To be honest, I'm not really suffering from the economic pressures, but the bar I work at is. so the bar may not be as busy, but I still seem to be making about the same (I'm very lucky that I have loyal regulars who take care of me.) The people who don't tip me have never tipped, and the people who tip lightly still tip lightly. I saw more of a decrease in the winter months when Illinois put the ban on indoor smoking, now that it is nice out again my money went back up a little. As a member of the service industry, tipping is a huge issue for my household. If you don't have the money to do something then don't do it. Go out less if you have to, but if the service is good you should not be cutting the amount of the tip, that is just not acceptable, no matter what the economy is going through. If you can't afford a proper tip, then you should not be going out to places where tipping is required.

How about outlawing tipping completely and mandate that employers pay their employees a living wage !!!???

How about getting rid of tipping altogether and mandate that employers pay their employees a living wage!!??

If you can't afford to tip the bartender you have no business being in the bar. Buy the cheap beer at the store instead. But the traditionally tipped service industries such as restaurants are also being hurt when every other business is putting out the tip jar. Cashiers now expect to be tipped just for taking your money. The tip jar is getting too common and customers are getting immune to the guilt factor they try to produce.

I tend to tip near the customary baseline with some upside for good service. OTOH, I think the custom has gone too far in the U.S. and the legislative moves to rein it in are appropriate.

Too much of past expansion of the practice has been about the restaurant or other business entity wanting to pay less, charge the same and pocket the difference.

The "reward" for that at most workplaces is a lot of turnover as people figure out that the gig doesn't get them up to a living wage. No living wage usually means no particular loyalty, and then the cycle repeats with new people who don't get much training and have to struggle again.

Amanda I don't understand the logic. If people are stuggling I would rather accept a lower tip than have no customer at all. No customers or less customer means no money generator for the restraunt which could eventually lead to the loss of your position. ;)

As a server for a few years I have noticed a large decrease in the amount customers spend and the typical tip percentage. Gone are days of splurging as every dollar spent bites into transportation costs.

The other day I had a table apologize for tipping me poorly because their SUV was costing them an extra $250 a month from when they bought it. In an effort to save money they decided to indirectly punish me. If every table I had did this, the end result over a few weeks could be thousands of dollars.

And to Benson, your 15% is more like %12 at most restaurants. Bussers, hosts, and barstaff rarely make minimum wage, and your tip to the server is usually divided up quite a bit. At Texas De Brazil (where I trained but decided not to work), 50% of tips are divided up. Over the last year I have had a tip percentage of 21.5%, of which I keep 18.5%. A 15% tip to me is an insult as it is the industry minimum for anyone who knows how to tip.

Benson, I was a waiter and a bartender for five years. I would never call anyone who tips 15% a `good`tipper nor would I trip over other waiters to wait on someone who tips the understood industry minimum. If you are a $400 check or more kind of guy I might be interested in your table. Otherwise it would be much easier to turn a couple tables of people who spend less but know that 15% is not the definition of a good tip. When I was a waiter I worked hard, was efficient, and polite. If I received anything less that 20% I was disappointed.

When I eat out I tip no less than 20% (with exception servers who are rude). When I go to a bar I tip $1 a drink (As a bartender, I´ve popped enough beers and made enough cosmos, martinis, and foo foo blender drinks to know that it´s not worth much more unless there is something special going on.) When my check is comped or my tab is cleared, I usually pay the complete amount of the compd`check as a tip (100% tip for the server).

I may have been a poor waiter/bartender but I was never poor enough to cheat a hard working and underpaid waiter out of a tip when I went out.

Being a server or bartender isn´t a bad job. However, now and then you get people who seem to have enough money order steaks and mixed drinks and desserts but come time to tip they are all of a sudden poor! Of course many of these people don´t realize that severs have to tip out based on their sales (not their tips). I actually used to have to pay to wait on some tables because they tipped less than the amount I had to tip out based on my sales.

