s/o Tipping...clicky poll

kimbo1216 · June 2013

How much do you tip on average for average/descent service at an average table service restaurant.

Basically: I'm not talking about how much you tip at Starbucks or Sonic, or at a fancy place where the service is generally beyond exception so the tip tends to go up anyway. Just regular casual, non-counter service, restaurants.

Europeans probably shouldn't answer since I know tipping is different there. lol

[Poll]

sleepy33 · June 2013

Clicky poll success!

Wino0920 · June 2013

Standard 20 but I don't think that people who don't necessarily can't afford it.

Scientist23 · June 2013

anamouse:
Oops. I hit 10 instead of 15-20. I'm originally from Canada and we generally tip 10-15% there because servers get a good minimum wage not crap like in the US.

I wouldn't say a GOOD minimum wage. Better than the US yes, but by no means GOOD.

I'm a 20-25% as long as you didn't sh!t the bed. A decade of serving will do that to a girl.

kimbo1216 · June 2013

carriet2018:
Kimbo I cannot tell at all what your bias is on this poll

Bahahahaha. I think all former restaurant service people have a strong bias on this topic.

I'll never forget when Oprah, on national TV, told everyone to tip less to save money in a down economy. It was cringe worthy. I was a server at the time I'm pretty sure. A lot of servers started some FB page against her because of it. lol

kimbo1216 · June 2013

And yes. I'm so cringing that we even have one 10% or less vote. Like seriously. Don't go out to eat if you can't/won't tip more.

but yay for all the 20% voters!

ETA: so glad the 10% vote was a mistake!

kimbo1216 · June 2013

Wino0920:
Standard 20 but I don't think that people who don't necessarily can't afford it.

I agree. I think most either don't "know" what is a good tip or they're just cheap. lol

Wino0920 · June 2013

kimbo1216:
Wino0920:
Standard 20 but I don't think that people who don't necessarily can't afford it.
I agree.  I think most either don't "know" what is a good tip or they're just cheap. lol

Exactly!

bkeane619 · June 2013

Usually I do a little over 20 percent if its good service. Just cuz I know the job is crap and I wouldn't want to do it personally.

asilwhite · June 2013

I always tip 20% unless the service was horrible or outstanding. For outstanding service, I've been known to tip 30%. NYE we went out to dinner and had the most amazing meal and most incredible server. Our bill was not cheap and we tipped him 35%. He deserved it.

sleepy33 · June 2013

As an addendum: does anyone tip when doing carryout? I do when I go to my local hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant, because their prices are so cheap and I know they pool all the tips.

lvnbraves · June 2013

We're pretty consistent at 18% - depending on service. Passable service gets you 15%, good service 18%, great service 20% or more.

shelley1002 · June 2013

Wino0920:
Standard 20 but I don't think that people who don't necessarily can't afford it.

This. I picked SS for this reason.

taylormarie923 · June 2013

I tip 20% always. Even if the service is bad. I can't help it. But, I generally don't actually do the math to the penny, so my 20% for good service usually ends up being more because I round up (and make my total an even dollar amount).

As for take out, I am torn on this. The restaurant that I worked at rotated servers for who was the to-go server that night. They earned a higher hourly rate (maybe $5 instead of $2), but still lost money on the nights it was their turn to do to-go because no one ever thinks to tip them.

What I wonder is if fast food-type places (not McD's style, more like a sandwich shop style) get paid a higher hourly wage? Living in California, food service workers are paid standard minimum wage and it wasn't until I moved to Texas that I realized standard wage is $2.14 which equals about a 5 cent check every two weeks. So I never was worried about tipping those to go places where I order at a counter in CA because they received as much money as I did for my entry level desk job. Anyone know how wages work in those type of food joints around the country?

losersaidwhat · June 2013

anamouse:
Scientist23:
anamouse:
Oops. I hit 10 instead of 15-20. I'm originally from Canada and we generally tip 10-15% there because servers get a good minimum wage not crap like in the US.
I wouldn't say a GOOD minimum wage.  Better than the US yes, but by no means GOOD.
I'm a 20-25% as long as you didn't sh!t the bed.  A decade of serving will do that to a girl. 
$8-10+ is better than $2-6 in some states where they use the tips as part of the minimum wage. 

While I agree whole dollar comparison is higher for minimum wage here, cost of living needs to be taken into account. We have a relatively high cost of living in my city, so while minimum wage for servers [because they serve alcohol it is less than normal min. wage] is 9.10 an hour in my province, if you take the tips out, you're only making 20k a year which is PEANUTS to live on.
ETA: For a point of reference here are the housing market trends for my city https://www.jimsparrow.com/marketstats.php

Ajoyd · June 2013

sleepy33:
As an addendum: does anyone tip when doing carryout? I do when I go to my local hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant, because their prices are so cheap and I know they pool all the tips.

I do. Usually just a buck or two, maybe more for more expensive food but we don't generally order super fancy takeout.

BMnatz11 · June 2013

I always go with 20% and then either deduct or add some depending on if the service was less than or better than good. I was never a server, but I have plenty of friends who were/are. DH thinks that 15% is 'the norm' and sometimes I have to discuss tipping with him, especially when I think the server deserves more. He's not cheap or stingy, I think he just doesn't know that 20% is 'average.' We don't go out often, but when we do, he usually asks me "is this enough for a tip?"

