Stiffing

[27offsuit]

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tuq,

agreed. i think adding the tip in automatically for large parties is a stupid policy, but places that automatically add 20% are a bit ridiculous.

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Try serving a party of 15 people including 5 screaming kids, and get back to me on whether autograting is stupid or not.

Also, yeah, 10 percent is an awful tip these days. 15% is marginal and 20% is good. Most people seem to leave around 17-19%, which is fine.

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Last year our entire 14 person office went out to British Beer Company for lunch. When clearing the bill, I notice an 18% gratuity added for parties over 8 or whatever, so I say we're all set and just left the extra couple bucks on top to round it out at about 20%.

A week or so later, we enter and the old bat waitress quietly pulls me aside and was like "Remember when you guys were in here last week?
"Yes."
"Well, you didn't leave a tip."

It was obvious our group was now crap in their eyes because I'm sure they yapped about it all week even though they were completely wrong and never took their 18% gratuity tacked on the bill, so we simply had to stop going there almost altogether, instead of our usual 1-2 stops a week at least. It just became different, which sucked.

That being said, I see the reason for the gratuity thing with large parties and all the I had/You had BS and the running around by the waitress(es). Big groups usually tip poorly (excluding young poker ballers) with all the collecting of funds chicanery that usually goes along with it.

Yes, chicanery.

[MC Chris]

why didn't you just say, "i noticed an 18% gratuity added for parties over 8"

[27offsuit]

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Tipping in restaurants is a societal convention that exists in this country. When you go out to eat and then don't tip your server, you're effectively free-riding on a system that expects you not to be an antisocial nit and pony up a few bucks. If you think the system is flawed (which it is), the fair solution is to not go out at all, thereby depriving restaurants of your money, not to take out your frustration on the person making $2.13 an hour.

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This should be put on a plaque at the entrance to every dining establishment in the United States.

[DirtyDiggs]

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Water: Yeah, I mean, obv I always carry lots of coins around.

oT: Exactly. I still left him $40 because he was a very good waiter who helped make our dinner enjoyable, but a little part of me was like, wtf where's my 45 cents!

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El D,

First I'm amazed that this is the first that this has ever coming up, considering your culinary affinity. I've worked at a few higher end places and none of them have ever dealt coins at the table unless specifically asked to do so. This is also standard at friends places, (Gordon Ramsey, The Palm) and most of the higher end places where I've eaten.

This would hold about 90% of the time around the $60 price range.

[El Diablo]

27,

Your story doesn't make sense.

1) Like the other guy said, why didnt you just mention that you did?

2) If you go there 1-2 times per week and tip appropriately, they weren't talking about you being crap. Someone might have mentioned "oh, those guys forgot to leave a tip on their big lunch tab" or something. I've walked out on a tab before at places where I go all the time. They don't assume I was trying to stiff them.

[MC Chris]

come on man [censored] that. i don't feel sorry for anyone making $2.13 an hour, because they choose to make that wage. they always point to that like they're some kind of charity case, gimme a break. they absolutely clean up with the tips factored in, and that's with all the non-tippers out there included. if they didn't make enough money they wouldn't be doing what they are doing.

[El Diablo]

DD,

I almost never get change at nicer places. Most times I leave cash, no change required. Other times I use a credit card. This time I just happened to be completely out of cash except for hundreds.

[NT!]

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come on man [censored] that. i don't feel sorry for anyone making $2.13 an hour, because they choose to make that wage. they always point to that like they're some kind of charity case, gimme a break. they absolutely clean up with the tips factored in, and that's with all the non-tippers out there included. if they didn't make enough money they wouldn't be doing what they are doing.

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this is because basically nobody doesn't tip. waiters who make good money make MORE than 15% on average because they are very good at their jobs (or just hot and willing to flirt with sleazy guys).

good waiters in good restaurants make bank. bad waiters or people who work in bad restaurants make dick.

[Jay Riall]

Is cab drivers base pay lower than it should be due to the tipping culture?

[Klompy]

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Is cab drivers base pay lower than it should be due to the tipping culture?

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I was wondering about this too, and how it ever happened that tipping became standard for this service seeing as it's to his benefit to get me to my destination at a decent speed too.