Not Another Tipping Thread - Default Tip Amounts at Restaurants

[VagabondMD]

Since COVID, we have been ordering more carryout and tipping as if we were dining at the restaurant (18-25%). We want the restaurants and their staff to survive and are doing our part. Some restaurant have started to add an automatic 18% or 20%, and I am okay with it. Post-pandemic, we will all be reevaluating dining out and how we pay for restaurant service.

[Panscan]

Will def tip less after $15 min wage takes effect, also of course the prices are going to increase everywhere bc of this.

[Shant]

At some high end restaurants, waiters "pay" for the spot. Now the wine bit is very competitive even more so. Master is the top of the line!

I have never heard of this before. Tell me more about how it works?

[Tim]

I have never heard of this before. Tell me more about how it works?

Chef controls the kitchen an owns the restaurant. maitre d controls the dining room and staff. The waiters have to take care of the maitre d and support staff, share the wealth so to speak. If you think the bartender is going to give you top notch service or at least equal based on a low hourly wage, you are mistaken.
My brother did side gigs in the summer in college. Always targeted high end for obvious reasons. Was asked for a front end payment, but declined. Tips are not 100% yours. Some will actually pool tips and each gets a share. Teamwork is orchestrated and paid for out of the tip.

[fatlittlepig]

Since COVID, we have been ordering more carryout and tipping as if we were dining at the restaurant (18-25%). We want the restaurants and their staff to survive and are doing our part. Some restaurant have started to add an automatic 18% or 20%, and I am okay with it. Post-pandemic, we will all be reevaluating dining out and how we pay for restaurant service.

I’ll be honest I don’t tip for carry out. I otherwise tip well.

[StateOfMyHead]

I consider myself a good tipper 25% plus depending on circumstances. It never occurred to me to base it on pre-tax amount. I've been tipping restaurants for curbside carryout 20% during the pandemic. I find it very irritating that almost every place now has the option to add a tip or a tip jar on counter even at places that are order and carry out only but I tip a few bucks just so I don't like like a total cheap skate.

[nephron]

Minimum wages don't apply to restaurant workers. I used to be a busboy in high school many years ago making 2.50 per hour with the rest being supplemented by tips. I think that that the waiters were at 3 dollars per hour. That was over 20 years ago. There is a rule that after tips, you must make more then minimum wage, but there is a different minimal salary wage for restaurant workers. The servers will always be able to keep all of their tips, irrespective of what their underlying wage is, that's another rule. The restaurant can't just confiscate it to pay the wages of kitchen staff. That makes me think that tipping for carry out is every more pointless, I don't know who is getting to keep the full amount. Probably the cashier? I used to always make a line in the tip section so no one could add in a tip when I was doing carry out. I would probably tip for car side service, but if I'm getting out of my car, going to the cashier, and waiting for someone to hand me the food, I don't know who the tip is going to other then the cashier/receptionist who should be getting paid a market salary without tips.

[CordMcNally]

Minimum wages don't apply to restaurant workers.

There is a rule that after tips, you must make more then minimum wage, but there is a different minimal salary wage for restaurant workers.

Those two statements can’t really coexist with each other. The first statement is incorrect and the second statement is closer to correct. All tipped employees must end up making the minimum wage under their jurisdiction. It used to be that most tipped employees were at $2.13/hour and then got to minimum wage either through tips or their employer but minimum wage certainly applies to them.

[STATscans]

First, I think the tipping is getting out of hand. Just about everyone these day has a ‘tip jar’. Some places that aren’t supposed to get tips now have a screen with ‘tip’ already to be clicked. It puts you as the consumer to ‘not tip’.

I would rather pay a little more for food rather than having to tip someone. Increase the price of the food and pay the waiters more. But of course that’s not going to happen. So I usually tip at the least 15%. But 20% if over all service was good. At a recent ski trip, I actually felt bad for the lodge as most of the wait staff didn’t have customers. I gave each of them $20 totally about $160. Not a big deal for me, but for them probably meant more.

[Lordosis]

Now that I think about it places that were all or mostly take out last year did not have tipping so in your face as they do now. But I guess if other places are able to collect tips for takeout why not the prior take out places?

So who is tipping at fast food? Is there really a difference?

[Larry Ragman]

During the government imposed shutdown and capacity reductions I am tipping 30% for meal service indoors. I do 20% for curbside. I guess I’ll reevaluate when restaurants back to normal and when/if servers go to $15/hour.

[sir_throckmorton]

I have tipped for curbside service at local restaurants during the pandemic, but if I am going in to pick up my food, why exactly should I be tipping? Who is the tip going to? The cashier/bartender/hostess? The cooks? I always thought part of the value of pickup versus delivery was saving on the delivery and gratuity, since I am the one doing the chore. Idk maybe I'm cheap.

[MPMD]

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-100000-as-a-waiter-in-nyc-2016-6

It’s certainly not the norm but I wouldn’t call it unusual at the high end places in large cities.

if there were good data available i would go to the mat with you on this but i doubt there are.

i am going to guess that 6 figures for a waiter is vanishingly rare and probably happens more on a fluctuating basis to individuals with some luck involved.

was poking around at info on chicago's 3 star spot, nothing to suggest waiters are making $100k and lots to suggest they work 65 hours/week.

if this happens i bet it is more at established steakhouses that cater to biz groups that order tons of booze.

[CordMcNally]

if this happens i bet it is more at established steakhouses that cater to biz groups that order tons of booze.

Which I think we can all agree that those are the best places...as long as I'm not the one paying.

[Larry Ragman]

I have tipped for curbside service at local restaurants during the pandemic, but if I am going in to pick up my food, why exactly should I be tipping? Who is the tip going to? The cashier/bartender/hostess? The cooks? I always thought part of the value of pickup versus delivery was saving on the delivery and gratuity, since I am the one doing the chore. Idk maybe I'm cheap.

Not sure where you draw your line. I don’t generally tip if I have to go to the counter. I do if a server brings the order to the car. I am mostly tipping to keep the servers afloat since they are prevented from doing their jobs and have reduced opportunities to earn income at typical rates through no fault of their own. I don’t fuss too much about how the tips are split. Most restaurants have a tip sharing plan, but I am ok if the money just goes to the server.