It´s a shame that they don´t change the legal wages for servers. In Ohio it was $2,13/hr. That doesn´t even cover the taxes. Of course the trade off for that would be more expensive food and less staff.

I think that restaurants and bars should pay a live able wage to say if you don't tip according to guidelines you should stay home is ludicrous,i think tipping is fro good service and the amount should be up to the customer,tipping based on the price of the meal is silly if i order an expensive meal or a hamburger the server spends no more time bringing me either but the tip is much less on the burger for the same time spent if i tip by the guideline if customers stay home because you don't think they tip enough pretty soon your out of a job.

I tip 20 to 22% for average to excellent. I tip 10% for horible service and I give them all a couple of chances. Bad service (either inept or attitude) should not be rewarded, something for showing is generous. If I can not swing a night out with out compromise or shorting the tip, I don't go out. In the last year I have celebrated at home with no compromise. I have halfed my excursions out.

Blow it out your butt, Amanda. I don't eat at fine restaurants. I eat at normal restaurants such as Red Lobster. Most of the time the srvice is barely tolerable. I tip even when I believe I shouldn't. But I certainly am not going to tip 18% just because you say that I should count it as part of the price of eating out. Most of the time, 10% is a gift as nothing has been earned to deserve it.

You say look around? I say you should speak to the management if the wait staff is overwhelmed. You obviously want to excuse them for their poor service because they have too much to do. Well, it WILL be reflected in my tip--it's not my problem, it's the management's and the waiter/waitress. So, by tipping in accordance with the service (or, overtipping because I feel bad, but not up to what is expected) maybe it will force the management to hire more staff or risk going out of business because the next step for me is not to tip more, but to quit patronizing the business.

My family has definitely cut down on eating out, but we do leave at least 15% tip and 20% if the service was above and beyond. Recently my DH and I were eating out and we witnessed a customer screw the server out of the total bill (no tip obviously) When I spoke to the restaurant manager, she said that over the past few months, the "chew and screw" problem has gotten worse. I cannot fathom anyone with any sort of soul doing that to a server or an establishment. If you cannot afford to eat out, then stay home. As far as my regular services go, I have been loyal to my regulars for years, and I still tip them properly. Recently I was at a restaurant and when we received our check, on it there was a "suggested" tip listing (10, 15 and 20 percent) to make it easier for customers to figure out what to give their server. Maybe restaurants need to put at least a mandatory 10% included in the final check amount, and whatever extra a customer chooses to give would be at their discretion? I think that would ensure that a hard working server gets at least something KWIM?
I also agree that it's high time servers hourly wages should be increased. Here in Memphis, most servers make an average of $2.15 an hour, which to me personally, is an outrage. That doesn't even cover the gas to go to work and back?! To those of you who don't tip properly, especially when given the best service, shame on you. But remember, what goes around comes around.

I think the whole tipping system should be abolished. There should be a 15% surcharge on each bill. At times like now, well, obviously, even waiters are paying more for their gas, so tipping them less is just plain wrong and grossly unfair. I work for an investment firm, on a fixed salary - so I know what I bring in week after week - my salary does not depend on how much my clients can afford to give that particular week. It should be the same for everyone. But - I pay income taxes on every single penny I earn - would waiters and hairdressers and all others who earn tips agree to do the same?

Yeah, some waitresses are money hunters from customers. Like the waitresses at resturants Pop and Sons and Proud Lion in Tampa, borrow money from customers and do not pay it back. Most waitreses have a song and dance story and do not give a @!$%#. Have more cash than anyone everyday. No money to pay the borrowed money back, yet always money for holidays, parties, birthdays, money for familly, but no money about honesty and make lies to judges, police officiers and whatever not to pay the borrowed mony back. Yeah poor story from song and dance waitress about tips.

