What's your tipping policy?

[kermitology]

Originally posted by the_only_turek_fan+Feb 7 2005, 10:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (the_only_turek_fan @ Feb 7 2005, 10:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

I saw an entire row of girls the other nite at the dome who could've gotten a tip and they weren't even serving food.

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I think we were watching them more then the game.

Damit Dan, we could have gone 2 for 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [/b][/quote]
Ahahaha.. Only in your heroin beer world Sunil..

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally posted by habernac@Feb 7 2005, 09:17 PM
I used to tip regardless of whether the service was good/bad/indifferent. I have started leaving nothing for people who don't earn it. If you hate your job that much, get a new one. Good service gets 15-20. Mediocre or poor service get nothing.

I'm with habby on this one................

When I tip, I usually tip big. I appreciate people who try to make you have a good time when you're out, even if it's the kitchen's fault on not his/hers. A smile on a person's face or some decent manners goes a long ways with me.

On the other hand, there is the odd person who is just going through the motions, obviously not trying at all to go above and beyond to make your meal enjoyable. I feel no shame in leaving zero tips for people like that. Anytime you have to walk into the kitchen yourself to ask for napkins, ketchup, salt, etc.......there is no need for a tip of any kind.

I remember watching an Oprah show a few years ago about this very subject. There was this waiter guy from New York who thought it was just a given everybody tip 15%. He kept saying "You have to! You HAVE TO!!!!"

Never left a zero tip before I watched that show............but that guy changed my mind.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

It depends on the job that is being done, if someone has to take an order or something, and then go get the food then I will give a good 15-20% and if the service is absolutely great I don't have a problem with around 25% (depending on the size of the bill of course).

But if the service is bad, I really don't tip much, if at all. Some complaints I have about service, include the appearance (look like they want to be here), how they bring the food out (is it a out and drop), if they just smile/act like they are enjoying themselves, and the way in which they deal with others (such as bending down a little bit for some small children). Also what really impressed me was once a lady told our table to stop her if they had any concerns, or if they needed anything else, really wasn't necessary, but was just a little extra.

I will also admit that I tip attractive women more than men....

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I try and tip well... what goes around comes around/karma theory.

but here is my policy:

1. tip well ie, $1 for a beer etc (obvious exceptions are low on cash/change, poor service, etc)

2. tip well for good service (they deserve it, as well that's the point)

3. tip well if they're in a horrible job (where I'm from jobs just don't fall from the sky, not like you can pick up and get another one)

4. tip well if they're cute/hot (I'm a guy, what can I say?)

5. tip well whem I'm drinking (as I tend to be more liberal with my money when I've had a few)

unfortunately for a friend of mine that works in the "legendary" Smooth Hermans Caberet (not sure if she still does) she'd make a killing off of me. She'd give me good service, in a horrible job, was hot, and I'd be drunk = easy $20 or so by the end of the night :angry:

got to the point where I'd try and avoid her :P ... well not really :blush:

[albertGQ]

To
Insure
Prompt
Service


'nuff said

[browna]

Originally posted by albertGQ@Feb 7 2005, 10:38 PM
To
Insure
Prompt
Service


'nuff said

or,
To
Insure
Proper
Sanitary Precautions

[moon]

I am usually a big tipper especially if the service is worth it. Like most people already mentioned, hot chicks, booze and seeeming like you are happy to be there/serving me all are factors that I look for. I tend to also tip bigger when it is a place that I go to often.

I don't think that you should have to tip if you don't/want to or have had bad service. I hate the fact that people feel it is their god given right to be tipped no matter what.

[Incinerator]

I tip 15% as the norm unless the service is really really really bad, then I tip a nickel. For good service I range from 20-30% depending on various things such as what kind of restaurant, size of my group, size of the bill, and of course, hotness of the waitress

[CaramonLS]

FYI guys, most resteraunts like Earls, Joey's all require their waiters/waitresses to tip out 10% of the bill (no matter what you tip) directly to the other areas like bar, hostesses, mgmt, cooks. Just keep that in mind when you give tips.

