Tipping waiters in the US tonight

So, I was told that giving a 20% tip is normal in Boston because waiters are paid very little, usually the minimum allowed.

As I am going out tonight for the first time after the minimum wage increase, should I reduce the % or is it not in operational yet?

And by how much should I cut tips?

Sorry, but I can't get used to this "compulsory" tipping thing...

 

Anything less than 15% will usually be considered insulting, depending on the quality of the restaurant (the people at Taco Bell might not be too hurt).

If you're going out with a group of 6 or more, watch out though because many restaurants include the gratuity without even saying anything and customers frequently give an extra tip without knowing--the included gratuity is just noted in small print on the menu and bill.

 

Also, generally servers get a very low 2-3$/hour...that is because the restaraunts rely on them to make up the rest...the wage increase probably will not help servers, as most get paychecks that are $0.00 anyway. They rely solely on tipping. My take on it is if they are a bad server, they get 15%, if they are good, they get 20%. I consider a bad server someone who can't keep my drink glass full which means they arn't visiting my table.

 

Funny, I think it's strange NOT to tip when I go to other countries.

I typically do 20% and then more if the service was above average.

 

Yeah, when I was in Jamaica last year our bus driver wouldn't let us off the bus unless we tipped...at least in America it is optional, based on HOW GOOD OF A JOB YOU DO....wish more jobs were like that. If you are lazy, you don't get paid.

 

No, I mean in most other countries, you don't tip or it is already included.

Bus drivers aside.

 

Gotcha, we need to make an exception for Jamaica...everyone there want a tip...

 

Not in the whole world.

I remember that germany wasn't that different.

And in England it's insulting if you don't round it off.

The problem in the US is that 20% is a lot!

So, some waiters work only for tips? Is this even allowed?

I can still see that many want to do the job, so it can't be that bad, even where you don't usually tip such as Taco Bell, but some definetely should NOT have contact with the public and should work in the kitchen ,rather.

And some, many, over do it, coming round too often, I'd like them to leave me alone sometimes, just come round when I visibly try to get their attention.

Not ask me if everything is ok when I have a mouthful of food!



For tonight, I'll have to go for the 20% I believe.

It's going to be just my wife and me and I think we're just going to the Cheesecake Factory, we haven't in a while...

 

Ha! That just happened to us last night. I told my wife the next time that happens I'm going to open my mouth, point at the food and start mumbling stuff.

Mmmm, the Cheesecake Factory is goooo-oooo-oood!

 

I tip whatever change I have on me and/or what I get back. But I'm never a bother to the waiter. I drink my pop slow and completely clean my mess up when i'm done.

If your lucky you get my neighbor, he tips $5-$10! Funny thing is, he's not rich either, just that friendly of a guy.

 

So, what would you order...?

Give me some inspiration so I'll make ordering a simple task (unlike what happens usually where there's too much I like!)

 

I usually get fish.

Although I did get the pork chops once and they were pretty great!

 

mmmm...since I'm allergic to fish (I know, too bad) I'll consider the pork chops (luckily I ain't Jewish or a Muslim...) and hopefully I'll have some space for some cheesecake!

...and 20% tip if they don't bother me too much!

 

You know what I never understood.

Why does the extra money come down to the consumer

I mean , If I go to a nice steak house and pay $60 for a dish / plate

How does the restaurant get away with only paying these people $2 - $3 an hour

I mean shit....I am already paying $60 per dinner per person....They Can't pay the waiters like every other business?

How do they get away with this anyhow.

It seems like this is the only business in the world that gets away with paying staff shit wages and then leaving it up to the consumer to pay the rest of there wage......I think its unreal

 

it has to do with the way they do taxes and run their business...either the restaurant pays them 8$/hour...or the servers work for it. I like the idea of working for it. It weeds out the bad apples, and saves the company a whole lot of money...

 

So......Why don't all businesses get to do this ......?

 

I guess you could see them as sales people, the more they get you to eat the more they paid. Would you like to hear the specials?

I used to double the tax on the bill and make that the tip if I remember rightly, but I guess that depends on the level of tax where you are.

 

Hi Blackbug! I haven't come across your posts in a long time...

The level of tax in the US is too low, in the UK it's 17.5% so it would work in the US where they expect around 20% as a tip.

Anyway, it's not only in that industry that it happens.

In hair salons I understand that tips as big are given too, at least in high level ones.

I'm sure there are other sectors where it happens.

It prob just started, it worked, and then they kept pushing and got to the level where owners are paying waiters peanuts, and that works for them, waiters are getting enough from tips and customers have been silly enough to keep paying the wages to the waiters!

It would be great to reverse it (after all I have no plans to start a restaurant business, I just want to be a customer, and I want waiters to leave me alone!)