So you are done with your meal, the check comes, now it is
decision time… How much are you going to tip the person who served you?
It may not seem like such a big decision however if you are at all like
me the size if your tip say’s a lot about how you felt about your dining
experience. Even if you are someone who always tips 18% no matter what, you
could easily ask yourself how you feel about giving 18% to the server.
Are you leaving that tip happily or is it out of obligation?
I tend to leave tips of 15, 20, or 25%. The service has to
be really poor for me to leave 15% and exceptionally good for a 25% tip. Most
fall in the middle. What I’ve come to realize though is my friends criteria for
saying the service was poor or exceptionally good differs from mine. It’s
easy to agree on an almost never ending list of what would be considered
extremely poor service but as we move up the scale towards exceptionally good
personal preferences, tastes, lifestyle and economic situations begin playing a
bigger roll in how we view the service
.
Here is my short list of what it takes to get a 25% tip from me.
1.
Keep the fluids flowing. I drink a lot of water and sometimes a
lot of soda. I realize soda and water don’t increase the overall tab so feel
free to bring me a carafe. Either way I don’t like empty glasses at the table.
2.
Unless I engage you or we have previously developed a
relationship I’d prefer to keep the idle chit chat to a minimum. I’m there to
eat and if not alone socialize with my friends.
3.
Bring out the food in a timely manner. I prefer the main course
after we are done with the appetizers.
4.
Don’t ask for my plate while anyone at the table is still eating
unless I’ve set it aside and motioned for you to pick it up. Most definitely do
not make me feel rushed.
5.
Bring the bill only when you are confident me and my company are
done, asking if we want desert is a good way to determine that.
Note that I didn't mention the quality of the food since
generally I won’t hold the server accountable for my meal choice. The tip is
based on their service.
Another factor I left out is the expectations we have on the
business prior to walking in the door. Just look at any of the major rating and
review sites and for almost any business you’ll find someone who was really
disappointed that their experience didn't match the reviews they read. Ever
been referred to the best movie of all time by a friend only to feel like you
wasted $8.50 and two hours of your time? Buyer’s remorse can happen at
restaurants too and is often reflected in our tips.
So back to the original question, how do you determine the size
of a tip to leave your server?
