If you’ve ever worked for tips you’ve probably formulated your own, albeit unscientific, conclusions about what kinds of people are bad tippers. Women? Doctors? Wall Street Guys? Republicans? Democrats? Country Club Wasps? African Americans? Latinos? Rich people? Poor people? The young or elderly? Teachers? Canadians?
Tell me what you think! Let ‘er rip in the comments section! This is a non PC free fire zone. (And the usual disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the owner of this website!)
I’m sure there’ll be something here to offend everybody.
The worst were Canadians. I started to explain American tipping systems to them when they were seated in my section. The absolute best were the retired Jewish folks that lived in the area (South Beach). They were demanding as far as service requirements, but they were the absolute best tippers I have ever served. They were also the best in letting management know they had received good service.
In canada the worst tippers are chinese and east indians. They do not tip at all in pizza delivery some make give u the nickel back. I heard they do not tip at ALL>
Whites are the biggest tippers and most canadian born people. Some whites are very cheap such as scottish people, dutch people etc so they I dont think would tip either. British whites also are very cheap. French are great tippers but demand great service.
I waited tables for years and in waiter speak Canadiens is code for Blacks, think I’m lying? Ask any waiter on a personal level
The new term for “Canadians” is “Irish” since the majority of the “Canadians” caught on to them being called “Canadians”.
As the old saying goes “Everyone’s Irish on St. Paddy’s day” In America we love to extend holidays. In my restaurant it’s St. Paddy’s day year round and the effin Irish are always in town.
And hordes of dumb rich Americans and tightfisted Canadians swamp Ireland with their Trust fund offspring on St Patrick’s day, forever seeking discounts! How’s that for a sweeping stereotype?Black and Indian migrants hate spending money too.
While hordes of rich, leprechaun seeking Americans and tightfisted Canadians swamp Ireland with their Trust fund offspring on St Patrick’s day, forever seeking discounts. How’s that, to rival your rude stereotype?
Haha yes Canadians referred to in waiter speak to as Blacks , sorry who are the worst , cheapest tippers everywhere, along with Canadians, and Latinos. This is not based on racism but 20 years experience in the service industry. Jews are the most arrogant and demanding but tip well if you bend over backwards for there every demand and make feel like there the only diners in a busy restaurant.
The cheapest are Indians I don’t care what anyone else has to say. They will plea and bargain with you to the point where its Fucking annoying. But try to rent a room from them and they will nickel and dime where ever they can. America please stop outsourcing jobs to these fucks.
110% agree!!!!
Not all indians just HINDU INDIANS
100 agree with you!!!!
I agree totally agree, and I’m Black. Black people and Indian people I think they should be ranked 1 and 1A with just an eyelash between them. Next would be Chinese, Mexican/Rican, Amish or Menanite, younger people (young adults) especially younger women who think they’re cute and followed by any Eupoeans visiting the states.
I find it funny when Indians don’t tip.they can ask a million questions as well or ask for special order vegetarian dish.
But Indian taxi drivers expect a tip. While they’re on their Bluetooth headset the whole ride
there is a reason why they do arranged marriages it’s about saving early and not paying 4 dates
Indians.. Indians never ever ever in their lifetime tip! I work for a rideshare In Las Vegas, my car is super clean, and some of them will be leaving my car smelling like camel, takes hours to go away specially after i pick them out from a masala restaurant sorry but not sorry! Every time the name is Indian requesting a ride i ither cancel or ignored. Im not hating on the race and not generalizing but most of my co-workers will agreed with me.
Indian the worst
My parents were from India and my Dad was always an excellent tipper, at least if the service was good. We lived in New York City, I saw him always leave at least a 20% tip, sometimes more if warranted.
I’m not arguing with you, BTW. I have never worked in the service industry. I did have an Indian roommate once and I was so embarrassed the one and only time we went to lunch. She left a $0.50 tip on a $10 meal. I had to leave an extra generous tip because I didn’t want to stiff the waitress. I asked her why she didn’t give at least 10%, and she said she couldn’t afford it. I told her, you shouldn’t go out to eat if you can’t afford a decent tip… or order a cheaper item on the menu.
Like my Dad, I always leave 20% if the service is good, more if it’s exceptional or if I’ve made special demands.
I also watch how men tip on dates. If a guy stiffs the waitress, I don’t go out with him a second time… I think as Indians become assimilated hopefully more of them will learn to tip better.
I manage a very high end specialty retail store. We hate dealing with Indian clients. They ALL reinforce their stereotype. That all want and expect something for nothing yet when you go to THEIR business they won’t budge on pricing and nickel and dime you for every single thing. The Indian people are arrogant and believe they should be treated as royalty while they look down on everyone else. We dread them in our stores. Have yet to be proven wrong once in 18 years.
Absolutely I got stiffed on my last two “Canadians ” tonight and wasted two hours of my time. As usual
Indians are the absolute worst tippers. They really suck, then ask you a million questions about the vegetariantarian options.
Honey you’re absolutely right the blacks are the absolute worst tippers and they run you around they’re ignorant they don’t know how to act they come in smelling like weed laying all over each other ordering orange soda and a white tablecloth restaurant they have no idea what food is they act like animals and then they don’t tip. Gee I wonder where stereotypes come from. I’m pretty sure they don’t just fall out of the sky
I used to work at Huckleberry Junction and there blacks would put a quarter on the table sha give u a hug. Maybe 1 out of 5 would give a couple dollars. The whites would give between $5-$10 tip. The Arabic’s would clean everything up and give $5. The Mexican’s was the best tippers. They would clean up and give between $20-$50 tip.
Mexicans? Bullshit. Ive been a waiter for 29 years and that is a complete lie. White people are the best tippers. Every waiter knows this
Where I deliver we get what we call snowbirds from Canada and they are horrific tippers. I don’t think anybody is using the term Canadian to replace African American. And my experience 90% of African Americans just don’t tip at all and the other 10% are awesome tippers. They can’t cry ignorance because in 2021 everybody knows what customary tipping is. It is such a slap in the face regardless of race Creed religion whatever to have to perform several job functions within the store and in my situation deliver the pizza then received nothing for my time and effort. Pizza delivery driver’s absolutely do not get the delivery fee that is many times the cost for the company to maintain workers comp insurance for the drivers.
Blacks are by far the worst. I used to live and work in Little Italy in Baltimore. And talk to some leaders and waitresses at sabatino’s. And they said they would have prom parties where people would order the seafood combination. First of all there’s no seafood combination on the menu. So I’m glad to believe that they can’t read the menu. And for the coup de gras the cherry on top. One of the guys asked who ordered the gratuity? Can you fucking believe it? I can. My response was yes the girl on the end had to gratuity medium rare and she said it was delicious. And he said okay. Wow I mean wow let’s just face it the blacks are the worst they’re the worst in every category you can think of. The worst at work the worst doing things the worst it doing lawsuits the worst it obeying traffic commands the worst of being courteous the worst it’s showing respect to people who are trying to take care of them they are a bunch of monkeys. Unfortunately crack enabled the black population to get rich and start the record labels and everything else and that’s why they have infiltrated our culture the way they have but that doesn’t change the fact that these fucking monkeys need to tip
definitely indians. not a single one who tipped more than 8% and they always come close to closing time with so many demands and keep calling you over as if you are only serving them…cheap country=cheap people ig
I am in the restaurant business and you are completely correct Canadians is a code word. And I think it’s sad that they’re actually has to be a code word for a group of people that are absolutely awful and don’t know how to act in restaurants don’t know how to order and don’t know how to tip. They act like monkeys I’ll let you figure out who I’m talking about
Sorry but Scots and Dutch are not bad tippers nor are they “cheap”. That’s a stereotype.
I consistently serve KLM airline staff in Canada. And they are all Dutch and some of the worst tippers I’ve ever seen.
Stereotypes don’t give birth to themselves. The Dutch top my list of the worst, followed closely by blacks.
My experience was same as far as large parties of blacks, we used to draw straws, loser waits on the non tipping, most demanding customers.
I own 3 restaurants in Southern California and my wait staffs tells me that the absolute worst tippers are Blacks, followed by Indians and older white folks after church on Sunday.
Best tippers seem to be Jews and Mormons unless they are Asian. I have to agree, some of my business associates are black, but when we go to other restaurants, they never pick up a check, plus they tip 5% and run the wait staff ragged.
Mexicans work harder than most, but they don’t tip and sometimes just stiff everybody. Women, as a group, also do not tip well, especially lunches.
Sounding more like racism as I scroll down through the comments….WTF
Don’t know about the Scots, but as far as the Dutch are concerned the stereotype is definitely true.
John ain’t no one racist being a server will
Make you racist !!!!! So stfu
20 years in restaurants bartending, managing,serving. Blacks and Indians are the absolute worst tippers regardless. Call it a stereotype but 1 in 10 that actually tip appropriately if at all is a fact. Just today $6 on $76 for two hours of time is ridiculous. Very friendly family but when a tip guide is included you are just assholes.
Too funny! Tonight I had a table of four Indians, they split two soups, one app and two entrees (FOUR people!!!), they tipped $5 on a $70 check, SMH
I’m Chinese and I literally tip everything I can! Some Chinese people don’t tip cuz they don’t know what is tip and how important it is. When I first came to Canada, i didn’t tip just because I didn’t know what is that. I felt guilty. But after I knew, I tip everything to respect others’ works.
As a follow up my waitress was a young white lady, several years back I had slow service by a black lady, wasn’t as bad, thankfully. It took me a hour to get my food the restaurant was moderately busy, but I felt like I was being neglected, I left a 5 percent tip compared to my normal 18, I have worked very hard to get ahead in life and I believe others should as well!
Interesting how earlier Matt said Black’s are the worst tippers only 5% but goes on to say Mexicans work hard (has nothing to do with this discussion) than admits they stiff and don’t tip at all. So let’s do the math because Matt just told us 5% is less then zero (being stiffed). He goes on to say he did a black lady a favor by tipping her 5%. Matt Hall you may want to look in the mirror and make sure you’re not lying to yourself.
18% is not good… are you even serious
Bitch 20% or don’t bother BYE
Kevin <3333 yessss
The food taking a long time to get to the table is not an issue with the server, but the kitchen. Get over yourself, you fucking troll. You should spend some time working in a restaurant and develop a little compassion for people in the service industry.
Wow. You blame the waitress being paid nothing for your slow service. While the restaurant is being paid more for the raw product being placed on your dish. When your one warm spotted seat is being kept taken for a
5% !
THANK YOU!
That is to Oliver Ba
I’m an Australian Uber driver. Since in-app tipping was introduced, we are sometimes tipped (sometimes once per day, sometimes just 4 or 5 times per week). Nearly all my tips have come from Australians, of all ethnicities. I’ve never had any foreign tourists tip, apart from a French couple once. Passengers with American/Canadian or New Zealand accents have never tipped me. Before COVID-19 I found many tourists to be incredibly rude. Mainland Chinese tourists are rude, but that’s just because they are clueless. There are many polite people from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong and also from Europe. I have never found Canadian or New Zealand tourists to live up to the “polite” stereotype. I think the most polite people are local Australians (of all ethnicities). Many stereotypes of Thai, Japanese, Filipino, Canadian, Kiwi “politeness”… I am yet to come across. I think Australians are the most polite. Please note I worked with foreign tourists even prior to becoming an Uber driver in 2017.
Oliver,
I’m from San Francisco but I’m not gay. Does that mean there aren’t a lot of gays in San Francisco?
Think about it.
I am bartender at a wedding venue that is 100% open bar. Our pay is 100% in tips from the guests.” Canadians” are bad and Puerto Ricans, really bad. But I have found anyone with a thick accent, no matter where that accent is from, bad tipper. Also women at a wedding rarely tip. I get that they don’t have pockets in their dress but come on! Drop a 20 on the bar at then end of the night at least for me making your Cosmo’s and appletinnis, and espresso Martinis. Be better ladies. I am not trying to get in your pants and buying you drinks, I am providing a service for which I do not get paid if you don’t tip. If you want equal rights then don’t expect the men at the wedding to pick up the slack for you.
Oh and bald guys with a beard, maybe it is just coincidence, but all terrible Tippers, especially if they are fat guys. Just awful.
Not all but 75% of black folks don’t tip. And I remember all of them. ~\€¥>\¥. The next time
I’m not racist as I have many black people who are my friends who I love. But damn blacks after basketball games would swarm Chili’s trying to get as much food for the little money they had expecting constant service. I hated working Tuesday nights when there were home games. It was one school that was primarily niggers and another one half an hour away assaulted a customer on prom night so the could get kicked out without having to pay. I would never work as a server again. Thankless low paying crap. Plus most of the people are gay or doing drugs.
“I’m not racist”
You sound incredibly fucking racist, like most people in this comment section. I can’t believe you inbreds actually think this way.
I worked at a Jewish Federation once and actually saw women there digging through the break room trash and eating food that had been thrown out from earlier meetings! Yeah….cheap doesn’t even begin to cover it.
I find that hard to believe. Some Jews might be a little bit thrifty, but they would never stoop so low and destroy their reputation, by rummaging through a trash can. I am a Muslim and I live in a Jewish neighborhood and I only see them as classy people.
One time when my uncle, who is Jewish took us all to dinner at a restaurant where my sister worked. Our server was someone my sister worked with, and my sister told him to not worry if the tip is small, she would give him something if the tip was “short”. My mom, told my sister that my uncle, and my dad were always generous tippers, regardless of the service. My mom did add that one time when they went out, the service was I guess, not great. My uncle or dad left a tip and my aunt took part of the tip because she thought the service was less than expected. So, it may be based on whatever people’s opinions are, but my mom gave us the impression that Jewish people are good tippers, no matter what.
Stupid cheap ass motherfuckers
Oh, that’s nice, Ron.
I allways tip I know I make a person’s dat even if their service is slow people have family and lives I sat give regardless your eating out no excuse
Agreed. I have never not tipped and probably never wil; ten to fifteen percent, at the least ( more if the service was good).
It’s a shame that we allow restaurants to pay workers so little that they need tips. In Europe staff are paid well and you don’t have to tip.
I’m a waiter, and this comment will not be well-accepted by other servers, but my opinion is that if you give a bad server a good tip, you are only cheapening the profession and rewarding incompetence. Shame on you!
I have never been a waiter, but I had worked starting out, for years in the cleaning industry, which is fairly comparable field. I would tend to agree with Tom, except for one time I was at a restaurant in Atlanta, it took 15 minutes, with the restaurant being dead slow, to place my drink order took another 20 to get my drink and after placing my order I waited for close to a hour, with no sign of my waitress, I put down the exact money for my Diet Coke and walked out. I have no problem looking out and helping someone, especially, if they provide good service, this however was ridiculous, it was the first and only time I have never left a tip!
That’s right.
Just like lawsuits about Dominos being racist is bullcrap. It’s playing the race card, trying to whine like a little piglet.
I delivered pizzas when younger, where one went out to the projects, all these brothers drinking beer saying I was late. I told the manager and he took the place off the delivery map. But I’m Florida a low life federal judge ordered Dominos to deliver to a violent arsa, where America’s enemies are those in government. Sorry sob, his butt isn’t the one that faces robbery, assault, theft, etc. Which blacks neglected tipping then. Then I’ve asked around and I’ve watched as well, blacks in the South don’t generally tip. Big lard butts with their wide rear ends. As waiters and waitresses get less than minimum wage usually. They make their money off tips. Like delivering pizzas, now there’s a surcharge. When I delivered, cost was the pizza. At 75cents per delivery, it wasn’t anything.
Then go in black neighborhoods, there was the risk of getting robbed. At the least harassed and no tip, while they say around drinking beer.
Where a federal judge is going to act like a racist tyrant and dictate delivery guys go into bad neighborhoods. He’s an enemy to the citizens of the United States of America.
AFRICAN AMERICAN BRITS AND CANADA AND MUSLUMS ARE THE WORST TIPPERS.IM A NYC CAB DRIVER RETIRED SO I KNOW
Cracker talk..
How do you know blacks are the worst tippers for cab drivers you won’t even stop for blacks even a blackman standing on a curb in a suit and tie.
wow with the replies. So if he says black people are bad tippers he gets called a cracker, shaking my head unreal. sorry I waited tables for 40 years from Diners to fine dining. thomas is dead on I might add in 3 different states. new york florida north carolina.
you’ve been waiting for 40 years? lmao loser
I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for 25 years in Canada . To say Canadians are cheap is outlandish. In my experience. And I do believe I have a broad spectrum to pull from. The worst tippers are:
Middle Eastern, African, Native American and Phillipino are tied as worst.
A very close second are Brits and Spanish(Mexican)
Scottish and Dutch are also up there.
I’m black. The wait staffs of several restaurants, here in Boston, trip over themselves to wait on me whenever I walk into one of there establishments. I wonder why! Which group are bad tippers you ask. One must never be so foolish as to paint with a broad brush.
Sharon is right – and to those of you who don’t like it: truth hurts, don’t it?
To Lee: I grew up in San Francisco. When people would tell me “there’s a lot of gays in San Francisco,” I never felt the need to say, “well, I’m not!”
How did u differentiate “muslums” fare just looking? bogus claim at least this part. I used to drive NYC Yellow myself.. worst tippers: Blacks, Indians, Asians (there are always exceptions), Uber fares. Tourists worst tippers: British, Spanish (all sorts, euros + south americanos), and europeans..
It’s funny, once uber started, asians + indians stopped taking yellows at all.
Partial clip from Washington Post:
Within the U.S. restaurant industry, black customers are generally considered comparatively poor tippers. One recent survey of roughly 1,000 restaurant servers from across the nation found that 34 percent thought black diners were “very bad” tippers. An additional 36 percent thought black patrons were “below average” tippers. In contrast, 98 percent of those surveyed believed white customers were “average” or “above average” tippers.
This widespread negative perception of black peoples’ tipping practices cannot be attributed solely to racism because it is consistent with a substantial body of empirical evidence. A number of different studies using different methodologies and different geographic samples have found that, on average, black people do indeed tip less than whites in U.S. restaurants.
hey the truth hurts. Always expect an SJW to come roaring in throwing insults, screaming racism, etc. Indians are the worst tippers in the world in my experience. they will also rip you off in a heart beat if you don’t take them to court.
Matt, you’ve basically described the typical dining experience in Georgia. Service is generally poor and the waitstaffs are indifferent at best. Unlike New York, where I was born and lived until I was 46, there are very few professional bartenders and waiters in Georgia. They are mostly college kids who don’t give a damn about doing a good job. You’re fortunate if you receive the meal that you ordered. It’s not like it’s happened once or twice. It has happened to me and people that I know, too many times.
They slather everything in mayonnaise here. I ask them to leave it off my food and half the time there’s a big oozing pile of the crap on my plate.
Their attitude is that they should receive the top suggested tip on the check, regardless of the quality of their service. That ain’t how it works for me.
Do your job properly and cheerfully and the sky is the limit. Treat me like who cares and who cares is basically what I’ll be leaving you. leaving you. I am not a demanding customer. I simply want good and cheerful service. I don’t like spending money where I don’t feel welcomed.
My biggest pet peave is that when you give them your card to pay, they disappear and leave you cooling your heels for 15 or 20 minutes. I’m done with you. Take my money and let me go.
Restaurant people are in the hospitality business. I do not think it is too much to ask that they be hospitable.
PS: I never tip on takeout,. What am I tipping for? For handing me a bag of food. Ridiculous.
Tawab, thank you for saying this. We don’t hear enough of that sentiment reported. In truth, Muslims and Jews live alongside each other (and in Israel) peacefully and respectfully.
my dad started his company with $50.00 and was the sole support of his family (Jewish_ ) When he went out he tought his children to take care of those who served them.
Never less than 15% when 5% was the norm ..Our employees were the highest paid in our industry. We never looked at color of our workers. Nor if they were woman.
Alll paid the same rate. Now the company has been sold doing just over 9B $ US with 5600 happy workers. We all lived in a small N.E. town and the stores thrived. Now my family never gives less than 20% for any service.
I think that blacks,muslums,Jews,etc. here in this great country can get along and my family have great friends among all of these people. We know that the service people in the restaurant business are underpaid and should be treated as you would like to be treated. If you do not agree to bad for your mindset. You have to live with it. I have taught my children “It is good to share”
I do not like cheap people. They are the first to complain when they are not given a good return on their services
Good for speaking truth to power and calling out ignorance.
Jewish people may be murdering rapists, but they think WAY too highly of themselves to eat out of trash cans.
to the reformed Fat Guy
Now as a Jewish murderer/rapist I have never gone into a trash can for my meals. I do think enough of myself to at least go to a dumpster. The choice is much better as it has a larger choice. Most murderer and rapist do think they are a lot better than those who must only go to a trash can.However a big mac half eaten is a treat to many. What happened to the fries??? Go to the dumpster my friend. Stop going to the trash can,do the dumpster. Is that why you are a former Fat Guy, Not enough in the small can? Trust me, as a former Murderer
the dumpter is the top choice of most of my brother Jews My choice now is at the Plaza in NYC back alley. Great stuff is found there. And you can not beat the price..
I am a female Barbaer, If 2 people want the same appt time, the big tipper gets served frist. If I help out in the salon part of the shop. I shampoo the 10 buck tipper frist. Money talks bullshit walks.
Hairdressers are greedy and overpaid for their minimal skills. Your boss is cheap and you’re greedy.
You’re an ass. Hair stylists create a person’s entire persona with their scissors. I hope you, CdF get the worst hair cut ever because you sound like a cheap ass.
Hairdressers are skilled trade workers actually. Who make you feel good about yourself, entertain you, provide Street relieving rituals, and make you look good. They make minimum wage without your tip and paid approx 15000 $ for school.
@amy and that’s our fault that you chose a career where you have to pay 15,000 just to make minimal wage? you’re the fool here.
Too many glasses of wine after your shift?
And let me guess… you work in a cubicle farm with a computer that could do your daily work in a quarter of the time… but then who would there be to take an hour for lunch so they can shit on the person answering their insipid questions about basic food preparation, fighting on their behalf for a million stupid modifiers because *SOMEBODY* needs “everything” on the side, and trying to get them that 9th side of ranch without having to charge them five dollars for all the extra sauce they’ve guzzled.
Any of you who have never worked in the hospitality or service industry, and choose to disparage the abilities of those who work therein… you have no conception of how much skill, finesse, and tact these sectors require.
Your hairdresser (so greedy, so overpaid!) would probably have the time of their life watching you trying to cut your own fucking hair. As a server with a BA, I can make more money waiting tables than I can with my degree… that doesn’t make me (or anyone else for that matter!) ‘overpaid’. It makes one efficient and judicious with ones time.
How many people have you seen digging through trash for food, who were not Jewish? You formed an opinion, then looked for coincidence to support that opinion. This is the opposit of science.
