Tipping at buffets
 

What kind of tip do you leave in the following situations:

- Nice, high-quality dinner buffet: attentive waiter provides drinks (including bar drinks), promptly removes dirty plates, and otherwise provides full-service with the exception of bringing the actual food.

- Average-quality lunch or dinner buffet (such as a casino buffet): waiter serves water, soda, and tea (no bar), maybe takes the plates away if he's feeling like it.

- Breakfast buffet (such as what you find at a mid-range hotel): waiter brings you juice, coffee, and water, and you don't interact with him/her again, except to pay the bill in some cases.

I tip the normal 15% of the meal+bar cost for a fine buffet with good service. At casinos or mid-range hotels, I leave about a buck per person.

Is 15% too high? Is a buck-a-head for juice or a Coke too low? I imagine that waiters/waitresses hate working buffets...I'm curious as to what other people do.

For the nice/high quality, I usually leave 15%, even if it's the fact that I'm getting my own food.

For the average-quality, then a dollar or two (which is often more than 15% anyways as most of these types of buffets don't cost more than ten dollars anyways).

And for the breakfast buffet, when I don't see anyone at any time other than when they see me leaving and they run with the bill (after I've waited for 10 minutes for the bill) I leave zero. Nothing for nothing.

I had heard a couple of years ago that about 10% grat was appropriate for a buffet with waiter service, to me that seems about right.

I was a waiter at a restaurant that had a buffet two nights a week. Even though tips per person during the buffet were less, I made more money in tips on buffet nights because I served a lot more customers! (it doesn't take that long to find you a seat and serve drinks).

10% for a buffet sounds good.

I too usually leave 15% if service has been good.

10% ($1 minimum) for standard service at a buffet.

-David




[This message has been edited by LIH Prem (edited 03-27-2001).]

Even with a buffet, excellent service warrants an above average tip: I have no problem tipping 15%.

Note: I have no problem tipping 20+% for top service at my favourite restaurants (JOV, Rodney's and Hiro in Toronto)...

Cheers,

Michael

Even with a buffet, excellent service warrants an above average tip: I have no problem tipping 15%.

Note: I have no problem tipping 20+% for top service at my favourite restaurants (JOV, Rodney's and Hiro in Toronto)...

Cheers,

Mykol

I tip at buffets just as I do in a regular restaurant, 15-25%. Why? Even though I am getting my own food, the wait person probably has to spend just as much or even more time at a "buffet table" clearing plates and serving items as most buffets prefer that guests get a clean plate for each trip. I don't eat all that much even at a buffet, but even with a trip for salad, a trip for dinner, a trip (maybe) for seconds of the best stuff and a trip for dessert, the waitperson or the bus person, with whom the waitperson shares tips will probably have made at least one additional trip to my table.

i agree with Spiff... buffet does not necessaily mean less work for the wait staff, sometimes it is more

so if everytime i get up to get food, come back and my dirty plates are gone, iced tea and water glasses always filled to the rim, i leave 15 to 20%....

You folks are more generous than I. I don't pay a full 15%-20% when there is no order taking and no food delivery. Busing I consider a standard task, just as I expect the floor to have been swept and the restrooms clean.

So paying a full tip for less than full service would be a disservice to professional waiters who do their job well.

Me, I leave a tip similar to what I'd give for wait-service at a table at a bar. Maybe a buck or two more.

Ronin, I'm with you. At buffet breakfast I would not tip. Tip? What for? I've done the work. All they do is clear lates and set tables which is part of the money that they make. Surely they do not live on tips alone?
I assure you when visiting Europe, it would not be expected. I have never seen anybody tip for a breakfast buffet.

Dinner is another issue and it is hard to quantify the what-ifs. Yes, I would tip and probably 15% at that. By the way, I always tip cash as that way it goes to the serivce provider and not divided up amongst the rest of the staff.

Actually, in the US most wait people make sub-minimum wage, often as little as $2.13 per hour. They depend on tips for their livelihood. In fact, if too many people stiff them, their employer must make up the difference to get them to minimum wage. Such a great standard of living for one who is serving others... In Europe, waitstaff are paid a living wage. Also, a service charge is added to bills in some countries in lieu of an expected tip.