Flutterby00 · June 2013

So I just learned - after googling, that CA and OR both pay minimum wage to their tipped employees, they are exempt from taking tip credits like most of the other states can. I knew Oregon did from living there - and its not surprising to me that CA also does that. Not that it necessarily changes what % you should tip. Wish I would have worked in either of those states when I was a server!!

norbert5 · June 2013

I voted double the tax. But really it is double the tax (8%) and add a little which usually makes it hover around the 20% mark.

On a related note: I really like it when restaurants put the little percentage scale at the bottom so it automatically calculates a 15%, 20%, 25% tax or whatever. But probably because I am lazy but I think this gives people a better idea of what to tip since lets be honest people on average are not good with math.

losersaidwhat · June 2013

anamouse:
losersaidwhat:

While I agree whole dollar comparison is higher for minimum wage here, cost of living needs to be taken into account. We have a relatively high cost of living in my city, so while minimum wage for servers [because they serve alcohol it is less than normal min. wage] is 9.10 an hour in my province, if you take the tips out, you're only making 20k a year which is PEANUTS to live on.
ETA: For a point of reference here are the housing market trends for my city https://www.jimsparrow.com/marketstats.php
Doesn't Calgary not have taxes because of the oil? 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA NO TAXES HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... I wish. We definitely have taxes. We're the only province without PST [Provincial Sales Tax] if that's what you're thinking of though so our GST is only 5 percent instead of like 14 for HST.

taylormarie923 · June 2013

Flutterby00:
So I just learned - after googling, that CA and OR both pay minimum wage to their tipped employees, they are exempt from taking tip credits like most of the other states can. I knew Oregon did from living there - and its not surprising to me that CA also does that. Not that it necessarily changes what % you should tip. Wish I would have worked in either of those states when I was a server!!

Oh wow, I didn't realize it was only those two. I mentioned CA in my previous comment and I never knew servers made anything less than that until I moved!

Amjoy25 · June 2013

carriet2018:
Kimbo I cannot tell at all what your bias is on this poll

HA! Right.

trackgirlparis · June 2013

losersaidwhat:
anamouse:
losersaidwhat:

While I agree whole dollar comparison is higher for minimum wage here, cost of living needs to be taken into account. We have a relatively high cost of living in my city, so while minimum wage for servers [because they serve alcohol it is less than normal min. wage] is 9.10 an hour in my province, if you take the tips out, you're only making 20k a year which is PEANUTS to live on.
ETA: For a point of reference here are the housing market trends for my city https://www.jimsparrow.com/marketstats.php
Doesn't Calgary not have taxes because of the oil? 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA NO TAXES HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... I wish. We definitely have taxes. We're the only province without PST [Provincial Sales Tax] if that's what you're thinking of though so our GST is only 5 percent instead of like 14 for HST.

Loser, I love your reaction to this! I was gonna pipe in but I'm happy you did instead lol

amandabananda · June 2013

In Ontario, servers make $8.90/hour - not a lot but any means. We normally tip whatever the tax is, here that's 13%.

amandabananda · June 2013

losersaidwhat:
While I agree whole dollar comparison is higher for minimum wage here, cost of living needs to be taken into account. We have a relatively high cost of living in my city, so while minimum wage for servers [because they serve alcohol it is less than normal min. wage] is 9.10 an hour in my province, if you take the tips out, you're only making 20k a year which is PEANUTS to live on. ETA: For a point of reference here are the housing market trends for my city https://www.jimsparrow.com/marketstats.php

Yes! Cost of living where I am now is very low compared to where I used to live.

BlessUrHeart29 · June 2013

I'm pretty sure that minimum wage for servers in my state is $2.13 which is pretty pitiful. My base line is to double the tax, which gets me to 18% and then add from there based on good service.

losersaidwhat · June 2013

anamouse:
parisashleymuir:
losersaidwhat:
anamouse:
losersaidwhat:
While I agree whole dollar comparison is higher for minimum wage here, cost of living needs to be taken into account. We have a relatively high cost of living in my city, so while minimum wage for servers [because they serve alcohol it is less than normal min. wage] is 9.10 an hour in my province, if you take the tips out, you're only making 20k a year which is PEANUTS to live on. ETA: For a point of reference here are the housing market trends for my city https://www.jimsparrow.com/marketstats.php

Doesn't Calgary not have taxes because of the oil?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA NO TAXES HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... I wish. We definitely have taxes. We're the only province without PST [Provincial Sales Tax] if that's what you're thinking of though so our GST is only 5 percent instead of like 14 for HST.
Loser, I love your reaction to this! I was gonna pipe in but I'm happy you did instead lol
British Columbians hear all sorts of rumors about their neighbours I've been out of Canada for 5 yrs now. Things have changes with taxes and everything anyway, my bad.

Completely understandable and forgiven! I honestly had no idea that was rumored at all about no taxes here, but I've never lived anywhere else. It was so exciting going down from 7% to 5% GST... and then we got rid of pennies this year... wild and crazy we are! Gas prices are still awful though. Stick out tongue

jennlin · June 2013

i was told to never tip someone less because they're having a bad day...because if i have a bad day at work (desk job), my pay does not get docked.

SuperSecretStatus · June 2013

My bill is normally 20 to 25 bucks max when I eat out, and I normally leave 10. At the very least I try to leave 5.

kimbo1216 · June 2013

shelley1002:
Wino0920:
Standard 20 but I don't think that people who don't necessarily can't afford it.

This.  I picked SS for this reason.

You took my description to seriously. Lol

kimbo1216 · June 2013

As for the carry out question, I generally tip 10 percent.

At Sonic, 50 cents to a dollar.

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