How much do you tip?

[nafhoosier]

As a server myself (at the moment, not my career), how much do you tip a server? How much do you tip a bartender per drink?

Answer assuming you received optimal and satisfactory service.

I always tip 25-30%, sometimes more.

*I understand that shitty service doesn't require a good tip, so for all those who will answer that way, refer to both this statement and the one above ^^^^^^^.

Discuss.

 

[Muzzy91]

I was a server for about two years a few years ago. I normally tip around 25%. The bare minimum I'll leave as a tip is $5 (if the bill is low and the tip would not be that much). So which ever one is higher (25% or $5) is what I'll leave.

 

[Tadaa]

Typically 20-25%.

 

[IowaGuy]

Typically 20-25%.

I tip the same - sometimes more if the service is very good .

 

[justsimon]

I usually tip at least 20%. At bars, I leave a couple dollars per drink (more if I'm not broke).

 

[JJ-Klein]

I've seen this discussion come up in another forum, Americans go crazy about tipping (or lack of it) and Europeans are like "Why would I tip all the time for someone just doing their job."

The America business model is a bit crazy. I get that its in place to improve service in the industry as staff will work better to get the tips. How anywhere can get away with paying like $2 an hour though is shocking. It leaves me with a question though. To get a mortgage or loan here, you need proof of stable income and the amount they lend you will depend on how much you earn each month. How does that work if you're a server and don't have a set, reliable income? Also do you have to delcare your tips and get taxed on them?

 

[blackbeltninja]

10-15%, usually rounded to the nearest 10 bucks.

I'm not sure what is classed as "exceptional" service. I tend to order 1-2 drinks, and 1-2 courses - I don't have waiters running hither and yon to keep me fed and watered, so I'm not sure I've ever encountered exceptional service. As long as the stuff which arrives is the stuff I ordered and it arrives timeously, that's what I expect. So I reckon 10-15% is more than fair.

Drinks - a buck or two per drink in a bar, depending on what sort of coins I have on me.

If that seems excessively high or low, remember I'm using our .za bucks, the local Rand at 12:1 against the GBP, and not filthy foreigner bucks.

-d-

 

[G-Lexington]

I take the total (with tax)' drop the last digit, double the result, then round up to bring the total to a roundish number. So if the total is $28.63, I'd drop the 3, leaving $2.86. I'd double that to make $5.72. Then I'd kick it up to $5.87, just so the total woud be $28.63 + $5.87 = $34.50. There's no real rationale behind it, but I means the server gets somewhere between 20 and 25%. And I compute in my head within a second or two. If it's a really small tab, I'll add a buck or two.

I tip really well on nights like Christmas Eve or New Years Eve. The "sucks you have to work tonight" bonus. I've tipped as high as 50% on those nights.

Lex

 

[racer2438]

15-20% on average, but we tip our bartender 25.00-30.00 every time no matter what.

 

[AlmondMilk]

Usually 20%. I add more if service is great.

 

[unloadonme]

Hi here in the uk you don't tip in bars normally and in restraurants It's usually 10% depending on how good the service and food was .

That's right. There's no tipping in pubs and bars although I do occasionally buy the barman in my regular haunt drinks. In restaurants a service charge (or semi-compulsory tip, typically 10%) is often added to bills automatically. In that case, there's no need to tip further. If there's no service charge, maybe around 10% depending on how good service actually was.

Apart from that, there isn't really a tipping culture in the UK. My haircut costs £8.50 and I give £10, but I've been going to the same guy for ages. In taxis I maybe tip £1 or so or just round the fare up and decline the change.

 

[Robertwho]

1 cent if the service was bad
15% if the service was fair.
20% if the service was good
25% if the service was exceptionally good

 

[PKMO]

As other UK'ers have said, it's not really necessary to tip over here. I generally do if the service has been good, I'll tip more if it's been great and I'll tip nothing if it was nothing special.

 

[Drugstore Cowboy]

i usually tip around 30%. i remember being in Spain the past summer and trying to give a generous tip to my waitress and remember she got kinda bothered. i think it was kinda funny at the time but then i learned that tipping is somewhat different in Spain.

 

[rareboy]

18 to 20 percent on larger bills.

25% for a drink or small meal.

 

[Reika]

Not necessary over here lol but i do tip in restaurants now, never used to though.
My gran says that when she visited the US she was blown away by the level of service she received and how warm and welcoming the waiting staff were toward her, she kept tipping about 40%-45% because she felt so welcome and satisfied. She always says that "regardless of what you say about America, you always get your value for money and excellent service, you can't fault it, especially when it comes to restaurants and foodie places."

 

[glasvegas]

In Asia, we never tip. Now living in Australia, I only had one experience of eating out with friends, we did tip a lil but I think tipping in here is not a culture too because they have the min wages.

 

[HunterM]

How much to tip depends on how many cows are available at the time.

 

[bankside]

In Australia, not one penny as I understand it isn't done. The first time I left a restaurant without tipping, I felt like a cheap bastard.

But I consoled myself looking at the amount of the bill which was slightly mind boggling. They have definitely priced service into it already. I found the service was more relaxed than at home and definitely had no issues with service quality. Here they have more of that fake retail charm…"Make sure you drop by after the first 90 seconds and ask 'How are the first few bites?'"

If I have one more Canadian waiter ask me "How are the first few bites?" I may open my mouth and show them: "See for yourself."

 

[LilBit]

At places where I'm a regular, I typically tip 50%, because the service I get is extremely personalized, and I get treated very well. Elsewhere, I typically tip 25%, assuming the service is good but not exceptional. For bad service I typically tip about 15%, but that's pretty rare.