Tip snuck into bill

If anyone has an argument other than "you've got an ugly tone" I'll respond. I think everything I've written is the truth and sometimes the truth is pretty rude.

You've got an ugly tone.

But that's okay, because I can have the same, especially when the truth is on my side.

Now that we've established that, let's have a drum roll...

I haven't tipped less than 20% since I was 18 years old unless I've had a word with the restaurant manager and the server explaining why I'm doing it. To do otherwise is to be a jerk.

While I agree that tipping low without explaining yourself is rude, I'd place the low end of the spectrum around 18%, which I believe is the standard rule of thumb.

In fact, most places that have an auto-gratuity for large parties place the number at 18%. Does that mean that someone who receives mediocre service but understands that the server worked hard and left it at the 18% is a jerk? Does that make the "decent managers" who set the level at 18% jerks by association, or does it simply mean that they encourage people to be jerks? I'll let you ruminate on that one for a while.

2. Large parties almost always undertip. (How many times have you been with a large party and everyone pitches in for their meal but somehow there's not enough money to pay for the food, much less the tip?) Somehow with large groups $20 on $400 seems reasonable to certain people. My post was aimed at those people. Stay home.

I agree that undertipping in a large party is especially rude. So is telling people to "stay home." However by your own admission you're post is boorish, so I'll leave that alone and move on.

3. Almost all restaurants with decent managers add an automatic gratuity to large parties for the above reason.

Perhaps they're not as decent as you suspected if by your own criteria they're encouraging people to be jerks.

If you didn't know this already, what are you doing frequenting a restaurant forum?

What about people who don't dine out in groups often? What about people who don't have many friends, or even no friends, and our forced to eat alone. Perhaps they came to this forum in the hopes of finding more people who share their love of food, to dine with them, and to finally feel like they belong to a group. There could be someone lurking in the forum right now (where rude people should stay I might add) who wanted to join in on the discussion but was driven off by your brash and insensitive comment. I for one won't stand for you imposing your own capricious and antagonistic criteria for who does and does not belong on this forum. I sincerely hope that you're ashamed of yourself.

Perhaps noone has griped about tipping in this particular thread but there are a number of you regular posters that whine about tips.

Prove it. I went back to March, and I couldn't find anything backing up your argument except for a bit of discussion concerning an allegedly rude server at a local sushi restaurant. I would've gone further, but I just don't have the time right now.

For someone who supposedly speaks the truth even when its rude, your claim to accuracy seems to be slipping. Which leaves only rude.

My post was was to you.

Who again? That's right, you don't have anyone...

I stand by what I said, if you're not willing to pay for service stay at home and do it yourself or go to McDonald's where they don't expect tips.

You seem to enjoy giving harsh mandates to imaginary people.

Don't be a Scrooge and don't be a self-centered baby.

Still not sure about who the former might be, but judging by the amount of self-important whining coming from your post, I've got a pretty good idea about the latter.

Instead I'll just say, "Do unto others."

Perhaps that's something you should consider before you post...

I only posted in this thread because in the past the defense of tipping servers and staff has been so pathetic from other members.

Really?

I don't have a problem with the automatic tip added to a bill, even for a party of one.

Why servers are protected on large groups is an unfortunate fact. If given the opportunity, most decide that an appropraite percentage is more than the server deserves for serving the table. It seems to me that guests who would leave more than the added percentage are taking the policy personally; at the servers expense. Policies that cover all are never fair to all.

A big part of me thinks restaurants ought to just pay a decent wage and let prices level out where they will.

I'm not bothered by a restaurant adding service charges. Addressing the management when service has not been been to their satisfaction, in any size party, is a responsibility of the customer.

I'm not sure about Annemarie's tipping history, but my tipping history is higher than most.

I do consider myself a good tipper, but would like to be enlightened on the plight of servers.

What we're talking about here is punishing a low-wage worker for something that may be completely unrelated to the performance of his or her duties.

I'm lazy...20% is easy to calculate...and that's a good starting point for good service.

I use the "rule of 5": round up to the next $5 and divide by 5 to calculate the tip. It is easy to compute and works out to about 20%.

And, to beat a dead horse, I, as most posters here, don't mind the automatic gratuity. I just mind NOT BEING TOLD ABOUT IT WHEN THE BILL IS PRESENTED.

Add in everything Matthew D has ever posted.

So really? What was so pathetic about that?

Real foodies tip lavishly. Wannabes gripe about it.

And trolls grouse about illusory griping.

Perhaps I should have heeded the signs...



Even when the forum is dedicated to food.

I'll check this thread again in a few days

See you then!

Oh sorry. I guess I should add one last thing:

If that's rude, well that's fine by me.

I like this story.

Copy of the Bill of Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich from Nelly’s in New York ($47,000)...

http://www.beersteak.com/breaking-news/bill-russian-billionaire-roman-abramovich-nellys-new-york-47000/

Am I alone in thinking this is absolutely obscene? With all the poverty in the world, children dying for want of clean water and a few grains of rice. Then some fat Russian bastard spends $47,000 on one meal. It makes me sick.

