How do you feel about tips? Call me crazy, but I am totally not in favor of the tip system currently in place in our fair nation. It's just such a hassle. I think it'd be so much better all around if we just had a regular wage for waiters and got rid of tipping.
 
I mean, you've gotta do the math at the end of the meal... figure out what's 15%. And maybe there's some rule about dinner tips being larger then lunch or breakfast tips. You've gotta figure out if you're going to write in the little receipt or pay the tip in cash. If you don't use a credit card, you've gotta get correct change for your tip... it's just an annoyance. And the tip these days ends up being more like a kickback. Instead of paying them extra for great service or something, you're just paying them not to spit in your food the next time you visit.
 
Ya see, I really screwed the pooch with tips lately. First, there's a visit to this taqueria. They make good tacos. I end up making the wrong calculation and figure out my tip wasn't quite 15%. That's not so great. I feel bad about that. So then, the next time I visit, I figure out ahead of time that I'm gonna pay a bit more on the tip. That'll make up for the first tip. So I give a generous tip and as I'm walking back to the car, it hits me that I actually ordered fewer tacos then the first visit. So the tip ended up being really huge. And now, I'm not sure if I'm gonna be expected to give something like that again the next time I go to that restaurant. Ya know, maybe she'll be pissed off if she sees a decline in the tipping trend. I dunno what to think. It's a crazy system.
 
And ya know, it just... it seems very hard to actually provide outstanding service as a waiter in the first place. It doesn't seem like something that's actually noticeable. Cause it's a very simple job... you take my order, and then you deliver the food. There's no real room for performance excellence in something that straightforward, ya know? So why would anyone pay more then the usual 15%? Unless they go down on their knees and pleasure me or something, I can't see any way they could go above and beyond the call of duty of waitering. Now, maybe the cook could be commended for cooking the food in an outstanding fashion. I can see that happening, some cooks are better then others. That might deserve a tip. But not so much for waiters.
 
I will tell you, I absolutely hate it when waiters come around while you're happily eating your meal and ask you if you're ok. Or they ask you how you're doing. Something like that. It just irks me. I know they mean well, but uh... it's just not something I welcome. Cause if I'm eating my food, obviously everything is going ok and there's no reason to ask. And if something were not ok, I wouldn't just wait around for the waiter to come around and ask, I'd probably raise my hand to get their attention and remedy the situation. Them asking me does nothing but interrupt me while I'm eating. It's just bizarre. I dunno why they do it. If they think that's going to get em a bigger tip, it's a poor idea.
 
What if the restaurant just raises the price on everything on the menu? I'd be all for that. Everything just costs a little more, but no more worries about mathematical calculations or people spitting in your food. Well, less of a worry about people spitting in your food.
 
I hear Europe doesn't do any tipping.

What? Where i live (New Brunswick Canada) we just always leave a dollar or dollar and change on the table when we walk out. Three if they where any good. Maybe a Five dollar bill if it was more then 5 or 6 of us at the meal.

Wow no wonder you don't like it over here (Tennessee), it's normal to just give whatever you have on you if even that. I've left a 5 for a 20 dollar meal countless times.

Waiters often don't even earn minimum wadge.  They're just poor people that need the tips to sustain any kind of life.  If you get a horrible waiter, don't tip them.  If you get a good one, pay a generous tip.  It's simple enough.
 
The restaurant owners may charge too much, but depending on where you go, the waiters might not be treated any better.

Well, given that waiters and waitresses in America basically make around $1.00 an hour and tips is where they make their money, then that 15% makes up the rest.  It's what keeps the food industry booming so much. 
 
Also, if you can't figure out 15% of your meal's total within about 10 seconds, then you need to go back to 7th grade...or maybe earlier.  That is simple and basic math. 
 
Meal costs $30. 
20% of $30 is $6. 
Therefore, the tip that should be left is around $5. 
 
