Nataly 38 #1 September 4, 2011 I just committed a big social no-no... I ate at a restaurant and didn't leave a tip. I got up to pay the bill; I paid by card. I selected "no" when the thingy prompted me for a tip. The waitress held onto my card and asked me - did you leave a tip on the table? And I said no. She said "would you like me to ring it through on your card" and I said "I didn't think tips were mandatory." Still holding on to my card, she told me "it's our salary"... When I went to grab my card back, she had the nerve to lecture me on how rude I was being!! And that's when I lost it. I turned to her and said: "I work as an accountant, and I don't get paid extra when I just *do* my job. Extras are for when you do an *excellent* job." I know this kinda makes me a twat, but having just paid $12 for a disgusting poutine, sat in the corner, under a dripping air-conditioning unit, and waited ages first to be served, then to get my food, then to receive the bill... Let's just say she was lucky I didn't insist on a refund. Tipping, my ass! Humpf! **rant over**"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 100 #2 September 4, 2011 If you don't like the service it is best to leave a tip. 1 cent is appropriate. Just don't inadvertantly leave any valuables behind after walking out.My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #3 September 4, 2011 I agree with you. Tips are to reward good service, and are by no means required ever. I have a problem with the way things have gone in this country, where employers are permitted to pay servers a lower wage than minimum simply because they are supposed to be making it up in tips. I think that's criminal. I would add that if service was great but the food stunk I would think about complaining but still rewarding the server.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #4 September 4, 2011 QuoteI agree with you. Tips are to reward good service, and are by no means required ever. I have a problem with the way things have gone in this country, where employers are permitted to pay servers a lower wage than minimum simply because they are supposed to be making it up in tips. I think that's criminal. I don't think this practice is allowed in Canada, although I'm not sure. But I STILL maintain that tips should be optional, and should be for EXTRA good service."There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #5 September 4, 2011 QuoteGimme a tip Plastics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,048 #6 September 4, 2011 Hi Nataly, I could not agree more. I actually had one server ( who I always called The Barracuda due to her 'pleasant' attitude ) who once told me that she deserved a tip no matter what the service or food was like. A couple of months later, she had gotten fired; and I was not a bit surprised. Tipping needs to be eliminated worldwide!!!! JerryBaumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christelsabine 1 #7 September 4, 2011 Quote Quote I agree with you. Tips are to reward good service, and are by no means required ever. I have a problem with the way things have gone in this country, where employers are permitted to pay servers a lower wage than minimum simply because they are supposed to be making it up in tips. I think that's criminal. I don't think this practice is allowed in Canada, although I'm not sure. But I STILL maintain that tips should be optional, and should be for EXTRA good service. It is common practice in Canada. Why didn't you leave that place? Sitting under a dripping A/C for a long time - just go and find a better place And don't blame the service for a bad food .... dudeist skydiver # 3105 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 38 #8 September 4, 2011 Tipping is such a loaded issue Originally it meant "To Insure Prompt Service, however it has become a reason to (legally) pay less than the minimum wage (some places less than $3/hr) to a portion of the population. Thus they really do rely on the tip to pay the bills. One would think that they would go out of their way to provide a pleasant dining experience, and most of them do realize what side their bread is buttered on. And to those servers, I will tip generously with the spirit that I hope that extra dollar or two never means more to me than them. BUT, sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. Sometimes it is the kitchen, sometimes the management, sometimes it is the server. I try not to penalize the server if I know it isn't his/her fault. If the server is a knucklehead, then all bets are off. I will not "reward" him/her for bad service that they can control--and if those things are out of their control, they better be apologizing and keeping me in the loop. I eat a restaurants both with others and by myself quite a bit (one of my favorite things to do is that with a book), and have found that sometimes the service is poorer when I am alone. I'm not sure if it is in anticipation of a "poor tip" that they think a woman alone is capable of (stupid servers) or just what? I tip better than my husband does! Whatever the reason, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, SHOULD A SERVER "EXPECT" OR DEMAND A TIP. Poor form, to say the least. lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #9 September 4, 2011 Yeah. And on top of that, I very much dislike places that automatically add the gratuity to your bill. They have the blurb on the menu, often in small print hidden somewhere obscure, "X% gratuity will be added to your bill (optional: for groups of Y or more). These places, I either: A) complain and complain loudly when they refuse to remove the tip from the bill, or B) say loudly within hearing of the wait person, "Oh, you already added the tip? Let me go back and get the $XX I had already left on the table for the staff." The wait person normally gets a very sour look on his/her face. All too often, the wait staff suffer because I would have normally left a bigger tip than what they automatically added to the bill. Assholes. On top of THAT, the wait staff should be pissed because that pre-charged tip gets reported as income and they have to pay tax on it. (Yes, I'm opposed to anyone having to pay income tax on tips.)My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #10 September 4, 2011 giddyup You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #11 September 4, 2011 QuoteQuoteI agree with you. Tips are to reward good service, and are by no means required ever. I have a problem with the way things have gone in this country, where employers are permitted to pay servers a lower wage than minimum simply because they are supposed to be making it up in tips. I think that's criminal. I don't think this practice is allowed in Canada, although I'm not sure. But I STILL maintain that tips should be optional, and should be for EXTRA good service. Minimum salary in quite a few places (at least Quebec and Ontario) for wait staff is lower than standard minimum wages. This being said, if the service is crap, the service is crap. The most important thing is: where the hell did you go to get a disgusting poutine????Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #12 September 4, 2011 Quote a disgusting poutine Maybe my French is rusty, but what was wrong with her? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