OMG This is the worst comment I have ever read on the internet. I work for the Jewish Federation in Atlanta. Maybe that person was a volunteer , or caring for a disabled family member and was not able to buy food. You do know anything about the personal circumstances of an unknown person. This post was about tipping, not about people trying to feed themselves. The worst tippers are those who commit the cardinal sin of gluttony. Those that will order a fancy drink, multiple appetizers, the most expensive item on the menu and then modify it to add extra everything and not want to pay for it, and then have dessert. Those types will have huge bills, taking money straight out of your pocket as you have to tip out 4% to the busser, host and bartender, regardless of what you get from the customer. Those people are usually black. At least the Indians are not gluttonous.
Long overdue reply: Jewish Federations are non-profits. They pay poorly except for the CEO and any endowment managers. Their staff often work side hustles just to pay the rent. They long assumed a pay scale from ancient history when non-profit staff were bored married women whose husbands earn enough to support them.
I live in SE Texas and the worst tippers, by far, are Mexicans, especially Mexican nationals. Not only bad tippers, but uncivilized, rude, demanding, and let their litter of kids run wild. Like someone stated, around .25 for every $10.00. And that’s if they tip at all. Servers in Texas only make.$2.13 an hour so we rely on tips to live. I am an excellent server and have waited in other states, and rarely if ever got stiffed. Here in Texas some days I get stiffed three times a shift. Last night, I waited on 14 Mexicans and got a.$6.00 tip. One table with
a $90.00 tab left nothing. These people are nasty too. They refuse to flush toilet paper and wipe the shit off their ass and throw it on the floor or on top of a trash can. I hate them with a passion. Fuck off dirty rude Mexicans!!
Did you know that the majority of Back House employees in Texas are Mexicans. Have you ever tipped out any of your cooks? How much money have you made in tips because of the hard work from the back house. Maybe those same dirty Mexicans worked the Back House as cooks and dishwasher. Perhaps they justify not tipping you because they are line cooks themselves and never ever have been tipped out.
I don’t make enough to tip out you fuck. And not tipping doesn’t explain their uncivilized behavior. Kids running wild, demanding, and rude. They are a piece of shit race of uneducated savages.
Oh hell no I am Mexican my father’s from Mexico don’t say all my father moved here in 1980 taught himselfbto speak English owns 6 companies and sits on his ads now. But maybe because you treat them differently they don’t tip you racist fuck.
well, if they’re so uneducated why are they making 40 plus dollars an hour in construction jobs while your ignorant fuck face is making 2 dollars an hour…..
They are not that type of people. It is very sad that you have made such a horrible image of Mexicans. You call them uneducated, but you’re over here insulting people and stereotyping. I hope you take some time to get to know hardworking, smart, EDUCATED, and loving Mexicans!! 🙂
My boyfriend is a Mexican National AND a Cook and he tips hella fat because he knows how much servers complain about bad tippers. Latinos in Ohio are strict with their kids, very quiet and polite. Here, Arabic speakers and Indians are The worst tippers, and those Indian children run around and act like animals. Some are polite though and some are very rude.
I have been a waitress for a long time, and in my experiences, black people are the worst tippers. Sometimes the truth hurts. If the shoe fits west it.
Preach !!
Back of house gets paid an actual wage you stupid fuck. Maybe the kitchen should bring servers half of their paycheck.
If u dont like working BOH become a server and then u can have an opinion. I agree. Mexicans are horrible tippers! cheap and rude!
I tip out 8% to the house. That looks after kitchen, bar and host. It’s a huge tip out but most of the time Iam compensated handsomely. I post this in hopes of people understanding that the tip doesn’t just go in our pocket. It goes to all. In my restaurant if I recieve no tip. I still tip out my fellow employees that 8%. I have paid out of my pocket a fair amount for people to dine in my restaurant.
I know right? I love the assumption that servers just get to take home all of the tips that we make. At the restaurant I work, I tip out 6%, to the BOH. 1% goes to the hostess, 2 % goes to the kitchen, 1% goes to the bartender, 2% goes to the managers .
So when you leave your shitty little 10% tip, your server is actually only getting 4%.
Also I love all of these morons who have never worked a day in their life in the hospitality industry who are quick to pipe up and spout out nonsense, not all servers are uneducated and chose a bad career. Most of us use this as a steppingstone while in school because the money is decent and the hours are suitable for going to school and trying to better yourself .
Worst tippers:
1. Chinese
2. Indians
3. Black people
4. Women (most women are jealous cunts so if you are a server and look better than them, well you’re not going to get a great tip. Period. They will look for any little reason to complain. “Oh my coffee is cold”. Well if you drank it half an hour ago when I put it on your table when it was hot then we wouldn’t have a problem).
5. Russians
6. British
And I don’t care if you’re from Europe and you don’t tip in your culture. In North America we do tip and I’m sure they know that.
Here’s an idea : pick out a recipe, go to the grocery store , buy all the ingredients on the recipe, come home and slave away at the oven and cook it for yourself, then serve yourself, then do all the dishes and clean up after yourself.
Do servers a favour and stay at home if you’re too cheap to tip properly or go to McDonald’s where you belong.
End rant.
I agree. I live in South Florida, and the latins are the worst tippers. Actually even worse than them are the people from India. They’re awful, but atleast nice. The latins treat u like you are supposed to kiss their*** and then tip you 10% at best if u are lucky.
East Indians from India are on a green card and don’t make as much in the tech industry compared to if they were off the green card
and they send money home if they didn’t have any money it would not have an education. Times of change there’s a lot of doctors in India and high-tech jobs that’s why America has so many Outsourced work
but even if they made the full amount they would still not tip we believe that money could be two great buffets in India and then I say you do not live there anymore
the other number one people to take food orders to go but also want vegetarian options
Cuban Americans are great tippers in general in South Florida .So if ur referring to them you’re an asshole.
OMG!!!! You nailed it!! I’m really sorry to hear that your had such a horrible day, But I agree most are disrespectful. I hate when they think it’s okay to turn a channel that’s put on English to a Spanish channel. It’s one thing to not understand our language but most of them speak fluent English.
Stop complaining and get a REAL job instead. Then you won’t be ranting. Tips are earned, if you did an averave job or non memorable then it will be reflected on your tip.
Corporation: wishing you an unjustified cut of wages! Cope with that.
Why isn’t waiting tables a real job?
That is true ignorance, false ego, and total lack of humility speaking.
I’ve been at this for 22 yrs. Own my own home. Have traveled the world and have carved out a great career being a waiter. But it doesn’t matter how good you are at your job. Middle eastern people are the rudest and worst tippers ever!!!!!! Hands down. 80 cents on a hundred type bad. But everyone whom I deal with gets the same service. I’m very good at what I do. Yet certain cultures just won’t tip. And in my opinion shoudnt bother going out if they’re not prepared to pay for an experience.
Yoour tip is to pay service.next time tell the waiter I want to be self. I not paying no tip. This way don’t waste time. I wonder how your date go without people serve you. You are really as whole.
I agree with you, but don’t be a classist asshole. The amount of skill and knowledge one needs to do the job of a professional server (where one can make a low six-figure wage) is most likely well beyond you. “What is an appropriate pairing for foie gras?” Or “How to use 2 spoons, one handed to serve both food and sauce efficiently (without spilling anything, and while answering a question about what ‘riddling’ is”.
OK -so I get to sit in a pleasant environment (and if I don’t find the environment pleasant enough, you try to accommodate me) and you give me a list of dishes I can ask for (that I don’t have to cook) and if I am not happy with the dish, you do everything you can to try to fix it -servers should be treated like gods!
Corporate: hey dumb ass, this website is for service staff to complain, so get the fuck off our site if all you have to contribute is a statement telling someone to get some lame ass office job where you sit in a box on your lazy ass under artificial lighting for 8 hours a day and make only $800/week.
A real job? What do you do you arrogant fuck? I’d bet I make more than you do in a year. I’m a waiter and travel the world. I own a home. I own my vehicle. I take four holidays a year. You know nothing about this industry or how hard its employees work. You’re an imbecile!
WTF are you doing on a Waiter Rant site if you’re going to tell people who wait tables to “get a real job”? Either you’re the most bored unemployed fuckface in history or you’re a really shitty waiter.
A real job huh? I make more serving than I did at my “real” job! I had to go to college for four years to get! You are a loser! Don’t speak on things you know nothing about! I’m so sure you make more though!!!
Oh
Fuck you you don’t know what earned is bitch
It never goes over well to go to someone’s country and try to force them to speak your language, it’s all about presentation, when I went over to Paris France, I made a sincere effort attempting to speak French, in turn people bent over backwards to try to help me, it’s the same way here, if more of the Hispanic population would try to be more respectful of this being an English speaking country, it would solve a lot of issues. At least in the south east it would help if they’d be more respectful
This! I work in a private upscale country club. We have many activities other than golf. We have a few mexican national families that have memberships. They make reservations, show up 40 minutes late, have 6 extra people then complain about service. They never tip, they screw you on your other reservations for activities since they overlap due to being late. They let their kids just run wild and make a mess. We had kids decide to lay on the bar floor with iPads and block the walkway. Keeping in mind this is a very exclusive place…. The parents got mad when a server stepped on a kid’s hand.
Candadians…..we got them too. So arrogant and demanding and they don’t leave a penny.
Canadians!!!!
Lol ok
Your boss is obligated to make up the difference. You are either a waitress or a waiter. Tennis players are servers
Cdf needs to go fuck himself. It’s 2016 you sexist politically incorrect fucktard
I think CDF is trying to justify being a bad tipper.
No dumb ass, tennis players are tennis players. When was the last time you heard Maria Sharapova being called a “server”. Pick up a dictionary before you correct someone else. What’s does CDF stand for? Clinically dumb Fucktard?
‘Clinically Dumb Fucktard’ made this thread so worthwhile!
THIS!
In Mexico you don’t throw toilet paper down the toilet. The pipes in those countries are very small and can plug up very easily. Most bathrooms in Mexico provide a trashcan next to the toilet to accommodate this. It is probably out of habit that they continue to do this. Try putting a sign up in the stall.
They are rude and their children run wild. Mexicans are pushy and act like they own the US. They all have attitudes, but God only knows why. They know where to go for every freebie and welfare benefit available and they spread the word to other spics.
YES! Mexican nationals are the worst! They let their kids do whatever the fuck they want. Went to a very nice restaurant, the damn kids ran around the tables screaming, then laid on the floor with their ipads. Servers and patrons were trying to step over them to get to tables. One kid got stepped on and the parents got mad at the server. The manager came over twice and tried to very nicely get the kids off the floor. Kids stayed on the floor after the food came. Parents then complained the kids food was cold after it had sat on the table for 20 minutes.
I wanted to grab the tray from the waiter and dump it on those arrogant sons of bitches. They go shopping and expect YOU too move out of their way when walking and driving. They have no problem cutting in line, screaming into cell phones, and being the most annoying damn people on earth. If you don’t know these people, it is not all mexicans, it is the ones with some money and think they own the fucking world.
I’m fortunate not to have encountered these Mexican Nationalists people, sounds like a Southwest type of thing, I consider myself to be very fortunate because if I saw anyone acting like that, I’d quickly put them back in their place!
A agree with you in that. Mexican is the most bad tipper, plus Chinese.
I am in the service industry, and I agree 100%. Mexicans are everything you just described. And I hate it, because I’m an educated woman and I’ve always been against racial stereotypes. But I am really starting to hold a deep resentment towards Mexicans. I am a cocktail waitress, and everyone treats me with respect and pays well, except Mexicans. The way they treat women is especially disgusting. Calling me princess, mamacita, and other demeaning names isn’t even that bad anymore. It’s being grabbed and groped, and slapped on the ass. I actually have at least one a week (and not the same person) who will grab my face and try to kiss me. And they all tell me, “Relax, it’s ok,” when I push them off of me, as if they have all been rehearsing that line. It disgusts me to the point I’m going to find another job. If I don’t I am worried that I will not be able to reverse this racism that’s already forming in me.
Has it occurred to you that being prejudiced is actually a good thing bcuz it informs of you FACTUAL REALITY?
You weren’t “educated” to be “anti racist”, you were INDOCTRINATED by anti-white cultural Marxism.
Yes, Mexican culture degrades women. I can 100% confirm this
I agree. Waitered all my life in between school and theater gigs. Plus I worked in many states, so I’ve had experience with all races, religious affiliations, and financially-opposites. In Texas, the worst tippers by far were the Mexicans; they always pretended to NOT KNOW tipping procedures in San Antonio, despite speaking our language fluently añd making frequent business trips here monthly. Finally, I got fed up añd added the graduity on groups over six! Never got busted.
you are out of control I am Mexican and I was a waiter for several years. To say Mexicans are the worst tipperss… yeahhhh buddy i doubt it. Now all that other shit you talk about them maybe its true maybe its not. Am not gonna lie yes some mexicans here in the usa fuck it up for the rest of us. also people on this forum here are so proud to tip 10 or 15 percent. Honestly in my opinion it should always be at least 20 percent to begin with. for example the way i tip is if i got to texas road house and my bill is 40 bucks and received good service your tip would be 12 dollars.
You are gross. Please stay in that wretched state of Texas. In Mexico there is no tipping, sometimes it helps to understand a culture before you slander them with HATE its so disgusting when people exude so much hate. Especially when it is obvious they are just ignorant blindly hating people Texas used to be Mexico until they wanted to be a part of the racist Confederacy. In Mexico you don’t flush toilet paper at all either along with MOST OF THE WORLD. Get over yourself!
You sound like some whining, entitled, valley girl wannabe, who isn’t clear about how piled-up, crap-filled toilet paper leads to diseases like cholera and dysentery. To you, it’s more important to respect ‘diversity ‘ than to teach these third-world jackasses how not to to treat the first-world USA like the filthy, nasty, third-world hellhole they left. Maybe you’d be ok with middle easterners, or sub-saharan Africans using their left hands to wipe their backsides, and not washing up afterwards.
Amber- NO, YOU STAY THE FUCK OUT OF USA, go live with the disease riddled mentality- fix the fucking plumbing issues, wash your hands and learn about the rest of the civilized nations,!!! keep your hippie, diversity crap to yourself. YES, MEXICANS, BLACKS, INDIANS,- WORST & MOST DEMANDING PEOPLE EVER IN A RESTAURANT- Read the fucking thread you moron!!!
I agree. Management has failed you though. If it’s a group of 6 or more automatic gratuity should be included in the bill PERIOD! No excuses! Take care of your people, they will take care of the business.
“Uncivilized”
Especially rich coming from a Texan… Perhaps take it up with your boss(es)?
Best to shit
1. Industry
2. Middle age white
3. 25-30 yr old white
4. Asian-American
5. Hispanic-American
6. African-American
7. Indian-American
8. 14-22 yr old white
9. Asian out of town
10. African out of town
11. Black(ignorant)
12. Gypsies
I’m only racist when im clocked in.
Spot on
Lmfao dead accurate, I work valet in a Las Vegas casino
Lol I agree with your list almost completely. I would put Asians out of town with #2 or #3. They are a bit demanding but always tip me really well. I do have to communicate with them and explain tip is not included. Theyre sweet/ gentle people. I would say Middle Easterns are the worst. Piss me off everytime. Also the part about being racist whn clocked in is so true. I love people but it’s hard to not judge when I continue to keep seeing the same patterns.
you’re a white supremacist 24/7
Negative comments towards anybody and everybody including calling someone a loser for working in the industry for 20 years. You should take a step back and really look at the state of your life and ask ‘Who is the loser?’ A lot of these servers who have worked in the industry for over 20 years are probably in a lot better shape then you, including myself!
Unlikely
Hahahahaha………I’ve never heard that one. You’re missing Lebanese in there. They are the among the worst. They are rude, demanding and complainers! Can’t stand serving them.
“I’m only racist when im clocked in.” and yet you’re surprised people don’t tip you (hint: we know when our server is a racist; you guys don’t even try to hide it)
Please clue us in. How can you tell when your server is racist? And I’m not talking about your recent trip to the KKK Diner.
Ad hoc justification for being cheap and rude.
I think honestly the worst are Indians. I work as a waiter/server and maybe like 10% of the Indians that I get tip.
Indians always mentioning is it a big portion not too hungry but they always finish it
straight up
I want to amend your list slightly
1a Lesbians/Gay
1b cops/firemen
1c bikers
6a teachers
How is this even a DISCUSSION?! Black people are by FAR & AWAY the worst tippers… period… hands down. I’ve served in a half a dozen different types of restaurants, over 10+ years, and everybody received the same level of great service… the worst tips were ALWAYS from blacks
I agree 100%,They are rude,and let’s not forget about the glass of hot water for their silverware.So entitled.
Black people are hands down the worst! They’re entitled, rude, stuck up and disgustingly messy. They want extra ranch, extra napkins, extra chicken or shrimp, refills every five minutes, extra lemon to make ghetto lemonade, and free whatever they can squeeze out of you…..for maybe a ten percent to…if you’re lucky!
You’re an idiot. I’m an African American graduate student. My mother, father, grandfather, and grandmother all graduated with bachelors and MBAs from the university of Nebraska Lincoln. I was raised to tip 30 percent at the minimum. Anything past that depends entirely on service. I will also have you know l worked that industry from 18-21. The worst tippers are poor people. Quit trying to divide by race. You’re just a bad server.
No, Mitch. It’s a culture thing. Whether the AA you had in mind are poor or not, the stereotype of black customers not tipping holds true even for middle to upper middle class AA. I know and have served as well as fraternized with AA families and I know this for a fact. It has been a point of discussion. Black people in the U.S. are generally some of the worst tippers – but I guess if I was black and a white person was serving me, I’d be tempted to stiff them too given that inconvenient thing called American History. But I’m NOT saying black people are trying to stiff white people because it happens even with middle eastern or AA waiters/waitresses.
To Mitch: the exception only proves the rule.
P.S. To Mitch: I got my grad degree from UNL too.
I worked in the Pennsylvania Hotel in New York City and by far the worst tippers were the Ghetto Blacks & Latinos, Cheap Ass Indians who made you run thru Hoops and the Horrible South Americans who thought there Bullshit Checks could Justify you Running Raged. Sorry Boys and Girls In Corporate not every profession is in front of a monitor and desk.
Agree.
Agree 100%!! I had a lady come in with her 6 kids. They were throwimg their silverware on the floor and at eachother. They were all trying to order at the same time. And guess what? The mother was on the phone the whole time! Seriously? Get your kids in order before i do!!
After their food is delivered, we also deliver the check as well, so when she grabbed it, she yelled across the whole restaurant for me to come back. I knew she was going to go all black on me. She claimed that she talked to a manager on the phone, but didnt remember who, and they told her that all of her kids could eat free!!! I about burst out laughing. So to shorten this up, i got a manager, who gave her one free kids meal… she cried saying she could only pay for 1 meal. She started screaming and cussing, had the cops called on her after spitting on said manager. It was a fun day lol. And no tip! The table was destroyed!! After that, i never served black people. I paid other servers to take them.
‘I’ve seen this. Like it’s your fault they have six kids they can’t feed. They are so accustomed to getting everything free, they then think it should all be free for them just because.
This is an old myth that I never found to be true TBH. For me, it is really all about where you work (you will get better tips at higher end places over places like Applebee’s period) and how you treat your customer. Some of my coworkers complain about blacks or Mexicans not tipping them well, but I can clearly see them paying more attention to their white and Asian customers. So no sh*t the people you neglect aren’t going to tip well.
LOL…
No matter what is said, blacks with a higher education tip no better than the street ghetto blacks,wasted race Treat everybody white people black people any kind of people with no respect!
“If you can’t afford to tip your waiter, you probably can’t afford to eat out”.
Worst are Australians.Minimum wage in their country is 15 aus an hr…Read a guide book and follow local customs. A Bellman, waiter, pizza delivery driver etc is not making $15 before tips.
Almost as bad are Indian- Canadians.In other words ones who moved from India to Canada. Their king of the $2 tip
The origin of the term is To Insure Prompt service. It is customary but not required. If you treat me right as a customer but give me attitude or just plain lousy service, I feel no obligation to tip.
PS many years ago I worked food service so I do understand the frustration at times but is not an excuse for boorish behavior MN
You are a fucking idiot. Please go kill yourself.
That “to insure prompt service” bullshit is a myth, probably made up by a bad tipper.
I can’t speak for other Canadians, but I have never not tipped on purpose in the US. In Canada, when paying by card, we use the machine, enter our pin code, add a tip. So we go to the states, hand them our card, and expect to get this machine back but it doesn’t happen. Then you feel bad because you were never given the chance to add it on the machine, but you don’t have any American cash on you.
Yeah sure.. here you still have to sign it and total it, and right before the total is the tip line. Nice excuse tho
As a Canadian and a waitress, I can tell you when you go to the US you’re right they don’t use machines as we usually do. HOWEVER, when they bring you the receipt to sign there is clearly a line to write in the tip then a line below that to total the bill plus the tip. It is VERY obvious. Stop making us Canadians look bad by pretending you can’t figure that out.
ever heard of cash?
I agree….also Brits and Europeans…..one Brit living here in Puerto Vallarta who was a professor in North Carolina for 20 years believes in tipping nothing…cheap asshole….but he has some compatriots who also tip cheaply or not at all….also Brits!
celebrities,local,regional,national they all tip zero..blacks don’t tip..period..celebs are too important to tip a scum water or waitress..you should” pay them for just being there” is their attitude..every dam one of um..
personally..Brett Favre[3 times in Bioxi],Bob Hope,Richard Dawson,that i’ve personally waited on off he top of my head.. all of them tipped zero..
…never knew how hard waitering was till bar-tended for 12 years,and went back to tables for about a week..that’s all i could take..twice the work for half the pay..if your going to work for tips? tend bar in a popular casino in Biloxi or Vegas..you have a built in clientele ,and you can count on nearly the same money every week..other casino workers,bartenders, waiters & waitresses who are addicted to video poker[50%] are your best tippers as well..if you have video poker machines at your bar expect a $100 tip[most of the time] for a royal flush on the qtr video poker machines and $200-$400 for a big jackpot on the $1 machines..if you work at a show-the best bartending gig of all will again be at a casino entertainment bar with a great regular live band or good live bands from the past doing the casino circuit,you can make $80,000-$100,000 a year and pay almost zero income tax..and THAT was what i made in the early 90’s….that would be about $180,000 -$200,000 today or $500-$600 a night before tipping out barback casino cashiers etc..not bad for making a gazillion vodka tonics,rum & cokes,scotch & waters,crown & coke,etc etc..90% of drink orders at casino are the simple staple drinks and daiquiri machine drinks for the ladies [add the rum]
Mexicans I have worked at the same place for three years, their rude, and they don’t tip you can give great service and they act with no class. For the love of God just stay home. You live in America and you know what your supposed to do when you go out. Playing the dumb card doesn’t work. You cause your own discrimination and you make Mexican American mad 😡 because you think they want to be associated with people who act with no class
Rich Canadians are amazing tippers. Aboriginals and Filipinos are the worst tippers. I have never been stiffed by an Asian or Black person. I have had pre-teens tip better than any Filipino person ever has, and I don’t blame Aboriginals for being cheap.
