NationStates Jolt Archive

Well? Do ya? Do ya?

Waiters...waitresses...delivery drivers. The whole schpeal. If you so, how do you determine how much to give them?

On a side note, do you equate delivery drivers with restaurant waiters? If yes, should they get more of a tip, since they go to further lengths (literally) to appease the customer? Or should they be treated equally?

Edit: Perhaps I should include all other services where tipping is included (of which I may later regret, depending on where some may choose to take it... :rolleyes: )

Eh, my parents take care of the restaurant tip. But for pizzas I just let them keep the change. Which usually comes up to somewhere between $1.50 to 50 cents.

I tip 20% as a rule. Good service gets more, but it takes geniunely horrid service to get anything lower.


Highest tip I've ever given was a 100% tip to a taxi driver, he was very friendly and I did make him go very far out of his way. (Not a huge bill either)

I don't tip.

I generally tip 20% unless the service was shitty.

I don't tip.

Out of curiosity's sake, why?

Out of curiosity's sake, why?

I've never met anyone that does. :(

I've never met anyone that does. :(

*blink* Really? Does Australia have a different way of doing things, or is this an enclosed example?

(Sorry, I'm not familiar with Australian customs.)

I generally tip what is customary -- 20% for restaurant staff, roughly 15% for pizza deliverers, hair stylists, etc. I have too much respect for people in the service industry -- putting up with so many people, trying to please both customers and bosses -- not to supplement what is usually far too little income, usually minimum wage or less.

i tip pizza dudes real well. there are more occupational hazards than waiting tables. you wont be mugged while waiting tables, your car wont be broken into just because it has "free food" in it, you dont expend gas money that you dont get reimbursed for, you dont get compensation for the huge amount of miles that go on your car, etc...

Although I was working th eother night and one of the waitresses got a tip. First time I'd seen something like that happen. Plus, I am 14 years old. ;)

*blink* Really? Does Australia have a different way of doing things, or is this an enclosed example?

(Sorry, I'm not familiar with Australian customs.)

I generally tip what is customary -- 20% for restaurant staff, roughly 15% for pizza deliverers, hair stylists, etc. I have too much respect for people in the service industry -- putting up with so many people, trying to please both customers and bosses -- not to supplement what is usually far too little income, usually minimum wage or less.

So in response to my previous question, do you not view drivers as more "tip-worthy" than waiters? </picking>

Yes, but when my friend delivered pizza he was paid above minimum wage; when I waited tables at the same time, I was paid $3.75 an hour.

It's not that I view waiters/waitresses as more "tipworthy." It's just that they generally have a lower base salary because their employers officially factor in tips to their wages.

Although I was working th eother night and one of the waitresses got a tip. First time I'd seen something like that happen. Plus, I am 14 years old. ;)

And just why, dear sir, should that stop you?

;) I kid. I kid. :p

*blink* Really? Does Australia have a different way of doing things?

Indeed we do. The employee is paid a far more reasonable amount, so the customers don't need to make up for the lack of a decent wage.

Indeed we do. The employee is paid a far more reasonable amount, so the customers don't need to make up for the lack of a decent wage.

Well, I guess that answers it.

Yes, but when my friend delivered pizza he was paid above minimum wage; when I waited tables at the same time, I was paid $3.75 an hour.

*nod* I forgot to take that into account. I've always wondered how restaurants could get away with being exempt from the minimum wage laws. Tips are a very variant factor. Sometimes it can be good, sometimes... not so good.

Baffling...

In Australia tips aren't really important. We have a "minimum wage" here =P
Sometimes you might just leave the change or empty whatever coins you have, but it makes little difference to the employees of the business or the business itself. My friend is a waitress at a little cafe on the weekends, and at school she might shrapnel the cafeteria lady to buy a bottle of water every now and then.
Even cab drivers don't really expect a tip, they always give me all my change without hesitation, even if it's just a few dollars.

Well? Do ya? Do ya?

Waiters...waitresses...delivery drivers. The whole schpeal. If you so, how do you determine how much to give them?

On a side note, do you equate delivery drivers with restaurant waiters? If yes, should they get more of a tip, since they go to further lengths (literally) to appease the customer? Or should they be treated equally?
I tip a standard 15% unless I know the person is paid a living wage, or unless they're just surly and unresponsive. I also tip the pizza delivery person, especially this one cute lil thang who ... nevermind. :D

I dont tip.
Strangely enough, in my country all Waiters...waitresses..., get an hourly wage.
The delivery guy gets my 5c - $3 change from whatever note i give him...coz they get payed a crap rate ( $3.40/destination), and i live on the 3rd floor.

I don't tip, but that's only because I never eat out. (Can't afford it)

Actually, these are my tips:

Don't look directly into the sun

Don't take wooden nickles

Don't get involved in an online relationship

Do offer everyone a breath mint

Do clean between your toes

Do wash...everywhere.

Do offer everyone a breath mint

Oou? I wouldn't mind being tipped a stick of gum or something (along with cash ;)). It will take my mind off of the dull and dreary life that is delivering.

...

Well, it wouldn't, but it sure would make my breath nice and fresh while I remain in my dull and dreary world.

:)

Actually, these are my tips:

Don't look directly into the sun

Don't take wooden nickles

Don't get involved in an online relationship

Do offer everyone a breath mint

Do clean between your toes

Do wash...everywhere.

Ooh, now I want a breathmint.

well my family qualifies as a big party, and most restaurants charge gratuity(they calculate a certain percentage of the bill, and add it to your check), so we sometimes leave, tips, but not often.

We don't have anyone who delivers here, so, not a problem.

You know, different countries have different tipping rules.

Canada and the US seem to be quite similar, though.
15% tipping on meals, not mandatory.
Waiters and waitresses get LESS than minimum wage, so tips are actually part of their pay. Well at least it goes that way in Quebec.


If you go in some European countries, the tip is included in the bill. Usually the service is very crappy; they don't have to actually earn it. Even worse: North Americans tend to not read the bill, and then they re-tip (wow, double tip!!! 30% up!)

I tip 15% for crappy service, but I also let the people serving know they had crappy service, politely.

For excellent service, 30-40% tip.

I don't tip, because I am *that* stingy with money....what?

The whole schpeal.
What is a schpeal?
Is that one of those jewish words that really are German words? Like "Schmutz" and so on.
If it is, then it probably means "Spiel" and stands for game...

I work in a restaurant, I never get tipped, so I don't tip anyone else.

I don't tip because I have a parent to do that for me :D

But if I DID tip, I would tip depending on how fast it got to me and if they didn't screw up mein order.

I tip 15% for crappy service, but I also let the people serving know they had crappy service, politely.

For excellent service, 30-40% tip.

You sir (or ma'am) I would deliver to in an instant--a smile on my face, your pizza greaseless and tasty.

EDIT: By the by, welcome to the NS forums!

In some countries tipping is an insult.

In some countries tipping is an insult.

....insult? Why?

I always tip at least 15% because as a fellow who works in a restaurant, I can assure you that service people do go through a lot of shit sometimes. Some of these people depend on their tips to earn a decent living.

I tip notoriously well, especially to delivery guys, because I know the hazards of the job and I know that they depend on tips that a lot of people do not give them. I usually tip in the 35%-50% range.

I never give less than 20%. To the wonderful waitstaff who goes above and beyond, I give 30% ... but 20% is my standard.

....insult? Why?

I've heard of this as well. Has something to do with that they are already getting payed for the job, and getting payed more than they should is insulting or something along those lines, I do believe.

It depends on the service, and how friendly the server is and how long it takes just to get a menu and drinks. If I have to wait more than five minutes for drinks, no tip.

It depends on the service, and how friendly the server is and how long it takes just to get a menu and drinks. If I have to wait more than five minutes for drinks, no tip.

Awwww c'mon .... sometimes the waitstaff is seriously in the weeds ...

In the US, remember, that these folks often make about $2.13 an hour (thank you, Reagan) and rely on tips to make up the minimum wage difference. They're not there to be your personal dancing clowns.

Tip, man ... TIP!

When out in a restaurant, friendliness is key. I don't worry about how long it takes, because I usually base that on how busy the place was when I got there.

It's unreasonable to tip lower because it took a while for your food to get there when the place is packed and your server has people at every table.

For an average evening, I'll tip 20%. If it's good, 25-30%. Bad...well, it depends on just how bad and for what reasons. I have left no tip before. I left one cent once, and in my mind that's almost worse than no tip at all.

I never order delivery. It seems really wasteful and lazy, in many ways, to have someone bring me food when I have so much at home I can cook myself.

Does anyone tip housekeepers at hotels?

