cheap or too generous

[Michael Dorosh]

See I have decided to completely stop tipping taxi drivers.
Fair enough they have to pay for gas at a time like this, they can increase their rates to compensate for that. I'd rather pay more on the flat rate than feel obliged to give them extra money on top of already expensive prices, for doing their job.

Aren't rates set by the Taxi Commission, though?

 

[Kal]

   I have a friend that will leave huge tips if he thinks the girl is good looking or if she gives him a smile and a bit of attention, he probably didn't get enough attention when he was young...   ;D

   I'll tip depending on the quality of service provided, though, usually about 10-15 percent.   I don't believe in leaving good tips for bad or mediocre service, but will still leave a little for the kitchen staff, because they shouldn't have to short changed for bad service.   However, if I am at an establishment where I am a regular, I'll tip a bit more.   If it is obvious that the server is new, I'll be more lenient with them, but if it someone that knows what they are doing and continually gets things wrong, mixed up or has forgotten something, then I'll let them know and it will be how they handle the situation and treat me and/or my party afterwards that will determine their tip...

   

 

[Mappy]

Here is my thing:

I will NOT tip if the service sucks.  But by that I mean the combonation of these things happen:  Takes a long time, is rude, food is cold, takes forever to get the bill, etc.  

I'm actually a good tipper, but it depends on what I ordered.  If I'm just getting a snack or something, its around 10%.....but larger meals will get 15-20%.  The largest tips go to my gals at my neighbourhood pub because they are fellow students, really nice, remember what me and my house likes to drink, and they give us good service.  Haha, and there are some of us that are lucky enough to get tabs (I found this out on the weekend that only certain groups are allowed tabs)

wasn't one that society has deemed tip-worthy and on top of that it involved cleaning out deep friers, serving customers food and being on my feet for 9-12 hours a day.

I totally agree with you.  I usually get some sort of tip at least once a day from my fast food(mostly from older men, haha), but never anything over $1.  However, we really like the regular customers who pay attention to use, learn our names and basically treat us nicely.  Those customers get smiles from all employees and we actually look forward to them coming in.

I have a friend that will leave huge tips if he thinks the girl is good looking or if she gives him a smile and a bit of attention,

Unfortantely, I have to wear a uniform that makes me look like I'm 16.  *sigh*

 

[Genetk44]

I usually leave 15%-20% of the bill in a restuarant or bar.....I''ll up it a bit if the service/food is really excellent , lower it a bit if it isn't quite up to scratch......if either the food or service is really bad I won't leave anything but I will inform the wait staff and/or management why I"m not leaveing a tip.
In countries were the tip, (aka service charge ) is automatically added to the bill I might leave a bit extra on the table for a really exceptional friendly waiter/waitress and if I don't think the service was up to standard I'll refuse to pay the included service charge. Thats happened to me about 4 times in my life and its led to some pretty interesting arguments ;D

As an aside, that might raise some hackles, I worked in the Carribean and in  for 10 years and a bit in the US, in the tourist industry....Canadians did not have a good reputation as good tippers......now I think I'll take cover.
Cheers
Gene

 

[Fishbone Jones]

If I see an automatic gratuity added to my bill, they get nothing. They have no business telling me what their service is worth to me, that's my decision. I also find with the automatic gratuity, many more times than not, the service is substandard, as the tip is a given to the staff.

 

[S McKee]

You know I have to agree with some of Che's comments on tipping, I'm of a mixed mind about the whole thing. First, I'd like to know who comes up with all these tipping percentages, like you have to tip 10% or 15%, and second, why should I tip a waiter/waitress anyway? Don't they get paid for serving me my food and being nice? After all, it IS called the service industry right? I wonder how I would be treated if the waiter/waitress knew I wasn't going to tip them? Would they spit in my food, act surly, rough me up? I realize that waiters and waitresses work hard and, for the most part, get paid dirt. They depend on my 4 or 5 dollar tip because their bosses are too cheap to pay them what their worth but I've heard that some restaurant owners skim a percentage off the top of the servers tips which is total BS. And what about those places that automatically add a gratuity to your bill?  What's up with that? Even if I get crap service I end up paying a tip. Anyway I digress. if the service is good 10% if not I walk away, pay my bill and that's it. It's expensive enough to eat at a restaraunt these days.

 

[Fry]

If I see an automatic gratuity added to my bill, they get nothing. They have no business telling me what their service is worth to me, that's my decision. I also find with the automatic gratuity, many more times than not, the service is substandard, as the tip is a given to the staff.

