How Bad Does Service Have To Be Not To Tip?

[Gugny]

20 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

The server would have to be blatantly rude to me to get no tip (which thankfully has never happened).  For bad service, I will always leave a tip and then just never return to the restaurant.

 

I've only left no tip once in my life.  It was at a Denny's.  It was almost as if the waitress was TRYING to get no tip.  I quietly approached the manager on my way out.  I said, "I want to let you know that I didn't leave a tip and here's why .... (explained the rude behavior and inattentiveness).  So when she comes crying to you about not getting a tip, you'll know why."  The manager apologized and offered to comp the meal.  I told her that I wasn't looking for anything in the form of a freebie, but thanked her, anyway.

[NoSaint]

20 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

The server would have to be blatantly rude to me to get no tip (which thankfully has never happened).  For bad service, I will always leave a tip and then just never return to the restaurant.

 

Which is kind of backwards no? Reward the bad employee and punish the owners and other employees by not coming back? 

 

im to a degree the same way but try to pay attention to if it’s a bad employee or systematic issues. I also try to grant some grace for bad days... but realistically my gut is to do like you do unless I really think about it 

[ExiledInIllinois]

25 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I've only left no tip once in my life.  It was at a Denny's.  It was almost as if the waitress was TRYING to get no tip.  I quietly approached the manager on my way out.  I said, "I want to let you know that I didn't leave a tip and here's why .... (explained the rude behavior and inattentiveness).  So when she comes crying to you about not getting a tip, you'll know why."  The manager apologized and offered to comp the meal.  I told her that I wasn't looking for anything in the form of a freebie, but thanked her, anyway.

You My Friend are a stand-up Guy, My Hero!

 

When somebody asks Me: "What does the word "Hero" mean to You?"  I shout: "Gugny! He's the beast!" Whilst holding a screenshot of Your post that I just quoted/replied to.

 

Thank You for Your Service in making all Our World a truly better place!

 

Either that or You were a demanding little B-Word on that visit to Denny's and deserved everything You got in the way of inattentive service. While, either may be the case, I will let the Board be the judge.

 

?

Edited August 7, 2018 by ExiledInIllinois

[Fr. Jerk]

Ask Scottie Pippen.

[Soda Popinski]

Went to one of my favorite places two weeks ago for brunch.   Sat down right around 0935-940.  20 minutes to get drinks, that's not normal, place our order and at 1045 i got up and went to the bar and told them to cash us out, we'd pay for the drinks we had but we were done.    the guy serving us was the manager, he implores me to sit down, food is in the window, i say thanks but no thanks it's been over an hour we're pretty much done.   

 

He tells me he'll give me the food for free, I decline, I'm not someone who complains for free food that's not what I want and I won't take free food regardless I pay for what I eat.  He says I'll buy you a round of drinks, and i'll comp 50% of the food cost but please have a seat and we'll bring it right now.  Ok, i sit back down.   they immediately bring over the food and as usual, it's ungodly good.  As good as I remember and the round of drinks comes over too.   Brings me the bill, sure enough comped the 2nd round and 50% off.  I pay the bill and leave $10.00 for a tip.

 

So i don't really know at this point how bad it has to be to not leave anything, because even though it took forever, the guy made things right.    Had he simply given me a bill that i requested for just the drinks I probably would have still dropped a couple of bucks.  Someone would have to be flat out rude and not even try for me to leave nothing.   

[Ned Flanders]

At restaurants, I'm a standard 20 percent tipper, 25 if the service is real good and they talk to my kids.  

 

What do folks tip for carryout?  Must say, I don't tip every time I go to Starbucks or Subway.  There's a tip jar at my dry cleaner's...I've never dropped any money in, but do people tend to tip the dry cleaner?  My haircut is $18 and I give her $25...I think that's pretty good or are barbers a "cut above" (pun intended) and deserve more?

 

When I was a kid, I had a paper route.  Now, our paper is delivered by a guy in his car.  We never see him but tip him a few bucks on the monthly bill.  When I delivered, Thursday nights were always for collecting.  I'd go door to door,  handed the customer the little receipt tab and I was happy to get two bit tip.

