Should Restaurants Charge an Automatic Tip?

[Dr. Robert]

no

[sierra11b]

Common practice has been adding 15-18% gratuity for parties of say 8 or more. This is still common practice for many California restaurants. In my experience as a fine restaurant and hotel chef, it works because:

1) The server is most always professional and gives you what you pay for, sometimes you feel inclined to tip more (keep in mind I'm referring to establishments with professional servers). If you feel you were wronged at a finer establishment then take it up with management, but for the most part the bigger tables go to the experienced servers that make great livings treating you well for the two hours they deal with your crap.

2) There's always the risk of getting the tightwad paying for large parties. You'd be surprised how common it is to get a large party and then have the person paying the bill short the waitstaff after the shock from seeing the amount owed. Factor in alcohol and the person footing the bill not only gets a very expensive tab (because of the booze), but begins to nickel and dime fabrications on why the service was terrible to get comped (again, because of the booze).

Just last week I had the wife of a man paying for his party of 18 apologize that her husband was out of line and that the other 16 were ecstatic with the service. The husband not only claimed everything was crap, but claimed menu items (including his own) was cooked improperly despite his party never ordering those entrees. Even wrote a nice little note on the back of his receipt in drunken hieroglyphics .

It's just like any other mandate out there... people that sincerely tip based on service or who always add some tip have to pay for those that cheat the system...

You should see what people try to get away with. About two months ago I had a table inclined to bring in their own wine, stemware and corkscrew to void the 'corkage fee' "Corkage" is just a term folks... the fee is there because you're bringing your inventory of wine instead of buying the restaurant's wine.

For the record I do NOT endorse adding 20% to any table but do feel the need for larger parties for reasons above^^^

[rr-nyc]

Originally Posted by Lisa

So, are these unionized guys also receiving mandatory tips? If so, they're doing very well.

If they have a party of 6 or more, I'm sure they add it on. I don't think most add the 20% to all checks.

Personally, I like when a restaurant has some sort of nicely written tip suggestion on the check that states tipping is usual and customary. It even states the amount the tip would be at 15%, 18% and 20%

[Kringkily]

I usually tip 15% for lunch and up to 20% for dinner as long as service is decent - good. Being a server before a many years ago, salary at most places are crap. Yes you can make good money at nicer restaurants especially a bartender but staff usually needs tips to get through the day. What gets me in that people want a tip when you do take-out. I literally had some lady chase me down cause I only left a few bucks on a 20 dollar take out...like really?...

[daveathall]

When the service is good, I tip good, when the service is poor, I tip poor or not at all.

[eric23]

No, A tip % depends on the service!

[540im]

This reminds me of the "black swan" episode on Curb Your Enthusiasm lol

[beowulf566]

No! I mean there are times when waitress/waiters just straight up do not deserve a tip. That being said I almost always tip very heavy.

[jatco]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

A gratuity (A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service.) is just that.

Any other arrangement, at least in our culture, is extortion.

Good point...!
If the service warrents a tip, I will. If the establishment has a given gratuity included on the tab, then the tip would be a nominal amount for your servers service, if warrented. If not, and there should be a complaint from the serveréstaff - then take it up with your management.
.
Tips, above and beyond the relagated service fee (VAT, HST -whatever)- is up to you.
If a tip is required, I tip on the net amount..(pre taxes- for services rendered) -Not on the gross amount as posted on your bill including taxes.
-
Tipping on the taxed total ...is

[jatco]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

A gratuity (A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service.) is just that.

Any other arrangement, at least in our culture, is extortion.

Good point...!
If the service warrents a tip, I will. If the establishment has a given gratuity included on the tab, then the tip would be a nominal amount for your servers service, if warrented. If not, and there should be a complaint from the serveréstaff - then take it up with your management.
.
Tips, above and beyond the relagated service fee (VAT, HST -whatever)- is up to you.
If a tip is required, I tip on the net amount..(pre taxes- for services rendered) -Not on the gross amount as posted on your bill including taxes.
-
Tipping on the taxed total ...is
.
Just out of principle...!!