I have left no tip before. I left one cent once, and in my mind that's almost worse than no tip at all.

As I understand it, the proper way to show extreme dissatisfaction with your service is to tip a quarter. If you leave nothing, the server just believes you are a cheapskate. If you leave a quarter, however, it shows you put thought into tipping them, and felt 25 cents was all the service was worth.

Does anyone tip housekeepers at hotels?

Yes, absolutely. Anyone willing to clean up after me is clearly in the 40% bracket on tips. (That's 40% of my entire hotel bill)

I tip generously. I force anyone who dines with me or stays in a hotel or partakes of any business that relies on the service industry to tip at least as generouly as I.

Yes, absolutely. Anyone willing to clean up after me is clearly in the 40% bracket on tips. (That's 40% of my entire hotel bill)

I tip generously. I force anyone who dines with me or stays in a hotel or partakes of any business that relies on the service industry to tip at least as generouly as I.

Wow man, you kick ass! :)

I work at a hotel (front desk), and the housekeepers here almost never get tipped ( :mad: ), and certainly not 40% of the bill!

Tipping is Stupid as it encourages perfection.
Meaning us that struggle through get none of the Glory.

Actually Tipping isnt customary here because we pay our Hospetality staff a fairer wage and encourage equality however the reasoning of Tipping is paying a good host money for making your time enjoyable.

I most certainly give a good tip to a fool that forgets my order or makes me wait. :)

Well, since I'm a poor college student, I only ever go out for half-off appetizers at Applebee's anyway. So the tip only comes out to around fifty to seventy-five cents and I feel kind of bad about leaving so little, so I usually end up giving a dollar-fifty or two dollars. Maybe that's why I never have any money. Hmm.

Tipping is Stupid as it encourages perfection.
Meaning us that struggle through get none of the Glory.

Actually Tipping isnt customary here because we pay our Hospetality staff a fairer wage and encourage equality however the reasoning of Tipping is paying a good host money for making your time enjoyable.

I most certainly give a good tip to a fool that forgets my order or makes me wait. :)

First to find what's wrong with that bolded statement and get a cookie.

So are you saying that if we don't tip, we'll keep from being a detriment to those who struggle? Explain, please?

Wow man, you kick ass! :)

I work at a hotel (front desk), and the housekeepers here almost never get tipped ( :mad: ), and certainly not 40% of the bill!


Dude ... I'm a fuckin' slob in hotel rooms ... I'm demanding with the "more towels" and "more soap" ... I'm the sort who will sleep on a bare mattress in a hotel room because I don't want to deal with the sheets ...

Yes ... I will tip 40% of the entire bill ... that includes phone calls and room service .... off the top ... I adore the cleaning staff.

(I think that was meant as a bit of sarcasm.)

Dude ... I'm a fuckin' slob in hotel rooms ... I'm demanding with the "more towels" and "more soap" ... I'm the sort who will sleep on a bare mattress in a hotel room because I don't want to deal with the sheets ...

Yes ... I will tip 40% of the entire bill ... that includes phone calls and room service .... off the top ... I adore the cleaning staff.

...You're now my official role-model.

*thoroughly kisses rear*

I try to tip when possible, but there're a few factors that may apply
1) How good the service is
2) If I can afford to tip
3) If I'm feeling stingy, though this is rare with waiters. With friends, far more common. lol

First to find what's wrong with that bolded statement and get a cookie.

So are you saying that if we don't tip, we'll keep from being a detriment to those who struggle? Explain, please?
Well it encourages elitism and snobbery.

Giving someone a tip shouldnt be the reason why you get good service.

If you bothered to read the rest of my staTEMENT youd see how i feel. :)

Give higher wages.

I don't believe in it.
I don't tip because society says I
gotta. I tip when somebody
deserves a tip. When somebody
really puts forth an effort, they
deserve a little something extra.
But this tipping automatically,
that sh*t's for the birds. As far
as I'm concerned, they're just
doin their job.
These ladies aren't starvin to
death. They make minimum wage.
When I worked for minimum wage, I
wasn't lucky enough to have a job
that society deemed tipworthy.
Hey, I'm very sorry that the
government taxes their tips.
That's f*cked up. But that ain't
my fault. it would appear that
waitresses are just one of the
many groups the government f*cks
in the ass on a regular basis.
You show me a paper says the
government shouldn't do that, I'll
sign it. Put it to a vote, I'll
vote for it. But what I won't do
is play ball. And this non-
college bullsh*t you're telling
me, I got two words for that:
"Learn to f*ckin type." Cause if
you're expecting me to help out
with the rent, you're in for a big
f*ckin surprise.

*copious use of the 'return' key*

You should tip because most waiters and delivery types are paid far, far less than minimum wage (usually less than half) because it is automatically assumed that they will make money from tips. They do not get tips in addition to minimum wage.

They make minimum wage.


Yes yes ... I know you're quoting Resevoir Dogs ...

But, they don't make minimum wage. Thanks to Reagan, they make about $2.13 an hour and their tips are taxed. Not minimum wage. Not even close ... unless they get lucky with tips.

I tip generously. I force anyone who dines with me or stays in a hotel or partakes of any business that relies on the service industry to tip at least as generouly as I.
As a waiter in a small town full of cheapskates, let me be the first to take my hat off to you sir. :D

Eh, my parents take care of the restaurant tip. But for pizzas I just let them keep the change. Which usually comes up to somewhere between $1.50 to 50 cents.$.50 for a pizza delivery is pretty cheap. I think you should always give them at least a buck.

When I was younger, and I had just started working (sweeping floors in a bookstore.), i put each employee through a grading scale to determine their tip, and never tipped more than 10%.Then, one day I got moved up to register. I now tip 15% automaticly. (Kids, Don't get a customer service job.)

$.50 for a pizza delivery is pretty cheap. I think you should always give them at least a buck.

It's insulting. Most delivery people don't carry change, so you're basically saying that you wouldn't tip them at all if you could get change. The only reason you're giving them that much is because you don't have a choice.

I usually do the 10-15% but then it also depends on how good the service and food was. If it was exceptional, then they get more. I usually go to the same place and know the waitresses fairly well, so quite often they get alot more than that.

Well i don't tip, but i like people that do... i'm working (well, work exp.) tonight waitressing... i'd like a tip :D

I've never had the opportunity to tip, but I can say this with condfidence: When I do tip, I'll be generous. I'd say a... 35% minimum, maybe even 40%. Shit, why not 45%?

Don't get me started on tipping. Lets just say, when I had my minimum wage job [which was unionized, by the way], I wasn't lucky enough to have one that society deemed 'tip worthy' to put it in the words of one Mister Pink from Reservoir Dogs. Like him, I think it's fucked up to tell us to give to certain people under certain circumstances when many of them are doing no more for you than I was when I walked your goddamn groceries to your car in the rain.

I'll generally do it if only on virtue of the fact that I like and tend to get along with most of the people I meet in the service industry since I happen to be in this industry. I know how much it sucks, believe me.

I've never had the opportunity to tip, but I can say this with condfidence: When I do tip, I'll be generous. I'd say a... 35% minimum, maybe even 40%. Shit, why not 45%?
Bahahahaaaaaa!

Say that after you get your first paycheck.

Don't get me started on tipping. Lets just say, when I had my minimum wage job [which was unionized, by the way], I wasn't lucky enough to have one that society deemed 'tip worthy' to put it in the words of one Mister Pink from Reservoir Dogs. Like him, I think it's fucked up to tell us to give to certain people under certain circumstances when many of them are doing no more for you than I was when I walked your goddamn groceries to your car in the rain.

I'll generally do it if only on virtue of the fact that I like and tend to get along with most of the people I meet in the service industry since I happen to be in this industry. I know how much it sucks, believe me.

I can agree with this, but I'd still tip a lot anyway. I'm just a generous person I guess.

Bahahahaaaaaa!

Say that after you get your first paycheck.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking about. I'd tip as much as I could, really. Well... Unless the service is shitty. I'd have to leave a penny on the table in that case :D.

Well, Im pretty sure this came up before... perhaps a week ago... but I tip based on performance. I always give a fair tip... though I seldom concern myself with calculating percentages Im sure Id be in the plus 30 club.

I generally tip more for a good attitude than anything else. I mean, I can have shitty service as far as time and food quality... but I know that most of the time thats not the servers fault. If they bring me what Im getting with a smile and a little happiness, then I tip extraordinarily well. If I get attitude, and they arent happy to be serving me... no tip.

That said, I am a pushover... and it takes a really crappy attitude for me to with hold, but I have done it before... just very rarely.

I tip when, and only when the staff have been helpful/good/whatever, and if, IF I have enough money.

