NationStates Jolt Archive

Do you leave tips? How much and how often? Who do you tip? I'm curious because this tipping bullshit is starting to catch on down here. If I go somewhere I want to know how much I'm going to have to pay straight up, I don't want to work out how much I owe for the meal and then try and decide how much I should tip someone. Personally I think it's a big scam, you go somewhere and pay for something you have consumed then you have to pay for something for no reason! Anyway, it's not like tips go anywhere useful, just to a staff piss up at the end of the month.

So what do you think about tipping? Do you hate it as much as I do? Do you think it's as big a scam too? Are there some people you tip and some you don't (taxi drivers or waiters ect)? Who/where do you tip, how much and why? If at all.

Most service people (ahem: WAITERS) get tipped because their actual wages are completely and utterly shit.

I tip them as much as I feel reasonable (20-30% -- sometimes as much as 50%, and once, I tipped 300% -- but that was a special case)

I'll toss a good waiter a few quid. Damned if I make it a percentage.

you must not be american. in the US tips go to pay the bills of the server. without tips they wouldnt make enough to live on.

i like being a real adult who has enough money to leave a reasonable tip.

so i do.

I usually give a percentage based on service, usually 15-20%.

out of curiosity, does anyone here take the Mr. Pink approach?

What's the Mr. Pink approach?

Most service people (ahem: WAITERS) get tipped because their actual wages are completely and utterly shit.

I tip them as much as I feel reasonable (20-30% -- sometimes as much as 50%, and once, I tipped 300% -- but that was a special case)

I'm a service person, I work for minimum wage too. I slave away in a kitchen for minimum wage with no tips, why should wait staff be advantaged over me?

No, no. Servers make BELOW minimum wage here in the US BECAUSE they get tips. They get, like, $2.50 an hour or something, BECAUSE they get tips.

If you're making $2.50 back in the kitchens, you are getting fucked.

I work in a resturant so I know what being the server is like. Because of this, when I go out, I usually leave at least 15%.

When my friends and I are out, we usually leave 20-40%

I tip most service people (waiters, taxi drivers, housekeepers, delivery boys, ect.). My entire family is in the cleaning business, so I can assure you that tips are very nice to receive. In the case of cleaners, you should leave a tip because the cleaners will clean better if you do... I know this doesn't really matter if you are already gone, but you should leave a tip and hope that the person before you left one too. The average tip we get is anywhere from $5 to $20, once we got $50 (that was nice). Tips are just a courtesy that you should leave in thanks to service above and beyond what was necessary.

you must not be american. in the US tips go to pay the bills of the server. without tips they wouldnt make enough to live on.

i like being a real adult who has enough money to leave a reasonable tip.

so i do.

You're right, I'm not an American, the minimum wage is $12.30/hour here, with penalties (double time for Sundays/Public holidays, 1 1/2time for Saturdays ect). But what do you mean 'bills of the server'?

Frankly having people need to live off tips (which are a bonus for providing extra good service) is stupid. Why not create a minimum wage people can live off?

If you don't get bad service you should tip. Waiters put up with a lot of crap and their pay does not reflect this. Tips are a significant portion of their wages and it makes a big difference to them, especially if they have a family to support.

Tipping isn't required, but almost no one in the US questions the tradition. I don't know much about tipping anyone other then waiters since I don't use taxis and such, so I'll just comment on waiters. You can give as small or as large of a tip as you want, depending on service and whether you have much money to spare. Here's what you do. You look at the bill. On it should be the total you owe (You hinted that this is not on your bills. I find that odd.). You generally tip 10% to 15% of the total.

No, no. Servers make BELOW minimum wage here in the US BECAUSE they get tips. They get, like, $2.50 an hour or something, BECAUSE they get tips.

If you're making $2.50 back in the kitchens, you are getting fucked.

How on Earth can it be legal to pay people less than the legal minimum wage? ($12.30, not $2.50)

I believe what Ashmoria means is that that money isn't really extra money -- that is, in effect, the server's wages. Servers make far below minimum wage, like I said, because the tips are effectively part of their wages.

