Ok, I had to start a new thread about this 'cause i have so much to say in response to the things that have been said here recently with regards to tipping. First of all, gratuity comes from the word gratious, which is to say that you would give someone a gratuity as a show of thanks for doing something that is not necessary. One example that comes immediately to mind is the bar staff letting someone underage into a bar and allowing them to drink even though its illegal and could cost them their jobs. Contrary to popular belief, this situation more than deserves a gratuity, but i'll come back to that later. My second point is that gratuities ENSURE good service, not only for what you expect, but for what you may not expect. Example: by tipping a bartender (well), I EXPECT to not have to wait ten minutes at the bar for every subsequent drink, I expect my beer to be cold and poured correctly, my drinks to be nice and stiff, and my bartender to be in a jovial mood who is willing to to help me upon being asked. Ever wonder why it takes so long for a bartender to get around to taking your order when he's acting all buddy-buddy and laughing with the guys at the other end of the bar? Its probably cause they are taking good care of him and you, meanwhile, are pegged as a stiff.

What do I mean by situations "you may not expect"? Use your imagination. You want the bartender to be your friend and think you are a good guy/girl. What if the undercover cops come in and bust underage drinking? Wouldn't you want the bartender on your side? What if a drunk starts picking on you and throws a punch? If you're a stiff, the bartender could care less about you. If you're a good guy, he'll back you up. What if your band is trying to get a gig at that bar? Or if your friend's band is trying to get a gig at that bar? If the word is out that your band or the fans that come see them don't tip for shit, why should they go out of their way to book you? What if your car gets towed? What if you're taking a girl out on a first date and the servers have you pegged as a shitty tipper? Conversely, if you are a good tipper they might bring out some comps to help impress the lady. I could go on...

Its ironic that this came up during a Slow Bar discussion. As I was ordering my first drink at the show the other night, I consciously decided to tip even more generously than usual because I knew that the bartender/s would be having a tough night due to the 18 and up thing. What happens the next time I get a drink? The bartender literally walks past people who had been waiting a while and gets a Newcastle (my usual) as soon as I stepped near the bar (and before I even asked for it).

Personally, I tip no less than a dollar on every drink or beer i get. If the drink is $3.50, I hand the bartender a five and tell him/her to keep the $1.50. I tip at least 20% at restraunts if the service is acceptable, sometimes 30%. And its not like i'm some sort of rich guy rollin in dough, I just like to take care of people. And not necessarily for services rendered now, but (like I said before) almost as an investment in the future. People will see you as a class act and a generous person who appreciates what people do. I'm not saying you have tip the bartender 20 bucks "just for keeping the ice cold" like the old mafia guys, but show appreciation.

I also feel this goes for cab drivers, anyone with a tip jar, hotel staff (including housekeepers), casino dealers, even a guy on the street who gives you directions when your lost.

Just my opinion, take it or leave it. Just don't stiff me when I drag 10 bags up to your hotel room and organize your entire vacation :-) peace

well said.

As a pizza delivery guy I understand what its like to not be tipped so I tip everyone, hell I tipped someone 3 dollars to bring me 2 cokes at a restaurant a few days ago. If any of you don't tip the pizza guy, I hate you

I'd say the pizza guy is most deserving of a good tip.

He has wear and tear on his car due to the nature of his job and lord knows that having a maintained [at least not broken-down] car is absolutely necessary in our society. Plus, more than likely you are hungry but too lazy to go somewhere or make your own food. having shit delivered is the ultimate in service in my opinion.

(Edited by deathscythe257 at 3:26 pm on May. 7, 2003)

I agree whole-heartedly. I think you should ALWAYS err on the side of tipping too much, rather than too little. If you think you're "too poor" to tip well, then you're "too poor" to be spending money there in the first place.

While this may be true Schneikeez, you make more money than everyone I know, you don't pay taxes on most of it because it's not reported, and I've known you to count large rolls of cash in front of people. Anyone who can pay rent in cash is doing alright and can afford to tip well.

