The new way of calculating a restaurant tip

[kcowan]

All my kids and GCs have contributed to put themselves through school in the food service business so I view tipping as paying it forward. My standard is 20% but I often adjust for breakfast (up) and wine (down). I get personal thank yous from the servers so I know I am on the high side. That's the way I like it.

(I also tip the baggers in Mexico generously.)

 

[Taxman59]

Years ago, a friend and I would meet regularly at a restaurant. We would get a table out of the way, and let the server know in advance our "rules". 1) We aren't in a hurry and expect to be there a while, 2) We recognize that we will be taking up a table and therefore affecting your tips, so we will be generous IF THE SERVICE WARRANTS IT!. We ate at the same place every other week for about 2 1/2 years, and spent about 3 hours every time. We always ended the evening with coffee, and expected that the servers would keep our cups topped off. Our average tip was in the 30% range, and our bill was about 2-3 times the average bill for the restaurant, so we figured that the staff was well compensated. The staff knew us well, and if someone was passing by our table with a pot of coffee and noticed we were running low, they would top it off without our asking.

After a while, the staff were fighting to get us to sit in their area because we were easy to serve, tipped well, and very forgiving if something didn't go right. One time we had a new server who completely ignored us. It took about an hour to get our food, and forget any refills on the water or drinks. We didn't let it bother us too much until we told her we were ready to go and it still took about 30 minutes to get the bill. The place wasn't any busier than any other night, so this was a service issue. We paid our bill and left a $0 tip. We heard the server when she picked up the cc slip, and the manager came over to us as we were leaving (we knew him by this time) and we told him what happened. When we came back the next time, we had the same server, and the service was back to the level we had come to expect (good, not perfect but always pleasant) and left a tip that more than made up for the prior visit. We made our point, and never had a problem again.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I've noticed that a lot of restaurant checks that sometimes include the gratuity (like for a large table) figure it at 18 percent on the whole check, including the tax. I wonder if that's meant to come to about 20 percent not including tax.

 

[jjquantz]

Years ago, a friend and I would meet regularly at a restaurant. We would get a table out of the way, and let the server know in advance our "rules". 1) We aren't in a hurry and expect to be there a while, 2) We recognize that we will be taking up a table and therefore affecting your tips, so we will be generous IF THE SERVICE WARRANTS IT!. We ate at the same place every other week for about 2 1/2 years, and spent about 3 hours every time. We always ended the evening with coffee, and expected that the servers would keep our cups topped off. Our average tip was in the 30% range, and our bill was about 2-3 times the average bill for the restaurant, so we figured that the staff was well compensated. The staff knew us well, and if someone was passing by our table with a pot of coffee and noticed we were running low, they would top it off without our asking.

After a while, the staff were fighting to get us to sit in their area because we were easy to serve, tipped well, and very forgiving if something didn't go right. One time we had a new server who completely ignored us. It took about an hour to get our food, and forget any refills on the water or drinks. We didn't let it bother us too much until we told her we were ready to go and it still took about 30 minutes to get the bill. The place wasn't any busier than any other night, so this was a service issue. We paid our bill and left a $0 tip. We heard the server when she picked up the cc slip, and the manager came over to us as we were leaving (we knew him by this time) and we told him what happened. When we came back the next time, we had the same server, and the service was back to the level we had come to expect (good, not perfect but always pleasant) and left a tip that more than made up for the prior visit. We made our point, and never had a problem again.

Great story. This illustrates why DW and I are looking for a place where we can become regular customers. Life can sometimes be a lot easier when you are interacting with "people" rather than anonymous "staff", and vice versa.

 

[Amethyst]

Having a "regular" server or salesperson really is nice. Since you are working to one another's benefit, it can become a mutual admiration society. You get better service; someone who is always glad to see you; they get a predictable (instead of moody/fussy) customer, who rewards them in the manner they feel they deserve.

Great story. This illustrates why DW and I are looking for a place where we can become regular customers. Life can sometimes be a lot easier when you are interacting with "people" rather than anonymous "staff", and vice versa.

 

[Cobra9777]

I usually tip between 15-20% of the total bill including tax. If we had expensive wine or drinks, I tip toward the low end of that range. I rarely tip below 15%, even for sub-par service. I'd rather just avoid the place in the future or write a bad review on Yelp. It's been my observation that sub-par service is usually a larger operational issue unrelated to the individual server, such as inadequate staffing. For exceptional service, I might go as high as 25%.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I can understand the reason but still thought it was odd to expect a tip on the tax as well. This forces me to continue to calculate the tip.

geez man live a little. servers don't make that much

 

[marko]

geez man live a little. servers don't make that much

+1 We all realize that in most states we're talking about an extra buck or two on a $100 bill right?

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[Montecfo]

The tip should be based on the pre-tax figure. Let's say you had a meal in a place where there is no sales tax on restaurants. You bill is $50. You had great service, you tip $10 (20%).

Now, you just had same meal, same great service, but the restaurant has a 12% hotel and meal tax. So the bill is $56. same great service, you tip $10, 20% of food cost.

I understand some people may not wish to quibble with the $1.20 you could tip on the tax, but that is a different matter I think (convenience).

I was a waiter in college. One of the best jobs I ever had. I tip 5-25% depending on service. I might tip more on a very small bill.