Yeah, some waitresses are money hunters from customers. Like the waitresses at resturants Pop and Sons and Proud Lion in Tampa, borrow money from customers and do not pay it back. Most waitreses have a song and dance story and do not give a @!$%#. Have more cash than anyone everyday. No money to pay the borrowed money back, yet always money for holidays, parties, birthdays, money for familly, but no money about honesty and make lies to judges, police officiers and whatever not to pay the borrowed mony back. Yeah poor story from song and dance waitress about tips.

Or, how 'bout we do away with tipping altogether and have the management pay normal wages?

I always leave at least 15%, and usually 20%. The measly wages that these servers earn is an outrage. $2.13 an hour? For the life of me I can't understand how that can be legal. So for all you waiters and waitresses out there, get involved and force that useless Congress to mandate a livable wage for your profession! In the meantime, I will continue to tip 20%. I eat out quite a bit, and the vast majority of the time, the service that I receive is excellent, and certainly warrants a nice tip. It is the decent thing to do, and the least that the server(s) deserve.

Ive been a server for quite some time. I've seen the good the bad and the worst. To have a table tell you that you did an awesome job and then leave you 10%... cool. When i go out i compensate on the service. I always tip at least 18% but if you aren't good at what you do its apparent. If you cant afford to tip... go fast food. There are people out there who rely on those tips. As for not paying the bill? You're making a server/bartender who may or may not be a single parent/ student/ down on luck person pay for it. Lets think about that...

As a mother/wife, I enjoy a night off from cooking every once in a while. When I dine out, I consider tipping to be part of the overall cost of dining out. I usually tip 15-20%, and once I even tipped 30% (for truly exceptional service, of course). I have never been a waitress, but I know it can't be easy to make a living on that kind of wage. I just figure what goes around comes around, so I do the right thing and tip the wait staff. If you can't afford it, I agree that you should eat fast food or stay home. To everyone who scoffs at tipping at least 15%, if the service is so bad why do you continue to eat out? That's just wrong.

*they're*

As a student, and a part-time server, I can promise you, tipping only 10% of the total check is NOT acceptable. I'm sure you're the person who cuts me off right as I get to the table before I can even introduce myself. (My own mother is that person, a server's biggest annoyance) If you would let me do my job, you would probably be more satisfied, as it would make my shift easier and I would be more inclined to give you the service you think you deserve. I give each and every one of my tables equal service, regardless of race, gender, appearance, etc. There's not many servers who can actually say that, as tables ARE judged from the moment they sit down and stereotypes DO come into play. But I can guarantee you, if you're pleasant (as I can tell, you're probably a server's nightmare) and I'm getting good vibes from you, I'm going to make sure you leave happy and maybe with a little something extra. Call me selfish. I'm trying to make money too! And if that's how I have to do it, so be it. I'll fake it if it's gonna earn me that extra $5. But once you establish yourself as a regular in a restaurant and every server knows you're not going to tip them well no matter what, see what kind of service you begin getting then. It happens everyday. I see you sit down at a table, and I go up to Server X and tell him "Oh, you have her, she never tips and she gets this, this, this, this, this, etc." Now they know they're screwed either way, so they have no motivation to go above and beyond.

As far as industry standards going up, any server will tell you 15% is ACCEPTABLE, but the preferred tip is 18+%. This is only because at the end of the night, we're tipping bartenders, bussers, and oftentimes food runners. For example, if I have $700 in sales, according to 15%, I should walk with about $105. By the time I tip out 7-10 dollars to the 4 bussers we have on (I'm simply going by the averages at the restaurant where I work, $1-2 per drink from the bar, and another $7-10 to the foodrunner if there happens to be one, I could be tipping out over $20! So I'm barely hitting my 15%. If I had an 18% average, my tip amount would be $126. If I were to tip out the same, I would still have my 15%, around $100 for the night.