Chelsea Football Club sucks too!!!

I don't have a problem with the automatic tip added to a bill, even for a party of one. I do have a problem when these policies are not mentioned prominently (don't bury it in the fine print where even a Philadelphia lawyer would have trouble finding it) or even mentioned at all. Only if full disclosure takes place can I make an informed decision about whether I chose to do business with you or not.
'Winger

I just returned from Freeport and every place adds the 15% tip. There are signs posted everywhere explaining the tipping policy. We had excellent service every place we visited and often left more than the added tip. It was nice to not have to worry about figuring the tip; we rounded up to the next dollar and moved to the next food stop. The only issue I have with an auto-tip is if you receive poor service. I have never ask for a manager; it is just not my style. I would rather be able to voice my displeasure with a smaller tip.

[quote="JustinHammondThe only issue I have with an auto-tip is if you receive poor service. I have never ask for a manager; it is just not my style. I would rather be able to voice my displeasure with a smaller tip.[/quote]

One might argue though that leaving a small tip might just make the server think you're cheap, while talking to either he/she or the manager ensures that the point gets across.

I don't know if anyone here watches "Curb Your Enthusiasm," with Larry David (creator of Seinfeld), but he had a segment about the added gratuities on this week's episode.

He didn't like it. So he didn't tip any more "in protest." He argued that it makes him do too much math, which kind of makes sense for some folks. I mean you figure out how much to tip, using your normal formula, and you can do it fine. Then, suddenly, they're pulling out 18%, so you need to do some subtraction. It was all pretty funny (as his show always is). Later in the episode, he left a $500 tip.

[Robin Garr]

I think everything I've written is the truth and sometimes the truth is pretty rude. I only posted in this thread because in the past the defense of tipping servers and staff has been so pathetic from other members. Real foodies tip lavishly. Wannabes gripe about it. If that's rude, well that's fine by me.

Alan, let me put this simply: We have very few rules in this forum, but one is that we be civil.

I do not like your tone here, and I run this forum. You've posted three times. I'd love to see you learn our culture and stay with us as an obviously informed food lover. But I will tell you right now that this kind of argumentation stops here. I don't want to turn your forum membership off, but please don't test me on this.

PS: You old-timers know this. It takes two to fight. Please don't throw gasoline on the fire.

Am I alone in thinking this is absolutely obscene?

No.

PS: You old-timers know this. It takes two to fight. Please don't throw gasoline on the fire.

I know that was for me, and you have my apologies.

I've been feeling particularly cantankerous lately, and I guess its been bleeding over. I'll keep it under wraps.

By the way, at least in my circles of friends, when I'm out with a larger party, the tip ends up being quite generous. Because we're not calculating exactly, we round up to the nearest round number. I think we also don't want to look cheap. The servers benefit greatly from our mentality, getting maybe twice as much as if we had pulled out calculators.

Cheers....

PS: You old-timers know this. It takes two to fight. Please don't throw gasoline on the fire.

........................Ohhhhhhhhhh alright.

Just my luck you'd cancel the bout 10 minutes after I called my man in Vegas and put big bucks on Paulie to K/O in 4 rounds.

PS: You old-timers know this. It takes two to fight. Please don't throw gasoline on the fire.

I know that was for me, and you have my apologies.

I've been feeling particularly cantankerous lately, and I guess its been bleeding over. I'll keep it under wraps.

Paul !!!....You've got exams next week Mister...Now crack those books ! if you don't bring those grades up this time, we're gonna ground you...Think about it, you wouldn't want to spend next Friday alone in your room would you ?

Paul !!!....You've got exams next week Mister...Now crack those books !

Indeed I do! I'm actually on Hot Bytes quite a bit the week before a test, because I'm alway in front a computer listening to lectures and reading outlines.

Think about it, you wouldn't want to spend next Friday alone in your room would you ?

No, sir I wouldn't!

[quote="JustinHammondThe only issue I have with an auto-tip is if you receive poor service. I have never ask for a manager; it is just not my style. I would rather be able to voice my displeasure with a smaller tip.

One might argue though that leaving a small tip might just make the server think you're cheap, while talking to either he/she or the manager ensures that the point gets across.[/quote]

All true. I just hate complaining. Maybe the server is having a bad night or bad hour. I don't want to rat to their boss about them doing a poor job.

But I will tell you right now that this kind of argumentation stops here. I don't want to turn your forum membership off, but please don't test me on this.

PS: You old-timers know this. It takes two to fight. Please don't throw gasoline on the fire.

Crap. And here I just returned from the local Thorntons and am standing here with my fuel can in my hand . . .

(and I was going to t y p e r e a l l y s l o w , s o h e c o u l d u n d e r s t a n d b e t t e r)