How much to tip where they know you well?

[peg2001]

We have been going to the same locally owned pizza joint for several years. We usually call in our pizza order and when we show up, they automatically bring our drinks, pizza, and special requests without us having to ask for anything.

I want to tip generously because they take such good care of us. DH wants to tip lightly since he feels they don't have to work as hard for us as a typical customer (we require many fewer trips to our table since they already know what we want.)

What do you think is an appropriate tip in this situation when the bill is approx $20?

Thanks!
Peggy

 

[powellrj]

we have the same situation at a local pizza place. We usually meet there. They have a monday night special and our bill comes to a little over $20 and we will tip $4 or $5. We tend to tip more when we are regulars because we want the good service to continue. If you a regular and you don't tip well, trust me they will remember you.

 

[JC2]

I'd probably tip $4.00

 

[Serena]

With all the extras they do for you, I'd tip really well. $5 when I had it, and for times like christmas, I'd tip more. It's hard to get great service like that, I'd make sure they know how much you appreciate them.

 

[cgcw]

Originally posted by powellrj
We tend to tip more when we are regulars because we want the good service to continue. If you a regular and you don't tip well, trust me they will remember you.

I agree. We do the same thing and at times it has paid off.

We once had a birthday party at our favorite pizza place for our DS. We wanted to have it early on a Sunday afternoon but the pizza place didn't open until 4. Knowing us as they do, they opened the entire restaurant for us 2 hours early. Everything was set up -- their pizza buffet and all when we arrived. Our favorite waitress came in to work our party -- not having worked a Sunday in many, many years.

 

[Chattyaholic]

I agree with the person who said "if you're a regular and don't tip well, trust me, they will remember you."

I have been a waitress for over 7 years and we have regulars come to our restaurant who tip really, really well and we practically fight over who gets the chance to take their table.
Then we have other regulars who tip horribly and I just cannot understand how they can come back, week after week (sometimes 2-3 times per week) and tip so badly. We all groan when people like that come in, nobody wants to take their table! And I'm sorry if there are those who don't agree with me, but we would much rather go back several times to tables where we know we are going to be tipped well for our service, rather than spend much time on people who we know tip poorly.

But in answer to your question (sorry for the rambling), I would tip $5.

 

[Alex]

I can't imagine going back to a place time after time and being a poor tipper!!!!!

 

[CajunDixie]

Then we have other regulars who tip horribly and I just cannot understand how they can come back, week after week (sometimes 2-3 times per week) and tip so badly.

Maybe they are like my aunt who is in her early 60s. Just a couple months ago she learned that waitresses do not make minimum wage and do count on tips to make up the difference. She assumed that it was a law that everyone regardless of the job be paid at least minimum wage. She was at her daughters where a friend was complaing about how much she had made on a particular night and my aunt questioned it. She had never realized that the tip is actually part of the wage and not just something over and beyond her salary.

She went home and figured out how much 15% and 20% were on a few amounts so she would never under tip again.