How Would You Tip In This Situation? (1 Viewer)

[grandgnu]

Wife and I went to breakfast this weekend. We are seated promptly, but after 10-15 minutes the server hasn't shown up to take our drink orders. I go back to the front and notify the host who apologizes and goes to tell our server, then comes over himself to take the drink orders.

When our server shows up with the drinks and takes our orders, we then wait another 30+ minutes while we watch other customers who arrived well after we did being delivered their breakfast promptly by other wait staff.

When our food arrives it isn't even lukewarm, it's cold. Note that this server, from what I could see, was one of the least-seated staff working that morning, so she certainly wasn't overwhelmed with orders.

We have her bring our food back and wait for replacements. When those arrive I notice she's forgot the bacon and my wifes homefries have been microwaved while mine are nice and golden (hers are an ugly brown color)

She brings the bacon over and at the end when we're getting our check makes a joke that if our service was bad then her name is Deborah, and if our service was good her name is Susan.

Total bill was $23 (we had a $5 off coupon). Vote in the poll, how do you tip in this situation?

 

[stocky]

One thing I love about living in Australia. No tips.

 

[tommythecat]

The correct answer here is $.01. This is the most insulting thing you can do to a server. I have a lot of patience with servers and am willing to overlook certain minor things and have it not effect their tip. To have a server ignore me, be told about it, and then still get shitty service is absolutely unacceptable. I tip well when I go out, but fuck you if you can't do your job well and earn it.

 

[grandgnu]

One thing I love about living in Australia. No tips.

Yeah, but.........

 

[detroitdad]

Two bucks, leave a complaint when I leave and never return

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

Wife and I went to breakfast this weekend. We are seated promptly, but after 10-15 minutes the server hasn't shown up to take our drink orders. I go back to the front and notify the host who apologizes and goes to tell our server, then comes over himself to take the drink orders.

When our server shows up with the drinks and takes our orders, we then wait another 30+ minutes while we watch other customers who arrived well after we did being delivered their breakfast promptly by other wait staff.

When our food arrives it isn't even lukewarm, it's cold. Note that this server, from what I could see, was one of the least-seated staff working that morning, so she certainly wasn't overwhelmed with orders.

We have her bring our food back and wait for replacements. When those arrive I notice she's forgot the bacon and my wifes homefries have been microwaved while mine are nice and golden (hers are an ugly brown color)

She brings the bacon over and at the end when we're getting our check makes a joke that if our service was bad then her name is Deborah, and if our service was good her name is Susan.

Total bill was $23 (we had a $5 off coupon). Vote in the poll, how do you tip in this situation?

Why would I tip her more money? I already paid her $20 to give you the shittiest service you'll ever get at a restaurant.

 

[links_slayer]

What did you say to the manager?

 

[grandgnu]

What did you say to the manager?

Didn't speak with the manager, just the host to let them know we were still waiting. After we paid we just wanted to get out of there.

fwiw I left $2. I figured that was less than a 10% tip on the bill. Usually I'm in the 15-18% tip camp for good service.

 

[lnlver]

I would have given the bill to the host without paying and left.

 

[jbutler]

Total bill was $23 (we had a $5 off coupon).

$23 before or after the coupon? i would tip 20% of the cost before the coupon and speak with the manager before leaving to let him/her know that we wouldn't be returning due to the service. i'd rather let the manager determine whether it was the server's or the kitchen's fault than just stiff the server.

 

[grandgnu]

$23 before or after the coupon? i would tip 20% of the cost before the coupon and speak with the manager before leaving to let him/her know that we wouldn't be returning due to the service. i'd rather let the manager determine whether it was the server's or the kitchen's fault than just stiff the server.

$23 before coupon. The servers fault totally, she was slow and inattentive. I saw a waiter deliver meals to two tables that were seated well after us while our waitress was MIA. The host got a look on his face when I mentioned we hadn't seen our waitress yet for drink orders like he had dealt with her being like this before and he was frustrated by it.