As for tipping cash, the only difference it makes is how much the waitperson might have a record of for the IRS. Waitpeople seldom "hide" the tips they receive from their bus and bar staff. Most of the time, they actually exceed the "Suggested" percentage because bus people are also pitifully underpaid in the US. Something to think about the if you're feeling cavalier about tipping at the buffet in the US...


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"Sire, it is not a revolt. It is a Revolution!"

[This message has been edited by Spiff (edited 03-28-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Spiff (edited 03-28-2001).]

As a former waiter in my early education days, I too go with the 15-20% guide and a $1-2 minimum depending on service of course! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

An excellent argument for not tipping. It would put the onus to pay salary back on the employer, where it belongs.

Good services: 15%
Average services: 10-15%
Minimum services: $1-2

Actually, everybody not tipping will not put the onus on the employer since in North America, food service minimum wages are set by governments. What would happen is that waitstaff would wind up making less than they would on welfare, and most of them would quit.

Once we kiss professional waitstaff goodbye, the only people left will be students trying to make a little extra income to pay for school, and most people I suspect would then complain that restaurants don't hire professional waitstaff.

Most restaurants will not put prices up and pay their staff more than minimum wage, because customers would then complain that prices are too high.

That's a terrible argument for not tipping. Your gripe is with the whole concept of tipping - you shouldn't take it out on the poor person who serving you. Sorry if the concept of adding something extra to the quoted price offends you, but as islandcub stated, restaurants aren't going to raise quoted prices and adjust minimum wages. Either way, you'd still be paying more - why not just get over it and recognize that people performing a service who are paid substandard wages deserve a gratuity? You actually pay less (provided you do tip) by tipping because if the employers raised prices and paid a living wage, you'd have to pay additional tax on the now higher price of a meal.


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"Sire, it is not a revolt. It is a Revolution!"

[This message has been edited by Spiff (edited 03-28-2001).]

We all may be coming from different perspectives:

I think that many people on these boards are accustomed to different standards in terms of gratuities than many Americans.

What is commonplace in terms of gratuities among frequent travelers in large American cities is actually quite unusual elsewhere.

Sometimes I feel that the service at high-end, $100-per-plate restaurants in the US has been mediocre, and I feel strange in giving the 15% minimum that custom here dictates. (I will usually call the manager and suggest improvements the next day). Other times, I feel that the service at a moderate European restaurant has been superior, and I feel strange in giving the 10% maximum that custom there dictates. But both standards are customary in their home culture, and we travelers have the burden of learning and complying with these customs when we travel.

I've served many at many different places in the US and Canada- both buffet & entree servings in restaurants and banquets facilities. Though the buffet is a different service in that you don not deliver the food, people tend to drink alot more at the all-you-can eat varities meaning more trips to the table, and even more trips yet to clear the people who make "pigs" out of themselves http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Generally, service standards are more likely to be higher at a plate-service restaurant, but the work can infact be much harder at the buffet. I will tip in the 10-20% range for each type of service-depending on it. Hotels reflect equal tipping, as a banuet server, whether serving food, bussing buffets, or simply setting up coffee-breaks will all split the total 15% gratutity added on.

I've served many at many different places in the US and Canada- both buffet & entree servings in restaurants and banquets facilities. Though the buffet is a different service in that you don not deliver the food, people tend to drink alot more at the all-you-can eat varities meaning more trips to the table, and even more trips yet to clear the people who make "pigs" out of themselves http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Generally, service standards are more likely to be higher at a plate-service restaurant, but the work can infact be much harder at the buffet. I will tip in the 10-20% range for each type of service-depending on it. Hotels reflect equal tipping, as a banuet server, whether serving food, bussing buffets, or simply setting up coffee-breaks will all split the total 15% gratutity added on.

