Tipping Etiquette - How much you should tip your server and why

This hub was written those of you who think 10% or 15% is a good tip. And this hub is especially for those of you who don't tip at all.

I have been in and out of the restaurant business for years. Waiting tables has always been by fall back job. If I move to a new town I normally start working as a waitress until I have made enough contacts to find a different, better paying job, that is not so hard on my body.

I have seen good tips, and horrible tips. Seldom do you ever see GREAT tips. Without trying to brag I am a good server. I can provide good and great service and entertainment at the same time. My customers always tell me how much they appreciate my service. However, there have been several times I receive 10% of the total of the ticket. I've come to realize that some people just don't know how to tip. Here is the breakdown...

Poor service is 10%

Good (Okay) service is 15%

Great service is 18%

If your a dear and really appreciate your server you will even give 20% and I've occasionally, I've seen more.

One thing I don't think people understand is that server's are people too. We occasionally have a bad day, we might have just found out someone in our family has passed away, gotten in a car accident or whatever. We can't take time off to grieve or take time to be with family members because we don't get sick pay or personal day pay. Sometimes we have just stayed up half the night with a sick child. But none the less we have to put on that smile and entertain our tables.

Another thing people may not realize is that servers don't make very much an hour. Maybe $2 an hour up to $3.50 an hour. I've heard stories about servers making $300 in one night, but I've never seen it. Maybe in Bars or very High End expensive restaurants, but not your normal everyday family oriented restaurants. Or maybe even big cities. I've also noticed that yes, you can occasionally make $20 an hour with your tips and hourly added together, but you've only worked 3 hours. Servers don't usually get to work eight hour shift. Yes, sometime you do get to work 4 or 5 hours. Sometimes though, it is such a slow day, you may work 5 hours, but you've only waited on 2 or 3 tables. You never know if your going to walk out that night with $10 or $100. Servers can sometimes hold a second job to supplement the lack of income, but when you work 5 or 6 days 3,4,or 5 hard laborious hours it's hard to put in a few hours somewhere else. Not too mention it's not easy finding an employer that is willing to work around another employers schedule.

One thing that probably bothers me the most is when the customer blames the server for food coming out slow or if some is not cooked well enough. The majority of the time, if your food takes a while to get to you it is because the kitchen is preparing all the food for the whole restaurant. They can't stop preparing other people orders, and prepare yours because you think you're special. Sometime the kitchen will mess up an order and have to recook an order. That is NOT your servers fault. The cooks are going to make their hourly pay so your only hurting your server when your tip your server based on what the kitchen did or didn't do. And your server has no control over how the food taste. If you don't like the way something taste, just kindly ask you server to bring you something else, and they will gladly do so. Remember, they can't taste your food before they bring it to you or touch it to make sure it is warm enough to suite your individually desired temperature. Be reasonable.

I have also come across people who are already in a bad mood when I greet them. Sometimes it's because they've had a bad day. Sometime it's because they've had to wait in traffic to get to the restaurant to find that there is a waiting list at the restaurant. I understand the frustration, but what does this have to do with your server.

Next time you go out to eat, remember, your waiter is a person just like you, only while you're sitting there enjoying your meal letting your kids act out and throwing food on the floor, their back and feet are normally killing them and if they're not, they will be by the end of the night, just to realize they've got to get up in the morning to do it all over again. They can't control what the cook does. They have several other people to take care of, some customers can be VERY needy and ungrateful. They take care of you, having faith that the end result will be worth it, and hoping you will not "stiff" them. Which does happen. And please remember that while they seem to be happy and having a good time that they are trained to drop all of their problems as soon as they step out onto that floor no matter what is going on in their lives.

And if you have rowdy kids and you leave a mess on the floor, you should tip your server VERY well, because they have to clean up your mess. And rowdy kids are a big distraction.

And also, if you don't have enough money to tip your waiter...go to McDonald's.