You generally tip 10% to 15% of the total.

And yet, I've never put in more than a twenty cent coin...

Depends on the situation and how good the service is.

In a resturaunt: I usually tip at least 20%...more if the waiter/waitress is really good. I've also been known to leave a couple quarters (with a note explaining why) if the service was really shitty. (People may ask "why leave a note?" Most likely, if I didn't leave a note, the server would probably just think "what an asshole"... at least I'm letting him/her know that the reason he/she got a shit tip is because his/her service sucked.)

At a bar: Whether getting a drink from the bartender directly or from a waitress, I tip a dollar per drink...always...even on dollar night.

You're right, I'm not an American, the minimum wage is $12.30/hour here, with penalties (double time for Sundays/Public holidays, 1 1/2time for Saturdays ect). But what do you mean 'bills of the server'?

Frankly having people need to live off tips (which are a bonus for providing extra good service) is stupid. Why not create a minimum wage people can live off?
oh i meant "pay the bills" as in rent, electricity, telephone. minimum wage for a waiter here is MAYBE $3/hour plus they pay tax on estimated tips whether they receive them or not.

In the US, for a food delivery person, a dollar or two should suffice, depending on how fast he got there.

At a restaurant, 15% is standard, and 20% if the service was very good.

I have walked out without leaving a tip when the service was abominable. I have stopped and told the owner/host precisely why in this case.

And yet, I've never put in more than a twenty cent coin...

Given, it's different for you, because you're not in the US, and that's understandable. From what I'm given to understand in countries where they actually pay servers stuff, you only tip when it's GOOD service.

I eat out very frequently, so this is often a concern with me.

Two considerations come in to play for me:

Most importantly is service, if it is bad, 5% is the most I will tip, sometimes i will leave change from my pocket, i usually write a note on the bill.

Generally I tip 20% if the service meets my expectations, which are different at different resturaunts.

I tip very well at places I go to often, to endear myself to the wait staff.

I'm a service person, I work for minimum wage too. I slave away in a kitchen for minimum wage with no tips, why should wait staff be advantaged over me?
You're getting full minimum wage (in the US that would be $7.something an hour). In the US, waitresses' and waiters' base wage is $2.13 an hour. If they didn't get tips, they'd starve (or find another job).

How on Earth can it be legal to pay people less than the legal minimum wage? ($12.30, not $2.50)

There's a special minimum wage for bartenders, waiters, and other people who make tips. This minimum is lower for them than for regular workers.

Where is your minimum wage $12.30??? How the hell do small businesses make money?

Here in Ontario it's $7.50, and for waiters, around $6.

You're getting full minimum wage (in the US that would be $7.something an hour). In the US, waitresses' and waiters' base wage is $2.13 an hour. If they didn't get tips, they'd starve (or find another job).

I think I understand now, there are diffrent minimum wages in America for diffrent services?

<<oh i meant "pay the bills" as in rent, electricity, telephone. minimum wage for a waiter here is MAYBE $3/hour plus they pay tax on estimated tips whether they receive them or not.>>

Wow. The minumum wage here is about 6 or 7 dollars (equivalent). That is a shit deal.

I always tip waiters here in the UK a minimum of 10%, unless the service was really unbelievably awful. Notably good service gets 15%, waitresses who flirt get more like 20-25% because dammit, it works. :mad:

I also tip bar staff in the traditional pubs where tips are accepted, 20p usually, or £1 when buying a large round.

Why? Several years of service industry work while a student, including waiter, kitchen porter (omfg teh suck) and barman. It does make a difference. So as a veteran of the service, I do my bit to help. :)

There's a special minimum wage for bartenders, waiters, and other people who make tips. This minimum is lower for them than for regular workers.

Where is your minimum wage $12.30??? How the hell do small businesses make money?

Here in Ontario it's $7.50, and for waiters, around $6.

I'm in Australia, and that's a minimum wage across all industries (unless you're on commission where they can pay you nothing but the commissions you earn). As for small businesses, they're doing quite well and unemployment is about 4%.

