My First Waitress SCs

[BaristaGirl]

I know it could've been worse and has been worse for many of my co-workers and will only get worse for me. But I am SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW. Language warning.

How much do you tip your waitress? 15% is standard. I'd say, if you want to be a jerk, 10%. But a true asshat? Ah, yeah. Less than even that pitiful sum.

The little brother of a kid I went to elementary school with came in today. I served him and the girl he was with. I got him extra shrimp when he asked, I hand-grated two bowls of extra parmesan cheese for the girl he was with. I got them their check swiftly when they declined my offer of dessert.

They left me $2 on a $30 check. (Not even 10%.) I seriously want to call up this kid's mom and ask her why her child is big enough to go out to eat like an adult but not big enough to pay his waitress like one. I'm sorry, do I have to fill my gas tank any less than him? Doubtful. And if he didn't have enough money on him? You godfriggingdamnit think about these things before you go out to eat. There is absolutely NO excuse for this and I am SO ANGRY. And I work a double, meaning I go back later tonight, and just pray it doesn't happen again 'cause I swear, I'll snap. I'll shove that extra shrimp so far down his throat they will become lodged in his frikkin trachea and he will choke to death. And don't even ask me what I'd do with the cheese grater. This is why I ALWAYS tip well, even when the meal goes poorly and it takes half an hour to get another water, (exaggeration but you know what I mean,) 'cause I know this crap happens all the time.

[wagegoth]

My husband's stepmother only tips $2, no matter the size of the check. I always have to come up with an excuse to go back in the restaurant so I can leave more money. I hate that.

Here in California servers at least get minimum wage, but you can't live on that. I think it's wrong that other states let servers only get paid $2.13 an hour.

[Ill_Used_Heroine]

I always tip 20% at the least, but it's usually 30-40%. I don't remember ever getting crappy service and if there's anything wrong with the food, it's not the server's fault. Also, most servers don't get paid minumum and have to tip out a percentage of their sales.

[ShootMePlease]

I always tip between 25-30%. To me, it's damned near criminal not to.

[Aggravated Associate]

I waitressed for four, nearly five years, and I really hate to tell you this, my dear Barista, but you're going to encounter some INCREDIBLY offensive tips during your stint as a waitress. It's unfortunate, it's the cause of many an argument, but it's an inevitability. I've heard some whacked-out excuses for not tipping, but a lot of people are just ignorant. The other night, I met some friends at a Steak n' Shake, but didn't eat. The five of them combined, as far as I know, left a combined $1.35. I was so embarrassed, I left all the cash I could find in my purse to make up for them. You just have to hope and wait for the days that someone recognizes how hard you're working and will finally leave you an amazing tip. Trust me, it will happen, and it will make up for the bad ones. I remember the amazing tips more than the bad ones. Good luck, though, I fully understand your pain.

[marty]

I can't work food service anymore. Not after I was conditioned not to expect a tip at all no matter how great your service is after working at Ihop, where you'd either get someone's pocket change or nothing at all.

Really, I never understood people going out to eat if they can't really afford it or if they're being tightasses with their money.

[MrSunshineState]

My standard tip is 25 to 35%

50% or more automatically for Hooters girls.

[BlakeMP]

15 percent is my base tip. If I get good service, I go higher (I almost always do). If I get bad service, I go lower, and that's rare.

I've got a friend, though, that ALWAYS leaves a $2 tip. No matter WHAT the tab is, and it's usually -- in my opinion -- criminally low. It's rather embarassing, actually...

[Aggravated Associate]

My standard tip is 25 to 35%

50% or more automatically for Hooters girls.

Hilarious. I love that you say that. If only everyone followed your tipping standards, hahahaha

[Lace Neil Singer]

I will tip around £2 if I'm alone cuz I'm not made of money and can't afford to tip any more than that. If I'm with my boyf, we will usually tip a fiver between us if service was good. I refuse to tip for bad service and so does he.

[MrSunshineState]

Hilarious. I love that you say that. If only everyone followed your tipping standards, hahahaha

What can I say, Hooters girls rock.

[monolayth]

i work as a waitress at the momment, and the other day i was left a 62 cent tip. the bill was 26 dollars. and no it wasent my service it was because they were jerks.

we get paied 2.13 an hour plue tips which are supposed to come out to minumum wage or better. if not the wage is supposed to be adjusted. now at our work it is adjusted if it is not equal to that the enire pay period. so you did lousy one day but made up for it the next day. your screwed and only making min wage. it sucks.

[Rapscallion]

I will tip around £2 if I'm alone cuz I'm not made of money and can't afford to tip any more than that. If I'm with my boyf, we will usually tip a fiver between us if service was good. I refuse to tip for bad service and so does he.

We don't have a sub-minimum wage system for waiting staff over here, though, Lace. The same minimum applies all the way around. It's a completely different culture.

Mind you, I do tip, though nowhere near the percentages quoted by those in the colonies.

Rapscallion

[solemnwarning]

Not trying to start a flamewar, but over here we don't actually tip, do all you americans really expect to be paid more then you agreed to when you got the job?

[meme]

I always tip at least 20%, but my father is a notoriously bad tipper. It's rather embarassing to eat out with him and I always try to sneak a little extra when he's not looking.