Would You Have Tipped In This Situation?

[declansdad]

Considering the OP took up to a table for at least an hour, I think the server was "punished" for his mistakes even with the tip. I would asssume he normally would've gotten at least $10 for a 2-top on a Friday night.

The OP took up the table for an hour because of the restaurant's mistake, it had nothing to do with the OP.

 

[MIGrandma]

Question for you: Do you, as a server that fully acknowledges having provided a sub-par level of service (unintentionally or not), still expect a tip from that table? Do you consider those customers "cheap" or "jerks" if they don't leave a tip? This is not sarcastic or rhetorical; I've never worked in your industry and am genuinely interested in your perspective.

If I made a mistake but owned up to it and apologized for it and made it right with the customer and they forgave me for it, then yes I did expect a tip, but a lower than normal one. Usually the opposite happened though, they would tip great and I think it was because I went to them and explained what I had done and apologized. And like I said, it didn't happen often, but I'm human so it did happen a couple of times.

And those horrible, horrible Monday nights (I wanted to give them up but the owner wouldn't let me) when I was the ONLY waitress working MOST people were super understanding and I rarely had any complaints because they could see for themselves that I was working like a chicken with my head cut off trying to keep everyone served and happy. I wasn't standing around with my finger up my nose, or chatting with the dishwasher, etc.

Thankfully I am no longer "in the business" but I do have a lot of patience and understanding when we go out to dinner, especially if they are super busy and I can see the servers are working hard trying to keep up. I've been in their shoes.

 

[ronandannette]

Thanks for answering.

 

[MIGrandma]

Thanks for answering.

You're very welcome.

 

[Hrhpd]

I would have tipped my typical percentage on the $33.

You received and drank the drinks, even if one of them wasn't the exact version you ordered. You ate the appetizers. It really stinks that your order got lost. It doesn't matter who lost it, or who was responsible for the wrong drink.


Common misconception. Were it true, the tip would have to be given before any service.

If the word 'afternym' existed, the TIPS legend would be a perfect example of it.

So, the acronym might be folklore, but the concept is the same. And no, if you gave a tip beforehand, there would be no incentive to "earn" the tip.

The drink, if it was wrong, should not be blamed on the server. He/she could not know it was wrong unless notified. And per the OP, this was so minor that she did not mention it until the whole night became a disaster.

However, the fact that the server did not notice that his table was sitting there for an extended time without service while he was waiting tables all around the OP was indeed his fault. A good server, no matter how slammed, is at least aware of what is going around him. He should have stopped by the table and said he would get to the bottom of why there was no food.

It may have been the kitchen's fault that the order was not put through. But it ultimately was the server's fault that they did not notice the kitchen had screwed up with their customer.

FWIW - we tip 20% for mediocre service (basics) and it goes up from there depending on quality of service.

However, if what the OP has said is true, this server failed even mediocre service.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The meaning may be wrong but you still tip for good service. In this case, it wasn't good service.

OP, I would have left no tip.

You tip for service. The original poster got service. They got two rounds of drinks (and at this point it's likely not possible to determine whose error the first drink was) and appetizers. A two dollar tip for the $33 check is just a tad over 6%.

There's no reason not to tip based on what was provided.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

You tip for service. The original poster got service. They got two rounds of drinks (and at this point it's likely not possible to determine whose error the first drink was) and appetizers. A two dollar tip for the $33 check is just a tad over 6%.

There's no reason not to tip based on what was provided.

The reason I didn't tip more is because the waiter's mistake messed up my date night that with my husband that I wait all week for. I felt that if the restaurant was willing to take a cut, the waiter should be just as willing to take a cut for not noticing that we were sitting there for so long waiting for our food as he served two tables that we were sitting between *and the people at those tables got there after us*

 

[declansdad]

You tip for service. The original poster got service. They got two rounds of drinks (and at this point it's likely not possible to determine whose error the first drink was) and appetizers. A two dollar tip for the $33 check is just a tad over 6%.

There's no reason not to tip based on what was provided.

The restaurant screwed up, they were lucky the OP tipped at all. Do you often reward people who screw up?

 

[kaytieeldr]

The restaurant screwed up, they were lucky the OP tipped at all. Do you often reward people who screw up?

I wouldn't tip for anything I hadn't received. That would be ridiculous.

But if I got and drank two rounds of drinks and I got and ate an appetizer, then even though I didn't get the remainder of my order I would tip for what I had imbibed/consumed.