You're getting full minimum wage (in the US that would be $7.something an hour).
I think it's about $5.85 for the national minimum wage. Many states have set a higher minimum wage though. (It's either $6.25 or $6.35 here in Rhode Island.)

In the United States, minimum wage for tipped employees [servers] is $2.13 per hour. The Federal minimum wage is $5.15 with some states making it higher.

I work in a restaraunt performing a variety of functions, one of which is serving.

When you pay the check, you are paying for the food/product but not for the service. In the United States, it is generally accepted that average/good service is tipped 15% of the check total and exceptional service is given 20% or above. Sub-par is 10% or below.

Every now and then you get some fool that doesn't tip because they're uninformed or just are that much of an ass that they don't just because.

I won't lie, I make good money as a server, if i didn't I wouldn't do it. It is a fun job, you meet all kinds of people but you also deal with some of the rudest people around. Its a pretty good job while you go to school because the hours are easily modified and its cash in your pocket every day.

I tip very well at places I go to often, to endear myself to the wait staff.

I also do that. Otherwise, between 10-20% depending on the wait staff. (Rarely below 15, but in the case of a fine restaurant, if I will penalize if I have to explain things to an obviously clueless waiter.)

Rarely do I encounter such bad service that I feel there is no need to leave a tip. But it has happened once. (Indeed, the incident almost led to fisticuffs).

Edit: I also tip more at local diners, because the food is so cheap, I know they can't make much, but they are really depending on the tips to live.

Oh yeah, and the pay I had back in those days was £4.20 per hour, which is about US$7-8. I am not sure if the minimum wage has increased since then. Working bhind the bar, my tips would add another £1 per hour to that, up to three times that on important sporting events.

Clearly, this minimum wage is a hallmark of a decadent, communist European liberalism.

I think I understand now, there are diffrent minimum wages in America for diffrent services?
There's the minimum wage, then there's minimum wage for bar/resturaunt servers. I really have no clue as to why it's that way or how it started. But, if you asked bartenders/waiters/waitresses if they wanted full minimum wage instead of bar wage + tips, they'd probably laugh at you.

My ex-fiancee was a waitress expressly for the reason that even on a bad night (low bar attendance) she could still go home with $100+ in tips...because she was an excellent waitress.

Some of my bartender friends in the popular clubs go home with as much as $300 (or more) a night in tips.

I'm in Australia, and that's a minimum wage across all industries (unless you're on commission where they can pay you nothing but the commissions you earn). As for small businesses, they're doing quite well and unemployment is about 4%.

Wow. I am, quite frankly, amazed. I'm moving Down Under asap.

And yet, I've never put in more than a twenty cent coin...

'You' was intended to be a pronoun representing inhabitents of the US. I didn't know enough about Australia to calculate a reasonable amount to tip a waiter. From what I gather about your minimum wage I'd suggest not giving a tip at all unless you get exceptional service.

There's the minimum wage, then there's minimum wage for bar/resturaunt servers. I really have no clue as to why it's that way or how it started. But, if you asked bartenders/waiters/waitresses if they wanted full minimum wage instead of bar wage + tips, they'd probably laugh at you.

My ex-fiancee was a waitress expressly for the reason that even on a bad night (low bar attendance) she could still go home with $100+ in tips...because she was an excellent waitress.

Some of my bartender friends in the popular clubs go home with as much as $300 (or more) a night in tips.

Yeah, women, and especially women bartenders, absolutely rake in the profits. Take an attractive girl, subtract some clothes, add in a bunch of teen-to-twenties guys, then throw in the booze and you've got a guaranteed recipe for making money hand over fist.

you must not be american. in the US tips go to pay the bills of the server. without tips they wouldnt make enough to live on.

i like being a real adult who has enough money to leave a reasonable tip.

so i do.

thats a lie actually. Most waiter-person are payed 9 or 10 dollars. TIPS are needless. Well..in Anchorage they are.

