Originally Posted by
mcgahat
A few weeks ago we went to South Beach and pretty much every restaurant was adding a tip of 17-18%. Some mad mention of it on the menu or on the bill and a few didnt. Pretty much all of them had "Additional tip" instead of tip/gratuity.
I believe I share the majority view of members here in that I do not mind tipping on a voluntary basis. Just when did it become automatic ?
Both my sons waited on table during University years before moving on to other professions. They went out of their way to treat everyone as special guests, especially foreign travellers, and it paid dividends. In Europe it is actually a full time profession, more so than other countries, and we respect that fact.
Large groups may trigger an automatic 18 % tip inclusion in North America, but I would counter that the meal, wine, and service should reasonably meet my full expectation. A friendly and accomodating staff, a good table location, clean tableware, good wines, and the meal " As described and As expected " certainly merits at least a 20 % tip.
Conversely, poor seating or accomodation, noise, filthy conditions, unprofessional, sullen behaviour from the staff, " off " wines, and a less than acceptable meal would never justify 18% tip inclusion, even in North America.
If you wish to return to our table every 5 minutes without prompting, interupting us by shouting " IS EVERYTHING OK ? " then please, at least try and look me in the eye, attempting to sound sincere, rather than bothered. Just like smoking in front of the customer, it is not actually OK, as it ruins the evening. And that may impact and thus diminish your gratuity.
Otherwise, the automatic gratuity becomes an unearned expectation, similar to what we used to experience in the former dreary and dismal East Germany. Nothng more.
I recall recently that some well-known celebrity names were furthering the damage regarding tipping expectations, by misappropriating gratuities from the staff that had actually earned it, into their own pockets. Perhaps these are the same restaurants mentioned in this post. That action qualifies as the lowest of lows, or stealing from employees. I have the right of choice, and keep track of these " celebrity restaurants " which as a result will never see my credit card, cash, my guests, or my shoe print on the carpet inside. Ever.
No restaurant anywhere deserves tips automatically. One tips as a sign of respect for good, earned service.