serpens

That happened to me earlier this year, at two different Hilton hotels. As with MellieAZ, it was inconsistent, maybe twice in six days.

I would prefer putting the tip on the credit card rather than leave cash, and of course this is only possible if there is a bill.

AlwaysAisle

I am with you about a tip… In Europe usually a tip is for only extraordinary situations. In Japan no tip, especially elderly people in Japan may consider a tip as an insult. In the U.S. a tip on every single transaction. I think the establishments have to pay their workers accordingly, and customers should only need to pay the price which was given by the establishments, no more or less. But I do not stiff servers on a tip. I do not totally agree with the concept of a tip, but it is not a fault of servers that the system in the U.S. is like that.

Baze

I will add to the OP, what would you tip if you paid for the breakfast? It should be the same.

InkUnderNails

First, I would not buy the breakfast for $15. The reason I eat there is because it is free. I get three eggs, a small bowl of fruit, a slice of toast and coffee from the urn in the lobby. I might get a banana on the way out. That is a $5 breakfast, tops. My $2 is thus very generous.

JamesKidd

Yep - I find this quite annoying about US, and for the past 6-7 years I've made it a point NOT to tip at all. I've had rude comments, annoying looks, etc. but I don't care now.

I don't tip taxi drivers anymore, nor a barber, nor any hotel staff, doesn't matter if its a bar tender serving drinks or a server working at the breakfast bar.

Baze

Not saying you should pay for the breakfast, saying you should tip as if you are. it is the same service, you're just using a coupon to "pay" for the breakfast. I strike up conversations with the servers as I am usually at a hotel for 9 nights at a time. Most HGI servers hate the coupons because they give the same service to people with coupons as they do to people who pay and most people with coupons don't leave any tip. I think that is wrong. I tip based on if I was going to actually pay for the breakfast and servers have thanked me very much for it. The HGI breakfasts are usually 13-15$. As it is not a full serve restaurant I tip $2. If it is a suburban HGI where the breakfast is a lot more I adjust accordingly.

And you don't tip based on what you think a meal is worth, you tip on what they would charge. And you can't even get what you say at Denny's for $5. So your tip of $2 is right on, not "very generous".

Eastbay1K

We are talking about prices in the USA, in US Dollars, right?

davie355

Most people with coupons wouldn't have paid to eat in the restaurant. So there was no tip to be made in the first place.

Broadly, servers should take up the issue with HGI. Make the coupons inclusive of tip. That's the way Hyatt and Marriott do it with breakfast coupons.

InkUnderNails

Yes. I can get three eggs toast and coffee all over the south for about $5. Maybe not at a hotel with a semi-captured audience, but I can get it many places. If something happens and I lose status at Hilton, I will eat breakfast elsewhere and pay about $5.

Eastbay1K

Whereupon the HGI waitstaff will rejoice, and it will be good.

Amen

InkUnderNails

Why will they rejoice that I would go elsewhere? Do you know something about me that I do not? I said I leave the $2 tip like many here have said. I do this without a lot of demands. I like the HGI and choose them when I can.

Baze

You are totally missing my point. But, you are probably one of the ones that doesn't leave a tip, based on your response.

Eastbay1K

My bad. Sorry. The non-tippers were all blurring together.

craz

My rule is simple if Im handed a menu or theres a menu hanging and the server takes my order and brings me the food, a tip will be left. If all they bring is juice and coffee then no tip, if I have to get my own food buffet style then Im fully capable of getting my own juice and coffee.

They wont let me get my own drinks since that way they hope folks will tip, well thats Ok with me then take my order and bring me my food a swell

Lately Ive seen tip jars at Hamptons.

Amelorn

I'll typically leave $2-3 depending on the service level at a particular HGI. $2 for a normal "Hi, welcome...any eggs? Sure!" service, $3 if the set-up includes them bringing tea/coffee.

The HGI set-up is a bit of a maelstrom of factors that discourages generosity. Bacon/sausage seems to have disappeared from the buffets, omelettes are made with carton egg product, and the fruit selection is very basic (ie just melon). The cherry on the top: breakfasts seem to be charged on par with your average Doubletree: $12-15 in my experience. At my last HGI stay, I asked for 2 poached eggs and some sausage. I got a single egg and two tiny links of breakfast sausage. As someone who runs/lifts in the morning before breakfast, that's...not going to inspire me to tip above my $2 minimum (because s/he doesn't deserve to be short on urban West Coast rent). To make a long story short, I am not a fan of the hybrid buffet/ordered-via-server set-up or the nominal price. Were I not a diamond, I wouldn't partake.