Originally Posted by
flyerwife
Not to stray too far off-topic, but what does a server do when they've given good service yet gotten stiffed on the tip??
I remember it like it was yesterday. The waiter came out into the parking lot and said "was there something wrong with the service?". My Dad turned around and said "as a matter of fact, there was". He proceeded to itemize to the waiter all of the negatives (most of which he had already pointed out as they occurred at the table).
The waiter apologized profusely. I don't recall if he tried to make any excuses or not (frankly, I was mortified and cringing in the car). My Dad offered the waiter 5 bucks for having the nerve to come out and at least ask (remember this was in the early 70s at most). Waiter refused it and told us to come back and ask for him and he'd take care of us. Needless to say, we never went back.
And just to get back to the topic of tipping by percentage, if you stop into a diner and have a cup of coffee for $1.50, do you really only leave a quarter or less???
When a server gets "skunked," what can they do? One just has to take it. In my case, I almost started crying. And I realized it was time for me to find a new career. I didn't want to continue to rely on the generousity of other.
The waiter who confronted your father was very lucky your father didn't walk back into the restaurant and complain to management. The waiter probably would have been fired for confronting a guest.
When I go for a cup of coffee in a diner, I tip at least a dollar maybe two considering the length of time taking up the booth.