Aboriginals, Native Americans, etc. shouldn’t be required to tip
The worst are blacks. I worked at restaurants where the clientele was either all white or all black. And I always made more money in the all white clientele restaurants even if my sales weren’t as high.
Indians (Naitives) are by far the worst! They are so rude and they won’t leave you a penny. You see them walk in the door and you pray you don’t get them in your section and you don’t feel bad at all because you never get a nice one or one that will tip even though they need something every 2 seconds. They don’t know the word thank you either.
The worst are the people in coco plum none of them tip shit just a bunch of classless cheap ass motherfuckers
The Negroes!!! By far!
Maybe your service wasn’t up to snuff. I, as a Candian, tip good service appropriately.
I have been a waitress for 15 years at a very high volume NYC “Family restaurant” and I ca and will say that blacks (US/Canadian/Africoon blacks, it makes NO difference), browns (mexicans/ricans/pineapples/sand nig dot head camel jockey rapists, anyone the same color as my poop!), yellows (gooks/chinks/japs, nips, anyone the same color as my pee, female gooks and dot head broads ARE by FAR the cheapest and greediest bitches on Earth!) and jews (especially jew “women”) do NOT tip!
EVER!
They ARE all cheap bastidz and will run you ragged, demand this and that and than wine about every item’s price on their bill and never leave ANY tip at all, not even 1 lousy cent!
But the WORST are the nigs who NEVER intend to tip you (many times they have pulled the old “dine-n-dash” and just run out on the entire bill! They ARE cheap and lazy and all mentally challenged!) They will run you ragged, demand this, don’t want “pork bacon” because some muzzy book they’ve read in prison, and also NEVER keep their savage chimp (kids?) in their seats or keep them still or quiet! And they have the nerve, the gaul to get mad at you (or management) whenever they are asked or told to stop their rabid animalistic offspring from running around and making a scene or a mess, ya know, because it’s a RESTAURANT and NOT the playground at the projects where most of them live for FREE!
It hurts me financially, because I work solely on tips earned and have 2 kids to feed while my husband recuperates from a severe work related spinal and hip injury, which after 5 operations will keep him out of work for at least another 12-14 more months.
I always say these two things!
#1, If you are too cheap to tip, than just stay at home in your house and cook your own damn food, ya cheap, lazy loser!
#2, “Tipping” is NOT a city in China!
The BEST tips I get ARE ALWAYS from hard working (non-jewish) white men, some white women and some older aged white people who understand what hard work is!
Kids, teens, young adults rarely ever tip and they always come in in groups of 6 to 20 and expect 5-star food and service at their beckon call while knowing they are not going to tip you!
BTW, or on nig “customers”, We draw straws at my job to see who will be forced to wait on the savage sub-human monkeys psychos, they ALWAYS have the WORST attitudes, eat 9/10 of their ordered meals, than bitch that “the food was no good”, and never tip!
If the food wasn’t good, why didn’t they mention that at all during one of the 30 or 40 times I had to go to their table?
They just always want to get over and eat for free, just like how they all want to live in the P.J.’s for free!
Just like how they love to get hired at a good job, than only keep it for maybe one whole day, maybe and than they quit or purposely get fired and than start claiming “Sexual harassment”, because they think they can get their free payday to never work again land that way!
They also ALWAYS love to try and play the race card at every turn!
Had one actually ask me on “marchin’ lootin’ koon” day if “blacks eat free”?
I was like “Oh, hell NOOOOO!” And than I asked the dumb ape “why should they?”, “What has ANY of them put INTO society, other than annoying cRap “music”, “Should they be rewarded with free food just for being the most criminally violent race on the planet? or for being the biggest bunch of welfare scamming/stealing, conniving, crack smoking, heroin shooting, business looting, people and cop shooting, molesting, raping, robbing, mugging, stabbing, scheming, scamming, thieving savage goons on the planet?”, “Nah, they have put ZERO positive into society, so they deserve NOTHING more for free!”, “But by all means, feel free to pay and tip with that FREE welfare money ou have in your monkey paw!”
And yeah, I’ve said that 1000 times and WILL continue to do so as long as monkeys wanna act their color in public!
Ya wanna know what I also REALLY find to be highly offensive?
When big, fat, gross, morbidly obese 300, 400, 500, 600, 700+ pound land whale SLOBS come in and order $100 or $200 worth of food and want it “ASAP”!, as if they aren’t storing enough fat for an entire neighborhood to survive on for a month, and than they start eating like pigs as the plates are being set onto the table, they can’t even wait two seconds for the plate to actually touch the table before the food touches their rhino tongues!
They very LAST thing ANYONE should ever have to see in public are big, fat, nasty, ugly, disgusting, nauseating, inbred blimpo pigs stuffing their disgusting hippo heads with any more food that they DON’T need!
If you are disgusting to look at, than STAY HOME TRY A DIET AND SOME EXERCISE!
And why is it that those morbidly obese cow pies ALWAYS seem a bit mentally challenged, oblivious, ignorant, illiterate, slow, dimwitted, and stink like hell!
I guess they really CANT fit into any normal showers nor reach their butts with a wash rag and soap?
I say wash ’em like the circus elephants!
Hose ’em down and scrub their fat spots down with a soapy floor mop!
Fat, black, brown, yellow, joo, all suck as far as being a customer and I’m NOT afraid to say it!
Where I work at in west Chester, pa black people are the worst. They often never leave a tip for the delivery driver.
Everyone knows negroez are the cheapest, no contest!
Same group responsible for 57%+ of the homosides since 1980!!
Give a white Man a pile of bricks & he will give you back a city!
Give a Blackman a give & he will give you back a pile of bricks!!
I am a server at an upscale Pan Asian Restaurant in Nashville. I am of Korean descent. Been a server or bartender for about 10 years. Indian people usually tip 10% at best. It is called getting “Pateled.” Black, Asian, and Hispanics, I honestly have not had too many bad experiences, as I think it is more of an age thing, than a race thing with most groups. Young people do not tip as well. I hate to say it, women also on average tip less. Foreigners may not know the tipping practice in the States, as I recently had a Chilean couple ask me “what percentage is proper to tip?” Bachelorette parties usually are pretty poor tippers, especially groups from the states of AL, MS, LA. Studies have proven, white male Northeastern Republicans are the best tippers. Socioeconomics and cultural environment have a huge part to play, in tipping differences, based on race and gender. If you do not have enough money or will not tip at least 15%-20%, than one should learn how to cook, or eat fast food.
Jews are by far the worst tippers EVER anyone debating this obviously has never worked in the service industry, not only are they not going to tip you or tip the bare minimum but they’re going to be condescending and pompous the whole time! To the point where I literally googled “why don’t Jews tip” and the only things that come up are in defense of them being great tippers when it’s an unspoken truth that Jews just don’t tip or don’t tip well. Must have to be part of the “tribe” to see any of those coins
People from India are the worst. Next, black people. Next Latinos. The best are White people. Ive been a waiter for 29 years so don’t throw any politically correct bs art me. These are facts
I work in an international airport, taking disabled passengers to and from their flights in wheelchairs, in some cases two at once.
Most people tip, some very generously, and of course some choose not to. I have heard the common generalizations regarding which types of people are bad tippers, but have always realized that people are ultimately individuals, and some of my very best tips have come from members of these oft-disparaged groups.
That said, there does seem to be a measure of truth to some of these stereotypes. For example, in my experience, while women generally tip well, young women usually don’t tip at all.
Recently, I took a young woman to her gate. She was very nice, but did not tip me. Normally this wouldn’t surprise me, but for the fact that she was a BARTENDER.
I do find it more disturbing when those who themselves work for tips do not tip.
Of course a Jewish girl with the name Kat toots her own people’s horns. Statistically, Jews and Asians and Indians are the worst tippers, and then blacks. Latins tip somewhat fairly, and whites tip the very best
Incorrect! There’s no one worse than Chinese. Everyone knows it! They love to take your tip but they simply don’t believe in sharing or giving.
The absolute worst tipper in my 50 years as a waiter was Jackie Onassis I was a room service waiter at The Ritz Carlton.
I delivered her breakfast on a padded table with wheels, linen topped tablecloth, polished silver coffee pot and creamer, Iced juice, a perfect rose and a basket of warm croissant with assorted jams and butter She tipped me 50 cents!
No hands down it’s the Canadians who are the worst. I’ve been doing a lot of delivery food service and the trend I’ve noticed is , They all have nice places , nice cars and branded clothes but are always able to have every meal they eat ordered and they always seem to be off work during the day whilst ordering the food to, but they absolutely never never never tip. Then I bet when it’s them doing the delivering they are the first to claim discrimination when someone doesn’t tip.
I’m absolutely sick of Canadians if it’s waiting on there lazy ass’s to pick up orders to not getting tipped at the eater end, then watching them gouging orders at Walmart from family members (yes they have found a way to switch the good paying orders to other drivers, Even if you are waiting for the delivery and on time )
And just to top it off the other trend I’ve noticed is the only orders that get reported as not delivered always have a Obama Biden sticker on the mailbox or car or door.
Facts
The worst tippers are blacks and white people who wear a lot of nice jewelry, like Rolex’s and who wear expensive clothing (people you can just tell had money.. I am only guessing that they have the money they do because they don’t tip shit.
The absolute best tippers are the average or below average income households.
This isn’t every situation of course however in my many years of server experience this is my personal experience. I live in Florida, it may be much different across the U.S.
Well I’d have to say the worst tippers on the whole in my experience were middle aged guys who looked like they were in their 40s or 50s and probably blue collar workers. For whatever reason I always seemed to be lucky to get 15% from them, while ladies around the same age tended to leave me 18%-20% on average.
Probably because you are younger and attractive.. Visa versa for me.. And 15 is nothing to complain about…
That’s because u are a guy. If you were female you would understand how bad middle aged- secretary-looking women are at tipping. They are very needy and then tip awful
Women by far, and gay women are horrible and #1 about tipping a man, zip nothing, ever, Black Hispanics French follow closely then gay men.
My mom was waitress she supported us off the tips her hard work was so appreciated, myself I leave a %35 – 40 tip.
You mean diners supported you
Does CDF stand for “completely dumb fuck?” Lol.
As a Canadian (a good tipping one 😛 ) and also a server I’d say the worst tippers are Brits who don’t live in Canada or the US and church people. The Sunday crowd is uber needy but they don’t put out. No bang OR buck. Also trust fund kids. No sense of what it’s like to work for their money. But this is all IMHO of course.
Canadian or irish is code for black people, canadians are known to tip well minus the east indians – just a fact
I currently work in A Italian restaurant and have been here a month now I find Italians the most picky and demanding and 40% are terrible tippers the other over tip considerably.. But in such a short time I have never been stiffed so badly on 200 – 300 bills with bottles of fine Italian wine 5 course style service..they order out side of the menu.. Make up there own dishes and want it served family style..with out notice..for 10+ ppl. I love a challenge.. But when the challenge is accepted and completed beyond expectations and I’m not rewarded.. It hurts a little..like a lot a little..but of course I get the tip smile nod and say thank you graciously and tell them what a pleasure it has been….worst ever..and this restaurant won’t implement auto great..
It is now against the law to put gratuity on a bill.
Whoever came up with the idea for that law should fall down some flights of stairs. Lol
I love it when people pronounce shit like this as if it were true. Research your “facts,” Lisa, and you won’t look so dumb!
Italians aren’t used to tip as in Italy the waiters’ tip is already in the ”coperto”.
coperto is for bread or breadsticks and the dry cleaning for real napkin and tablecloth…..italians unfortunately don’t tip.worst for sure are blacks ,asians and from today people from Arizona,full restaurant and none of them tipped.
Scandinavians. Used to wait on a group of SAS pilots every Sunday in Minneapolis, and I think they gave me 5% or so on average. Maybe three out of my five best tips have come from black people (or African Americans, whichever you prefer), and I’ve had ladies who lunch leave me 100% before. But the Scandinavians have always screwed me.
Man, the church crowd. We would practically kill to not work Sunday mornings/Wednesday nights after the baptists got out of church.
Holy crap. Churchies are the worst! Sit in your section for 3 hours with all their nasty kids and give you 10% because they just gave all their money to Jesus. Awful. You nailed it.
Oh Yes!! I used to get this kind of crowd on Sunday afternoons in one of our local coffee shops and they ran me to death for nada..I told my boss do it again and I quit!!
That was always the worst for me. I used to get a church group every Sunday that was demanding, rude and never tipped anything more than a ‘million dollar bible bill’ and finally they came in on my last day so when I got the bill I handed it back to them and said if god cared he would make sure his people knew I need more than fake money to survive in life. They sometimes literally hide behind god to refuse tipping. Eat at home if you hate it that much
Mexicans are the worst tippers right around .25 per 10$. 2.5%. but they sure got their hand out to receive tips. lol when i go out to eat i like going to Mexican restaurants because i know i dont have to tip them nothing more than i get from them. so me and my friends go eat at a beaner restaurant and we had out bill at 50$ and we gave him $1.25 tip. it felt sooooo good to give the beaner the kind of tip % that they give. the waiter asked if there was a problem and we said nope. our tip % is solely based on the fact that you are Mexican and your people tip us the same way.and told him if you were black youd get NOTHING
My son just told me that yesterday (New Year’s eve) he got stiffed by a Mexican party of 3. They literally waited for him to get out of site to slip out. They paid bill but NO TIP. Co-workers said they new them.
Next time they walk in, they should be seated next to the restrooms. (My comment).
new = knew LOL
Excuse me, your racism is showing.
You don’t deserve a tip. I can’t believe you even work in the industry.
You all must be awful at your jobs…
Blacks and Mexicans always tip me decent 12-15%.
The only culture that doesn’t tip well across the board are people of Asian decent. I even work in an Asian restaurant. But you better believe I never tip less than 20%, no matter where I’m at. That’s called integrity.
Oh…and of course I tip my kitchen staff. Everyone, everyday. Those people bust ass for me all day, it’s the least I can do!
Its “descent” u e-tard
I agree with you completely. For starters, there are many people bitter about not making enough money. The solution is to get a different job, excel on your existing job, or shut up. People can read hatred like an open book and if this individual is racist, they’ll feel it. There is also something to be said for not knowing someone’s circumstances. Just as a waitress might be struggling to make it for her family, so may be her clients. Some people feel obligated to go eat with someone, despite the money they have, and don’t know how to say they cannot afford it. There ia scum in every race and no reason for anyone to treat anyone poorly for any reason.
Also, I love the individual who called you names due to your [correct] spelling of ‘decent’. The only apparent descent was the descent in the IQ of responses once that person decided to interject.
Excuse me, your racism against people of Asian “decent” is showing…
Blacks have been given nothing since slavery, so no surprise here. Keep hatred alive!
your so full of sh-t, man.
the majority of african americans are on welfare. and many are given free housing (which they ruin).
i’m not even a waiter. and i know that african americans are the worst tippers.
p.s. you claim to be educated. i’m willing to bet that the government GAVE $ to you, to go to school.
Educated, yet doesn’t understand how to use commas correctly.
Blacks act like you are the only culture that has been repressed. Most white people in this country are a mixture of cultures that have been repressed as well. I’m cherokee, irish and German …and that’s a german jew, as in surviving concentration camps. But you don’t here is complaining a hundred years later bitching and expecting to be given everything from the governmentnt like the black people in the south. They are straight up lazy pathetic people.
Blacks are given everything free and oppress whites just by breathing the same air. Your people started the slave markets in Africa and others just jumped on board. If not for whitey, you’d be in a mud hut eating grubs.
Given nothing, unless you include the welfare state, paid for by all US taxpayers.
OK you’re black you’re educated you forgot to mention entitled and black people never tip I raised three daughters made them all work in the service industry while in college they all said the same thing blacks are the worst tippers how’s that work with your education that was paid for by white people
that’s weird my church always encouraged us to leave good tips when leaving invite
I agree. Church people are always a bed sign.
Now this gets my vote! Church crowd are the worst. I HATE working Sunday brunch
1. Fat Nurses…I always get a bunch of coins from them!!!
2. Real Estate Agents…same as above.
Fat nurses always tip ugly retards. Maybe you should work in a hospital?
While I generally try to avoid stereotypes, the worst is if you are in a tourist destination. People love to think that since a restaurant is packed you’re just making money hand over fist. They don’t realize that 75% of your other tables are thinking the same thing. I worked in Hawaii for a couple of years and you can ring up some sales. $1500 and up was your average sales. But with the no-english speaking japanese that act ignorant of tipping customs, the europeans that either think the tips included or are just cheap, the australians who get paid a really high hourly wage so a tip isn’t usually required, and then your regular mix of cheap, rude, canadians, black, british, etc.., I was usually lucky to walk out with 10%. And while some stereotypes do prove over and over again while we pick on them, once in a while we are proven wrong and their status is redeemed.
I feel sorry for US servers. I will remember to ask if tipping is required when I eat overseas. In my country, the waiters get their income mainly from the hourly wage or salary. We are so stingy, we seldom tip them.
Thanks for the enlightenment!!!! Stereotypes are as dumb as the moderator’s who pick and choose the most ignorant comments and censor common sense.
I will preface this with one of my best tips came from a black british family on holiday. Also I base my tip expectations largely on education, class, and familiarity with the industry. (altho i’ve been screwed by a manager from my company)
In my experience working right off of disney property (Orlando) for about the last three years the worst by far are the Brazilians. (uber rich used to getting everything handed to them and they have no manners. they drink too much { a few nights ago i cut of an entire 17 top } and their children are allowed to act like little hellians)
other offenders include: (in order)
smaller european countries (holland ect.)
germans
asian internationals
less sophisticated southerners
Brits (altho if you know how to handle them they can be awesome)
but by far the worst are the Brazilians
The myth of the black man as a bad tipper in my experience is true… but black women are often my best tippers.
I also get horrendous tips from immigrants. I understand they weren’t brought up under this system, but I don’t understand why they just don’t accept the fact that we tip in this country (you know, when in Rome…).
During the past few months, as the recession drags on, I found that people that I think would usually tip well are now tipping around 15%. I guess the recession is a good excuse to tip less…
I work at a casino and when a black cocktail waitress gives a free drink to a black customer or a customer from India,
she doesn’t even stay to see if she is going to get a tip, but if she drops of a drink to someone other than those she pauses for a tip. I have issues with loudmouth people from Chicago and Boston hands down worst tippers. The south like the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia etc. non -tippers, People from Turkey, Japan, France all of the Middle East and most of Asia are the worst at tipping. There may only be a few from these areas that will throw a tip your way but for the most part it’s nil. I have to believe though it is a cultural thing and how people are raised about money and if their country puts the charge into the check as a service fee.
I used to work as a glorified busboy in a buffet-style restaurant, where you paid up front, so I only got tips in cash, usually a buck a table. I fetched drinks, cleared plates during the meal, etc., and in my several years of experience working this job I found that groups of three or more women almost never left a tip of any kind. Either they didn’t carry cash (a possibility), or perhaps felt awkward pulling out their wallets in front of the other women. Maybe it would have embarrassed those who didn’t tip or some other silly notion of social propriety. Groups of men (a much rarer breed in a buffet restaurant) averaged two to three bucks, suggesting that the social pressure for men is to follow suit and drop cash (and I have a hunch that men are more likely to carry loose cash instead of just plastic).
Strangely enough, my most consistent tips tended to come from elderly couples. Maybe I reminded them of their grandsons or something. Dunno.
This is all the exact opposite of my experiences. Perhaps switch up your demeanor.
Ide rather always wait on a group of men rather than entitled,used up has been ,cheap ass cunt women that are jealous or cheap or both.lucky next time you come in we don’t throw something “special in your stupid hot tea or inexpensive salad that you sit and eat for hours so I can’t turn my table and make real money!!
Hahaha.. I would comment any further but just curious why your previous commenters just came in btwn 2 or less than 2 mins..
Nice blog.. 😉
Unfortunately, the area I live in is rifle with uneducated people from a really bad urban city (hi US Most Dangerous List!). Yes, a good quantity of them are black, but there are a lot of white people who don’t tip at all.
But the worst? Sunday Church goers who sit for hours and hours and leave 3 bucks on a $40 bill.
Thank you for this site. Waiting tables was the most degrading, and frankly hopeless (and at times depressing) time of my life. I didn’t get into a university right after High School, and spent the next three years trying to transfer into my top choice so I could realize my dream of becoming a Naval Aviator. I waited tables in Austin Texas all three years and never let go of my goal and endured more than the general public really knows (or cares to understand.) It’s dirty, shameless, thankless work. I’ve had some positive moments, especially when lashing out at my tables, and I met my wife at a job, but other than that I’m glad I’m out and hope all the best to all the countless, tired, salty under appreciated wait staff out there. To this day I tip AT LEAST 40% and when possible, I start shit with the managers. Hang in there guys.
God bless you not church crowd but am carrer waitress thank yo for understanding.
Thank you, you hit this nail on the head. I was a waitress in more than one Casino restaurant in Nevada and when the customers are losing at the slots and tables, so will you. And their attitudes were even worse. Our cooks were brutal to the bus loads of tourists who were demanding and cheap..you don’t want to know what they did to their food before it went into the TO GO boxes but I am sure more than one of them fell ill, or if they didn’t they got lucky. What a business!
I worked at a casino as a cocktail waitress. I thought -like everyone else- that I would make great money, but honestly is was a nightmare. People run you around for coffee. They all want their coffee a certain way, and they all assume that you make tips off everyone else so half the time you don’t get anything at all. You work long hours, and have to wear a very uncomfortable outfit with uncomfortable shoes and your section is huge so you have to walk very fast to cover the whole atea in time. for the amount of hours worked its not worth the effort
I was at Tahoe watching the game and about to play and the dealer asks if I’m playing and I said I was going to watch and he loudly said “Scoot back from the table, right now Sir” everyone looked at me. I gathered my 2 friends and one was playing..I said , I’m leaving, you can get a cab..he played one more round and left and that was my gambling experience.
I served (I really don’t like this term but it was encouraged from my boss at my last job in the industry) and Lt. Rick H Ellis is totally spot on! It is the hardest job in the world and most of the time you are treated like dirt……I always tip more than 20% and I have tipped much much more for good service. I have such respect and commiseration for people that wait tables it sometimes pains me to even eat out…..I know the servers are working their asses off to please their customers and getting shitty treatment AND tips! Serving changed my life, had a significant effect on me and it will stay with me forever……I say everyone should have to do it for a few months and see how it changes their perspective!!! TO ALL YOU SERVERS OUT THERE: YOU ARE THE HARDEST WORKERS, SMARTEST PEOPLE, AND I RESPECT THE HELL OUT OF YOU ALL!!!
