Tipping

[4 seat]

So, I'm a server at P.F. Chang's and I've been doing it for a couple years now, and I'm pretty experienced. It's an interesting business for a couple reasons, but one is that even though I'm a very open-minded, tolerant person in every aspect of my life(obviously), I am, and all experienced servers are for that matter, extremely judgmental when working. I'm tolerant of all races, creeds and everything, except when I'm serving, because I find that many, MANY stereotypes about tippers are true. Very often, we find that if you're not white, you tip poorly, if you're foreign, you tip poorly, if you're young or old, you tip poorly. There are exceptions, but they are VERY few and far between, in my experience and all my coworkers'. Basically, while we're nice, tolerant people outside of work, the moment we step into our restaurant, we become members of the KKK. Stupid, but true, and not without reason.

Oh yeah, I'm not out to anyone at work. Anyways, all the servers, guys and girls, will fight over who gets a table of gay guys, because gay guys in general tip very well (I know I do!). Lesbians on the other hand, usually tip VERY poorly. I will rarely get a lesbian table that tips more than 10%, but gay guys will throw money at me for barely doing anything. I asked if they tip the female servers better and all of them said no, lesbians are just bad tippers. I find this to be true.

So, basically, WTF?

[Swamp56]

Interesting.

I tip based on the performance of the server/waiter. If the person did a normal job, then I do 15% (I actually calculate it >.<). If they were rude and screwed up my entire order, then I'll do like 10%. If they were phenomenal, then I'll do over.

My dad almost always tips at least 15% - and from what I have experienced, even if the waiter/server didn't do a great job. My mom and stepfather tip 15% as well unless we're at a buffet (which I find odd, since waiters/servers pick up your food for you).

[Johnnieguy]

Foreigners may not tip well because I think tipping is mostly an American thing. Some countries go so far as thinking it is an insult to tip someone.

The thing about gay guys tipping really well is totally true too. I always leave good tips, especially if the waiter is a cute boy. I also tend to tip really well (33%) where I go on a regular basis. The waitress there knows my name, is my friend on facebook, and she always treats me well.

Edit: 33% seems like a lot, but my bill is usually $7.50, so I tip $2.50 and round it up to an even 10. Still a cheap night. Even when my bill is lower (ie, if I win a free drink), I will still tip the same since it isn't the waitress's fault that I didn't need to pay for both drinks...She still brought them both to me.


I also think people who have been servers before tend to tip well, and people who are poorer will sometimes be more generous with their money. I remember one time leaving an $18 tip (on a bill that was like $42) because we were there for more than an hour, and I had planned on spending $60 on dinner (it was for the homecoming semi-formal in HS). That was at Olive Garden, and I think I made my waitress's night. I just hope she didn't think I was some rich kid flaunting his parent's money, because that wasn't the case.

[Swamp56]

Foreigners may not tip well because I think tipping is mostly an American thing. Some countries go so far as thinking it is an insult to tip someone.

Some European countries actually add the tip into the bill.

I also think people who have been servers before tend to tip well

My stepfather's friend used to be a server and used to tip like 25%+ when he has the money.

[endless poetry]

o.o being the poor student I am, I tip 10% being the norm

xD I wish I had the money to tip 15
... though in fancier restos I imagine I would tip 15 ... not that I've paid for meals at a fancy resto...

[Johnnieguy]

Originally Posted by Swamp56

Some European countries actually add the tip into the bill.

My stepfather's friend used to be a server and used to tip like 25%+ when he has the money.

I was more referring to China.. I had a Chinese roommate who told me it's insulting to tip the help (maybe because its "telling" them that they dont make enough money?)

When I have the money I certainly tip well..But even now, while I don't have money I still tip well. It isn't my server's fault that I'm poor.

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I recently started working at a coffeehouse (not sure if I got the job or not, I guess it was more like a trial period. Not even sure if they're going to pay me for the work I did).

I witnessed something kind of cool. A woman at the drive thru paid for the car behind her as well-which was a total shock for the other woman, who in turn left the money she was going to use to pay for her coffee as a tip.

[Chip]

Originally Posted by endless poetry

o.o being the poor student I am, I tip 10% being the norm

xD I wish I had the money to tip 15
... though in fancier restos I imagine I would tip 15 ... not that I've paid for meals at a fancy resto...

I've heard this argument, and i think the counter argument is, if you can't afford to pay the waiter appropriately (since this is essentially what you're doing) then you should go to a less expensive restaurant where you can afford to. Although tips are technically optional, the tip is built into the server's wages in most states (which I think is wrong, but that's a separate argument) and so basically, you're asking the waiter to work for substandard wages if s/he is doing a decent job and you don't leave a decent tip.

I read an article once that said professionals (doctors, lawyers) tend to be terrible tippers, while business owners, blue collar workers, and people who have been servers tend to be the best tippers. It makes sense, sort of.

[endless poetry]

@ tipping in China: in higher class restos it is all good to tip, but for like taxis or like "normal" restos it isn't necessary I don't think people nowadays will consider it an insult, but two or so decades ago, it surely would have because it would be representative of insulting the wages of a worker in a communist society...

