Why are restaurant 'Tipping' rates at 15%?

T.I.P.S - "To ensure Prompt or Proper service"

Here's how it goes:

Your meal arrives at a half decent time, the waitor/waitress has pretty much hovered over you, catering to every whim, and the food was delish.

So now what?

You'd like to thank the person who served you by tippingthem.

Depending on the price of the meal of course, the rule of thumb is to divide the total amount of the bill by 15%. (More elaborate dining places expect 20% or more)

Who came up with this amount?

Have you ever been to an establishment where the service was below par, and the server expected a tip?

Unless the service was REALLY, REALLY bad and you know it was because of the server's bad attitude, that's the only time I would reconsider giving a tip. I usually over-tip because I know that the people working in the restaurant count on those tips to make a living. Also, think about the people working back in the kitchen and the one's cleaning up tables, they all share in it.

Peace

I hear ya Dr. Love

I used to work in the restaurants many moons ago, and alot of the servers 'relied' on tips to break even with their bills and other expenses.

In some cases, the amount of tips super-ceded the actual paycheck!

Look how many tips the 'dancers' make at some of the clubs. Pay their way through college no doubt!

Years ago, I remember going to this one particular restaurant and everything went well right up to the food being served. The waitress wasn't on the ball, and didn't notice the slight 'growth' in my salad. She served the food without batting an eyelash. We had just finished our coffee when the meal was brought to us.

We were so disgusted and told her we're not paying for anything. I was 2 shades of green at that moment. We didn't touch one morcel, got up, and preceded to walk out the door. We were just about to get in our car, when the waitress came yelling at the top of her lungs: "You forgot to pay for your coffee!!!" The nerve of her.

The sound of squeeling tires was all that could be heard after that.

Originally posted by TheDuckster
In some cases, the amount of tips super-ceded the actual paycheck!

Only in some cases?

I'd hope to any deity that anyone in Louisiana waiting tables/bartending is making more in tips than their paycheck at $2.15 an hour!

You have to remember, that it is not always in the waiter's control on your service. I can be as nice as possible, call your cabs, arrange tours for your next day in my city, but I cannot control the bad attitude cook in the back, and how slow he wants to go.

Just sayin'. It isn't just a "tip" for niceness, it truly is the way most of these people make their money. Some restaurants/bars here, you actually in some cases pay to work there, because the tips are that good.

As to your question, have you been in places that expected a tip, yes.

I've been in a few really expensive classy restaurants, and they include the "gratuity" in the bill.

But then, the service is always excellent, so I had no call to complain.

Every place i've been to the waiters basically are reliant on tips. I dont know where 15% came from, but i think that the standard is now 18%. I generally tip between 10-25% percent depending on service. I think that crappy service deserves a crappy tip.

My mother is a waitress in a 4 star bed & breakfast (The TARA if anyone cares) She makes $2.83 an hour. My mother busts her ass and I know it and respect her for it. She still only pulls in about $20,000 a year. Thats why you tip 15%, for the hard working indivuals who work there. They need that tip money. Since i respect my mother so much, I will for the rest of my life always tip 40%. Unless shes a downright bitch, then she wont get anything, and maybe she'll learn some manners. But the people that actually lok and sound like they enjoy their job, and come out with a smile and a great attitude, they get it big.

Actually, you should multiply the bill by .15, not divide it. That'd be a lot of money.

Wait staff make only a couple of dollars an hour, so they work mainly for tips. I don't know who decided that the tip should have changed from .10 to .15-.20, but it did over thirty years ago.

Wait staff can make a whole lot more than you'd often imagine, but they do work hard for the money and put up with a lot, to boot.

A good waitress or waiter will make you want to leave a tip, especially if you are a regular customer and especially if you bring clients and family members with you.

If my bill is less than $10.00, I leave $2.00 on most occasions, unless I just sit down for a quick cup of coffee and then I will usually leave a dollar.

Unless the waitress or waiter spits in your face, there really is no good reason not to leave a proper tip.

$2 an hour... thats illegal pretty much everywhere in Europe. Minimum wage in the UK is $10 and tends to get higher in the citys.

I think the most ive ever tipped someone was a few pounds ($3-5), it depends on the place and if they even accept tips, some places don't.

National law is $5.85. But if you make tips its pretty much whatever I guess. I'm a lifeguard at a hotel and I make $7.15/hr.

