Table Talk

By mechi

November 7, 2008 8:17 AM | Link to this

Well in your case Meridith, it seemed ok to pay/tip in front of the waiter, seeing as though he had a connection with a fellow diner.

I do tend to pay/tip after the waitstaff has left. But it also depends on the place I’m dining at…a casual place I usually don’t care, but at a more formal affair I follow “proper” dining rules and tend to wait.

By Dawg Lover

November 7, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this

I don’t see anything rude about tipping in front of the waiter. ESPECIALLY, if he’s overstaying his welcome to begin with. If I got proper service then he will get a proper tip, if not he will get the minimum. He’s going to see the tip in the end anyway. What’s the big deal?

By Laura

November 7, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this

I always wait to tip until the waiter is away. Though I’ve never experienced a waiter that hovers like that after bringing back my payment slip. Not sure what I’d do then. It’s not like I think the server would say anything to me about how much I tip them, but I just don’t feel right having them watch me do it. I would feel like they were judging me in their head about the tip amount. Just a personal preference, I guess.

By Laura

November 7, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this

I always wait to tip until the waiter is away. Though I’ve never experienced a waiter that hovers like that after bringing back my payment slip. Not sure what I’d do then. It’s not like I think the server would say anything to me about how much I tip them, but I just don’t feel right having them watch me do it. I would feel like they were judging me in their head about the tip amount. Just a personal preference, I guess.

By DYJ

November 7, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

Wasn’t the practice of tipping almost in reverse at some point in time? I think it was the Brits who laid out a set amount on the table at the beginning and as the meal progressed would take away amounts if they felt the service was lacking? Did I dream this up? Anyway…think how that would play out now. I would have no problem leaving a tip in front of my server but my experience has been that servers notice when I’m tallying the bill and give me the privacy to do so.

By KLK

November 7, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this

Typically, a waiter leaves the bill at the end of the meal for us to review and pay. If I am in a hurry and don’t want the waiter to disappear, I will pay right there. My p** is when a waiter drops off the check before we have finished. That is so classless on part of the waiter and in most cases, I will tip less. It makes you feel like they are trying to turn the table fast, and this is of my pet peeves when dining in a better restaurant.

By Fart

November 7, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this

LOL at KLK for putting the words “Pen” and “Is” next to each other and getting censored…

By MB

November 7, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

Yes, I’d tip in front of the waiter and if they asked I’d even explain to them how I arrived at the decision as to how much of a tip to leave.

“I’m leaving you a 25% tip tonight because your service was outstanding.”

or

“I’m leaving you this $2.00 tip tonight because I asked you for cocktail sauce twice and still haven’t received it.”

By FoodMan

November 7, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this

Good waiters do not come around when the tip is being calculated, added, etc.

By linny

November 7, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this

Strange; i’ve never thought of the “timing” of the tip; in fact, in many places, i tuck the tip (in cash even if i’m paying by card) in the hand of the waitron — if i am pleased with my service, because i want them to know i am pleased — encouraging more of same. If i’m not happy, i’ll drop my dollar or two (or whatever is minimally correct) on the table before i leave. Why should the card company get a percentage of their tip—the card arrangement is between the restaurant and the card company; but the card company takes a percentage per total — so i always tip via cash unless absolutely unable to do so for some reason.

It would be different if the waitron is looking over your shoulder watching you write in the tip, in the above circumstances, but discretely penning in the tip on your card — who cares really when you do it? The important thing to the waitron is that you tip at all!

just sayin’

By Villa Rica DAWG

November 7, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

I always feel kind of akward filling the tip field out when the wait staff is standing over me. However, the way I see it is that if you can’t pass the red face test if the waiter/waitress looks upset or inquires about the amount you are tipping, then you aren’t tipping appropriately.

That said, I think that waiting tables is a teenager’s job and anyone trying to make a living doing so is an idiot and should expect to be compensated like a teenager.