If you are such a cheapskate that you can't even figure up a tip, let alone leave a tip, then you need to stop eating at restaurants.  Hell, if you're eating at a restaurant, then it means you've got some money to blow anyways!!!

It's not about being cheap, it's about the convenience.

"

"

" Well, given that waiters and waitresses in America basically make around $1.00 an hour  "

" @jakob187 said:

" Well, given that waiters and waitresses in America basically make around $1.00 an hour  "

i'm sorry but i highly doubt that this is true you make them out to be some charity "

"  I hear Europe doesn't do any tipping. "

Y'all who don't tip, or dislike it are more than welcome to go fuck yourselves with a big pointy stick. 
 
And if you cant' do on the fly percentage calculations, go punch your math teacher in the face.

@Sick_Sick_Sick said:

" @jakob187 said:

" Well, given that waiters and waitresses in America basically make around $1.00 an hour  "

i'm sorry but i highly doubt that this is true you make them out to be some charity "

" Waiters often don't even earn minimum wadge.  They're just poor people that need the tips to sustain any kind of life.  If you get a horrible waiter, don't tip them.  If you get a good one, pay a generous tip.  It's simple enough.  The restaurant owners may charge too much, but depending on where you go, the waiters might not be treated any better. "

You toss a few bucks on the table when you're done eating, it's honestly not a big deal. Tipping is great because it encourages good service. When I get a shitty waiter, I stiff him. If a waitress does a great job, I give her a little extra. (Gender isn't really an issue.) I work for a flat wage at a pizza joint, and if I knew the possibility of better tips applied to me, I might give half a shit about how your pizza is made.

You don't have to really do that much math to figure out a tip, just move the decimal point one place to the left to get 10% and just add half of that to the ten percent to get 15%.
 
"I absolutely hate it when waiters come around while you're happily eating your meal and ask you if you're ok. Or they ask you how you're doing."
lol, yea I don't like that either. I guess some people like that and give them a bigger tip but other people just get pissed off by people trying to chat them up and stuff.

" @Sick_Sick_Sick said:

" @jakob187 said:

" Well, given that waiters and waitresses in America basically make around $1.00 an hour  "

i'm sorry but i highly doubt that this is true you make them out to be some charity "

you can make far more than $1 an hour just begging on the streets. I will tip a few bucks, but i mean common the % thing is a bit crazy. if you have dinner with 4 or more people, the bill could get pretty big, or depending on where you eat. Thats bullshit, they do the same work as a cheaper waiter, so why the fuck should waiters at a nicer place get soo much more.  like, personally i would rather tip the cook. They dont get any recognition, sure they might get payed more than waiters/waitress'  but if the meal is really exceptional why should the waitress get soo much tip $$$   When i was in germany 2 weeks ago at some place and about to pay the bill, and we were debating the tip we should give, and for some reason the waitress told us not to give a tip.... happened at 3 differant places, i was like hmmm "

Wow, all this hate for people who aren't quick at math. Awesome.
 
The way I handle tipping is I simply put down two dollars more than whatever the first number of the bill is.
 
$10 bill = $3 tip.
$20 bill = $4 tip.
$30 bill = $5 tip.
$40 bill = $6 tip.
$50 bill = $7 tip. 
 
 Keeps it simple. Just look at the first number and add two. Add three if they were awesome.

You should always leave 20 - 25% of your total bill. That's just common courtesy. 15% is like a bare minimum, but 20% is basically the "polite" standard.
 
You know what they say, if you don't have the money to tip, then you don't have the money to eat out.

" What? Where i live (New Brunswick Canada) we just always leave a dollar or dollar and change on the table when we walk out. Three if they where any good. Maybe a Five dollar bill if it was more then 5 or 6 of us at the meal. "

What is it about the job of being a waiter that allows resturaunts to pay them below minimum wage? Is it a loophole? Or is it something in the law that actually allows it?

The waiters in the US get paid pretty poorly. So tip.

