What’s an appropriate tip?

What do you tip for good service on a normal meal?

  • Don’t tip…ever

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5-10%

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 15%

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • 20%

    Votes: 18 75.0%
  • Always more than 20%

    Votes: 4 16.7%
  • Only tip on ham sammiches

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    24

CDGator

Not Seedy
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Jul 24, 2020
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Tipping in the service industry has been turned upside down in the past two years. 20%+ previously was considered a generous tip. Do you tip more now than before the pandemic or the same?
 

Back Alley Gator

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Jul 16, 2018
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20% is where we start with tips. Bad service goes down to 10-15 or lower. Very good service will sometimes get 30%. We tend to tip more during Christmas.
 

TLB

Just chillin'
Lifetime Member
Jan 6, 2015
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25,403
I always start at 20%, mostly because it is easy math. I'll round up, generally, from there. As far as going higher to 25-30%? No. Can't see it being justified, ever. Cutting it lower due to really bad service? I'll have to weigh how much of it is the fault of the server vs the kitchen, but even then I rarely go to 15%, and never go to 10%.
 

Back Alley Gator

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Jul 16, 2018
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I always start at 20%, mostly because it is easy math. I'll round up, generally, from there. As far as going higher to 25-30%? No. Can't see it being justified, ever. Cutting it lower due to really bad service? I'll have to weigh how much of it is the fault of the server vs the kitchen, but even then I rarely go to 15%, and never go to 10%.

It really helps if the waitress is hot. Thats good for at least a 5% bump.
 

gingerlover

Junior Member
Lifetime Member
Sep 20, 2014
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Even with bad service we have always done 20%. It's very rare and has to be extremely poor for us to go lower, but we have.

Now the tip jars are a whole different animal and quite frankly I get annoyed by most of the ones that get put out or the ones somewhere that all they do is hit a few buttons. You can't even get my drive thru order right and want me to leave a tip when you can't understand that if I order a bacon cheeseburger with just mustard and ketchup that doesn't mean I want a plain hamburger at the bacon cheeseburger price. I reserve my dollars on those usually for the more face to face and only if they are really polite and go beyond just hitting the register buttons angrily.
 

Fodderwing

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Feb 2, 2017
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I agree with 20% on larger tabs.

A $10-15 tab may get a Lincoln dropped.

It is nice to have servers compete to wait your table when they know you tip good.



I tipped higher on takeout when the "Rona first hit to help my fellow working folks make it through the shutdown.

Always give the driver a 20% for delivery.
 

Bernardo de la Paz

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Jun 12, 2014
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20% is where we start with tips. Bad service goes down to 10-15 or lower. Very good service will sometimes get 30%. We tend to tip more during Christmas.
I'm about the same.

I've given no tip one time that I can remember.

My wife and I were seated and placed our order as we were seated. The kitchen brought me the wrong dish, and we never saw our waiter again until we were able to flag him down for our check.
 

Bernardo de la Paz

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Jun 12, 2014
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What I find annoying is all of the quick service places that now prompt you for a tip when you are ordering at the counter and not being waited on.
 

CDGator

Not Seedy
Lifetime Member
Jul 24, 2020
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We’ve been going to bars for trivia night and they all seem to use an ipad to settle the bill with with the easy click buttons of 18%,20% and 25% and in tiny print “custom tip.” The awkward part is that the waiter is standing over your shoulder watching you fill it in.
 

MJMGator

Founding Member
Slightly amused
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Jun 10, 2014
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I tip 20-30% for good service. Fair service gets 10-15%.
Shi**y service gets a smart-ass note on the line where it says “tip”. Usually something like “find a new line of work” or “do your fuching job”.
 

AuggieDosta

I Don't Re Member
Lifetime Member
Aug 1, 2018
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The question as listed is "good service on a normal meal" so = 15%.

But, I'm w/BAG on this...20% start, then up or down depending on service.

I do NOT tip on togo meals unless it's where I frequent and know that my generosity is returned w/faster service on my next visit, or it's Christmas or she's pretty. Another factor is I rarely carry cash and adding the tip onto the card means somebody is paying taxes on it so when I really want to tip well, it's always cash and starts at 20%.
 

Nalt

Well-Known Member
Jul 23, 2020
6,657
18,128
Wife and I will normally tip in the 20% range for expected service. A bit more for better service. If I have to get up to go get my own drink refill then there will be no tip at all. I understand that wait staff gets busy but that is my personal policy.

I also wish the government would eliminate tipping altogether. There is no valid reason why restaurants, bars, etc shouldn't pay all of their staff a decent wage so they won't have to worry about getting tips.
 

TLB

Just chillin'
Lifetime Member
Jan 6, 2015
13,740
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You can't even get my drive thru order right and want me to leave a tip when you can't understand that if I order

Short rant on this. My kids love the local Smoothie Cafe. When it opened, the guy running it was on top and had everyone going in sync. He left, the ladies he has running it now are complete morons. I have to tell them my order at least twice at the speaker, then when I come around to pay, I'm asked to repeat it 1-3 times again (so they can ring it up correctly). Even then, they get things wrong occassionally. But the lack of brainpower to take an order is absolutely astounding.

If I have to get up to go get my own drink refill then there will be no tip at all.

I've given up on this one. ANYTIME we go out to eat, I order a drink AND a water. If/when my drink runs out, I get by with water until they show up to refill. This isn't always needed, as some wait staff are competent and attentive, but when they aren't....I've got backup. Oh, and their tip suffers.

Related, I've started a habit of running the stopwatch function on my phone to see how long it takes from being seated until someone comes to take my order. Then again from when the order is placed to when food arrives. The wife wishes I wouldn't leave it face up, but I'm letting the wait staff see that I care, I'm watching, and they need to care. Tips are affected.
 

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