Stay at Home Moms

How much do you tip waitors/waitresses?

Unless my server does something ridiculous, I tip 20%. A lot of people tell me the standard is 15% but some of my friends who were servers through college complain endlessly about people who don't tip at least 20%.

So LO's christening is this weekend and we have a private room at a restaurant. A 15% gratuity is included in the bill. I feel weird giving her a 20$ bill, but that will be the extra 5% to make it a 20% tip (about). My sister says I shouldn't leave anything because the gratuity is included. I kind of thought they would get a higher percentage for large parties, though.

What do you normally tip for regular eating out and large parties?

Re: How much do you tip waitors/waitresses?

  • I never ever tip under 20 percent. Servers in my state do not earn even close to minimum wage. I would make up the difference to make sure the server especially of a large party got 20 percent.
  • I tip 20% unless the service sucks.  I would think they would have at least 18% included in the bill.  I would give a little more
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  • That's what I thought, especially since we will be there for a few hours. It feels weird to give her like 20 or 30 bucks, though, on a 400$+ bill. Like, "Don't spend it all in one place!" Even though 15% is included.

    I also have no idea who they split it with at this particular place.

  • ehnastoehnasto member

    Typically for larg parties all on one check the tip is included and it is usually printed on your bill that the tip is included. I have had a couple of bad experiences with locations including tip on their bill because the waiter/waitress seemed like they didn't care since they knew what their tip would be regardless of service. If a waiter/waitress does a really awesome job, I will leave extra for them even though the tip was included on my bil. If not then they just get what was inluded.

    For me a tip depends purely on the service. I don't think a waiter/waitress is intitled to a tip. Some servers feel that they are intitled because they don't get paid well in general, but I can't really get behind that arguement. I typically tip close to 20 percent. For bad service I tip less, for really good service I tip more.  

  • I tip based on the server. 20 percent for average. Over 20 percent if they really went above and beyond-I left 50 percent for a server once. If they're lousy (beyond some understandable circumstance like the restaurant is slammed and they look short staffed I leave 15 percent or less. One time a server argued with me over my drink order then never came back again since she sat at the bar with her friends and I actually had to go over there to get my check. I left her a few pennies.
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  • LouiejLouiej member
    imageMinipenguin:

    It feels weird to give her like 20 or 30 bucks, though, on a 400$+ bill. 

    Personally, if she has your big party, you will most likely be her only table for the night. I would make sure she gets at least 20%, or $80 total.

  • 15% is standard. I usually tip about 20% unless the service was excellent or horrible. Or if we go somewhere local and cheap (like $10-$15 for both of us) we usually just pay $20 which makes a 33-100% tip.

    I thought like 18% was standard for large parties, and every time I have been to one the service SUCKED so we didn't tip extra. If the service is good, I would definitely tip extra then the 15%.

  • To answer your question dealing with a large party is challenging for a server and they're usually taking their whole section. I would definitely give extra if you receive good service.
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  • I'm a really generous tipper. I usually leave 30-40%. If the service is great I'd leave closer to 40. I've given as much as 100% before. lol
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  • Okay, thanks everyone! Ill make sure to atleast make up the extra 5%.
  • imageKC_13:
    I tip based on the server. 20 percent for average. Over 20 percent if they really went above and beyond-I left 50 percent for a server once. If they're lousy (beyond some understandable circumstance like the restaurant is slammed and they look short staffed I leave 15 percent or less. One time a server argued with me over my drink order then never came back again since she sat at the bar with her friends and I actually had to go over there to get my check. I left her a few pennies.

     

    I wouldn't have left her anything. WTH. I'd probably complain to the manager, too. But I'm an as.s like that.

  • I tip based on service. For average it is 20% anything above and beyond that Ill tip as much as 50% but if service sucked Ill tip 15% or less. 
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  • I can think of 1 time that I tipped less than 20% and that was because the service was completely awful.  
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  • imageehnasto:

    I don't think a waiter/waitress is intitled to a tip. Some servers feel that they are intitled because they don't get paid well in general, but I can't really get behind that arguement. I typically tip close to 20 percent. For bad service I tip less, for really good service I tip more.  



    This deserves an eye roll. I mean, those servers and waitresses don't deserve to make minimum wage, do they?

    For me to tip less than 20% service has to be really bad. And, as someone who has waitressed at various places, it isn't abnormal at all for a large party to leave more tip money on the table (or hand it directly to a server/waiter) even if a tip is included.
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  • Usually 20 - 25% unless the service is absolutely horrible. Servers in my state get the state minimum wage of $8 something an hour, so I don't feel bad if the service is bad and I leave a 15% tip.

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  • I tip 20%, but if they put a gratuity on the bill...that is all they get.  I don't give more.
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  • I tip 20% unless I get bad service, then I'll tip 10-15%.  But it honestly has to be really bad service for me to tip,under 20

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  • We normally tip 20% unless it's bad service.

    Also, between their claimed tips and their hourly rate, they MUST make at least minimum wage. If they don't, then the employer MUST increase their rate to make sure they make minimum wage.

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  • I currently serve 1 night a week. This past Saturday night I shared with another sever a party of 40. There bill was just above $1000. They requested (by law we have to oblige) that they handle their own tip. They left us $70. We got 7% on that party. It took my entire section, I was there until 11:30 at night. It was awful. Days like that make it absolutely horrible to see people say servers are not entitled to the tip.

    If we had included the tip, it would have been 18%. If you pay by card then there is often a spot to leave an additional tip. 

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  • All of DH's immediate family spent a great deal of time in the food service industry. MH grew up down the shore. His mom waitressed in the summer to help make ends meet. Her remembers being in late elementary school counting her bills, knowing what was a good breakfast shift, good lunch, and good dinner shift. 

    Because of this, we tip generously, especially for good service.

    In the situation you described, I would assess how the party turns out. In the event service is superior, I'd leave the difference of a 30% or more tip. If it's okay, I'd make it equal to 20%.  

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  • I tip 20% or more...we're regulars at a couple of places and we tip more there since we know everybody.
  • Either the service was good enough for a decent tip, or I'm talking to the manager.
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