Sorry. I forgot to say that with the above in mind I agree with most of what Roadie says about tipping. What upsets me is that because of gratuity the burden of paying the serviceperson's salary has been effectively moved from the employer to the customer. Employers get away with paying servicepeople shit and that's wrong. Because of this tipping has become an obligation rather than an actual gratuity. This is strange.

I was raised by a man who felt that 10% was a generous tip but have learned better since leaving home. I feel I am now a better than average tipper - always try to leave 20% unless service sucks or I'm just plain broke. However, I agree with neuboy that America probably has it a bit ass-backwards when it comes to paying its service industry. Because the waitstaff is paid [proportionally] better in many other countries, tipping is done out of the goodness of one's heart, not out of obligation -- and I bet it's appreciated more.

I agree with neuboy as well. The problem is that I get personal:

"I don't want to support this schmoe who's reaking of fake friendliness and talking about the way I eat. I don't want to support him or his lifestyle."

This is probably a bit extreme. I do tip and I tip well I think, but I don't make it my job to support the service industry like that.

I was a pizza guy too. I don't understand people who don't tip, yet repeatedly order from the same establishment. Don't they know I have control of their food pretty much from creation to their residence? I more or less restrained myself from doing anything unethical/illegal (outside of driving stoned, of course), but I can't say anything for my co-workers.

My friends and I are horrible tippers but we honestly are broke. We usually carry the minimum amount of money we need that night, so our tips are usually the ones left over from the change.

I tip pretty well usually...probably averaging around 25%. AND, I am totally poor. TF can back me up there. I even tip the girls at Sonic who bring the food to my car. I know they don't get paid a lot (even if it is "normal" minimum wage), and I figure that most people stiff them, too. So, it's not going to make or break me when it comes to me giving them an extra $1.50. Plus, it makes me feel better in general. I know that if I were in a profession where I waited on a certain person in particular at a given point in time, I would definitely want a tip. I just count people's money and tell cashiers/baggers what to do. I don't deserve a tip; those other people do.

When I was at Sonic a month or two ago my mom was in a extra good mood and we spent like 5 bucks and she let the girl keep the change from a twenty. She said she just felt like making someone's day.

If your mom ever gets in that mood again, tell her to make the check out to Rob Rickman.

as someone who has been waiting tables for almost 5 years, i am glad that this topic came up. I am out of control when it comes to tipping. If I get shitty service, I leave 20%. on average, I leave 30-40% and if the server is outstanding then it will be more than this. of course, when my friends are waiting on me, I tip the most.

rachel, if you think you are too broke to tip, think about the server who is paying rent and/ or supporting a kid with your money.
I didn't know this when I was your age, but servers in restaraunts only get paid $2.13 an hour. my paycheck this week for about 40 hours was $30.
what im saying is, servers make ALL of their money through tips. next time you go out to eat, think about that.

(Edited by stalker on skates at 7:15 pm on May. 8, 2003)

I agree. But what are we supposed to do about it? Noone is really up in arms about the wages... on top of this, if people didn't make money being servers, they wouldn't be servers. I know quite a few servers and while a couple have gone through hard times here and there (company problems that caused less business and fewer hours), many have made bank. Same with bartenders. When you can get a hundred dollars in tips at the end of a six-hour shift, that is bank. There are also some restaurants, for instance I know of Ramsey's in Lexington in particular, that pay their wait staff minimum wage already and gratuity is truely what it was meant to be. That's why I don't like to eat out very many places. If I eat out, most of the time it is to either fast food and/or small family-run/privately-owned restaurants. I have friends that wait at Denny's and Applebee's, and I'll eat there... is it awkward for anyone else tipping your friends? you're not sure how much is too much or if they'll be offended if you tip too little... i can never figure it out. :-\

SOS- I would tip more if I could, but not having a job I only carry the money that my parents give me around so I usually only have enough for the meal and a small tip. I leave as much as I can which isnt much.

Truth, but it's not gratuity's fault. It's the fault of fat cat legislators whose friends don't want their restaurant profits shared equitably amongst the hardest workers on the staff. ds257- what are we supposed to do about it? REVOLUTION, of course .

20% is easier anyway- you just have to double your total instead of doing harder math.

