Is tipping a N. American thing?

[Scubatooth]

RESTAURANT
Bartender 15-20 percent, or $1 a drink
Wine steward 10 percent of bill
Coat check $1
Four-hour meals If you're at the table for longer than two hours, tip double

this is especially true, but i would like to make a few modifications thats are standard.

for wine at a fine dinning establishment you tip 10% of the price of the bottle or wine total. this is considered standard and at most places there is a line on the bill for the wine steward. personally in places i have gone that has a wine steward, this person was very knowledgable on the estabishments

as for staying at a table for a long period of time. normal dinning times are for service from greeting to check pay out is about 45 to 75 minutes (fine dining and other establishments times will vary). if you plan on staying and talking after the meal please do your server a favor and move to the bar (to talk as there is more room there and if you dont require any attention the bartender doesnt mind as much as the server does.

If a table doesnt have paying guests you are costing your server money as well as the establishment. At the average establishement a table(4 places or a "four top") is worth about $75-125 a hour, during the evening and about half of that for luinch (fine dining is a different story).

Those of you who do stay at a table longer at the table are going to be labelled as "campers", and are generally not viewed very highly, unless you take care of the server. the general rule is that if your gonna stay you should leave extra tip as the server (general $5 per 15 mins is considered the norm in non fine dining establishments)

the taxes on alchoal most times are required by the laws of the state and dictated as stipulations of the permits & licenses required to serve liquor and alchoal. In the state of texas 25% of the cost of the drink goes back to TABC(dont even get me started about them as residents of texas know what i mean) which is the authority that issues permits and license's.

 

[RonFrank]

One of my favorite quotes from "My Blue Heaven" (Steve Martin).

"It's not tipping that I believe in, it's overtipping!"

In the past six years I've watched the price of gas, food, and basically most things go up, some huge. During the same time period I've watched aboout 50% of my co-workers get laid off (Worldcom), and I've seen on average about 1% a year in pay increases. So with inflation, I'm making less now then before while at the same time my expenses have gone up.

Call me cheap, but I'm just not going to hand over 20% for most meals, or $2 a bag for skycap. I generally tip $1 a bag, and based on the amount of traffic going through the skycap, at that rate the guy humping luggage is likely making more than I am as an educated professional.

IMO service over the years has not really improved at most restaurants, and if the servers consider 20% a slap in the face, then maybe they need to lower their standards.

Maybe the hourly wage should be increased rather than expecting the consumer to kick in more. As I pay uncle Sam close to 10% tax, a 20% tip means that I'm adding a third onto the price of every meal. Considering in most establishments these jobs are done by college students, and non educated labor I'm not sure what standard of living they expect, but 20% profit on the total sales in a busy establishment is a good chunk of change.

Maybe the younger generations need to learn how to be a bit more frugal. I also have other options, like maybe I start bring my lunch with me on a more regular basis.

 

[socaldiver]

Ron,

I beg to differ with you and really take exception to you comments about the type of people working in the service industry.

Personally, I spent 20 years in the corporate world and retired after 20 years as the CEO of a $20 million credit union. There are a lot of us in the industry who find enjoyment in what we do and , oh by the way, you can make real good money depending on where you work and don't have half the stress as most of you "professional corporate world" people.

Not our fault you chose the wrong profession.

 

[RonFrank]

Ron,

I beg to differ with you and really take exception to you comments about the type of people working in the service industry.

Personally, I spent 20 years in the corporate world and retired after 20 years as the CEO of a $20 million credit union. There are a lot of us in the industry who find enjoyment in what we do and , oh by the way, you can make real good money depending on where you work and don't have half the stress as most of you "professional corporate world" people.

Not our fault you chose the wrong profession.

Hey, I worked as a Bartender, cook, dishwasher and generally all around whatever needs doing get's done individual at my best friends Fathers Nightclub for years.

I have zero issue for anyone who wants to work in the food services industry.

So are you suggesting that the majority of wait staff, and bartenders are NOT college students or people without an advanced education? Because in my experience that is simply not true.

Not sure exactly what you take exception with, and I'm not sure I chose the wrong profession?

 

[Scubatooth]

Ron

its because most of those working in resturants are working there way through college, some of the people i worked with had masters or finishing them up, MBA's, and at one point a PHD candidate and a majority of those over the age of 22-23 had there BA's. If they where younger then that they were still working on there degree plan.

Of the staff where i worked there where only a handful that didnt have a degree (older then 25) but that way because they where either Sr staff & trainers that had been waiting tables for a decade or more.

 

[RonFrank]

Ron

its because most of those working in resturants are working there way through college, some of the people i worked with had masters or finishing them up, MBA's, and at one point a PHD candidate and a majority of those over the age of 22-23 had there BA's. If they where younger then that they were still working on there degree plan.

Of the staff where i worked there where only a handful that didnt have a degree (older then 25) but that way because they where either Sr staff & trainers that had been waiting tables for a decade or more.

So we agree, many are college students. I'm certainly not saying they are stupid or anything. What I am saying is that most jobs in the service industry don't require any sort of advanced education, basically learn on the job. Sure they can make good money, why else do so many bright college students work that industry.

The reality is that I used to make $100+ (sometimes closer to $175) on a busy Saturday evening in the early 80's and that was a LOT of money considering minumum wage was something like $3.50 an hour. This was balanced out by slow nights where I would make $20 in tips. However the reality is that for the skill level required to serve drinks or food, I'm not sure that a 20% tip should be considered *normal* especially based on the price of a beer at most establishments.

Back to the original point, how well would you do if the majority of your clients were from foreign countries, and did not tip at all? Maybe all the owners of the establishments hate me for my consistant 15% tipping, but they sure seem happy to see me, and if I skip a week, the first thing I hear is, hey, where have you been?

 

[PhotoTJ]

I've been giving this some thought. It sounds like service folks are trying to tell consumers what their service is worth. (20%) I don't buy it. It's up to the consumer to tell service folks what their service is worth. And that's going to be subjective. The exact same service is going to be worth more or less to different consumers. As it happens, I usually tip quite well, right up until I'm told, (lectured), on how much to tip. If you enjoy your job that much, well, the tip shouldn't matter.

Oh, and in New Zealand they don't tip either. (Just as an aside.)

Let the service industry bombast begin.

 

[tracker]

In the US, I give 10% at buffet, 20% at full service. (if at a table being served), If at a bar, I'll drop a ten spot with the first drink so I don't have to have so much additive to my alcohol on the next one, or two, or three, or talk too much, or get dumb, or pass out, or, or, or...........well.........never mind.

 

[ckjacques53198]

I think it is primarily a N American thing. Nobody really tips in England. As stated before, we have the 'service charge' built in, and tend to agree with Mr. Pink from Reservoir Dogs.[/QUOTE]
:lol:
I love that scene. Tipping gets to be a drag. Every place seems to have a tip jar in full display. When did we start tipping on takeout food?

 

[Far_X]

We never tip at bars in England. We may offer to buy the bartender a drink but tend not to leave money at the bar. In most cases, some punter will probably "half-inch" it anyway. I worked behind a bar for over two years and never got tips. Of course, I used to get drinks bought for me but these tended to be regulars who got quality service from me, and the lasses on a Friday and Saturday night I know tipping freaks people out when they come over here to visit. I do think it is pretty shoddy that we are expected to make up for the lack of wages employers pay their staff, even if the service is nothing special.