Yeah, women, and especially women bartenders, absolutely rake in the profits. Take an attractive girl, subtract some clothes, add in a bunch of teen-to-twenties guys, then throw in the booze and you've got a guaranteed recipe for making money hand over fist.
Very much so...but it also works both ways. One of my friends is a pretty damned good looking guy...like model good looking. The girl patrons of the clubs practically throw money at him. It also helps that he's really good at "flair" (flipping and juggling bottles while making drinks).

thats a lie actually. Most waiter-person are payed 9 or 10 dollars. TIPS are needless. Well..in Anchorage they are.
In Texas (and most other states), the minimum wage for bartenders/waiters/waitresses is $2.13 an hour.

Very much so...but it also works both ways. One of my friends is a pretty damned good looking guy...like model good looking. The girl patrons of the clubs practically throw money at him. It also helps that he's really good at "flair" (flipping and juggling bottles while making drinks).

I've got a friend who says, "Pretty people rule the world." His point is proven yet again. :headbang:

In Texas (and most other states), the minimum wage for bartenders/waiters/waitresses is $2.13 an hour.

That sucks, then I would either (1) TIP at that establishment (2) or not use the establishment

hahaha on another note, Alaska's minimum wage is 7.15 boo-ya AND we get PFDs, AND we are twice as big as Texas.

One of my online buddies was a waiter person for a while, and he was real happy when he got 100 bucks, which he promptly turned around and spent on...useless internet crap!

'You' was intended to be a pronoun representing inhabitents of the US. I didn't know enough about Australia to calculate a reasonable amount to tip a waiter. From what I gather about your minimum wage I'd suggest not giving a tip at all unless you get exceptional service.

I've got to agree with you, I see no need for it here, it's just a culture thing.

When I went to Europe, they absolutly loved me. As an American, I leave atleast 15% for decent to good service, usually around 18%. Even for sub-par service I leave 10% When I went to Europe, I still left that much. There was even a case where I only had fries, but still took up a table, so ended up tipping around 200% because I'm so used to how it is here in the states.

In the US, since tipping is custom, the government takes advantage of that and sets a lower minimum wage, but still tax the tips (assuming the workers report them)

Enough of my family or friends have/do work in service that I tip pretty well for an 19 year old. Around here, hosts/hostesses get 10% of the tip, so it really does have to be pretty substantial.

Most service people (ahem: WAITERS) get tipped because their actual wages are completely and utterly shit.

I tip them as much as I feel reasonable (20-30% -- sometimes as much as 50%, and once, I tipped 300% -- but that was a special case)

You are a wonderful person. I work at a grocery store off of tips therefore I know what it is like. I am also a pretty big tipper. Just had to add that in for my sake.

I usually give a percentage based on service, usually 15-20%.

out of curiosity, does anyone here take the Mr. Pink approach?

Yep. Mr Pink, in the flesh.

The only times I ever give a tip is when service went above and beyond reasonable. Any other situation and I leave no tip.

Yes, I tip!

If the waiter/waitress is good, they deserve a good tip.

If the person(s) having the meal don't have enough left over to tip graciously, then just leave what they can. I wouldn't look down on someone who doesn't have the money left over to do so. . It comes down to what you give from what you have. I'm talking about honest folk, not tight asses that claim they don't have it.


I've had a few shitty waitresses in my time.. with shitty attitudes.. they deserved diltch!

For people that have a good waiter/waitress and still tip like shit (or don't tip at all) .. what goes around comes around.

Here in Japan, tipping is not practiced, except in a few very special circumstances. I have found the general level of service to be a fair bit lower than back in the US. Particularly, wait staff are slower and less attentive.

In the textbook I use to teach ESL, there is a lesson this month that talks a bit about tipping. The students who've been to the US almost all had the same two comments re tipping. 1) The service is usually better, but can be overly solicitous or intrusive at times. 2) The amount to tip is confusing.

Is she hot? :p

No, I try to tip based on service. I won't go out of my way to tip someone if they pass on their bad day to me, and give me shitty service along with a bad attitude. Part of the 'dining out experience' is prompt, friendly service - a bit of idle courtesy and warmth is somewhat expected.

