I usually figure 20% then add a dollar or two because I know what hell it is to be a server, and know a good tip can really make your day sometimes. So Team You.
My husband is a ridiculous tipper; he would have tipped $20 in your case. He always overtips bartenders, but it ends up getting us a lot of free drinks so it ends up being a wash.
It sounds like the tip would have been about right at $5? No? If your bill was about $13 minus a hamburger and french fries, wouldn't that have brought the total to a little less than $25 total if you reincluded the hamburger and fries? A $5 tip is 25%, which is a very good tip. An $8 tip would have been 32%. I don't see much of a difference here either way.
There is no right or wrong. The tip your DH wanted to leave was completely appropriate. It's nice to want to be generous, but I wouldn't have argued over it. Couldn't you guys have split the difference and both left satisfied? Maybe he would have been okay with an extra dollar.
Just to clarify, the tip that DH wanted to leave WAS 25% of the non-coupon, paying-for-fries amount of the bill. My tip was 40% of the bill, but I was thinking more of the actual $$ amount than percentages. Because as someone mentioned, this is a very reasonably-priced restaurant.
Oh, then I don't know. 25% of the "total" is a good tip, even for above and beyond. Either way, it was only $3 difference.
Team You. I generally tip more than the average. We have 17 month old and leave a hella mess when we take Little E out to eat. I clean it up the best I can, but it's gotta be a PITA to totally clean up when the peanut is throwing his damn food on the floor (no matter how many times I tell him not to/take the food out of his reach).
I don't think there's any right or wrong here. His tip was a decent 25% (of the total including the fries and burger). Adding $3 is not a big deal, but it's not like he was being cheap either.
The $3 could have made the difference between a bad night and good night. Sometimes it is the sentiment behind the tip that would make me feel good. And she was probably so apologetic because one of her other tables was being an ass about the slow food. Not her fault, but people don't remember that and leave bad tips based on the slow kitchen.
I think the difference of $3 is a bit much to get annoyed about, especially the next day. Was he "wrong" of course not, it's a tip, it's totally voluntary - and he was clearly passed the appropriate %. Were you right? Yes, of course, because again, it's voluntary, just a little something for service and thanks. I think you wanted to give her the cost of the fries in addition to a genenerous tip, so that's way $3 seemed like a nice extra. DH just wasn't seeing it that way - but its hardly a grudge to hold onto into the next day.
I would have tipped 20% of the Pre-discounted bill. I don't think the waitress should be penalized a tip because I had a coupon for free food. And you were planning to pay for the fries already, so tipping on that makes sense.
Since the service was exceptional I would tip 25%. In her case that would be $5. So I am on her DH side. I dont think that is being stingy at all.
This. Are you in a state where waitresses make federal minimum? I think people tend to forget that there are states that make state minimum, so like in CA we tip 10-15% based on service because they are already making 8-9 bucks an hour.
Post by sunshine608 on Oct 11, 2012 12:12:13 GMT -5
Team You.
Usually if a server comps me something small ( a drink or fries) out of their niceness, I will go ahead and add the cost as their tip. I would have paid it anyway so why not.
I side with you. You should tip as if you don't have a coupon for sure.
Also, if I get something for free that I wasn't expecting (like the bartender gives us a round of drinks), I will usually take that into account as well (especially if we want to go back). So, if we got $5 worth of free beer, I would add that on top of the normal tip I would give.
“Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make it so, right in the middle of it lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce.” - Natalie Goldberg
Post by littlemisssunshine on Oct 11, 2012 12:54:44 GMT -5
As a former waitress for 6 years, team you. I hated parents with messy kids, and it was always nice to get a little bit extra for them. Also, we always hope that when we give free food (especially when it's not warranted, that will result in a higher tip).
I think either would be a good tip. Not worth arguing over, IMO. But some food for thought- instead of the extra tip you would have liked to give, have you considered calling the restaurant and letting the manager know of your satisfaction? While it doesn't earn her the extra $ you wanted to give her, it does score points for her with her boss. When I used to serve, compliments to my manager were appreciated because it sometimes made the difference in what days/sections I was scheduled. Just a thought.
I'm with you too. Great service should equal more tip especially when you have a kid that made a big mess and they still gave you great service. I normally give 20% if the service was good enough. 50 cents if the service totally sucked and I don't want them to think I forgot to tip. More than 20% if the service was AMAZING.
DH and I both usually tip around 20%, going a little more if the service was good or a little less if it wasn't. However, we also never have bills that low. When I eat at a very inexpensive place (like if I go out for cereal for breakfast on a work trip), my tips are always much higher than 20% because it seems silly to leave just $1.
In your case, I probably would have left a $20 and called it good.
Just to clarify, the tip that DH wanted to leave WAS 25% of the non-coupon, paying-for-fries amount of the bill. My tip was 40% of the bill, but I was thinking more of the actual $$ amount than percentages. Because as someone mentioned, this is a very reasonably-priced restaurant.
Based on this I don't think there is a right or wrong. Your husband wasn't stiffing her- he was actually leaving a very appropriate tip. OTOH, $3 isn't going to bankrupt you and I'm sure the waitress would really appreciate, so if you can afford it than it's a nice thing to do. I call it a draw.
Eh. I am not passionate about either side. I think a $5 tip on a bill that would have been $20 before any discounts or freebies is perfectly adequate. 25% is well above average and while that's only $5, the waitress probably makes less than $5 on most tables and I'm sure felt well rewarded with a $5 tip. It would have been very nice of you to leave her $8, but I don't think you should be annoyed with your DH if he didn't want to leave that generous of a tip.
I waited tables all through college and of course I loved huge tips, but they were rare and most were in the 15-20% range. I would have been thrilled with a $5 tip on a $20 bill - I used to do the breakfast shift at Perkins and most people left $2-3. I currently always tip 20% unless the service is bad (then I do more like 15%) but I rarely do more than 20% because that's a good tip and I too have a budget. Maybe if I'm wealthy someday I'll tip more, not sure if you are wealthy, if so my answer would probably change
$20 for dinner for a family of 3 with great serivce? Your hubs should have been tap dancing out the door! Team you. And you probably made the waitresses day.
I get where your H is coming from, because as others have mentioned, a 25% tip on the full bill is, by standards, a generous tip. My standard is 15% for average, 20% for "okay" and 30% for great service.
BUT, if an entire meal, plus my kid, only cost $12...I probably would also have just rounded up to $20 like you wanted to, even if it meant I was tipping 40%.