Well, today was a pretty bad for me. I had 19 deliveries (runs) and produced only $25 in tips. Usually, I get 14-16 runs and get closer to $45. I was stiffed twice (no tip), got a .21 cent tip, and an .83 cent tip from kids who's mother got onto them for trying to tip me over a dollar (and it was a $20 delivery--not even 5%!).

Most people don't realize that drivers practically need tips. Minimum wage just won't cut it. On a good day delivering I use up about twenty dollars worth of gas driving around. That's nearly half of my day's pay should I not get any tips. So really, I'd be living on half of minimum wage.

I get people who look at me disdainfully, even after I arrive at their door ten minutes earlier than the projected delivery time, and either stiff me or give me whatever is left from their change out of a dollar. Like one said earlier, it's insulting. Now, if you can't afford to tip, like most college kids (and as I'm one of 'em, I would know) that's one thing. But if you live in a mansion and stiff the driver (and yes, it's happened. Seems that the less to do areas tip more than the richer--can anyone say irony?)? Come on... what are you gonna do with those few extra dollars anyway?

Just something to think about...

</semi-rant>

I always tip 20%.

I always tip. 20%, unless the service was particularly bad, and the fault of the server due to ignorance or attitude. Not if it was a mistake out of the server's control.
If service is exceptional or the person went out of their way for me, I usually tip more. I like to tip-especially when its well deserved.

I tip the girls that cut my hair $5.00 on a $15.00 haircut.

At Christmas, I tip the mailman, the garbage men, the oil and water delivery men, the kids bus drivers and their school teachers(gifts for them, not cash), as well as piano teacher and my grandmother's nurse and her home health aide. All very generous. And I have found- a healthy tip works wonders when you might need a favor down the line.

Its a good idea to tip those you do business with on a regular basis. I'm a regular in a few local restaurants. I never wait for a table and get great service, drinks or deserts on the house and can count on my guests being impressed if I bring them there.
I tip a valet parker when I leave the car with him.

Well, today was a pretty bad for me. I had 19 deliveries (runs) and produced only $25 in tips. Usually, I get 14-16 runs and get closer to $45. I was stiffed twice (no tip), got a .21 cent tip, and an .83 cent tip from kids who's mother got onto them for trying to tip me over a dollar (and it was a $20 delivery--not even 5%!).

Most people don't realize that drivers practically need tips. Minimum wage just won't cut it. On a good day delivering I use up about twenty dollars worth of gas driving around. That's nearly half of my day's pay should I not get any tips. So really, I'd be living on half of minimum wage.

I get people who look at me disdainfully, even after I arrive at their door ten minutes earlier than the projected delivery time, and either stiff me or give me whatever is left from their change out of a dollar. Like one said earlier, it's insulting. Now, if you can't afford to tip, like most college kids (and as I'm one of 'em, I would know) that's one thing. But if you live in a mansion and stiff the driver (and yes, it's happened. Seems that the less to do areas tip more than the richer--can anyone say irony?)? Come on... what are you gonna do with those few extra dollars anyway?

Just something to think about...

</semi-rant>


That sucks-I hate to hear that. You'd get a good tip from me. At least $5.00, plus watever the change was-I dont make delivery people make change. If my bill is $15.75, I'm handing you a twenty and a five and telling you to keep the change-you're getting $9.25 from me. Its well worth me not going out to get the food when I order it.
I also figure that a good deal of the time, someone delivering pizza or chinese food is likely using their own vehicle and getting some re-imbursement for gas, etc...

I Tip... usually when I'm top heavy...


nah I tip and it is different amounts.

for Services, I usually give the 15% or more if they were exceptional.

for things like taxis and Delivery I start at the $5 mark and increase dependant on driving.

That sucks-I hate to hear that. You'd get a good tip from me. At least $5.00, plus watever the change was-I dont make delivery people make change. If my bill is $15.75, I'm handing you a twenty and a five and telling you to keep the change-you're getting $9.25 from me. Its well worth me not going out to get the food when I order it.
I also figure that a good deal of the time, someone delivering pizza or chinese food is likely using their own vehicle and getting some re-imbursement for gas, etc...

Amen to that! :D

Yes, my store gives .80 cents per delivery for "mileage". It helps some, but as I said, it's twenty dollars of gas a day. The usualy mileage I'd get is about fourteen or so.

I also tip between $5 and $8 for drivers, and I usually tell them "I drive too, so I share your pain." ;)

Amen to that! :D

Yes, my store gives .80 cents per delivery for "mileage". It helps some, but as I said, it's twenty dollars of gas a day. The usualy mileage I'd get is about fourteen or so.

I also tip between $5 and $8 for drivers, and I usually tell them "I drive too, so I share your pain." ;)

People dont take into account what its worth NOT to have to get up and go pick up what you need or want. The figure the business owes them the delivery and are clueless that this come out of the pocket of the poor guy driving in the rain or snow looking for your house at night.

If you dont have the money to tip-go get it yourself.
If there is something wrong with the preparation of the food, it usually isnt the fault of the guy that delivers it.

hey guys

I've never had the opportunity to tip, but I can say this with condfidence: When I do tip, I'll be generous. I'd say a... 35% minimum, maybe even 40%. Shit, why not 45%?

haha....Lets make it an official penis weaving contest...

I tip 50% to the waitresses, 60% to the delivery boyz..taxi drivers get %70
and a whooping 80% goes to the hotels staffs...and thats if they give me shitty service...
It they serve me well I give them my wallet and credit cards.

...whatever it takes to be loved...

I tip like craaaazy...95% of my income goes to tips.

Thanks goodness I live in a country where I'm not expected to tip. On accasions, if I receive very good service, I may leave a tip. But to me, the expectation that you must tip is just plain ridiculous. I think Steve Buscemi's speech from Reservoir Dogs sums it up nicely:

MR. PINK: I don't tip because society says I gotta. I tip when somebody deserves a tip. When somebody really puts forth an effort, they deserve a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, that shit's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doin their job.

I don't tip. As already posted, in Aus the minimum wage is much higher (it's actually a living wage), so tipping's not necessary. When visiting the US, I found it very weird tipping bar staff, etc. We just don't do it here.

haha....Lets make it an official penis weaving contest...

I tip 50% to the waitresses, 60% to the delivery boyz..taxi drivers get %70
and a whooping 80% goes to the hotels staffs...and thats if they give me shitty service...
It they serve me well I give them my wallet and credit cards.

...whatever it takes to be loved...

I tip like craaaazy...95% of my income goes to tips.as long as we are honestly whipping em out...

Usually I give the waitress/waiters some money... they take what they think is fair and give back the rest (honestly, I like that), then I pay for my meal by leaving it on the table. the meal usually is like 15%-20% of what I tip.

Thanks goodness I live in a country where I'm not expected to tip. On accasions, if I receive very good service, I may leave a tip. But to me, the expectation that you must tip is just plain ridiculous. I think Steve Buscemi's speech from Reservoir Dogs sums it up nicely:

MR. PINK: I don't tip because society says I gotta. I tip when somebody deserves a tip. When somebody really puts forth an effort, they deserve a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, that shit's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doin their job.And that is how tipping should be. it's the extra gift for doing a good job. Nowdays tho it's expected to Tip (here in the US anyway) even if they did a mediocre or lousy job.

Well? Do ya? Do ya?

Waiters...waitresses...delivery drivers. The whole schpeal. If you so, how do you determine how much to give them?

On a side note, do you equate delivery drivers with restaurant waiters? If yes, should they get more of a tip, since they go to further lengths (literally) to appease the customer? Or should they be treated equally?

Edit: Perhaps I should include all other services where tipping is included (of which I may later regret, depending on where some may choose to take it... :rolleyes: )

For waiters/waitresses, I start off planning to give 20%. Especially good or bad service can move that one direction or the other. I tend to go easy on people I can tell are new and rarely reduce a tip for something that was most likely the kitchen's fault. Servers don't even get paid minmum wage, so tips are absolutely necessary for them. If you can't tip your server, don't go out to eat. In my opinion, anyone who doesn't tip a server should be forced to work in food service for a year.

A driver may go to "greater lengths", but they are getting paid extra for those greater lengths. They are also getting paid minimum wage - tips are not assumed with them. Thus, I'll usually tip a driver a couple dollars if the food gets there in decent time. I do the same with valet (if they are quick and seem to be taking good care of the car), hair stylists and nail technicians (if they do a good job), or cab drivers.

I've only ever once stayed at a hotel with a true doorman and everything - and I wasn't sure what appropriate tip was for them - I stuck to my couple dollars rule.

