An article that I wrote for a dining magazine
Working my way through college waiting tables for tips, I not only learned how to tip, I learned that I needed to get my degree toot sweet. I have a healthy respect for hard work and I reward it well. I've walked around on feet that burned all the way up to my ankles carrying trays that still give me muscle spasms. If a working person can work a bit harder for me, then the least I owe that person is a decent tip.
I find that when dealing with a service, a 20% tip is fair if that service has been provided professionally and efficiently. Although I may go above 20% for service rendered above and beyond expectations or below for service of a lesser quality, I'd hate to think of a situation where leaving no tip at all would be appropriate. One would almost have to put effort into chasing me out without leaving a tip.
As a single woman, I go on dinner dates quite a little bit. When a man has asked me out and is paying for my meal, I always make a mental note of how much he tips the server. That act tells me a lot about a man, how he treats others, how well he was taught manners and how much class he possesses. A man who is inconsiderate enough to stiff a server probably won't treat a lady friend with the utmost of respect either.
Stiffing a server can very well cost them money out of their pocket and they don't deserve to subsidize our dinners. Servers are usually taxed on 8% of their gross sales. The government assumes they make at least that much in tips. So, it isn't as harmless as some might think to walk away without tipping a person who provided you decent service.
Not only does the government take a bite out of the tips earned by wait-staff, many restaurants require that the servers share a certain percentage of their tips with the busboys, cooks and hosts. It's not at all unlikely for a server to clear less than 75% of the tips that they actually received.
The 20% rule is probably considered a bit much to some people, especially to those who are used to tipping 15%. Well, it went up...it's that simple. 20% is now standard. And to put it bluntly, it's just worth the extra few dollars to ensure a level of service that I've come to expect.
Dining out is an experience that's meant to be enjoyed. It's more than just feeding our faces. If that's all we want to do, we could easily pull up to a drive thru window, grab our food and leave. But, if a gracious experience is what you seek, tipping properly is a skill that simply must be practiced until perfected.
Tipping isn't a perfect system but it's one that apparently works well for all involved if all involved do what's expected of them. Like it or not, tipping IS part of a sit down dinner. It's an expected part of the expense of being waited upon by a pleasant person who works very hard to make our dining experience a delightful one.
I find that when dealing with a service, a 20% tip is fair if that service has been provided professionally and efficiently. Although I may go above 20% for service rendered above and beyond expectations or below for service of a lesser quality, I'd hate to think of a situation where leaving no tip at all would be appropriate. One would almost have to put effort into chasing me out without leaving a tip.
As a single woman, I go on dinner dates quite a little bit. When a man has asked me out and is paying for my meal, I always make a mental note of how much he tips the server. That act tells me a lot about a man, how he treats others, how well he was taught manners and how much class he possesses. A man who is inconsiderate enough to stiff a server probably won't treat a lady friend with the utmost of respect either.
Stiffing a server can very well cost them money out of their pocket and they don't deserve to subsidize our dinners. Servers are usually taxed on 8% of their gross sales. The government assumes they make at least that much in tips. So, it isn't as harmless as some might think to walk away without tipping a person who provided you decent service.
Not only does the government take a bite out of the tips earned by wait-staff, many restaurants require that the servers share a certain percentage of their tips with the busboys, cooks and hosts. It's not at all unlikely for a server to clear less than 75% of the tips that they actually received.
The 20% rule is probably considered a bit much to some people, especially to those who are used to tipping 15%. Well, it went up...it's that simple. 20% is now standard. And to put it bluntly, it's just worth the extra few dollars to ensure a level of service that I've come to expect.
Dining out is an experience that's meant to be enjoyed. It's more than just feeding our faces. If that's all we want to do, we could easily pull up to a drive thru window, grab our food and leave. But, if a gracious experience is what you seek, tipping properly is a skill that simply must be practiced until perfected.
Tipping isn't a perfect system but it's one that apparently works well for all involved if all involved do what's expected of them. Like it or not, tipping IS part of a sit down dinner. It's an expected part of the expense of being waited upon by a pleasant person who works very hard to make our dining experience a delightful one.
posted by Meg Kelso | 10:10 PM
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