Tips on Tipping

By Susan M. Keenan

Several factors need to be considered when calculating the size of the tip you leave at an eating establishment.  First and foremost, the quality of service needs to be considered.  Poor service can ruin even the best of meals.  The class of restaurant that you are dining in also needs to be taken into consideration.  Finally, the size of your dining party must also be factored into your decision.

 

The quality of the meal and the quality of the service are two separate facets of your dining experience.  This is an extremely important thing to remember when tipping your server.

 

When the quality of the food is poor, do not take it out on your server.  If the meal is not up to your standards, and it is not palatable, then complain to the manager.  Tip the wait staff anyway. 

 

If the service of your wait staff is deplorable, then by all means, the tip should reflect this fact.  No excuse is valid for poor service, especially from someone who is hired to provide good service. 

 

The size of your dining party needs to be considered as well.  If you have six or more people at your table, then the wait staff’s job becomes that much more challenging.  Trying to please six people at the same time, cater to their every need, guess what they need before they ask, and portray a smiling and unfrazzled demeanor at the same time is a juggling act that few can perform optimally. 

 

The class of restaurant that you select to dine in plays a factor in your tipping decisions.  If you dine at a four star or upscale restaurant, they most likely have a maitre d; and if they do, then he probably provides very good service.  A maitre d should probably be tipped anywhere between twenty and one hundred dollars. 

 

If you are a regular customer, then the maitre d holds your favorite table for you, makes sure you receive an excellent meal and service, and takes cares of all of the amenities for you.  This should be reflected in the size of the tip you give him prior to actually sitting down.

 

Don’t forget to tip the wine steward as well.  Generally, a tip between two and three dollars per bottle is acceptable for bottles under ten dollars.  Expensive bottles should be tipped at 5% of their cost for single bottles and multiple bottles require a tip of 15% of the total cost.

 

The actual tip for the meal should be calculated on the pre tax amount.  However, the wait staff is probably expecting a tip on the total amount.  If you tip less, then a conscientious server will either think that they did something wrong or that you are cheap.

 

Generally, a tip should be between 15% and 18% of the total before the tax is added.  Tipping over that amount is acceptable for excellent service.  Likewise, tipping under is acceptable for atrocious service. A single customer at a counter is expected to leave between 10% and 15% in most restaurants.

 

Although wait staff have lost sight of the fact that a tip is a gratuity and not a must, consumers need to recognize and remember that wait staff are generally underpaid.  In addition to this, wait staff usually have to share their tips with bus boys and dishwashers.

 

If you can afford to dine out, then you can afford to tip.  No matter what the location or the service, plan to tip well if you plan to be a regular.

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