NWR: Did Operah really say...

I have only not tipped over 15% once and that is because the service was terrible. I honestly would rather not go out to eat than to go out and not leave a fair tip.

@Aussie- yeah they actually don't make minimum wage over here because the restaurant factors in their average tips into their wages.

Anyone who only tips 10% should have their food spit in every time they come back. That is absolutely, completely, ridiculous. I've been known to tip 100% for small bills. Like if my meal is only $10 and my server is good, I'll usually tip $10 as well. It depends on the service. I don't see any reason at all to ever NOT leave a tip, unless the server is blatantly rude, which has only happened to me once. And no one out of the 30 people in my party that day are ever going back to that place. I never really do a percentage, just what I feel is appropriate, which tends to be 20% +. I worked at Chili's as a hostess and saw way too many crappy tips to ever do that to servers.

Just wondering why waitstaff isn't paid better or be paid hourly??? There are folk who really don't go out often because they honestly can't afford to and they have to watch every penny so to them that 10% is a big deal. I think I was in my late 20's before I knew how to appropriately tip. Some folks aren't aware of what is socially acceptable. People who have never worked as waitstaff really don't know how little servers make. @ Tracy, I'm probably taking your comment about servers spitting in food way too seriously but I know that it does happen and its a deplorable thought. For the record, I'm a generous tipper!

In California, our waitstaff are typically paid generously, especially in L.A. where I live. Plus everything is over the top expensive here. I dont really have a lot of money right now, and I tip what I can when I go out (which, I dont go out a lot), and although I understand that the people on here who are outraged about this are waitstaff, I think it's unfair to tell me to take my business to McDonalds. I cook at home when I don't go out, and I think that once in a while I'm entitled to a break. I used to be a server, so I completely understand where you are coming from, and maybe in other states it's totally different; but I was never upset when one person gave me a small tip, because someone else would always make it balace out. If I got $5 from one person, I would get $40 from another person.I honestly dont think its a big deal, since that's the business, and you know what you are getting into when you go into that business. There are other jobs that pay much higher fixed amounts.

If we can't afford a 20% tip at a restaurant, we do not go to the restaurant. I always figure the tip into the cost of the meal when deciding where to go for lunch, etc. Most of the time we tip 20% or more. If we get poor service from the waitstaff I will tip around 15%, less if they are just outright rude or lazy. I have friends that will not tip at all in these situations, and I always say to them "you get paid at your job whether you make a mistake or not so why should they be any different".. and you do have to take into consideration that some people just have bad days, and they need a little slack.

I make a habit of never tipping less than $5 if I am by myself and the meal is not a lot of money...otherwise we usually tip about 30% unless the service is really bad. My family owns a food service business so I am sympathetic to waitresses and waiters. Luckily FH is very generous too. I never understand people who are so stingy, oh and the first time I had a friend pull out her little tip calculator on her phone I almost had a fit on her. really? you can't just estimate and round up?!

I always tip at least 20%, and I try very hard to tip in cash so that servers get the money right away (and can pretend if necessary that it was more like 15%, which is still the expected standard).

I also make sure to tip on what a bill would have been before specials--so we frequently go out for all-night happy hour at a bar we like for 25% off drinks, but I calculate the tip from what the bill was before the discount.

I don't know where Kimmi's friends work, but most servers get paid very little--as noted, they get less than minimum wage because tips are assumed. California is one of the few states that has a minimum wage mandated to be higher than the federal minimum, so it might be slightly better there, but it's only $.75 extra per hour. And if you think about the difficulty of the work, I think most servers deserve to make more than they do.

I don't whether or not she said that but I would never do that because your server still needs to make a living! I don't think they should have to suffer anymore than I'm sure they already do ( i was a waitress and it wasn't easy having an unsteady income).

I did hear this a while back and I was livid! i waitressed/bartended for about 6 years or so. My hourly wage was $2.83. The goverment AUTOMATICALLY taxes you on as though you make a little more than minimum wage. Not to mention, that you have to "tip-out" bus boys, bar backs, and sometimes the hostess. By tip out, I mean that a percentage of your tips AUTOMATICALLY goes to them. That percentage is based on your sales is usually about 3%. So a 20% tip is actually NECESSARY for people in that industry to freaking survive! (Sorry for the long rant)

I serve part time. i only make 2.65 an hour. without tip. there have been days were i go home and dont even make minimum wage! when i go out to eat, i pay tip with cash and its always over 10% i have a co worker who when he goes out to eat never leaves less than $20 no matter how much the bill is!

And i have to tip the bartender at least 10% of my liquor tab!