You're at a diner alone and you've just finished lunch. Your service was very average. What do you tip your server?

Nothing. Tipping isn't a thing up here.

Tipping is not customary here, so I have no idea about percentages I usually tip if the change is minimal and I'm not that invested in the waiting giving me me (equivalent) of 3 dollars back..

You moon heathens!

I DINE AND DASH!

Just kidding (not about vgk being a moon heathen, though); I feel like 15% would be the minimum for "average" service. 30%+ is reserved for excellent service!

I say "BOOMSHAKALAKA", slam the table and leave. That's what I do.

Where?

@thepickle:

月.

I always thought the idea of having a set percentage for tipping was ridiculous. It is like a self mandated food tax. If I do feel like I was given great service, which is pretty often. I will usually leaves a few bucks. Never more then 5.

average service gets the average tip. around 15%

Good tip here (UK) tends to be 10%, I wouldn't bother if it was average service. Restaurant staff always get at least minimum wage before tips here anyway.

about 15% then rounded up the the nearest dollar amount.

15%, I'm not a monster, and I can afford a couple dollars.

Maybe in the UK they do, but in the US they don't. We treat our waitstaff like indentured servants, the way it ought to be!

In a lot of States here in the U.S. A waiter/waitress may not even get a standard pay check and everything they make comes from tips.

So usually I do 10, 15 if its good, 25 if I'm in a really good mood.

Depends on how much my meal is, but I have waited tables plenty of times myself and understand how little the waiters get paid and how much it sucks. So, for lunch for just myself I'd probably tip $4 on my $10-11 meal.

I always tip 20% unless the service is absolutely dreadful. Especially at a place I always go. I want them knowing I appreciate their service. Non-tipping regulars get spit in their food.

Nothing. I think it's ridiculous that tipping is a "thing" depending on where you live. I know that in a lot of European countries they don't tip. Here in Canada, Tim Hortons gets INSANE tips, while Starbucks and Second Cup get shit for tips. Tipping is fucked.

Between 15-20 percent, closer to 20 most times. I know servers get paid crappy wages, and I always thank my good fortune that I am doing what I do and not that type of profession. So I try tip my best to tip a fair amount.

I rarely tip above or below 20%.

10% Poor,

15% regular

20% excellent or delivery drivers

10% seems to be the standard around here, but I go more depending on service. Great service = great tip. Never less than 10, though, unless the service was truly and notably bad (and only if it's the server's fault... I'm not going to punish them for shit going on in the kitchen, being stretched too thin, or clearly just having an off day).

I'm British we don't do that shit. No tip, they get a wage.... haha i feel so harsh but i only tip if i'm in a fancy dancy restaurant. (rare)

It's not that big of a deal here, so I never work out percentages. I just usually leave a couple of pounds.

Thinking off the top of my head, if I had a 10 dollar meal, I would tip a dollar or two. So between 10 and 20 percent.

Tipping really is a janky business model if you think about it. It's so variable, forces people to make an arbitrary decision, and guarantees bad blood between the business and customers if they don't tip. Why even have the issue in the first place and allow tips? I say build them into the price of the food and remove the dilemma altogether. That or pay servers a proper wage but who knows as to the likelihood of that.

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tipping_tooting

Unless the server goes out of their way to make my experience miserable, I'll give the usual tip.

Didn't I answer this just a few days ago? http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/off-topic-31/do-you-tip-for-extremely-poor-service-1436512/

I dont' think in percent, I round up according to the service. Good service: 13,50€ -> 15€. Bad service: 13,50€ -> 14,00€.

I'm not big into tipping unless the server goes above and beyond. But everyone treats you like you're the offspring of Satan and Hitler if you don't tip so I usually leave a flat $2.

I usually tip around 30%. It's like 3 to 5 bucks on an average meal, so it's not that much money. I've never tipped over $10 though, so I guess that's my limit.

>30%

>Never above 10 dollars

That means you have never had a meal above 30 bucks. Really?

15% is generally the recommended amount unless the service is especially bad or especially good. Don't over-think it.

Same, which for me is like five bucks.

We don't tip here because we pay everyone a livable wage.

I nearly always tip 15% no matter how good or bad the service was (unless of course my sandwich is two fucking hours late). Mostly because I don't believe in grading people with my money, so I prefer to just always use the standard. My server friend is actually under the impression that 20% is the standard, and she will actually ask people what she did wrong if she gets any less than 15%. Personally I think its pretty rude.

Unless I get someone who's miserable I always tip at least %15. I've worked in a kitchen an know how shitty that job can be. People are assholes.