Rare is the situation where I don't tip 20%. My wife spent a few years waitressing (so we could keep the kids out of day care, she worked nights waitressing). I know what a grind it is. The servers have to tip out the bussers and bartenders. Plus, restaurants (at least the ones she worked) report a percentage of your sales to the IRS to "estimate" your tips for tax purposes.

So even if the service is really crappy, I tip 20%. If it's a place I might come back to anyway, I mention it to the manager. In those rare situations where I may never darken their door again, I don't say anything but still leave the tip.

Maybe I'm a sucker, but that's just the deal.

Originally posted by Schmidt1989
National law is $5.85. But if you make tips its pretty much whatever I guess.

Here's the law:

Wait staff must be paid at least $2.89 per hour and the amount of tips received must bring this amount to $7.40 as of January 1, 2007, for all hours worked.

www.dlt.ri.gov]

[edit on 2007/7/31 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott

Here's the law:

Wait staff must be paid at least $2.89 per hour and the amount of tips received must bring this amount to $7.40 as of January 1, 2007, for all hours worked.

Is that national or state? I live in Pennsylvania. I do know that my mother has to file for unemployemnt once a week because she doesnt make enough money. Its a good thing my dad has a pretty good job, or we'd be really poor!

I only tip my friends.

Why would I tip someone who is serving my food or doing something that they get paid for in the first place?

Now, dont even bother telling me they only get paid minimum wages.... HELLO! Your a waiter/waitress.... of course your getting minimum wages. Wake up out of your imaginary world and relise that it takes no skill to serve people food..... Slaves did it for free for ages.

The sooner people relise that tipping is stupid, the sooner I can stop tipping my friends.

Why do I not tip?

I went to school for 3 years, spent 23,000$ on an education in advance. I now work as a draftsman.... Do I get tips when I finish prints for someones house early, in time for their contractor to finish before the winter? ect, ect..... Hell NO!

When I get tips, Ill start tipping the lazy buggers that wont get a job that takes skill. Till then, like I said, only my friends get tips.....and only 10% at that.

Im still wondering how the government still allows tips, I mean... If I get taxed, why they hell is the service industry wages not taxed?

Sorry, I just dont agree with this tipping crap.

What makes it harder for me, is I have a lot of friends.... being lazy, not going back to school, wasteing the summers away partying... and working a waitress/waiter job. then they bitch about the money being so bad, and the tips from ass holes like me..... I keep telling them, its their choice.... but once again, that "lower classness" just comes out every September and once again they are making another trip around the sun as a waiter/waitress wondering why the world left them behind....

Its sad really for those people.... and so many people.

Though, I have used high tips to get into this one chicks pants... so, maybe there is some good out of it.

[edit on 31-7-2007 by JbT]

Here are the 2007 Canadian Provincial wages that I found on this site:

About.com/Canada Online

Province General Wage
Alberta $7.00
BC $8.00
Manitoba $8.00
New Brunswick $7.25
Newfoundland $7.00
NWT $8.25
Nova Scotia $7.60
Nunavut $8.50
Ontario $8.00
Quebec $8.00
Saskatchewan $7.95
Yukon $8.37
PEI $7.50
___________________

National Average = $7.80

The cost of living is pretty high up here in Canada. Taxes are what kill us. Taking into concideration that the average person making minimum wage wouldn't be able to sustain oneself properly; not in a viable way.

"Enough to get by...not enough to get ahead."

I give tips when they're merited of course. I know that many live on a meager existance and I don't mind giving them extra monies. In my mind, it's a 'leg up', and not just someone begging for a 'hand-out.'

Originally posted by Schmidt1989

You sir, more than likely crossed the line with ATS Terms and Conditions with the above remark.

This will not be tolerated here.




Mod edit: to fix quote

[edit on 7/31/2007 by kinglizard]

Dang.it was 15% 20 years ago..

15% is like MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price). It's just a general reference to help you decide how much to tip. Tip if you feel like it or can afford it. I remember being younger and I hardly ever tipped. I was lucky I had enough money to eat out at all.

I don't mind tipping but if I think about it too much it makes me irritated. Why don't they just charge more for the food and pay the waiters more. That $8.99 burger and fries is really about $10.50 including a tip. Just say so up front. It's sort of shady if you think about it. Resturants get to pay the waiters Chinese shoe factory wages and then expect you to make up the difference. I guess it's 6 one way half a dozen the other. Whatever?