[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Another tip thread... stiffing (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 12/4/2013 5:50:54 PM EDT
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Ok... stiffing the waitress. Get it out of your system.
Not something I do often, but I'm not afraid to do it if the service is shit. Maybe twice in the past 5 years. I remember the last time - went to a small Italian chain restaurant. Not great, but OK for those moments when your normal dinner plans get interrupted. I order lasagna, it comes out still cold in the middle. By the time the waitress stops by I've eaten most of it and I'm about done anyway. I figure they will discount my food, I'll pay full price for my wife's meal, leave a 15% tip and go on with life. Everyone has a bad day, right? Cashier: How was everything? Me: Not that great, my food was cold. Hers (my wife's meal) was fine but mine sucked. Cashier: Did you tell the waitress? Me: She didn't give me much of a chance... Cashier: Oh, well sorry. That will be (the full amount) I left no tip. I gave no fucks. I never went back and the place went out of business. Big surprise... I've gotten into conversations about tipping with people and some people seem to take major offense to stiffing, and feel the waiter/waitress is owed something even if they drop a steamer on your plate while you're eating. Poll to follow. |
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A tip is communication about your level of appreciation for the service received.
20-30% for excellent service. A larger tip amount where you frequent more often will often get you noticed and remembered. 15% for average 5% for bad 0% and a note on the receipt for terrible along with a word to management. I always tip for service - not for quality of food. If the food is really good, I make sure to tell my waiter/busser, and ask them to pass the compliment along to the cook/chef/manager. Most places also have feedback slips at the front. Get the name of people who are serving you, or the name of a good cook. Fill out the form mentioning the staff you liked or didnt like by name and reasoning in detail. Decent management pays attention to them. |
Always tip. Bad service gets .01 which I did 3 weeks ago. I saw her once. I had to go to the bar to get shit.  Educated the kid sitting at the table the proper way to show disdain was to leave a penny. That way the waitress can't claim you're cheap and left nothing.
I also made a point to tip the bartender well to further drive it home. 
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Walking out with no tip and nothing discussed with wait staff/manager is BS. If the food has such a HUGE problem - then you should discuss it with wait staff the instant you detect it. Don't see your waiter? Get up and ask for the manager. Problem with the wait staff? Take it up with the manager. Walking out after eating your full meal saying nothing is simply passive-agressive behavior. |
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Walking out with no tip and nothing discussed with wait staff/manager is BS. If the food has such a HUGE problem - then you should discuss it with wait staff the instant you detect it. Don't see your waiter? Get up and ask for the manager. Problem with the wait staff? Take it up with the manager. Walking out after eating your full meal saying nothing is simply passive-agressive behavior.
Or the manager needs to do their job and supervise their waitstaff. It's not my job to correct them nor tattle on them. The problem I had the other day was I never saw my waiter again until the tab came... way later. I saw her at other tables but never near mine. The couple at my table had food and drinks as well and needed stuff. It was crap service so she received a tip in kind. Nothing more need be done on my part. I had my beer vis-Ã -vis the bartender. |
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Never zero. Sometimes $.01 as a sign you didn't forget. If it's really bad, specifically find them and give them your tip. Here you go, you earned it --> Drop Penny in hand. ETA: Yes, you should find the manager, but in my experience, when it's really bad, you can't find them, either. |
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Quoted: Or the manager needs to do their job and supervise their waitstaff. It's not my job to correct them nor tattle on them. The problem I had the other day was I never saw my waiter again until the tab came... way later. I saw her at other tables but never near mine. The couple at my table had food and drinks as well and needed stuff. It was crap service so she received a tip in kind. Nothing more need be done on my part. I had my beer vis-Ã -vis the bartender. Quoted: Quoted: Walking out with no tip and nothing discussed with wait staff/manager is BS. If the food has such a HUGE problem - then you should discuss it with wait staff the instant you detect it. Don't see your waiter? Get up and ask for the manager. Problem with the wait staff? Take it up with the manager. Walking out after eating your full meal saying nothing is simply passive-agressive behavior. Or the manager needs to do their job and supervise their waitstaff. It's not my job to correct them nor tattle on them. The problem I had the other day was I never saw my waiter again until the tab came... way later. I saw her at other tables but never near mine. The couple at my table had food and drinks as well and needed stuff. It was crap service so she received a tip in kind. Nothing more need be done on my part. I had my beer vis-Ã -vis the bartender. So your philosophy is that you will eat anything (cold, overdone, something missing, over or under-seasoned), won't ask for something (salt etc) and won't attempt to get a service issue corrected early - you would just prefer to let the problem exist and eat the problem food and suck-up problem service. Thats your right of course - but I'm there to EAT a meal and I'm not going to sit there passively and eat problem food when I can get it fixed with a 15 second conversation. I'm going to end up eating it - why in heaven's name would I just sit at my table like a schlub and not ask for it to be corrected? I admit that I don't eat fast food - so maybe I'm not inculcated with the "Whatever they serve - I'll eat it" mindset. "Tattle"? Is that your mindset? Because that is a big part of your problem right there. You know all you have to do is quietly approach the wait staff or manager and mention that there is an issue with your meal. It doesn't take making it a big deal. Its your FOOD. Just let them make it right. Its not correcting them - its correcting the food you are going to eat. It amazes me that people here will go postal if there is the tiniest blemish on their new upper receiver - but they will eat food in any condition. |
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The last one I stiffed was as a "high end" (for the area) steak house. I ordered my steak medium rare and what I received was completely burnt.