Okay.. I'm usually a pretty generous tipper, but tonight I went to this restaurant with this girl I haven't talked to since high school. As soon as we were seated, the waiter came over to our table, (which was in the bar area), leaned onto the table (he was like 6 inches from the tip of my nose), looked directly into my eyes (I don't like that) and said "wow... I get to wait on two fine lookin' females tonight." Then he mercilessly tried to flirt with us for the entire time we were there. This was not flattering. It was an annoyingly obvious plea for a bigger tip than he deserved.

I was uncomfortable, offended, and pissed off...but I still left 18%.

The point of this story is... you can overdo the service thing. I think servers that cross that line should be punished severely.

Good service is getting a handjob with the salad.

"I'd tip 20% for that."

Ahhh Sonic, the great tipping mystery. My friends and I have had many a debate on the Sonic tip and what it should be. I've come down on the side of 18%, my normal. But I digress...

This conversation has me feeling rather guilty about the tip my friend and I gave the pizza man when we ordered a pizza into work this week. The pizza came to $9, all told, and we gave him $10. Each of us only had a $5 bill and assumed the other would have that little bit extra. We felt like shit after the guy left. Now you guys have me afraid that he's put us on some sort of a list. Twas an honest mistake, and not one we were proud of.

Will

I always tip well at least to keep up the "do unto others" mentality. But in the case of Sonic, and I'm sure this is horrible as all of my girl friends have told me, but I tip the cute girls extra. Especially if I can see through the window and know that there are cute ones to be sent. Isn't that their only purpose? It's like the Hooters of fast food.

Ah, Foldsfan...I knew that we had more than a few things in common. I too tip the cuter girls more, unless it is an ugly person that I know, in which case I will tip them just as much. This is all part of my campaign to bring male chauvinism back to the mainstream. Also, it is indeed the Hooters of fast food - which as a very astute observation.

The Sonic in Smyrna was staffed with all the skeezy dance team hoes, so I tried to avoid it at all costs. How does one tip a certain percentage at Sonic? Are you guys all just great at fast math? I'm sure I'll get stoned, but I usually give a dollar and the change at Sonic (which I rarely go to anyway). Other than that I'm a 'double the tax' person (which I'm sure I'll get stoned for as well). I've never been a waiter (or employed for that matter) so I have no idea how sucky it must be for them, although I bet it is pretty sucky.

Hmmm...I'm a solid 20% percent tipper when I go out, but I've never known the right amount to tip for pizza (or other) delivery. More? Less? Anyone?

this reminds me of another issue... sales tax in kentucky is six cents... i miss out on the 1.05 at the wendy's 99 cent menu whenever i visit tennessee... I don't know why, but I like that number.

(Edited by deathscythe257 at 1:47 pm on May. 9, 2003)

i suppose it is out of bitterness, but i don't tip sonic peeps or pizza guys as well as servers. this is bc ive never worked either of these jobs. the way i see it, they get paid minimum wage and i don't. heh. after this thread though, i will start tipping them more.

I always tip 20%, or more if the waiter/waitress is especially nice, unless the service is not satisfactory.

I always try to tip the pizza guy well (especially when I'm at home because I live a little ways out of the city limits) because he has to drive and whatnot.

Ahh the Wendy's 99 cent menu... a true sign of divinity on earth.

Will

i must throw in a word here:
some tipping tips in the world of cosmetology...

it was actually in a recent cosmo "how to tip your hairdresser". and they were right on: on a 40 dollar haircut, 10 dollars is expected *at least*. anything $70+, at least $20. and YES you ARE supposed to tip the shampoo tech. (i.e. ME at the salon i'm at!) $2-4 is usually good. sometimes i get $5 if the people are nice, or if i throw in an extra scalp massage. i mean, you're getting your head rubbed, which no doubt feels amazing....gimme some dough, please!!! but please kids, when you get your haircut....tip your hairdresser. remember a lot of them have to pay for booth rental...
my friends usually tip me pretty good when i give haircuts...including one roadie, who started this whole shenanigan in the first place. thank you roadie!
<3court

Thanks for the tip (har, har), smeeslittlepootie. I never know how much to give my hairdresser. I think I have been undertipping.