 

We had a plumber show up on a Sunday recently and he saved the day and we gave him a $40 tip.  He was quite astonished and refused the tip at first...we insisted and he was very grateful.  This was a plumber from a corporate firm and not a neighbor who was good at tools, but we felt he deserved a decent tip.

 

Bottom line, tipping seems to be more prevalent these days..it's nearly everywhere, and it's sometimes hard to keep up with who deserves what.  

[gomper]

Only once in the last 20 years have I not left a tip. It was two years ago at the Bar Bill. I ordered a draft of Blue because their lines are always super clean. Bartender hands me a bottle of Blue. I tell him I wanted a Draft. He just mumbles something and walks away. All he had to do was put it in the ice and pour my draft. It'd sell in 90 seconds. Ever since Chuck and Nancy sold it the staff acts like they can't be bothered. I'll never go back. 

[Soda Popinski]

If I'm getting takeout i'll drop a couple buck to the girl taking the order.     Never tipped at Subway or a dry cleaner.   I took my son on a hog hunt last year and the bill was $235 but since we didn't get a hog the guy didn't charge me, I handed him $60 bucks for the effort anyway.      

 

I don't tip the newspaper person or the mail delivery person.    The newspaper I don't tip because I know for a FACT that they take out all the good coupons from my Sunday and Thursday and give them to the crazy coupon ********es and I'm calling BS on that.  Those ladies go into the grocery store, root through all the papers and steal all the coupons.   That's stealing and i'm not afraid to loudly and publicly call them out when I see them doing it.   Then they go grab all the friggin sale items and sell them on facebook.   Pisses me off to no end because when something is a deal i take my BOGO or whatever the deal is and I take my fair share and no more.    greedy so and sos.   Sorry rant over. 

[Mark80]

17 hours ago, Bakin said:

Lol 50% tips. 

Insanity. 

 

I tip 15% for average service.

20% for exceptional service and that’s it. 

If the server sucks I will gladly leave them nothing. They would have to really suck and it’s happened a few times. 

I also never send back food in a restaurant. 

 

Fwiw I have worked as a server. 

 

So proud to be so cheap.  Classy.

[Soda Popinski]

It does amaze me how many people have worked in the industry or claim to have worked in the industry and then do all the things that drive people in the industry crazy.   The professional complainers who get things comped all the time because they know how to scam the system.   They walk into a mom and pop place and think that they have all the financial backing of Chilis or Olive garden and try to pull the same dog and pony show.    

 

Really?  you waited 45 minutes for your food? Because I sat you 25 minutes ago and your order was taken 10 minutes ago and here it is.   Take that Chit elswhere.    

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

33 minutes ago, Soda Popinski said:

It does amaze me how many people have worked in the industry or claim to have worked in the industry and then do all the things that drive people in the industry crazy.   The professional complainers who get things comped all the time because they know how to scam the system.   They walk into a mom and pop place and think that they have all the financial backing of Chilis or Olive garden and try to pull the same dog and pony show.    

 

Really?  you waited 45 minutes for your food? Because I sat you 25 minutes ago and your order was taken 10 minutes ago and here it is.   Take that Chit elswhere.    

I've never worked in the food/restaurant industry, but I've worked customer service for cable/internet companies. I can tell you from experience, the "Well, what are you gonna do for me for the inconvenience this caused me?" guy is getting less than the customer who doesn't look for anything except to get their issue fixed. I'll give the first guy enough to avoid a bad survey score, but the second guy will probably get more from me. 

[Soda Popinski]

1 minute ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said:

I've never worked in the food/restaurant industry, but I've worked customer service for cable/internet companies. I can tell you from experience, the "Well, what are you gonna do for me for the inconvenience this caused me?" guy is getting less than the customer who doesn't look for anything except to get their issue fixed. I'll give the first guy enough to avoid a bad survey score, but the second guy will probably get more from me. 