And, although the post office may say it against the rules, it's nice to give your letter carrier a little something around the holidays =)

And that is how tipping should be. it's the extra gift for doing a good job. Nowdays tho it's expected to Tip (here in the US anyway) even if they did a mediocre or lousy job.

Maybe that is because they don't even get paid minimum wage and absolutely need the tips to be able to survive? Your average server gets about $2/hour (a little more at nicer places).

For waiters/waitresses, I start off planning to give 20%. Especially good or bad service can move that one direction or the other. I tend to go easy on people I can tell are new and rarely reduce a tip for something that was most likely the kitchen's fault. Servers don't even get paid minmum wage, so tips are absolutely necessary for them. If you can't tip your server, don't go out to eat. In my opinion, anyone who doesn't tip a server should be forced to work in food service for a year.

A driver may go to "greater lengths", but they are getting paid extra for those greater lengths. They are also getting paid minimum wage - tips are not assumed with them. Thus, I'll usually tip a driver a couple dollars if the food gets there in decent time. I do the same with valet (if they are quick and seem to be taking good care of the car), hair stylists and nail technicians (if they do a good job), or cab drivers.

I've only ever once stayed at a hotel with a true doorman and everything - and I wasn't sure what appropriate tip was for them - I stuck to my couple dollars rule.

And, although the post office may say it against the rules, it's nice to give your letter carrier a little something around the holidays =)
Hear hear, to all of it. To quote Steve Martin in some movie I can't recall the title to at the moment, "I don't believe in tipping. I believe in over-tipping."

Maybe that is because they don't even get paid minimum wage and absolutely need the tips to be able to survive? Your average server gets about $2/hour (a little more at nicer places).actually no. Laws require minimum wage and for part timers, I believe it's up to $6/hour. now how they get the tips is also dependant. I know someplaces that gathers the tips and disperses them evenly. that way people who don't get tips can get something (like the people who go around cleaning the tables.)

actually no. Laws require minimum wage and for part timers, I believe it's up to $6/hour. now how they get the tips is also dependant. I know someplaces that gathers the tips and disperses them evenly. that way people who don't get tips can get something (like the people who go around cleaning the tables.)

Not in the US, they don't. In the US, tips are assumed as part of the minimum wage. Thus, servers get paid about $2/hour and it is assumed that they sell enough food and get enough tips during an hour to bring that up to minimum wage. The really seedy restaurants, where the customers often don't tip, occasionally guarrantee minimum wage (they'll pay it if you don't get it in tips), but the vast majority of places won't do that. And places that don't have real servers (the server doesn't take your order, but just brings the food to the table) often do things differently.

Many restaurants have what they call mandatory "tip-outs". These places take a mandatory percentage of a server's sales and put it towards bussers (people who clean off the tables)/bartenders/etc. The last place I waited tables did that. In places that don't have a mandatory tip-out, servers are still expected to give a portion of their tips to the bussers and bartenders - just like customers are expected to tip servers.

Edit: If you are a US citizen, you are one of those people I think should be forced to work as a server for a year. Then you might understand what it is like.

I don't believe in it.
I don't tip because society says I
gotta. I tip when somebody
deserves a tip. When somebody
really puts forth an effort, they
deserve a little something extra.
But this tipping automatically,
that sh*t's for the birds. As far
as I'm concerned, they're just
doin their job.
These ladies aren't starvin to
death. They make minimum wage.
When I worked for minimum wage, I
wasn't lucky enough to have a job
that society deemed tipworthy.
Hey, I'm very sorry that the
government taxes their tips.
That's f*cked up. But that ain't
my fault. it would appear that
waitresses are just one of the
many groups the government f*cks
in the ass on a regular basis.
You show me a paper says the
government shouldn't do that, I'll
sign it. Put it to a vote, I'll
vote for it. But what I won't do
is play ball. And this non-
college bullsh*t you're telling
me, I got two words for that:
"Learn to f*ckin type." Cause if
you're expecting me to help out
with the rent, you're in for a big
f*ckin surprise.
I was waiting for someone to do that.

I was waiting for someone to do that.

Of course, it contains inaccurate information. The vast majority of waiters do not get minimum wage from their employers. They are assumed to get minimum wage when tips are included. If no one tips, they don't get minimum wage. Oops.

I don't tip. As already posted, in Aus the minimum wage is much higher (it's actually a living wage), so tipping's not necessary. When visiting the US, I found it very weird tipping bar staff, etc. We just don't do it here.

The minimum wage in the US is living wage - those who get it can survive on it.

Problem is, waiters aren't actually paid minimum wage in the US.

Of course, it contains inaccurate information. The vast majority of waiters do not get minimum wage from their employers. They are assumed to get minimum wage when tips are included. If no one tips, they don't get minimum wage. Oops.
It's worse that that, actually--servers get taxed on a percentage of their sales now, regardless whether or not they make any tips, so when you stiff them, you actually cost them money. Usually the assumption is that they'll make 8% of their sales in tips, so they're taxed accordingly as though they've received that as income. If you don't tip at least that much, you're severely fucking them over.

Maybe that is because they don't even get paid minimum wage and absolutely need the tips to be able to survive? Your average server gets about $2/hour (a little more at nicer places).
Yes, and that makes sure that they are actually engaged in their job. I tip based on the quality of service ranging from "You really do look fat in that dress ma'am" if they poured hot soup into my lap to a nice 25% and a stick of gum for fast and courteous service.

I try to tip as generously as I can, well above twenty percent. Not only can it really brighten someone's day in the middle of one of the most demanding jobs on the planet, but since I am a Christian, it is a very good testimony to the waitstaff about the blessing that God has given me in the form of a satisfying career. Perhaps it will make up for all the Christians who are stingy. Like my parents.

It's worse that that, actually--servers get taxed on a percentage of their sales now, regardless whether or not they make any tips, so when you stiff them, you actually cost them money. Usually the assumption is that they'll make 8% of their sales in tips, so they're taxed accordingly as though they've received that as income. If you don't tip at least that much, you're severely fucking them over.

Yes, this is true. In the last place a waited tables, at least 15% tip was absolutely assumed. We had an automatic tip-out of something like 6% of sales to the bussers and bartenders. Then, of course, we were taxed on the claimed tips.

Interestinly enough, most servers never get a paycheck with any money in it - it all goes to taxes (and sometimes isn't actually enough). When you do get a paycheck, it's a joke - often worth less than the paper its printed on.

Yes, and that makes sure that they are actually engaged in their job.

"I don't care if you starve. If you accidently spill something, you don't deserve to eat dinner tonight..."

Yes, this is true. In the last place a waited tables, at least 15% tip was absolutely assumed. We had an automatic tip-out of something like 6% of sales to the bussers and bartenders. Then, of course, we were taxed on the claimed tips.

Interestinly enough, most servers never get a paycheck with any money in it - it all goes to taxes (and sometimes isn't actually enough). When you do get a paycheck, it's a joke - often worth less than the paper its printed on.
Last service job I worked in, I worked an average of 25-30 hours a week (while going to school) and got paid every two weeks--my average check was about $30.00 after taxes. It was only because I was damn good at my job that I paid my rent every month.

I almost never tip, unless it is someone I know or someone who shares my political views. I could care less if they live off tips to get by, not my fault

I could care less if they live off tips to get by, not my fault

What a very myopic viewpoint.

I almost never tip, unless it is someone I know or someone who shares my political views. I could care less if they live off tips to get by, not my fault
Well, be careful that you don't become a regular at any place where you stiff the staff, lest you wind up with some foreign substances in your food and drink. And yes--it does happen, and it happens pretty regularly.

I usually do the 15%.

What a very myopic viewpoint.
Are they not the one who took the job where they have to rely on customers to pay them, not the place they work at? So if their employers pays them a set rate then it is not my fault they want more money then they make, and yet they knew going into the job what they would get paid.

Are they not the one who took the job where they have to rely on customers to pay them, not the place they work at? So if their employers pays them a set rate then it is not my fault they want more money then they make, and yet they knew going into the job what they would get paid.

It's not their fault that their employers aren't forced to pay them a decent wage.

like my fellow aussie buddies I never tip, hell I live in canada at the moment and the only time I tip is when I remember too after having pizza delivered or we're out at a restraunt only cause I help out with the bill along wiht my bro an sis in law.

Tipping in australia very overly stated doesnt exist, sure the US has a minimum wage, but from what I've seen posted here they're more relaxed when it comes to workers and wages. In Aus I beleive the employer has to pay you minimum wage with no excuses about tips.

I'd rather work a shitty low paying job in Aus than anywhere else really. hell my dad saw a data entry position that paid 24.50 an hour, that's fifty cents less than what I was earning as a computer repair technician for simply typing all day O.o.