Minimum wage rates from 1 April 2009

The adult minimum wage is $12.50 an hour.  That’s $100 for an eight hour day, and $500 for a 40 hour week.

The new entrants minimum wage and the training minimum wage are $10.00 an hour.  That’s $80 for an eight hour day, and $400 for a 40 hour week.

By law, employers must pay at least the minimum wage - even if an employee is paid by commission or by piece rate. The minimum wage applies to all workers aged 16 years or older, including home workers, casuals, temporary and part-time workers.

The only exception is when an employee holds an exemption permit.

Holiday pay must be paid in addition to the minimum wage. If an employee receives “pay-as-you-go” holiday pay, this payment must be a separate and identifiable part of their pay.

An increase in the minimum wage will not affect an employee’s other conditions of employment, unless they agree to the changes.

An employee being paid less than the minimum wage can complain to a Labour Inspector, who may investigate and act to recover any money owed. Employees can also get help from our mediators. 
  
END:
Wow, I can't belive how lucky I am, Huh oh well, move to New Zealand guy's is all I can say, The land of the long white chain of Orc's, Sheep and lesbians!

" Wow no wonder you don't like it over here (Tennessee), it's normal to just give whatever you have on you if even that. I've left a 5 for a 20 dollar meal countless times. "

So they're doing slave labor? The reason it's called minimum wage is because that's the minimum a company is allowed to give their employee. If they're not paying that much, they're doing something wrong and the employees need to get out of there.

Current federal limits for tipped wage is $2.13 an hour, with few states mandating higher. "

I can understand the reason not to tip -- I've worked in customer service pretty much all of my life and never receive tips -- giving good customer service as a greeter, or a deli server (which involves making the food as wellas serving it), a cashier, or a customer service rep -- none of those see tips and they have to deal with customers as much as servers, and their wages are seldom much more than minimum wage, either. It's strange that one form of customer service deserves it more than another, considering most of them involve dealing with mean/dumb/obnoxious customers, staying on your feet all day, and having to provide a smile the entire time.

"

"

"

"

I only tip if they really deserve it and even then it's only spare cash in my pocket. Usually I don't just to avoid breaking another bill.

I only leave a tip if the food was that good, if I didn't like it for some reason I just pay for it and walk out.

" Wow, all this hate for people who aren't quick at math. Awesome.   The way I handle tipping is I simply put down two dollars more than whatever the first number of the bill is.   $10 bill = $3 tip. $20 bill = $4 tip. $30 bill = $5 tip. $40 bill = $6 tip. $50 bill = $7 tip.    Keeps it simple. Just look at the first number and add two. Add three if they were awesome. "

The REAL problem with tips is not on the customer side of things.  It's what happens to it after you leave it on the table. 

" I only leave a tip if the food was that good, if I didn't like it for some reason I just pay for it and walk out. "

I just double the tax. Works out pretty well. Tax is what? 8% multiply that by 2 and you got 16%. Boom, a little extra for them and easy peasy for me.

" I only leave a tip if the food was that good, if I didn't like it for some reason I just pay for it and walk out. "

I truly hate tipping, I don't know all the prices of food etc in most of your countries, but here (Netherlands) we pay lots for our food, when I was in the UK I could get atleast twice as much for the same price, anyway they expect you to tip, but why? They ask shitloads for their food and drinks, they don't suck my dick, so why should I pay extra? I will work minimum wage when I get out of college, my minimum wage will be higher due to my education, but It won't be high at all, yet nobody will ever give me a bonus. These people do get minimum wage ++ bonusses, they will make more money then I will even though I will have a harder job and I had to go to college to be able to do it.
 
There is a reason why everything is priced, it's so that you know what you have to pay.