I HATE those kind of people because they're not looking for a product or service, they're looking for something for free.   That's the bottom line.  And there is an entire sub culture of them.    In my post earlier in this thread i told the manager I wouldn't take free food because that's not the kind of customer I am, if the service is bad I'll let you know, and at that point I was just going to pay for what I consumed and walk away.   Problem is when I do that i never come back.  I've always maintained there are two kinds of people in this world, talkers and walkers.   I'm a walker.   But in that instance I wanted to at least say something before we left and it ended up working out because if they had just comped my meal, and I had left I'd probably never come back.   

 

But people have no shame.   

[row_33]

i've been yelled at a few times for being too generous at certain demographically obvious restaurants

 

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

19 hours ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said:

Also, I always try to tip cash when I can so they don't get taxed on it. 

Thanks Donald!

17 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

The server would literally have to drop their pants at my table and fart directly into my dinner.

I.F.H. MONDAY'S from Nick Swardson

 

[Buffalo_Gal]

When Hubby and I go to a restaurant, I pay and leave the tip because Hubby is less than generous (IMO) in the tipping department. Hubby calls me the "Patron Saint of Service Workers". 

If the waitstaff is subpar or rude, I hand hubby the bill. He worked in the restaurant industry, and unlike most former restaurant workers, feels To Insure Prompt Service is the true meaning of TIPS and needs to be earned. He considered 15% more than adequate. So, if I hand off the bill to him you can be certain the waitstaff is getting nowhere near that.

The odd part? I have never worked in a service industry where tips are customary. 

[Soda Popinski]

Oh and for everyone who leaves that fake $5 bill that when you open it there's a bible verse in it, from all of the people in the restaurant industry to you......****** you.   

 

Try paying your electric bill with that piece of paper, or see if they take it at the grocery store.   Just an excuse for people to tip nothing without the guilt of not tipping.   

[row_33]

36 minutes ago, Soda Popinski said:

Oh and for everyone who leaves that fake $5 bill that when you open it there's a bible verse in it, from all of the people in the restaurant industry to you......****** you.   

 

Try paying your electric bill with that piece of paper, or see if they take it at the grocery store.   Just an excuse for people to tip nothing without the guilt of not tipping.   

 

that doesn't really exist, does it?

 

what is the verse?

 

 

[Soda Popinski]

Just now, row_33 said:

 

that doesn't really exist, does it?

 

what is the verse?

 

 

I don't know the verse because when my wife showed it to me I blacked out.    Probably John 3:16 or something regardless it might as well say "HA!  Fooled youuuuuu" in Rick Moranis's voice from Spaceballs. 

[row_33]

10 minutes ago, Soda Popinski said:

I don't know the verse because when my wife showed it to me I blacked out.    Probably John 3:16 or something regardless it might as well say "HA!  Fooled youuuuuu" in Rick Moranis's voice from Spaceballs. 

 

wow..... just wow.....

 

 

[BuffaloBill]

On 8/6/2018 at 11:36 AM, Johnny Hammersticks said:

The server would have to be blatantly rude to me to get no tip (which thankfully has never happened).  For bad service, I will always leave a tip and then just never return to the restaurant.

 

 

Directionally I would say that I agree with your thoughts here.  If I am coming back to a place I am loathe to leave a low or no tip due to what can happen in a restaurant with food.  To your point if things were really bad I would say something to a manager and then not return.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Why can't it just be like Europe.  Pay them enough, no tip needed.  Insulting if you tip.

[Captain Hindsight]

I dont think I've ever not tipped someone. They would have to legit insult me or my family for me to refuse to tip them

[ExiledInIllinois]

4 minutes ago, Captain Hindsight said:

I dont think I've ever not tipped someone. They would have to legit insult me or my family for me to refuse to tip them

Same here.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

On 8/6/2018 at 11:36 AM, Johnny Hammersticks said:

The server would have to be blatantly rude to me to get no tip (which thankfully has never happened).  For bad service, I will always leave a tip and then just never return to the restaurant.

 

not if the restaurant has good food.

 

I go to a place where this one waitress is not the greatest and she is no rookie and hope I don't get her but if I do I hope she puts in more effort but she doesn't do she gets less than the other girls.

