How much do you tip?

[indytechnerd]

For me, it's a graduated scale.

Up to $10-11 - $1 (when I eat out for lunch, my total is normally $8-9, sometimes a bit higher)
$10 - $20 - $3
$20 - $25 - $5
$25 - $100 - a % rounded to the nearest $1
>$100 - a % rounded to the nearest $5

Rule #1 - Tipping is NOT mandatory, but you kinda gotta screw yourself out of it. Quickest way to no tip is walking past me when my glass is empty and I'm still eating. I have no fear of writing a big ol' ZERO on the tip line.

Biggest tip I've ever left, $50 on a meal of ~$150.

 

[JohnP82]

I start at 20% and depending on the service it can go up for exceptional service or go down for poor service.

Pretty much same here.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Unless they've made my experience an ordeal, I'll figure 15%, cover at least that, and refuse change. It can get well into the 20s. If they've been exceptional, I'll hit them harder, but I tell you what, we had one guy on his knees apologizing one time, and aptly so.

 

[Westside]

I start at 20% and depending on the service it can go up for exceptional service or go down for poor service.

This is where I am at. bad service gets less good service gets more.

 

[jsnowy]

15% for sub par service. 20% average and it goes up from there.

 

[bmmyers08]

my wife is a restaraunt manager now but spent years serving and bartending. she says 20% is the standard now. of course it can be adjusted higher or lower depending on the service. usually if your not tipping close to 20 i know the servers wont care to go above and beyond if they remember you coming in the next time. so tip well regardless and maybe your next experience will be better if it wasnt already good. just my 2 cents.

 

[A_Brit_In_Indy]

It all depends on the service, what I usually do is round up the amount to the nearest $ then do at least 20%, I have been known to tip 40% if it's been exceptional (that's rare though) I did a big tip one time for excellent service and my wife saw the tip and asked why I'd made the waitress' house payment?

 

[JStang314]

i usually feel kind of bad if I tip less that 5 bucks no matter what the bill is. But for more expensive meals i do 20 percent unless they really impress me then it can go up. If they really suck i'll go less but it takes a lot to **** me off at a restaurant. Also I do drink a lot so I do get a lot of refills. Beer or soda.

 

[drgnrobo]

I put 25 bucks in 1$ bills on the table & inform the server that is their potential tip ,failure to keep water /pop /coffee filled, rudeness ,bad attitude or anything failing to make my dining experience pleasurable will remove X amount accordingly (just kidding but John Lithgow did this on 3rd Rock from the sun, thought it was hilarious)

 

[Classic]

I use 20% as a baseline. Poor service isn't always the fault of the server tho. When I am traveling on business it may go up some if I am on expenses. Wife and I tend to err on the generous side as we both worked in hospitality industry growing up.

While on travel to UK last year we were told more than once that tips ought not be too large (as it is considered insulting or arrogant) and should be in cash not on the credit card.

 

[jmiller676]

I put 25 bucks in 1$ bills on the table & inform the server that is their potential tip ,failure to keep water /pop /coffee filled, rudeness ,bad attitude or anything failing to make my dining experience pleasurable will remove X amount accordingly (just kidding but John Lithgow did this on 3rd Rock from the sun, thought it was hilarious)

If you had a $500 bill that would be a rip-off.

 

[rhinoabe]

I always tell the wait staff i don't like it if my glass is empty very long. I tip 20% ,if i have to ask for a refill twice i wont leave a tip. I only leave a cash tip that way the wait staff does not have to claim it and it is more like 30%.

 

[straittactical]

I dont really get caught up in the percentage I tip. Me and the wife usually get a meal for between $20 - $40. Most of my tips are in the $5 - $10 range. Just depends how im feeling about my meal and service.

me too

 

[db1959]

I dont follow the tip percentage scale to closely. For me it's more of how the food and service was. The waiter/waitress's attitude also factors in.

 

[hoosierdoc]

This is what I do, although now that we have a toddler, I've found my baseline is closer to 25% just for having to clean up spilled milk and thrown food.

Yeah, me too. It's a guilt tip. But they have to not be annoyed as the mess piles up or it costs them.

 

[hoosierdoc]

my wife is a restaraunt manager now but spent years serving and bartending. she says 20% is the standard now. of course it can be adjusted higher or lower depending on the service. usually if your not tipping close to 20 i know the servers wont care to go above and beyond if they remember you coming in the next time. so tip well regardless and maybe your next experience will be better if it wasnt already good. just my 2 cents.

Ask the servers why they have to tip the bartenders when no alcohol is consumed on a table. If servers change how they act based on presumed tip, they have failed before we started.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Bad service and empty glasses will get Zero tip. Will not hold a server accountable for food being cooked wrong.

 

[T-Mann]

I start at 20 and go up from there. You really have to give me pi$$ poor service to get less.....but exceptional service will get more...30+%.

Just me.

 

[bmmyers08]

Ask the servers why they have to tip the bartenders when no alcohol is consumed on a table. If servers change how they act based on presumed tip, they have failed before we started.

idk about all restaraunts but at hers they dont. they only tip the bartenders based on their percentage of alcohol sales they do on their shift. and i agree about how they act. its not how it should go but its how it does go. cant say that i totally blame them though. if they are getting screwed by the same people y even try if you know your not goin to make money off them anyway.

 

[indyjohn]

Without reading all the posts, I'm glad to see the vast majority is 20+.

Servers bust their humps for mininum wage and the tip you give them brings them back the next day.

If they give plain lousy service, they get 15%. If the give exceptional service, they get 20% rounded up to the next $5 or $10.

If they give exceptional service and they're hot, I just hope my wife isn't looking....