npgraphicdesign 2 #13 September 4, 2011 I'd rather give you the whole thing. I don't want you asking "..is it in yet?" (geez..noone responded to the potential tip innuendo? Y'all are disappointing. ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #14 September 4, 2011 QuoteQuote a disgusting poutine Maybe my French is rusty, but what was wrong with her? Sigh... I'm surrounded by a bunch of philistines...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PoutineRemster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #15 September 4, 2011 Quote I'm not sure if it is in anticipation of a "poor tip" that they think a woman alone is capable of (stupid servers) or just what? Funny thing, that. My times eating alone are most often when I'm on business trips. Business trips = expense account. I am more likely to tip generously when the tab is going to my employer. That said, I don't think I've noticed a difference between the service I get when I'm alone or when I'm with others. Fortunately, I think the decent-to-excellent service experiences I've had far outweigh the bad ones. Like others have said, I don't penalize the server for something that's going on that's out of his/her control, particularly if the server acknowledges what's going on. Case in point: smallish restaurant, my bf and I went out for dinner and happened to arrive right after a group of 22. The bar was slammed getting that group's drinks poured and served, and we had our appetizers before our drinks arrived. However, the server let us know what was going on and apologized for the delay, and the bartender sent over two shots of top-shelf tequila along with our drinks when they did arrive. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 38 #16 September 4, 2011 That's because all of us Yanks are still trying to figure out what poutine is. What we can glean off the internet makes "disgusting poutine" a redundant term. Fries are for dipping, not smothering. lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #17 September 4, 2011 As I said... Philistines... Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #18 September 4, 2011 Quote Quote Quote a disgusting poutine Maybe my French is rusty, but what was wrong with her? Sigh... I'm surrounded by a bunch of philistines...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poutine Sigh... Remi... I don't want you in my audience any more... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muff528 3 #19 September 4, 2011 QuoteQuoteQuote a disgusting poutine Maybe my French is rusty, but what was wrong with her? Sigh... I'm surrounded by a bunch of philistines...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poutine Wow! ...that is disgusting! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #20 September 4, 2011 Quote As I said... Philistines... lol Chips and gravy in a restaurantThat's not a restaurant meal that's a McDonalds meal and ya dont tip at McDs'You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muff528 3 #21 September 4, 2011 Quote That's because all of us Yanks are still trying to figure out what poutine is. What we can glean off the internet makes "disgusting poutine" a redundant term. Fries are for dipping, not smothering. Looks like SOS ...French-style. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #22 September 4, 2011 Quote Quote As I said... Philistines... lol Chips and gravy in a restaurantThat's not a restaurant meal that's a McDonalds meal and ya dont tip at McDs' And tim tams are nothing but mass produced pseudo chocolate cookies.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,340 #23 September 4, 2011 I can be a decent tipper, but the service has to be good. Show up at the table soon after I am seated to take the drink order, show back up in a few minutes if we needed "a few minutes to decide." Bring the food reasonably quickly, or an explanation why it might take a little longer. It's understandable that if they are really busy then the food might take a little while, but if it is taking an unreasonable amount of time, then tell me. Check on me every so often, and don't let the empty dishes pile up. They don't have to ask how everything is every time they go by, but if they go by 10 times without saying a word... Bring the check when the plates are empty. Again, I don't expect to see the check two seconds after I take the last bite, but if the plates are empty for five minutes and the server hasn't even noticed (or worse, has gone past the table a bunch of times without stopping...) Decent service gets 15%. Really good gets 20%. Worse gets less. I don't not tip at all, but I've left 1% (to the penny) on occasion. $36 bill, the tip was a quarter a dime and a penny. I spoke to the manager too. I don't know if it did any good because I haven't been back (and told the manager that I wouldn't). That time, the place wasn't all that busy, but the servers were far too busy standing around and talking to each other to provide decent service."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trafficdiver 8 #24 September 4, 2011 Quote **rant over** You didn't tip? They make $2 an hour and you can't toss them at least 15%? Was she mean to you? She didn't cook the food, Why are you taking it out on her, the cook is getting paid 5x what she is paid, he screwed up, but he doesn't lose a thing when you don't tip. I think I can't call you what I want to because of the personal attack rule.Then you have the nerve to bitch about it on the internet! I always tip at least 20% unless the service insults me. Top be fair the server should not have called you out on it and waited till you left then proceed to talk mad shit and make fun of you. *Rant over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #25 September 4, 2011 QuoteThey make $2 They make $8.35/h vs $9.65/h for regular minimal wage.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