 

she usually doesn't ask for refills and comes back quick with the check when we aren't even close to being done.

 

 

[Gary M]

Don't come back after 20 minutes with my order and apologize for taking so long because you were smoking. No tip

[Just Jack]

7 hours ago, row_33 said:

that doesn't really exist, does it?

 

what is the verse?

 

It's called a tract....

http://www.makeitclearnow.org/dollartract.html

 

Make your own...

http://www.cybergenica.com/blog/100-dollar-bill-christian-tract/

 

[Captain Caveman]

I don't think I've ever left nothing, probably haven't left less than 15% since I was a dumb kid.  I worked as a waiter in my early 20s and it made an impression on me how somebody tipping well could make a lousy day better, beyond just the $ - just the idea that there are good people out there  (which was necessary when dealing with so many !@#$s as will happen in a service job.)  20% for me is usual minimum, I usually am eating with kids who can make a mess and be a bit loud, when I'm with them it's usually 30%.  If it's a cheap meal it's also usually a higher percentage (if it's a 10$ lunch I'll leave 5$.)

[ExiledInIllinois]

My Mexican sister inlaw, goes to Carrabas and orders a pasta dish.  Hold the normal sauce and wants Alfredo instead.  Then goes on to complain that it's too runny and pasta is sticking together.

 

Holy Moly... Stick to the normal menu.  It's "corporate dining" & she thinks she is Anthony Bourdain making her own receipes on the fly.

 

The order was totally FUBAR'd.  I think I tipped the poor server 30%.  Share it with the kitchen staff nuking the bags of food.

[Augie]

9 hours ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

When Hubby and I go to a restaurant, I pay and leave the tip because Hubby is less than generous (IMO) in the tipping department. Hubby calls me the "Patron Saint of Service Workers". 

If the waitstaff is subpar or rude, I hand hubby the bill. He worked in the restaurant industry, and unlike most former restaurant workers, feels To Insure Prompt Service is the true meaning of TIPS and needs to be earned. He considered 15% more than adequate. So, if I hand off the bill to him you can be certain the waitstaff is getting nowhere near that.

The odd part? I have never worked in a service industry where tips are customary. 

 

My wife is in a world where a lot of entertaining is common. She had a mentor decades ago who told her “on your own dime, you can do what you want. The bank is happy right around 15%.” To this day she does the math with a pen on the bill and usually rounds up a bit personally. I start around 20% unless they suck. Rounding off is critical, though. If an even $3 is 17.8%, they will have to live with it. But sometimes on a cheap/low bill, I go into “minimum mode”, and they get like 35%. 

[Gugny]

36 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

My wife is in a world where a lot of entertaining is common. She had a mentor decades ago who told her “on your own dime, you can do what you want. The bank is happy right around 15%.” To this day she does the math with a pen on the bill and usually rounds up a bit personally. I start around 20% unless they suck. Rounding off is critical, though. If an even $3 is 17.8%, they will have to live with it. But sometimes on a cheap/low bill, I go into “minimum mode”, and they get like 35%. 

 

I round the total to make the math easy.  So if the bill comes to 68.75, I round up to 70 and start with 20% of that.  So that's $14.  If the service is good, they get $15.  If it's bad, they get $10.  I usually wouldn't go below the $10 unless it was really bad.  But I'd go above the $15 if the service was stellar and/or I had a few cocktails.

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I round the total to make the math easy.  So if the bill comes to 68.75, I round up to 70 and start with 20% of that.  So that's $14.  If the service is good, they get $15.  If it's bad, they get $10.  I usually wouldn't go below the $10 unless it was really bad.  But I'd go above the $15 if the service was stellar and/or I had a few cocktails.

 

I’m an odd bird who goes out for lunch usually Mon-Fri. Many of the same places, getting my favorite meal from each place. If it comes to $7.26 for a cup of black bean soup and an Arnold Palmer, they get $3. If my Cobb salad come to $11.75, they get about the same. I guess I’m just lazy. 

