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When do you tip?


Venkman

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Working in a place that serves food and has started doing table service (rather than ordering at the bar), I'm curious about people's tipping habits. It seems a lot of people either automatically do or don't tip at a place rather than it particularly relating to the service.

 

Is it also to do with paying when you order your food rather than at the end that affects whether you tip or not? The sort of place it is rather than the service?

 

I've had customers come and find me when they've finished and tell me that they really appreciated me looking after them all night (which is obviously really lovely) but all the money stuff's been done.

 

Obviously, times are tight at the mo and I do earn minimum wage (my bosses don't illegally make up my salary using tips!) but I'm just curious, if you are a tipper, when, where and why do you do it?

 

Ta.

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If I have to pay upfront then I never tip. If I'm paying at the end of the meal I tip 10% for average service, around 15% for very good service and nothing for off service.

 

Generally it's 10%.

 

Now that you're doing table service does that mean customers will be paying at the end of the meal?

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Sorry, dave_dave - that one didn't come up in the 'similar topics' thing when I started thread. Cheers.

 

Claret - due to nature of our place, you'll probably have paid for your meal with your ticket before you set foot through our door. But it's table service in that we seat you, take drinks/food orders from the table and then we'll come and check if you need anything else etc.

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I can't understand why anyone would tip before receiving their food/seeing the service they receive. For all they know, their order may come out wrong/they may get forgotten about and be waiting ages... A tip is a thankyou/reward for good service in my opinion, therefore it fits in at the end of the meal when you pay.

 

I waitress part time in addition to my full time job. It's easy for me, having waitressed for around 5 years now, however its not easy being on your feet/dashing around on the minimum wage. Tips provide an incentive and make the wage bearable.

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Claret - due to nature of our place, you'll probably have paid for your meal with your ticket before you set foot through our door. But it's table service in that we seat you, take drinks/food orders from the table and then we'll come and check if you need anything else etc.

 

Then, yeah, sorry, but you'd get a few kind words of gratitude from me, nothing more. The English are well known for being funny about money and I would feel extremely embarrassed chasing around a waiter to tip him. I'd also be worried about offending said waiter by offering him a few quid. Silly, extremely unfair, but true!

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I can't understand why anyone would tip before receiving their food/seeing the service they receive. For all they know, their order may come out wrong/they may get forgotten about and be waiting ages... A tip is a thankyou/reward for good service in my opinion, therefore it fits in at the end of the meal when you pay.

 

Definitely not suggesting anyone should ever tip in advance of being served. But if you paid in advance for your meal, would that in itself stop anyone leaving a quid or so on the table at the end?

 

 

EDIT: Ah, just read Claret's post. That answers that then :)

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Definitely not suggesting anyone should ever tip in advance of being served. But if you paid in advance for your meal, would that in itself stop anyone leaving a quid or so on the table at the end?

 

 

EDIT: Ah, just read Claret's post. That answers that then :)

 

Claret has made a very good point. On the flip side, I often get chased around to be given money. People don't like leaving it on the table incase it gets swiped. I'm never offended, its received very well indeed :)

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