Happened again..server added an extra tip..

[mom2my3kids]

IME servers in more expensive restaurants work harder than those in less expensive restaurants. I can guarantee you the server at Rutherford Grill works harder than the server at Buffalo Wild Wings. LOL I tip 10-20% based on the service I receive, the service at BWW is always sub-par so I tip less (one visit we got our appetizer after we got our wings and I had to ask about it, DBF never got a drink at all and once she took our order our server left and NEVER came back to our table, I had to ask a different server for help multiple times), the service at RG is always spot on so I tip higher. I tip based on service, not on total, if the above I described was the opposite I would tip the BWW server better than the RG server but I've never had that actually happen. LOL

You had a bad server, you cant say just because its less expensive they dont do as much work..Trust me I work my butt off behind the scene as well as what you see and you can eat at my place of employment for under ten bucks....heck when we are slow they want us to wash walls and pull booths apart to clean...

 

[starann]

I had this happen a few year ago at an Olive Garden. I left a 15% tip, and she was really lucky to have gotten that, the service was AWFUL. I even remembering when I checked my account and was SHOCkED that she DOUBLED her tip.

I called and spoke with a manager who was SO apologetic and said he didn't even have to ask for the name (he did, but apparently I was the only one she did this to!). He told me the next time I come in (which happened to be afew nights later for a family diner) to as for the manager and tell them my name. ]

He didn't refund my card (what she did was credit card fraud and I'm not sure who would be liable and I can only imaginethe mess he would have to deal with if he did). He gave me a $50 GC for my trouble and let me know she had been fired.

 

[tvguy]

IME servers in more expensive restaurants work harder than those in less expensive restaurants. I can guarantee you the server at Rutherford Grill works harder than the server at Buffalo Wild Wings. LOL I tip 10-20% based on the service I receive, the service at BWW is always sub-par so I tip less (one visit we got our appetizer after we got our wings and I had to ask about it, DBF never got a drink at all and once she took our order our server left and NEVER came back to our table, I had to ask a different server for help multiple times), the service at RG is always spot on so I tip higher. I tip based on service, not on total, if the above I described was the opposite I would tip the BWW server better than the RG server but I've never had that actually happen. LOL

I tip a lower percentage at the higher cost restaurant, but it still ends up be more money because the tab is likely double. Not familiar with either restaurant you mentioned so can't speak to them. I will be honest, I have a hard time tipping someone who is being paid to serve me (granted minimum wage) , and who is waiting on 4 other tables, what amounts to more per hour than I earn just from my tip. How much harder is it to serve a $45 lobster tail than a $15 hamburger?

 

[pixiewings71]

You had a bad server, you cant say just because its less expensive they dont do as much work..Trust me I work my butt off behind the scene as well as what you see and you can eat at my place of employment for under ten bucks....heck when we are slow they want us to wash walls and pull booths apart to clean...

Ummmm no, this has happened with this same restaurant more than once with different servers. The level of service I have received at BWW is not even the same as service I've received at Applebee's or Red Robin, the service is so bad that now we don't dine in there, we only dine out. I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about the servers I've had at a particular restaurant, nothing to do with you. I'm sure YOU work hard, the servers at (my) BWW don't.....lol

I tip a lower percentage at the higher cost restaurant, but it still ends up be more money because the tab is likely double. Not familiar with either restaurant you mentioned so can't speak to them. I will be honest, I have a hard time tipping someone who is being paid to serve me (granted minimum wage) , and who is waiting on 4 other tables, what amounts to more per hour than I earn just from my tip. How much harder is it to serve a $45 lobster tail than a $15 hamburger?

I'm surprised you don't know either restaurant, well maybe not Rutherford Grill, it's a pretty expensive place to eat in the city of Rutherford, in the Napa area. But BWW is pretty common around here, are you familiar with Wing Stop? Same type of place. I understand what you're saying and agree to a degree but I still say I tip based on service, not on the total of the bill but how I'm treated as a guest of the restaurant. We went to Red Robin a couple weeks ago, we had a server that we've had before, she's really good, she gets tipped triple the tax at minimum because she's so good. She spoils us. lol

 

[mom2my3kids]

Ummmm no, this has happened with this same restaurant more than once with different servers. The level of service I have received at BWW is not even the same as service I've received at Applebee's or Red Robin, the service is so bad that now we don't dine in there, we only dine out. I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about the servers I've had at a particular restaurant, nothing to do with you. I'm sure YOU work hard, the servers at (my) BWW don't.....lol



I'm surprised you don't know either restaurant, well maybe not Rutherford Grill, it's a pretty expensive place to eat in the city of Rutherford, in the Napa area. But BWW is pretty common around here, are you familiar with Wing Stop? Same type of place. I understand what you're saying and agree to a degree but I still say I tip based on service, not on the total of the bill but how I'm treated as a guest of the restaurant. We went to Red Robin a couple weeks ago, we had a server that we've had before, she's really good, she gets tipped triple the tax at minimum because she's so good. She spoils us. lol

Thank you...I really do... Well I will be honest and say yesterday we were sooo sloww so I stood around for a hour then decided I could just come home and do laundry.. Didnt make any money, but hey I got my laundry done..

