Tipping is now at about 20% for good service

[malcolmk14]

Nope I would have spoken to a manager, fairly and calmly highlighted my concerns, see what he or she had to say, and then if I still saw fit would have requested the gratuity be removed or decreased to something like 10% like a normal person.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

It is more like "How much was the Pizza?" "$20, plus $5 delivery", "Here is $25". I am not tipping on top of paying for delivery. Just because it is a ####ty business model does not mean I need to step up and make sure employees get paid. That is the employers job.

The two pizza places I order from did not have a delivery fee when I started ordering from them, it was randomly added one day. If the bill doesn't have a delivery fee I will tip. I just won't pay a delivery fee and tip on top of that.

If that makes me a ####ty person then I guess I will have to live with that and cry myself to sleep on the piles of money I have from not tipping delivery drivers.

Do you tip servers? If so, whats the difference between a server and a delivery guy? You're not there to make sure the servers get paid adequately either.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by AltaGuy

I'm a bar manager, and always find these conversations interesting.

- Many things can go wrong while serving people. One simple mistake can have a snowball effect on a server's performance (a delay ringing something in, kitchen burns something, splitting a $700, 15 person bill into individual bills (!!)). One of the lovely things that happens frequently in this industry is that young people miss work. One person doesn't show up for a shift, and all of a sudden everyone has more than they can handle and service suffers. Just because you're tipping doesn't mean that servers don't deserve the benefit of the doubt.

I'm just back from a vacation in Greece. On our first night out at a restaurant that provided us good service and food in the past, the food was good, but the service awful. My wife said we should leave little or no tip because as the poor service even resulted in a long delay between asking for and receiving our bill.

I disagreed with my wife on the basis that I could see how busy the place was and the servers were practically running everywhere non stop the whole night. Seeing this, I reckoned they probably deserved a tip even more than on past occasions where it was not busy and the service was great.

We were tired and in a rush to get home, but when I paid, and included the normal tip, they insisted we stay and have a half liter of wine on the house. When we went the following week, the welcome was fantastic and we got wonderful service and tey really fussed over my 8 year old son, and he loved it and we all enjoyed our night.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Do you tip servers? If so, whats the difference between a server and a delivery guy? You're not there to make sure the servers get paid adequately either.

I don't see the two as apples to apples.

If there was a flat rate fee or percentage on top of my bill at a restaurant for the service provided then I probably would not tip above that amount either.

I don't tip for fast food, I don't think they make very much money either. Should I throw in an extra couple of bucks ever time I buy something at Tims?

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I'm just back from a vacation in Greece. On our first night out at a restaurant that provided us good service and food in the past, the food was good, but the service awful. My wife said we should leave little or no tip because as the poor service even resulted in a long delay between asking for and receiving our bill.

I noticed in Greece that this is not considered bad service. People linger for hours at restaurants, and it is not their custom to bring the bill right away.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by troutman

I noticed in Greece that this is not considered bad service. People linger for hours at restaurants, and it is not their custom to bring the bill right away.

I'm a regular in Greece and I was judging this by Greek standards - which I really do like. I love long meals washed down with wine, but this was seriously long.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

I don't see the two as apples to apples.

If there was a flat rate fee or percentage on top of my bill at a restaurant for the service provided then I probably would not tip above that amount either.

I don't tip for fast food, I don't think they make very much money either. Should I throw in an extra couple of bucks ever time I buy something at Tims?

No. WHat I meant is why tip servers then? You shouldn't have to supplement their income either. You should not tip them at all

[Fire]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Nope I would have spoken to a manager, fairly and calmly highlighted my concerns, see what he or she had to say, and then if I still saw fit would have requested the gratuity be removed or decreased to something like 10% like a normal person.

It would easier if no tip was automatically included. Figuring out 15% is easy since you can just multiply the GST by 3 and then you could add more or less depending on service.

[Muta]

Australia, New Zealand and Japan are awesome. No tipping; it's just not something you do. In the latter country, it's even considered rude.

[wpgflamesfan]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I'm just back from a vacation in Greece. On our first night out at a restaurant that provided us good service and food in the past, the food was good, but the service awful. My wife said we should leave little or no tip because as the poor service even resulted in a long delay between asking for and receiving our bill.

I disagreed with my wife on the basis that I could see how busy the place was and the servers were practically running everywhere non stop the whole night. Seeing this, I reckoned they probably deserved a tip even more than on past occasions where it was not busy and the service was great.

We were tired and in a rush to get home, but when I paid, and included the normal tip, they insisted we stay and have a half liter of wine on the house. When we went the following week, the welcome was fantastic and we got wonderful service and tey really fussed over my 8 year old son, and he loved it and we all enjoyed our night.

Regardless of the service I made sure to tip well in Greece. It was awesome to see how appreciative they were and it usually resulted in some combination of free desserts, wine, or shots.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

I don't see the two as apples to apples.

