Dr Phil and tipping

[canoehead]

Did anyone see the Dr Phil show on etiquette where they recommend tipping at least 20%? They had a sample table there and the waitress would have made $80 just from the tip at 20%. Even if you assume that it took 2h to complete the meal and that was her only table she was making twice as much as I do per hour. And no bedpans or life and death decisions.

I could go for a career change right about now. I have a firm rule that I don't tip so the server is making more than I do per hour. How much do you all tip when you go out?

And when will nurses be allowed to start accepting tips??

[bagladyrn, RN]

Rusty - unfortunately, to list your job as a waiter/waitress and not claim the expected average of tips would be a red flag to the IRS. (Stinks, doesn't it?).

Like most of us, I tend to tip on the generous side, and if I have been at the table for longer than the average time (sitting and talking over coffee, etc) I try to factor that in and maybe double the tip to make up for the next customer that didn't get seated in their section because of me.

One tip I've always wondered about is - what do you usually tip when you go to a self serve, buffet type restaurant and all the wait staff does is bring your drink, refills, and remove empty dishes from the table? Never been quite sure what percent is appropriate here.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Originally posted by RN,@yourCervix

This is really bad......A lady I used to work with told me her and her husband often go out to eat, but their way of leaving a tip was to place 10-12 $1 bills on the table at the beginning and he would tell the waiter or waitress, " This is your tip......You can have ALL of it....BUT if our drinks ever go below this level (pointing to the glass) I will remove a dollar.......If our food is bad, I'll remove a dollar......If you don't come back right away.....I'll remove a dollar" ...blah blah blah...

How lame.....In my mind.....I don't want to piss off the person(s) serving me.....You never know what they can do to the food before they bring out to you......!!

Typically people that are like this have never worked in food service ever in their life. If everyone had to do that for at least one week, i think they'd see it in a whole new light.

[Cynthiann]

Originally posted by LPN2Be2004

I agree, I tip according to good service, and typically I tip about 30-35% on excellent service. Had one incident a few years ago at Olive Garden when my server was one of thee in the whole restaurant and it was Christmas Eve and the place was beyond packed. I saw this guy running all over the place and being friendly to everyone, busing the tables as well and despite all of this chaos, he was STILL the best server I've ever encountered of all time. The bill was 45 dollars, he received 50 for a tip.

Now that WAS a lot, but I don't go out that often, but he showed a ton of professionalism and he definately earned it.

Wow! People like you are very rare, at least in my area. And not just because of the $50. Just the fact you tip 30-35%.

[Cynthiann]

Originally posted by bagladyrn

One tip I've always wondered about is - what do you usually tip when you go to a self serve, buffet type restaurant and all the wait staff does is bring your drink, refills, and remove empty dishes from the table? Never been quite sure what percent is appropriate here.

The norm for tips in the buffet style restaurants is usually $1-2. I usually tip $3.

[healingtouchRN]

I did work food service for 5 years before nursing school, & It was good training for nursing. Like when the buses pull up @ 15 til closing with 120 + hungry teens, you can't say "no" you drop more fries & put on alot more meat! I rarely got tips even though after cleaing up after a birthday party one wouldhave liked to... .....

I don't tip my stylist because he says he is a professional, & charges as such. He does however, honor me when I send him business, I get a discounted cut or color. He really takes care of his clients.

I think we should too. I think physicians, therapists should give us discounts for sending them clients, no co-pay or less of one, something!!!

As for tipping our waitress, my mom in law waited tables 40+ years to support her 7 kids. She said a $5 bill (rare) was used to put shoes on her little boy, or put a bike on layaway for her baby (that would be my hubby) so we tend to tip well. We also get to know our servers @ the places we frequent & they know us, really taking care of us. What a great thing!! We feel really special when we walk in & Renee or Carla gets happy to take care of us!

okay I am climbing down off this soap box now. anyone ready to use it?:chuckle

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Originally posted by Cynthiann

Wow! People like you are very rare, at least in my area. And not just because of the $50. Just the fact you tip 30-35%.

That was the only time i've ever tipped THAT high. Definately couldn't afford to do that on a regular basis. lol

Well it balances out because i don't go out that much (i'm a student, therefore i'm cash-impaired a lot).

The majority of the servers in my area are from the local university, so here they are balancing work and school at the same time. I've been there, still there actually, and if the service is great, then they get great in return. A mutual respect is all i ask for, since i am always nice to everyone.

[marci3335]

Originally posted by Rustyhammer

What I wanted to comment on was the comment that the IRS gets theirs.

Why would you work for tips and claim them? Are you insane?

We don't even pay tax at extablished businesses here. Example, buy some gravel, pay cash, no tax.

get your car repaired. cash= no tax on the bill

Don't claim your tips!

-Russell

Actually Rusty, many people don't have any choice in whether or not they choose to claim tips. Where I worked (and many many restaurants work this way now) everything was run by computers. I punched in my order in on a computer and it went back to the kitchen and to the management. There's no getting around your food sales when computers are involved. That's how they know how much to take out of your check.

[SmilingBluEyes]

yea that would be the problem, marci. big brother is WATCHING thru the puters.

[Agnus]

If I am not mistaken IRS assumes a 13% tip now days and you are very hard pressed to justify and proove to them that you did not get at least that amount.

Labor laws allow paying waite staff

Unfortunately the other rules that define an independent contactor under IRS rules prevent waite staff being defined this way.

In Europe (at least when I was there in the '80's) the service was included in the bill and you generally were not allowed to tip except for small change. So if you broke a bill to pay the tab nd got small change back (no bills) you could leave that. They called it "drink money" the idea was to buy the waiter or waitress a drink, though they usually did not actually buy a drink with it.

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Errrr!!! This thread has been a REAL education!!!

Australia is the same as Europe. We don't tip. Period.

IF the service is truly exceptional then you give a "gratuity" and it is exactly that, showing gratitude for someone going out of thier way to help you.

Waitresses are on minimum wage but you do have the oppportunity to work your way up and be manager. Many mangers of bars will earn a darn sight more than even a charge nurse!!!

I am trying to imagine what would happen here if the taxation department tried to introduce tax on tips that you may or may not be recieving. There would be a change of goverment so fast that there would be smoke rising from Canberra!!!

[renerian, BSN, RN]

I did this for four years. Backbreaking smile and grit your teeth work. I tip 25% and 30% to my hairdresser.

renerian

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Worked as a hairdresser for a year, on a commision basis. Cheapest tip i received was 30 cents from a 80 year old, who told me 'not to spend it all in one place' (can't blame her too much, she still thought that a pay phone was a dime, even after teh raise up to 50 cents). I've been working in healthcare for a total of 3 years. In my year as a hairdresser, I encountered more jerks than i have (so far) in healthcare. Actually had one lady say "you know i'm only doing this because i can". I later asked (after i'd quit) what lacked in her life so much that she set out to make others as miserable as her. She had no answer. Granted that wasn't very mature of me, but she'd treated everyone in the shop like they were dogcrap, and KNEW it. Plus after that supposedly her attitude was a 180 the next time she went to the salon.