emma69

Yup, the whole 'tip the tax' thing used to be how I did it. But now with the mobile credit card machines they use, where you enter the tip %, if you notice, the % goes on the whole bill (including tax) which I am guessing most people don't entirely think about - my guess is servers end up better off with these machines as with paper, you tip your % on the base (as you see it in front of you) but on the machine the % key puts it on the whole thing (make sense?) So now I do often 'tip the tax' acknowledging that 13% post tax is pretty close to 15% pre tax.

Ancien Maestro

I've been using the tip % function on the machines lately, but have been mindful that the tip is on the whole bill.. so I enter a bit of a lower number to compensate for the tip and any takeout food.

The server doesn't see the % on the bill, just the tip amount.

But I agree its a bit misleading.

JayhawkCO

Fair perspective, but I think it also greatly depends on what kind of restaurant you work at. If I worked at a place that had a seven or ten course tasting menu, it would completely change the way I pace my tables. Because Americans in general tend to do more of the "dinner and a movie" thing as opposed to having the meal be the entirety of the evening's entertainment, I generally cater the speed of my service to that demographic. Obviously a veteran server can tell those tables that are in no rush and would in fact be put off for anything resembling a rush, and can customize the service accordingly. I would say 90% of tables at my restaurant are not looking to be there for more than two hours if they have a choice in the matter. Providing quick and efficient service is generally what my guests prefer and I do my best to offer it to them.

Concerning the "pre-bussing" (as it's known in the industry) of plates throughout the meal, I do my best to never make a special trip just to clear plates. I use some kind of segue (either checking on the meal or refilling a water) to eliminate interruptions to the best of my ability. It's not like I'm going to reach across the table to grab a Sweet N Low wrapper while someone is trying to reach a million dollar deal with a client. That said, even if I do clear plates at some point, I'm always going to do it completely silently to cause as little commotion as I can. Asking "are you still enjoying your plate" is as idiotic of a question as saying "Here's another Coke" when you set down a refill. Neither statement is required. If you're a smart server, you don't need to ask if someone is finished because you've either a) noticed the silverware in the "done" position, or b) been keeping an eye on the table so keenly that you know they haven't taken a bite in over ten minutes.

"Ideally" might not have been the correct word for me to use. As I mentioned in another post, unless the diner has stacked up things on the plate clearly indicating that he/she doesn't want it in front of him/her at that point, I will leave it be until the other diner has finished as well. Feeling rushed is as much of a server's oral/body language matter as it is actual steps of service. Slowing the pace of speech, walking quickly when away from the table but slowing movement when at the table are all ways to let my tables know that I am there for their convenience -- not the other way around. In the industry we call it "duck on a pond". On top everything is slow and serene, but underneath the water the legs are flapping about wildly.

Chris

exbayern

So, back to service, type of restaurant, and tipping.

Question for you (or others) regarding tipping at buffets or limited service places:

What is the norm for a tip at a buffet in America, whether low end or high end? Working buffets was actually something which required a lot of attention as it was important to remove the plate as soon as a diner stood up to return to the buffet. It may not have required as much physical work ie carrying loaded plates, but required a lot of care and attention. Yet often it is perceived as the 'easiest' type of service. And often in European restaurants which have a buffet breakfast I am brought a hard boiled egg which has to be specially ordered, cooked, and brought from the kitchen, so there is service involved beyond serving myself.

The other scenario is a limited service place. Take for example a chain of conveyor belt sushi restaurants popular in Hawaii. I think that I 'over-tipped' recently because the extent of the service was filling a water glass, bringing a pot of tea, and tallying plates. Payment was at the counter at the exit.

So, what would be the 'acceptable' percentage of tip in these types of restaurants in America?

I said earlier that I was enjoying the discussion with Chris and some others about 'service'. But since you are concerned about your budget, and didn't seem to understand variances in tipping, I suggested that you read the thread about that specific topic, in an effort to be helpful. Apologies for trying to assist.

kebosabi

This is why I like restaurants in Japan.

They offer great service that puts most waiters and waitresses in the US and Europe to shame and they don't ask for tip; instead they even consider tipping as an insult. ^

Why can't the US be more like this?

exbayern

That was part of my tipping dilemma the other day. I was in a Japanese restaurant, with Japanese staff, and it wasn't considered 'full service' but it was in the US so I was really confused as to what to tip. If the restaurant had been in Japan no issue. If had been a full service restaurant in America, no issue.

But I am curious to hear advice on what to tip in future there.

deniah

95% probably theyre paid at american rates (i.e. below minimum wage) , so you would need to tip the difference

kebosabi

Sadly, US "rules" apply when you're in the US no matter what the restaurant.

Conversely, Japan "rules" of no tipping apply in Japan, even if you're at a Denny's or Anna Millers in Japan.

exbayern

But what percentage? See my question about buffets and not quite full service restaurants above.

Do you still tip 18-20% in this case?

This was a conveyor belt sushi/hot item place and the only service was water glasses and tea brought once. I tipped more than 20% by the way. But what is the recommended norm in America for this?

kebosabi

You paid too much. 10-15% would've been fine.



As for calculating tax, just download a Tip calculator app onto your iPhone or Android device. I pretty much just enter the tab, set the tip rate, round off to the nearest dollar and I'm out of there.

JayhawkCO

Alas, I don't remember the last time I ate at a buffet, so I can't comment specifically on the norm in the US. I'd say dropping your normal percentage by 5% is probably good. (So for most people, 10-15% tip)

Chris

sylvia hennesy

15% tip for a self-service buffet? are you out of your mind?!

kipper

I generally tip at least 20% unless the service is lousy, but at buffets where server only delivers drinks, removes a few plates, and delivers the check, it's usually about $1/person.

exbayern

Not used to tipping in that format in the US, and the last one wasn't a buffet.

But the total was also low - $10 per person. So 15% is $1,50 which isn't much more than kipper's suggestion.

JerryFF

If you want a system where people tip little or nothing, restaurants will have to pay their staff more than $2-3/hour. The restaurants would then have to raise their prices to compensate for the higher wages.

Your total cost would be the same. The "capitalist incentive" that is so engrained in American society would be removed from servers and their performance, and until the US develops a different ethic, wherein people do their best even if they are not working for a tip, things will not change.