What non-servers don't understand is that a lot more goes into serving you than you think. For one, you're not my only table, and while I will give you attention, you shouldn't expect to take up my entire time. Be smart, figure out what you know you'll need and I can get you more than one thing at a time. Nothing is worse than to go to a table to drop something off, and they need something ELSE that could have been gotten at the same time as the first thing. And then the cycle continues and every time I come back, you need some trivial object. It's nothing more than treating someone the way you would want to be treated. This goes for your children too. If my child came into your house and threw food all over the floor, I wouldn't expect you to clean it. But I don't have that choice. The least you can do is compensate me for the extra time I'll take to sweep the floor after your child. That's less time that I have guests sitting at that table, and therefore less money that I'm making. Want to get around that? Teach your children some manners. Don't let them throw food everywhere. Or clean up as much as you can yourself. You had the kid, it's your responsibility. Also, after the end of the shift, I have to spend as much as 30 minutes to an hour cleaning my tables, the surrounding floor, and stocking sugars, salts, etc., and performing any other sidework. I'm not being paid for the time I spend doing that.

I'm not doing this job for fun. I'm not even being paid by the restaurant. I make $2.13 an hour. At most, I MIGHT get a check for $2 a week. That $2.13 is strictly for tax purposes, I never see a dime of it. But I still have bills to pay. You may be able to work all week and know what you're making each day, but I have to actually WORK for my money. That's not to say that you don't work, that's not how I mean it at all. But my income is determined by multiple people and their moods, which really sucks, to put it eloquently. So basically, if you're pissed off, nothing I do is going to suit you, so I'm going to be punished for your problems that honestly, I don't care about. But why I should be punished for you having a bad day is beyond me, to be truthful.

Oh well, I guess. What goes around comes around. You can take that as religion, luck, karma, whatever you want. But I believe in treating a person the way you want to be treated. You may think you're hot stuff, but when you come into the restaurant, you're just one of many. Sit there and think you're French royalty all you want. Honestly, I don't care. You're getting the same service from me as Everyday Joe is sitting at the next table. I'm only doing this as a part-time job to help pay the bills through college. Some people I work with support their families by serving. If the world were fair, everyone would have experience in the hospitality industry just to see what we go through on a day-to-day basis. But I assure you this, the 10% you leave me and feel great about will be made up by another table who views things in a different light and actually does the right thing.

Now that I've vented enough, I'm out. Just a little something for you to chew on for the next time you choose to dine out. Just because I have on that uniform doesn't mean I'm no longer a human with a life, feelings, and bills to pay.

Dalmax:

Don't bother, as long as the Republicans are in, nothing will be done. This is a classic case as to why unions were formed. Unions are formed because of bad management. Republicans have always exploited. Then they become cry babies when someone tries to do something about it. Your daughter is experiencing the conservative unregulated "free market."

I think the whole concept of "tipping" is stupid. It is the restaurants responsibility to pay their staff, not me. If they need to raise prices to have someone slap food on the table then so be it. A good tip used to be 10% and now all of a sudden it's 15% and I see that many are asking for 18-20%? For what? For doing your job? Previously it was mainly food service workers begging for tips. Now the people who cut your hair in 2 minutes expect a tip as well. Why don't we just start tipping everyone and all the employers pay $2.00 per hour.

We should emulate Japan where they don't believe in tipping. They get along just fine without the concept.

This has been a fascinating discourse.

Let's take a moment to review: Table service is a highly-skilled, licensed profession, requiring a four-year college degree and post-graduate training. Thus, all table service employees should be entitled to government-guaranteed wages and benefits, outside free-market principals governing the rest of society. This would be the same situation as, say, physicians or attorneys. But wait ... these professionals are entirely subject to free-market forces.

Being part of the working poor is miserable. If table service isn't providing you the compensation you require, then use your skills and education to move into other employment. If you haven't other skills or education then accept the consequences of your situation recognizing that part of society must, by definition, be wealthy, and part poor.

Don't demand excessive "tax" upon food purchased by others as your "entitlement". Tipping is entirely voluntary, and your dependence upon the generosity of others does not mandate a minimum level of generosity from your benefactors.