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Tip Computation: How do you Determine the Tip?

Varmint

By Varmint
in Restaurant Life

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Suzanne F

Suzanne F

Posted
Posted

That depends, KateW. How much does SO put in? If the total is $20 and you alone tip $3, that's 15%; if the total is $30 and you alone tip $3, that's 10%. Draw your own conclusions. :unsure:

I tend to tip 20% on pre-tax, more if the service was truly excellent, less if truly awful. But I don't think it's an accepted norm anywhere; it's just the easiest way to figure out the tip. And I tend to give a little more because I'm in the industry. Besides, I have to make up for the misconception that women are lousy tippers (oh, to carry the burdens of one's gender!) :raz:

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KNorthrup

KNorthrup

Posted
Posted

I have a friend who always tips 40% because he's dated many waitresses and their moods always depended heavily on how they'd been tipped that day. So he overtips on behalf of the unknown guy waiting at home.

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MatthewB

MatthewB

Posted
Posted (edited)
I have a friend who always tips 40% because he's dated many waitresses and their moods always depended heavily on how they'd been tipped that day.  So he overtips on behalf of the unknown guy waiting at home.

That dude is nicer than I am.

I tipped 40% when I *was* dating waitresses.

But I don't date waitresses any more.

(Famous last words, yea yea, I know. The flip-side--which some of my friends relished to tell me when I did date hostesses, waitresses, & managers--is "Don't shit where you eat." :hmmm: )

Edited by MatthewB (log)
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tommy

tommy

Posted
Posted
I have a friend who always tips 40% because he's dated many waitresses and their moods always depended heavily on how they'd been tipped that day.  So he overtips on behalf of the unknown guy waiting at home.

i tip 40% when i *want* to date the waitress.

as far as tipping on the pre-tax total, i just find it easier to look at the bottom line on the bill, rather than finding the pre-tax total. the difference isn't all that much, as glenn suggested.

tommy:eats.com
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Wren

Wren

Posted
Posted
Are you saying that's too much or not enough?

Kate, wow you're one BIG tipper :hmmm: a whole $3 dollars on $30! I hope you don't tip 10% at restaurants where you're a regular, unless of course you're fond of spit. If the balance is $30 leave the extra $1.50 to make 15%. That extra $1.50 or even $3 (20%) surely means much more to your hard working server than it means to you.

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Hest88

Hest88

Posted
Posted

I tip after-tax because I find it easier. However, I tip like I'm down to my last dime when I get bad service and have no qualms about tipping over 20% with outstanding service.

I read a study once that said men tend to tip more generously than women. I don't know if that's true or not, but it certainly is among my circle. The woman really tie the tip to service while the guys will tip 15-20% as a rule unless they got really awful service. My college roommate and I delighted in calculating a 10% tip to the exact penny if service were bad.

I always wished that they had comment cards so that when I threw down a few bucks I could inform them that it was not because I'm inherently cheap but because the service was inexcusably bad. I also, at times, wished I had the courage to leave *no* tip for really egregious circumstances.

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torakris

torakris

Posted
Posted
One thing I love about Japan is that there is no tipping whatsoever! :biggrin:

Even when the guys go out drinking? :blink:

Nope!

no tipping anywhere, no gratuities added to bills either.

waitresses get paid the same as everyone else.

No tipping in cabs, hotels, etc either

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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MatthewB

MatthewB

Posted
Posted
One thing I love about Japan is that there is no tipping whatsoever! :biggrin:

Even when the guys go out drinking? :blink:

Nope!

no tipping anywhere, no gratuities added to bills either.

waitresses get paid the same as everyone else.

No tipping in cabs, hotels, etc either

Ummmm, I tend think there's some tipping that goes on.

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torakris

torakris

Posted
Posted
One thing I love about Japan is that there is no tipping whatsoever! :biggrin:

Even when the guys go out drinking? :blink:

Nope!

no tipping anywhere, no gratuities added to bills either.

waitresses get paid the same as everyone else.

