Tipping, automatic gratuity for large parties

[howzit]

the problem is when the wine gets to the $100+ range and ordering 4-6 bottles means the waiter/captain is getting an easy $20 per bottle just for opening the bottle, which is noticeable.

so, when the wine is a siginificant part of the meal some people tip 20% on the food portion and leave the wine off.

i've done this in practice and also dealt with this a few times when i waited/captained tables at a high-end restaurant, parties who ordered v. expensive wine would ask the tip be left off the bill and if they asked, we obliged.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

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Not cool, but in my experience, standard.

I always tip at least 20% on the total cost of the bill, and don't give consideration to pre-tax/alcohol.

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same here, but my wine bill is seldom high enough that it matters. if you are ordering $500 worth of wine, that's almost an extra $100 that really isn't nec. to tip

[mayday4379]

I normally tip 20% for 'standard service.'

If the waiter automatically puts a % on the bill, then I don't tip over it. I figure he's gambling on whether I'll tip or not.

A friend used to waiter at Olive Garden. It would be a game time decision whether he'd auto add gratuatity on the bill or not.

[By-Tor]

Automatic gratuity = getting jacked

I tip for good service. Is the good service automatic also? If they already know they are getting 20%...I seriously doubt it.

[El Diablo]

Ed: There are many cases in which this is NOT optional and there is a REQUIRED service charge of x% per person added.

Daver: Alright, let's do some math here. First off, I've seen this usually be 17-18%, not 20. Let's say a 10 person group where average food tab will be $70/per. $700 food. Now add about $1500 wine for $2200 total tab. If 18% is added to that, that's a $400 tip. Up to about $100 per bottle, I don't worry about it and just tip 20% on the whole thing (ie: 5 bottle of $80 wine = 700 food + 400 wine = 1100 = I would just tip $220). So, let's guess you had 8 bottles of ~$200 wine here. I'd tip 20% on the $700 food for $140 + 160-200 on the wine for $300 to 350. They tacked on $400 at 18%, so you end up paying about $50 to $100 more than I might have total. I would think that was a tad excessive, but eh, $250 per person or $260 per person, whatever. So, numbers please, Dave!

[MD2020]

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I normally tip 20% for 'standard service.'

If the waiter automatically puts a % on the bill, then I don't tip over it. I figure he's gambling on whether I'll tip or not.

A friend used to waiter at Olive Garden. It would be a game time decision whether he'd auto add gratuatity on the bill or not.

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I waitered at a Chili's when I was in college. We had the policy of 15% to parties of 8 or more.

Like your friend, it often was a game-time decision to add the gratuity or take my chances and hope to get 20% based on my good service. Unfortnately, sometimes I would just add the automatic 15% on, because I couldn't take the chance of getting stiffed.

For instance, on a Friday or Saturday night, we would have to tip out 4% of our total reciepts. (1% each to bartender, busboy, expo, and runner). So if a party would only leave me $5 on a $150 tab, not only did I not make money on that table, they actually cost me $1.

While that's not earth-shattering, when you factor in that they're taking up other tables in my section for the time the party was there, it can make or break a night.

So that's why the servers sometimes put the automatic tip on there.

[samjjones]

Also, I hope that part of Daver's story includes some dude who wasn't drinking that night.

[maxtower]

Tipping is silly. I tip, and so do most people that I know, however it has gotten out of hand. In the old days, servers got less than minimum wage if anything at all from the restaurant. They were working for the tips. Now, in Oregon at least, servers get minimum wage from the restaurant. Once you start tacking on 15-20% of every bill, these guys are making good money provided they work at a moderately priced place. Sometimes I get into a discussion about it with someone at my table. They are always pleading the case for the servers. "They get paid crap. They work is really stressful and dealing with idiots all the time sucks." Well what about our friends at McDonalds or Carl's Jr? That job is way worse. At Carl's some guy brings me my tray when the food is ready. Even better, when I have finished my soda, I can go get my own refill instead of waiting around for an overworked waiter to refill it for me. Nobody tips them. They are essentially doing the same job. Don't tell me about quality of service either. Sure I have had better service at a slow restaurant. But its not substantially better. My order gets messed up approximately the same amount of time at each place. The servers in a slow restaurant are slightly more friendly, but I have had bad ones there too. The servers that get hired at the highend steak houses or italian places or really nice "take a date" there places have great servers who know about wine, and different cuts of meat and other things about the menu. These guys are making a career out of the service industry and probably deserve a little extra, but the waiters down at Applebees or Chilis or other places like that are little better than the staff at a fast food joint. Tips should not be required.

[Austiger]

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Tipping is silly. I tip, and so do most people that I know, however it has gotten out of hand. In the old days, servers got less than minimum wage if anything at all from the restaurant. They were working for the tips. Now, in Oregon at least, servers get minimum wage from the restaurant. Once you start tacking on 15-20% of every bill, these guys are making good money provided they work at a moderately priced place. Sometimes I get into a discussion about it with someone at my table. They are always pleading the case for the servers. "They get paid crap. They work is really stressful and dealing with idiots all the time sucks." Well what about our friends at McDonalds or Carl's Jr? That job is way worse. At Carl's some guy brings me my tray when the food is ready. Even better, when I have finished my soda, I can go get my own refill instead of waiting around for an overworked waiter to refill it for me. Nobody tips them. They are essentially doing the same job. Don't tell me about quality of service either. Sure I have had better service at a slow restaurant. But its not substantially better. My order gets messed up approximately the same amount of time at each place. The servers in a slow restaurant are slightly more friendly, but I have had bad ones there too. The servers that get hired at the highend steak houses or italian places or really nice "take a date" there places have great servers who know about wine, and different cuts of meat and other things about the menu. These guys are making a career out of the service industry and probably deserve a little extra, but the waiters down at Applebees or Chilis or other places like that are little better than the staff at a fast food joint. Tips should not be required.

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You lost me at hello.

[samjjones]

Maybe its just me, but when I am dining and repeatedly gazing at the Outback hostess' boobs, or checking out the ass of the sixteen year old waitress at Stewart's, I don't feel bad about tipping a little extra. I make okay money, certainly more than them, and remember what it was like to be young and scraping some money together.