Let's start it off...TIPPING!!
« Thread Started on Dec 18, 2006, 8:23pm » [Quote] [Modify] [Delete]


OK ALL...here is probably one of the biggest issues in the restaurant industry, tipping practices....I've been a waiter, bartender, even car valet, so I DO understand the issue. ((listen to my next podcast to discover why even now, tipping matters to me))

I'm hoping this thread will reach someone somewhere who doesn't know how to tip...

Ok, with my best face forward, let's start with the basics...

1- Waiters (for now, let's just understand that term includes females, k?) work off TIPS ONLY!! yes, there is a very small hourly pay, but usually, that is eaten up with the taxes that they are required to pay on the tips...so basically (and usually actually) they get $0 checks... most of the time, management has to force them to take the checks and cash them (the small ones).

2-most waiters want to give you good service, if they have the right attitude, and are really trying to take care of you, you should tip them appropriately. Many things are out of their control like the Chef on duty (ahem), how the hostess seated them, how the management arranged their section, what kind of workload is being forced on them.

3-Appropriate tip is 15-20% on the total dollars. I heard someone at a table telling their friend "I don't tip on tax!!" Let's look at it, on a $100 check, the tax would be $5.00, even at 20% on the tax, that's $1.00. If you're that cheap to not go the extra mile for that person who just brought you food, that was made for you by someone else, brought you drinks whenever you wanted it, and will probably end up sweeping up the crumbs you dribbled off your chin from the FREE BREAD AND BUTTER, than DON'T GO OUT! It chaps me that people are so freakin cheap to be that specific about what they will or won't tip on.

4- AGAIN 15% IS MINIMUM, unless the waiter didn't give a heck about you, or really gave bad, bad service. I usually start at 20% and go up or down from there. Outstanding service, go to 25% or more! CRAP SERVICE, maybe down to 15% especially based on the attitude. People of service (as we all are) need to remember that the guests pay your house payment, your car note, your beer money, whatever... you NEED to cater to them. IT'S YOUR JOB! SORRY , sad but true.

5-Waiters tip out to bus staff, bartenders, etc.. .when you stiff them, cheap tip them, or whatever, your server is usually tipping out anyway to their bartender, etc.. They pay out usually based on sales, no accounting for your cheap tipping practice.

6-Have some class, don't make your server feel subservient, having to bring you everything you want is already tough to deal with sometimes, don't make it worse. Appreciate their service, just at least be nice, don't sneer, or look down your nose, NOT NICE!

7-I don't know the protocol 100%, but tipping on wine might be another topic, afterall, opening a bottle of wine is the same if it's a $40 bottle, or $400 bottle. Anyone out there have thougts?? Which brings me to my last point, so far..

Waiters are a unique breed To generalize, they don't normally plan too far out, and are definitely sales hounds...some DO really push only the high $$ items, some really take the time to learn the food and really represent the menu evenly...

One last point, in AMERICA, we are on the tipping system, there is no "built in charge" that the waiters get, they RELY ON YOUR TIPS 100% TO PAY THEIR BILLS.

This is all said from a Chefs perspective, so believe me, I'm no waiter fanboy, but they work hard like the rest of us in the business, and I've really seen some ridiculous practices by guests that just need to be eliminated.

EAT OUT!

Chef Tony 8-) 8-) 8-)