I've served many at many different places in the US and Canada- both buffet & entree servings in restaurants and banquets facilities. Though the buffet is a different service in that you don not deliver the food, people tend to drink alot more at the all-you-can eat varities meaning more trips to the table, and even more trips yet to clear the people who make "pigs" out of themselves http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Generally, service standards are more likely to be higher at a plate-service restaurant, but the work can infact be much harder at the buffet. I will tip in the 10-20% range for each type of service-depending on it. Hotels reflect equal tipping, as a banuet server, whether serving food, bussing buffets, or simply setting up coffee-breaks will all split the total 15% gratutity added on.

I am from Europe so: if the service is nice I probably round up to the nearest dollar. If the service is nothing special I pay no tip.


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Goldlust

I travel all over the world, Indian by birth European by citizenship and American by residence! I went to Ryans last week and the buffet was $ 5.95. I decided to follow thr recommendations of my fellow FTs One dollar each tip to
1. The guy who points to the queue
2. The first waiter who hands me a fork and spoon
3. The second waiter while in line who gives me a drink glass
4. The cashier
5. The waitress who suggests a table
6. The waitress who brings me the drink
7. The waitress who brings me butter and rolls
8. The waitress who refills the soup pot
9. Go inside the kitchen and tip every cook waiter and dish washer
10. Poor Manager He is so underpaid He deserves another tip
Forgot The meal was only 5 dollars!
What are we coming to. USA is a land of free enterprise. Waiters be poroud of your job. Demand proper wages. Insist on the european way where 10% is added to the bill and evenly distributed at the end. Learn from Singaporeans where tips are politely returned.
I am not mean but find it difficult to differentiate between tipping in USA and begging in third world countries: They earn less tan a dollar a day Tip them thro charities rathe than tip by custom to anybody.

I see this has turned into a very philosophical discussion http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif.

I don't regard the American way of rendering payment at a restaurant as superior or inferior to the European way. It's just different. Drbala, comparing an American waiter to a beggar (in any country) is nonsensical.

I must confess to overtipping in Europe. After a meal with top-quality service delivered by a professional waiter, I have a hard time leaving 10% or less, even though I know it's the custom to do so. So I err a little on the high side...

Also: From reading this board, I see a lot of reasons people tip/don't tip. Prices were too high, you think the waitress is over/underpaid, you hate the whole practice of tipping, etc. I must admit that I've never factored in any of these things when deciding how much to tip - just the results delivered to me. I don't care if it's a struggling college student or a professional waiter earning high-five-figures. If I get good service, I try to tip them well by whatever cultural standards are in play.

drbala, you are deliberately misinterpreting what people are saying here. Tipping custom in North America, as you well know, is that you tip the waiter or waitress based on the bill, not every staff person in the restaurant you see.

And if I'm mistaken and you do not know what tipping custom is here, you have no right to ridicule that same custom.

Get off your high horse and don't make up "facts" to support your logic. And if you can't manage that, don't eat in restaurants.

"...If I get good service, I try to tip them well by whatever cultural standards are in play..."

Absolutely! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif And if one does not want to tip, one can usually just not dine out, right? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I do not want to effectively "cheat" someone for providing me good service! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

Lets try to put ourselves in their position! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

FWIW, my son worked at a salad/soup buffet restaurant during his first year of college, and found that only 2-3 tables during dinner time would tip, usually $1-$2, for about $8 per person meals aside from drinks. Believe he said he once got $5 from a big table of 12.

Another comment regards a previous comment in the earlier post:

"Learn from Singaporeans where tips are politely returned."

I've been to Singapore many times, and do not tip in restaurants where a 10% service charge is on the bill, which is most of them. On the other hand, when I have tipped, it has never been declined by taxi drivers, bellmen, or restaurant staff. Still it is true that tips are not expected in Sinagpore.

I'm in for 15% average service, 20 - 25% for outstanding service. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I recently wandered through SIN with a companion who required wheelchair assistance to traverse the very long distances at Changi. Despite my knowledge of local customs, as an American it was very difficult for me not to offer a few dollars in recognition of the excellent services rendered. Three of the attendants readily accepted a gratuity, but one quite firmly turned it down. My conclusion was that those who readily accepted the tip did so probably as a result of prior exposure to visiting Americans.

