When to stiff the waitress

I agree.

And some people do it because it's a little power trip.

And I should add that if you go into a greasy spoon with the same expectations as you'd have in a restaurant where dinner for two is $250.00, then you should probably stay home.

 

Four topper sucked, no doubt. But you can't unpee in the pool and you can't unmake something that's been made. What's next: "Can I have some salsa without cilantro in it? It comes with cilantro? Can you pick it out? OK, no tip for you."
I worked in a bar too and understand how hard they work. Is why I tend to start at 25 percent for the tip, which drives Ms. Slappy nuts. But if I'm parched and you don't come back to ask, the tip starts going down. If I ask for special this and that and you bring it, then you'll get tipped well.
I once waited 40 minutes for a dinner in a steakhouse. The kitchen lost the order. What pissed me off was that the waitress never checked; when I asked what was going on, she told me. She was virtually in tears because while she said the kitchen screwed up the order, my gut feeling was she didnt turn it in.
I tipped 15 on a 25 meal (manager threw in the drinks) and said "make sure you don't do this to someone else."

 

Here's another one, I'll let you all be the judge.

Had a lady once send back a cheeseburger platter. All our burgers came with lettuce, tomato, onion -- on the bun, burger served open faced. She said she told the waitress no tomato. Waitress said she didn't. Regardless, didn't make it back to the kitchen.

Anyway, waitress offered to take the tomato away on a side plate. Lady said no. Wanted a whole new meal. Wanted it for free.

I redid a bun top and told the waitress that was all she was getting. Waitress got stiffed, blamed me for not recooking the whole thing. I told her by the time it would have been done, the lady would have had to sit eating while the rest of her party was finished, which would have made her more upset, and she'd have gotten stiffed anyway. My job was to save the kitchen a burger.

And just an FYI -- any good kitchen will take the lumps for the waitress. I was a terror to shitty waitstaff, but if they forgot to put it in, I'd rush it and send them to the table to tell them the kitchen fucked up.

 

The bar I lived at also pooled their tips.. which screwed the good, but saved the bad. If someone gave shitty service, they generally heard about it.
However, the bar also has a reputation for, ummm, hiring well. So easy on the eyes made up for shitty service sometimes.

 

you tipped $15 on a $25 meal, and when you suspect she forgot to turn in your order?
I'm sorry, but that's just yearning to be liked by people who will forget you as soon as you walk out the door
I tip well, but I'm not excessive
Tipping is such a North American custom, and is only done in Europe in places where tourists congregate.
Most non-touristy restaurants in Europe don't expect it, and seem almost insulted when offered

 

Which is, of course, because most waiters on the continent are well compensated. Your tip, as it is, is built into the price of the food and drink.

And it's not yearning to be liked. It's understanding how hard their job is and being willing to pay well for being served well.

Consistent good tipping brings better service, better drinks, free drinks and a better atmosphere in which to enjoy them.

My old man is a salesman, and I've watched him go around to a bar staff in the early evening and hit everyone with a $20 while explaining that he'll be entertaining customers at the bar, that he doesn't want to wait too long and that if things go well he'll tip on the check as well. His customers don't wait for drinks That's just good business.

 

Most European restaurants add 15% for service or it's built into the prices. You tip for extraordinary service.

Tipping is a North American thing because in Europe, being a waiter is considered a profession and you're paid accordingly.

You don't rely on the kindness of strangers to overcome poverty level wages.

 

As bad as I want to sometimes, I can't stiff any waiter/waitress. My soon to be sister in law has been a (good) waitress/bartender forever and has gotten me in the habit of tipping, even if they suck. She gets stiffed so many times that it feels like a better balance.

That's not to say that my husband is as nice. Went to a Tully's a couple of weeks ago with him and a guy friend of mine. Waiter was apparently "hitting on me" (talked to me for longer than normal periods of time, asked if I needed another drink every 5 minutes and not the guys, etc), so husband left him a 23 cent tip. He doesn't care.

 

You stiff her when's she hot and/or she wants it

 

Well, it's nice to see the frat boy has woken up.

 

Thanks, but I'm far from a frat boy. Hate that type, actually. I do like women, however, so there is that one commonality.

 

Just guessing, but I'm assuming he means 15 percent.