@ch3burashka: I said usually 30%. It's more like 30% or $10, whichever comes first. I eat cheap and by myself most of the time, so the 30% is much more likely. I've definitely paid for some meals over $30 but at that point $10 seems fine to me, and other people usually chip in on the tip so it ends up being more anyways.

15%

Waiting tables for shit pay is tough. People are absolutely dependent on those tips for just paying the rent or putting food on the table.

I find it amazing the amount of people that would tip 15% for average service. Tip average service and that person will continue to never better themselves and enjoy all the mugs bringing giving them cash for basically nothing.

I'm biased towards this question since I am a server, but I view anything less than 20% as a bummer. I'm a senior in college and can only afford to work weekends (even during the summer with my unpaid internship). Being a server means I have no idea if I'm going to make $30 a day, or $130, so I average it out to about $200 a week to live on. It's not easy, and for the average table (let's call it a $40 bill), the difference between 15% and 20% is $2. And, after maybe 10-15 tables a shift, an extra $2 a table adds up to an extra $20-$30 a shift, meaning I could budget for $300 a week. Not an insignificant.

Being a server is a lot harder than people think. Remembering the demands of 5 different tables all at once can be overwhelming and tough. "Table 1 just sat down so I need two iced tea's, a kids chocolate milk, and they all want waters that they'll never drink. I also need to bring their bread on the tray too because they don't forget about that shit. Table 2 needs two boxes for their food and I need to try and sell desert because an extra $8 on their bill is an extra $1 or $2 for me. Table 3 is fine for now. Table 4 wanted more bread and some extra ranch for their pizza. And, oh shit I still need to put in Table 5's order." And that goes on for five hours. And if the kitchen isn't on their game and the food either comes out slow, or just isn't that good that night, it's me who loses more money.

I'm venting a bit here. But seriously, guys. It's an extra $1 or $2 from you that really could make a server feel less shitty. Man up.

For average service I'll usually do 10-15%. That number might end up being a bit higher, since I have to (have to!) tip up to a flat dollar.

I was working construction jobs for $12 an hour. Literal backbreaking work and you are making more than I was. I'm not saying your job is easy but their are plenty of jobs that are just as shitty and pay less than yours. I'm thinking 15% on average is nothing to complain about. That said, someone who has a decent job and can afford to tip more, should.

i dont go by percentage. i usually tip around 5 dollars, even if the person is a total cunt. to show them that i wasnt effected by their cuntiness and i forgive them for it.

15%

0% No obligation to tip in the UK.

@choffy: My wife is in a similar situation, she's working through the summer during her college break just to get an extra bit of cash to spend since she only gets bi-weekly stipends from me(She hates that I call it that). I have always been a fairly generous tipper, but whenever she works as a waitress I find myself tipping more on average.

Albeit, I'm not opposed to leaving next to nothing if I feel that the service was absolutely terrible. The person would literally have to insult me, and that has only happened once or twice.

Here either - and Australia in my case.

When i was in the states i did, fucking tipped every meal 30% because some douche told me that was the deal there, the amount of personal thanks i got was unreal, ever waiter would come over to say thanks very much, what's worse is that with our group most of the meals cost about $100 but very rarely we would easily spend $300 on a big fancy meal and tipping $90 seems so fucking weird to me but we did it.

Back at home now they get a polite thanks.

Sometimes I wonder why people make polls for completely random shit. And then I usually end up voting anyway.

20% for average service but it doesn't take much to rise to 25 or 30 percent. Just don't make me have to search you out when I want something and that alone warrants a bonus in my book. Servers get paid poorly in the US which is why tipping is an unspoken rule. Besides, if I tip well the first time, they are likely to remember me and treat me better the next time. You only get one chance to make a good impression. That goes for the server as well as the customer.

Yep. how much was the meal? I never tip on a percentage. Also where am I having lunch? are we talking downtown San Francisco or Lexington Kentucky?

I try to always tip pretty well because I know a lot of servers rely on tips...but also for the selfish reason that it makes me feel good about myself and has the potential to improve the quality of service if I go back there.

15% normally for basic average service. I'll go 20% or more if the tab was small. I'll tip a dollar if I just had a cup of coffee in a sit down restaurant and was served by a waiter.

25% if service was exceptional. Exceptional service is: appeared as if by magic whenever I required them, took order accurately and without excessive chit-chat, refilled drinks quickly and efficiently, cleared table quickly and efficiently, did not make jokes, did not flirt with me. Yes, I'm serious about the flirting. If it's a bartender, fine. But not when I'm sitting at a table. I find it irritating and patronizing.

Oh, yes, I forgot to mention. I also round up to the next dollar. I can't be bothered to do the exact math to the penny, nor do I care about the additional fifty cents or whatever it is above my intended percentage. :)