Black, white, whatever, the worst tippers were always working-class people who didn’t seem to have a lot of education. (Or class.) Older people and Jewish people of a certain age were high-maintenance, but not necessarily sucky tippers. Foreigners visiting this country sucked, but it’s sort of not their fault and the British were always so nice that I couldn’t get too angry. Immigrants who’ve been here more than a year would also not tip, and had no excuse. Sometimes their American-born kids, too. I once actually ignored such a table so long that they left, and I am not sorry.
I know a guy socially who was born rich and is a high-maintenance customer who tips poorly. So that supports the “trust fund babies don’t tip” theory above.
I worked at a Jewish deli, so we didn’t get churchy crowds, but I’m not surprised to find out that the kind of person who would vote to take away gay people’s rights is also a bad tipper.
What right was taken away from a gay person? They can do whatever they want even get Married now.
Canadians! In New Orleans, many restaurants (including the one I work at) add gratuity to foreigners. Usually, this is only to foreigners that don’t speak English well. We can’t grat Brits, Aussies, Kiwis or Canadians. Western European countries have come a long way in the past 20 years, but not the Canadians. Occasionally, I’ll get a good tip, but usually it’s 10%. Ethnic groups are a different story. Most ethnic groups get substandard service on a regular basis and are usually expecting it. I find that these groups appreciate good service more and usually reward it well.
Old people. My Mom was a waitress in a sushi bar in a tourist town here in California and she’d bitch about the old people who gave crap tips. Then insult to injury, she’d deal with our family of old people who left a dollar or two on a $40+ bill. She’d slip a decent amount to the wait staff before she left the establishment. And Koreans from Korea. They don’t get the tip thing either.
The worst tippers: The Slumdog Millionaires from where else?…India. Worst tippers and worst humans to have to deal with in the restaurant and retail industry. They want everything for free and expect you to pay for it to boot. Yes, I’ve had to deal with the Sunday Church people, and I agree…they suck. So much for getting some Christianity enlightenment for the week or should I say, Weak? Once they leave the Church, it all flies out the window. Hypocrites.
totally agree!
I’m gonna go ahead and say it: The CONSISTENTLY worst tippers I had were black people. Granted, I live in Atlanta where the majority of the population is black. Maybe it’s just a numbers game. But my manager, who is literally African-American, as in he moved here from the Gambia, told me that a slang word for black people is “Moulie”. His name was Abdul and he said his nickname when he moved here was Moulie Doulie. Anyway, we started a saying at work, “The Moulie 5”, because black people tend to think that $5 is an adequate tip, no matter the amount of the bill. It’s nice when it’s just, say, 2 people and their bill is $25 and you end up with 20%. But when there are 8 people and the bill is $75 and you still get $5? That’s bullshit.
In defense of black people, though, my best tips ever have also come from them. One time this awesome group of black guys gave me a $60 tip on a $60 tab. We all hugged each other goodbye when they left. I treated all my customers well, whether I thought they were going to tip or not. Being mean doesn’t earn you any more money, and it makes the whole half hour or so pretty awkward.
For those who listed church folk as the worst tippers: get in touch with the local nearby churches and let them know what is going on. As Christians, we are suppose to be the best tippers. If the pastor gives you some crap, tell him to read the Parable of the Dishonest Manager in Luke 16.
On the behalf of all church folks, I am truly sorry.
WoW! That’s the first time I’ve ever read anyone apologizing for church folk. Thank you Joseph L.! Never heard in my 50 years on planet earth that you were supposed to be the best tippers. Contacting the local churches is a good idea, as I’ve toyed with contacting the Embassy of India and telling them they are doing their people a disservice by not enforcing the “While in Rome…” theory. Then again, they probably don’t practice it either.
HA hahahahahahahha
I signed up JUST to laugh at that comment from 6 years ago. Oh my god, I die. I die lol
Brahaaaaaaa…. Yeah….Beth, I signed up to reply to you. These comments…I’m laughing till it hurts. I don’t work in this trade but accept and need gratuties as a private car driver. I agree, those from India are the worst as are most foreigners. I tip well but won’t for bad service. Here’s a tip: some of you should find alternate employment…..
Contact the embassy of India asap please! I can’t handle another $2 tip on a bill over a $100. Lol
As an ex-waitress myself, I will say something I know is likely to offend: expecting a tip of over 15 % is ludicrous. The customer should not be expected to be paying the wage of their server; their manager should be giving them a decent wage. Even if the wage is not fantastic, I always considered a 15% tip perfectly generous for the kind of work I know is done in restaurants (hard, but mindless).
If you don’t want to tip or leave a decent tip, then don’t go to a place where you have to tip. It’s that simple! N
As a waitress I feel that the best tippers are people who work or have worked in the service industry. It’s sad to hear that you tip so poorly. you may feel that it’s the responsibility of the employer to pay an honest wage but as you know waitresses work for tips in addition to 3.65 an hour which didn’t even cover taxes. You should be ashamed of yourself for being so cheap. You must have been an order taker not a waitress. A great waitress such as myself expects to be tipped at least 20 percent and would never tip
I want to curse now gracenow but I won’t obviously yo didn’t spend 9 to 12 hours aday running miles for ungratefull snobs. Or maybe you did you did such a bad job that’s all youcould get….
You aren’t an ex-waitress, very few places in america pay their servers over a couple of dollars an hour, everyone knows this. so expecting some common decency too ludicrous? Fuck you mam.
Grace,
The cost living and inflation have both increased whereas the minimum wage hasn’t. If you think the company paying the employee is putting undue pressure on you to supplement the employee’s income, then you should never be eating out anywhere in the U.S., ever. EVERYTIME you go to a restaurant, be it for a sit-down meal or for take out, you are paying for the level of experience, attention, and investment that the server has in their position, serving you. The standard tip in the U.S. has gone up to supplement the income of the staff serving you because both the U.S. government and the companies whose products you consume will only give enough for the staff to simply survive. Whether or not “survive” means to live with 5 other people in a run-down apartment with no insurance and no hope for further education or advancement, you’re supplementing their income, either through tips or through your taxes.
I only tip 15% if the service sucks. Get with the program lady! Oh your name is Grace- you must be one of those Christians everyone on here is complaining about. Whats a couple extra dollars to you? For the server it adds up, and not to mention the people that servers have to tip out from that crappy 15% you leave. there are bartenders, food runners, and bus boys who get a percentage of the sale no matter what you tip out!
Mindless??? What kind of service could you provide??? 15% was overkill for you. Try learning the taste notes on a wine menu of over 100 items within week period. Mindless …
Speak for yourself: maybe you did mindless work, but not every server works at Denny’s. My job includes knowing a list of 200+ wines, what they cost, where they’re from, which grapes and which methods are used in their production; 200+ whiskies; precise recipes for dozens of cocktails; and the details of a seasonal menu with dishes, ingredients, and preparations most customers have never even heard of.
Well, I don’t know that we’re supposed to be the BEST tippers but we certainly shouldn’t stiff the waiters either…
From what I remember from psychology classes it’s a bit like the mind keeps a running tally of good and bad deeds. If you walk up a street and someone ask you to help lift some crate into their car and you decline then you are more likely to drop some cash in the hat of the beggar further up the street. Your mind feels guilty for not helping the first guy so you compensate it with helping the second. Could very well be that it applies in reverse too for church goers who think they’ve done their good deed for today…
Well, Grace…most work done anywhere is mindless, unless your a rocket scientist or into astrophysics. A 15% tip is archaic. It’s old school and not generous, but rather insulting. Have you heard of inflation? The only thing not going up are prices at Wally World or Micky D’s. I like how many think that the owner/manager of a restaurant should be paying a good wage here in the US. Yup, yer right they should. It won’t happen until the workers unite and write lots of protest letters to their Congress people and Senator’s. Have you done that Grace?? Has anyone here done anything to actually try to change this archaic system we live with day to day to support ourselves and families? I know that I have. I actually quit working for a restaurant when I found out that the owner was the head of the National Restaurant Association in the State that I live in. He didn’t pay over time, was cheaper than cheap, lived in a very expensive neighborhood and cried poor mouth all of the time. I’ve written to Congress and Senate people. I’ve tried to educate the masses. The major issue in the restaurant biz…most of those employed don’t give a rat’s ass, are lazy, and/or drug users and alcoholics. MOST…not ALL.
15% does account for inflation you idiot. 15% commission on any sales is very good not archaic.
No its not good its the tip u leave when your server sucks. Archaic is a great word to describe it.
I totally agree, if you’re not happy with your wages: unionize. But expecting equally hard-working people to pay over 15% of a bill simply for it to be dropped off at their table is ridiculous. Other countries (UK, Continental Europe and to some small extent, Canada) have not allowed the kind of inadequate wages and ridiculous tipping practices to prevail, why should the US be falling behind?
Grace, all due respect… You’re a fucking idiot.
I agree. Grace you are an idiot, also insensitive.
Ok, can we all just go ahead and agree that Grace grew up with a silver spoon gorilla-glued to the inside of her mouth? Because that’s quite obvious. My mom is a waitress, and has been since she was pregnant with me. I’m almost finished with high school and I grew up with the wait staff and grill cooks being considered a large part of my family. Tipping 15% (in most cases) is not only rude and inconsiderate, it’s sadly expected on a daily basis. People these days don’t think about how yes, servers get “minimum wage” in most places in the US, if you could even call it that. But when it comes down to it, when they take out insurance and “benefits” (benefits, my ass) your paycheck is literally pennies. So Grace can go fuck herself.
“Simply for it to be dropped off at their table?” Really? Have you ever been anywhere to eat that doesn’t have pictures on the plastic-coated menu? Do you know the difference between a Speyside and a Highland single malt, where they’re from, or even what they are? If you took your special someone out for a nice dinner, would you know what the torchon on the menu actually was? If you wanted a nice bottle of bubbly, would you know the difference between extra brut and demi sec? Or for dessert could you say how a pudding differs from a custard? Well, if not, that wine list and that menu won’t mean shit to you, will they? But your waiter will know, if he’s good at his job, and will cheerfully help you navigate through that sea of mystery. So shut the fuck up.
I waited tables in college at a country club in a small town, and the older ladies who lunched were the worst tippers of that crowd ($1 tip no matter what they ordered). The older men were definitely better — probably because they wanted to show off in a crowd.
My husband waited tables for several years in Chicago and Joliet and he reiterated the point about church goers and African-Americans (particularly black men) generally being bad tippers. He did say that gay men tended to be really good tippers…
I’m glad to hear people say that they treat all their customers the same, no matter what, though. As a teenager, I frequently received terrible service by servers who undoubtedly thought I was not going to tip well. I remember being irritated, not just because of the bad service, but because I wanted to tip well. So, in that situation, should I have tipped poorly because I received bad service (and reinforce the stereotype) or well, even though the server was rude? I usually erred on the side of 18%+, even with bad service…
Tip bad and tell the mananger why you tiped bad and say you normally tip 20+% then they would realise that
So many of you are so concerned about what your server thinks of you! I’m a waiter and I’m proud of giving good service, so I say grow the hell up and show some fucking self-respect. If you get shitty service, for Pete’s sake, don’t tip well (if you even tip at all)! When you do you’re just reinforcing bad behavior. You should treat a bad server just the way you would treat a bad barber or a bad masseuse: leave a commensurate tip (which may be $0) and get the hell out. If you plan to return, tell the manager or at least the server what was wrong, and that you hope your experience was an exception and not the rule. And if it happens again, never go back! Don’t kiss the server’s ass because you’re afraid of what they’ll think of you. If you do you’re just part of the problem, and you’re only making things worse for the rest of us!
I’m proud of giving good service ” you say. But you’ve left loads of racist comments here. As if customers can’t detect your attitude.
Facts aren’t racist, asshole.
Large groups in general, but especially the lunching wannabe business people who ask for separate checks. Hmmm…showoffs. Entree-splitters. Oh yeah, people who claim to be “in” with the owner. (Okay, asshole, this is the sound of me puking at your pretentious attempt to impress — who? Me? News Flash: I KNOW who my guys know, dumb shit. And IF you in fact DID know the owners of my restaurant you would know that if they found out what shitty customers you are they’d throw your cheap asses out the door and loudly tell you you’re not welcome in the place since you insist on treating us so disrespectfully. Yeah. I was one of the lucky ones — had GREAT owners. Grazie to my two Robertos.)
COCAINE ANONYMOUS! Used to come into a glorfied coffee shop where I worked in my much younger days, friggin’ squat forEVER, MOVE TABLES AROUND to better suit their needs (GOD I HATE TABLE-MOVING PIECES OF SHIT), act like they’re better than you because you’re a server and they’re — what? Clean today? Snap your fingers at me again, asshole: you won’t have a working nose to snort up ANYTHING…problem friggin’ solved. You’re welcome.
I got out of the business when I was to the point where I was accidentally saying that kind of stuff out loud. To my customers. Like, “WHERE’S MY BREAD?” was met with a dead stare and “Your bread is in the oven. Cooking. You want me to go get it? I’ll be happy to bring it out to you in the shape it’s in now. No problem.” So yeah…it was time to get out.
Tourists from countries where tipping is not part of their culture and the waiters back home get paid decent, even above-average salaries.
I think it’s always a good idea as a tourist to do some research on the tipping customs of the destination country. Things like what services are tipped, how much should you tip, etc. That way, an honest mistake can be avoided and there won’t be that shock when you’re expected to tip.
DragonFly – When inflation causes restaurant prices to go up, a 15% tip goes up proportionately. It is not necessary for the tip percentage to go up to keep up with inflation.
I found the worst tippers – the ones who totally stiffed me or left 5% – were the ones who gushed about what great service I provided and what a wonderful waitress I was, sometimes interspersed with a comment or two about how broke they were.
The good tippers let their cash do the talking and didn’t feel compelled to waste my time telling me I was the best waitress they’d ever had.
The ones who felt compelled to *tell* me I did a good job invariably left little to no tip. Perhaps they felt guilty for stiffing me and wanted me to know they didn’t think I was awful? Or maybe they just truly believed their compliments could pay my bills as well as their cash could…
These “gushers” as I called them, seemed mostly to be lower income caucasian folks. The African American and Hispanic folks who appeared to be lower income would generally leave a 10% tip (or possibly no tip) and skip the gushing about how wonderful I was. That was annoying, too, but at least they had the decency to slink away instead of rubbing my face in it.
@Dragonfly
I have to agree on Indians as the worst tippers in the world. At one point of my 8-year-career as a waiter I have worked in upscale French-Indian restaurant. We had a lot of Indian patrons, a lot of them from Silicon Valley, and I can tell you that the best you can hope for is 15%. I’m not talking about Indian tourists, for whom is very common to round up a bill from $97.56 to a hundred.
What I disagree on is your categorization of restaurant biz. people as “Lazy”, “don’t give a damn”, “junkies” and “alcoholics”. I find it a bit offensive.
Question for those who’re considering church goers as the worst – How do you know who they really are? Do you ask them after getting stiffed: “Mam, by any chance have you been to the church lately?” or do they tell you “God bless!” instead of leaving a tip?
As a Canadian waiter I just recieved 50 cent tip from Americans. They always seem the worst. Followed closely by Britts and the Aussies who just NEVER tip no matter what.
I’m really surprised people are saying Canadians are bad tippers. I live in Canada, I myself am a very good tipper. I tip 15% for good service and 20-25% for superior service. I find that black people and east indians do not tip 95% of the time. People that don’t tip because they are cheap assholes and make terrible excuses that its their “principle” not to tip. If I don’t get tipped I do NOT make any money.
@ Anonymous.. you’re a fucking idiot, not Grace.
Totally agree with you. Black, West and East Indians basically never tip. You are considered lucky if you get 10% tip from them. It just sucks that you try so hard to give them the best possible service and you end up getting nothing from them. It shows that the educational system needs to teach them a thing or two about tipping and appreciating their services.
What I hate about them is if they order $49.00 or $99.00 worth of food, you will get that $1.00 tip (that’s if they don’t take the change back)
I’ve had a group of 15 Indians dining in once and not a penny. I’ve even had a group of 20 people coming in without calling a head of time (church group). They ordered $240.00 worth of food and tipped $24.00. They were missing $10.00 and took $10.00 from the tip to fill in the mistake.
Seriously people need to learn how to tip. I understand if you received poor service than you may not want to tip as much but seriously even when they receive the best service… NOT A SINGLE DIME. Get take out and eat at home. >.<
This is very old as I’ve been working in places other than restaurants since early 1992, but when I was there, the ardent non-smokers – those who complained if they could so much as see the smoking section – were the worst. In the normal sections, it was easy to average over 15% after tipouts to bar, busser, etc.; but in non-smoking maybe 12% at the most.
Hands down worst tippers are (in no particular order):
blacks
jews
nurses
white collar workers
“kiss of death people”(“you were the best server we’ve ever had”)
old people
Blacks ARE indeed the WORST tippers. I had a client who came in for a deluxe $44 service. I worked hard on her feet and she paid with credit card. I saw what she put on her receipt under “tip”. She drew a horizontal line. So much for gratuity. I also had one woman who left me a $1 tip. Not to sound racist but from my experience black people where I work tend to be cheapskates.
The damned church people were the worst. Seriously, if you leave your server one of those cheezy fucking tracts that are disguised as money, but are actually some bullshit about how your reward is in Heaven? You should be instantly struck dead. “Your reward is in Heaven” doesn’t pay the rent, bitch.
Tied for first place in the Awesome Tipper department were the drag queens from the local show bar – sweet, hilarious, a little demanding, but very generous – and the little old ladies from the Jewish retirement home. I loved my little Bubbehs.
One theory about mean Xtians is that as they pony up 10% of their income (15% of their TAKE-HOME income!!!) to their greedy God or whatnot they are too broke to tip.
As Waiter says, “If you are too broke to tip 20% — you are too broke to eat out”. 15% is what I tip for BAD service — even a rude waiter will get 15%. Average is 20%, a good waiter/ess gets 25%.
I worked as a waitress in a small town and the people who thought they were hot shit (and very demanding) always tipped the worst.
Later I worked on an Army base and suprisingly, single young soldiers(usually male), who came in alone ALWAYS tipped the best(even on a $4 to-go order). I think that single soldiers in groups of 3 or more and people with kids tipped the worst.
We frequently had table set-ups like this- 2 adults and 4 kids out to dinner while the kids throw food ALL OVER THE PLACE while the parents act oblivious then not tip. That pissed me off and happened almost daily.
I vollenteered to take 3rd shift on weekends while my husband was deployed(so no one else was forced to do it and then bitch-BIG MISTAKE)Single soldiers who came in from the bar at 2-3am tipped so shitty. Normally the drunk ones tipped better than the sober ones. They would come in 3+groups always and be obnoxiously loud and dirty. Then leave. 1/2 they didnt even end up paying.
At my resturant we have a $5 lunch specials. ANYONE that comes for that is a terrible tipper. Also getting $12 off your birthday meal does not mean that you dont have to include that into your tip. ASSHOLES i dont fucking care if its your goddamn birthday
The “Early Birds” hands down. They come in for cheap food & cheap entertainment because they are cheap! Unfortunately there is no catorgorizing them because they have infiltrated all social, ethnic and religious groups. Be forwarned :o) it’s like there undercover or something.
DenverGregg, non-smokers should have eaten somewhere else. But if there were no non-smoking restaurant options in the area (something we have run into), then the low tip was probably due to having to put up with the smoke. I don’t short the tip due to that, but I can understand why some people would.
Was a concierge, and have to say, most were CEO’s of companies, and school teachers.
Salesmen. Motherfuckers never tipped when I was a parking valet, because they couldn’t expense valet tips and too cheap to pay out of pocket. Assholes.
The extra religious will leave a bible quote as a tip. And I have seen Indian IT contractors tip very little. As if they have no idea about money. Usually these people are trying to send money back home; and save for when the gig ends and they have to go back to India. But if you are going to go out for lunch, pay the tip. I will usually throw in an extra buck or two over my usual tip to model how it is done.
@Vasil–I worked in a brunch restaurant on weekends (and weekdays, but not as many brunchers M-F) and aside from the church-goers being dressed up and the non-church-goers looking like they partied all night, YES I would ask them. “Aw, you all look so nice! Were you at church this morning?”. And yeah, some of them could be some BAD tippers. I had this one family (black, coincidentally!) that had 4 kids and would all cra into one booth with the high-chair at the end. In a crowded-ass restaurant that in itself is annoying enough. They would make the kids all split a meal and the adults would split one too, so for a 6-top their bill was never more than $30 and I was lucky to get $4 off of them. The worst part is, they were regulars so I had to be nice to them EVERY WEEK knowing what was coming. Technically we’re allowed to grat 18% on 5 or more, but 1)I don’t think that counts when 2/3 of the table is under age 10 and our computer system was beyond ancient so we had to write in the grat on the receipt, and you can all imagine how well THAT went over. We had (black) people arguing with (black) severs that maybe they WERE going to tip well but since you assumed they weren’t and added it to the bill, they were insulted and now weren’t going to tip at all. Nice logic.
It’s been my experience that I can’t pin down the absolute worst or best tippers. I’ve received both great and lousy tips from just about any group. But if I had to single out one sector that was the most consistently bad, it would be black church people. They seem to spend all their money on red or purple shiny suits for men, big fuckin’ stupid hats for the women, 9-year old cadillac sedans, and huge gold-rimmed sunglasses. And they always seem to arrive in large groups, unannounced!
They seem to always order things well done or deep fried, sometimes both! They search the menu up and down, forwards, backwards, and even inside out, looking for the soft drinks (it’s either Coke or Pepsi products, along with lemonade, juices, iced tea, etc.), ask if there are free refills, and then order water with 85 lemons and a case of sugar packets. Sometimes they order prime rib but expect ribs that come from pigs. And always extra napkins, extra sauces, and tons of togo containers, even for the stuff they didn’t like.
Invariably, one of the group seems to be the Reverend of the church. If he pays the tab, (with a church credit card), the server might get 6-9% and be told he/she did a great job! But mostly, it’s separate checks, with each individual paying with large bills, $50 $ $100, all needing change. On a party of 20 people, the server might get a buck per person, maybe less.
As I said before, there are good tippers and bad tippers in any socio-economic group. The black church people, were the most consistently least return on investment of time and effort.
I love you OMC. I wonder if you worked in my restaurant, because you hit the nail right up on its head. “I need a bowl of lemons. And more sugar packets.” “Yeah there’s actually a jar of sugar on the table.” “Yeah but I like that raw sugar. And extra lemons.” “Oh really? Are you making your own lemonade? Because we SELL THAT HERE!! FOR MONEY!” “Uh..no.”
I worked at a Greek diner in Buffalo, NY IN 2009. I bartender and served. One bu
My in-laws.