If there was a flat rate fee or percentage on top of my bill at a restaurant for the service provided then I probably would not tip above that amount either.

I don't tip for fast food, I don't think they make very much money either. Should I throw in an extra couple of bucks ever time I buy something at Tims?

The whole fast food thing is a bunk argument. Stick to explaining why you don't tip pizza delivery guys.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Nope I would have spoken to a manager, fairly and calmly highlighted my concerns, see what he or she had to say, and then if I still saw fit would have requested the gratuity be removed or decreased to something like 10% like a normal person.

Exactly. Some people are irked when it comes to auto-grat. Trust me, there is not a restaurant manager in the world who won't take it off or reduce it if there are reasonable service complaints. If you have a problem with auto-grat given that the service was reasonable or good, than you should've hosted the dinner party.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Major Major

The whole fast food thing is a bunk argument. Stick to explaining why you don't tip pizza delivery guys.

I actually see a few fast food that ask for a tip these days. (not chain fast food, but still fast food)

[Locke]

Originally Posted by TheyCallMeBruce

I usually start my tipping at around 100%. If it's really good service, then 200%. If it's bad, then 50%. If it is really bad, then -50%.

I like this policy.

"I should warn you, if the service is really bad I'm going to rob you."

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Major Major

The whole fast food thing is a bunk argument. Stick to explaining why you don't tip pizza delivery guys.

I think his position has some merit, he's not refusing to tip pizza guys in general, he's refusing to pay a 'delivery fee' and then tip the 'delivery guy' on top of that. I get that, I mean what's the delivery fee for if it doesn't go to the guy doing the delivering?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by valo403

I think his position has some merit, he's not refusing to tip pizza guys in general, he's refusing to pay a 'delivery fee' and then tip the 'delivery guy' on top of that. I get that, I mean what's the delivery fee for if it doesn't go to the guy doing the delivering?

Its a decent point.

The service is the delivery. And you've already paid for it.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by valo403

I think his position has some merit, he's not refusing to tip pizza guys in general, he's refusing to pay a 'delivery fee' and then tip the 'delivery guy' on top of that. I get that, I mean what's the delivery fee for if it doesn't go to the guy doing the delivering?

Originally Posted by Locke

Its a decent point.

The service is the delivery. And you've already paid for it.

Pretty much. It sucks that from what people said that the delivery fee is kept by the restaurant and doesn't go right to the driver. ####ty business practices, however, do not make it my responsibility to make sure the driver is adequately compensated for the delivery service I am already paying for.

If you are unable to differentiate between this and tipping a server who spends and hour and half catering to my every need and plying me with delicious hoppy beverages I have no idea how else to explain it...

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

If you are unable to differentiate between this and tipping a server who spends and hour and half catering to my every need and plying me with delicious hoppy beverages I have no idea how else to explain it...

The difference being the time you don't see the delivery driver as he is taking care of your needs; he is spending gas and wear on his vehicle to provide you that service?

I get your point, you see it as if a restaurant added a 15% service fee, then also wanted you to tip the waitress as well. However as I've mentioned before you have always paid the delivery charge, but now places are working it out of the price instead of making carry-out customers also pay into it.

I can't tell you the number of times when I worked in the pizza business that people would call in and ask for a discount on pickup; justifying it that it cost me money to deliver the pizza. The market asked for it to be seperate; and now it is.

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I get your point, you see it as if a restaurant added a 15% service fee, then also wanted you to tip the waitress as well. However as I've mentioned before you have always paid the delivery charge, but now places are working it out of the price instead of making carry-out customers also pay into it.

I can't tell you the number of times when I worked in the pizza business that people would call in and ask for a discount on pickup; justifying it that it cost me money to deliver the pizza. The market asked for it to be seperate; and now it is.

The best way is to have a standard discount that applies for all carry-out.
Makes the people getting delivery feel they are not getting ripped off with a delivery charge and will still tip.
Carry out receives their incentive and feels good knowing they got a discount.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by ken0042

The difference being the time you don't see the delivery driver as he is taking care of your needs; he is spending gas and wear on his vehicle to provide you that service?

I get your point, you see it as if a restaurant added a 15% service fee, then also wanted you to tip the waitress as well. However as I've mentioned before you have always paid the delivery charge, but now places are working it out of the price instead of making carry-out customers also pay into it.

I can't tell you the number of times when I worked in the pizza business that people would call in and ask for a discount on pickup; justifying it that it cost me money to deliver the pizza. The market asked for it to be seperate; and now it is.

If he, the delivery driver, is incurring the costs then what costs are being borne by the establishment to provide delivery? If anything delivery should cost less if the model is to have the cost of doing the actual delivering put onto the employees. Where is the additional cost to delivery?

It seems to me that the model is this:

Delivery has additional costs, so we need a delivery fee to offset those costs.

We also will make the employee eat those costs.

We get paid, or don't have to incur an expense, on both sides of the coin.