Sometimes the servers have negitive nights, but its not too often.

[Incinerator]

Originally posted by calf+Feb 8 2005, 03:32 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (calf @ Feb 8 2005, 03:32 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Table 5@Feb 7 2005, 08:23 PM
one thing i cant stand either is people expecting to be tipped for the stupidest crap

ohhh, reminds me of a story. happened at Schanks North during the playoff run (Game 6 vs San Jose I believe). Had a horrible waitress - based on the circumstances, most people in our group drove, therefore wouldn't have alcohol, but still ordered (er, wanted to) a bunch of food. But, since we wouldn't order beer before the game, she 1) didn't come see us to get drinks very much at all, 2) didn't come see us if we wanted food at all. As well, we wanted a tab, so in order to do that, my buddy had to put down his credit card for security. In the end, had a bill over $100, and tipped her $15-20 bucks she didn't deserve.

Buddy's credit card bill comes back and there's a $10 charge. We were going there that night, so talked to the manager/the waitress in question. Her claim: we didn't pay the full amount AND didn't leave her a tip (we did, and had 3 people count to make sure)...thing is, if we didn't pay the full amount, it'd be off-priced and not exactly $10. Thinking she pocketed a bunch and tried to pin it on us.

I'd take that tip back if I could. [/b][/quote]
Wow that's brutal, I was there that night too (Game 6 vs Sharks) and my group of 6 had amazing service, we loved our waitress so much we gave a +50% tip, total came out to $250 even. Looking back that was probably a bit over the top but that win sure helped the mood haha. We had the same waitress for most of the playoff run (went to all the road games and a couple home dates that we couldn't get tix for), and man did we get treated like royalty during the Cup Finals after that $80-some tip haha, we had another waitress too, I'm sure our regular waitress told a few coworkers about us haha And even though I broke down in tears after Game 7 it was still a great time...ahhh the memories, Schanks North was like my second home last spring Can't say the same about the south location though, they're on my permanent boycott list :angry:

[Gravitykillr]

depends on the service

Delivery of Pizza - always a buck or two unless they are really quick then it's like $4 or $5

Restaraunt - depends on the service, good to great service - $7-15 depending on the bill, descent server $5-$7, bad service $0, horrible service 1 penny just because then they know they didn't serve you well atleast if you tip nothing they'll say your cheap but tip'em a penny and they'll swear about ya for hours

[Incinerator]

Originally posted by 4X4@Feb 8 2005, 04:02 AM
I brought in my alcoholic summer's remnants to the bottle depot last fall. I walked out with something large, like 60 or 70 bucks. On my way out the building, guy mutters "Thanks for the tip".

I've never even heard of tipping at the bottle depot. Do you guys do it? Am I a cheap bas**rd?

I do it at my depot (by the ATCO on 50Ave SW) only out of convenience, I usually get $15-20 back and I just put whatever loose change into the jar, not alot maybe $1 max since she always give me bills whenever possible. I don't think it should be expected though, I mean if anything we should be tipping the person who counted the bottles (some depots do have the same person doing both though), I can understand if that guy was the one who counted your $60 worth of beer bottles, I'd call you a cheap bas**rd if that was the case

[Claeren]

I go out a LOT for food and after years of guilty-tipping for crap service i have this rough rule, if you are not coming back to the restaurant EVER again then do NOT tip. Not only is it horribly illogical but they need to know it is that bad. Usually this is the case when something bad happens beyond the servers control and their response is somewhere from complete apathy to outright rudeness (Especially bad if 3 or 4 things go badly). Things don't always run smoothly (after years working in restaurants as a young'in i know that) but to be a server (not evenm a good one, just a functional one) you HAVE to accept responsibility and put a smile on things, easy as that. It is NEVER my fault. My food is not cold because i ordered the wrong thing, the fact i would rather sit away from the door in an empty restaurant does not mean i should have worn something warmer, and the kitchen staff are not the ones who left my food sitting on the counter for 15 minutes while talking to the cute bartender before serving it, etc.