I work in canada, and the worst tippers in my experience are the asians and indian (from india). No offense or anything, I’m chinese, and every once in a while the trend is proved wrong. They’re usually comepletely nice and will love you as a server, they just tend not show to that gratitude in extra cash.
Chinese people tip shitty as well. Educate your people?
@Vasil – You can tell the church people usually because they tell you they are church people…often they try to convert you or leave you little religious tracts on the table. Sometimes the little tracts ARE the tip..like, “Here’s a tip: You’re going to hell!” Thanks for that one!
I used to get one group in every Wednesday night, maybe 10-12 including the pastor, and they would order weird stuff..like hardboiled eggs with a hamburger patty and a bowl of pickle slices. And they always left a religious pamphlet and never more than $5. Sweet.
I just started waiting tables again (after taking a hiatus to get a bachelor’s, a master’s, and a law degree…glad I spent THAT money wisely), and aside from the church folks, the other group I am dreading waiting on are the old folks that hobble down from the neighboring assisted living facility. Maybe 6 nickles was a killer tip in 1939, but not so much any more. I would actually love to consistently get 15%.
my first waitress job was in the teeny-tiny town i grew up in, and while we got some tourist trade, most of the customers were people i’d known my whole life. most were decent tippers (at the time, pay rate was less than $2/hour) but the worst were the ones with kids my age. it was like i was stealing the money directly from their teenager’s social life by working my butt off on weekends. one weekend, a party of 15 of one of the town’s most prominent families was in my section, and their daughter was in my grade in school. the children ran around life deranged monkeys, the daughter busted up biscuits and threw them on the floor, and they sat at that table for three hours. it took 30 minutes to clean up the table when they left and they left me…15 cents. the bus girl and i were so insulted, we just tossed it into the give a penny/take a penny cup.
Churchy people! Sunday afternoons totally suck. I was entirely stiffed twice yesterday, and it was not due to the service.
They treat the wait staff like pieces of shit. They also tend to throw food and trash all over the floor and let their children run wild throughout the restaurant.
Maybe it’s just in this area, but that’s what I experience.
Not very Christian of them, is it?
Agree with Melissa – church crowd is the worst. They need 100 cups of coffee, 10 baskets of breakfast breads, and fruit salad(free, included in the cost of brunch) oh, and bring me take outs for the “free” crap I don’t finish. And then they leave you a 10% tip w/ a scripture card. Whatever happened to “do unto others…..”
The worst by far? Teachers. a lot of them seem to hate their lives, so they go out of their way to be demanding, high maintenance and then don’t tip. That or young couples who are still paying off student loans…
Although the worst I ever got was a group of servers from Boston pizza. On average they tipped less than five percent, and a few even walked out on their bill. Of course, they were a group of almost 20 who ran us like we were their own personal slaves…and they ate and drank a lot, not to mention sat until an hour after closing. That was a bad night…
Hmm, in my experience, I wouldn’t necessarily remember the customers who would merely leave shitty tips. I remember the customers who were a huge pain in the ass AND left really shitty tips:
Churchgoers – Yes, you can see these people coming a mile away. For one thing, it’s not rocket science to spot Churchies. Gee, it’s 11:30-1pm on a Sunday and you’re coming in with your whole family, all dressed up. And they ALL have the same attitude: Expression like they’re sucking on a lemon. Entitled rudeness- snapping fingers, demanding items with no please or thank you, complaining about the service being slow even though it’s obviously shit busy AND they have a large party to boot. And more often than not, someone would ask in a sanctimonious tone if YOU’D been to church. Once you get that, you KNOW your tip will be 5% at the most. And then there’s those fucking jerks who perform all of the above acts and then leave as a tip one of those church tracts that are folded and printed to look like money, but no actual money. I hope you someday run into a waiter who decides it’s his last day and beats the shit out of you for doing that.
Ladies who Lunch – Argh, I HATED these uppity bitches. They’d always come in during lunch rush in groups of 4 or 5, yet get shitty if they ended up at a table not of their choosing (because how dare it be busy during lunch rush) or that their designer purses and coats would be dirtied. Then they’d get water with a lemon or worse, hot tea. Then they’d take forever to order because they had to modify the shit out of everything to remove all extra calories, fat and carbs. It seemed like a contest of who could find the item on the menu that could be most drastically altered with modifiers. Then they would camp at the table not-eating these items yet resisting any attempts to move them along. At the end, they would ALWAYS want separate checks and ALWAYS pay with either credit cards or ATM-fresh twenties. And of course, since they got a shitty table, their Prada got touched by the busboy, their food tasted funny and you took ten minutes trying to chase down $77.42 in change or running 5 credit cards, you’d get a really crappy tip. Also because since you’re one of the unwashed masses and live in the ghetto compared to them, $1 is obviously a lot of money to you.
Moms with Kids – Even worse than the Ladies who Lunch, because at least with the LwLs you don’t have to listen to them scream for 20 minutes straight, they don’t tell you to hand over every maraschino cherry on the premises, and they don’t leave their table looking like a tornado went through Cheerio Town. Moms with Kids will also occasionally commit biological warfare in your section: Junior will puke or shit himself or Mom will change her baby on the table/leave the dirty diaper on the table, all for you to clean up. All for 5-8% if you’re lucky.
Academics – Overeducated people who generally don’t have that much money because they work at a college and thus get paid 75% market rate. So they make up for it by acting like they’re your intellectual superior. (Ironic, considering that probably at least half of restaurant workers are putting themselves through schooling of some sort.) However, these Ph.Dickheads never seem to have common sense, so they come in on Friday night 45 minutes before their play is supposed to start, and then order a steak medium-well. And nothing builds confidence in your community of educators like waiting on a table of math teachers who can’t figure out how to split a check.
Sexual Harrassers – These little assholes usually thought they were God’s Gift to The Ladiez but had all the pickup artistry of Johnny Drama from Entourage. So you’d have to deal with comments of increasing inappropriateness and possible Bad Touching until it became clear that they expected their meal to come with a happy ending if you wanted a tip. Since most waitresses can’t be bought for $5, you usually lost out. Some of these shit heads would even have the nerve to complain to the manager.
‘tornado went through Cheerio town’- just killed me! I have spent so damn much of my life on my hands and knees scraping crushed Cheerios and Goldfish Crackers out of the carpets with my fingernails. People who think we just “ya know, write down an order and pocket a whole bunch of money” have no idea.
I literally got sick to my stomach just thinking about having to work lunch shift on Sunday and wait on a bunch of cheap, asshole “Christians”. I served off and on for years and raised my daughter plus finished college. By the time I last served in a restaurant I was ready to commit murder on most shifts; Sunday lunch being the worst. If you want to experience the worst in human beings, be a server. It will change your life. Also, you will never look at a so-called ‘Christian” the same ever again! My heart truly goes out to servers everywhere; I even tell my elderly Christian mother, when she mentions church to me or tithing, “I tithe to servers, that is where I know it goes to people who put up with so much yet get back so little!” And to the other comments: 15%! Are you kidding me? Never less than 20% but typically 25% or more! Much love to all the servers out there!
I agree entirely that academics don’t know how to tip. They also act awkward and can’t seem to respond to simple questions!
@Beth: You are right, church goers are the worst (I attend regularly and do my best to counter the trend).
In my experience it is the upper middle class 40 & 50 somethings that don’t tip well. They leave the lowest amount possible while not being outright rude, no matter how good the service is.
True, some other groups (poor & elderly) often don’t leave generous tips. But they leave what they can and make up for thier lack of funds with kindness. The above mentioned have no excuse.
NBA players. I worked as a valet in college, and was stiffed by both Kevin Johnson (now our mayor) and Bill Cartwright.
This is from years ago, but I have to concur — the Sunday Brunch groups were the most likely to be bad tippers, relative to the amount of extra work they made. By that I mean, one person would ask for a refill on their soft drink, I’d ask if anyone else wanted anything, get noes around the table (or ignored) and when I brought the refill, would get a request from someone else for something that I could have brought just as easily with the refill, if I’d known about it. That they were parties or 6, 8, 10 or more just made it worse.
On the other hand, the AA group would come in for coffee and sandwiches after the Tuesday night meeting and they usually left pretty good tips for the amount of service they wanted. Mostly they wanted to be given their stuff and left alone to talk. Keep the coffee cups filled and plenty of cream and sugar on the table and they were happy.
Two friends who waited tables agreed that Amway and other multi-level marketing scheme salesmen are stingy bastards that frequently stiff the waitstaff. Oh, I guess they did give the “tip” to try selling Amway if they wanted to make more money.
Christian church goers, hands down, are the worst tippers.
My husband attests that Muslims are some of the best tippers. “Giving to those who have less than oneself” is a Pillar of Islam, so….I like that it doesn’t say “poor”, just “less”.
Japanese people in Hawaii tend to be very wealthy people who wouldn’t ever think of getting a guidebook; it simply wouldn’t cross their mind. And having lived in Japan, they really don’t know what to do if someone tries to tip. They think you’re forgetting your money. My father went to China and says that they think it’s an insult.
But really, you’d be amazed what doesn’t cross someone’s mind. My boss in Japan had gone on a road trip in the U.S. He asked me “where are the convenience stores? I found lots of gas stations, but I never saw a convenience store!”. He’d paid with a card at the pump every time, and so never went inside to discover that’s where Americans keep their convenience stores!
Worst tippers, pizza delivery:
College students
Church groups (15 pizzas, check for exact amount)
Dairy farmers
Artists
Late-night business workers (exact amount)
Best tippers, pizza delivery:
Pediatrician’s wives
Poker night groups
Bartenders
In Canada,
I agree with Amy. Asians are by fare the worst tippers second to Indians.
Best tippers were usually middle aged, caucasian men.
Young people generally sucked too.
Worst tippers: Europeans. I am in the Midwest, and if we get anyone with an accent we can expect little to nothing. Probably because of the expectation that we are paid higher.
Also – inflation is raising the meal prices, that’s our raise. If you think I’m going to go out to dinner in the year 2020 and tip 60%, you are out of your mind.
20% may be standard on the coasts, but I am still happy to get 15%, and if I get 20%, I know it’s because I’m good at my job.
I’m college educated, not a druggie or alcoholic, have an 8 to 5 job that I really like, but have a server job on the side because I love it. And right now, it’s really helping with the current economic environment, no raises, longer hours, insurance premiums being raised.
Waiter – first time post, love your site!
I meant second were Indians…
Not a waiter and never have been. That aside, after reading your stories, even though I consider myself a good tipper, I’m leaving more.
I work in an authentic Japanese place, and the worst tippers are, by far, the Japanese. We get a mix of about 50/50 Japanese/not. I suppose it’s normal to stiff in Japan, and some people just haven’t bothered to learn societal norms here in Canada. I usually don’t hold it against them if they appear very new (I’m near to a university with a very high asian population) – when you’re new to a country, you have better things to figure out first. I get it. But when someone seems like they’ve been in Canada awhile and have a good grip on the culture and they still stiff, I get cranky.
i too was a young server i worked at a locally owned brewery and my boyfriend at the time worked at a very nice place both in downtown des moines. i’ve always been a good tipper even when i was very young. but we went to a high end mexican joint and had the worse service i have ever expirenced. we spoke with the manager, told him about the expirence and he just shruged it off. we left a small tip and a note of why it was so small. our bill was over $100 and if there was good service i would have givin a generious tip.
The French, in my experience, are the worst tippers!
Only worked in one restaurant one summer for some extra spending money. Don’t know how qualified that makes me to comment but my experience seems to be par for the course. The lowest tip I received was from a group of Germans who rounded a $193 bill up to $200. They had a lot of questions and some extra requests but were very polite. I was aware of the low tipping expectations that came with non-Americans and usually saw them as an opportunity to interact with another nationality rather than potential for a big tip. I still always gave the best service because I generally like to see people happy and not have complaints related to my work.
I worked at an ethnic restaurant in a very old money but extremely liberal/progressive town. The prevailing type of clients seemed to be comfortable people who enjoyed dining and even getting to know a thing or two about the staff and the ethnic traditions and other cultural facts. I give the owners and the chefs credit for this. 20% was the norm much of the time.
This was in 2004 however. Im sure things have changed drastically.
I worked at a local pub and the best tippers where always the construction workers. Maybe it was because I was young and pretty, and I served them cold beer, but they were by far the best.
Europeans, I hate you, especially the French. Don’t get me wrong! I love and appreciate the culture, the philosophy, the food and the fashion. But you can’t claim to be sophisticated and continue to plead ignorance of tipping customs. The Irish were the exception, as I always found them to be fun and friendly. I waited tables in San Francisco at a diner that was open at all hours and located near bars and movie theaters, so I think I saw it all. The absolute worst, however, were the gypsies who tried to order off of the menu, ran us ragged and tipped pennies, scowling all the while.
As a Christian, I’m offended by other Christians that leave horrible tips. I almost always leave 20% – it has to be bad really bad service for me to leave less.
Also, I’ve tried to slip more cash onto the table if I see someone in my party stiff a server.
And if you want to leave a tract, fine. The server can read it, throw it out, etc., but it DOES NOT make up for a tip. The “their salvation is more important than the tip” mentality may be true in the long run (from my/other Christians POV), but it ain’t payin’ nobody’s bills. Leave the tract and the proper tip.
Like the other poster(s) above who apologized for poor Christian tippers, add mine to the list.
worst tippers: old people and black people. sorry, but its true.
best tippers: firemen and policemen, always. i love them
Well…these comments are quite interesting as I was always curious to know who tipped the worst. Surprisingly, although many people stated tourists, elderly and churchgoers – I was surprised at the randomness of opinions.
Which in my opinion tells me there really is no one set of rude tippers!!
The Worst:
1. Groups of the Red Hat Society.
2. Over-entitled, middle-aged, nit-picky women.
3. Church crowd.
As a future teacher, I am disappointed to read that teachers have made some of the worst lists, but as a former waitress, I definitely will overcompensate for that!
I’ve worked in mostly only establishments where I am required to tend to the bar as well as wait tables(on the typically slower nights). One place I worked at for 5 years, I even had to cook it as well. Where I’m at now, we get a Euchre crowd of anywhere from 15-30 people wednesday nights. Often times many of them come in early to eat before hand. I’m not sure if this one woman has a tad bit Alzheimers and is stuck back in 1930 or what. She often stacks the dirty plates for me and hands me my 50 cent tip while saying with a smile, “I used to be a waitress once upon a time.” I usually end up cocktail waitressing their tables throughout the night and making MAYBE 5$ total from the entire group. They do not have the courtesy to understand that they are taking my time and attention away from paying tables, or the fact that I have to re-set the tables and clean up after them for 4 hours. GGRRR.
I forgot to mention that most of them are ridiculously unfriendly, will interrupt me when I;m taking another tables order so I can refill their water. And when they eat, they use their ‘Buy one cheeseburger and fries for $5.50 and get the second free’ coupons. And the only time they order drinks is when they have a drink chip that was given to them for free by my boss the previous wednesday. Some of them have even started bringing their own bottled water. =] Do you think I got that much dis-respect from seniors when i was a Nurses aide at the hospital??? Eff no, of course not.
My boss looks at it like “People drive by and see the full parking lot.” I look at it from the standpoint that I’ve had people walk in to eat and walk right back out because it looked too packed. And what patrons want to eat in a dining room with the lights cranked as bright as possible creating the worst possible dining atmosphere.
Thanks. I feel better even though it’s almost wednesday.
I’ve been a waitress for over ten years in a small town in Indiana, and by far the worst tippers are Jehovah’s Witnesses. They leave no tip at all, no matter how high the bill. My fiance is a former Witness, and he noticed it every time he went to dinner with his family. I even knew some of them by name and would have friendly conversations with them, and they would still stiff me.
Mexicans and Asians are the worst tippers…sorry guys, but I waited tables for 15 years and in 3 different states. It doesn’t matter which coast, either. There, I said it!
I’m embarrassed on behalf of church people. I know Kempeth said it already, but I just have to add my apology to his. I’m so sorry!
The worst tips I’ve ever *seen* came from old white people. I saw a 60-70 year old guy drop a quarter on the table for a tip once. Both my husband’s and my grandparents think that a 10% tip is standard and that you don’t have to tip at a buffet-style restaurant.
The church people don’t tip when they get their hair cut and styled or just styled. I have been doing hair a long time, and they may share other things with you (things they no longer need) but not a cent of their money other than what they have to pay.
i, too, am a recovering waiter. my consistently worst tippers were municipal elected officials: judges, councilmen, supervisors and mayors. this held true in four cities over a ten year period. minga, those guys (and gals) are cheap.
i certainly have to say that as a career bartender i go into work every night with zero expectations. i tend to work in establishments that focus on craft cocktails where 20% is the standard across the board if not the benchmark. that being said i have worked every type of venue from college bars to fine dining to clubs and held every position at these venues over the years. college kids seem to be fairly bad tippers if not out of sheer lack of money and genuine embarrassment because of the fact or simply due to not knowing at a young age how to tip. latinos/asians have generally been a crap shoot for me over the years as i’ve learned to never judge a book by its cover. i’ve been stiffed by more minorities than i can count but also been blown away by the same. i used to run the bar at a prominent hotel in my city and was regularly surprised by out of town sports fans leaving obscene tips for good service (50 dollar cash tip for 6 dollars worth of beer). out and out though african-americans are the bane of existence when it comes to tips as a bartender. the pours are always “short”, the prices always too high and the customer never understandable (as much as i respect your ebonics, please respect the fact that i’m educated and not privy to them.) to that length though i would routinely have black customers stiff me or the very next customer leave 50% in cash. the fact remains, you can never really tell in the service industry.
Yeah in my experience, the worst tippers are black people and church people. These are stereotypes and I know there are black people and church people that tip very well. But as a whole, if you’re playing numbers you don’t want to be sat a party of black people or church people in your section. Hey church folk, a printed sheet of paper about god, not so much a tip. Waiters are mostly looking for paper money. Spendable money. Not your church propoganda.
After 20 years in the business, it’s a two way tie:
1. NPR/PBS member card carriers are the worst tippers of all. The worst.
2. ANYONE who promises to tip well. The kiss of death. I don’t even try to hide my tableside deflation when you tell me what a great tip I am going to get.
As a Canadian who works in the food industry i have to say that Europeans are the worst. And they don’t even have the manners to say please or thank you! I hate to say it but especially Bosnians and Serbians.
Waiting tables in Texas for a long time, Mexican nationals were terrible tippers, for the most part. Like churchgoers, they were extremely needy but did not compensate for the hard work.
Let me add my apology for all the cheap churchgoers. I’m a chuchgoer but I, too, never tip less than 20% and will add to what is on the table if someone I am with doesn’t “get it.” I’ve explained to everyone I’ve seen do the drop a tract thing, that insulting people and demonstrating your own stupidity is not the best way to win souls. My daughter has been a server for 14 years and says the worst tippers are the Red Hat Ladies.
I worked as a server in a restaurant in a small city in Arizona, and I had also heard people saying that church people tipped the worst. As a “church person” myself, I was embarrassed to hear that. However, and I don’t know if it was just a cultural thing in our town, but I *loved* working Sunday lunches, because I actually got much better tips on average from the church people than the other people in town. Like I said, it may be a town-specific thing, but I loved serving them – and it amused me when they left tracts along with their tips (the key is, they left it *with* the tips).
Worst tippers were the Californians who had their second or third homes in our town to store their boats and toys, and would come into the local restaurants and tip 10%.
I worked in a few different types of restaurant\bar during university. Not counting the poor students I served, the worst tippers were foreign non-english speakers and groups of middle-aged women. And middle-aged women were also the least forgiving and most stressful to serve. In any group of more than three women there is inevitably one uber-bitch who is so demanding and runs you so much that her friends are embarassed. They won’t make up for it with a nice tip, unfortunately.
28- i’ve always made it a point to pay compliments when i got better-than-expected service. Had no idea people do that to try to make up for a bad tip. Hopefully it is a nice surprise then, when they see i tipped 1/3 of the bill…
I forgot about people who promises to tip well. If the customer mentions the tip at any point before actually leaving the tip, you should expect to feel ripped off at the end of service.
malone and craig: YES, the ‘promisers’–lying, cheating bastards!! Right there in a special class with the infamous ‘i’m a friend of the owner’.
I worked in a Chinese restaurant- the worst tippers by far were kids (they’re also the most likely to try to dine and dash…unfortunately most of them succeeded). Most of them were friends with each other and none of them tipped. Maybe occasionally there’d be a few cents left over in change that they wouldn’t bother taking, but we’d just shove those right back in the cash drawer; no one likes change.
Another one of the more memorable customers was this lady who always brought her daughter in to eat with her and called her “Princess”. She’d always ask for lunch specials, even though they ended at 3 and she came in at 5…her tip usually consisted of all the dimes, nickels, and pennies she could find in her wallet.
No Canadians where I work, though. Old people do tend to be not as generous with the tipping (maybe 10%).
Yeah, I forgot to mention groups of middle aged women. Christ, they’re horrible. They’ll order water with lemon and salads. Sit in your section till you’re cut. Then ask for seperate checks. You’ll get a buck from each one. Not worth it.
I have close to three years exp. delivering pizza, in E. Lansing, Mi. and Clearwater, Fl. My total tips, in three years, from black females is $1.58. The $.58 was only because I didn’t have any coins for change in my pocket, and she didn’t want to wait for me to go back down three flights of stairs to my car to get it.
I can agree with most that church goers are in the top 5 worst tippers. But my experience is that lesbians are the worst tippers, followed by mexicans and mexican nationals, church group, europeans and then asians.
Women in healthcare. Table full of ladies in scrubs? 8% if you’re lucky. Fucking cows, the lot of them.
Hell, women in general, especially if they’re over 30 and there’s more than 2 of them. The more of them, the bitchier they are and the less you’ll get.
Church people, especially those fuckers who leave you $2 on a $30 tab and a fucking Chick Tract. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The exception always seemed to be the Catholics. For whatever reason, almost all the Catholic people I knew tipped acceptably. Not stellar, but not the less than 10 that the Calvinists gave. No idea why.
People with small children. Insult to injury, usually, given the terrible mess those little monsters would make.
People who tell you “I’m a good tipper.” Riiiighhht.
The restaurant I worked at longest was a place that desperately wanted to be “upscale casual” but was really just a “white trash beacon.” Anyone who came in wearing any sort of NASCAR paraphernalia were guaranteed to be pains in the asses. Without fail. Every. Single. Time.
I know that a bowling alley doesnt fall under most people’s spectrums of where they should leave a tip. Where i work each section pools their tips among themselves: Desk, Kitchen, Bar. While everyone tips the bartenders and servers, most forget about the cooks and the desk people. I’ve worked both sections and although it will be the cooks who make your food and the bartenders whip up your drinks, its going to be US the desk people who will wipe down and clean up after you and your party of 4 lanes with wild children who throw your popcorn all over the ground. It’s also us who deal with you as you stare in shock at how much bowling costs and demand that you get a discount because you “didn’t know.” We have a sign that states our prices.
