Resaurant Tipping

[Cock Throppled]

I am a good tipper, unless service (not food quality) is awful, but I have a problem with small restaurants, often ethnic, where the owner might be the server, as well.

Sometimes it's just a hunch, but other times you know it is the owner, especially if they are older.

So what to do about tipping if the server is the owner? Presumably they are making their profit from running the place as an entire entity, and aren't reliant on tips, as a usual server would be.

And what about if the server if a family member of the owner? Do the same tipping rules apply?

Any info on how others might deal with this would be appreciated.

 

[ddcanz]

I am a good tipper, unless service (not food quality) is awful, but I have a problem with small restaurants, often ethnic, where the owner might be the server, as well.

Sometimes it's just a hunch, but other times you know it is the owner, especially if they are older.

So what to do about tipping if the server is the owner? Presumably they are making their profit from running the place as an entire entity, and aren't reliant on tips, as a usual server would be.

And what about if the server if a family member of the owner? Do the same tipping rules apply?

Any info on how others might deal with this would be appreciated.

I know what you're saying and I've thought the same.
However, I still tend to tip in my usual fashion. Like you, I expect the food to be decent or even superior. The service and attitude are what gets the extras (hmm....sounds familiar to this Board...).
Just because it is the owner- or the owners family- doesn't change my ways. I don't 'discriminate' that way (for lack of a better term). My minimum for good solid service is about 20% and it goes up and down from there accordingly. But we all have our own standards.

 

[VanessainVictoria]

I have never thought about not tipping my server.

 

[badbadboy]

The way I look at is the owners, particularly in City of Vancouver are hammered with excess taxation and sky rocketing rents. I don't differentiate between server or owner server. If you want to keep these small places in Van, you gotta support them or we will only have larger corporate chains.

Good food & service 25% and a sliding scale to 15%. Rarely zero tip but it has happened.

 

[moto2007]

I remember I used to go to a small hair salon to get a haircut. The only two people there were the husband and wife owners. She used to cut the hair. We tipped her, probably not necessary, but a good idea if you are a regular.

 

[Linden]

The tipping question I ask others is........how late into the visit can a server "rescue" the tip ?

I take great exception (and tip accordingly) to being taken for granted. Less than adequate service and getting close to the end, pay and tip time, the service and attitude of the server improves significantly.

One awkward thing that may or may not be related is the all of a sudden small talk by the server that happens when I am operating the pay point device. Sudden interest in my day.

 

[Calbee Chips]

I have no issue tipping 20 to 23% for dinner at high end places like Blue water, CinCin, Hy's etc. Great service and often small talk is involved and I think it is well deserved

For mid end places dinner, I usually tip 12 to 15%.

However, I do not like to tip too much at those mid-low end Chinese restaurants (whether family run or not) as I felt forced to tip even with only decent food, and virtually no service.
One time 3 of us had lunch at a mid-low end place, and the bill was $38, so we left a tip of around 8% and the server said out loud that we didn't pay enough tips. That is what I have issue with.

I do like to support small business as well, and have varieties. My tipping is based on good service, good food, and cleanliness of places.

 

[wintersurfer]

My normally tipping:
Take out-either local sushi, Buddahful or local bistro 10% (always good)
Dine in-average bill I tip 25% or $10min, if my bill is $500 and $200 is a bottle of wine I would tip $80-$100 (only taking part of the bottle into account), if the $200 in booze was multiple drinks (more work) I would tip 25% of $500...

 

[ddcanz]

I have no issue tipping 20 to 23% for dinner at high end places like Blue water, CinCin, Hy's etc. Great service and often small talk is involved and I think it is well deserved

For mid end places dinner, I usually tip 12 to 15%.

However, I do not like to tip too much at those mid-low end Chinese restaurants (whether family run or not) as I felt forced to tip even with only decent food, and virtually no service.
One time 3 of us had lunch at a mid-low end place, and the bill was $38, so we left a tip of around 8% and the server said out loud that we didn't pay enough tips. That is what I have issue with.

I do like to support small business as well, and have varieties. My tipping is based on good service, good food, and cleanliness of places.

To each their own, but 8% is insulting. $3. Might as well just keep it in your pocket then.
And tipping based upon high end or mid grade establishments? IMO the server does the same amount of work regardless. In fact, I tend to tip a little more when the bill is smaller- work is still work. Tipping more because a steak is $80 vs $40 doesn't make sense to me.

 

[uncleg]

I tip for the quality of the service not the quality of the food. If the food quality sucks and I mention it to the waitress/waiter and it gets shrugged off...then no tip. If at least some effort is made to bring it to the attention of management then I'll still tip even if the food sucks.

 

[Calbee Chips]

The name of that establishment is WOnton Saga in East Van on 2780 Kingsway.
You can try going there and you will see if it deserves tips or not.

Yes true, bill is smaller and higher percentage works out to be more tips.

As another poster suggests, tipping is not mandatory by law. I still paid a bit of tips based on the food and service on that day. Not to say the server should lick our feet, or we felt like kings by paying 8%.

