http://www.bitterwaitress.com/

Thanks for that link... what a riot. :D

From that site:

a ****ty tip is, by my definition, any gratuity under 17% for service which one's peers would judge as adequate or better

How long do we have to wait before that 17% becomes a 20%, do you reckon? Tipping culture is out of hand.

There's someone moaning about getting a $60 tip on a $740 check for a party of six. Even assuming this group completely monopolised the waiter's time from 8pm until midnight, that's still $15 an hour as a gratuity, and this isn't New York City we're talking about here - the poster claims Wisconsin.

Elsewhere, someone complains about the inadequacy of an $80 tip that was only 7% of the check. Reading between the lines, the 'villains' in this case had been drinking expensive wine.

Again, assuming it took four hours to serve this group, that's $20 an hour. This is not 'on the edge of poverty' pay, never mind as a gratuity on top of your regular pay.

I think people have the right to drink expensive wine (which is not conspicuously tougher for the waiting staff to serve than the cheap stuff) and not pay a 17% tax (on top of the $20 they're already gifting to their waiter) to avoid being pilloried as a '****ty tipper'.

Again, assuming it took four hours to serve this group, that's $20 an hour. This is not 'on the edge of poverty' pay, never mind as a gratuity on top of your regular pay.

Waitresses generally make about $3.00/hour. Then they are required to claim 8% of their total sales as additional income and their paycheck is taxed on that total. Their regualr pay can end up being zilch.

Waitresses generally make about $3.00/hour. Then they are required to claim 8% of their total sales as additional income and their paycheck is taxed on that total. Their regualr pay can end up being zilch.

Well, we all pay taxes don´t we? I admit I would not like being forced to claim income which is not necessarily earned, but I also cannot imagine a waiter in the US making less than 8% of sales in tips.

One great thing about living in Europe--if your bill comes to €19.90, and you pay with a twenty, the waiter will bring the 10 cents back and won´t be surprised if YOU keep it.

In a recent article in Wine Spectator , they suggested $10 to $20 tip for a bottle of wine. I'm referring to higher priced wine.

I think the whole tipping thing is out of control these days! Everywhere you go someone has their hand out..... don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with tipping for good service but at least here in the US it seems you are expected to tip regardless of the level of service and that is just plain wrong in my opinion! Good and competent service gets the standard 15% ; extraordinary service in any regard garners the 20% and in that vein... rude or inferior service gets one opportunity to correct the problem or to apologize for it or the tip is a big 0!
I am continually surprised by some of my friends and family members who think I am wrong for EVER leaving nothing.... yet I listen to them grumble for hours after dinner about the problematic service and the fact that they then HAD (?) to tip for it anyway! I really don't understand this!

PS: Love European staff who truly appreciate a tip and work in earnest to earn it!

Well, we all pay taxes don´t we? I admit I would not like being forced to claim income which is not necessarily earned, but I also cannot imagine a waiter in the US making less than 8% of sales in tips.

One great thing about living in Europe--if your bill comes to €19.90, and you pay with a twenty, the waiter will bring the 10 cents back and won´t be surprised if YOU keep it.
The waiters/esses here in Germany get a LIVING wage as opposed to the poverty level wage (traditional???) in the USA. So, if you tip 10 Cents for a 20 euro meal they are OK with it.
But just try to catch their eye to get them to give you the bill! "oh, waiter!!!!!" :D