 

I do lunch far more than dinner, obviously. FAR too often. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

5 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

I round the total to make the math easy.  So if the bill comes to 68.75, I round up to 70 and start with 20% of that.  So that's $14.

That's how I do it.  Tax included, total bill in the 20%.

5 hours ago, Augie said:

 

I’m an odd bird who goes out for lunch usually Mon-Fri. Many of the same places, getting my favorite meal from each place. If it comes to $7.26 for a cup of black bean soup and an Arnold Palmer, they get $3. If my Cobb salad come to $11.75, they get about the same. I guess I’m just lazy. 

 

I do lunch far more than dinner, obviously. FAR too often. 

Why breakfast places make good tips for working the same.  On small tabs I go 50%.

[row_33]

9 hours ago, Just Jack said:

 

It's called a tract....

http://www.makeitclearnow.org/dollartract.html

 

Make your own...

http://www.cybergenica.com/blog/100-dollar-bill-christian-tract/

 

 

Not as big an outreach movement in Canada.

 

most stories of this nature are of hearing someone had it happen to them , rarely first person truthful accounts.

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

18 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

Not as big an outreach movement in Canada.

 

most stories of this nature are of hearing someone had it happen to them , rarely first person truthful accounts.

 

Litterbugs! 

[Buffalo_Gal]

8 hours ago, Augie said:

 

My wife is in a world where a lot of entertaining is common. She had a mentor decades ago who told her “on your own dime, you can do what you want. The bank is happy right around 15%.” To this day she does the math with a pen on the bill and usually rounds up a bit personally. I start around 20% unless they suck. Rounding off is critical, though. If an even $3 is 17.8%, they will have to live with it. But sometimes on a cheap/low bill, I go into “minimum mode”, and they get like 35%. 

The only time I recall my husband leaving an overly generous tip was one time when we were taking a late flight out of JFK (he lived in Manhattan when I met him) to Vegas. For some reason, we didn't have dinner before going to the airport. We decided to catch a late meal at one of the places in JFK.

We sat down at this airport restaurant, and waited and waited for the waiter to come over. Finally, the waiter shows up and slaps down menus in front of us. The "Whaddya want" in a heavy Bronx accent was how he asked for our order. The plates of food were slammed down in front of us. The recheck never occurred, although we could hear him muttering as he cleared off tables close to us. The bill was also slammed down on the table, but silently.

Think of every single bad NYC waiter stereotype you have ever heard of, or encountered, all rolled into one.

I was appalled. Hubby was entertained! He called it dinner and a show, and left an unreasonably large tip for the "performance". 

And I remember the story because the service was so bad, and Hubby's tip was so large (and out of character).

Edited August 8, 2018 by Buffalo_Gal

[Gugny]

37 minutes ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

The only time I recall my husband leaving an overly generous tip was one time when we were taking a late flight out of JFK (he lived in Manhattan when I met him) to Vegas. For some reason, we didn't have dinner before going to the airport. We decided to catch a late meal at one of the places in JFK.

We sat down at this airport restaurant, and waited and waited for the waiter to come over. Finally, the waiter shows up and slaps down menus in front of us. The "Whaddya want" in a heavy Bronx accent was how he asked for our order. The plates of food were slammed down in front of us. The recheck never occurred, although we could hear him muttering as he cleared off tables close to us. The bill was also slammed down on the table, but silently.

Think of every single bad NYC waiter stereotype you have ever heard of, or encountered, all rolled into one.

I was appalled. Hubby was entertained! He called it dinner and a show, and left an unreasonably large tip for the "performance". 

And I remember the story because the service was so bad, and Hubby's tip was so large (and out of character).

 

There used to be (may still be) a place that is purposefully rude for entertainment purposes.  I heard about it years ago.  Gotta see if I can find out what it was/is.

 

I've never had rude/bad service in NYC and I'd never heard of any stereotype.  Not saying it's not "a thing," but I've never encountered it.

 

At McSorley's in Manhattan, the slamming down of beers is a tradition.  I knew about it prior, but didn't tell my son (14 at the time).  We went to lunch there last year and I got two beers (you have to order two at a time) and the waiter slammed them down in front of me and kept walking.  My son's eyes got as big as silver dollars.  Hilarious.