By Blake

November 7, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

What would be rude is not leaving a sufficient tip, I waited tables at one time, and quite honestly with this economy, I may be going back to waiting tables and trust me, it would not matter to me one bit when you tip me as long as you tip proper.

By Ty

November 7, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

You people need to get a life. Putting cash in the waiter’s hand? Is it accompanied by your phone number?

By Stan

November 7, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this

I do the calculation for tip amount in my head, normally ~20%. So if this issue ever comes up, which it hasn’t so far, I would just jot down the amount and total quickly and not worry about it.

Blake, “sufficient” depends on perspective. I’ll drop it to ~10% if the svc sucks, and to me that would be more than sufficient.

By Obama Supporter

November 7, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this

Tipping?

What does that mean?

By HotPocket

November 7, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this

Thanks to my recent breast augmentation, service is no longer a problem. A minimum tip of 20% and leaving my phone number has helped fill my free time!

By Becky

November 7, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

I usually tip when the waiter is away from the table..It doesn’t bother me to tip in front of them..If I get bad service, I’ll tell them why I tiped the way that I did..I have also complained to the manager before about getting bad service..I also don’t mind if they leave the check before we are completely through with our meal, it saves me from waitng on them..To me, there is nothing worse than having to wait & wait & wait for the check..

By Ty

November 7, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

HotPocket- may I have your phone number? Let’s chat some time.

By Ty

November 7, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

HotPocket- may I have your phone number? Let’s chat some time over chicken nuggets.

By HotPocket

November 7, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this

But Becky…sometimes you have to wait for your server’s shift to end! You don’t expect me to go home alone, do you?

By Becky

November 7, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this

HotPocket, I have been a cook, waitress & bartender & I’ve always gone home alone after my shift..

By David

November 7, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this

Went out to eat last night, and had a waiter who as soon as he saw me pull my wallet out to leave a tip, immediately ran over to “pick up dishes”, AKA hover over the table as I was about to leave a tip. Needless to say, this rude behavior cut down the size of the tip he recieved.

By Tipper

November 7, 2008 11:24 AM | Link to this

I cant not stand for the waiter to hover while I am signing the check. I will not sign the check and leave and tip until the waiter has disappeared. Have you also noticed that many waiters also hang around at the table next to yours acting like they are busy just so they can pounce on your table to collect your tip? On the other hand … on the occasion that service is incredible and I am leaving a very large tip then I dont mind if the waiter sees that I leave them 10 or 15 bucks. In your circumstance….. having actually sharing a home town with the waiter … you would need to tip the same as if the waiter were a friend or family member. And if the waiter continues to stand there then just go ahead and leave a tip, but make it closer to 20 or 25 percent. By the way …. I also typically tip about 15 percent. But, most of the time I try to tip independant of the bill. For example, if a waiter worked as hard at Waffle House as a waiter at Ruth Chris … then I will try to find a happy medium.

By Rodney

November 7, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this

I’ve never thought about the timing, either. Now I’m going to start watching myself to see how I react to it!

I guess if I had to come down on one side or the other it’d be on the side of waiting until he/she is gone.

By D

November 7, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this

I posted this late in the life of a previous blog, and there was no feedback, so I thought I’d post it here as well

I am a bit surprised to see average tips quoted in the 18 to 20% range. Maybe it’s because we don’t go out as often, but I always heard appropriate minimum tips for expected service was:

10% for buffets where you get your own food and server only refills drinks.

15% for casual restaurants where they bring you your food.

20% for nicer restaurants (tablecloths and linen napkins)

If that’s changed, I’d like to know. Most servers work hard and deserve their tips and we usually tip above the minimum unless the service was noticably negligent.

We understand that tips make up the vast majority of a server’s income and even when restaurant prices go up (resulting in higher tips) we understand the cost of living for servers goes up too.

By mystery poster

November 17, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this

I also try to tip in cash when possible, and I also try to hand it to the server. They often have to split tips among shifts, which I don’t think is right. If I have good service for which I tip, why should others on the same shift be entitled to any of that money?