 

[jbutler]

$23 before coupon. The servers fault totally, she was slow and inattentive. I saw a waiter deliver meals to two tables that were seated well after us while our waitress was MIA. The host got a look on his face when I mentioned we hadn't seen our waitress yet for drink orders like he had dealt with her being like this before and he was frustrated by it.

having waited tables, worked in the kitchen and worked front of house, i'm not as comfortable as you are allocating blame. even assuming the worst, we've all had bad days in our jobs.

i had a very similar experience to yours in a high end japanese restaurant about a month ago: inattentive waiter, food long-delayed, watching food come out for others who had arrived after us, one incorrect dish being served when it finally did arrive (which was an even bigger problem as the dish that came had meat and my wife is vegetarian, so it truly did spoil the meal), and the waiter being unapologetic after the whole affair. it seemed pretty clear that it was the server's fault, but i tipped 20% and spoke to the manager.

 

[grandgnu]

Next time I'll order an inquest

 

[manamongkids]

having waited tables, worked in the kitchen and worked front of house, i'm not as comfortable as you are allocating blame. even assuming the worst, we've all had bad days in our jobs.

i had a very similar experience to yours in a high end japanese restaurant about a month ago: inattentive waiter, food long-delayed, watching food come out for others who had arrived after us, one incorrect dish being served when it finally did arrive (which was an even bigger problem as the dish that came had meat and my wife is vegetarian, so it truly did spoil the meal), and the waiter being unapologetic after the whole affair. it seemed pretty clear that it was the server's fault, but i tipped 20% and spoke to the manager.

while we are in the tipping conversation.....

Jbutler, what are your opinions on missing items on the food/drink order because the waiter thinks they are good enough to remember the order in her/his head. Talk about tilt, whenever I order ANYTHING at a restaurant and the waiter/waitress doesnt write it down it infuriates me simply based on the amount of times that they didnt write something down and got it incorrect.

 

[grandgnu]

while we are in the tipping conversation.....

Jbutler, what are your opinions on missing items on the food/drink order because the waiter thinks they are good enough to remember the order in her/his head. Talk about tilt, whenever I order ANYTHING at a restaurant and the waiter/waitress doesnt write it down it infuriates me simply based on the amount of times that they didnt write something down and got it incorrect.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Not paying is simply wrong, but not tipping is acceptable. The whole concept on tipping is to supplement the server's pay (which is taxed whether they get the tip or not). IMO, that means I have a say in their employment/pay. A zero tip is my way of telling them to find another job (they will lose money in taxes if nobody tips them). A slammed server is never an excuse either. If you are waiting 200 tables, you are taking on more than you can handle - a bad business decision. If you are waiting 10 tables/hour poorly, you might make $10/hour - nice pay for doing a poor job.

However, I take her joke as an apology, and that goes a long way.

I leave her $1, and a note: Have a nice day Deborah.

 

[jbutler]

while we are in the tipping conversation.....

Jbutler, what are your opinions on missing items on the food/drink order because the waiter thinks they are good enough to remember the order in her/his head. Talk about tilt, whenever I order ANYTHING at a restaurant and the waiter/waitress doesnt write it down it infuriates me simply based on the amount of times that they didnt write something down and got it incorrect.

honestly it never really occurred to me to think much about it. we eat out a ton, but it's pretty rare that i encounter an incorrect order to be honest. i'm usually more concerned with promptness and friendliness of service.

 

[detroitdad]

honestly it never really occurred to me to think much about it. we eat out a ton, but it's pretty rare that i encounter an incorrect order to be honest. i'm usually more concerned with promptness and friendliness of service.

same here.

I might only give a 10% tip if it really sucked. I would speak to the manager and explain why. On great service I've left as much as a 40% tip. Since I speak to the manager with shitty service, I also speak to them with great service.

 

[Payback]

I'm calling the manager over before I make a decision to get some information about what is going on and to inform them about the poor service.
Otherwise 10% seems more than fair here.

 

[abby99]

I'm calling the manager over before I make a decision to get some information about what is going on and to inform them about the poor service.
Otherwise 10% seems more than fair here.

^^^^^ This. At least part of the problem occurred in the kitchen.