Once again, I agree with recceguy 100%. This automatic gratuity is bullshit. In one restaurant, I tipped 10bucks. Went to the cash register, and there was a 20% automatic gratuity! I let them know how I felt about that, went back to the table, as the waitress was cleaning it, I took my 10bucks back, and told them that because of their ignorance, they made a very expensive 20% gratuity, because I'm not doing business with them ever again.

 

[Sheerin]

I honestly don't understand why we have to tip pizza delivery people.

Like everyone else, if the service was good I try to leave 15%, but as a student I can't always afford to leave a good tip, especially when I can't really afford to go out with the friends and they insist on going to a pub.  So in cases like that I try to leave as much as I can. 

Though to be completely fair, I'm not really for the whole notion of leaving tips.  Like everyone else here I recognize that many in the service industry work incredibly hard and don't make very much, but so do many other people out there who, as Mr. Pink in Reservoir dogs said, work in industries that aren't deemed tip worthy by society. 

Though I must admit it is nice getting a tip.  A few summers ago I worked for a private ambulance transfer service in Toronto and I got tipped a few times with that.  One guy gave my partner and I 40 bucks each, which was incredibly nice.  He said he felt guilty because we drove him from Humber River Finch hospital (west end of Toronto) to Windsor.  He was a great guy, his wife even made dinner for us too.

 

[Genetk44]

Don't they get paid for serving me my food and being nice?

......I think in a lot of places they get paid as little as the management can get away with...so they do need those tips to live on.

I wonder how I would be treated if the waiter/waitress knew I wasn't going to tip them? Would they spit in my food, act surly, rough me up?

I doubt they would rough you up....but I wouldn't count on good service the next time you go there.

And what about those places that automatically add a gratuity to your bill?  What's up with that? Even if I get crap service I end up paying a tip.

No...you can refuse to pay the gratuity if the food was bad(and you didn't eat it) or the service was bad.

 

[Mappy]

If I see an automatic gratuity added to my bill, they get nothing.

I do the same thing.

......I think in a lot of places they get paid as little as the management can get away with...so they do need those tips to live on

Well there is a min. wage.  In Ontario, its $6.50 per hour if they serve alcohol and $7.45 is they dont.  These rates are also going to increase in Febuary.  It's not alot, and a single person making that much will definitely have money issues.

However

Many service jobs like hairdressing, waitressing, delivery boy, etc. get min. wage on the basis that they get tips.  But some service people, mainly fast food joints and clothing stores do not get tips whatsoever.

Tipping is expected, but as far as I'm concerned, NOT mandatory.

 

[Genetk44]

Tipping is expected, but as far as I'm concerned, NOT mandatory.

I agree completely

 

[Kal]

Tipping may be expected, but you're paid a wage for the job already.  Server attitude and quality of service should be excellent whether they know they are getting tipped or not, or whether one is a good tipper or not.

 

[Genetk44]

Tipping may be expected, but you're paid a wage for the job already.

True...but as we all know, many places don't pay a liveing wage as they SHOULD...and if they did then  alot of people wouldn't or couldn't eat there because it would be too pricey

Server attitude and quality of service should be excellent

agreed...if they are robots....

[/quote]

 

[Kal]

I can and do sympathize with those that have to make it on their low wages, but your job is to do the best you can, whether a tip is there or not and shouldnt measure the quality of service that will be given in the future.

 

[camochick]

My restaurant serves awesome food, but if they paid me even a few more dollars an hour we wouldn't be able to stay in business. That's why I think tipping is a good thing, but only if the service and the food are good. If my food is crap but the service is good i always ask if they tip share and tell them that i don't want them to share with the kitchen. We do tip share at my work but the food is always incredible so I don't mind giving them some of my tips.
We have never had a mandatory gratuity but we have had tables of 10-15 come in, rack up an 80-100 dollar bill and leave two dollars for a tip because everyone thinks everyone else is going to tip (it's usually one person working this table so they are running their ass off, i think they deserve a tip). So the rule is that large tables are charged a mandatory gratuity (although all of my big tables, since we started this rule, have been regulars who tip well anyhow).
  I take pride, though, in trying to make people have a good experience at my restaurant. The customers are the reason I even have a job in the first place, and I really do appreciate any sort of tip(I understand some people really don't have alot of money and give what they can)

 

[Lexi]

Being my age, I don't usually have to worry about tipping....

Unless my waiter gives hugs.    ;D

 

[beach_bum]

I usually tip about 20% in a restaurant.  A little more if the service is outstanding and a little less if it's not that great.  I also tip taxi drivers (especially if they carry my bags to the door), delivery guys and my hairdresser.  I tend to frequent a lot of the same places and get great service because of it.  T.I.P.S. means To Insure Prompt Service (can't remember where I read or heard that one) and I am willing to pay to get it.