" I truly hate tipping, I don't know all the prices of food etc in most of your countries, but here (Netherlands) we pay lots for our food, when I was in the UK I could get atleast twice as much for the same price, anyway they expect you to tip, but why? They ask shitloads for their food and drinks, they don't suck my dick, so why should I pay extra? I will work minimum wage when I get out of college, my minimum wage will be higher due to my education, but It won't be high at all, yet nobody will ever give me a bonus. These people do get minimum wage ++ bonusses, they will make more money then I will even though I will have a harder job and I had to go to college to be able to do it.  There is a reason why everything is priced, it's so that you know what you have to pay. "

Ive never paid a tip as far as i can remember and have never been asked
gogo Australia's fair labor laws
 
Id like to know what a public school teacher earns over a waiter in the US

"I truly hate tipping, I don't know all the prices of food etc in most of your countries, but here (Netherlands) we pay lots for our food, when I was in the UK I could get atleast twice as much for the same price, anyway they expect you to tip, but why? They ask shitloads for their food and drinks, they don't suck my dick, so why should I pay extra?

" @Benjaminvdv said:

"I truly hate tipping, I don't know all the prices of food etc in most of your countries, but here (Netherlands) we pay lots for our food, when I was in the UK I could get atleast twice as much for the same price, anyway they expect you to tip, but why? They ask shitloads for their food and drinks, they don't suck my dick, so why should I pay extra?

Really?  I get a BJ after every meal.... I guess I'm just a good tipper. >:) "
 

" @eyehook said:

" @Benjaminvdv said:

"I truly hate tipping, I don't know all the prices of food etc in most of your countries, but here (Netherlands) we pay lots for our food, when I was in the UK I could get atleast twice as much for the same price, anyway they expect you to tip, but why? They ask shitloads for their food and drinks, they don't suck my dick, so why should I pay extra?

Really?  I get a BJ after every meal.... I guess I'm just a good tipper. >:) "
 

No, we're talking about waiters, not gay prostitutes. Fine line. "

" @Hamst3r said:

" Wow, all this hate for people who aren't quick at math. Awesome.   The way I handle tipping is I simply put down two dollars more than whatever the first number of the bill is.   $10 bill = $3 tip. $20 bill = $4 tip. $30 bill = $5 tip. $40 bill = $6 tip. $50 bill = $7 tip.    Keeps it simple. Just look at the first number and add two. Add three if they were awesome. "

that is a very nice system u have there :) i have to say that i don't go out to eat a lot with friends that i have to tip. if i go out my parents pay. i have to say that i usually say give them $6 tip. it usually is something around there with the tip. "

" Waiters often don't even earn minimum wadge.  They're just poor people that need the tips to sustain any kind of life.  If you get a horrible waiter, don't tip them.  If you get a good one, pay a generous tip.  It's simple enough.  The restaurant owners may charge too much, but depending on where you go, the waiters might not be treated any better. "

" @Benjaminvdv: 
That's the most retarded thing I've ever heard.  Servers get paid like shit BECAUSE they're expected to make the majority of their money in tips.   You do realize they're required to claim their tips, it's not like tipping the cable man, or repairman. That is a little bonus, a little thank you. The tips you give servers is literally their paycheck.  The pay they get from their wages is barely anything after taxes. It can literally come out to less than 10 dollars a pay cycle.  And what bonuses do servers get? Thank God that not everyone thinks the way some of the people in this thread do.  Seriously, atleast in the US  15% bare minimum  20% standard but aim for between 20 - 25% Now I'm not saying if the servers shitty you have too tip them. But keep in mind, when you stiff a server they remember your face. "

This thread reminds me of how retarded your way of paying for stuff is. Oh dear.

" Just do 20%.  It's the right thing to do, and it makes the math easy.  (Unless they suck, then punish them!) "

Seriously, atleast in the US  15% bare minimum  20% standard but aim for between 20 - 25% Now I'm not saying if the servers shitty you have too tip them. But keep in mind, when you stiff a server they remember your face. "

A proper tip is 15%. If you don't like tipping you're just cheap. I agree that it may still be better if servers got a regular wage but it is the way it is and at least tip properly.