That said, If I can tell that a person is trying, I will tip them beyond measure - whether they are succeeding at it or otherwise. If a person deserves a tip, I give it in spades. Of course, as many of you know, I am a softie - and tend to see the sunlight through a storm when perhaps some people might not, so I can rarely recall a situation when I have not given a tip - though there have indeed been some.

Is she hot? :p

No, I try to tip based on service. I won't go out of my way to tip someone if they pass on their bad day to me, and give me shitty service along with a bad attitude. Part of the 'dining out experience' is prompt, friendly service - a bit of idle courtesy and warmth is somewhat expected.

That said, If I can tell that a person is trying, I will tip them beyond measure - whether they are succeeding at it or otherwise. If a person deserves a tip, I give it in spades. Of course, as many of you know, I am a softie - and tend to see the sunlight through a storm when perhaps some people might not, so I can rarely recall a situation when I have not given a tip - though there have indeed been some.

That's a good way to tip. My dad is a strict 20% tipper... Usually. When he isn't, he's a "keep the change" person.

I've yet to get an opportunity to tip for myself, so I can't really say what I would do.

I once gave a taxi driver a $2 tip...genreally here, you only round up to the nearest 5-10$

I also do that. Otherwise, between 10-20% depending on the wait staff. (Rarely below 15, but in the case of a fine restaurant, if I will penalize if I have to explain things to an obviously clueless waiter.)

Rarely do I encounter such bad service that I feel there is no need to leave a tip. But it has happened once. (Indeed, the incident almost led to fisticuffs).

Edit: I also tip more at local diners, because the food is so cheap, I know they can't make much, but they are really depending on the tips to live.


To be honest if the service is abominal, I complain to the management and they usually rectify the sitution by amending my bill.

The ideal for a waiter is 'attentive yet unobtrusive' at fine resturants, but at less formal places i lower my standards.

It has only been in extremely rare cases that bad service has resulted in a free meal, but my philosophy is that if you pay nothing, there is a "no harm no foul" attitude you are obliged to take.

There are a few resturants which, after having a terrible experience and not being forgiven the bill, i have never returned and *constantly* advise others not to dine at.

thats a lie actually. Most waiter-person are payed 9 or 10 dollars. TIPS are needless. Well..in Anchorage they are.

As an American who started serving at 16, moved up to corporate accounting, moved out to restaurant management and only in the last six months left the industry altogether (that's almost 14 years experience) I can tell you that Alaska must be far different than the rest of the country. For example:

Server minimum wage in PA = $2.83
Server minimum wage in WV = $2.36
Server minimum wage in OH = $2.13
Server minimum wage in IN = $2.13
Server minimum wage in MI = $2.13

Tips most certainly are the income source for your waitron. The $2/hour they earn as wages don't cover their taxes; most servers never get an actual paycheck. They get a stub that says "This is not a paycheck." This works because the average guest tips 15-20%. At the end of the shift, the server claims the amount of their tips they actually take home (after tipping out the busperson, the bartender, the food runner, the expo, the hostess) and is taxed on that money. The federal government considers the tip as the server's income. The American system is set up so that tipping is voluntary, but not optional.

The system may not make sense, it may be irritating, but it is what it is. It won't change becuase the NRA (National Restaurant Association) lobby is far too strong. Frankly, most servers don't want it to. They make better money in fewer hours than they would in retail and have extremely flexible schedules. None of them get "rich", but depending on the restaurant and the city they can make anything from $16K - $45K per year.

I usually tip 10%, simply because I can actually work that out in my head.

No, no. Servers make BELOW minimum wage here in the US BECAUSE they get tips. They get, like, $2.50 an hour or something, BECAUSE they get tips.

Yes, America has the most grotesque tip culture. The restuarants exploit the servers so that they are forced to kiss the customers arse to get a reasonable tip. Of course if the restuarant is in a touristy area then many of the clients are not from the US and thus have no idea that they are supposed to tip 18%.

