01-28-2009, 05:38 PM
Tipping is subjective and that's coming from someone who worked in the industry for 17 years and was GM of one of the bars.
Like I told the people I hired; you earn a tip, it is not automatic. Servers that assume they will get a tip don't belong in the service industry. 20% is no more "standard" than a tip being automatic is.
If your server went out of their way for you, a bit more is expected. Were they pleasant? Did they smile? Did they tell you their first name, regardless if they had on a nametag? Did they give you enough time without attention and not too much between stopping by?
All things to consider when tipping. I don't think 10 bucks on a $60 tab is cheap. I know cheap. I've seen cheap. That ain't it.
Think of it this way; a server is taxed on 8% of their sales here in Michigan. If they wait on someone and the customer leaves them a 4% tip, it just cost that server to wait on that customer. I always take that into consideration when I'm withholding tip money. When it is earned and deserved, I give a shit about what the "norm" is and I generally tip outrageously.
Like I told the people I hired; you earn a tip, it is not automatic. Servers that assume they will get a tip don't belong in the service industry. 20% is no more "standard" than a tip being automatic is.
If your server went out of their way for you, a bit more is expected. Were they pleasant? Did they smile? Did they tell you their first name, regardless if they had on a nametag? Did they give you enough time without attention and not too much between stopping by?
All things to consider when tipping. I don't think 10 bucks on a $60 tab is cheap. I know cheap. I've seen cheap. That ain't it.
Think of it this way; a server is taxed on 8% of their sales here in Michigan. If they wait on someone and the customer leaves them a 4% tip, it just cost that server to wait on that customer. I always take that into consideration when I'm withholding tip money. When it is earned and deserved, I give a shit about what the "norm" is and I generally tip outrageously.