Should you always tip at a restaurant or at a drive-in place like sonic??

[alphanguy74]

you want to talk RUDE.... there is a garden center in Kansas City which I only go to in case of emergency, as their managment are unaccommadating a-holes. First, they will not take a check over 50.00$, but the worst thing, is that at the cash registers, there are SIGNS telling the customers NOT to tip the guys who load your car. These people make minimum wage, and are loading TREES, and concrete statues and fountains all day long, and the customers are told NOT to tip, and the employees are told if they take a tip, they will be fired. Now isn't THAT a great way to do business!! ?

I never have either. I use the rule of thumb that tipping is not required if the meal costs under 10$.

[SFK]

A few years ago, a man came to repair our cable and when I tried to tip him he thanked me but said that he wasn't allowed to accept it. I wonder if it's some sort of liability thing.

I'm not sure that I've ever been to Sonic, I always confuse it with Checkers, but I've never tipped at a fast food chain. Actually, that's not true, I do tend to tip at places like Subway/Chipotle when the person makes my meal right there in front of me.

Do you all tip when you get carryout? I'm not consistent. I've read that you're supposed to for the people who have to prepare and bag your stuff. But sometimes I get carryout so I don't have to pay a delivery fee and tip the delivery guy, ha!

[JackPeyton]

I tip according to service. If it's terrible I don't tip. If it's ok I tip a little. If it's good I tip good. If it's stellar I tip amazingly.

[Chris B]

At Sonic, the Carhops make tip-wage, so you should definitely tip them if they bring your order out. I don't believe in tipping at Starbucks though. At restaurants I always tip and if the service is bad, I will still tip, but make sure to leave a terrible survey, or speak to a manager and let them know how bad the service was. I won't accept anything for free, but I make sure they know. I'm pretty easy to please, but if you mess with me enough, I will get your ass.

[alphanguy74]

I think the cable guy thing has to do with some people trying to bribe the workmen to hook up extra stuff "under the table". Cable men make good money, anyway, they don't need tipping. I rarely get tipped when I make floral deliveries, every once in a while someone will tip me, but it's pretty rare.

[All My Shadows]

I've never had terrible service at a restaurant, so I always tip. The tip, however, is based on the service. I once tipped a girl the cost of my meal (like twenty bucks) because she was just that damn good.

[Huntress]

Not only in the UK, but in Europe generally. Maybe it's because meals are more expensive here and people don't eat out that much as in the US.

Waiters usually earn between 8 and 10 € per hour.

If I go out drinking with my friends, we usually tip between 1-2 € each. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

My grandpa was a very generous tipper. One time he tipped 50 € at a family dinner and the waitress almost passed out in disbelief.

Apart from waiters, we usually only tip package deliverers (if they have to deliver heavy stuff).

[quartermainefan]

At a buffet there is someone who usually comes over to fill your drinks or bring you coffee or the check. These people are on their feet 8 hours a time, making below minimum wage, and they are dealing with the public which is always--always--a nightmare. I would not give them the tip I would give full waiter service, but 15% sounds right, and if the buffet is $20 you are talking a three dollar tip. Breakfast you are talking even less. If a party of two spends an hour at a table on a 50 dollar buffet, you are pretty much giving somewhere just shy of ten bucks. That money has to be split with the busboy and the bartender. I don't begrudge them a tip since the agreement is they are at my beck and call. And believe me, customers love to do a lot of pointless becking and calling.

Waiting tables is one of the hardest jobs there is, and very few work at top tier restaurants pulling down hundreds a night. And for that $100 a day (which is $25,000 a year) they have to put up with us, and we tend to be pains. There is a lack of respect shown to waiters that is never shown to bartenders because if you don't treat the bartender with respect he won't serve you. With waiters it is just the opposite. You can be as demanding as you want, insufferable and obnoxious, and if the waiter does not smile and tend to your every whim you can say "the service was lousy" and not tip them. The Bartender will just ignore you.

[JackPeyton]

Where do waiters make below minimum wage? Here everyone I've ever known that was one made minimum wage if not more. I know plenty of waiters in LA who make above $10 an hour and a few who work at high end places and make much, much more. But yeah even my friends at Denny's make like $9.50/hr.

[Mr. Vixen]

That's because you're in Cali. Here in NC servers make 2-3 dollars an hour.

[YRBB]

WHAT??? :o

[Mr. Vixen]

It might be 4 or so now but yeah, many restaurants here and other places I've lived only pay 2-3 dollars per hour. The rest is reliant on tips. Even at the finest of dining restaurants the pay is well under minimum wage (probably higher than 2-3 though).

[quartermainefan]

In NY it was that way too when I waited years ago. Some nominal amount and then you got paid almost entirely from tips.

[All My Shadows]

2-3 dollars an hour in RECENT years?? In 1976, Mel was paying Flo, Alice, and Vera $2.95, and that was cheap.

[juppiter]

If I am getting takeout I do not tip. I am saving them the convenience of having to send me a delivery guy. If I was going to tip, I'd just get it delivered.