Depending on the establishment, tips are handled in different ways. In some restaurants if there are a certain amount of people in your party, tip is automatically tacked on – which is why you should always read over your bill carefully or you’ll double tip! Some restaurants clearly state that tip is included with your dinner and some restaurants don’t care whether you tip or not.
I’m sorry but I’m going to be very black and white in saying that any place but a Chinese restaurant (asides from the high end ones) you should tip and tip at industry standards.
I have friends who wait tables and often complain about people not tipping at all after they’ve given such phenomenal service. A lot of servers get paid pretty poorly for the work they do and survive from their tips.
Now I know times are hard right now and maybe tipping is where you may be cutting back – and thats fine. Just as long as you do tip.
I think if you were treated fairly and have a decent meal you should tip 12-14%. If your server was super friendly, always came to check up on you and didn’t sound like they were reading off a script, definitely tip industry standard of 16+ %.
At Chinese restaurants (excluding the high end ones) tip 10% if you feel the need to tip. Although they don’t expect a tip, I don’t really like leaving without tipping because they work just as hard as any other restaurant – unless the service was absolute crap.
A lot of the times when I am not picking up the tab and I see that the people I’m with or the person paying has left no tip or less than 10%, I usually wait till they get up and pad the tip. YOU DONT WANT TO BE THIS PERSON! I am always so mortified when I see someone not tip or tip so little-I feel like I cant even come back to the restaurant because they probably think I’m just as bad!
However on the opposite side of the spectrum – I do NOT encourage you to leave a tip if there service is horrible. My husband has a habit of leaving a tip even when we’ve had the worst service and I absolutely do not agree. I believe tips are earned and if you’re not doing your job then you don’t deserve it.
Case in point: A certain sushi restaurant in Lansdowne mall tacks on tip no matter how many people are in your party – 16%! And the service is by far the shittiest service you can get anywhere. I was there with a couple of friends and when we were paying our bill we refused to pay the gratuity and the manager looked pretty mad but GRATUITY IS NOT MANDATORY!
I want to leave on a positive note, so I’d like to reiterate that however a server acts to their patrons should equal the amount of tips they should receive. So be kind, be mindful and don’t embarrass yourself or your date – tip!
