Is 18% Tip Presumptuous?

Well, everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion on this issue, I'm certainly not arguing that they aren't; but their assertion that this is somehow something new is entirely incorrect.


also- Mark Head, you seem like a stand up guy, and I never took offense at your comments, I just am trying to illustrate that this policy is rather common.

Well, everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion on this issue, I'm certainly not arguing that they aren't; but their assertion that this is somehow something new is entirely incorrect.


also- Mark Head, you seem like a stand up guy, and I never took offense at your comments, I just am trying to illustrate that this policy is rather common.

Point taken.

I'm with several of the other posters: I don't remember ever seeing this for less than a party of 8. Obviously I've missed something per Jeremy's remarks, but I too would have been very surprised (and a litlle put off).

Deb

The strange thing, for me, is the shock over this policy, as I can attest that it really has been a standard for a very long time!

Jeremy I find it shocking but I must also state I rarely eat anywhere that it costs more than 25-30 bucks for my girlfriend and I to eat together. Not out of trying to do so but that just seems to be the price range we "luck" into. The places you listed setting the party limit at 6 seem to run just a little higher than that. That may have something to do with it.

Also I am glad to have it cleared up that is is on the menu, I have no issue with a business doing this so long as you are notified.

I've never worked anywhere it wasn't explicitly stated on the menu.

Jeremy.. do you start to get the idea.. people are agreeing on this presumptiousness just to flame the thread... Like you, I cannot count on one hand any restaurants that dont add gratuity to parties of six or more.. in fact i would love to see them mentioned.

Bottem line some folks just agree that this is a bit of a "tacky" practice. I apologize if that seems ridiculous...

Almost every restaurant I dine in has the 18% gratuity is added to parties of six or more clearly printed on the menu. I am sure it's a practice that has been adopted for a reason. I would wager that for everyone that tips the 20% or more, there are even more that do 15% or less. I mean, really, why WOULD a place adopt that rule if it wasn't grounded in necessity of some type. I applaud restaurant owners for wanting to protect their servers.

... I applaud restaurant owners for wanting to protect their servers.

Then why don't restaurant owners pay a better wage and quit making the server depend on the generosity of their clients?

I've read through this thread with great interest. I try very hard to tip between 20-25% as a normal tip. When the service is outstanding, I try to do more. I do, however, find it ludicrous that we - the dining public - are the ones that have the responsibility of giving a living wage to our server. I have never understood this principle.

As our economy goes further south, dining out is going to become a luxury for a lot of people. How long will it be before the gratuity is included in the check, regardless of the size of the party?

That would work too, but if that were they case then they would just work that extra cost into the price of your food, so either way, it's still the same on the consumer.

OK, we've gone this far talking about tips so I'll add my other peave about tipping. It's the fact that the standard tip has crept up from 15% to 18% or 20%. I'm not sure how that's justified since the cost of meals has gone up faster than inflation. If the standard tip remained at 15% like it always has been the income of the wait staff would be increasing just as fast or faster than most of the people they're serving. With the increase in percentage added to the increased dining cost their income is increasing much faster than inflation so I'm not sure what they're complaining about. As stated elsewhere many of them have much higher income level than any other positions in the restaurant industry.

I've always believed in giving a tip based on the level of service with service at a normal level receiving 15% in those exceeding expectations receiving more. It seems like many in the profession are beginning to expect more than they deserve a regular basis. Also since a mandatory tip is taxable and 18% tip actually becomes 20% when the tip is added and that extra money doesn't go to anything associated with the food industry.

I'm not trying to offend anyone who is a waiter or waitress but only trying to tell them the thoughts of their customers.

For what it's worth I had lunch today at Olive Garden (shut up!) and they add an 18% tip for parties of 8 or more.

My opinion is that it is just the way things are. Service staff are no less deserving of a decent living than those they are serving, and the better they survive, the longer they remain at one establishment, and the more fortunate we all are for an experienced, educated, and positive dining experience. And the auto-grat is ALWAYS calculated before tax is applied. Technology does not allow the alternative. AND I'm definately with Jeremy on the majority rule... I challenge anyone to question the number of local restaurants I've worked at and my self asserted authority over the subject. Not proud of my job hopping past, but I know what I'm talking about. 6 or more auto grat is extremely common and always declared.

You callin' me a job hopper? 2 places closed, one was only for lunch and one was just a bad fit (only stayed a week)...all my other jobs I have been at 2+ years!