 

[MikesDad]

^^^^^ This. At least part of the problem occurred in the kitchen.

maybe... but others who came later were getting food first

 

[grandgnu]

maybe... but others who came later were getting food first

Yeah, I don't like to punish a waitress for a problem originating from the kitchen. But from what I saw while were there, it wasn't busy, the other two waitstaff had more customers to serve and were serving them larger meals than we were getting and doing it faster.

If you remove our waitress taking over 15 minutes to even come by to take our drink order from the equation I think you could argue a kitchen issue with the food more, but I'm confident this was an issue with the server and not the kitchen.

We even heard another waitress comment on my wifes waffle the first time that was sitting getting cold about how good it looked or smelled and how she wanted one, while our waitress did god knows what before bringing it to us cold.

 

[BiGGyT]

Posted:Aug 24 2015 01:44PM EDT

Updated:Aug 24 2015 02:02PM EDT

FOX 5 NY (NEW YORK) - A college student waiting tables for the summer at a restaurant on the Jersey Shore was left with no tip on a $112.03 bill, but was left with a message: 'LOL (laughing out loud) 1 hour for food.' The waitress posted a photo of the receipt and explained what happened on her Facebook page. The photo quickly went viral.
Joss Jones, 20, a student at Rutgers University was working at D'Jais Bar & Grill in Belmar on Aug. 17 when she was left the taunting note, reported The Asbury Park Press.

The paper printed Jones' post which was no longer available on Facebook:

"Last night, I was stunned by this receipt that was left for me by a party of eight people," Jones wrote. "I would have preferred a '$0' tip than a 'LOL' tip, but as a waitress, bad tips and harsh notes are all part of the job. Even though they did wait an hour to eat, they remained satisfied with filled drinks and proper notice that the kitchen was a bit busier than normal. I've worked in the service industry for five years and I take pride in providing great service to my customers."

Jones wrote that servers in New Jersey earn $2.50 an hour. For non-tipped workers in the Garden State, the minimum wage is $8.38.

"Most of my paychecks are less than pocket change because I have to pay taxes on the tips I make," she wrote. "I need tips to pay my bills. All waiters do. We spend an hour or more of our time befriending you, making you laugh, getting to know you, and making your dining experience the best it can be. We work hard, and we really do care."

Might be more cruel than the $.01, or nothing.

BiGGyT

 

[Shaggy]

The issue I see with leaving nothing is that the server might just think you are a bad tipper. She has no idea that you typically tip quite well. The best answer is $0.01. That clearly states, I did not forget to tip... your service was only worth a penny.

This is assuming you have come to the conclusion that it was the server's fault... not the kitchen.

 

[abby99]

At least part of the problem occurred in the kitchen.

maybe... but others who came later were getting food first

I'm not defending the waitress, but the nuked home fries are likely to be a kitchen problem, and the missing bacon could be a kitchen problem as well. Just sayin'.

Still, regardless of the reason for her poor service, it seems that she bears most of the blame and should be tipped accordingly. Management needs to know, preferably before you settle up while they can still do something to make it up to you (e.g., not charge for your meals).

 

[SixSpeedFury]

Bad service mandates bad tips. It's as simple as that.

 

[ssanel54]

Maybe the waitress was just having fun trying to fuck with some annoying breakfast customers who showed up with a $5 dollar off coupon. Maybe the comedic value to her was worth sacrificing the $4 tip.

 

[grandgnu]

Maybe the waitress was just having fun trying to fuck with some annoying breakfast customers who showed up with a $5 dollar off coupon. Maybe the comedic value to her was worth sacrificing the $4 tip.

Keep sucking off butler bro

 

[pltrgyst]

I'd have left without paying anything when the food arrived stone cold, telling the manager why on the way out.

 

[bergs]

I would've complained to the manager at the point at which I wasn't happy with the service and meal. I think I've done this twice, quietly and respectfully. Once we got our meal comped and a new server and we're a repeat customer now. The other time the manager was as rude as the server and as hapless as the kitchen. We left 15% and never went back. Place is closed now.

The restaurant business is fairly brutal. If it's a one time mistake and they have good management they'll do right by you if you escalate respectively. If it's not a one time mistake or it's not good management, go ahead and tip because you can't be 100% sure of where the problem(s) are...but don't be surprised if the place doesn't last that long.

Better question is this - do you leave a shitty yelp review?