Worst Tippers:
–International Asians (the ones who can’t speak english and spend 20minutes deciding how to pay and then pay seprately in credit card in their group or 10)
–Teenagers
–Black people.
–rich people
BEST TIPPERS!
–Gay men. (hands down these are my favorite customers of all time. They are friendly, funny, and tip well if not generously.)
In East Asian culture, restaurants and its staff take pride in their work and so tip is not necessary. No one tips cause it’s not a thing. Menu prices either have built in tip or just the price to dine there. All prices reflect the final cost including tax if any.
Asians aren’t the only ones who take pride in their work.
There is a reason I don’t work sundays, the church crowd refuses to tip well. I guess they put their tip money into the communion plate. Brits, teachers, ghetto fab, and last but not least, department store ladies!!! They come in 15 minutes before close, want rounds and rounds of drinks, think you want to hear them bitch about what a long day they had, and proceed to tip 10% IF you’re lucky!
Oh and lets not forget the verbal tip. “You were the best server ever! You’re sweet and blah blah blah…” and leave $2 on $50. WTF?!
my mom: white, middle class, middle aged, real estate agent and christian republican woman. i hate eating out with her. i have seen her take my tip off the table just because she could… i was so embarrassed i snuck back into the restaurant and personally talked to our server and tipped her over 50 percent…
Aussies are consistently shit tippers hands down. I personally know quite a few of them and have had discussions with them on this topic. The ones I’ve talked to simply don’t understand tipping because it’s not a natural part of their culture. They feel waiters should be paid a decent wage, as they apparently are over there.
As a Canadian server I was completely taken aback that my brethren are viewed as shitty tippers abroad. I tip 20% regardless of the tipping policy in whatever country I’m in pretty much just out of habit, and because it’s better to get caught leaving too much than not enough. And the societally acceptable tip here (15-20%) is basically the same as the US. So I can’t explain it.
The Dutch….I have been stiffed by these bastards so many times.
Yep.
to Craig @ 10:42 — Women tend to tip according to how good they think the service was (as opposed to men who tip according to who they are trying to impress) so if one woman in a group of women is dissatisfied with the service, she shames the others into not tipping well either.
We ate at a nice restaurant last night. We had two coupons. They added 18% tip to the bill — apparently they do that whenever there’s a coupon or deal. I left an additional $5 on the table because we thought he should get at least 20%. I hope he doesn’t think I didn’t notice the 18%.
In my experience women tend to tip based almost entirely on how they feel about you, and men tend to tip based on what kind of job you’ve done for them.
I have also experienced the scourge of the bitchy group of middle aged women. I used to work at a golf club and Ladies Day was an absolute nightmare. Regardless of the temperature it was soup of the day and waters with various combinations of lemon/lime/cranberry juice/straws/no straws, complaints when the soup did not appear instantly because “how long does it take to put soup in a bowl?” and gripes that bread was not free with the soup. All of these women (more than likely their husbands) paid 5-figure golf course fees and lived in mansions, yet felt it was appropriate to toss me loose change.
@ 93 Leah: yeh, aussie waiters are paid pretty good wages. About 20 dollars an hour if you’re casual, or about 16 dollars an hour if you’re permanent. Even more if you’re working in fine dining. People generally don’t tip. Maybe a little tip if the service was exceptional, but nothing like 20%. I guess any tips are truly out of “gratuity” and not because the waiter depends on it for a living.
In my experience the worst tippers I’ve ever gotten are entitled people. These are not necessarily people with money or white people or foreign people, they are simply the ones who were spoiled by their mommies and daddies into believing that *they* are the most important people in the world and can do no wrong. So essentially: a good portion of the Baby Boomers and their progeny in Gen Y.
Actually their progeny is Gen X! I’m Gen X, my daughter Gen Y, or Millenial, anyway you are totally right!
Wow – some funny comments. As an Aussie I am not surprised to see us get a mention – tipping simply doesn’t even cross our minds! It is probably simply because we are numerically few that we don’t get more mentions. I went to the US once as a 23 year old. Thinking back now I strongly suspect I completely stiffed some poor diner waitress but it was done out of ignorance – not malice. It simply never occurred to me that the girl who took my order for 10 seconds, delivered a plate then stood behind the cash register to take my money needed to be tipped! Lucky every other time I ate out was fast food. BTW, it would NEVER (even now) occur to me to tip the desk staff at a bowling alley – the food and drinks staff I guess I can now understand but the counter people?!?
pollacks!
vasil –churchgoers are EASY to spot-one its just after a regular church service which in the Bible belt is sunday lunch mainly and less for sunday dinner and in between that volume for wed dinner. they tend to be in their “sunday best” attire. They tends to look down their noses at you since you have to work during their day of rest and worship to pay your bills-not sure how you spot them in areas where other faiths are3 big like say catholics since they have mass more3 often than other faiths-can you tell I learned the art of serving in church of christ/southern baptist area in a exican restaurant with a buffet on sunday mornings-only got 1 sunday off in 3 years.
church goers sucked ass for tips but the folks from the great white north were bad
a few faiths preach their followers to tip-Kenneth copeland is one and I caught a televangalist advocating proper tipping once
ladies who lunch ie dont work and swill wine to get thru the day were bad tippers too
but any1 who reads serve blogs KNOWS spring1 is the worse tipper who ever lived!
I work at a Mexican restaurant / bar and we have 99cent ritas every Friday . Well every Friday we get large crowds of black people and they 1 never tip or 2 walk their tabs!!! Sometimes they complain that the salads are cold.. wtf?
Asians. As an Asian who lives in Australia, and who tips, I often find that I actually have to ASK/MAKE my fellow Asian diners to share the tip with me!
I would like to apologize also for the church goers. My family is part of that group but we always tip well, especially if we have our young children with us (we know that when children are at the table the wait staff has to work much harder then if it was a couple of adults). Yes we do leave a tract, but it is always with a tip of at least 20%. I am embarrassed to say that there are people from our church that we will not go out to eat with because they tip poorly and are so incredibly needy.
I distinctly remember going out with a family one time, they had their children and we did not, they ordered an app. and of course their bill was much higher then theirs because there were 5 of them and 2 of us and I saw them leave only $5 on probably a $40+ tab. My hubby and I left $10 on our $25 tab because of that and we had chosen not order an app. so that we would have enough to tip.
I wish I could take each of our fellow church members and make them serve one week, I think they would see things much differently then.
In Denmark tips are included, hence a Danish tourist in the U.S., – probably all Scandinavians, would be the worst tippers – unless they read the “do’s and don’ts” before visiting the U.S. – an American would be a darlin tipper for us! – had he or she, not read the info on tipping being included.
I actually started tipping in Denmark a while back, just because to me, it’s a nonverbal way to directly communicate a “thank you” for good service and great food.
This blog has definitely not changed my mind about tipping, although almost looked upon as showing off over here! – Thank you for “a glance behind the curtains”!
Hey, You waiters in usa have it lucky. In South Africa every one stil on the measly 10% tip. And yes some black people, and trashy Afrikaans people don’t tip. And our best tippers are middle men and other waiters.
Chantal
I will avoid all the racial and sociological stereotypes because, let’s face it, they exist for a reason. There is no logical argument against this, so just nip that right in the bud.
For my money (no pun intended) the people who deserve their own little special circle in hell are the fuckers who DON’T TIP ON THEIR TOTAL BILL WHEN THEY HAVE GIFT CARDS/CERTIFICATES, COUPONS, OR COMPS.
Happens all the time right after the holidays when people come out to use up those dining dollars. Couple comes in to enjoy a nice dinner, their bill is $125 (because they just drink diet coke and iced tea), leave a gift card and a credit card in the check presenter, GC covers $100, and you get a $5 tip on the $25 you rang on their CC. DOUCHEBAGS. And they probably think they’re being generous because they gave you what they perceive to be 20%.
As for comps – I recently waited on a 3 top that started out wonderfully. Decent bottle of wine, nice witty banter, checked back on their food shortly after it was delivered, all is well. Then they decide to tell me that their steaks are undercooked, that their sides are too salty, that their meal basically sucks. Manager visits the table, gets their food re-fired, I send out free dessert, comps a bunch of stuff. What was a $400 check is now whittled down to $200 and they leave me $10. As if everything was my fault. Oh, and they took their food with them. FUUUUUUUUUCK YOU.
Then there’s the manager’s VIP who he swears is going to take great care of you. Entitlement junkie runs you ragged but buys a whole bunch of stuff, most of which is comped by his buddy, then he leaves you shy of 20% on the total after comps. ASSHOLE.
These people and their ilk are evil and deserve nothing less than total annihilation.
Working in fine dining in DC, we have many of foreigners to serve. The worst Europeans by far are the Italians. At least with the British and Irish you know you’ll get 10%. By far the worst tippers are people from Central and South America. I’ve never had a problem with Japanese people. Most tip 18-20%.
I was out to dinner with a friend once who was paying the bill.(American Jew) The manager came back with the bill to tell him that the tip he left was unacceptable and the minimum was 15%
I’ve never seen this happen before or since, so why not? If the tip is really part of the bill, why isn’t a tip enforced since it’s required for waitstaff to live?
Businesses are allowed to charge a “service fee” as part of the check. This is often done to ensure they can keep good front of house staff without increasing wages.
Canadians by far are the worst tippers I have encountered.
Without a doubt, the after church crowd. The only reason I can get out with any money in my pocket on Sunday is because you can’t buy alcohol on Sundays in this state.
my personal theory on how Canadians were “trained” to tip is b/c of the loonie & twoonie coins. it’s so easy to just dump a coin on the table without much thought or math.
i find the comments interesting. stereotypes exist for a reason. but try to remember innocent until proven guilty 😉
i find the entitlement attitudes telling. in a free market why should the servers dictate the percentage? it’s a tip, it’s not mandatory. period.
tips are supposed to be a means to say thank you for your hard work. instead y’all sound ungrateful for our hard earned money and *we’ve* all lost our sense of manners and caught the entitlement bug too.
you should do your job to the best of your ability regardless, instead tips are the anvil over your head to keep you even remotely professional. it’s sad.
i knew from the time i was 11 i am not cut out to be in the service industry lol. but i’ve been a waiter/server for catering companies (0 tips) and work front desk at a hotel (i get marriage propsals more than tips).
that being said, i’m the daughter of a Canadian poor tipper (and am often mortified by how bad 5-8%) and married an American good tipper (and often feel he way over pays, 30-35%).
i often end up feeling stressed and anxious over the tipping b/c i want to do it correctly yet feel obligated to shell out too much for crap ass service. the attitudes here hardly alleviate it. silly me for expecting a pleasant dining experience when i’m paying for it.
If I could afford to not work Sunday mornings I would. They kill me! The church crowd is so often needy, huge groups, and bad tippers. They leave tracts, but if I were at church, who would get you your 15 refills of diet coke? That being said, I have received some excellent tips from church goers, and a couple of weeks ago got a surprise 50% tip from some teenagers who had just been to church, so sometimes it’s not all bad. It probably just seems that way because you remember the bad tips more than the good ones in relation to the effort you put it.
Best tippers? Bikers. I always have GREAT experiences with people who ride in on Harley’s and are covered in leather. I fight to wait on them! They’re courteous, good natured, and usually very generous.
As a middle aged Canadian woman, I find the stereotypes mildly annoying. However, I am a good tipper (20-25%) but still resent it. Why can’t the restaurant owner pay decent wages like any other industry? I worked hard my whole life and never ever got a tip, yet restaurant owners expect us to pay for our meals and their employees on top (it should be included in the price of the meal). I also tip my hairdresser generously while she is overcharging me the whole time.
Would you be happier if menu prices were 18% higher across the board, and small, privately-owned businesses went under, leaving you nowhere to eat but corporate chains?
I would love if the Church people were just given a couple of fishes and the bread basket, and you told them to feed themselves.
It’s been more than 20 years since I waited tables (at a popular 24 hour diner in NY) but I still remember. It wasn’t a certain ethnic or religious group, but a time of day. The late dinner, early and late bar crowds and early morning breakfast people were all generous. It was the lunch time and early dinner crowds that were cheap with tips. Gonna sit for 3 hours with your bottomless cups of coffee, taking that table out of commission for me? Or are you going to cram 6 people into a booth, demand every damned accomodation I can give you and complain because you’re in a rush to get to a movie? Well then, I already know you’re going to tip for shit. Those early morning fishermen who eat a $4 breakfast will make up for your stinginess by leaving me a $5. You should thank them.
My parents were terrible teachers when it came to tipping. They made tipping look painful–tipping to the exact amount but often less–for some reason they couldn’t throw that extra dollar or two on the table. Like that amount would change their lives.
As an adult I realized that if I had the money to go out to eat then I could damn well tip. I never leave less than 20% but usually it’s 25%. And I always calculate it on the total before discounts,deals, whatever.
I’m sure I fit the stereotype for some wait staff–I’m a middle aged white woman with kids who occassionally brings her kids, dines with other women or uses coupons. I rarely complain. My children know how to behave in a restaurant (they complain about bad kids at the nearby tables!). I leave the table neat and tidy as possible. AND I always leave a generous tip. If I’m dining with others I usually leave the tip. I hate it when my dining partner(s)are cheap on the tip. I hate the superior attitude. I hate it when they embarrass me by asking for special considerations. I hate the attitude that it’s their meal and their money and they can act however they want.
When I go out to eat I expect it to be a relaxing, enjoyable experience. Complaining and having unrealistic expectations just ruins it. Why do those people even go out? They’re never satisfied!
I saw lesbians mentioned earlier so I wanted to share this. I’m a lesbian AND British and I always tip a minimum of 20%, usually more. I played for a womens full contact football team (at least 75% lesbians) and one particular restaurant would stay open late after games for us (we usually arrived 30 minutes or so before closing, but always with prior notice)partly because of how well we tipped and treated the servers. I agree that gay guys tip REALLY well. My experience with bad tippers has mainly been older people and the church crowd.
In San Francisco, at least, lesbians tended to leave bad tips for everyone except other lesbians, unless the restaurant was owned by a lesbian, in which case they left a little more than usual.
One other thing I consider the tip as part of the cost of the meal. And i try to give it as cash and not on the credit card–wouldn’t bother me if it doesn’t get reported to dear old uncle sam! 😉
If owners paid better wages and thus upped their prices would the bad tippers still go out? I know my mom thinks she’s “saving” when she’s lite on the tip. She figures she can use that to go out another time.
May we be judged and tipped the way we judge and serve.
Pizza joints here give local businesses discounts (up to 50% off) as a means to advertise our good smellin’ foods. We stopped giving one place a discount b/c 1 of their staff would tip the change (72 cents on an $11.28 order) and the other would first try and swindle free pizza then tip only 10%, never mind how much he saved.
I worked the majority of my FOH career in high-end establishments in NYC, NYT 2 and three start rated restaurants. I worked both as a server and a bartender. These were places where you expected the big tips because our level of service was outstanding. That said, I have had a more than a couple of interesting experiences. As for the worst tippers, I can only point to two major categories: Attractive women in groups, and people (especially on Valentine’s or Mother’s Day) who generally don’t eat out or are eating beyond their means. Oh, and rich South Americans. (That’s three!)
The women: Young and attractive in groups, they are out fishing and are there to be seen by rich males. They are generally pissed that they have to pay for themselves. Older and attractive in groups, just out of Bloomingdale’s or Barney’s, do what another poster said — run your ass off, stay late and split the bill.
The inexperienced: Usually reeling from the check and are out of money.
Rich SA a holes: Have an outdated aristocratic self-importance, will snap at you, order pretty much when the kitchen is about to shut down, and parting with a penny for service is against the natural order of things.
Best tippers: Other Service Industry folks and gay men and women. Hands down. And Wiseguys.
Most interesting tip story: Working as a bartender in TriBeCa where we got a lot of the Wall Street crowd in the ’90’s. We used to pour an Uber-expensive Cognac for something like $200 for 1 1/2oz.
One night, we got this trader-type who ordered two. He looked at the bill and asked my partner “How much should I tip?” Restaurant policy was that we weren’t to dictate something like that, plus with the 20% rule, that would have been an $80 tip for pouring two Cognacs. That’s a lot, even to a greedy bartender. So Vinnie told the guy he should tip only what he felt was necessary. The guy said “You sure?” like three times and then left $2.
It was only until I got home that night that I realized what game that guy was playing. He was one of these ballsy traders who was addicted to high stakes. A month later he comes in again. Same order, same song and dance. This time, I cut Vinnie off, looked the guy in the eye and said, “I think 50% of the bill would be fair.” I could have gotten fired for doing that had it gone sour, but the guy said, “That’s what I’m talking about. You don’t get what you don’t ask for. Here’s 75%.” So he left $240. Not the best tip I ever had, but easily the most interesting.
You never know though, and in this economy that guy might be applying for my old job right now.
Someone earlier mentioned “who wants bright lighting when they dine?!”. I do. I have poor night vision, and I enjoy seeing the food I’m eating. When a place is dim, it really bothers me. I want regular lighting like I’d have at home, or at least half strength lighting. Also, why is the music in restaurants usually so loud?
Hm, back to tipping. I think the wealthier someone is, the less they tip, generally. My husband will deliver pizza to the trailer parks all night happily, but send him to fancy parts of town and he’s sure to complain. Sometimes they even jip him on the pizza itself, so he’ll *lose* a dollar or two in tips! It’s not that management makes him pay. It’s that they add up his sales, then add up all the money he “has” (it’s not actually in his pocket all night!) at the end of the night, and take the sales. But this also means he gets his credit card and check tips that night.
Loud music during dinner is unacceptable, unless you’re eating in a bar, but so is bright light. Bring a flashlight.
Gamblers. Not the high roller type. I mean the pull-tab and scratch-off addicted idiots who make weekly trips to the Indian casinos.
As a restroom attendant, my customers are all women, and I would have to say it’s a toss-up between black women and Russian women. Not all; some have been very good to me, but for the most part, neither group tips, yet will avail themselves fully to all that I have to offer, therefore actually costing me money.
The worst tippers I encountered when delivering pizzas (and it is the same I heard from my friends who served tables) – those who really are upper class. Those who wanted to pretend they were upper class but really weren’t were great tippers because they were trying to impress. Those who really have a lot of money don’t care if they impress anyone or not, and are generally lousy tippers.
Incidentally, I am a preacher and thus part of the “church crowd” a lot have mentioned. I always tip between 15-20%. It’s a shame others don’t.
Tellya what, I’m not a waiter, but I tip a standard 20-25%. Despite this, I get treated badly at the local diner here in Brooklyn (I’m from the South, and yes, I no longer go to the aforementioned diner). I’d be curious to hear the other side of things, if the Waiter agrees. Perhaps an article like this one where customers explain their tipping practices?
I’m both a waiter and a customer, and I’ll say it again: bad service should mean a bad tip, period. Good for you for quitting that diner!
My best and worst tippers have changed over the 15 years and many levels of dining establishments I have worked in. Back in the place my 16 year old self worked in that had both table service and a drive-thru, I (a white teenage girl), had a co-worker (a black teenage girl) BEG me to swap our new tables. My table posessed an elderly white couple, hers a twenty-something, upper middle class looking black couple. Seriously? I agreed, and my tip was folding money, while hers jangled.
In a four diamond restaurant years later, I had the pleasure of having Brits with sunny dispositions, impressive food and wine knowlege (7 year old kids ordering foie gras? Sweet!), leaving $500 on a $495 bill.
Back in the lower end day, yes, church folk were the worst…and who can get the friggin soup hot enough for the asbestos-lined elderly tongues?
High class places, it’s the ladies I watch out for. Thank god the last place I worked had a computer system that could split checks painlessly- which you WANT to do for ladies- so they couldn’t pretend to mess up the math or forget about tax.
Men in suits are some of the rudest and most lucrative! They COMPLETELY ignore you when you approach your table just to DO YOUR FRIGGIN JOB the way your employer expects you to. I’m pretty sure it is part of proper business dinner etiquette to be a dismissive dick. Know what? I couldn’t care less, so long as management isn’t on my ass about turning the table. I have actually been thanked for completely ignoring guys for well over an hour. They argue about the check, they defer the whole meal to some dude who isn’t even paying, they buy big wine, they tip rediculous to show off.
I’m gonna send eighty church tracts in lieu of a check to the electric company now. They will appreciate it in the long run. Maybe I’ll just pray for the church lady’s eggs to be over easy.
thank you Jeff for pointing out that as a percentage of the total the tip percentage does not need to increase to keep up with inflation
Where I worked, we could generally foretell the tip we were going to get by the salad dressing they ordered. If they ordered blue cheese or the house dressing, we could expect 20%. If the ordered 1000 Island, 10% or less.
I worked in a resort town and found “Car Cruisers” (those that restore old cars and take them to events) were horrid tippers. Bikers and guys from South Jersey were awesome tippers.
The church crowd and devout Christians were the worst tippers, and were, more often than not, condescending in their dealings with me.
The Alcoholics Anonymous were good tippers and by far the kindest class of people I served.
I would have to say that the best tippers were truck drivers when I worked at a truck stop. The ones that hit on me a lot were the best tippers and if I teased them about it in front of their buddies I got really big tips. I guess it was entertainment for them. I mainly worked in the kitchen cooking.
I work for a well known IT company and I eat out more often now but I still have it fresh in my mind when I worked the kitchen or the dinning room.
Not sure if it makes you all feel just a little bit better but my Pastor of a big church and other pastors have made a point to do sermons encouraging church goers not to go out to eat, get gas or do anything that required anyone to help them out. I know guys who are well off but didnt dress like it. On the Holidays they would eat out at several places and pick one of the staff who REALLY needs it and give them a huge tip Sometimes $500 then race out of there. These people have encouraged others to call you all by name and to quit pretending you are not there.
Pastors have even spit from the pulput, lashed out at church goers for asking employees, “Why arent you at Church today?” The pastors have said, “If you would quit running errands and eating out after Church, they wouldnt have to work” Some people just dont listen or act like going to Church is their good deed for the week. Which is wrong. 🙂 Its about always trying to be a good person, but failing cuz they are human. Contacting the pastor is a good way to point this stuff out to them. They are always looking for material for the next sermon. Yes they need to have than sermon more often. 🙂
I always hate it when the people I am with are mean or have their nose up in the air. I feel like telling the people at my table, “shut up! They are spitting in my food as I speak.” lol
If the guy is a jerk to you, the guy ain’t getting laid. hee hee! Same if the girl is rude. Chances are the guy wont stick around. First dates take place where you work and I look to see how he treats the wait staff, if he is nice then talks mean when you leave the table, he is soooooo not getting a call back!
I hate it when I am on a date and the guy is rude or is a terrible tipper. They cant interact with the server very well, or are fake about it to try and impress me. Or insist Im their princess and they should send something back to the kitchen so they can show off. They have no people skills and not the kind of guy I will call back. Keep that in mind when you see a new couple.