That said, decent service to great service gets 15% and up, i have tipped 50% for extremely good service but it is extremely rare, obviously.

Claeren.

[Incinerator]

Originally posted by fotze@Feb 8 2005, 04:13 AM
I'm a guilty tipper who just cannot not leave a tip, 15-25%. I hate going out to dinner with cheapo's who add a dollar to thier $25 share of the bill for tax and tip.

That being said I also hate those guys who order 17 appetizers, shooters and other crap then want the bill split evenly and I have to look cheap by calling them on it. That's why I don't like going out for indian or chinese food with groups of people.

I hate cheap friends like that so much I just say "it's on me this time" then I take them off my phone book and never go out with them again.

[Incinerator]

Originally posted by Otto-matic@Feb 8 2005, 04:46 AM
Well when I was in Toronto in a bar I was watching a Flames Game and the lady added the tip to my bill,

I asked why its so high even though it was beer and some wings. So she told me she added the tip to my bill. The service was so bad I didnt want to tip her. The wings I ordered came out cold and nasty so I ask them to get me some hot ones and she has that sigh and fine i'll do it.

Thats when im like **** this and just got them to go and left and went to my hotel to watch it.

Next time that happens just dine & dash, the waitress will be on the hook for the entire bill muahahaha...I don't recommend it unless it's really bad like you described though. Or for a less extreme way just pay the actual bill and leave out the tip.

[Cube Inmate]

Originally posted by Gravitykillr@Feb 8 2005, 12:46 AM
depends on the service

Delivery of Pizza - always a buck or two unless they are really quick then it's like $4 or $5

Restaraunt - depends on the service, good to great service - $7-15 depending on the bill, descent server $5-$7, bad service $0, horrible service 1 penny just because then they know they didn't serve you well atleast if you tip nothing they'll say your cheap but tip'em a penny and they'll swear about ya for hours

I like to go with about 3 pennies when the service is truly awful. I figure that 1 penny could be mistaken as something that was just missed, but 3 nicely arranged pennies is a real "screw you," because it tells the server that I was p*ssed off enough to take the time to leave such a nice tip.

Something that hasn't been mentioned...

When someone screws up at a restaurant and brings you the wrong meal (or something like that), you'll often get a free meal, appetizer, or something for your inconvenience. When this happens, I almost always tip on the full bill, rather than the discounted one. Kind of stupid that a screw-up leads to more tip money..?

[Claeren]

That penny thing totally reminds me of something.

An old server i know (who is incrediable and even has won the cities 'White Hat Award for Service' as Calgary's best server) told me it is old school but if you leave a good tip and a penny (or some other small, single, coin) it is implying "the service was GREAT but i can only afford x amount of dollars, but if i had more it would be yours". So if you are poor'ish, or just can't afford $10+ tips every night it is a nice gesture assuming the waitress is experienced enough to know what it means.


In regards to the leaving only pennies thing, i have done it twice and both times it felt sooooo good, so i am thinking it was the right thing to do and a hell of a lot better then guilt-tipping a few dollars for service worse then bad...

Claeren.

[Super-Rye]

Well if I'm at work, and have a few beers, afterwork of course, and my bill comes to like $6, I'll just give them a $10, they can keep the 4, I don't need no toonie or loonie, I hate change.

Otherwise factors come in such as,

How fast is their service?
How good is their food?
How hot is the waitress?

Minimal tip for me is usually around 15% though. If they're really good I've been known to leave an $8 tip on a $12 meal.

[lucid]

Norm is around 15%, but it could vary up or down depending on the service, how many of us there are, what type of restaurant it is, etc...
Actually it could also vary depending on how my math skills are doing at that particular time. :P

Question: Do you prefer the way it's done here, or a base-line tip automatically included in your bill as done in many European countries?

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally posted by lucid@Feb 8 2005, 01:48 PM
Question: Do you prefer the way it's done here, or a base-line tip automatically included in your bill as done in many European countries?

The way it's done here is better. Tipping shouldn't be mandatory, it should be rewarded for good service only.