Spinoff-Withholding A Tip

[RedAngie]

OP, I like what your husband did. By leaving a $00.40 tip, she would definitely get the hint that her service was terrible (and from what you wrote, it was!). If you don't leave a tip, they can just pass it off like you were crappy customers who don't leave tips. But a low tip sends a message.

I can't think of a specific example where I wouldn't/didn't leave a tip before, but if the service was severely lacking I would absolutely not be giving the expected 15-20% tip.

It really wasn't our intention of sending the server a message by leaving a bit over the total due in cash. We were just anxious to leave by that point. But yeah, I suppose she got the hint.

 

[hereyago]

Really! But he did what he was supposed to do. He delivered your pizza. I also, don't like it when they ask how much change I want but I wouldn't stiff them because of a question that seemed rude to me. He did his job but wasn't friendly enough for you so you withheld his tip. I'm sorry but that seems really harsh.

In answer to the original question, there have been a few times over the years where service was so bad that we reduced the tip and a couple so bad that we withheld it altogether. For instance, last summer, I was with coworkers for lunch. The server took our order and then forgot us completely. A runner brought our drinks. We finally spoke to the manager because we had to leave to get back for a meeting and wanted to pay for our drinks and cancel our food order. The manager came back in maybe 5 minutes with our food in to go boxes, apologized, and told us that it was on the house. We didn't tip in this case.

Ok, harsh to you. I wrote about driver's in the other thread: yes, they deliver pizza, but they are also the "face" of the pizza company. He did my have to kiss my butt, but hardly saying how much it was, no smile,yes I still expect him to exhibit some sort of customer service. At that point I was going to give a tip, a lower one, but then ask me how much change I wanted back.

 

[hereyago]

It isn't tacky and unprofessional. Only one of the biggest chains pays a decent wage. The others pay crap. Please though tell me how putting out a tip jar when someone is performing a service is tacky? Do you not ever tip anyone but wait staff? You aren't obligated to tip at these places but if you want more than just that overpriced coffee (and if you find it overpriced why are you buying it?) and a smile then you tip. If you are ok with just that then don't tip and go about your day. I tip at my regular store and the crew has now gone out of their way to remember my drink, how I like it made, and even what time I'm suppose to be at work so if it is past that they speed up my order. All of those things have been worth the extra 50 cents here and there. Now if you just keep your head down and yell a name no tip. No one is required to tip.


I don't often tip nothing but I've tipped less then 15%. That again is the signal of I'm not just a jerk you did a terrible job. No tip takes a lot but even before no tip level I will speak with management first. Backed up kitchens and short staff I can understand, people aren't robots, and some days people will call out with no back up but it is how the situation is handled that makes the difference. Let me know as you are seating me and apologize with a smile and I am a lot more likely to forgive slow service then just grumbling and disappearing.

Ok, I don't even do coffee. It was an example. Yes, I will tip hairdresser, nail tech, restaurant servers, pizza driver,etc. based on the service and attitude.
But I do see tip jars in places ,even a gas station( ( I am still befuddled at that one), what is next in McDonald's?
I am not responsible for a company not payng proper wages. I go some place to pick up food, why should I see a tip jar at the counter?

You shouldn't have to put money in a tip jar for them to remember you and what you like. It should be good customer service and recognising your repeat patrons.
I go to Chic Fil A at least once a week, I don't have to tip them.but yet they know my name and will ask if I am ordering the usual. If my dd and dgd aren't with me, certain employees will ask how they are and to bring dgd next time.
Same with my regular pizza shop.

And no I don't put money in the tip jars, but I have a right to my opinion and I feel it's tacky and unprofessional and yes it screams this company doesn't pay well.

 

[BJ7644]

Count me in as one who finds tip jars tacky too. The only place I have ever put money in a tip jar is a Faire we frequent. The company that runs it brings in different organizations - high school bands, girls scouts, church groups, etc. - to sell bottled water and sodas at a stand. Company buys and keeps money from drinks, organization collects tips. To me it's not really a tip, I mean they grabbed a bottle of water out of a bucket and handed it to me. I see at it as a fundraiser, if I feel like supporting their cause I "tip"

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

When service is so poor you don't want to leave a tip either speak to the manager or leave a penny under your glass. That you put it there indicates you didn't just forget or aren't just stiffing her. Low tips and even no tips are so common they can be chalked up to neglectfulness or cheap skates. But not a penny under the glass.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It would take quite shabby service to get me to consider not leaving a tip. And I realize that if it's the kitchen's mistake, that's on the kitchen. But I do expect that if the kitchen is backed up for my waitress to tell me. Don't just let me sit and stew for an hour.

