Tipping is a privilege.
There you are, sitting in a booth at the restaurant. You are full, ready to pay your tab, and you feel... well, how do you feel?
I probably don't have to convince you that the service you receive impacts your experience. You probably have left a restaurant thinking something like, "My service was horrible!" for a multitude of reasons. Hopefully though, you have left thinking something like, "My server rocked. She really made my experience great! I'll be back."
But now the question is, what do you leave for a tip!?
As a general rule, poor service receives a 15 percent tip or lower, adequate service receives a 15 percent tip, great service receives 18 percent to 20 percent or higher. But remember, when you go out to eat, you are an employer. You can choose to be nice, fair, generous, rude, demanding or even choose not to pay at all.
This tipping structure has been around since the restaurant model began.
But recently a new way of thinking has evolved which takes a very passive stand. It goes something like, "It's not up to me to pay the server, it's up to the owner!"
I challenge your thinking with a friendly reminder. Every transaction you make throughout your day pays someone's salary. Grocery store employees, bank tellers, soldiers, road maintenance crews, etc. Just because you don't sign a line that asks you what you believe they should earn, doesn't mean you're not paying it.
"I demand this privilege be taken away!"
Are you sure?
There is a growing campaign to change the tip system from, "the customer chooses," over to, "the owner chooses."
What would that do? Instead of you choosing to tip $4 on that $20 steak (when it's wrapped in great service) your steak will be $24. How convenient!
In exchange for this non-negotiable gratuity you'll receive, um, well, a "pass" on making any decisions at the end of the meal.
"Whew! If there's one thing that irritates me it's deciding how to spend my own money!"