I'm on $12.50 CAD and doing a Data entry job right now....

Anyways tipping is a scary thing for me, do I tip 15% do I leave three to -four bucks or do I hand the waitress a five dollar note and hope it's good? The US was even worse, thankfully I had friends with me whom told me exactly how much tip to leave.

Honestly the tipping thing is as confusing as driving on the wrong side of hte road :P

Are they not the one who took the job where they have to rely on customers to pay them, not the place they work at? So if their employers pays them a set rate then it is not my fault they want more money then they make, and yet they knew going into the job what they would get paid.

Wow, how very naive. You really think everyone gets that much of a choice of where they work? You must be so lucky to lead such a luxurious lifestyle.

Meanwhile, the longest I have gone without work since I was 16 was a month. By the end of that month, I needed a job and was willing to take just about anything. Even interviewing for waitstaff, it took me that long to find one - and I have other securities to fall back on.

Many people really don't get that kind of say. If they want to work, they have to take whatever job they get, and they have to work so many hours at it that searching for a new job really isn't an option.

Are they not the one who took the job where they have to rely on customers to pay them, not the place they work at? So if their employers pays them a set rate then it is not my fault they want more money then they make, and yet they knew going into the job what they would get paid.
Fine--but don't say I didn't warn you when you find a loogie in your burrito or you get the shits from the Visine that wound up in your margarita. Best advice ever--don't fuck with the person who supplies your food and drink. They will fuck you up.

Are they not the one who took the job where they have to rely on customers to pay them, not the place they work at? So if their employers pays them a set rate then it is not my fault they want more money then they make, and yet they knew going into the job what they would get paid.

A better question would be, why don't you get a job where you can afford to pay someone the wage they deserve for their services?

What's that you say? It's not as easy as I think to find such a job? Then stop insulting the people in food service. It's no easier for them to better themselves than you. Work is work, across the spectrum.

Actually I have a job where I can afford to tip people, I choose not to tip people. During the sports seasons I tend to make around 500 bucks for two days work at sporting events running diffrent computer systems, and I also do other jobs during the year.

And if work is work, then should not everyone be tipped then?

Actually I have a job where I can afford to tip people, I choose not to tip people.

Exactly my point. You are lucky enough to exist in a layer of society where you can get such a job - and be secure in it. If only everyone had the luxuries you take for granted...

luxery? I spent three summers making less then 700 before taxes for over 10 weeks or work, around 20 hours a day. And after that I did manuel labor making minimum wage so I do not have it easy.

I work at a restaurant, and get a regular hourly wage, but also get tips. I'll get $10 give or take. I hit a store on the way home, and that money is food and drink for the night (a sub/sandwich and soda/six pack).

Knowing what it feels like to have even $5 or $10 extra makes me see things from their view, so I'll usually tip at the 15-20%, maybe a little bit more if there's great service.

<this space intentionally left blank as I won't lower myself to go after the stuck up snobs that feel above those working in the service industry>

luxery? I spent three summers making less then 700 before taxes for over 10 weeks or work, around 20 hours a day. And after that I did manuel labor making minimum wage so I do not have it easy.

It sounds like you have been embittered by your unfortunate employment experience. To wit, I do feel some sympathy, having encountered an evil giant or three in the corporate world.

First of all, it's not their fault that this happened to you. Secondly, whether you believe in Karma or divine balance, consider that if you stopped gipping other people based on a perceived slight, maybe the fates would be kinder to you?

The problem shouldn't be tipping - the minimum wage should be raised so people don't need to rely on tips, IMHO...

Geeze ... you people who don't tip really need to watch Fight Club. :p



Yes, and that makes sure that they are actually engaged in their job. I tip based on the quality of service ranging from "You really do look fat in that dress ma'am" if they poured hot soup into my lap to a nice 25% and a stick of gum for fast and courteous service.

That's a fascinating attitude. I wonder if we can somehow translate this attitude to other jobs or products/services. I mean ... let's say I hire you to copy CDs for me and you drop a box of CDs ... can I just not pay you for the day?

Doesn't matter, I suppose. However, people seem to keep speaking of bootstrapping their way out of the service industry. When you're looking down your nose at the waitress because she's a "servant", maybe you should realise that she's probably only serving your fat, useless ass not because she's genuinely hoping you'll leave a buck and a napkin with your phone number and "nice tits" written on it, but because she's working her way through college so she *can* better herself.

I figure anyone with such an attitude probably wouldn't last day one working at such a job, but I would like to see them forced to do it for at least a month.

I tip almost always (unless I'm really low on funds, that can happen occasionally), but it's normally on a "keep the change" basis.
I had to change my ways here in Ireland, though. In Germany, you tip almost everybody (waiters, hair dressers, taxi drivers, pizza delivery, tour guides, etc) In Ireland, you only seem to tip in restaurants. I was getting very strange looks trying to tip others...

I do either 1 of 3 things
1st. NO tip Its my money grrrr
2nd. You can have it if you beat me in a wrestling match
3rd. Okay get everyone who served me cooked for me or anything for me and get then to fight for it
although it hasn't worked yet

For those of you who do not tip:

You suck ass, and you are horrible people.

Heres why....

1. If you expect someone to serve you, or bring you something, becuase your fat, lazy ass doesnt want to cook it, or go get it, then you should feel obligated to compensate that individual, who is trying to earn a living by serving, or delivering to, assholes like you.

2.The person who is doing the serving, delivering, etc, is trying to earn a living...that means paying his bills, or feeding his children, or whatever the hell he feels like doing with his hard earned money. By not tipping, you are showing that person that you do not appreciate the service wich was done for you, and also a complete and total disrespect for that individual.

3. Its called "common courtesy...look into it.

4. Whatever you may think, that person (server, driver etc) 's job aint easy.
YOU try running your ass off for less than three dollars an hour, and trying to make a living waiting on cheap assholes like you.

5. People tend to frequent the same establishments.
Consistently not tipping the driver, or waitress, is a bad idea.
Thats a person who may spend several minutes alone with something you wont think twice about stuffing into your fat gob.

Think about that......

Did you order the secret sauce....or is it an "added bonus"?

Actually I have a job where I can afford to tip people, I choose not to tip people. During the sports seasons I tend to make around 500 bucks for two days work at sporting events running diffrent computer systems, and I also do other jobs during the year.

And if work is work, then should not everyone be tipped then?


I think this is the first time that I've ever wanted to slap a person posting on forums IRL :mad:

For those of you who do not tip:
You suck ass, and you are horrible people.
Lalala, i cant here you.
I do tip, normally. But, in contrast to the US, people doing service jobs can actually live by their salary here. So i dont have to worry about the gruffy pizza-guy's twelve-thousand children, when i want exact change after i get a luke-warm pizza (with complementary luke-warm beer) served after an hour with a "Here pizza, 11,80 Euro" and a frown that says "I kill you and curse your children for seven generations". Sorry, but he gets 11,80 and not a single cent more. His fault for being bad at his job.
A tip has to be deserved, its not customary. I give 10% normally, thats the usual amount, but not out of pity but as a compliment for a job well done and making me feel welcome by providing friendly service.

For those of you who do not tip:

You suck ass, and you are horrible people.



Not custom around here. But I guess I'm horrible.

well here tips are generally not done. in fact i didnt even know what they were until i went to canada a few years back(before america was the arse it is now) i was at a mcdonalds in LA airport, and i payed for my coke, then i waited for it, and waited for it, and waited. then i asked her why seh was donig all the other orders first and she said that i had not tipped her.

this was completely new to me. :headbang:

In Australia tips aren't really important. We have a "minimum wage" here =P
Sometimes you might just leave the change or empty whatever coins you have, but it makes little difference to the employees of the business or the business itself. My friend is a waitress at a little cafe on the weekends, and at school she might shrapnel the cafeteria lady to buy a bottle of water every now and then.
Even cab drivers don't really expect a tip, they always give me all my change without hesitation, even if it's just a few dollars.
Just out of curiosity what is the minimum wage in Australia?

Well at the bar I normally tip $ .50 a beer, and at a restaurant I normally tip 10 -15 %, I think that is what you're are supposed to tip.

And that is how tipping should be. it's the extra gift for doing a good job. Nowdays tho it's expected to Tip (here in the US anyway) even if they did a mediocre or lousy job.
TIPS= To Insure Prompt Service, just a piece of advice, if you don't tip well, don't go to the same place twice, they will remember you and you will get screwed :D

I don't tip and neither does anyone else around here. "Mandatory" tipping seems a bit silly to me, the restaurants should pay better wages and tipping should be reserved for exceptional service or when you're just in a really good mood or something.