But the dumbest thing of all is that bartenders are supposed to be tipped 18% aswell, smetimes just for turning around popin a beer bottle and handing it to the customer.

The whole service economy is in shambles, god knows how the economy even functions at all. Why bother getting an engineering degree when you can make more money as a bartender?

Waiters/waitresses get 15% unless they're really bad (then it goes down) or really good (it goes up) or unless I'm really broke. Or if it's waiterss at a bar, in which case I just round up to the nearest dollar for what my drink cost, usually that means 50 cents a round. Not bad considering all they're doing is going to the bar and coming back with beer.

For cab drivers it varies. If they manage to take the slowest route, their tip decreases. My bf uses the convention that if it should cost $25 to get from point A to point B and they get there in less than $25, he gives them $30. If they take more, then he asks for the change.

i tip based only on how genuinely nice. im usually pretty good at telling whether or not it was "im a nice person" kinda nice or the "i need your money" nice. i tip pretty big, whenever i've got the money. if i get shitty service, but the server was nice, and apologized abit, i tip them more then i would tip a prick with great service.

and i've always had this pet peeve, whenver i go to any place and they have that faux, sugar-goodness kinda nice, i hate it. seems so phony, like its their job. i always like people who are nice, but in a genuine, comfortabe sorta way.

You're right, I'm not an American, the minimum wage is $12.30/hour here, with penalties (double time for Sundays/Public holidays, 1 1/2time for Saturdays ect). But what do you mean 'bills of the server'?

Frankly having people need to live off tips (which are a bonus for providing extra good service) is stupid. Why not create a minimum wage people can live off?
$12.30 an hour?!

Where do you live?

I get minimum wage and it's $7.45/hour.

seems so phony, like its their job.


LOL. It is their job. A good server is a good actor and the guest can't tell the difference, true. But appearing nice is a server's job.

LOL. It is their job. A good server is a good actor and the guest can't tell the difference, true. But appearing nice is a server's job.

heh... yeah. sorry, worded it wrong. what i mean is when they only seem to be nice because its their job, thats all.

that said, i just realised its waaaay past my bed time.

I live in Australia where tipping is not endemic (probably because the staff get paid a decent rate compared to the US). I don't tip generally.

$12.30 an hour?!

Where do you live?

I get minimum wage and it's $7.45/hour.I assume that $Australian, works out to about $9.36US/hour. However last year (before the US dollar's drop) when the $A was running in its more typical $.65US range, it worked out to closer to $8US/hour. Exchange rates and all, not all dollars are the same and expenses vary so widely from nation to nation that comparisons of simple minimum wages even in the currency of a single nation are not necessarly indicative of quality of life on a given minimum wage.

Do you leave tips? How much and how often? Who do you tip? I'm curious because this tipping bullshit is starting to catch on down here. If I go somewhere I want to know how much I'm going to have to pay straight up, I don't want to work out how much I owe for the meal and then try and decide how much I should tip someone. Personally I think it's a big scam, you go somewhere and pay for something you have consumed then you have to pay for something for no reason! Anyway, it's not like tips go anywhere useful, just to a staff piss up at the end of the month.

So what do you think about tipping? Do you hate it as much as I do? Do you think it's as big a scam too? Are there some people you tip and some you don't (taxi drivers or waiters ect)? Who/where do you tip, how much and why? If at all.

I personally hate tipping, although I do usually tip whatever percentage or amount is expected because I wouldn't want to insult the person serving me - unless the service was really lousy or something. But you can't really go by how I feel about it - I'm kind of a tight-ass sometimes. To avoid tipping or feeling like I should, I generally make sure that I do everything myself wherever possible. I carry my own bags up to my hotel room, I go to restaurants where you order the food at the counter and then take it home with you or go find your own table, carry my own groceries out, etc.

When my folks and I go out to eat, my dad normally leave one to five dollars, depending on how nice and elpful the waiter/waitress was.