At Mexican places, my mother will act like she knows spanish when she soooooo does not, and acts like she is better than them. I look at the server and tell them “Lo Siento” I get so embaressed. I know you all dont get paid much and when they tip so little I have to explain, you all make below minimum wage. The server might be a single mom, a college student, or a single dad who gives half his check to the ex wife. I put extra money out. I never put the tip on my credit card.
“As a middle aged Canadian woman, I find the stereotypes mildly annoying. However, I am a good tipper (20-25%) but still resent it. Why can’t the restaurant owner pay decent wages like any other industry? I worked hard my whole life and never ever got a tip, yet restaurant owners expect us to pay for our meals and their employees on top (it should be included in the price of the meal). I also tip my hairdresser generously while she is overcharging me the whole time”.
Not all industries “pay decent wages”. There are millions of salespeople who work only on commission (and a tip is more similar to a sales commission than the average person will admit). Why do people pull out this old saw? Why don’t they realize how expensive their menu prices would be if “the employer paid the full wage”? And why, oh why, would they want to lose the ability to reward or penalize good service without being automatically charged even when the service sucked (or have to beg to have something taken off their bill)? It’s just insane and the case of cutting off the nose to spite the face.
I’d say that the only time your hairdresser is “overcharging you” is when you have no idea how much you’re paying ahead of time. BTW, how much is “looking good” worth to you? If you’re willing to pay the price to have your own hairdresser (which is how it seems since you talk about “my hairdresser”), then, almost by definition, you can’t be being overcharged because there are plenty of cheap alternatives. There’s probably a good reason why you aren’t going to a bargain basement hairdresser, right?
Teleburst, “Why don’t they realize how expensive their menu prices would be if “the employer paid the full wage”?”
Many of us do realize how expensive it would be, and would welcome the change. Ideally, it would be the current price, plus 18%-20% to make up to the servers et al. who would not be receiving a tip, but in reality, it would probably be more (some folks are wicked, and will take advantage whenever they can). I’d still prefer it.
“And why, oh why, would they want to lose the ability to reward or penalize good service without being automatically charged even when the service sucked (or have to beg to have something taken off their bill)? ”
Because some of us just hate doing performance reviews, especially for free after a relaxing meal. We don’t have to do them in department stores, and we like that a lot. (Also, why would we want to penalize good service – that seems odd.)
We won’t beg – we are a proud people. We just won’t patronize establishments where the service sucks.
Higher menu prices would mean fewer restaurants could stay afloat, and you’d be stuck with nowhere to eat out but shitty corporate chains that cut costs on everything.
I am a stylist, and I’ve unfortunately found that the elderly customers are the worst tippers. You do the most work on most of them, teasing the heck out of the 4 hairs they have left to make them look like they still have hair. Perming their hair with super tiny rods that you can barely get your fingers around. And then they tip you a dollar! I have younger clients that tip me 10 or 15 dollars on a haircut… and the older customers act like the dollar is SO much more than you deserve to get! I’m grateful to have a job during these trying times. But it feels good to get it off my chest! Thanks!
Grace (Line 21) If you thought waiting tables was mindless, you either worked at a crappy restaurant or you were a crappy waitress. Serving food is more mentally and physically taxing than 95% of the jobs out there. It takes monumental abilities to multitask, educate, communicate and market (all while keeping a freakin’ smile on your face). If you work in a high end restaurant (I’m pretty sure you didn’t), it takes a considerable amount of knowledge of food, wine and service. Most people are incapable of it (including a lot of servers).
By the way, I forgot to mention Alabamans earlier. Unfortunately, Alabama is only an hour and a half away from New Orleans. To the best of my memory, I have never once received a decent tip from an Alabaman. 5-10% is the norm.
Thanks I was very offended by what grace said.
I have spent many years working in restaurants. I still work in the business part-time for extra money. I have learned never to judge a customer by their appearance. For example, I always enjoyed waiting on bikers.
They came in with their long hair, leather pants, and motorcycle gear. Although they always looked rough, they were always polite to me and generous when it came to tipping.
On the other hand, I found well-dressed men to often be snooty and tip under 15%. People don’t realize how hard servers work for their tips. It’s wonderful that your blog and book are educating people about the service industry and how hard these people work to make a living.
Peace, WG
One English couple asked me flat-out how tipping worked because it made them nervous- they didn’t want anything bad to happen. I told them that the standard varied between 15 and 20% depending on who you talked to (and there’s a guideline on the bottom of the check that says 15% for good, 20% for excellent), and they nodded, thanked me, and left 10%. I don’t understand.
I used to work as a beer cart driver at a public golf course. A typical day would begin with somewhat stingy old timers early on, move into very generously tipping middle aged white dudes around lunch time, then taper off with cheap but consistant Koreans at later twilight special times. As it was a golf course, most of my customers were men, and the woman golfers I encountered typically did not tip as well as the men did. Of all my customers, korean women were almost the worst tippers, second only to adolescents.
As far as foreigners go, I’ve had decent tips from british, italian, japanese, south american, and especially german people and not so good tips from the irish, indians and the aforementioned koreans. However these are gross generalizations as I have had some very good tipping koreans and have gotten nothing from white guys. Honestly I found that the economy, the weather, the time of day, the day of the week, the B.A.C. of the individual, whether or not the individual had a y chromosome, and the neckline of my shirt all had a much greater overall influence on my tips than just the race of the person.
Well I think it works the other way too. I can tell what waiter will be good by how they are dressed and how they carry themselves. The worst waitress I have ever had by far was a middle-aged dyed-blonde woman who spent way too much trying to be prettier than she was ever gonna be. It was New Year’s in a decent NYC restaurant (I know New Year’s is amateur night but I tip a minimum 20% after tax, after wine, the whole nine). I had just given her back the check holder thingy with my 20% on a tab of $200 and she gave me the most condescending little nod as if to say ‘good boy. well done! here’s a bone little doggy!’. If I hadn’t been pretty far in the tank, it might have ruined my night. It certainly left a bad taste in my mouth.
Best waiters by far are working class, slightly slovenly, the ‘salt-of-the-earth’ kind who despite being jibbed two seconds before, still give you a smile and great service. They’re the type of people who take everyone one at a time. I love to tip these guys above and beyond, they are the glue of society. Another great waitress I had was an elderly mexican lady who made me feel sorry for her. she totally succeeded in pushing the little old lady ‘feel-sorry-for-me’ button (and i’m a jaded paranoid guy, i pass by homeless people every day of the week). She was a master at that. Sometimes I think women are far more advanced than men, like just WAY ahead to the point that men are lucky women have emotions to keep them in check from just running all over us men. I live in NYC and damn that Mexican broad just worked people all over the show. She emptied my pockets!
Jeff Lichtmann: Let’s talk theoretically here. If the menu prices go up $5.00 per entree, and you have 4 guests at one table, then you stand the chance of only making an extra $3.00. Most menu prices don’t go up that much. I don’t consider an extra $3.00 per table keeping up with inflation.
Vasil: I said, MOST not all. So if you work in a place that has 20 servers, and 11 of them are lazy, etc., than that’s most, not all. As far as the “Church People” go, many here have answered that question. You see them in their finery and church clothes. I’m not Christian, so I really hate those Christian fliers they leave behind. Here’s your tip: Believe in Jesus and you will be saved. I wonder if Jesus will save me from my creditors?
How about the ladies from the Red Hat Society? Any one had to deal with them?? Split checks all the way around. Or the woman’s book clubs? They’re really special.
Having recently spent a month in Auz, I surveyed what the server’s were making. Anywhere from $14.54 to $25.00@hr. The worst service I have every experienced was in Auz. Ate in fine establishments to pubs.(Love the pubs though as they had the best food)…Got my own sugar, utensils, napkins, soda from the soda gun, and even cleared my own tables. In one hotel restaurant, I had to teach the cook how to make a lemon-butter sauce that was on the menu for fish. It was stupid. They were getting paid mainly for doing nothing, all over Auz.
nyc diner: the question was who are the worse tippers. saying who is a good waiter or not based on looks its shameful . YOU should always remember that THAT waitress/er could have got a BETTER CUSTOMER/TIPPER than you instead .Someone who would not have judged her by looks or even efficiency but only the fact that is another human working under his or her service.
isnt the servise wage regulated by the goverment? or each state? or city even? i heard minimum wage in san francisco was 8 dollars an hour. I wouldnt mind 15% tips for that
The worst tippers in my experience are Indian, they want veggie meals and tip $2 on a $50 bill. I treat all walks of life the same. I think they tip so poor because they come from a Class system in India, well this is America and they can go back to where they are from if they can’t learn how to treat their new fellow Americans if they are living here. Also, Church folks, a Payer card is not a TIP, don’t leave them they are a waste of paper that get thrown away.
I bought groceries today and the guy behind the counter not only scanned my items but also helped to bag them.
Should this person be tipped? Do waiters feel bad that these hard working people don’t get tipped?
You make me sick Moe! What part of ‘we make 2.13 an hour do you not understand?” I sincerely hope you have to serve one day! The grocery bagger makes minimum wage at the least and I still tip him!
Southern white ladies in large groups. They always order water and share meals claiming they don’t eat much while flagging me down for more bread. If they came from church it’s even worse. Plus if you’re a female they’ll treat you like a slave.
As for the Canadian server who thinks the Brits are worse that canadians… Not so much. They both tip about the same (10%) but the canadians still have a bit of that obnoxious arrogance that Americans have while the British are lovely to wait on. If only they could tip approriately they would be perfect. They enjoy a nice drink ( and let’s face it servers, we live drinkers) and rarely get upset. Cheers!!
And just a note to Grace (somewhere in the middle of this page) who claims to be an ex waitress but thinks expecting a tip above 15% is ” ludicrous” and management should pay us a wage, where do you come from? If the restaurant pays us more they’re going to have to pass the buck onto you anyway by hiking up the prices of the food and drinks. I have to wonder what kind if waitress you were if you never expected a nice tip. While I understand what you mean when say that waiting tables is “mindless”, I think anyone who has worked as a server for more than one month will understand that it fucks with your mind. I work at an extremely busy restaurant in Times Square and sometimes I get home and I am so mentally and physically tired I don’t want to leave the couch or have any human contact for a good 15 hours. That’s not normal behavior. I expect 20% because I know I’m a good server, and I deserve it.
I’m a Canadian server working in an Asian neighbourhood.. and find that while the Chinese residents are cheap.. they are almost exactly on the 10% mark all the time (ie if the bill is 31.25 they will leave 3.12) so at least i can rely on that tip. And I don’t worry much about foreigners from countries where you don’t tip, I just suck it up for that one table per week. The very worst are Indian customers. They KNOW the tipping system and just are cheap and generally leave about $2 no matter what the bill is.
I will speak up for Americans though. I get a lot of American customers working near our city’s airport and hotel area and they generally tip 15-20%.
Oh, the VERY WORST tippers…. teenagers.. they don’t know what’s right or wrong and see nothing wrong with leaving the 37 cent change for their bill as a tip or nothing at all. That is also after each having five drink refills and ordering the cheapest thing on the menu. I actually request a different section if there are reservations for large parties of teens.
Waiter, it’s great to ask who are the lousy tippers. Let’s also ask who make the worst waiters.
Go to another website.
Yay Kris!!!!!
You are exactly right. If Grace thinks anything above 15% is ludicrous, she obviously is lying about being a server, or waited tables in the ’50’s.
I agree- I am a good server and try to do a great job. So I would like to receive 20%.
So if I mess up, I don’t expect 20%-but most people leave that anyway. 🙂
*Complete honesty warning – You’ll probably won’t like this* –I think it depends on your race. Since I am a person of color I know that I will obviously get tipped less than the skinny white girl with long blond hair and blue eyes. But, I also know that because I’m not white, some people do not tip accordingly. For me, the worst tippers are “white trash” i.e. WT, tailor house living, uneducated, non-dentist visiting, welfare dependent…trash. Before I thought the worst tippers were Mexicans or dare I say, “blacks,” but now I know that it’s WT. They’re the worse because they stiff you and then still treat you like a piece of crap. From the WT I’ve waited on, they think because I don’t have white skin they are better than me in every or any way. Um, newsflash… I’m in school getting an education to get a decent job to pay f*cking taxes to pay for your stupid food stamps. So, “white trash” do me a favor and suck on your two teeth and shut the hell up.
How do you know what they think?
P.S. Though blacks make up 13% of the population, they receive 33% of the Food Stamps while whites are 63% of the population and receive just 43% of the Food Stamps. Call it a “hate fact” if you want.
I just dont get when tipping went from 15 to 20 % automagically
A 5 % raise , I cant remember the last time that happened at my job
There are a lot of bad tippers, but the absolute worst is a large party of African-American churgh people. They are just as needy as they are cheep too. It’s like ok, so you want a bowl of lemmons for your water, then I am charging you for a bowl of fruit….. getto lemonade isn’t free mother fucker!
Verbal tippers suck ass too. What are they retarted? I sure as hell can’t call the electric company and tell them “Man, you guys are doing such a great job. I have never had an electrial fire, never an outage (we all no thats bull shit) and every time I flip on a switch the light comes right on. I don’t have any money to pay you this month, but my thanks should be enough!” It would take about an hour for them to shut me off. FUCK VERBAL TIPPERS! I would rather be treated like shit and make money.
I’ve never worked as a waiter, but I managed an ice cream and frozen yogurt shop for a couple of years. I also worked retail for several years. ssdf23 is exactly on: people who feel entitled are the worst. That’s why the range of who are bad tippers varies from region to region and town to town. My old money customers were usually kind, patient and thoughtful. New money? I wanted to drown them all.
People who consider their religion as setting them above others, believe their wealth, race or special snowflakeness entitles them to special treatment are going to be bad tippers and petty, annoying, even abusive customers.
I’m a middle aged woman who tips 20-25% and has left 50% for above and beyond. One waitress at a restaurant near my work (unfortunately, she has since left) knew me and she would arrange for me to fed and out the door in under 25 minutes if I told her I was in a hurry. She got 30-35% every time.
In California, waitstaff are paid minimum wage, but it’s pretty much impossible here to live on that. From what I’ve seen traveling, food is not that more expensive here. It really doesn’t add up to that much more to pay staff minimum wage if you’ve got a decently busy restaurant. The real criminals in this mess are restaurant owners who grab every available penny for themselves and the legislators who kiss their asses.
I think the 15% versus 20% has to do with region. I’ve worked in restaurants in the Midwest, and I also ask at my favorite places. 15% is a good tip in the Midwest. The cost of living is lower for all, and the minimum wage tends to be better for servers than elsewhere. Also, there are very few places out here that have things like food runners and bussers. The waiter isn’t going to have to split the tip.
The coasts, of course, are a strange strange place of high cost of living and low wages for the service industry.
So, 15% in the Midwest (I don’t know for sure about other non-coastal), 20% on the coasts. Of course, I generally tip 20% where I live simply because my servers are great.
P.S. Claiming the tip percentage should go up due to inflation is very poor logic, never mind the bad math involved.
Being in Nebraska, let me just say that I hope your silly justification for your cheapness works for you. I worked for years on the West Coast, where my wage was 2 to 3 times higher than it is here.
Tourists. (Non-metropolitan and european are the worst. Especially the British!). I don’t care what your own tipping practices are. When you come to NYC you tip your waiter 20% for good service, and your coat check person AT LEAST 1$ per ITEM (no only per ticket). Why are so many people ridiculously cheap when it comes to coat check? Most high end restaurants don’t have a station. Guests should know that the coat check people depend on tips as much as the servers.
I am a server and I have noticed that sleazy, flirtatious men in groups of 2 or more tip poorly. They speak somewhat condescendingly, ask if I have a boyfriend, follow up with something along the lines of “he doesn’t deserve you…”, and then stick it to me with a 12% tip. And I HATE to say this, but they tend to be from the middle east. Some other bad tippers are women who pay/sign the credit card slip while dining with their husbands, groups of homely middle-aged women, and college kids who have never had to work. I work by a private university and we get large groups of 21 year olds who order expensive wine, etc. and tip nowhere near 20%.
I TRY not to judge people when they walk in the restaurant, because there is always the table who you never thought would tip well and they end up making your night. Seriously though…I despise being a server.
Marsha Marsha Marsha wrote:
“Teleburst, “Why don’t they realize how expensive their menu prices would be if “the employer paid the full wage”?”
Many of us do realize how expensive it would be, and would welcome the change. Ideally, it would be the current price, plus 18%-20% to make up to the servers et al. who would not be receiving a tip, but in reality, it would probably be more (some folks are wicked, and will take advantage whenever they can). I’d still prefer it”.
See, that’s where you wrong. It would be more like 30% more due to the economics of the restaurant. Do the math. Because we have to cater to your every whim and we never know exactly how many of you are going to come in, restaurants must automtically overstaff. To pay me my current $25 an hour (I’m in a high-end restaurant but it works for those who make the more average $15 an hour as well), the restaurant is going to have to pay me $22.87 an hour because I make 2.13/hr. Now multiply that by 10 – 15 other servers (depending on whether we have private parties), and then consider the bartenders who probably make more like $35 an hour currently and will have to be paid around $30 an hour for their services. Then there are the $12 – 15 an hour server assistants that you’re going to have to pay an extra $10 (more like $10 – 12 in more modest places). Then look at the balance sheets of the typical restaurant. In a restaurant of $6mil as the one that I work at is, you’d be paying out EASILY well over an additional $500,000 – 600,000/yr over what’s being paid now.
Need a concrete, real world example? When Per Se went to an included service charge of 20%, prices went from $175 to $275 within a couple of years. It didn’t go up to just $210, which is what adding 20% would have been. It went up an extra $65 ON TOP of the service charge. That’s 35% right there and then you have to add the 20% as well. that’s more than the average rise in menu costs would be because they were also paying the chefs more out of that pie. But menu prices would rise AT LEAST 30% if you took away tipping (if servers weren’t to get a pay cut – if you think that we are overpaid, that’s a different issue entirely – currently, we’re paid exactly what the market will bear).
“And why, oh why, would they want to lose the ability to reward or penalize good service without being automatically charged even when the service sucked (or have to beg to have something taken off their bill)? ”
Because some of us just hate doing performance reviews, especially for free after a relaxing meal”.
So aren’t you still going to judge the quality of theservice? I would think so, considering how judgmental some of you folks are (and how judgmental YOU yourself sound). I guess you’re going to be OK paying what you have to pay even if the server sucks. Right.
“We don’t have to do them in department stores”,
If only I could actually GET service in a department store. Do you really want to use department stores as some sort of standard?
“and we like that a lot”.
Wow. That’s about all I can say. heck, most of the time, when I go to a deaprtment store, I don’t even NEED any service, but let me try to get some product information about that “organic soap” or is this shoe made in a sweatshop in China. Hell, some of the time, you can’t even trust the answers you get when trying to buy a big ticket item like a TV or a dishwasher, unless you go to a big box store that specializes in them. Try getting a good answer at Target about a flat screen TV 9assuming that you can even FIND someone).
“(Also, why would we want to penalize good service – that seems odd.)”
I have no idea what this means. Of course you shouldn’t penalize good service.
“We won’t beg – we are a proud people”.
As am I. I’m proud of my service and I expect for you to reward me properly. If I screw up, then dock me. If I give you a great experience, by all means reward me. Let’s not forget, tipping isn’t a “true gratuity” or a “gift”. From a tax standpoint, a true gratuity or a gift is not taxable up to a certain level. Tips are totally taxable.
“We just won’t patronize establishments where the service sucks”.
Nor should you have to. But you have to ask yourself, which gives the server more motivation – a system where he or she has to earn their money directly from the person to whom they’re giving the service, or a system where they’re going to get paid regardless of the level of their service? Sure, we get screwed on occasion. the thing is, for the vast majority of us, about 95% of guests either tip appropriately or tip generously. The rest either are medicore or bad tippers.
I average right at 19% over the time frame of more than a shift or two. And that’s 19% of post-tax totals, baby. If you go to pre-tax, which is how some people like to tip 9and that’s fine with me), it jumpsto about 21 -22%. And I’m not all that unusual.
Only on the internet do people get wound up about tipping. Most people find it quite routine and some actually enjoy the act itself. It makes them feel good.
Well said! You have summed up the economics perfectly. Avoidance of the simple math and the tax issues involved, like pretending not to know the local tipping custom, is a form of “willful ignoral” people use to justify their petty stinginess.
I’m not surprised that Aussies feature frequently in these comments. The only reason I know to research the tipping practises while abroad is because of this blog. It’s not necessarily something we would normally think about.
It certainly doesn’t help when some establishments have the gratuity built-in to the bill. Are we to then assume that all eateries do the same?
It’s these inconsistencies that will cause a waiter to be burned by an ill-informed tourist, rather than deliberate stinginess.
We Aussies can be a generous bunch when we’re not confused!
Steve, it sounds like you need a holiday. Come to Melbourne for a couple of weeks and I’ll buy you dinner!
Confused my ass. It’s hard to Google something (or simply ask a local) if the answer might affect your pocketbook, isn’t it?
danish people…
for delivery drivers: African Americans, people from the ghetto section of town, Asians on the college campus.
Accountants!
It was a tossup between blacks and church people. Blacks don’t tip and church people think a tract is a tip.
Interestingly enough, I also spent 5 years working the front desk/switchboard at a local tv affiliate and I have to say the religious people were the top of the list of the worst callers I had to deal with there too.
Older women. Not only do they leave bad tips, but they leave it in the amount of coins. They also have to calculate everything and make sure that they tip an exact amount. God forbid if they round up on a tip. They’re the neediest people and just horrible. I have had some likable little old women at my tables before, but I mostly do not get good tips from them.
I’ve waited tables at a fine dining restaurant for over five years, and I would say generally the worst tippers tend to be black people and also foreigners. Older Jewish people may sometimes be demanding, but they always tip 20%. Best tippers I would say are upper middle class couples, and also younger people as well. They tend to drink and spend more $ too.
1. Black people
2. Foreign women
First of all, let me state I am a black. And a woman before a bunch of the brothers and feminists want to start a cyber attack: So I’m gonna say it: BLACK PEOPLE SUCK AT TIPPING! Yeah, I said it. In fact, I’m always the one server who doesn’t want to serve them and considering I’ve been almost always the only black server in most of the bars and restaurants that I’ve worked at, the other servers don’t know wether to laugh or cry. But I digress. I think we’re getting better at tipping but we still have a long way to go. And LESBIANS! Holy crap, I don’t get it. Maybe its because women typically get paid less than men in America and this only becomes worse when the two incomes combined are both from women? I don’t even know anymore. I quit the service industry three months ago after four long hellish years. Damn me if I ever go back.
Don’t blame the mythical “wage gap” – lesbians (and women in general, in my experience) tend to tip less because they seem to feel like the world owes them something, IMHO.