I don't tip and neither does anyone else around here. "Mandatory" tipping seems a bit silly to me, the restaurants should pay better wages and tipping should be reserved for exceptional service or when you're just in a really good mood or something.

You just said it yourself the restaurant should pay better wages. But they don’t and by not tipping you are showing a dissatisfaction with the services provided for you, and also being highly inconsiderate to the waitstaff who work their asses of in hope for a little bit extra so they can pay their bills.

…Or at least this what I understand! I am from Australia and we don’t really tip here unless we have really exceptional service. Got to love the minimum wage law. ^^

Just out of curiosity what is the minimum wage in Australia?

I believe the minimum wage over here is around $12.30 per hour. Not to sure about jrs and such though...

You just said it yourself the restaurant should pay better wages. But they don’t and by not tipping you are showing a dissatisfaction with the services provided for you, and also being highly inconsiderate to the waitstaff who work their asses of in hope for a little bit extra so they can pay their bills.

…Or at least this what I understand! I am from Australia and we don’t really tip here unless we have really exceptional service. Got to love the minimum wage law. ^^
But we (Mott Forest and I) live here and not in USA. So we don't tip unless the service is very special. Of course I dip when I'm in a country where it's normal.

But we (Mott Forest and I) live here and not in USA. So we don't tip unless the service is very special. Of course I dip when I'm in a country where it's normal.

Sorry about that, I didn’t realize that tipping wasn’t widely done where you are! I must remember to get my facts right before posting.

I think that I would find it a bit hard to get use to tipping someone for drinks and such, every time I bought one.

For those of you who do not tip:

You suck ass, and you are horrible people.

Heres why....

1. If you expect someone to serve you, or bring you something, becuase your fat, lazy ass doesnt want to cook it, or go get it, then you should feel obligated to compensate that individual, who is trying to earn a living by serving, or delivering to, assholes like you.

2.The person who is doing the serving, delivering, etc, is trying to earn a living...that means paying his bills, or feeding his children, or whatever the hell he feels like doing with his hard earned money. By not tipping, you are showing that person that you do not appreciate the service wich was done for you, and also a complete and total disrespect for that individual.

3. Its called "common courtesy...look into it.

4. Whatever you may think, that person (server, driver etc) 's job aint easy.
YOU try running your ass off for less than three dollars an hour, and trying to make a living waiting on cheap assholes like you.

5. People tend to frequent the same establishments.
Consistently not tipping the driver, or waitress, is a bad idea.
Thats a person who may spend several minutes alone with something you wont think twice about stuffing into your fat gob.

Think about that......

Did you order the secret sauce....or is it an "added bonus"?


1. Uh, I thought that was why I was PAYING for my meal? If I'm not paying for service included, why aren't I getting the ingredients at cost price?

2. Find a better job or demand better wages. In my youth I worked in some very low paying jobs that were not public service i.e. no tips - I survived, I bettered myself and eventually got better paying jobs.

3. It's called "the demand and supply industry"...that, and the fact your EMPLOYER should be the one paying you...look into that...

4. You try (insert 1000 jobs that society doesn't deem "tip worthy") - everything from manual labour to emergency services...guess what: hard work, NO TIPS.

5. Thanks goodness I live in a society where I'm free to NOT tip at my discretion and not have some asshole secrete a bodily fluid into my meal...

The moral of the story is if someone tips you for excellent service, fine and well, but don't EXPECT a tip for simply doing YOUR JOB ;)

I always tip 20%.

Me too, although it's always 20-25%.

actually no. Laws require minimum wage and for part timers, I believe it's up to $6/hour. now how they get the tips is also dependant. I know someplaces that gathers the tips and disperses them evenly. that way people who don't get tips can get something (like the people who go around cleaning the tables.)

Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska are different from the rest of the country. Server minimum wage:
PA = $2.83
OH = $2.13
WV = $2.36

When all is said and done because of tipping servers are making a decent wage. Depending on the type of restaurant and location they can make between $9 - $25/hour. But without tips, they make (in most places) around $2-$3/hour.

*****
And for those who believe service jobs are "beneath" them, just think about this. In the last restaurant I managed (beforeI escaped the industry altogether) 85% of my waitstaff were either college students, college graduates, graduate students or held graduate degrees. For many of them this was a chosen career, not "the only job they could get". They were (at least temporarily) happy to be making $30+K/year on 30 hour work weeks.

I'm Australian so tipping is not expected here.
tipping here is more "holy crap I got a tip" rather than "you cheap bastard, you gave me X"
See here, I think all waitstaff the federal minimum wage is $10 - $15p/h, but it probably varies if you get paid under the table(illegally so no tax)

However as a delivery driver I strongly urge all of you to tip the poor bastards as it is a crappy-paying job, especially if it's per delivery.
Regardless of hours worked, 1 delivery = $4 including G.S.T, so actually $3.64 per delivery (Australian Pizza Hut).
So 1 hour, 4 dels = $16 p/h
6 hours, 5 dels = $3.34 p/h
Even per hour it is still crap money considering stress, traffic and car costs.

Well? Do ya? Do ya?

Waiters...waitresses...delivery drivers. The whole schpeal. If you so, how do you determine how much to give them?

On a side note, do you equate delivery drivers with restaurant waiters? If yes, should they get more of a tip, since they go to further lengths (literally) to appease the customer? Or should they be treated equally?

Edit: Perhaps I should include all other services where tipping is included (of which I may later regret, depending on where some may choose to take it... :rolleyes: )

If service is good, I typically tip 20%, up to 25% if the service was very, very good. I've left a quarter for awful service before. Once I left a note saying "you have no penis" to a very bad waiter, with a dime.

I used to deliver pizza, so this is a subject near to my heart. They usually get 10-20% (or a minimum of $2), since it's a single drop off and they're not "serving" me at a table. I've been lucky enough to always get the right order in a reasonable amount of time.

I don't tip at Starbucks (well, maybe loose change), they get paid better than minimum, and have benefits.

well here tips are generally not done. in fact i didnt even know what they were until i went to canada a few years back(before america was the arse it is now) i was at a mcdonalds in LA airport, and i payed for my coke, then i waited for it, and waited for it, and waited. then i asked her why seh was donig all the other orders first and she said that i had not tipped her.

this was completely new to me. :headbang:

She was messin' with a foreigner. We don't tip fast food employees ... they make minimum wage and they don't serve you, you stand at a counter and wait for it yourself. Nobody's waiting on you.

In a full service restaurant, where all you do is sit there while someone else comes to you and takes your order, brings your food, and makes sure the dirty dishes are out of the way when you're done, that's when tipping is customary. Even if the service isn't great, the server still did more for you than you did for yourself.

Oh ... and if the food is bad, don't take it out on the server. They didn't cook it.

to the guy that says everyone who deosnt tip sucks arse, two words. "ignorant monkey". I dont tip because hey guess what my country doesnt find ways to cheat its employed citizens out of money.

The minimum wage in Australia is much better so getting a tip is like getting a christmas present early, exciting but not really nessecary. If you're going to label people as arseholes kindly take the moment to get your head out of your backside and check where people are from and what their country and culture run like please.

Otherwise go back to being an ape in the backyard, we dont want the silly blanket labels. Thank you please come again!

But to be fair, since I'm currently living in canada and tipping is an occurance I generaly tip 15% to 20% my brother recommends 15% of the final bill and I give around $2.50 to the delivery guys who bring me my pizza. Though sometimes I question the use since the place tacks on a $2.50 delivery charge which I tend to see as an automatic tip...

Was a time I didnt tip the delivery guy and well, I survived the next pizza AND my house didnt burn down, so I guess the delivery charge covered him. It's hard to remember tipping when you've never done it your entire life.

Personally I agree with Spherical Cows, although I usually tip 10% to waiters and about 50-70 cents (that's Euro cents) to delivery people. I sometimes tip TAXI-drivers but would never tip a hair-stylist! I don't know how it is in other countries but hair-stylists in Greece make a killing, even in the midst of depresion (being on the verge of poverty is no reason for most women to look bad - and that goes for women's spending!). Can you imagine paying 60 Euros for a simple freshening-up, with an average pay of 800 Euros tops?

But anyway, back to tipping I tip waiters more because they have to put up with me for more and convincingly at that!, while most delivery guys don't even bother smiling.

That's my penny's worth.. :cool:

Personally I agree with Spherical Cows, although I usually tip 10% to waiters and about 50-70 cents (that's Euro cents) to delivery people. I sometimes tip TAXI-drivers but would never tip a hair-stylist! I don't know how it is in other countries but hair-stylists in Greece make a killing, even in the midst of depresion (being on the verge of poverty is no reason for most women to look bad - and that goes for women's spending!). Can you imagine paying 60 Euros for a simple freshening-up, with an average pay of 800 Euros tops?