[daveathall]

I wonder about this 20% thing.

Lets say me and the misses go out for a meal, the meal costs £50 each, we also get a bottle of wine, lets say it costs £50 as well, total for meal £150, the service was excellent so give the full 20%, total for meal, wine and service is £180. (tip being £30)

For arguments sake, lets say we are creatures of habit, two weeks later we go to the same restaurant and order the same meal each, but because it is our anniversary, we push the boat out and order a £250 bottle of wine, service again is excellent, but the waiter/waitress has opened a more expensive bottle of wine, but in real terms, he/she has pulled a cork from a bottle, so in real terms, the same amount of work as the previous meal. The bill this time would be £350 plus the 20% tip would come to £420 (£70 tip)

For the same amount of work the tip is more than doubled, doesn't make sense.



BTW, It was for illustration purposes only, that bottle of wine would in reality be a pint of bitter and because it was an anniversary the misses would be spoiled with a babycham.

[93 Turbo]

Thanks for the head up guys and girls, I'll be on vacation in NYC 14-18 Sept. Yeah, the wait staff will get their 20%.

Mind you, I'll check if the tip is added before hand, if so may pay a little extra if the service is very good.

Can't wait. Cheers

[Runnin' Rebel]

I'm a union worker and we get an automatic 15.48% of the beverage charge. If a customer complains about service, it's looked into and if it's the workers fault corrective action is taken.
A glass of nasty wine is 8 bucks, a premium drink is 10.50
Its not uncommon to have a bar bill in excess of 3000.00 for 2 hours

The problem for me is the hotels charge 21% service fee and only gives the workers 15.48%. They don't disclose this to the client, so they think we get it all! Their double dipping !!

[mcjp6]

Originally Posted by Lisa

Employees should be paid enough by their employers.... tips (an acronym for To Insure Promptness) should be given at the discretion of the customer to reflect the quality of service received.

I could not agree more......and thanks for the acronym Lisa, I did not know its derivation.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by mcjp6

I could not agree more......and thanks for the acronym Lisa, I did not know its derivation.

I wonder if it should be "TEPS" - to ensure promptness...

Anyway, when we're dining with a group large enough to face an automatic 15% or 20% tip (usually about 8 people), we don't leave any extra. Assuming the wait staff receives this 20%, then they have been tipped adequately. Hope this isn't flawed reasoning.

[mfer]

Sorry Lisa, according to the all knowing wiki, your acronym is a false entymology.

Originally Posted by wikipedia

Etymology
There are common inaccurate claims[2] that "tip" (or "tips") is an acronym for a phrase such as "To Insure Prompt Service", "To Insure Proper Service", "To Improve Performance", "To Inspire Promptness" or "To Insure Promptness." These false backronyms contradict the verifiable etymology, as follows.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word tip originated as a slang term, and its etymology is unclear. The term in the sense of "to give a gratuity" first appeared in the 18th century. It derived from an earlier sense of tip, meaning "to give; to hand, pass", which originated in the rogues' cant in the 17th century. This sense may have derived from the 16th-century tip meaning "to strike or hit smartly but lightly" (which may have derived from the Low German tippen, "to tap"), but this derivation is "very uncertain".[3]

but I always heard it the way you said it. Your "ensure" comment made sense, so I went to wiki.

[matt4hand]

I hate it! If I get great service they will know it and I send a hand written note to the manager. If it's crappy I do the same.

I am in the alcohol business and often bring several high end wines into restaurants. When wedo this it's not uncommon for me to tip 50% or higher as long as the service is good.

[Runnin' Rebel]

Best wine I ever had was a '97 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet. We drank it at work in I think 2005. It was unreal.

[sea-dweller]

No, I tip based on service levels!