[sodbuster]

I've only once ever not left a tip. I was eating with two friends at a smallish bar and grill. Since I was driving, I only ordered a soda with my meal, which drew some unprofessional remarks from the waitress. She then took our food order twice, which should have been a clue as to how drunk she was, but we didn't realize it until she delivered our food to the wrong table. Near the end of our meal, we ordered one more round of drinks. When the whole drink order came back completely wrong, I made the mistake of asking her if she was feeling ok. She proceeded to drop a slew of racial slurs on one of my dining companions. When I spoke to her manager, he defended her, and threatened to kick my ass. We walked without even looking at the bill. 

Edited August 8, 2018 by sodbuster

[ExiledInIllinois]

48 minutes ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

The only time I recall my husband leaving an overly generous tip was one time when we were taking a late flight out of JFK (he lived in Manhattan when I met him) to Vegas. For some reason, we didn't have dinner before going to the airport. We decided to catch a late meal at one of the places in JFK.

We sat down at this airport restaurant, and waited and waited for the waiter to come over. Finally, the waiter shows up and slaps down menus in front of us. The "Whaddya want" in a heavy Bronx accent was how he asked for our order. The plates of food were slammed down in front of us. The recheck never occurred, although we could hear him muttering as he cleared off tables close to us. The bill was also slammed down on the table, but silently.

Think of every single bad NYC waiter stereotype you have ever heard of, or encountered, all rolled into one.

I was appalled. Hubby was entertained! He called it dinner and a show, and left an unreasonably large tip for the "performance". 

And I remember the story because the service was so bad, and Hubby's tip was so large (and out of character).

I would do the exact same thing.  Leave a large tip.

 

I guess it works on some of us! 

 

I hate smarmy, kiss azzes. If I am gonna give a small tip, it's gonna be those... Over-achievers that are running around like a chicken with their heads chopped off to please a patron's every whim.  Total fake.  Just had one like that in Buffalo last month @ William K's (Erie Basin).  We can see the food sitting getting cold waiting for rest of order.  Disorganized, totally fake waitress... Still tip 20%.

 

Keep it real.  Nobody is that special, including myself.

 

 

10 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

There used to be (may still be) a place that is purposefully rude for entertainment purposes.  I heard about it years ago.  Gotta see if I can find out what it was/is.

 

I've never had rude/bad service in NYC and I'd never heard of any stereotype.  Not saying it's not "a thing," but I've never encountered it.

 

At McSorley's in Manhattan, the slamming down of beers is a tradition.  I knew about it prior, but didn't tell my son (14 at the time).  We went to lunch there last year and I got two beers (you have to order two at a time) and the waiter slammed them down in front of me and kept walking.  My son's eyes got as big as silver dollars.  Hilarious.

Ed Debevic's Chicago?

Edited August 8, 2018 by ExiledInIllinois

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

4 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

There used to be (may still be) a place that is purposefully rude for entertainment purposes.  I heard about it years ago.  Gotta see if I can find out what it was/is.

 

I've never had rude/bad service in NYC and I'd never heard of any stereotype.  Not saying it's not "a thing," but I've never encountered it.

 

At McSorley's in Manhattan, the slamming down of beers is a tradition.  I knew about it prior, but didn't tell my son (14 at the time).  We went to lunch there last year and I got two beers (you have to order two at a time) and the waiter slammed them down in front of me and kept walking.  My son's eyes got as big as silver dollars.  Hilarious.

There's a chain of places, I think it might just be in Texas. Called Dick's Last Resort. Went to one on the Riverwalk (tourist area) in San Antonio. They do this. They also make you wear a paper hat, with something written on it. My cousin wore won that said "I Beat Anorexia." I had one that said "Not Everything Is Bigger In Texas." Some little girl was crying, and the staff just kept making fun of her, making her cry even more, and the parents loved it.

[Gugny]

4 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Ed Debevic's Chicago?

 

 

Is that a shooting range?