I showed the waitress by tapping on it with a fork- it sounded like tapping on a wood table and telling her this is not medium rare. She said they grill the steaks and that is how they come, so I told her it is no longer a steak and is now a charcoal briquet that is not edible. She said she was sorry and walked away. I sat there while my family ate and I didn't get anything but a baked potato that night. No offer to make it right. No offer to remove it from the bill when she collected the plate with the complete briquet still intact. I even mentioned when she picked it up that I was disappointed that I didn't get dinner that night and she said nothing... and I was polite about it- which was my mistake. She got no tip. |
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So your philosophy is that you will eat anything (cold, overdone, something missing, over or under-seasoned), won't ask for something (salt etc) and won't attempt to get a service issue corrected early - you would just prefer to let the problem exist and eat the problem food and suck-up problem service. Quoted:
So your philosophy is that you will eat anything (cold, overdone, something missing, over or under-seasoned), won't ask for something (salt etc) and won't attempt to get a service issue corrected early - you would just prefer to let the problem exist and eat the problem food and suck-up problem service. No, I will refuse the food and walk out. If a manager is brought over to try to resolve, I will express my displeasure and leave. I've had both happen. I never, ever stay to get it "corrected" with added semen or pubes or some shit. Quoted:
Thats your right of course - but I'm there to EAT a meal and I'm not going to sit there passively and eat problem food when I can get it fixed with a 15 second conversation. I'm going to end up eating it - why in heaven's name would I just sit at my table like a schlub and not ask for it to be corrected? If something is wrong with food, I do not eat it. I never said anything about problem food. We're talking problem SERVICE. I've left for taking too long, it coming out cold, or lack of service. All of which, a MANAGER should be aware of. This is NOT a food issue, that's something entirely different. I think that's where we're not understanding here, I tip SOLELY on service, never on food. If the food is bad, I refuse it and leave (perhaps with a word, perhaps not.) If service is bad, I tip accordingly and leave. |
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The last one I stiffed was as a "high end" (for the area) steak house. I ordered my steak medium rare and what I received was completely burnt. I showed the waitress by tapping on it with a fork- it sounded like tapping on a wood table and telling her this is not medium rare. She said they grill the steaks and that is how they come, so I told her it is no longer a steak and is now a charcoal briquet that is not edible. She said she was sorry and walked away. I sat there while my family ate and I didn't get anything but a baked potato that night. No offer to make it right. No offer to remove it from the bill when she collected the plate with the complete briquet still intact. I even mentioned when she picked it up that I was disappointed that I didn't get dinner that night and she said nothing... and I was polite about it- which was my mistake. She got no tip. I received completely uncooked fish once. Clear through and through except for a tiny tinge on the top like it was graced by a heat lamp. I immediately showed the waitress. She tried to rectify the food or offer something else. I refused any substitute as I NEVER send food back. I just sat hungry and waited for my party to finish. They all offered portions of their food but I refused as it isn't right to take from them. Oh to top it off, they totally forgot my dish in the beginning which is probably why they threw it on a plate after a few seconds on a burner. In any case, I did not pay so she did not receive a tip from me. Nothing against her but I received neither service nor food so no compensation was needed. The rest of the party paid and tipped as was proper. She never brought a manager or offered. She never offered anything other than another dish. Oh well, not my problem. The market sorts itself out. 