 

[Music Lover]

I've noticed that a lot of restaurant checks that sometimes include the gratuity (like for a large table) figure it at 18 percent on the whole check, including the tax. I wonder if that's meant to come to about 20 percent not including tax.

If it's part of the bill, then it's not a tip.

 

[Bestwifeever]

No, it's not a tip, it's a gratuity!

 

[Clone]

If it's part of the bill, then it's not a tip.

Not quite. I have run across this several times where they automatically add an 18% gratuity for the total bill. Plus, it was not real obvious, and the slip still has a line for tip. That makes for a pretty generous tip if you give them 20% on top of the 18%.

I will have to see if I have a copy of one of those slips in my receipts drawer. When you went down the receipt, it showed meal 1, drink 1, meal 2, drink 2, meal 3, drink3, meal 4, drink 4, gratuity 18%, subtotal. Then a line for tip, and a line for total.

 

[Big_Hitter]

The tip should be based on the pre-tax figure. Let's say you had a meal in a place where there is no sales tax on restaurants. You bill is $50. You had great service, you tip $10 (20%).

Now, you just had same meal, same great service, but the restaurant has a 12% hotel and meal tax. So the bill is $56. same great service, you tip $10, 20% of food cost.

I understand some people may not wish to quibble with the $1.20 you could tip on the tax, but that is a different matter I think (convenience).

I was a waiter in college. One of the best jobs I ever had. I tip 5-25% depending on service. I might tip more on a very small bill.

d00d it's $1.20. I spill that much on a weekend

 

[Music Lover]

Not quite. I have run across this several times where they automatically add an 18% gratuity for the total bill. Plus, it was not real obvious, and the slip still has a line for tip. That makes for a pretty generous tip if you give them 20% on top of the 18%.

I will have to see if I have a copy of one of those slips in my receipts drawer. When you went down the receipt, it showed meal 1, drink 1, meal 2, drink 2, meal 3, drink3, meal 4, drink 4, gratuity 18%, subtotal. Then a line for tip, and a line for total.

I guess it's more common in the US than Canada. I don't dine out a whole lot, but have yet to see a tip/gratuity added to the bill.

 

[RobbieB]

If it's a restaurant chit, they will all have a line for tip even if it's already added.

 

[ohyes]

DH and I tip 20% of total and $5.00 is our minimum tip for any meal...breakfast, lunch or dinner.

We adhered to 15% until about five years ago....when we got older/more generous...and yes, with three kids who worked in food services.

The $5.00 minimum tip is for meals only - not coffee stops, etc.

 

[FI by 2024]

I don't know about most people but for me I hate the presumption that I should tip on anything but service. there is no service connected with the sales tax.

But by this logic you shouldn't be tipping on any portion of the bill, as it is just as easy to serve a $10 burger as a $25 burger. If people are really tipping on "the service" and they don't consider tax to be part of the service, then they should tip a flat amount regardless of setting. For instance, $1 per trip to the table whether you are at Applebee's or Commanders Palace.

So if people are okay with tipping a percentage of the bill...why not the WHOLE BILL?

 

[urn2bfree]

When I lived in NYC, the fast way to tip was just to double the tax. That would indicate tipping was on the pre-tax amount.


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[CaliKid]

I didn't read every reply but dang there are some cheap people here. My grampa was always concerned with taxing on the sub-total or the total after tax. He would be like 110 if still alive because he was really old and old fashion and cheap. You people are younger so loosen up the purse strings a bit. Live a little!

20% on the total. Round up if good and round down if less than good. It's simple. You don't need a calculator to figure it out (hopefully).

 

[Big_Hitter]

I didn't read every reply but dang there are some cheap people here.

no way

 

[target2019]

20% on the total. Round up if good and round down if less than good. It's simple. You don't need a calculator to figure it out (hopefully).

This works for us. At some point we moved from 15% to 20% as it is much easier to calculate.

A twist I've added, is that if I am not satisfied with service, I add the tip to credit card, and make sure it is 15% or less.

 

[Aerides]

 

[Danmar]

If it's a restaurant chit, they will all have a line for tip even if it's already added.

This has happened to me a few times, especially for larger groups. The waiter has always made it very clear that a gratuity has been included. Hard to believe that anyone posting on this thread would not notice the included gratuity. Ie if you are concerned about a couple bucks you will certainly go over a larger bill with a magnifying glass, no?

I generally just look at the total amount and if it is in the ballpark of what I expected, don't bother looking at the details.

 

[Winemaker]

If the service is bad, I pretty much just don't go back to that place. I still tip them some (they aren't bad people - I hope - and need to feed themselves).

Otherwise, I don't sweat the details. Roughly calculate 20% and round up to a full dollar amount.

It's easy to do in your head - move the decimal point over giving 10%. Double this giving 20%. Round up to an even dollar.

Done.

+1

 

[Bamaman]

For most people the difference between pre tax and after tax is minuscule. If your bill is $100 you might have $8 in tax so an extra $2 to the server. How much are you spending per meal that this really matters?

We're retired. We don't eat in $100 restaurants.

We seldom eat out more than 1x per week, and even then it's Krystal or Captain D's.

We travel internationally once yearly on the money we didn't spend in restaurants.