But anyway, back to tipping I tip waiters more because they have to put up with me for more and convincingly at that!, while most delivery guys don't even bother smiling.

That's my penny's worth.. :cool:

You should consider the cost of gasoline.

Two dollars is a solid tip. (or pounds)

1. Uh, I thought that was why I was PAYING for my meal? If I'm not paying for service included, why aren't I getting the ingredients at cost price?

2. Find a better job or demand better wages. In my youth I worked in some very low paying jobs that were not public service i.e. no tips - I survived, I bettered myself and eventually got better paying jobs.

3. It's called "the demand and supply industry"...that, and the fact your EMPLOYER should be the one paying you...look into that...

4. You try (insert 1000 jobs that society doesn't deem "tip worthy") - everything from manual labour to emergency services...guess what: hard work, NO TIPS.

5. Thanks goodness I live in a society where I'm free to NOT tip at my discretion and not have some asshole secrete a bodily fluid into my meal...

The moral of the story is if someone tips you for excellent service, fine and well, but don't EXPECT a tip for simply doing YOUR JOB ;)


1.No..your paying to have your meal prepared for you, so you dont have to do it yourself.
The server will be the one who delivers your meal to you, checks to make sure everything is to your liking, and also keep your drinks full, checks to see if you need anything else.....

Maybe you have a small child with you, in wich case the kid might need a booster seat, or you may need some extra napkins...these are things most servers will do to generally make sure your enjoying yourself while you have your meal.
These are reasons why you should tip.

2. Oh shut up..maybe you've taken a look out in the job market these days?
There aint much out there.
Maybe in YOUR day, you could support yourself by working some crappy burger flipping job, but these days, that aint gonna cut it.

3.Supply and demand huh?
Well..in my case..you want a pizza...you have the demand for the pizza...you better supply the cash.
You realize how many miles I have to put on my car, or how much money in gas I have to spend to make a living?
Like your precious two dollars are doing you tons of good?
You afraid to show gratitude to the guy who is working hard to bring you that food, that you didnt want to leave the house to get?

Let me put it this way...

Lets talk about common courtesy.

You order a pizza from me.
Im obligated to bring it to you, if you live in our delivery area, and desire it brought to you.

Thats where my obligation to you, and my employer stops.

Im not under any olbigation to to bring it to you in a timley manner, am I?

I get there...when I get there.

Now..if I wish to courteous, and be expedient as possible, also making sure that your pizza arrives hot and fresh, with all the accoutrements you desire..
Thats courtesy on my part.

If your pizza arrives in this manner, and in a timely as possible fashion..to reward the driver..even though you are not under any obligation to do so..
is common courtesy.

4. Manual labour jobs, especially Union ones usually start at 12-15 dollars an hour, as do emergency services.
Its not the same.

5. Yes, isnt it nice that in this society, you can be as cheap, and haughty as you want, and its also nice to know that if indeed you are as cheap as you make out to be, you've probably consumed more bodily fluids than you realize.

On a serious note...the original comment I made was mostly in jest, I have never once spit, or anything else, into anyones food I have ever prepared, or delivered.
Thats an act of a child, and much too passive aggressive for my tastes. I'll simply let you know what a penis you're being at the time.

The moral of this story is that for someone to earn a living by being a server, or a dilivery driver, isnt easy, and the two measly dollars you wont likely miss, is going to make another person happy.
The same person who is trying to do thier job, by doing the same to you.

By not tipping, your basically saying "Fuck you..I'm too good to care."

Well? Do ya? Do ya?

1)Waiters...waitresses...delivery drivers. The whole schpeal. If you so, how do you determine how much to give them?

2)On a side note, do you equate delivery drivers with restaurant waiters? If yes, should they get more of a tip, since they go to further lengths (literally) to appease the customer? Or should they be treated equally?

Edit: Perhaps I should include all other services where tipping is included (of which I may later regret, depending on where some may choose to take it... :rolleyes: )

1) I tip based on performance. If service is bad, I tip a single penny, if it's good, a waitperson might make more than I paid for the meal off it. Delivery Drivers get a Fiver if they're on time, Ten if it's still hot, and fifteen if it's exactly what I ordered, still hot, and early.

2)Sort of. See (1)

Tipping is traditional in my family, as are the rules of giving tips. You tip well for good service, and extravagantly for truly excellent service. For poor service, a single piece of change is not only insulting, but also a strong protest. I've only left a single penny/nickel/quarter/whatever twice. Both servers were gone by the time I went back to the establishment in question-fired, usually. It takes really, really bad service to piss me off that much.
OTOH, I've found that at a place I expect to come back to, being known as a good tipper gets bennies-first priority when I walk in, seating ahead of other customers, and the waitstaff remember what I like, and what I don't, without hving to find out.
Mind, I don't eat at expensive places often enough to fit the general description above-but the rules work there too-tip "average" for "average" service, "well" for good service, "Extravagantly" for really excellent service, and "Insultingly" for really bad service.

1.No..your paying to have your meal prepared for you, so you dont have to do it yourself.
The server will be the one who delivers your meal to you, checks to make sure everything is to your liking, and also keep your drinks full, checks to see if you need anything else.....

Maybe you have a small child with you, in wich case the kid might need a booster seat, or you may need some extra napkins...these are things most servers will do to generally make sure your enjoying yourself while you have your meal.
These are reasons why you should tip.

2. Oh shut up..maybe you've taken a look out in the job market these days?
There aint much out there.
Maybe in YOUR day, you could support yourself by working some crappy burger flipping job, but these days, that aint gonna cut it.

3.Supply and demand huh?
Well..in my case..you want a pizza...you have the demand for the pizza...you better supply the cash.
You realize how many miles I have to put on my car, or how much money in gas I have to spend to make a living?
Like your precious two dollars are doing you tons of good?
You afraid to show gratitude to the guy who is working hard to bring you that food, that you didnt want to leave the house to get?

Let me put it this way...

Lets talk about common courtesy.

You order a pizza from me.
Im obligated to bring it to you, if you live in our delivery area, and desire it brought to you.

Thats where my obligation to you, and my employer stops.

Im not under any olbigation to to bring it to you in a timley manner, am I?

I get there...when I get there.

Now..if I wish to courteous, and be expedient as possible, also making sure that your pizza arrives hot and fresh, with all the accoutrements you desire..
Thats courtesy on my part.

If your pizza arrives in this manner, and in a timely as possible fashion..to reward the driver..even though you are not under any obligation to do so..
is common courtesy.

4. Manual labour jobs, especially Union ones usually start at 12-15 dollars an hour, as do emergency services.
Its not the same.

5. Yes, isnt it nice that in this society, you can be as cheap, and haughty as you want, and its also nice to know that if indeed you are as cheap as you make out to be, you've probably consumed more bodily fluids than you realize.

On a serious note...the original comment I made was mostly in jest, I have never once spit, or anything else, into anyones food I have ever prepared, or delivered.
Thats an act of a child, and much too passive aggressive for my tastes. I'll simply let you know what a penis you're being at the time.

The moral of this story is that for someone to earn a living by being a server, or a dilivery driver, isnt easy, and the two measly dollars you wont likely miss, is going to make another person happy.
The same person who is trying to do thier job, by doing the same to you.

By not tipping, your basically saying "Fuck you..I'm too good to care."

Well, I live in Australia, where, fortunately, we don't have a ridiculous system where people get slave wages and have to rely on tips to survive. Our waiters/delivery men etc. have a minimum wage that can be survived upon. In fact, it is probably better in many cases than what manual labour pays over here.

Now, let me address your points -

1. There may be some big differences in the USA to Oz, but over here the price we pay for our meals goes toward the pay of everyone who works at the restaurant, from chefs, to waiters to the managers and owners.

2. No, the job market over here isn't exactly flush with opportunities either. I started off in a bare minimum wage job (as a storeman), and eventually worked myself up, by getting a forklift license, educating myself in my spare time, looking and applying for better jobs etc. I have been working in logistics, purchasing and customer service roles more recently - my long term goal is to get into a technical job in the IT industry. I'm not saying everyone can walk into a great job, but I am saying that if you don't like your job and don't think it pays enough, there are things you can do to improve your lot.

3. Now you are being ridiculous. If you don't want to do your job in a timely, polite and efficient manner, expect to get fired. By the way, what is this problem you seem to have with people getting food delivered? You make it sound like only lazy slobs get pizzas (et al) delivered... Sure, I could jump in my car and go get the food (I often do, in fact), but how about people who don't have a car and don't live particularly close to the store? How about people at a party who have been drinking - want them to jump behind the wheel? Basically, using a home delivery service doesn't make people some sort of parasites.

