My girlfriend and I were at a restaurant today and our waitress was not very courteous to us. We wanted an empty plate and she basically left without saying anything and just slid the plate on the table while she walked by without even stopping. This got me wondering whether or not waiters/waitresses should always deserve a tip. It is a widely acceptable standard American culture to at least pay 15% tip for a meal. However, we would probably not be happy if we went to pay for a copy of a book and they asked us for a tip. Where’s the difference? Someone (or machine) assembles the book, someone might have helped you picked it out, and if none of the above apply, the cashier helped you ring up the register. Why don’t they deserve a tip too?
I’m all for paying a tip for a waitress who is polite and treat us like actual customers, but why are we basically forced to pay a tip? By the way, I have come across many good waiter and waitresses here in Orange County, California. However, I just feel like that if people aren’t forced to pay 15% for the bad ones, the same people can afford to pay more than 15% when someone good serves them. Who started this culture and where did 15% come from? Why not 12% or 18%? I know they pay 10% in Canada, and there really isn’t any standard in places in Asia.
Related Posts
- Money Beliefs that Hurt Your Finances
- How Do You Feel About Tipping?
- Are You Worried About Your Job?
- The Stress of Having a Supersized Lifestyle
- Why the Lowest Price is for Losers
{ 185 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
I used to be a bartender and waiter and a damn good one at that. I was paid the minimum at the time, so I made sure to WORK for my tips. Always courteous, always with a smile, always remembering customers.
But I am shaking my head at some of you servers who EXPECT 20% just because you guys have a lot to do. Seriously? For all you know, it’s that customer’s first experience at that restaurant and just because you had a lousy experience at a previous table or have personal problems ruining your day, automatically everyone after should be tipping you like crazy?
Sorry, but I have sympathy for all bartenders and waiters, but I draw a line as well. I usually tip a minimum of 20% for decent service, 25% for excellent service or even more… but if you are giving me crappy service, please don’t expect the 15%.
Yes, I’ve been there. I’ve been that guy that gave exceptional service and got 5% and sometimes not even that, but I’d take it in stride and move on to the next table and try to do my best all over again. But I never had an entitlement mentality about it where I just expected people to give me a percentage everytime, because at that point, that only indicates complacency and that’s the last thing I wanted to be known for.
I wanted to be the bartender/waiter that everyone wanted to go to. That usually meant more money in my pocket at the end of the night.
← Previous Comments