Tipping

Maybe this weekend you are going out to eat. So, you're probably wondering what I think about how to tip a waiter. Well, here is my take.

I generally like to give close to 20% if the service was good. If the service was just okay, maybe 16-17%, mediocre I'll go with 15%, and if it's just plain bad then it could be 5-10%.

If the bill is less than $15, then com'n...give more than 15-20%. It is pretty lousy to give a $1.80 tip for anything. You took up that waiter's time, it's not their fault you ordered the cheapest thing on the menu and a water. When we go to Chili's or something you end up with a bill for $23 and you wonder about what the appropriate tip should be. Well, if you go with 15% you're looking at $3.45...since I took up a table for 45 minutes that seems pretty cheap. You just have to go over 20% here and give a solid $5 tip.

The $30-50 meals are easy, 15-20% based on service. Then you get to the nice meal that comes with a $75 price tag. Of course the service was good, it's a nice restaurant. Should you go with 20%? That's $15! It makes your bill $90...now your talking about major money on this meal. If the meal is over $50 then you have to revert back to 15% for sake of your wallet.

In the scenario where the service was awful and it was it lead to an aggravating experience waiting on a refill, the food, or just to get the bill....then no tip! I've probably only done this 3 or 4 times in my life, but if the service is terrible why should I give that person money? I've had plenty of poor experiences and given 10-15%, but when it goes beyond poor and into horrible...leaving no tip is a good way of saying they are not good at their job.

When you get takeout Chinese and they hand you the receipt to sign, there is no need to tip. The job of a waiter is to prepare a drink for me and then bring it to me. Provide me with silverware and napkins. Bring me the food and then clean up the mess I made. Then after I leave they are going to wash the dishes I used as well. When I go pick up the food I am getting none of those services. I drove to the restaurant just like I would have if I were sitting down. Then I'm going to take it home, prepare my own drink and use my own silverware. I'm going to open the box myself and clean the dishes when I'm through. There is no reason to tip the cashier just for collecting my money!

When you go to the sandwich shop and they give you the same receipt with a tip line, same thing goes...no tip. They prepared the food, and I am paying for it. Otherwise I stood in a line while they prepared it and I am going to serve myself. Now if someone comes by my table and refills my cup and takes my plate then sure, leave a dollar or two because they are providing a service.

I try not to be too cheap with tipping, but there are always lines that I draw. You have to remember that waiters don't really make a wage, they earn on tips. If you're eating alone at a table for two then you are going to spend less so don't just give them $1.50 because it was 15 or 20%...consider they let you sit there when they could have had two people and more money would have been spent thereby giving them a bigger tip. Always think about how most of this country is built around the service industry, if you are not manufacturing or fabricating something, you are providing a service...and you expect to be paid for that service like everyone else.

JB