How much do you tip?

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My boyfriend and friends have complained that I tip way too high when at restaurants. But I told them they tip too low. I think they just don't want to look cheap compared to me lol..

The other day at a restaurant my meal came to $9 and some change. I gave the waitress a $3 tip. Jason's meal came to about $8 and he gave her $1 tip. Last weekend Jason and I went out to celebrate a friend's birthday. Jason and my drink bill came to $50 and some change. I told Jason to give the waitress at least $5 for a tip. Then when he left her the tip, I tossed in another toonie to make it $7. Jason told me I have to stop tipping so high! lol my friends as well told me I am tipping to high.

What is a decent tip for a $50 bill? I heard 10% is average. But what do you people tip?



In a restaurant I just about always do 20%, and sometimes even a little more if it's been a really nice experience. I don't remember the last time I've gone lower than 15%, and that might only have been accidental because I'm so bad at math.

To me, $7 on a $50 tab is right on the line of where it probably should be (14%), and $5 is damn near insulting (10%, really, that is beyond cheap). Now, if the service/food were bad and the waitress/waiter was rude or whatever, I can see going down to 10% or something nominal to make a point. But if everything was fine or better than fine, that just ain't right.

I don't think.

Also, was this like a real restaurant or bar, or was it more like The Olive Garden or TGI Friday's?
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My parents and I pretty much always leave a 15% tip. If the meal/service has been amazing, though, we leave anywhere from 20-25%. That's only happened a total of 5 times, though.

One time, while on a business trip, my dad said he had the most amazing dinner ever and tipped both the waiter and the cook $50 for a meal that was about $120.

When I went out of town by myself for the first time, I had a really attractive waiter one night and she did an excellent job; I left her a 75% tip for a $20 dollar meal. I know, I'm such a flirt.

You should AT LEAST leave a 10% tip (say you're short on cash, or just on a low income), unless the service is horrendous. I can only think of one time when we left no tip and told the manager about just how poor the waiter was doing; she was down right awful. It took her 20 minutes to get our check because she was just talking and that's what set my dad off.

So no, you don't tip too high.
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I've heard 15% is what you give for adequate service. I go to 20-25% if it's better than that, and 10% if things are really bad.

That said, all bets are off on tiny bills. Anything less than $10 and it's not really about percentages. 30% would be insanely high most of the time, but leaving $3 for a $10 bill if you've been having coffee or something isn't as absurd, because the nominal totals are so small.

I'm referring mainly to issues of food and drink, however. I'm helpless when it comes to things like haircuts.



I don't tip.

But seriously... I tip about 20%, if the service is bad, and 10% if it's bad. It's the same with Yoda.
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Having walked a few miles in waitress shoes when I was working my way through college, I tend to over tip (some of the people I know depend on their tips to feed their kids)... but I believe 15% is about right…
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Unless it is downright terrible, 15 - 20 percent. If you decide to not tip or tip low, then you should bring it to the establishments attention.
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Also, was this like a real restaurant or bar, or was it more like The Olive Garden or TGI Friday's?
The one with the $50 bill was a sports bar where they have pool tables and serve bar food, such as nachos or wings, nothing else though. The atmosphere was fine, though the waitress was a little rude. She gave me an eyeroll for asking her to recite what was on tap.

The other was also a sports bar but served actual meals like burgers. I had a wrap and fries. The service was good and quick. We were sitting outside and a spider fell on the table. But that wasn't the restaurant's or the waitress' fault.


I'm going to show my cheap boyfriend and friends this thread lol. Another time I was drunk and gave the cab driver $20 for a tip on a ride that was under $5. But this was only because I was very intoxicated and grateful that he got me home.



Chappie doesn't like the real world
Servers should get 15% to 20% for service that may have been lacking in something, but was passable. 20 to 25% is what is an acceptable tip. If I have service so bad that I want to go lower than 15% I will let the server know why.

Also the above paragraph remains true regardless if your at a four star restaurant or IHOP. Keep in mind that the better the restaurant the more people the servers have to tip out at the end of the night. Bartenders, busboys, food runners. It can take up a big chunk of thier tips.

Oh, and for bartenders it is a little different. 10% to 15% is acceptable. They make more per hour. Most bartenders are way over tipped as a lot of people leave a dollar a drink.

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For good service it should be 15-20%.



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It depends if they fill my coffee up 3 times only - i don't tip. When i eat i want my coffee filled up 5 times.
6. 6 Times.

On a 50 dollar bill, I'd usually give them about 10 bucks.



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All depends on the service.
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I am the Great Cornholio!
I have real problems working out the percentages and I know how much waitress pay sucks so I usually just end up leaving whatever cash I have on me, so the waitress like me.



as a part time waiter....i'd like to say that 10% isn't "average" its insulting.

When i engage the customers and talk to them and make them feel really good, i usually get tipped around 20$ for meals between 50$ and 100$

Everything under 50$ tends to be really annoying...one time a lady asked me to do her about 50 special favors..including having me personally ask the chef to cook something in a special way..and she left me 3$ for her 75$ meal. The fact is, alot of people tip 3 to 5 dollars regardless of the meal.

To actually pay bills, a waiter needs at least 20% each time to make a living. However, despite the cheapskates out there...there are people who often tip 30% and above...

So in the end, on average I'd say i get 17% of the total sales i make in a day.

Speaking of that number, whenever i get a table of 6 or more, i auto gratuity it because more often than not, they split the check and assume other people are leaving you big tips so they dont have to leave you as much..in reality what winds up happening is you get a dollar or two here and there and that amounts to maybe 15$ on a table that spent 300$...so i autograt at 17% and get my safe 40 dollars or so.
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I totally agree, EQ. I wish I could tip higher but like many people I am of low income. So 10% - 20% is as much as I can do, usually.

But yes, if people are going to expensive restaurants, they must have money. So they should tip in the 30% and up range.



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I am in the mindset that I will tip if you are treating us fine. if you are average you will get a normal tip, if it is really bad I will not give you a tip at all.

I have given great tips, if the meal was a real experience, but sometimes I have been faced with waitors that want tip for doing nothing.... I dont tip then