Do you tip based on service or on experience?

Question

So I had this couple come in and sit in my section.  I greeted them immediately, offered them martinis suggested some entrees, their food came out quickly, I checked on them within two minutes (they said everything was OK), refilled their water whenever it was half empty, checked on them twice more, offered dessert, and boxed their leftovers for them.  After they paid, the lady said her sandwich was tasteless (she ordered a turkey avocado melt - no cheese, no tomatoes, no mayo, turkey plain grilled instead of marinated).  They had already paid, and they had ample time to make any complaints, so there was pretty much nothing I could do except apologize.  I asked if they wanted to speak with a manager, but they declined.  They left me a two dollar tip on a sixty dollar tab.

We leave a comment card at every table, and I've had people say things like "Waitress was really sweet and attentive but food took too long to come out" - they left me zero tip.  When I go out, I tip based on service, not on the food/restaurant.  If the food takes a long time because the server forgot to put my order in and then doesn't apologize for it, that's one thing... but if I get good service I don't take it out on the waiter for things beyond his control.  However some of my friends say, Why should they tip well if the experience as a whole wasn't good?  That makes sense too, I'm just wondering what they common consensus is.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I have an answer for you and then a comment.

My answer is yes people should tip on the whole experience. 

My comment is that its a shame that somehow the restaurant owners compensation is not linked somehow to a tip and that the consumer is forced to pay his employees compensation for him. 

Your question illuminates what is a better question to ask. Why on earth do we continue to habitually engage in this foolish, unfair practice without question everywhere all over the world?

In every other job I know of, if someone consistently falls short on their occupational expectations you FIRE them! But you don't make the customer who had the bad experience pay them, you make the employer who is responsible for running the business do it!

ExternalLongevity · Answer

Unless it's really bad, you should tip something. Slow food maybe constitutes a lower tip, but not zero. 

Wait staff gets so little pay that they need these tips. If they put a good effort, they should get a minimum 5-10%, even if things out of their control happen(providing they apologize for the problem and do their best to deal with it). If everything is good, 15% is the starting point. 

Not tipping at all is a total cheap out. Some people look for ANY excuse not to tip. This has nothing to do with the validity, it just means they are cheap.

racquel · Answer

I agree with you. Recently my wife and I ate out at a buffet restaurant and no one ever came to see if we needed anything so when left i did not leave a tip. If leaving a tip is the right thing for me to do then giving good service is the right thing for them to do. I would have told her "you're not working for nothing, you receive a salary". Tips are extra for good service.

Anonymous · Answer

now that i work as a barmaid i tip based on service but previously i tipped on the overall experience.

I think on the whole it varies from person to person and mood to mood.

Jenny K · Answer

i base on the service, definitely! i'm a waitress too, and deal with this issue all the time! people are dinning impaired!

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Do you tip based on service or on experience?

5 Answers