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Originally Posted by Chip

I've heard this argument, and i think the counter argument is, if you can't afford to pay the waiter appropriately (since this is essentially what you're doing) then you should go to a less expensive restaurant where you can afford to. Although tips are technically optional, the tip is built into the server's wages in most states (which I think is wrong, but that's a separate argument) and so basically, you're asking the waiter to work for substandard wages if s/he is doing a decent job and you don't leave a decent tip.

I read an article once that said professionals (doctors, lawyers) tend to be terrible tippers, while business owners, blue collar workers, and people who have been servers tend to be the best tippers. It makes sense, sort of.

xD guess what I started doing

[Z3ni]

O yeaa, I got 100 from the tips :P ..

But I didn't know being a waiter, your wages are THAT low.

When I picked one of the bills up the guy tipped 20£, I thought " Woa " lol, I thought people usually tips a few pounds. But when I take taxis I always give tips and long as I have notes.

[NickT]

I'm a very forgetful person and I don't usually go out on my own, so I often forget to tip D: When I do remember though I try to give about 10-15%, but I'm VERY awkward and clumsy in social situations so I often panic and do the calculation totally wrong.

[satchel]

I always tip pretty good. I don't really think about the math of it, though, just think how much I'd want if I were them. Then I tip them half that. They come out ahead.

My cellphone has a tip calculator so I know exactly how much to tip BUT I will NOT tip or tip poorly if the server sucked, did practically nothing (don't tip at buffets, stupid LOL) or was rude!

[xCrazyInsanity]

I'm known for tipping $5 on a $10 meal.. mainly because I'll see the same waitress who did my food dealing with the toddler across the room who's driving EVERYone nuts get stiffed from that child's mother.

Eh, I'm nice. if it was more expensive I probably wouldn't be able to afford 50%, lol, but considering $2 is nothing, it's just nice.

[Johnnieguy]

It's always nice to make someone's day, which is why I usually like to over-tip.


The one time I know we under-tipped was for a friend's birthday in St. Paul. It was a bad situation all around. A huge group of us-over 12 people-had dinner at a casual restaurant. We all whipped out our cash, credit cards, etc and told our waiter how much to put on our bill. 2 girls ducked out early however. They left money, but nowhere near enough. The short story is we all left a 50% tip, trying to make up for the girls who didnt pay their share, but in the end, we only ended up leaving a 10% tip which REALLY made me mad-I was so embarassed!!

Another girl, paid for her meal plus another girls. She had $50 left in checking, and the two bills came to $49, so she left a $1 tip. And she didn't see anything wrong with that. I just about lost it on her. I felt like screaming "if you can't afford both bills, plus tip, then don't offer to pay for someone else! and if you can't afford to come out, then stay in!"

[Phoenix]

I always do 20% when I got out to eat for a tip. My mother taught me that was appropriate but she was a waitress at a bar for 16 years and always tipped other servers because she knew how it was.

[Roralo]

I know what you mean! Tap the fist fellow server, tap the fist.
And the gay guy tipping generously is exorbitantly true, I do it, and most tables with gay gays do it, especially the older gay guys. Couples tip well, females tip better than males, foreigners tip poorly. Not to be prejudiced or anything, but in experience in tipping, the Indians and Chinese tip terribly, and it sucks since they usually come in big groups. Yes, I do treat my customers equally, fairly and with all the kindness I can muster but its in poor taste and aggravates me to no end when we have to serve and get nothing from it. Servers don't get a high wage, tips are very big towards our income.

[Maddy]

Tipping isn't an expected thing here. There are tip jars in a lot of restaurants, but it's optional and it doesn't factor into the wait staff's wages, and it's rare to tip anywhere else - it's just not really done.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Roralo

Servers don't get a high wage, tips are very big towards our income.

This is what I want to point out. In America (or at least on the East Coast as far as I've seen) minimum wage for servers is $2.63. It was that for my mother at a bar, it was that for my grandmother at a restaurant, and it is that for my friends who are servers. The majority of a days pay for servers comes from tips, which is probably why it is so encouraged (and in some cases pressured) for you to tip your server because their minimum wage honestly doesn't cut it. So for countries where tipping isn't really done, servers probably make more per hour than they do here.

[Shevanel]

I always tip. I like to think I tip pretty well too xD They need it. Plus like, it's just rude to not tip =/ When I was in Buffalo for school, and I tipped the pizza delivery dude always, and every freakin time, the dudes were always so surprised and thankful and basically worshipping me at my feet. And I was like, dude =/ xD

Also, this:

+ YouTube Video

[Gaetan]

P.F. Chang's

Okay, that's creepy...I was just at a P.F. Chang's and I was with a group of mostly gays (3 gays, one bisexual, and two straight people). We ended up giving a $20 tip (bill was roughly $80) for several reasons. He was very nice, we ended up being the last ones in the restaurant so we kept them late, and, of course, he was rather cute.