Do you leave tips? How much and how often? Who do you tip? I'm curious because this tipping bullshit is starting to catch on down here. If I go somewhere I want to know how much I'm going to have to pay straight up, I don't want to work out how much I owe for the meal and then try and decide how much I should tip someone. Personally I think it's a big scam, you go somewhere and pay for something you have consumed then you have to pay for something for no reason! Anyway, it's not like tips go anywhere useful, just to a staff piss up at the end of the month.

So what do you think about tipping? Do you hate it as much as I do? Do you think it's as big a scam too? Are there some people you tip and some you don't (taxi drivers or waiters ect)? Who/where do you tip, how much and why? If at all.

General rule: 5-10% the meal cost if the service was bad, and 10-20% is it was good or really good. I usually go for about 12-15%.

General rule: 5-10% the meal cost if the service was bad, and 10-20% is it was good or really good. I usually go for about 12-15%.

You're quite generous. If service was bad, I'd either leave no tip, or such a small tip that it's more of an insult than anything else.

That said, I think I'm a pretty generous person. So long as the meal wasn't stone cold, and the waiter wasn't rude, I'll give an automatic 15%.

I don't tip, they should add it onto the bill, I ain't paying more than i have to. Its my money and I've worked for it.

It is intersting reading though all of those responses. From most if I cansee that people tip 15-20% more for good service and possibly none for really bad service.

I have always tipped 10% just because it is easy to calculate. SOme of my friends used to say I did not tip enough but friends of mine that are waiters usually bring home about $75-100 a night from tips. Because of that I stay at my 10%. I work for minimum wage whcih is jsut over a dollar more than what it is for a waiter and I tend to think it is unfair. Everyone should jsut get the same wminimum wage and there shoudl be no tipping except for exceptional service.

Once I had such bad service ( the waitress at the bar made the wrong shots and over charged us for our drinks according to the menu) so that I tipped 50 cents on a 50 dollar bill. The waitress came up to my rather drunk friends and I and started yelling at us because of it. SHe thought she deserved more,but because she was yelling I felt even more justified in my decision. Never going back there again.

And here, Ontario, I tried tipping a cab driver once and my friends all laughed at me so I never do anymore.

i'm from portugal.
here, nobody has money for tips.

As a server in the Southeastern US, I can say that:

1) Minimum wage is, in fact $2.13/hr for servers. In one year, I think I've seen less than $10 of that money in paychecks. It all goes to taxes.

2) Tipping 10% because "its easy to compute" is cheap. Double that, and you get 20%, and we love tips like that. If your server wasn't that good, pick a number in between.

3) Those of you who don't like "obtrusive" or "fake" service should know that many restaurants force their servers to do these things. Check back ever "x" minutes, suggest the expensive stuff, appetizer, booze, and dessert before you even open the menu. At my restaurant, the District Manager has been pushing to get servers fired if we don't do a complete by-the-book presentation.

4) American servers can't break $300/week on 10% tips. The math doesn't add up, unless they work in a super-classy $200/plate restaurant.

:mp5:

In all the talk about tipping, I feel very curious. Do you all know that you're supposed to tip your hairdresser as well?

The system for cosmotologists (beauticians, stylists, barbers, manicurists, waxers, etc) in America is HARDCORE messed up, but no one knows it. I'm not gonna go into it, cause it'll be a rant and a half...

...but do any of you tip the person who cuts your hair?

Every time I see this thread, I think it says "Tripping".

:D

I tip:

Waiter/Waitress - 15% rounded up to the nearest whole dollar. I don't tip with coins.

Barber - 5 dollars.

Pizza dude - pizza price rounded up to nearest dollar plus 2 dollars.

Cab driver - anywhere from 5 to 10 dollars. I usually only take cabs to and from airports, so it's usually 20 to 30 bucks anyway.

Hotel maid - I leave the maid money if I have made an above average mess. This tends to happen if I have an extended stay and eat in my room a lot. A little note that says "sorry for the mess" with a 5 or 10 attached probably does a lot to brighten up someone's dreary day.

When you travel a lot, your quality of life to some extent relies on the level of service you recieve from those who provide food, lodging and transportation. Good service should be rewarded.