For the first time, I didn't tip

[TriMom]

I just wanted to share my story of the worse service I have ever had. We ate at an upscale buffet after church yesterday. There were two high school aged girls as servers. When we got there there was 1 other table seated. So they were not busy, in fact they were dead. We waited for about 5 min. to be seated, and finally had to seat ourselves. Then we waited for our server to get off her phone, so she could take our drink orders. She brought my 3 yo DS a 40 oz glass, as in glass material. We had to ask her to please bring the child's cup. Instead of just getting it for us, she asked my DS - the 3 yo - "Wouldn't you rather drink out of this cool big cup" Our plates were never cleared, and piling up on the table. After eating 1/2 our meal with no drink refills, I walked to the drink station with my cups, and asked for refills. The server then followed me back to the table to remove the plates, and took our napkins. We never got any more. Fortunately I always carry wet wipes. When I walked to the register to pay. She actually said to me "Sorry about the service, we are just crazy today." There were 2 servers and 2 tables! So, for the first time in my life, I did not tip at all.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Yikes! I wouldn't have tipped either and I would have told the manager how horrible the service was.

 

[carone0318]

When I was in college we had some really bad service at a tavern type place that served lunch. Unlike you I didn't leave nothing, we left $.05, we didn't want the waitress to think that we forgot to leave a tip. We wanted her to know darn well that we purposely weren't tipping! Cruel - yes, but at that moment very fitting.

Years later now with children, we went to Friendly's for our ds's birthday. His birthday is Valentine's Day and we went right on that exact date. Who would of thought that Friendly's would be busy (never knew that all high school sweethearts go to Friendly's - now I know). Well, service was exceptionally slow and they never sang happy birthday to him. He turned 5, the singing is a major part of the dining out experience on your birthday. Well, we left a tip, but not our normal amt. I found the mgr, told her what happened and if the waitress says anything about a bad tip for the mgr to feel free to explain. Won't go back there on any of the kid's birthday's again!

But, I've grown over the years....

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I don't blame you!

I once had very similar lack-of-service. The waitress took our drink order and meal order and never came back. And 3 out of the 5 drinks and meals were wrong. Even after speaking to the manager nothing was resolved. She also just had a nasty attitude. Our table of 5 left a dollar tip. To me, that was more than generous.

 

[suzannen]

Unlike you I didn't leave nothing, we left $.05, we didn't want the waitress to think that we forgot to leave a tip. We wanted her to know darn well that we purposely weren't tipping!....

I don't blame you for being upset. Friends of mine who in the past were waiters and waitresses have always advised me to do something like this. They actually recommend 1 penny. As carone0318, notes, you want to leave the message to them that the service was bad. I'd be interested if anyone here who has waited tables recently still recommends this?

 

[Keli]

My dh and I ate at the resturant our dd used to waitress at on Friday night and didn't receive very good service (ok service I guess, just not good). We are usually very generous tippers but I told dh to hold it at 15% this time.

The funny thing was that I was embarrassing myself every time I complained to my dh! I usually speak very quietly to dh when in public, no matter what I'm talking about because I hate being overheard. I guess the music was louder there or something because three different times I said something to my dh about our service and the waiter was behind me or walking up right then every time!

The first time I said "I wish he'd bring our drinks, I'm dying of thirst" (we'd put our drink orders in quite a while before and it was obvious he had forgotten them since he'd brought stuff to the table behind us that were seated after us). The waiter had just walked up behind me and I didn't know it. He turned around and brought our drinks right out and said "I'm sorry it took so long, the kitchen is really backed up". Yep, he heard me.

Later we were eating our appitizer and I said "Look, it's burnt there and there". I wasn't really complaining, just pointing it out to dh since we've bought this appitizer a zillion times and it's never been burnt. Of course I look over and our waiter is standing nearby.

And finally I was eating my meal and said "Man, he hasn't refilled my drink yet and I've been empty forever". Don't you know he was walking up to us right then and I hadn't seen him coming. I'm sure he heard the last part of that complaint, lol. He didn't say a word, just picked up our glasses and walked away.

He wasn't a terrible server, just not a good one. I really hate being thirsty the whole time I'm eating so that's why we only left 15%.

 

[poohandwendy]

I don't blame you for being upset. Friends of mine who in the past were waiters and waitresses have always advised me to do something like this. They actually recommend 1 penny. As carone0318, notes, you want to leave the message to them that the service was bad. I'd be interested if anyone here who has waited tables recently still recommends this?

I don't wait tables anymore, but I recommend it. It makes your server aware of the fact that you did not forget to tip, but that you really felt their service was not worthy of a tip. If you leave nothing at all, the server may assume that you forgot, or were just cheap or that someone else picked up their tip. A penny is a well known message in the restaurant business that the customoer was dissatisfied with the service.

I would have left a penny for the server mentioned in the OP and I would have talked to the manager.

 

[Robinrs]

I don't blame you, either, that was inexcusable.

 

[suzannen]

I don't wait tables anymore, but I recommend it. It makes your server aware of the fact that you did not forget to tip, but that you really felt their service was not worthy of a tip. If you leave nothing at all, the server may assume that you forgot, or were just cheap or that someone else picked up their tip. A penny is a well known message in the restaurant business that the customoer was dissatisfied with the service.

I would have left a penny for the server mentioned in the OP and I would have talked to the manager.

Thanks - good info to know!

 

[ChristmasElf]

I don't blame you for being upset. Friends of mine who in the past were waiters and waitresses have always advised me to do something like this. They actually recommend 1 penny. As carone0318, notes, you want to leave the message to them that the service was bad. I'd be interested if anyone here who has waited tables recently still recommends this?

When I was younger, my Grandmother would say "For 2 pins, I would".......
So, after hearing that for so long, I carry a few small safety pins in my purse.
I have not had to leave 2 of them on a table yet.
Maybe it works!

 

[TurboKitty]

It's been ahile since I was a server, but I always thought that a single penny left face up meant, "we found the service excellent, but cannot afford a proper tip." Older folks, on a budget got a pass from me for doing this.

If service was horrible,as described in the OP, I'd leave about seven or eight cents because scraping that off the table would send a message.

 

[*Fantasia*]

"Sorry about the service, we are just crazy today."

I'm so sorry too cause you're not getting a tip from me!! And hopefully no one else tips you until you get your acts together!