4. As I said, we have a different system hgere in Australia. IMHO, having a system where you don't pay people enough to live on, and "relying on the kindness of strangers" is just ludicrous. Perhaps your wage system needs an overhaul...

5. I hardly consider myself cheap or haughty - like I said, in Australioa tipping isn't the holy institution that it seems to be where you live. And as stated in my original post, I do in fact sometimes tip. If I have had excellent service, I usually do tip.

I think most of our differences in opinion come from the different wage structures in our respective countries.

BackwoodsSquatches:

Be aware that things are, as stated above, a little different here in Australia. There is a reasonable minimum wage here, and the standard for quality service is VERY high here. Tipping isn't a common practice here - it never has been. Tipping is restricted to rare examples of exceptional service - where it, in all honesty, should go.

Oh, and for the record - I live within walking distance of the local pizza store - so we rarely get it delivered.

I do based on service … but I dislike the whole necessity of it.
Employers in a tipped industry are allowed to pay their workers less then the minimum wage (for non tipped workers) because the rest is supposed to come out of the consumers pocket
You are essentially paying to have your food brought to you , I wouldn’t mind picking it up at the kitchen myself if that was an option, but its not.


I know I probably am rambling this morning but I just think it is a cheep run around minimum wage laws making the consumer cover the cost (the consumer would pay for it anyways but then it would be clearly marked out and reflected in the prices for the food)

BackwoodsSquatches:

Be aware that things are, as stated above, a little different here in Australia. There is a reasonable minimum wage here, and the standard for quality service is VERY high here. Tipping isn't a common practice here - it never has been. Tipping is restricted to rare examples of exceptional service - where it, in all honesty, should go.

Oh, and for the record - I live within walking distance of the local pizza store - so we rarely get it delivered.
The problem in America is that there is a lower minimum waged for “tipped” industry then the rest of the business world allowing them to pay the worker a ridiculously low actual wage
The rest is assumed to come out of the consumers pocket

They really have made tipping “mandatory” (at least if you care about the person being able to eat) rather then a sign of them doing a good job and being rewarded justly for it

1) I tip based on performance. If service is bad, I tip a single penny, if it's good, a waitperson might make more than I paid for the meal off it. Delivery Drivers get a Fiver if they're on time, Ten if it's still hot, and fifteen if it's exactly what I ordered, still hot, and early.

2)Sort of. See (1)

Tipping is traditional in my family, as are the rules of giving tips. You tip well for good service, and extravagantly for truly excellent service. For poor service, a single piece of change is not only insulting, but also a strong protest. I've only left a single penny/nickel/quarter/whatever twice. Both servers were gone by the time I went back to the establishment in question-fired, usually. It takes really, really bad service to piss me off that much.
OTOH, I've found that at a place I expect to come back to, being known as a good tipper gets bennies-first priority when I walk in, seating ahead of other customers, and the waitstaff remember what I like, and what I don't, without hving to find out.
Mind, I don't eat at expensive places often enough to fit the general description above-but the rules work there too-tip "average" for "average" service, "well" for good service, "Extravagantly" for really excellent service, and "Insultingly" for really bad service.

I agree- I had to read this post twice to see if I had written it.

.

3.Supply and demand huh?
Well..in my case..you want a pizza...you have the demand for the pizza...you better supply the cash.
You realize how many miles I have to put on my car, or how much money in gas I have to spend to make a living?
Like your precious two dollars are doing you tons of good?



I've never been in delivery, but I look at it this way-there is a reason I prefer to have the food delivered sometimes. Maybe the weather is bad, maybe I'm too busy, maybe I'm just lazy. And not having to go get the food has to be worth something to me.
I know delivery people get some type of compensation for using their own vehicle, but I dont imagine for a second its actually enough to cover fuel & wear and tear. Now I have a person coming out to find my house at night-or in the rain or snow. No matter what I order, that has to be worth $10.00 minimum.
And what if the delivery person has an accident? Their vehicle and their job may be on the line. Just an outside possibilty, but a possibilty none the less. Which is something I dont have to worry about if I'm laying on my couch watching TV waiting for delivery.

So just tip. Be generous if the service is decent and you plan to do business with them again. What goes around, comes around.


I wont tip for counter service though. Someone who puts coffee in a cup and then I go add the milk doesnt need .50 from me.

They get payed for their jobs IMO.

Now I chatted with an American about this, who told me they get payed horribly and actually depend on tips. This is where the fault is. A tip shouldn't be part of someone's wage. It is something extra.

They get payed for their jobs IMO.

Now I chatted with an American about this, who told me they get payed horribly and actually depend on tips. This is where the fault is. A tip shouldn't be part of someone's wage. It is something extra.


Yeah-many employers take full advantage of a job where tips can be made and they are able to pay less than minimum wage. Its like having your workers salaries subsidized by the customers.

I tip my bartender.

As a rule of thumb: Tip well, tip often.

A $2 tip can get you $5 worth of free drinks if you're a regular customer. :)

Well? Do ya? Do ya?

Waiters...waitresses...delivery drivers. The whole schpeal. If you so, how do you determine how much to give them?

On a side note, do you equate delivery drivers with restaurant waiters? If yes, should they get more of a tip, since they go to further lengths (literally) to appease the customer? Or should they be treated equally?

Edit: Perhaps I should include all other services where tipping is included (of which I may later regret, depending on where some may choose to take it... :rolleyes: )

i generally tip about 20% for dine-in and delivery service

delivery/wait staff are paid poorly in the US -- in many places, $2 to $3 an hour -- so they really depend on tips to make a decent living.

i'm not going to be an ass and not tip them when they're getting such a crappy pay rate.

if the service is not great, i might tip 10%

if it's really good, i might tip 25%

it's usually somewhere between about 15% and 20%

and if i'm the only one in the store, sometimes i feel a bit responsible for the person making enough money during the time i'm there and i'll let loose with like a 30%+ tip. (depending on the amount of the check of course)

I used to be a much better tipper... coming out of the service industry, I knew how important that money was. Lately I've been a bit cheaper, but it's been because I just don't have the extra cash. It doesn't come up much as I don't tend to eat out or be 'served' by others (hey, if I can't afford the tip, how can I afford the service)? But when it DOES come up, I feel just terrible if I can't tip generously. (unless the service was truly awful, which is rare). Still, some things I'm not used to tipping for...like clerks in a store...(and I guess Canadians have a bad reputation for tipping...not as bad as the Aussies, but almost:)).

You all should seriously read this guys blog. If it doesn't make you see why you should always tip (15% is a minimum BTW), then it will at least entertain you.

http://www.waiterrant.blogspot.com/

BackwoodsSquatches:

Be aware that things are, as stated above, a little different here in Australia. There is a reasonable minimum wage here, and the standard for quality service is VERY high here. Tipping isn't a common practice here - it never has been. Tipping is restricted to rare examples of exceptional service - where it, in all honesty, should go.

Oh, and for the record - I live within walking distance of the local pizza store - so we rarely get it delivered.


Joey pizza?

hehe

You all should seriously read this guys blog. If it doesn't make you see why you should always tip (15% is a minimum BTW), then it will at least entertain you.

http://www.waiterrant.blogspot.com/

I WD-40'd more than one pizza back in the day.

I used to be a much better tipper... coming out of the service industry, I knew how important that money was. Lately I've been a bit cheaper, but it's been because I just don't have the extra cash. It doesn't come up much as I don't tend to eat out or be 'served' by others (hey, if I can't afford the tip, how can I afford the service)? But when it DOES come up, I feel just terrible if I can't tip generously. (unless the service was truly awful, which is rare). Still, some things I'm not used to tipping for...like clerks in a store...(and I guess Canadians have a bad reputation for tipping...not as bad as the Aussies, but almost:)).


Years ago, we ate at the restaurant at the top of the Minolta Tower in Canada. It was fairly expensive-the food was ok, but very over-rated. The waiter was alright. Their were six of us-I picked up the bill and tipped the waiter 20% on a $400.00 bill.. I was walking to the elevator and the waiter made a bee line right for me-I thought there was a problem-instead, he was thanking me as if I had saved his life. During the meal, he seemed a little aloof and having a french accent, the people with me didnt exactly love him. I just saw a guy making a living and not being rude, but not terribly friendly either.
Apparently, he wasnt expecting much of a tip and with the exchange rate, he got a whopping bit of cash for an hour's work. Maybe someday, he'll help me out with something.