No tipping in cabs, hotels, etc either

Ummmm, I tend think there's some tipping that goes on.

ooohhh I get it! :biggrin:

yeah there is THAT kind of tipping! :shock:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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  • 9 months later...
Foodie in Vancouver

Foodie in Vancouver

Posted
Posted

Just had a wonderful meal at Vij's - lamb popsicles for me and the seafood for Mr. Foodie. Then we had the discussion about the tip. Should you calculate the tip on the total or should you calculate the tip on the food minus the wine and taxes? I feel like such a cheapskate if I don't calculate based on the whole amount but Mr. Foodie is convinced that we should only tip on the food total. Would hate to insult the wait staff but on the other hand, hate to leave more than I need to. What do you do?

Cheers,

Karole

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winesonoma

winesonoma

Posted
Posted

Thats hard to say; 20% at a local where I'm known,20% out for good service food an a reasonably priced wine list. In my opinion , overpriced corkage, when you bring and buy a bottle and overpriced wine lists = lesser tip when it's not the servers fault. And I won't go back. X amount of dollars for dinner= FOOD, WINE, SERVICE.

Bruce Frigard

Quality control Taster, Château D'Eau Winery

"Free time is the engine of ingenuity, creativity and innovation"

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

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mrbigjas

mrbigjas

Posted
Posted

I don't see the problem: at the 20% norm, what would be the extra tip you're going to leave if you calculate based on the tax? It would be $5 if the tax was $25, and that's a kind of extreme example. For most places you're talking about more like $1-2, if that. If you're already spending the money on dinner, what difference does that $1-2 make?

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Daddy-A

Daddy-A

Posted
Posted

Good topic ...

My rule of thumb is simple ... take the GST on your bill & double it. Of course you need to adjust for service (or lack thereof) etc.

7% x2 = 14%

I come from a time where a 15% gratuity was the norm ... not sure where 20% comes from. I sure don't believe in the concept of the tip being "part of the wages" of the wait staff. A tip is for service plain and simple.

DA

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Mabelline

Mabelline

Posted
Posted

Daddy-A, that's a keg of dynamite you opened up. There are many places in this country where servers get, like $2.01 to $2.13 an hour and then you have the min. wage workers declaring tips and being taxed for them. All I can add is a server with any good intentions at my table gets an honorable tip from me. I see them as fellow humans with a life. Maybe I'm helping their kid get music tutoring.

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eatbc

eatbc

Posted
Posted

Like it or not, the tip is a huge part of your servers pay, otherwise we would all be paying double or more for our meals here. (Consider for a moment the extremely slim margins to be made in the restaurant biz, just ask any owner)

Also, consider that in most establishments, the server has to tip out his/her support staff, ie. the busser, bar, door and almost always kitchen staff. This is almost always based on the servers sales, not the amount of tip they make, so when you stiff them, they will actually be paying (losing money) to serve you. Most good restaurants require servers to "tip-out" 4-6% of sales.

Just a thought to consider, before you short-tip someone: Was your experience altered by the reservation procedure, the food quality/speed, or the actual quality of you server's work?

Important ... always, always bring a bad experience to the attention of management. Just stiffing the server and leaving will only leave him/her there for the next poor sap. Also, any good restaurant will want to make it up to you in some way.

15% is standard for pleasant, efficient service, 20% and up for exceptional experiences, On The Whole Bill, wine included.

Mark Taylor

Cru Vancouver

Caffe Dolcetto

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niterider

niterider

Posted
Posted

Being a former partner in a high end restaurant, I know what a server goes through to earn a tip. I always tip 20% and up even for bad service. I realize that is unrealistic for most people. But the reality is that the reastaurant business is filled with long hours, high turnover ( which could arguable account for many restaurant failures) and cheap tippers ( which could arguably account for high server turnover). So having seen what it takes to obtain a tip, I always make sure to tip 20%.

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