by David Swanson » Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:51 pm
Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I'd like some input from those in the know.
I've long held the belief that if you can't tip well you can't afford to eat out. My wife and I both regard 20% as the minimum tip, barring exceptional circumstances.
To keep this hypothetical, say we are dining at 611 Mongolia. The bill comes to $200, the 18% service charge (clearly printed in the menu and online) adds $36, and with 6% tax the bill that is delivered to our table is $250.16. High, but worth every penny. This meal was outstanding. We obviously don't dine here on a weekly basis.
I hand over the old charge card and the receipt comes back with a line saying Tip:____________
Now I am confused. Is a service charge a tip or not?
If I ran up a $250.16 bill at a place without a service charge and received the kind of service one gets at 611 Mongolia I'd probably round up to a clean $300, just because. But does the service charge go to the server or the restaurant? Would giving a 2% tip on top of a 18% service charge count as a 20% tip, or a 2% tip?
A middle-aged guy with a high school education shouldn't have to scratch his head at such complexities, but here I am. Any ideas?