 

[Skjhjb]

The restaurants would have a serious problem trying to find servers for $8-$10 an hour,which is the most any restaurant would ever pay a server as their costs would skyrocket and prices would probably increase 25% or more.The quality of servers would go in the tank,good service would be a thing of the past as most good server jobs require a server to work hard enough that $8-$10 an hour would not be worth it.In California servers earn that $8 an hour plus regular tips like every other state,California is however a very expensive place so a server in Florida only getting $4.23 an hour might only get like $80-$100 in their paycheck for two weeks and look at it like a little bonus while in California it probably makes a bigger difference like allowing it to go towards rent.

Well, here in ontario, minimum wage is $10.25. For liquor servers, it is $8.90 (so wait staff are under that umbrella). We still tip 18% or so when we eat out, and there are plenty of reasonably priced restaurants for us to eat at. Sure, as a family of 5, our tab is usually over $100, but still pretty good with 3 teenage eaters!

 

[MineMail]

This is a little off-topic, but we once had dinner at an Olive Garden to celebrate a birthday - we were a large party. The service was mediocre, but the food was excellent. When the check came, DH gave the server his Amex but didnt' write in a tip, figuring he'd leave one in cash.

As I said, service was mediocre - she was slow as molasses in doing everything. While waiting for her return, I left the table to use the restroom. While returning to the table, I saw a credit card on the floor. I picked it up and was going to give it to the hostess when I saw the name - it was my husband's card! The server must have dropped it by accident.

I gave it to my husband and told him where I'd found it. She was nowhere in sight, nor was a manager or another server. We finally asked a busboy to have her come to the table. She was a little flustered, to say the least. How do you tell people you've lost their credit card? We let her off the hook and dessert was on the Olive Garden.

Since then, DH always secures his card in the little plastic pocket.

 

[pampam]

Wow!

Just a quick question. How does putting the Amex card in a plastic pouch make it more secure? I'm thinking he would have to take it out of the pouch to give it to her, or give her the card in the pouch and she could have lost it too.

 

[ssawka]

Wow!

Just a quick question. How does putting the Amex card in a plastic pouch make it more secure? I'm thinking he would have to take it out of the pouch to give it to her, or give her the card in the pouch and she could have lost it too.

I think the PP was refering to securing the credit card in the bill portfolio before handing it to the server.

 

[pampam]

I think the PP was refering to securing the credit card in the bill portfolio before handing it to the server.

Gotcha!

 

[the who #3]

i have discovered wait staff in many restaurants keeping the change. if you pay cash and waiter keeps the loose change that is theft. i have on several occasions written a note on the check to tell then that they determined their own tip by keeping the change. otherwise they would have received a much larger tip. the amount of the tip should be determined by the customer. i think they do this assuming that you will not notice. it does not amount to much, but it is still not correct.

then on the other hand, i have had waiters not take the change out and give you a few cents too much back. when this happens, i leave them extra to cover for this knowing that it will come out of their pockets.

i have a great respect for restaurant wait staff. it is not easy work and they have to put up with a lot from people who are rude. my hats off to them, but i don't like to be abused either.

 

[dawnball]

The restaurants would have a serious problem trying to find servers for $8-$10 an hour,which is the most any restaurant would ever pay a server as their costs would skyrocket and prices would probably increase 25% or more.The quality of servers would go in the tank,good service would be a thing of the past as most good server jobs require a server to work hard enough that $8-$10 an hour would not be worth it.

The Linkery has been no-tips since 2006. They charge an 18% service charge (which is less than their previous average tip) without the option of additional tipping. Per their blog articles, servers made about $22/hr and both cooks and dishwashers were paid more than average. Their service reportedly improved markedly, too.

http://jayporter.com/dispatches/observations-from-a-tipless-restaurant-part-1-overview/

 

[mom2my3kids]

i have discovered wait staff in many restaurants keeping the change. if you pay cash and waiter keeps the loose change that is theft. i have on several occasions written a note on the check to tell then that they determined their own tip by keeping the change. otherwise they would have received a much larger tip. the amount of the tip should be determined by the customer. i think they do this assuming that you will not notice. it does not amount to much, but it is still not correct.

then on the other hand, i have had waiters not take the change out and give you a few cents too much back. when this happens, i leave them extra to cover for this knowing that it will come out of their pockets.

i have a great respect for restaurant wait staff. it is not easy work and they have to put up with a lot from people who are rude. my hats off to them, but i don't like to be abused either.

If I happen to not have the exact change, I will round up never down..Also if the change is .99 cents and I really dont want to get rid of my change I will round up a dollar..BUT I always tell the customer only because I dont want them to think I kept the change.. For instance if there change was 6.97 I would give them 7.00 back..One time I got a note from a older gentlemen that I left off a penny of his change, he still tipped me but found the need to tell me about the cent..I found the penny on the floor next to his table. Either I dropped the penny when I brought his change or he did when he picked his change up.. never could figure that one out..I like when customers leave the change portion with the tip as well because I go through so much change in a day..