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Agreed. If it's bad enough to merit leaving no tip, it's worth mentioning to mgmt Quoted:
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Allowable for shitty service. Make sure you explain why to their manager. Agreed. If it's bad enough to merit leaving no tip, it's worth mentioning to mgmt This. |
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Stiffing is OK if the service sucks. In the example from the OP, if the server had dealt with the cold food in a timely fashion that would have generated a tip. I try not to penalize my server for the actions of the kitchen. Overcooked steak? Not the servers fault. Can't get a refill on my beverage? 100% on the server. A server does need to check on their tables shortly after the food is delivered. When I waited tables, I tried not to ask if the food was good - I assumed the food was good. I'd ask if there was anything I could do for the table or something along those lines. If there's a problem, most folks will let you know right away. |
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Quoted: Never zero. Sometimes $.01 as a sign you didn't forget. Once we finally ordered, we didn't see him again until he brought us a bill. In that restaurant kitchen guys brought your food out, I tipped that kid a few bucks as he brought the food, as I had already decided it was unlikely the waiter was getting anything. |
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I stiffed once in the past two years and she deserved it.
If you're sitting at a table and shooting the shit with your friends and when you finally do get your ass up to serve the food and it's cold and nasty and you never refill the coffee.......yeah, you aren't going to get one thin dime. To Insure Promptness.....................fail on that and you won't get a gratuity. And I won't sit in your section if I go there again. |
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Quoted: Stiffing is OK if the service sucks. In the example from the OP, if the server had dealt with the cold food in a timely fashion that would have generated a tip. I try not to penalize my server for the actions of the kitchen. Overcooked steak? Not the servers fault. Can't get a refill on my beverage? 100% on the server. A server does need to check on their tables shortly after the food is delivered. When I waited tables, I tried not to ask if the food was good - I assumed the food was good. I'd ask if there was anything I could do for the table or something along those lines. If there's a problem, most folks will let you know right away. |
| If the service sucks and the waiter/waitress doesn't seem to care, then I will leave just enough so they know they sucked badly. Stiffing in this situation is also permissible, but doesn't get the point across as well. If, however, they are truly busy as hell and trying hard to make it right, I can easily forgive shitty service and leave a nice tip. |
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Tipping.
When the person on the other end of the phone tells you it will be 40 minutes for your pizza (joint is no more than a 1/2 mile away), but it gets there in 13 minutes end-to-end and will burn the skin off the roof of your mouth cooked just perfect- well, you're doing it right. They do remember. |
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Yep. lol Some people here amaze me. Quoted:
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So you ate the meal and then complained when it came time to pay the bill? Yep. lol Some people here amaze me. Did you miss the part where I was not given the opportunity to voice my displeasure at any other point? |
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Food served incorrectly from the kitchen becomes the servers fault. If I order my steak rare and it comes out well done it's her fault. You can test steak with the touch of a fork. Plus they know how you order it. If it isn't how I gave my order and they serve it to me it's their fault. Quoted:
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Stiffing is OK if the service sucks. In the example from the OP, if the server had dealt with the cold food in a timely fashion that would have generated a tip. I try not to penalize my server for the actions of the kitchen. Overcooked steak? Not the servers fault. Can't get a refill on my beverage? 100% on the server. A server does need to check on their tables shortly after the food is delivered. When I waited tables, I tried not to ask if the food was good - I assumed the food was good. I'd ask if there was anything I could do for the table or something along those lines. If there's a problem, most folks will let you know right away. The server is responsible for the final presentation to the table. That said, if he or she did not catch it and served it and the food is unacceptable, I would never send food back nor would I return. The server's penalty is lost tip and the restaurant's penalty is lost revenue and ingredients and wage. |
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Did you miss the part where I was not given the opportunity to voice my displeasure at any other point? Quoted:
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So you ate the meal and then complained when it came time to pay the bill? Yep. lol Some people here amaze me. Did you miss the part where I was not given the opportunity to voice my displeasure at any other point? So they put you in cuffs, gagged you, and stuck you in the walk in freezer after you got your food? |
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So they put you in cuffs, gagged you, and stuck you in the walk in freezer after you got your food? Quoted:
