Servers... are your employees, in a sense... they are usually only minimally compensated by the restaurant. The bulk of their compensation comes from the customers who are paying their salaries through tips. Therefore, yes it is your job... to give them feedback before just stiffing them without even communicating what they did wrong. Until we have done so, we have no right to refuse payment. This is my opinion... but it seems to square quite well with the golden rule. Of course; there are some lowlifes who look for any lame reason not to leave a tip.
not sure why a server would "favor" an older couple unless she knew them personally or they were very much regulars. As a rule; old people tip like crap. Even really nice old people. It's not really their fault; they just think it's still 1960 or otherwise just don't know any better. I waited/bartended for 7 years...I tip very well (rarely less than 25%.) While I think the service industry in general is going down the toilet, before it gets so bad that I would not leave a tip at all I am finding the manager and lodging a complaint. The only time I would not leave a tip is for outright rude service...which has happened a few times in my life. Once when I was bartending, a guy's drink order cam to $9.75 (was a beer and a mixed drink.) We were kind of busy but he didn't have to wait long for me to take his order, and once he ordered I made his drinks right away. He gave me a 10 spot and said "keep the change" and started to turn around. I said "hold on, bud" and I put it in the cash drawer, pulled out a quarter, and bounced it into his chest (I was going for his drink was was POd and bounced it too hard.) "I think you need it more than me, bro. Finish your drinks, and get the F out of my bar." His face went bright red and he scurried away from the bar area. I made about 100% more than usual in tips that night; the rest of the customers loved it.
I think you may have went a little overboard on the guy. I would hate to order a drink from you. I dont always tip on every drink I buy when I am out. I always give the loose change(like that quarter) to the bar when I order but on my last round I buy for the evening is when I leave a large tip. If I was in that guys shoes I would have probably thrown the drinks back at you and followed the rest of your direction of getting out of your bar.
I tip what is deserved. If thats nothing then thats what they get. Then again if its extraordinary they get tipped very well
Dnoodles. I've got to say I'm one who hates tipping. I also come from a state whose minimum wage to all workers is the minimum wage of 8.75. So unlike many other states these people don't rely on their tips to survive. But with that, I hate tipping because it is mandatory. If it were one that I simply rewarded for great service then I'd love doing it. But the fact that I tip them regardless of type of service unless it were terrible, makes me far more hesitant to tip. People feel entitled to it and I hate that feeling. However living in the Midwest and many other states I do realize those people do rely on those tips to make wages and I am less apt to not tip. I rarely do 25 but usually do 15 to 20 which some may find 15 too low or offensive nowadays due to tip creep. Something I once again find irritating.
I really should start giving feedback to the manager or someone if I tip low or not at all. I am being a bit babyish by hiding behind not tipping and leaving when I get bad service.
Normally it's an automatic 20% from us. The only time I left 10% was in a restaurant where our waitress was also serving a party of about 25 - leaving our service all but nonexistent. Adding to this she actually had the nerve to catch up to us walking out the door telling us what she normally gets for a tip. I was very polite about it but told her why it was only 10%. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I didn't elaborate but he was very pointed and snide when he made the comment. He cut through the crowd at the bar like he owned the place and kept trying to flag me down even though he was behind several people already at the bar. The second time he flagged me I acknowledged his presence but made it clear he was not first up. I was a quick bartender and he did not have to wait long. He was a self-important doosch with obvious hair implants. Yes, I remember that some 12 years later.
I get that...as a bartender I think the most I ever made hourly was $8 but we split tips w/ the bussers and barbacks. As a server I never made more than $2.13 (which was state minimum from at least 1997-2004.) And unless a table absolutely ran my butt into the ground (which some people seem to do for enjoyment - sometimes you'd get tables who would order a refill every time you arrived at the table with the previously ordered refill) as a waiter I was never offended at 15%. It was adequate and is considered standard etiquette; and I was OK with adequate. I just "over" tip as a general rule b/c I've been there... but that also gives me insight on what is and what is not a server's fault, and I can spot server's BS excuses a mile a way. As in, don't blame the slow beer order on the bartender having to switch taps if the beer is flat and you smell like fresh cigarette smoke. You're not fooling anyone, 'hun'.
Disappears for 15 minutes... comes back smelling like a foundry. That's a problem unless arrangements were made with another server... even then... I don't want to smell it. It would be much better to train servers to cover for one another.
