Re: General Discussion

2807
VT'er wrote:Hadn't heard of that one. Well you can count me among those who think the whole tipping arrangement in this county is a pile of crap. Pay the waitrons the minimum wage or more and stop expecting tips.
I did love this lady who freely threw political correctness and her fellow Asians under the bus:



The Asiana Noodle Shop is one restaurant where foreigners are likely to be hit with an 18 percent gratuity included on their bill .

Owner Sandy Kong told ABC News that she was tired of her waitresses getting bad tips.

'But some Canadians come in, they spend like $100 or $150 and they leave the wait staff maybe a $1 tip,' she said. 'It happens pretty often. I realize that the Canadians think it's discrimination, but on all the receipts it's printed out on bottom: "We suggest an 18 or 20 percent tip."'

Ms Kong, who was born in Hong Kong, said other foreigners are often lousy at leaving money for the wait staff.

'Asians do it also. But it seems that Canadians tip the worst,' she said.

Re: General Discussion

2815
My daughter waitresses at the Cheesecake Factory in the Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, IL.

My wife and I always tip 20%.

My daughter says tips of 20% are not all that common. Half of the time she receives 10% or less.

She's had customers come in and order a bowl of sliced lemons and a pitcher of iced water so they can make their own lemonade without paying for it

She had a couple come in on a very busy evening and were seated in the back of the restaurant. They ordered and ate their meal. When it came time to pay the bill, my daughter was asked to get the manager which she did. When the manager arrived at the table with my daughter, they claimed they were being discriminated against by being seated in the back of the restaurant. They got a free meal compliments of the manager and the Cheesecake Factory. My daughter was not tipped.

You should hear the stories she tells us.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: General Discussion

2818
joez wrote: She had a couple come in on a very busy evening and were seated in the back of the restaurant. They ordered and ate their meal. When it came time to pay the bill, my daughter was asked to get the manager which she did. When the manager arrived at the table with my daughter, they claimed they were being discriminated against by being seated in the back of the restaurant. They got a free meal compliments of the manager and the Cheesecake Factory. My daughter was not tipped.

You should hear the stories she tells us.
What do you want to bet that they do that at other places, too? That way they can eat for free.
How that justifies not tipping the waitress, I don't know. But they were obviously jerks.
Why didn't they ask for a different table BEFORE they sat down to eat?

Re: General Discussion

2820
My tip often depends upon the level and quality of work the server performed. I also factor the item prices, and any specials or coupons. I always make it a point to tip on "full price" if I am getting a Happy Hour food special or using a discount coupon. In that case I might go 15%, but if the total bill is only $20 or so, I might go 20%+ and often do. Pricier bills I count the target tip at 15% and ratchet up as the service has merited. I rarely ratchet down, but recall just a couple times when the service was horrible for no good reason that I might have left 12%.

If I sit down in a restaurant or bar and am not at least acknowledged in the first 3 to 4 minutes, the tip is rarely going to be above 15%, and that's if I decide to stay. Not acknowledging a customer's presence is a cardinal sin of service. All it takes is a simple, "I'll be with you in a minute" and I'm happy.