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So you ate the meal and then complained when it came time to pay the bill? Yep. lol Some people here amaze me. Did you miss the part where I was not given the opportunity to voice my displeasure at any other point? So they put you in cuffs, gagged you, and stuck you in the walk in freezer after you got your food? Perhaps you're OK with going to find your waiter on a smoke break, but otherwise what the fuck is the point? If I can't get shit fixed because nobody can be bothered to even meander by me = restaurant fail If the only way to get shit fixed is to hunt someone down = restaurant fail If the restaurant staff can't be bothered to make sure my food is right, why should I bother to tip them? |
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Quoted: <snip> I think that's where we're not understanding here, I tip SOLELY on service, never on food. If the food is bad, I refuse it and leave (perhaps with a word, perhaps not.) If service is bad, I tip accordingly and leave. Thats great - but that isn't what this thread is about. Its about eating a meal, saying nothing, paying for the meal and stiffing the wait staff. |
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Thats great - but that isn't what this thread is about. Its about eating a meal, saying nothing, paying for the meal and stiffing the wait staff. Quoted:
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<snip> I think that's where we're not understanding here, I tip SOLELY on service, never on food. If the food is bad, I refuse it and leave (perhaps with a word, perhaps not.) If service is bad, I tip accordingly and leave. Thats great - but that isn't what this thread is about. Its about eating a meal, saying nothing, paying for the meal and stiffing the wait staff. The example I gave in the OP was just that - an example. My question was more like "is it acceptable to stiff the waiter, and under what conditions if any" |
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Perhaps you're OK with going to find your waiter on a smoke break, but otherwise what the fuck is the point? If I can't get shit fixed because nobody can be bothered to even meander by me = restaurant fail If the only way to get shit fixed is to hunt someone down = restaurant fail If the restaurant staff can't be bothered to make sure my food is right, why should I bother to tip them? Quoted:
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So you ate the meal and then complained when it came time to pay the bill? Yep. lol Some people here amaze me. Did you miss the part where I was not given the opportunity to voice my displeasure at any other point? So they put you in cuffs, gagged you, and stuck you in the walk in freezer after you got your food? Perhaps you're OK with going to find your waiter on a smoke break, but otherwise what the fuck is the point? If I can't get shit fixed because nobody can be bothered to even meander by me = restaurant fail If the only way to get shit fixed is to hunt someone down = restaurant fail If the restaurant staff can't be bothered to make sure my food is right, why should I bother to tip them? YOU ATE THE FUCKING FOOD! |
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YOU ATE THE FUCKING FOOD! AND IT FUCKING SUCKED, I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR FUCKING POINT The shit service would have been made BETTER by NOT eating it, still NOT seeing a server, and STILL having to pay full price for it? It was a shitty place with shitty service. Eating or not eating makes fuck all of a difference other than how hungry you are when you walk out. I did NOT stiff the server because my food was shit. I stiffed the server because I received shit service. |
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I've done it a handful of times in the past few years.
Not the on the quality of the food, as that is generally the kitchen's fault. Come to think of it, every single time has been a delay in getting my bill. I have had several instances of eating my meal, everything being decent, requesting my bill, and then suddenly I can't find my waiter for 45 minutes or my repeated requests for the check are ignored. They had set themselves up for a solid 15-20% tip based on the meal, then completely blew it when it came time to bring me my tab. I just wanted to pay and get out of there, and they couldn't be bothered to bring me my check or even try to refill my drink while I'm sitting there at an empty table
So yes, if the situation warrants, I will tip nothing. I write ZERO on the tip line so they know I didn't forget. |
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Perhaps you're OK with going to find your waiter on a smoke break, but otherwise what the fuck is the point? If I can't get shit fixed because nobody can be bothered to even meander by me = restaurant fail If the only way to get shit fixed is to hunt someone down = restaurant fail If the restaurant staff can't be bothered to make sure my food is right, why should I bother to tip them? Quoted:
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So you ate the meal and then complained when it came time to pay the bill? Yep. lol Some people here amaze me. Did you miss the part where I was not given the opportunity to voice my displeasure at any other point? So they put you in cuffs, gagged you, and stuck you in the walk in freezer after you got your food? Perhaps you're OK with going to find your waiter on a smoke break, but otherwise what the fuck is the point? If I can't get shit fixed because nobody can be bothered to even meander by me = restaurant fail If the only way to get shit fixed is to hunt someone down = restaurant fail If the restaurant staff can't be bothered to make sure my food is right, why should I bother to tip them? You can simply yell 'waiter' instead of all this internal turmoil. |