 

[mummabear]

Who would even consider this the server's fault and lower their tip because of it?

This wouldnt be enough for me not to tip, but I am considering the overall service, its not for me to work out if a kitchen is backed up or whatever.
In this case in particular the waiter could have improved the situation by advising the 3 not available items when they handed out the menus or at least when the poster ordered the first not available item they could have said "sorry that isnt available and just so you know neither is x or y"

I also don't feel guilty, a tip is not a requirement, if you want a decent tip then make sure you give decent service

Exactly.

None us of have the right to judge a server on the small amount of time we see them.

Of course we do, thsts the point of the tip. Judge them as a person, no. Judge the service provided and the tip we feel it does (or doesnt deserve)

 

[ronandannette]

This wouldnt be enough for me not to tip, but I am considering the overall service, its not for me to work out if a kitchen is backed up or whatever.
In this case in particular the waiter could have improved the situation by advising the 3 not available items when they handed out the menus or at least when the poster ordered the first not available item they could have said "sorry that isnt available and just so you know neither is x or y"



Exactly.



Of course we do, thsts the point of the tip. Judge them as a person, no. Judge the service provided and the tip we feel it does (or doesnt deserve)

Definitely - that's absolutely how it should be handled. In the PP's example, why on earth wasn't that done? I wonder why so many service people, who apparently depend on tips, which (should) depend on how good their service is, don't do simple things like this? Some of the stories you hear are simply servers doing their jobs badly. Other than the explanation of "they may be having a bad day", I really just don't get it.

 

[cdnjason]

Personally, I don't believe increasing or decreasing a tip for service (or lack thereof) tells the server what you thought of their service. They just think you're being generous or cheap, depending. It is more effective to ask for the manager and let them know whether a server went above and beyond or didn't meet expectations.

That said, I typically leave 20%, decreasing to 15% for poor service, and increasing to as much as 25% for good service.

 

[tvguy]

This wouldnt be enough for me not to tip, but I am considering the overall service, its not for me to work out if a kitchen is backed up or whatever.
In this case in particular the waiter could have improved the situation by advising the 3 not available items when they handed out the menus or at least when the poster ordered the first not available item they could have said "sorry that isnt available and just so you know neither is x or y"

This is exactly what she did. Informed me that my first choice was unavailable, and made a suggestion. I asked about the 2 other items, and they too were discontinued, so I went with her suggestion. I guess about 20 items had been discontinued so it wouldn't be practical to run down all the times, I just had the luck to pick 3 items of the 20. She handled it perfectly. When the manager came by later I mentioned it was odd that they would have so many items dropped without updating the menu. He agreed, and gave us coupons for half off our NEXT visit!

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I've waitressed, and I've been a kitchen, front of the house, and general manager. I can usually tell when a server is in the weeds or just not caring. We tend to leave 25-30% for excellent service (at one dinner at Melting Pot, where we took our then 6 year old DS as a treat for positive behavior/straight A's, we left almost 45% because the waitstaff was so amazing with him). I have left 0% before, and I've had bills comped before, but left a 20% tip on the comped amount because it wasn't the waitstaff's error.

The worst time, though, went to Chili's, about 2pm on a Saturday. Sat promptly, as it was not busy at all; maybe 10 tables sat. We waited 15 minutes before someone came round to get a drink order. Ok, strike one. Drinks took another 15 minutes to come out (2 adult sodas and a kids lemonade), and were dropped and the waitress rushed away. Ok, strike two. We waited 10 minutes, and then I walked to the front to ask for a manager. Waited another 10 minutes, then the hostess came back to the table and said the manager said he's too busy to come talk to us, and that he'd stop by after we ate. I told her we'd been there for 50 minutes and our order hadn't been taken. She was appalled, went back to the manager and came right back to us. She said he said he was still too busy to come out and would be there shortly.

DH and DS left to go get something to eat somewhere else, when I walked up to the front to get the manager, and I waited to see how long it would be before I could order and how long until the manager came out. DS and DH came back 20 minutes later...so my total time was 70 minutes with only a soda... (DS happily munching on the remainder of his McDonald's fries) and I still had not seen either the waitstaff nor the manager. I gave the hostess $5 for the sodas, and called the store from my cell, right there at the hostess stand. The manager was unaware I was still in the restaurant, and apologized, said they were just understaffed and overbusy. There were literally 5 tables taken at 3 pm, and I pointed that out to him. He sarcastically told me that I couldn't know how busy they were from home, and I said nope, but I could tell that from the hostess podium, where I was standing. He hung up.

I called corporate, got a $50 gc, and used it another Chili's. That particular location was advertising for a new management staff within 3 days of my visit. The server I didn't have came into my work (GM, remember?) looking for a position about a week after. No, I didn't hire her; her application was immediately sent to my corporate with a notation on a sticky note why.

