🚀 go-pugleaf

Tipping is an interesting phenomenon. It seems that nobody likes it
but I have yet to hear of an acceptable alternative.

Not that anyone wants my opinion but I feel that a 0-10-15-20% tipping
scale is pretty cheap. I use a 0-20-up scale. I won't tip if I get bad
service (and I will usually try to speak to the waiter, and the manager
if the waiter is not responsive, about the problem). I tip 20% for
"average/good" service, this covers a broad range. I will tip
significantly over that for exceptional service. I have tipped in
excess of 100% rarely and 50% is not unusual. 

I know many wait people and I have noticed that they do not equate low
tips with "bad service" but that they do equate no tip with "something
wrong." They generally feel that "low" is anything under 20%. Of course
there are many exceptions but this seems to be a common theme among
the wait staff I have conversed with on the subject.

It is important to distinguish poor service (by the waiter) from poor
performance by the restaurant. If your food is cold and service is slow 
it is not necessarily the waiter's fault. 
 
I have never waited tables myself although I worked in a restaurant as
a delivery/utility person many many years ago and I dine out an average
of three times a week.

I would be interested in other's opinions about tipping.
-- 
Glen Foster <foster@css.gov>