Poll: How much do you tip on average for food?

[Yester]

I am just curious to see out there how much people tend to tip on average. A buddy of mine and I got into a discussion about it today at lunch and it has me curious.

I generally tip about 25% for great service, 20% for good service and 15% for not so good. I also have a hard time not tipping anything in a restaurant even tif the service is terrible, is that bad?

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[Contento]

16-20% no matter how the service is-most the time it's not the servers fault they're overworked and can't get to you as often.


The only time I tip less is when the waiter/waitress is a genuine prick. But even then I sometimes tip my regular 16-20%...because I was a busboy for 4 days and I personally consider working in the food industry akin to building the bridge over the river Kwai.

 

[Trlsmn]

I tip 20% for (good) service, if the food is bad I won't accept it.

 

[Yester]

because I was a busboy for 4 days and I personally consider working in the food industry akin to building the bridge over the river Kwai.

 

[dolooper]

and adjust up for great service and down for less than good service.

 

[Mutoman]

Okay, I'm cheap. Normally I tip 10%, but never less than a couple of bucks, so a ten dollar lunch I'd end up tipping 20%, so I guess I'm not always a cheapskate.

I often tip even when the owners are the cook and waitstaff, because of the depressed economy.

 

[swoop]

I tip a little on the high side if the wait person is trying. They get hit for 8% tax on the total sales wheather you tip them or not. So 25% and up for good service.

 

[spider]

If service was great, I tip real good, If service is bad then I dont leave anything. I've seen people put a penny down for their disgust in service, thats a great way of asking for spit in your food.

 

[ZeroRing]

and adjust up for great service and down for less than good service.

+1

 

[Spray-n-pray]

It really depends on the amount of the bill. If it is relativley small (like $15-20), I still leave a 5 spot. Today, my wife and I got takeout from Old Spaghetti Factory, and the bill was $18 and change. I left enough to make the total $21, so about $2.65 or so. I know that wasn't much percentage wise, but we didn't even eat there, so I feel like that was enough to just walk in, get the food, and walk out.

 

[Ryan]

Everytime I see a disscusion like this it reminds me of that scene from Resivor Dogs.

I also agree with starting at ~20% then going up or down baised on service.

 

[SquackDaddy]

Kind of along the same lines........Do you tip when you pick up take-out food?

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

I worked as a waiter in college so I am a big tipper. We usually tip between 25-35%

 

[Yester]

Kind of along the same lines........Do you tip when you pick up take-out food?

N0, I think tipping is for the service of the wait staff, not for the cook and the food.

 

[Wenis]

I've worked as a waiter and bartender for 7+ years in high school and college, so the least I'll tip on a meal is $5, and then it's generally around 25-30%. At a bar, $1 per drink is pretty standard, sometimes more if it's more involved or the bartender is really busy and you can tell who's really good at what they do.

And for future reference, always tip more liberally for your first drink, they usually make it up to you with better pours or preferential service. I know when I was bartending and the bar is three rows deep with people, I would remember the faces of those who treat me better.

 

[Tactical SS]

If the service is great and I am in a group my tab is usually $10-$15 and I have no problem tipping a great waiter $5 on a tab like that.

 

[RickB]

I tip 15% on the total for a meal, less tax, if the service is adequate. Tips go up or down from there, depending on the quality of the service. I will usually tip a bartender $1 per trip to the bar.

 

[CharlesAFerg]

I've worked far worse jobs that didn't pay jack and there were no opportunities for tips. I know firsthand that these people have it easier than people make it out to be, especially here in the city. They make great wages and get tips.

..I still tip well, though, but they work for it.

 

[wakeadrian]

I've worked far worse jobs that didn't pay jack and there were no opportunities for tips. I know firsthand that these people have it easier than people make it out to be, especially here in the city. They make great wages and get tips.

I'm speaking of the higher end restaurants, though.

I'm not at a higher end restaurant by any means, but..
I've done the desk job thing, and I'd prefer it to serving people ANY day. I work at a Baskin Robbins in a crappy part of town, and let me tell you, it's complete crap. Putting up with a customer's BS attitude is not worth minimum wage. And that's only if they speak english. Don't get me started on the VERY large majority of my customers that only speak spanish and treat me like crap because I don't, too. But in general, customers are cranky, and then take it out on whoever is serving them.
And I only get tipped on average, MAYBE $4 a day after serving several hundred customers.

 

[spengo]

I guess I'm cheap. I tip 15% for good service. If the service sucked, I tip less, and if it was for some reason exceptional I tip more.