In any case, I was happy to express my gratitude in this manner, be it accepted custom or not. In a restaurant, I would tend act in accordance of locally accepted norm.

By the way, when I have traveled with a companion who needed wheelchair assistance while transiting through US airports, my experiences have been somewhat different, if not stereotypical. Last year in DEN, the attendant (who showed up very late) thought it necessary to remind us no less than four times that she expected a substantial gratuity and even went so far to tell me precisely how much she expected, I dare say a lot more than I intended to give her. It brought to mind some episodes reported in the media (i.e. of uncertain veracity), in which elderly passengers had been "roughed up" and extorted for cash by wheelchair attendants before deigning to escort them up the jetway.

In our case, the attendant brought us to the gate and then quickly strode off - and it turned out to be the wrong gate, which is not a very good thing at UA's very long concourse at DEN. Ungracious and incompetent - what a combo.

Of course not. They prefer the deceptive and fraudulent practice of quoting one price while expecting a higher one to be paid.

I don't object to the whole concept of tipping. I object to the concept of almost-obligatory but not stated tipping.

I've been to restaurants all over the world in which tipping is not expected and full prices are listed in the menu. To return to this thread a little more closely, I've been to buffets in the USA which have stated that a 15% service charge would be added to the cost of the meal.

I have no problem with either of these situations. I only have a problem with amounts that are expected but not listed and with workers not being paid properly by their employer. If you saw a toaster in a shop for $20 and the checkout person expected an extra $3, would you pay it?

Certainly not; the checkout person is paid what is deemed a "decent" wage. The waitperson is paid less than minimum wage.



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"Sire, it is not a revolt. It is a Revolution!"

My rule in UK restaurants is 10% tip - although I do give upto 15% for excellent service.

But.... beware of UK restaurants who add a "service charge" to the bill. I have no problem in paying exactly what is stated on the bill since the tip has already been added. If you don't look for this you will end up double tipping.

Also, if I have had mediocre or poor service, I will dispute the addition of the service charge. Restaurants will remove it if requested because
a) the charge is not legally enforible in UK
b) restaurants do not like people complaining in loud voices.

Kremmen- I definitely support you on one of your points. I absolutely ABHOR restaurants that add in the tip without my consent, at least in the USA where this is NOT the custom. Unfortunately, this practice is becoming more common; especially at hotels where they know a lot of customers don't look too closely at the bill - then double tip - and add it to their room charges.

I had an 18% gratuity added to my bill for a friggin' BREAKFAST buffet at the IAD Marriott three weeks ago! Although the service we received was acceptable for a breakfast buffet (i.e., I got a glass of OJ and ice water), we asked the manager to remove the charge. We then tipped the waiter in cash.

Some of the guidelines offered are very good:
10% For Average Buffet, 15% for an Excellent Service

At our local Chinese resturaunt we generally tip $1 per person. This works out to a little more than 10%, but they treat us very well. It dawned on me that one of the reasons we are treated so warmly was that we do tip a decent amount. I am amazed at the numbers of large groups who only leave a $2 tip. The waitress has been kept very busy refilling glasses, clearing plates, etc. for a large group of people and she is given an insulting tip.

The resturaunts that add in my tip for me usually shortchange themselves. My standard is 20%, unless the service is terrible.

I once dined at the Palm in NY with some of my colleagues from the UK and Sweden who paid the bar bill sans gratuity. I only found out about this towards the end of our meal, which I guess partially explains why various staff persons glared at us the whole evening. Heretofore, I had believed that was just how waitstaff always behaved at the Palm. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

When the dinner check was finally presented, the section for gratuity was firmly circled, however they did not go so far as filling in the amount. They even included a special section for "Captain's tip". As if.

I am really glad to hear the feelings of all FTs. It is fascinating How "Customs" and nomenclature vary. In India "Tipping" means "facilitating" in Indonesia or "bribing" elsewhere. If tipping is NOT DEMANDED and service rendered is exemplary I have tipped anything between 20% to 50%. What somebody is paid is a very relative term and I still feel that US tipping customs are out of line with rest of the world.