. If you didn't tip, I paid taxes on money I didn't earn.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I agree with those that say the tip is part of the cost of the meal. I never tip less then 15% unless I recieve horrible service.

 

[kimluvswdw]

Do people not stop and think that servers only make $2-3 per hour and that our income relies on the tips that people give us? If the service is good, a good tip should reflect that. The same goes for bad service.

 

[CathrynRose]

I work as a server in a nice seafood restaurant at the oceanfront in Virginia Beach. I had a question for other servers out there, are people becoming cheap when it comes to tips? I always give great service to my tables, talk and listen to the customers, etc. I have had 2 different people tell me this week that I was the best waitress they have had in a long time, and then they left me about a 5% tip. Alot of the servers in the restaurant are having the same problem. We average about 5-10% tips. I am not asking for 20%, but come on. For the good service tht we are providing, we deserve at the very least close to 15%.

Are people becoming just cheap? If people can afford to eat at such a nice restaurant, why can't they tip better? Is anyone else running into this?

Kim

Thats what we would refer to as a 'verbal tip' - theyre quite common.

What are you ringing up in sales nightly - average?

 

[CathrynRose]

I think that's an unfair statement. If you pay your restaurant bill in full without tipping, they aren't exactly going to make you wash the dishes, or stop you from leaving.

I dont think her statement was unfair at all. Its true. If you cant afford to tip - you should go to McDonalds.

 

[kimluvswdw]

Thats what we would refer to as a 'verbal tip' - theyre quite common.

What are you ringing up in sales nightly - average?

I had $970 in sales Saturday and took home $79 in tips. I was not the only one who had it bad.

 

[LotsOfQuestions]

Do people not stop and think that servers only make $2-3 per hour and that our income relies on the tips that people give us? If the service is good, a good tip should reflect that. The same goes for bad service.

We tip ok.

We give 15%-18% for adequate service, 20% if the server at least gave a smile and refilled our drinks once, and 25 - 30% for excellent service.

However, I have no problems leaving 0% for the surly server that prefers to chat with the hostess while I am trying to track him/her down to get a drink, find our food or get the bill.

TIPS stands for To Insure Prompt Service. If I have to track a server down a couple of times, they are not getting a tip.

While there are plenty of cheap patrons out there, and I feel for the hard working servers, there are also as many servers who feel that a tip is their right and they should get it no matter how they treat the customer. No service, no tip from this patron.