“10.) Rachael Ray: Promotes less than 20 percent tip on her show.”
Maybe I’m getting old, but I was raised to tip 15% and that’s what I still do. How much do these people want these days?
15%. Aye.
I think 17% is normal tip for good service now; 20% for excellent service.
A lot of the diners, where I live, generally have checks less than $10. My normal tip is always $3 for these small meals, no matter how the percentage adds up. And when I dine at a more expensive place, I’ll give the 15 percent for good service.
If you are celebrity you get extra attention which would normally deserve a bigger tip. The rest of us rift-raft
can get by on 15% in most places we can afford to go to.
I'd say 20% became the "new 15%" in metropolitan areas more than a decade ago; I'm not being rude, I'm just dating the change.
I live in a major metropolitan area. I don't have a set percentage. I look at a couple of things. 20-25% is my norm, leaning to 25%. If the service is worse - service, not the food - I leave less. If I get particularly good service, I'll leave 30% or more - but only if I've asked whether tips are pooled. Being a server is not an easy job.
The second thing is I have a base. I rarely tip less than $3 or $4 is the service is good, even if it's on an $8 sandwich tab.
Mrs. Scoutmaster probably tips half of what I tip (on a good day). She's a perfect example of what the server's stereotype regarding female diners (I can't say if the stereotype is true, and I'll keep silent about my experience when the tab is picked up by female business colleagues). She'll try to calculate 15% and then she'll round it down to the nearest dollar.
I’m even older and 10% was a very healthy tip in the 60s and 70s
Funny how the “accepted” percentage went up as the cost of meals and services ALSO went up, giving the tippee a nice little double-dip increase WITHOUT any perceptible improvement of service.
What really frosts my bumpkus, though, are these freakin’ “tip jars” for counter service.
As much as they think they can "shame" you into giving.
I recognize a job well done, and tip accordingly. Sometimes much more than 20%. I recognize a job done badly, and also tip accordingly.
My dear waiter or waitress: If you're wondering why I gave you a very small tip, look in the mirror. Your lousy service was the reason.