 

[Calbee Chips]

While I don't determine my tipping percentage based on how upscale a restaurant is, I have a huge issue with the woman telling you out loud that your tip was not enough. F*ck her. Tipping is not mandatory and neither is tipping a certain percentage. I mentioned this in my previous post in this thread, but she has no right to try and dictate how much you tip her or even make a comment about the amount. If that was me, I would have sternly reminded her that tipping is based on service and entirely up to the customer. Depending on how rude she was about it, I might have also taken back the 8% if it was cash that was still sitting on a table. People like that need a serious attitude adjustment.



To each their own, but no amount of tip is insulting, outside of tossing a quarter at the server. A tip is a reward for good service and should not be seen as an insult if it is a bit below the amount that our society deemed as customary somewhere along the line. People need to get this through their heads.

Well exactly, just like sometime just have to accept the fact. Don't get me wrong, I worked in Chinese restaurant serving dishes in my late teens, so I understand if people don't like tipping (especially lots of non westernized Chinese people are very frugal). Even if it is not enough tips in her opinion, would't say it out loud to a customer. She was actually not that rude, otherwise we would have just picked up the remaining tips and left.

Yes, no tip amount is insulting unless it is all scattered in small loose changes. People need to understand this is not mandatory. I think CTV news had done a site interview and survey on this topic as well.

 

[ddcanz]

To each their own, but no amount of tip is insulting, outside of tossing a quarter at the server. A tip is a reward for good service and should not be seen as an insult if it is a bit below the amount that our society deemed as customary somewhere along the line. People need to get this through their heads.

I get your point, but you missed mine on this one.
Absolutely a tip is a reward. But serving 3 people takes a certain amount of effort, and tipping what amounts to a buck each? That's just fucking rude.
I've been to Oz, have family there and am quite familiar with the culture there. I also worked as a bartender at many establishments. But in North America the culture is different- as well as the pay scale in the service industry. Can't compare it to other parts of the world.
I'm sure you and I will die on our hills over this one!

 

[204fun]

Anytime I'm at a sit down restaurant the minimum for tip is 15 per cent and can go up anywhere from there. Good or exceptional service deserves to be rewarded so the tip will usually be higher than 15 per cent, but if a server is only going to put in what I consider to be a minimal level of service then they get what I've determined to be a minimum level tip.

I do find that one place where I typically will end up tipping more is at one of the few places that I frequent for breakfast. The bill at many breakfast establishments tend to be quite small so I will typically inflate the tip as I feel that they are putting in the same amount of work as most other serves and deserve more than 15 per cent off of a $15 bill.

 

[Calbee Chips]

In Japan, tipping is not required and will be deemed as insult by leaving tips. I didn't know that when I traveled to Japan for the first time back in 2008.

The world is so big, and there are different customs in different parts of the world. Tips can be given if customer felt extraordinary services and provided extra mile, whether at a restaurant, cafes, taxis, hair salon.

What about massage therapy RMT? I went to one and surprised there was a tip percentage section when paying at the end of session.

 

[Calbee Chips]

I get your point, but you missed mine on this one.
Absolutely a tip is a reward. But serving 3 people takes a certain amount of effort, and tipping what amounts to a buck each? That's just fucking rude.
I've been to Oz, have family there and am quite familiar with the culture there. I also worked as a bartender at many establishments. But in North America the culture is different- as well as the pay scale in the service industry. Can't compare it to other parts of the world.
I'm sure you and I will die on our hills over this one!

I dont know much about rest of North America, That is true cuz serving here in Pacific Northwest is fairly low wages, and good tips would go a long way, especially if good effort is made.

So based on your theory, next time 3 of us in a similar situation, and similar price, we will be paying 3 bucks tip each, and 9 bucks of tips in total. I think it is doable if service is exceptional, and we have a good time chatting. I remembered 1 time I spent 2 hrs chatting about world cup with the bartender and ended up paying $26 tips on a $13 bill.

 

[ddcanz]

I dont know much about rest of North America, That is true cuz serving here in Pacific Northwest is fairly low wages, and good tips would go a long way, especially if good effort is made.

So based on your theory, next time 3 of us in a similar situation, and similar price, we will be paying 3 bucks tip each, and 9 bucks of tips in total. I think it is doable if service is exceptional, and we have a good time chatting. I remembered 1 time I spent 2 hrs chatting about world cup with the bartender and ended up paying $26 tips on a $13 bill.

I'm just giving my point of view on this, but $3 each on a $38 cheque isn't out of line IMO if the service is even half-way decent.
I don't need to have great "chats" with the server to recognize good service, but I get what you are saying about your world cup experience. You put down a couple of 20s after an enjoyable time.
There is no science to any of this- just what you are personally comfortable with. And I'm from the camp that tips generously and appreciates that serving is a tough gig that doesn't necessarily pay particularly well.

 

[wilde]

I usually tip between 15 to 25% of the pre-tax total. Don't expect me to pay a tip on the GST and liquor tax. If you want a tip on the taxes, ask the bloody government.

I have debated this with friends and servers many times before. What do you guys think?

 

[Wakeup]

I agree hate the tax thing and all the machines try to get you that way unless you sellect other. I don't worry about it on a $20-30 buck bill but do think about it on a$100- 200 one

 

[sybian]

I'm a big tipper....but I hate when we went to coins.
I mean how you going to make a twoonie stick into a g-string covered in body oil?
So now when she leaves the brass pole ,to tell me how handsome I might be...it costs at least a five.