My haircut, at a random chain place, is always $12, and I always pay $15 and leave the change. I suppose that's right on. Given that I just get a quick pass of the clippers, its gotta at least be acceptable.

Will

If they carry on a conversation with me while they cut my hair, at least feigning interest in what I have to say, I tip the barber. If not, $12 is enough.

Yeah, I've just now decided to rethink that. Got my hair cut yesterday and without asking she cut my sideburns to an unbearably short length. I then had to go home and trim my beard to match and now its all a mess... Building up a respectable beard/sideburns combo takes some time, and I've no recourse but to look like a fool until then.

Oh well,

Will

I really think it depends on what you get done. I'm gonna tip more for layers and stuff then I would for a trim.


and I loooove getting my hair washed. The last lady I had wash my hair really pissed me off because she was really rough and painful and ruined the whole experiance and now I have to wait 3 more weeks til I can have my hair washed again. Grrr.

Amen, brother. My hair is always cut by my sister (who went to cosmetology school but is now an office boss-like thing at a college, go figure) but the couple times that I got my hair cut professionally around a year ago, my sideburns got royally screwed up and I had to go a couple of days without them. Luckily I have the ability to grow sideburns in about 3 days or so, so it was easily fixed, but still...that's a very follically delicate area...

this is all good information for me to know!!
luckily, i ALWAYS ask men/boys how they feel about their sideburns, and if they would like me to trim them or if they'd rather just do it themselves because i know it's a special area for men. i've even trimmed ear and nose hair before.
rach i'm sorry your last hair-washing experience sucked!! it always feels good when the clients tell me that i'm awesome and supply the right water temperature and just the right amount of pressure. hair-washing is harder than one would think. i definitely doused water down my first client's back...not a good thing. but hey there's a first time for everything.
so just remember...for 10 bucks you'll get asked if you want your sideburns trimmed, friendly service, and a cut by the girl who cuts our very own rollum haas' hair....mua ha ha. i can't wash hair at my house since i simply have a kitchen sink but i'll throw in a scalp massage with tea tree oil if you'd so desire. i'm just an email away.
: )
court

Yeah, I've never had a problem with the hair tipping thing. My sister, a trained and certified hair stylist who works at a nice little privately owned salon, is the only person who's touchd my hair since I was about nine years old. I always have to hide the money in her purse or something when she does my hair because she will never take my money. I'm usually lucky to be able to slip her a twenty dollar bill without her arguing with me. She's very kind, and I always feel bad because aside from the shampoo, cut, and style, she also uses all the high end products and usually gives me some upon each visit.

Pizza:

My experience involved delivering in poor/very poor areas of town and TSU students about 50-60% of the time, so keep that in mind.

I got paid a little over $5/hr plus tips, plus $1/delivery for gas. It may seem like $5/hr is a lot for someone that supposedly makes their money from tips, but unlike servers, drivers often have to stay in the store and clean for a couple of hours per shift making nothing other than the meager wage.

If I was tipped a dollar, I wasn't angry. It's not a good tip, but when you get stiffed all day by TSU students, you take what you can get. Two dollars I would say is a good, average tip. Anything from 2-4 is very good, and anything above that is excellent. This is all assuming that we're talking about a pizza or two and some cheesy bread, not ten pizzas.

People are often confused when paying for pizzas with checks. You can include the tip in the check, you don't need to pay the tip separately in cash.

Pizza guys don't wait on you like servers, but they are involved in the preparation of the pie, they clean the store, and they wear out their cars serving you. So tip accordingly.

This has probably already been said, but I was just reading a list of boozing tips and saw this:

28. If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to drink in a bar. Go to the liquor store.

The rest of this site is damn funny. Check it out:modern drunkard magazine

You know what sucks.... working for 6 hours.. and only making $20.

You know WHY that happens? Because 1/4 of the tips I make go to hostesses that don't do their jobs and bar tenders that make a dollar more an hour than I do PLUS their own damn tips...

Stupid, greedy bar tenders..

Sounds like you need to serve somewhere else.