 

[ols386]

In the op's situation, I wouldn't have tipped. Too many screw-ups.

Generally, tipping is for at least standard or above average service.

I think it was nice of the op to tip even the $2.

 

[declansdad]

I wouldn't tip for anything I hadn't received. That would be ridiculous.

But if I got and drank two rounds of drinks and I got and ate an appetizer, then even though I didn't get the remainder of my order I would tip for what I had imbibed/consumed.

Tipping is for rewarding at a minimum good service, they dind't receive that.

 

[ronandannette]

I wouldn't tip for anything I hadn't received. That would be ridiculous.

But if I got and drank two rounds of drinks and I got and ate an appetizer, then even though I didn't get the remainder of my order I would tip for what I had imbibed/consumed.

But here's the thing - a gratuity is an acknowledgement of satisfactory service (overall experience, regardless of what went wrong). It's NOT a mandatory service charge to which a server is entitled.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Tipping is for rewarding at a minimum good service, they dind't receive that.

But here's the thing - a gratuity is an acknowledgement of satisfactory service (overall experience, regardless of what went wrong). It's NOT a mandatory service charge to which a server is entitled.

I'm not saying tho original poster should have done anything different than what she did. I'm saying in that same situation - where I drank two rounds of drinks including one not exactly what I ordered (and it's likely impossible at this point to determine who caused that drink to be wrong) and an appetizer that filled me to the point that I wasn't actually hungry any longer - I would have left a tip on the $33 check.

That's the service/food I got, that's the service/food on which I tip. That portion of the visit appears to be satisfactory. Not great. Not good. Satisfactory.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

I'm not saying tho original poster should have done anything different than what she did. I'm saying in that same situation - where I drank two rounds of drinks including one not exactly what I ordered (and it's likely impossible at this point to determine who caused that drink to be wrong) and an appetizer that filled me to the point that I wasn't actually hungry any longer - I would have left a tip on the $33 check.

That's the service/food I got, that's the service/food on which I tip. That portion of the visit appears to be satisfactory. Not great. Not good. Satisfactory.

Thanks for explaining...I thought you were saying I should have tipped more.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Thanks for explaining...I thought you were saying I should have tipped more.

Nope. You did what's right for you (and most of the people responding agree); in the same situation I would tip differently because that's what's right for me. No need to repeat my reasons .

 

[Hrhpd]

I wouldn't tip for anything I hadn't received. That would be ridiculous.

But if I got and drank two rounds of drinks and I got and ate an appetizer, then even though I didn't get the remainder of my order I would tip for what I had imbibed/consumed.

IF I only received part of my order and IF I felt compelled to leave anything, it would not be more than minimum wage. I would not tip a percentage.

Since minimum tipped wage is $2.13 per hour with the expectation that a tip would bring it up to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, I would calculate how long the server worked for the drinks and appetizers and then calculate what I would leave from there.To make minimum wage, a customer should supplement a server's $2.13 by $5.06 an hour.

So, for instance, if I was served for half an hour, I would give the server $2.56. This would be half the make-up to get the server to minimum wage. Also knowing that the server is making more than minimum wage for that half hour (since the server was busy with other tables, so would also be receiving minimum wage for the same hour from other tables), I would not feel guilty at all.

If a server fails to provide adequate service for a customer, they should not be entitled to more than minimum wage.

And my standard tipping policy is 20% for adequate (but full meal) service and more for good or excellent service.

However, poor service would get minimum wage, not a percentage. And in a state where servers already make minimum wage, I would not feel obligated to leave a thing.

 

[disney1990]

My daughter is a server. At the end of the night, she has to tip out several percentage of her total sales to the hostess, the person that buses the tables and the bartender (because he makes the table drinks). No tipping, not only does not provide the server with a tip, it actually takes money out of the servers pocket. They tip out whether or not you think you should tip.

 

[low-key]

2 bucks sounds about right

 

[disney1990]

Obviously, this horse has been beaten to death and there is no agreement.

However, I would never shortchange a server unless I was absolutely positive that the server is the one that caused the problem. The server may not have known that it was the wrong drink simply by looking at it. The kitchen may have messed up the order. Again, nobody knows; it is all speculation. Therefore, I will always give the server the benefit of the doubt. It is always easy to just blame the server. And as we know from the OP, they did not tell the server that the first drink was incorrect.

 

[disney1990]

It was Thanksgiving.

The horse has died -- sorry. Not going to continue a back and forth conversation like this.