Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Should I leave a tip when the waiter spills water all over me?

We had a mediocre meal at a fancy place in Kansas last night, and while seating us, the waiter managed to pour abut a quart of ice water all over the table. The run off soaked my clothes. Dinner was otherwise, acceptable. The waiter apologised once, and offered us a different table. Otherwise, there was no acknowledgement of the incident or an offer of a free drink or anything. The waiter did mess up our order, bringing us meals from another table (which we sent back...) before he finally got it right. The place was not busy. We were cold, wet, and uncomfortable throughout the meal. Should I have left a tip? If so, how much? (I did leave a tip, and I did not talk with the manager, although, in retrospect, I should have. We have eaten there before, and have had the same waiter before. I do not intend to go back.)

Update:

JD Rockefeller supposedly either left a dime or nothing as a tip. Now we are in the fifteen to twenty percent range. The tip doesn't seem to me to be the real issue. What should the policy be when accidents like this happen in classy resteraunts? This can't be the only time this or similar has happened? What should the customer expect?

21 Answers

Relevance
  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    It is always good to do good for others no matter what they have done to you. It's good that you left a tip, and it's okay that you didn't like the service and don't want to go back.

    The important thing is that you did the right thing anyway because you knew it was the right thing to do.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    No The waiter already got paid more than he should have because he got minimum wage. You should complain to the manager and not accept anything short of an assurance that the waiter will be fired. If the manager promises that he will be fired go back to to place in one week. If you see the same waiter still there go back and compalin some more. Remember the customer is always right. Maybe it is about time some businesses realize this. Plus please note. He is lucky to be getting a tip at all. You probably had to work very hard to be able to go out to dinner, Do you get a tip at your job probably the answer is no. Even if the service was good you should not feel ashamed to not leave a tip. Maybe you could not afford it or whatever the reason. Remember you paid the price on the menu. If the waiter does like not getting a tip give him a copy of the want ads there are millions of jobs listed there if he is not satisfied with being a waiter.

    But remember if you do feel tipping is necessary it is 10% before tax.

    I am sure you work hard for your money. Why give it to someone who already get paid to serve you. His salary is already included in the price you paid for your meal. If he/she does not like the job I repeat go find another one. A good policy would be to take the 10-15% tip you would ordinarily give the waiter and put it in the collection plate at Church or you always put it in your child or grandchild's college fund.

    Source(s): To the person below. He made at least $5.85 Fed min wage, In Calif. $8 Have no idea where you get $2.13.
  • back
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    once you're a waiter, you legally ought to record all your suggestion, and if the finished does not attain minimum salary, the eating place ought to pay as much as minimum salary, a minimum of (some have an settlement to pay greater, yet maximum do no longer). the clincher is, the eating place HAS TO pay you a minimum of a small quantity according to hour, so as that they might call you an worker. maximum eating places will pay the minimum required with the help of regulation, and tension the waiter to make something up in suggestion from the purchasers, in the different case be confronted with minimum salary. this suggests that, on proper of having to pay for an high priced meal (assuming that's a cafe we are conversing correct to right here), the client has tp pay the WAITER as nicely, in the different case they are seen merciless. rather, that's the employer itself that's greater merciless. think of those circumstances: a million. if the purchasers pay the waiter nicely adequate, then the enterprise does not ought to, and nevertheless made the money from the meal. 2. if the purchasers do no longer pay the waiter nicely adequate, the enterprise nevertheless in easy terms has to pay them the adaptation between the quantity of tip money according to hour, and the minimum salary promised with the help of the government, and that they nevertheless have the money from the meal, which offsets that! what's greater, if the waiter falls into state of affairs 2 too regularly, they are seen a "undesirable waiter" with the help of the enterprise, and are fired and replaced with the help of somebody else who's deperate adequate to artwork under such loopy policies. if issues have been equitable, the enterprise may well be required to pay a minimum of minimum salary to that is waiters, ON proper of suggestion, on the grounds that a tip ought to theoretically be seen as "greater" good? yet once you're according to paying the suggestion out in strengthen, the enterprise makes out like a bandit, no longer having to pay that plenty in any respect (that's, in some states, as low as $2.13). now who's the merciless one? i nevertheless circulate away a tip whilst the provider went previous expectancies, yet that's seldom the place i stay...

  • 1 decade ago

    I think it was good that you did leave a tip. You never know what could have been going on with the server he could have been really busy or just been having a bad day. I have friends that are servers so i know how they feel when they get stiffed, and some places the servers have to tip out a percentage of their sales to the bartenders and hosts so if you dont leave a tip the server is actualy having to pay for a percentage of your meal. EVERY time I go out to a resturant i will not leave a tip less than 18% and I all most always leave 20%. Those servers work their butt off all day to barely make it. So I think if you can't afford to leave at LEAST 18% despite the service you can't afford to go out to eat!

  • How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Tipping is never mandatory and left for great service. Granted servers only make around 3 dollars an hour and are under alot of stress only one apology was not enough and I would have talked to the manager if i was the server so i could comp your food.At least if you were cold and wet your meal could have been free.I would call the resturant and talk to the manager i am sure he would not want to loose a valued customer.

  • 1 decade ago

    Tipping (despite popular belief) is something you do when you want to reward a person for an exceptional, or at least average effort. I find that tipping in restaurants is often stupid. #1 why only waitstaff? they only get the order then bring it to you and fill your drink, maybe make you a salad. all the real work is done by a chef. #2 Why reward sub par effort? people get these jobs in the same respect as a salesman, if the sale man doesn't work hard for a sale, he/she doesn't get commission. #3 If your service is suspect why suspect just the wait staff? Most places of business share an attitude, i.e. if one is pissed at the boss all are. or if the waiter does a poor job why wouldn't the cook? I wouldn't have left a tip, not just to keep my money but to inspire better service for the next customer.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    No. Tipping is for GOOD service not just service. Plus if I was the waiter, I would have told the Manager what happened and offered to pay for dessert or drinks. Something as a way to "I'm sorry I messed up your evening out." He didn't. You acted more considerately than your waiter.

  • Kait
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    As a server, I find the way it was handled wrong. Although it was water and did not stain your clothes, they should have accommodated for it a little bit. I spilled root beer on a mans white suit- we offered to dry clean it and bought a few appetizers for them. Next time, I suggest talking to the manager and telling him you are frustrated. If the meal and service was okay, I'd say leave a tip- just not an exceptional one. We servers depend on those tips for rent.

  • 5 years ago

    Nowadays is much better knowing how to protect your self because you will never now in what condition you'll be. In the event that you previously take in factor a home defense than you need to know that you don't need to pay a whole lot or money and time for you to get at lessons because your best option in home safety is this system https://tr.im/Y3q5k , the Patriot Self Defense on line program.

    The Patriot Self Defense is really a unique point since that you do not require to invest months in education to perfect them. In addition, the fantastic video routines presented make it simple to learn everything and grasp the techniques in quite a brief time.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Leave him a tip depending on how he handled what he did. Iike if he ran over to get towels and helped you and went above and beyond leave a tip, even though he did spill it. I personally would have talked to the manager and just explain the situation to him... you never know. He may give you a gift card or something.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.