I have noticed this in UK and Amsterdam restaurants, where you are even less used to reviewing the bill for service charges. 12-15% included for a party of one has surprised me more than once. When anyone puts a service charge on my bill I NEVER add any. They often miss out as I am normally a nice tipper.

I generally tip well but when an auto tip is added, i don't add any additional tip.
I guess I need to check the bills more carefully..

Keep in mind, it is not up to the server's discretion whether or not we WANT to add the gratuity. It is blatant discrimination to choose whether or not you want to add a gratuity to a table. If I see some rich looking businessmen and don't add it, and then I see some elderly people, or people of a different race and I DO add the gratuity, that's discrimination. My restaurant has a policy of always adding the gratuity on 6 or more.

I've had more than one person tell me "Why did you put the gratuity on? You're missing out." And then I tell them, "well, it's restaurant policy, not up to me, and you can of course leave more if you'd like." And then they promptly leave without anything additional. That's almost more insulting than a bad tip. I think I'm gonna start a thread dispelling the common myths of the server. It'll cut down on my stress levels at work if I can reach the masses.

Chris

If you tip on the "pre tax" amount, does the server know this is what you did? Or do they just think you left a lower "gross total" tip percentage?

Similarly, I am unsure how to calculate the tip when you have a 'corkage fee' on your bill. You shouldn't have to tip on this fee...but do the servers know that you have tipped on the food only portion of the bill? Or do they think you just left them a smaller tip on the total of the check?

90% of people tip post-tax as far as I can tell. So, your server probably just thinks you're not quite as generous.

The way I look at corkage fees is thus: your server is doing all of the "service" of your wine; you're just not paying for the wine from the restaurant. So in my opinion, I would tip on the corkage fee plus some. Let's say for food etc., your bill is $100. The bottle you brought in might go for $70 on the restaurant's wine list. So, your bill would be $170. A 20% tip (in my post-tax world) would result in $34. Instead, you have a corkage fee of maybe $15. So your bill would be $115. I would think $25-30 would be appropriate. Again, this is assuming competent service. I'm the first one to advocate not tipping well if you don't receive a superior product. Keep in mind, servers "tip out" on the corkage fee too. So if you don't tip on that amount, the server is losing money on the fact that a) you didn't order wine from them thus keeping your total smaller, and b) they are tipping out on sales from which they didn't receive a gratuity.

I think the biggest misconception of the restaurant industry is that servers get paid by the restaurant. In all reality, we don't. In most states, we get $2.13 an hour from the restaurant. But, we tip out anywhere from 3% to 10% of our total sales, which is ALWAYS more than $2.13 an hour. We essentially pay to wait tables in a restaurant. Our "employment" at the restaurant is merely their willingness to have us "rent out space" in their building. So, if you don't tip, we actually lose money on whatever revenue wasn't tipped upon.

Chris

FWIW, corkage fees are around $25 in our area. Also, we personally do not buy $70 bottles of wine -- so that would never be on our bill ;)

Well, I'll hope if you're willing to pay a $25 corkage fee you're not bringing in Beringer White Zin, so good for you :D. I like my good wine too, unfortunately most of my biggest bottles have been tastes given to me by my customers. Ahh....my 1976 Chateau d'Yquem ^

Chris

Darn! My secret is out :p

As an aside, when I was working at Wild Ginger in Seattle (very nice restaurant), I had a table pay $45 in corkage for three bottles of Yellowtail Shiraz. I wanted to puke. For the $45 from the corkage and maybe $30 they spent on the bottles, I might have been able to get them something halfway decent.

Chris

Not my problem.I will continue to tip 15% pre tax ,then if the service has been above the norm add a little.I also do not tip the 15% total on an expensive bottle of wine.
That is what I was raised with,and that is what I practice.

Well, I'm guessing if you have any regular spots that you frequent, you probably don't often get service above the norm. If the servers there recognize you, they probably reward you reciprocally.

I was raised believing a medium well was the way to order a steak and that red wine was supposed to be ice cold. (Thanks Mom & Dad! :D) I've since been educated. Old dogs can learn new tricks.

Chris

I tend to over-tip (thanks Dad)... But when I see a gratuity added (unless I feel like I am being discriminated against) I usually add a few extra bucks. You can easily make someone happy with just a little bit that shows you noticed. On a $100 bill with a 18% included gratuity you can take that tip to 20% for only $2.00. I don't even notice its gone and someone else is most likely very appreciative.

That being said, please give me the name and contact information of the waiter from the OP's complaint. Once I am made Dictator for Life of this Country, we will have him disposed of. :D

Little OT, but let me chime in here....

South Beach and Miami are notorious for this. They add 18% on ALL bills. I HATE this!

I always tip 22-28%. BUT...when they add 18% for me and a work associate 2 things happen:

1-I feel wierd filling in only 10% or so on the EXTRA tip line!

2-The dragons who audit expense reports get wierd..asking WHY I tip so much. They are LAZY and dont figure out the % if its all in one, but with the extra they sometimes catch me..and question me.


So...for me...the server makes out LESS then when they DONT add 18%

Please service charge us! We're 20% tippers, so a service charge usually saves us a couple of bucks!

Actually I return to a place because a waiter/clerk/agent has done his main job IMO-he has made me want to return.
I am not out to be liked by those whom I pay to wait on me.
Again-if service is above average the server gets a little more.
I am also one who stiffs if the service is poor/rude
People who are not meant to be in the service buisness should not be encouraged.
And why should someone who orders something expensive-but takes the same amount of work as a lesser priced item be robbed at gunpoint?This whole percentage thing is just a guide-not a rule.