 

[Wishing on a star]

The very worst restaurant service I have EVER experienced was in a Chilii's.
Like the OP, and the above poster.
Coincidence???? Maybe not!
It was SO bad that when the equally bad manager became involved, and proceeded to give us a hard time, we decided to never return, at all.
Haven't been to a Chili's since!
After reading these comments... don't think we ever will.

Anyhow, just semantics, I don't like the word 'withholding'. To me, that means not prividing something that is the other persons.
(The tax 'withholding' that comes out of our paychecks, is actually OUR money, until taxes are payable.)
And, I don't think that the money in my pocket belongs to a service provider until I decide to tip them (or not, with really really bad service)

I just had to mention that we would never leave that kind of cash laying on the table.
if somebody else pocketed that cash before the long-absent server returned, then she might be held responsible for the amount of that ticket. (which some might say, serves her right)
We even tip as we pay with the credit card when possible. And do not leave dollar bills.

 

[MIGrandma]

Scenario #1 We're sitting at our table, just starting to eat our meal. Our server begins running the carpet sweeper right under our table and under our chairs. The restaurant was about 85% empty and it was nowhere near closing time.

I hate this too!

I can understand running one of those (that are quiet, meaning not an electric vacuum cleaner that is super noisy) things around a nearby table if a child made a mess or something, but to be cleaning under YOUR table and chairs while you're eating is just ridiculous, and definitely not right. We had it happen to us not that long ago either, it was around 3:00 in the afternoon and she vacuumed the entire room (with an electric vacuum cleaner) even though closing time wasn't until 10:00 p.m.

 

[Owlpost23]

Some bad stories here! If we go out to a new restaurant,then we take cash,because if it's awful,and we need to leave a bad tip,then they can't retaliate with your credit card.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I also don't feel guilty, a tip is not a requirement, if you want a decent tip then make sure you give decent service. Also, in my state if the employee isn't averaging minimum wage with their salary and tips then the employer covers the difference, so they aren't really working for only $2 an hour.

Often Employers don't follow the law in that regard. And the server isn't going to complain and lose her job over it even if she realizes that is her right.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

I'm always going to leave a tip unless it something horrible like the server hits me or cuss at me. None of us know what kinda a day this people have had before you see them. You don't know what their last table put them through or what struggles they are facing in their home lives. Try to show them a little compassion you might just change their whole day. None us of have the right to judge a server on the small amount of time we see them.

I could give a good dang what kind of day they had. If they want my money, they need to do their job to the best of their abilities.

If you hand your boss a report and he says it sucks, do you then reply, "we'll I had a bad day so you really have no right to judge?"

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I'm always going to leave a tip unless it something horrible like the server hits me or cuss at me. None of us know what kinda a day this people have had before you see them. You don't know what their last table put them through or what struggles they are facing in their home lives. Try to show them a little compassion you might just change their whole day. None us of have the right to judge a server on the small amount of time we see them.

In my observations, more often than not when bad tips are left it isn't the waitress that is having a bad day. It's the customer that left the bad tip. Or they're just a cheapskate.

When I was dating, I would judge my future potential mates by how they treated the wait staff and those they didn't have to treat well. Of course they are going to treat me well and put their best foot forward. But if they treated those they didn't have to treat well badly, I figured once we were married, they no longer have to put their best foot forward and will start treating me that way too.

 

[Hikergirl]

Often Employers don't follow the law in that regard. And the server isn't going to complain and lose her job over it even if she realizes that is her right.

Ok, but that doesn't change my feelings. If they give horrible service and receive horrible tips because of that, and they are not willing to complain to their employer about their wages, that is all on them.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

In my observations, more often than not when bad tips are left it isn't the waitress that is having a bad day. It's the customer that left the bad tip. Or they're just a cheapskate.

When I was dating, I would judge my future potential mates by how they treated the wait staff and those they didn't have to treat well. Of course they are going to treat me well and put their best foot forward. But if they treated those they didn't have to treat well badly, I figured once we were married, they no longer have to put their best foot forward and will start treating me that way too.

So if I order a pizza and the waitress brings me a hotdog, not leaving a tip means I treated her badly?

 

[Bluestars]

I don't go out to eat often and can't recall getting service so bad that I would not leave a tip. I see nothing wrong with leaving a small tip or none if the service is terrible. As far as the pizza delivery person from the other thread, I would have given him a tip because the slow service may have been beyond his control. There are too many variables when a person delivers food to know for sure why the service was slow, so I would never take it out on the delivery person. For a waiter or waitress, it would be easier to judge the service.