"Service Included" Restaurants...Tip?
 

I have a relatively simple question that will sound foolish to experienced diners: in an upscale restaurant with a prix fixe tasting menu that states "Service Included" on the menu, what do you do when you meal is over? Sign your check and leave? Does anyone leave an additional gratuity, or does the waitstaff not count on receiving tips above and beyond the included amount?

Being an American (where there are tip jars at McDonald's) and being raised by my mother to never leave less than 15% for table service no matter how bad the service is, I would just feel a little awkward being waited on by 5-6 staff for 3+ hours and just signing the check.

Thanks in advance.

No tip required, no guilt necessary. End of Story.

When we're abroad (France, Italy), at a restaurant that states "service included" (most, if not all, of them) we have come to understand that "service" is basically the waiter's salary and that GRATUITY is NOT included. However, 5% additional is considered a nice "tip". Leave it in cash as there is most likely no where to add it to the chit.

What do you do about tipping on wine? Is that built in? At French Laundry, we asked the maitre d' and he said that it was taken care of, but I thought they calculated it only as a proportion of the food.

That was my hunch, but I wanted to make sure. I think part of my confusion came from reading reviews of the French Laundry that say "meal came to XXX after tax and tip". If I end up dining in one of the best restaurants in the world the last thing I want to do is make an ... of myself.

I read an article a few months ago (NY Times?) about service-included restaurants, which focused on a place in San Diego. They mentioned that the staff will literally refuse any extra tips that are offered above the service charge. If people offer to add an 'extra' tip on to, the staff says they can't accept the money for themselves, but would be happy to take the money and donate it to charity. The article said the majority of these offers are refused (by people who were perfectly willing to give the money away to the waitperson)! A very interesting look into the psychology of tipping.

In response to your query, if a US-based restaurant says service is included, I'd have zero qualms about leaving no extra tip.

Please, let's not start another round of tipping obligations, because that's exactly what we're going to get if people show a willingness to tip on top "service included."

As for France, please look around at what the locals do. They rarely leave anything.