Understanding Tips.
Waiting tables has been an educational experience. I'm trying not to become too jaded by it, but I find myself becoming increasing discriminatory the longer I'm a waitress.
Leaving tips is a tricky issue. Generally, I would say 10% for bad service, 15% for fair service, and 20% (or more, if you are someone who wants to make their day... how? leave an extra dollar. If you have a $30 tab and I gave you great service, if you leave me $7, I'm ecstatic. $1 for you isn't a big deal, but for me, it adds up over time) for good service. But I give a few caveats to this concept.
1) If you are a pissy ass bitch, please leave more. When you are demanding and then you leave a shitty tip, I guarantee you will not have a pleasant experience if you ever return to that restaurant.
2) If your children make a mess of my section, scream at me, or find some other creative way of making my life a nightmare, you had better leave me a better tip. I can't tell you how many times I wish we would gas all the children in the world because a family of 5 comes in, the parents share a cheap entree and order all the kids 99 cent meals and leave me a two dollar tip. If 5 adults come in, it takes me half the time to clean up afterwards, takes less of my patience waiting on them, and they'll probably tip me $10 on the whole table.
3) Parents, you need to teach your children how to tip before you allow them to walk around by themselves. I don't want to talk about how many 12 year olds have walked into El Chico from the mall and said, "Oh, we just want the chips and queso." They are so shocked that we charge for that and then they magically forget to tip me.
4) If you use a coupon, tip based on the amount before the coupon. If you order $50 of food, that is $50 of work for me. Just because you are only being charged for part of that does not mean I worked any less. If you ge 50% off $50, your ticket may only be 25%, but I gave you great service, it's reasonable to expect a $10 tip.
5) If you come in by yourself for dinner (at lunch we expect 1 or 2 people to a table) and you order on $10 worth of food (or less) it is not acceptable to leave a $1-$2 tip. My average tab at dinner is $35. As long as you and your single self are sitting at my table that could hold 4, I cannot serve anyone else. So, were I could easily make $5 or $6 at this table, and you only leave me $2, that it not cool. $2 for bad service, $3 for fair service, and $3.50 or more for good service MINIMUM!
6) If you decide you are going to camp out at one of my tables (eat and stay for 30 or more after you've finished), you had better compensate for it. While you're sitting at that table, I cannot help anyone else. I would say a $1 for each addition half an hour you sit there, because if you're table was clear, I could make another $3-$6 in that half an hour, easy.
7) Watch the restaurant. If the whole place is packed, it's not bad service if it takes a little longer on your food or a little longer on your drinks. In fact, if you're getting everything out exactly on time and they are busy, I would say your server is slackin' some place else, making the other wait staffs' job miserable. When it busy, be patient.
8) If you have bad service, say something about it. Leaving a bad tip doesn't mean I'll know your were dissatisfied. I may just think you're a dumb ass. Frequently, it's not the server's fault! And complaining usualy gets you something: free dessert, replaced meals, etc. Usually it's just that the server is new, managements new, side staff (like bussers, hostesses, chippers, etc) are not keeping up, there was an accident in the kitchen, or that the server is dumb, but no one was bold enough to tell management.
So there you go.
Leaving tips is a tricky issue. Generally, I would say 10% for bad service, 15% for fair service, and 20% (or more, if you are someone who wants to make their day... how? leave an extra dollar. If you have a $30 tab and I gave you great service, if you leave me $7, I'm ecstatic. $1 for you isn't a big deal, but for me, it adds up over time) for good service. But I give a few caveats to this concept.
1) If you are a pissy ass bitch, please leave more. When you are demanding and then you leave a shitty tip, I guarantee you will not have a pleasant experience if you ever return to that restaurant.
2) If your children make a mess of my section, scream at me, or find some other creative way of making my life a nightmare, you had better leave me a better tip. I can't tell you how many times I wish we would gas all the children in the world because a family of 5 comes in, the parents share a cheap entree and order all the kids 99 cent meals and leave me a two dollar tip. If 5 adults come in, it takes me half the time to clean up afterwards, takes less of my patience waiting on them, and they'll probably tip me $10 on the whole table.
3) Parents, you need to teach your children how to tip before you allow them to walk around by themselves. I don't want to talk about how many 12 year olds have walked into El Chico from the mall and said, "Oh, we just want the chips and queso." They are so shocked that we charge for that and then they magically forget to tip me.
4) If you use a coupon, tip based on the amount before the coupon. If you order $50 of food, that is $50 of work for me. Just because you are only being charged for part of that does not mean I worked any less. If you ge 50% off $50, your ticket may only be 25%, but I gave you great service, it's reasonable to expect a $10 tip.
5) If you come in by yourself for dinner (at lunch we expect 1 or 2 people to a table) and you order on $10 worth of food (or less) it is not acceptable to leave a $1-$2 tip. My average tab at dinner is $35. As long as you and your single self are sitting at my table that could hold 4, I cannot serve anyone else. So, were I could easily make $5 or $6 at this table, and you only leave me $2, that it not cool. $2 for bad service, $3 for fair service, and $3.50 or more for good service MINIMUM!
6) If you decide you are going to camp out at one of my tables (eat and stay for 30 or more after you've finished), you had better compensate for it. While you're sitting at that table, I cannot help anyone else. I would say a $1 for each addition half an hour you sit there, because if you're table was clear, I could make another $3-$6 in that half an hour, easy.
7) Watch the restaurant. If the whole place is packed, it's not bad service if it takes a little longer on your food or a little longer on your drinks. In fact, if you're getting everything out exactly on time and they are busy, I would say your server is slackin' some place else, making the other wait staffs' job miserable. When it busy, be patient.
8) If you have bad service, say something about it. Leaving a bad tip doesn't mean I'll know your were dissatisfied. I may just think you're a dumb ass. Frequently, it's not the server's fault! And complaining usualy gets you something: free dessert, replaced meals, etc. Usually it's just that the server is new, managements new, side staff (like bussers, hostesses, chippers, etc) are not keeping up, there was an accident in the kitchen, or that the server is dumb, but no one was bold enough to tell management.
So there you go.
posted by Jesi E. at 10/16/2005 01:03:00 PM
2 Comments:
i cant even begin to tell you how happy this entire post made me!!!! preach it sista!!!
Next time I'm confused about how much to tip, I'll remember your guidelines. Also, if I ever open a cafe, I will display them prominently. You want to wait tables for me? I like a woman who thinks in lists.
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