I worked a sunday lunch once and i had a party of 12 or 15. They all ordered water and shared ONE dessert. No tip. I’m not gonna say what ethnicity they were, but I can tell that they just came from church.
I work in am upscale Italian restaurant in Bucks County, PA and in my experience the worst tippers are: Doctors, Lawyers, Business men using their corporate credit cards (GE employees to be more specific), Teachers and women. As for, Black people they are not all bad, I have gotten some really good tips from them.
I feel like I need to go back to the business men with corporate credit cards, if their company won’t let them tip more than 15% these guys really need to reach into their own pockets and tip to make up the difference. It’s not like you didn’t just eat for free anyway.
I live in a fairly small town, maybe 35,000. I moved from a big city, 900,000.
there, the worst tippers were nurses. in this small town, it’s a bit different. but noone really stood out as the worst tippers.
I would agree with most comments here.
no offense intended but the worst tippers in this town are African Americans. then white trash.
it gets pretty ridiculous.
but I think it also is going to depend on where you live. and there are always those crazy exceptions that surprise you. 😉
Rahul,
Assuming that the waiter makes none of their income through their hourly wage (a plausible assumption in some states,) tipping 20% on the bill instead of 15 percent would constitute a 33% wage increase, not a 5% wage increase.
E.g, If the waiter received a $10 on a $66 bill (10%), they would receive a $13 tip on the same bill at 20% (do the math, if you don’t believe me.)
With that said, I don’t agree that it’s ‘a wage increase.’ For it to be ‘33% wage increase’ as described earlier, it would require that every patron increase the size of their tip by said amount. As aptly illustrated above, many, many patrons still tip well below the 20% mark.
For what it’s worth: I have received a 33% wage increase on several occasions.
Regarding other posters who suggest we should eliminate tipping:
My experience dining in London was that the food generally cost more, which strongly offset the savings of not having to leave a tip. However, because the servers are not directly incentivised to provide the service by means of a gratuity, the quality of service wasn’t quite what I had come to expect from living here in the United States.
I would be *very* interested in hearing stories from other patrons who have spent a lot of time in countries where the waiters do not rely on gratuities.
‘You should be paid a living wage’ comes off as a cop out from people who begrudgingly leave a gratuity. Realize, the waiters are ultimately paid by the patrons, whether that money comes in the form of a gratuity, or through menu prices. If the gratuity system were eliminated, the wages would not end up being paid out of the resturaunt owner’s profits, if for no other reason that a large number of restaurants don’t make enough money to be able to pay those wages out of their existing profit margins.
Tipping is part of dining out. Budget for it when you read the menu.
I used to live in Tokyo, where tipping is unacceptable, and I got consistently the best service there that I have gotten anywhere I’ve been in the world (only four countries, including the US). In collectivist Japan shame and pride are primary motivators, unlike in the individualist West, where personal gain trends to hold most weight.
*tends*
also.
I would also rather be treated badly and tipped well. I don’t care about getting my feelings hurt. I’m at work to make money. end of story. tip me well, I won’t care how you treat me.
of course, this goes to a certain extent, but you get the point.
third comment. I know, right?
Moe, I don’t think baggers should be tipped, personally. they make minimum wage. we, servers, make a mere 2.13. wtf.
Definitely teenagers and Church-goers. I once had a nice man and his girlfriend come in with a nametag from the local methodist church. I gave him the best service I have ever given anyone. When I saw that he had left me 10% on a 34 dollar tab I was mad. Then I read the note he wrote on the back. It said and I quote, “The service was excellent, better than I have ever received, but I only give God 10% so……” Yeah but you give God 10% of your salary, not lunch. It made me really mad and everytime he sat in my section I would make it a point to give him 10% worth of service.
I have worked for years at a restaurant in the deep south. i notice that most non-tippers share common characteristics nationwide. I will say that in my town the worst tippers as a demographic tend to be african americans, depending on what time at night people come in has an impact as well. the later people (all people, not just black or white or whatever) come the more rude and less they seem to tip. (we stay open past midnight.)
as far a the church crowd goes, i have noticed they dont tip well either. I attend church regularly and was frankly quite disappointed when i discovered this. i do the best i can to help counter this with my tipping.
anybody who wants fried foods. anybody who has a coupon. anybody who begs for more bread and water.
Groups of women, Scandinavians and people who overcompensate with compliments. When people tell you they’ve had a perfect evening, with fantastic service and the best food they’ve ever had. And thank you for your wonderful wine choices, really really excellent work all around, etc etc. Yeah that’s code for I’m totally going to “forget” to tip you…
The worst tippers I have found is black women. They nit pic all during the meal, disect the check, and most dont tip. The best are the gay men and women. Just treat them normally and the tips are great.
butch lesbians never tip me well. i have nothing against anyone, really don’t give a shit ’bout ur personal life but they seem to not want to give me money. and what makes me laugh is that half the shit they drink is owned by people who don’t support them. *shrug* sorry i ain’t butch.
I’ve put a few days of thought into my answer.
I’ve been serving for 6 years and have been in the industry for 8. I am a college student living in southern California. I love to serve and I take pride in my work. This is what I have put together from my own personal experience. As always, there are exceptions to every rule. That being said, these are the groups who frequently tip significantly below average:
–People with the black titanium mastercards.
–Black people (I would love to be proven wrong- just once even)
–Mexicans- all Mexicans (and I’m not referring to Mexican Americans)
–Rich white women at lunch *(not at dinner)
–Men from Israel (and they are SO rude!)
–“Entitled” children/young adults (leaves Ferrari keys on table next to their iPhone)
–Foreign Asian women. The older they are the worse the tip gets. This is funny because Asian men, especially those out with families, tend to tip well.
–High School Prom/Formal groups (if non-gratuity)
–Sunday brunch crowd (but at least it’s only on Sunday’s)
–Red Hat Society women.
–“Regulars” who either dine alone or are a married couple.
–Anybody using a corporate business card.
And this last one is kind of strange:
–Somebody who boldly states “Oh I understand, I’m a server too,” (or a similar quote) when it doesn’t come up comfortably or in a natural conversation.
You are SO RIGHT!! Only I would group anyone raised by Mexicans (American or Not) to be sh***y tippers, This year at Valentine’s I had a Mexican American couple running out on their tab, I caught them in the doorway and then he tried to say he left a 50$ bill on a 23.00 tab…. LIAR and this kind of thing happens mostly with White Trash, and Mexicans! PS: I AM A WHITE GUY, but don’t have any problems with races, I have lived all over New England, Texas, SoCal, Colorado and 6 Southern cities including MIAMI(highly latino). Also Spent my teenage years in Europe. So I love all cultures and races, but the resistance to tip or even pay a tab at a RESTAURANT is beyond my understanding!
As a Canadian, the worst for me is Americans because they will leave a US dollar and grin at me like it’s a fifty dollar bill. Our dollar isn’t that weak anymore!
As for travelling to the States and tipping, I know a lot of people don’t realize how little American servers make. As a waitress (in an establishment that doesn’t serve alcohol – it’s like a truck stop type restaurant) I make $9.50 and hour, plus tips and we choose how much in tips we declare on our taxes. However, living as close to the US border that we do, most people I know are aware of the low wages servers recieve.
Another bad group is the Sunday church crowd. They are the most demanding, act like they’re our best customers because they show up every week and we should be honoured just to serve them.
Not far behind is the regulars that have “just a cup of coffee” and the 20 free refills that go with it, then leave me a quarter. Sure, it’s 15% but I’ve done more running for them, than tables that eat a full meal!
Worst? Those from India, many old people, and teenagers. God, the teenagers. VERY high maintenance and you will be lucky to get a dollar out of them. We all cuss when they are in our section.
Many of my fellow servers gripe when we see blacks sit in our section because they are SO picky about their food and will run your arse off, but I have found (after 11 years waiting tables) that as a whole, their tipping has improved.
lennysgurl are you saying that so as long as the tip brings a server’s wages up to the minimum wage that would be sufficient in your eyes?
Sounds like you think an 8 dollar tip for an hour long meal is enough.
If not what is your rationale for not tipping the people who scan and bag your groceries?
To answer your question, I am probably the worst tipper you will ever find.
The only tips I leave are the coins which are too much effort to put back in my wallet.
I agree with Jeff. BTW- My customers NEVER see me angry or mean. Yesterday a man-an ele. engineer no less, was eating at one of my tables. I spoiled him as he was working off his laptop while he kept the table for an hour.
He left me a $1 tip and a tract about Anger!
wtf?
@Moe –
The distinction between a bagger making minimum wage ($7.25) and a server making minimum wage ($2.13) is that the employer is paying the bagger’s salary, but the customer is paying the server’s salary. While any tip is ultimately voluntary, when you are giving a tip to someone who already makes what the federal government considers to be a living wage, you are saying “you did an exceptional job and I want to give you exceptional thanks.” When you give a tip to a server, you are only doing what the federal government, the employer, and the server expect you to do. You are saying “you did your job, you deserve to be paid something.” You can certainly say “you did it poorly” by leaving 10% or “you did it very well” by leaving 25%, but the fact is that you are expected to do it. The minimum wage for servers wouldn’t be so pathetically abysmal if you weren’t expected by every person in our country to *at least* make up the difference.
And this leads me to my theory: I have wondered why the acceptable percentage to tip has gone up so quickly recently. I remember when 10% was an okay tip. Then %15 percent was the standard. Now 18% is kind of the default for decent service. People are quick to dismiss inflation as the reason, but after some thought, it makes sense to me, especially in cheaper, high-volume restaurants. Bear with me: Since I started as a server in 2001, the federal minimum wage has gone from $5.15 to $7.25, which is an increase of about 40%. The minimum wage for servers has stayed the same, $2.13/hour. The prices in my restaurant have stayed the same, or even gone down for some “special” menu items in the last year or so because of the struggling economy and the desire to keep people eating out. So, where is the difference in server’s wages coming from? Not from federal minimum wage, not from increased food costs…so it must be from the customer — the *real* employers of the servers. The percentage of the bill that the tip comprises would have gone up to cover that difference.
Now, I would be all for the federal government upping the server minimum wage (and actual minimum wage) to a realistic living wage, such as $10/hour (here in the Midwest, anyway). After that, tips would truly be voluntary, instead of just per se voluntary. That way, I could decide which tables I want to be nice to. Since the half-senile retirees are never going to tip me anyway, I might as well ignore them completely and treat the nice 20-something couple exceptionally well and hope for a little money to come my way for the effort. I could be free to judge all of my customers by their looks and sneer openly at the ones that I didn’t like. I would never again have to smile and laugh at the inappropriate comments from some old lech or run and get 2 more sides of butter for an obese troglodyte. Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Anyone want to help me get the ball rolling on that one?
Rofl!
@Moe again…
Oh, and I don’t know about anyone else, but if I only had to take one table an hour and they were guranteed to give me $8, I would be super thrilled by that. They would get the best service ever. Instead, I have 4-12 tables/hour and they leave me religious tracts, messes to clean up, and pocket change. Sweet deal.
Pig farmers. You can tell they are pig farmers by the smell and what is living on their boots. Europeans would be a distant second.
During university I ineptly waited tables at a busy mid-range restaurant for all of two weeks (they fired my incompetent ass), and went on to “waitress” at a touristy tea hall in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In actual fact I artlessly served surprisingly good tea, questionable sandwiches, so-so meat pies and frozen baked goods such as scones, pie and fruit bread. Perhaps I was too excited by my tips to notice any trends other than said tippers being bipedal and exceedingly kind. These experiences taught me to tip 20 per cent or greater for decent to good service, and just a smidge less for inferior service.
Excuse the slight digression, but two weeks ago I was the victim of a hideously botched hair cut. The stylist (who was over 40 minutes late) cut off more than three inches when I asked for a half-inch trim, and completely screwed up the ends. I had brought a picture, clearly explained what I wanted, and he still botched the job. I was so upset that I was almost in shock. Yes, hair grows back, but as a 45 year-old woman I’m proud of my thick, wavy, naturally-colored auburn locks. Knowing I was upset he offered to fix my ends, yet that would have meant losing another inch or two of length. Here’s the bit that might interest your readers – when paying my bill I still tipped the guy 20 per cent.
Tipping is just part of the deal, even if you’re not happy with the service. Even a (somewhat well-preserved) middle-aged Canadian woman knows that. Everyone has off days, and unlike administrative staff hidden behind cubicle/office walls, people in the service industry have to smile despite having sick children, dying family members or any number of personal tragedies to deal with. Cut them some slack. If your experience is incredibly bad, tactfully inform the management in a diplomatically worded letter or e-mail. The process of writing might cool your temper, which can only be a good thing.
Love your blog by the by!
Just a diner, not in the industry. However, I am a business traveler, and my company has a 15% limit on tips. Fortunately, I am not required to use my corporate card for meals, so I can tip decently on my own card, and expense the total without breaking out the tip. If I used the company card and the tip showed up on my statement, it would raise flags.
Some may not be so lucky, and may be required to use the company card for all expenses.
The worst tippers are:
1-Foregners
2-Inmigrants
3-Teenagers
4-Jews orthodox
5-Tourist
6-Seniors citizens
7-Students
8-Europeans
9-Rednecks
10-Ethnics groups
11-Church folks
12-goverment workers
13-Farmers
14-Intoxicated customers
15-White collars workers
16-Early birds customers
17-Family with childrens
18-Brunch customers
19-Sport fans
20-Special celebrations
21-Set menues with no service charge
I am an older black woman who until ten years ago tipped poorly as a reflection of the service I received. If I were alone I was mostly ignored by waiters. Good service came with white companions at the table. In the past ten years my policy is to start the restaurant experience with a 20% tip and see if the waiter earns it. The tip is reduced only if the waiter is awful, condescending or neglectful (I still tip for ineptness if they are new). This means I begin my meal in a good mood and dare the waiter to make it otherwise; I am as understanding as he is attentive. I’ve never walked out on check and since I’ve instituted my “it’s-up-to-you-to screw-this-thing-up” policy, I look forward to establishing a relationship with my waiter and enjoying my meal. I like it when they pay attention and pace their inquiries to my progress.
Is there anything worse than a waiter who asks if your meal is OK every five minutes?????
By contrast, my 91 year old aunt refuses to tip anyone, anytime, anywhere and I leave a tip as she is hobbling towards the front door so that she can’t pull it off the table.
It’s interesting to me that you point out you’ve never walked out on a check, as if not being a thief were something to be proud of.
As a waitress, overall, I can’t think of any one group that stands out more than the rest. However, there seems to be a trend with the people that seem slightly agitated and uneasy in social settings giving less than 10%.
I’m guessing they don’t get out enough to know which resturaunts have a gratuity and which ones don’t. Either way. I get the table with the quiet, jumpy, jittery fellow and I know what I’m in for; a customer that doesn’t let me know what they need, allow me to give them the EXTRA in extraoridnary service, and if not a stiff, then a less that standard tip. (Lets hear it for water and a half sized fried chicken salad!)
In regards to all the people saying the church crowd doesnt tip well, I have wonderful experiences with that crowd. I have a giggly, innocent nature and it appeals to them. Most of my coworkers would say the Rodeo (yes, Rodeo) crowd doesn’t tip well, when in all honesty its the server. I don’t get anything less than twenty percent when I wait a Rodeo table. True I’ve probably competed with them at some point, or my Mother has at the least, but that doesn’t seem to make any difference. It’s all in how I present myself. People would be amazed at how much a hair cut, lack of body piercings and/or tattoos, and makeup if you’re a woman, can help your tip out at the end of the night.
Yeah, that’s my experience too: presenting oneself respectably seems lost on many young people in the service industry these days. It’s as if they’re daring people to take offense at their armpit hair, ridiculous “body art,” and the bull-ring dangling from their nose.
Hey Kat (post #1), maybe Canadians were the worst because you “explained the American tipping system” when they were seated in your section. Guess what: the American tipping system is exactly the same as the Canadian tipping system! If you had tried to explain the “American tipping system” to me (a Canadian), I would have been offended and probably left a bad tip too!
The verbal tipper. The guest that thanks you profusely for everything you do for them: refilling their water glass, bringing their entree, smiling at their table. If you get thanked more than four times, best believe you’ll receiving a less than 13% tip.
african americans don’t tip right 80% of the time. idk what it is, do they think they deserve it?
#178 ~ Jackie~ “Is there anything worse than a waiter who asks if your meal is OK every five minutes?????”
Yeah. A server who never comes back. What would you like them to do? That’s their job.
Worst tippers.
Blacks.
Church goers.(Anyone else get the fake $100.00 which is a tract on the other side? That was just cruel.)
Elderly people.
Foreigners.
don’t you hate it when people pay, they have like 8 $100 in their wallet or pocket. they pay with a $100 bill. then tip you shit. wtf. seriously?
Native Americans. Im sorry but we hate it when they are sat in our sections. They come in huge parties and never leave even a penny for a tip, even when you bend over backwards for them. I suppose it is in their culture…we took their land so they feel they dont owe us anything? I dunno, but it sucks.
Oh and I also forgot… THE HIGH SCHOOL CROWD. They come in, order all waters, the cheapest things off the menu (even try to order off the kids menu they are so cheap, have you split the check 10+ ways and then leave you a couple bucks with no thought to what the overall total was…I feel like I lose money when they come to eat (after tip out)
FrequentDiner: Then put some cash down, the server shouldnt have to be punished for your company’s policies. I commend you for using your own card to make up the difference
For Canada (Ontario) waiters:
Just one of the reasons why we tip less (in Ontario) than our American counterparts is that we pay a whooping 13% in taxes for restaurant meals.
As Ontarians, we are accustomed to automatically inflating prices by 13% in our heads when we look at any price tag, so we are expected to pay the socially expected 15-20% on top of the tax. However, it does add up and thus I almost never go over 15%. I do recall visiting BC, and was only taxed 5% on my meals I was a bit giddy and tipped 25% to make up for the provincial tax that I didn’t have to pay.
I usually stay between 12-15%, depending on whatever rounds better. I always thought this was an appreciated percentage but after reading this forum, I’m a bit embarrassed about how many waiters may have sneered at me behind my back. I will do better.
As a waitress in Canada I have had many horrible tips from Americans. I guess they still think that their money is worth soooo much more than ours. So many times I have had them leave exact change in american bills assuming that we will make a buck off of the exchange. To bad we take it at par so more often than not we are left with nothing.
I worked in several chinese restaurants that are more or less only patronized by chinese students wanting an authentic meal. They are the worst tippers. They always pay with a credit card and only round up to the next dollar. Needless to say, I couldn’t afford to work in authentic chinese restaurants anymore.
Well in my experience Black people do not tip… Though i have had a few that have contradicted my theory. Brits are awful, french are evan worse..Rednecks.. well enough said.. can i tell you imbreeds something. just because im a guy waiting tables does’nt make me GAY.And even if i were does that give you permission to treat me like shit?? Your wife did’nt think i was gay when she was riding me cowgirl style last night.
I haven’t waited tables in 20 years but back then the church crowd never tipped, old people left $1 ’cause that was a lot in their time, but the worst were the AA groups.
Not only did the AA groups not tip they always shorted the bill. What pissed me off the most is the manager wouldn’t do anything about it. The new wait staff always got stuck with that group too so if you were low man on the totem pole you knew were serving 40 people and getting nothing.
Finally when that manager was fired for peeking at men in the restroom we got one that had some balls. When the group returned he stopped them at the door and told them they were not welcome and explained why. They were all huffy but you could see it in their eyes, they KNEW they were ripping us off. Bastards.
Oh and to the idiot woman that says she was a waiter SHOULD get paid more well DUH! But I imagine that’s just your excuse for not tipping well, “Well I’m making a statement! I’m proving to the waiter/waitress that they are stupid and should get a better job that pays what it should.” FU lady.
Black people from all varities… “ballers” and professionals.. they will even shake your hand and still leave ten percent.
Also europeans… and from my understanding (at least they have a logical excuse).. its because in europe they make hourly and you tip BEFORE the meal.. either way if you come to america, you should learn the culture. In some states you only make 2.13/hour.
Oh, and I never tip less than 20%. 20% is crappy. I usually tip about 25% or even 50% for a great waiter. And you know what? The next time I go to those places they treat me well. There’s one place I go that will seat my party even if there is a line, pretending I have a reservation, because they KNOW I tip well and am not a dick.
That’s how to roll!
@Redwine: Funny you say drunk people don’t tip well. Those were my favorite customers but in all fairness no one else liked them. I just treated them in my natural convivial way and they were, mostly, the best tippers.
I even took the late shifts on Friday and Saturday at the Steak & Shake because I made a killing those nights. This was over 20 years ago but I could easily pull in $50 to $75 a night. Doesn’t sound like much but back then my rent was only $200 and an average day was maybe $25. My best night was around $150 but it was because one drunk guy who only had coffee tipped me $100.
Being nice pays.
People paying with MasterCards regularly tip significantly less than those paying with any other form. I don’t know what it is, but at soon as I see a MasterCard on the table, I know I’ll get 15% at best.
@Bridget– depends on the MasterCard– I’ve had good luck with the World Perks/ AAdvantage cards, but fairly average tips from people using Discover. The worst? Mexican nationals with black cards.
I’m with Joe L. As a Christian, I once apologized to a fellow-server who was tipped with a million-dollar bill gospel tract. If you can afford the bill, you certainly can’t pull a biblical ‘Silver and gold have I none’ shtick.
Also, “Canadians”. One of my best friends is black but that doesn’t change the facts. I had to follow a professional football player to the parking lot for a $50 tip on a $1,000 tab.
http://spiritualwaiter.blogspot.com/2009/09/dont-forget-to-tip-your-waiter.html
You still can’t beat Sunday afternoons, white, black, Indian, etc.
I’m single and travel alone alot. I tip 20-30%. I’ve been seated near the bathrooms, the kitchen, even next to mops. I rarely complain, but due to health issues I do request special things (no cheese, dressing on the side, etc.) I’ve been ignored, condescended to (oh, honey, what are you doing alone?), and given crappy service consistently. Still, I continue to tip well in the hopes that someone will treat me well.
That’s really sad.. If you are a regular does the service improve?
yes, black people. old ladies who split the check. drives me nuts. i refuse to wait on them. then there are the regulars who get a discount, are rude, and run you ragged. as for teens, yes, never looking forward to that table, but my kids shock the waiters when they eat out w/ their friends. i have always told them never leave less than five and always at least 20%.
Not a waiter and have never been one. I typically tip 20% on the total, partly because it’s really easy to figure out, and because I think that makes me a slightly above average tipper.
I have often wondered if I leave a tip less than 20%, will the waiter recognize that I was unhappy with the service, or will they just think I’m a crappy tipper? Where is the dividing line?
That’s a tough one: if your server’s an asshole he won’t ever wonder if the tip reflected the service; a good server will still wonder, unless he did something obviously wrong, or unless you say something about it.
I think my fellow servers A HUGE DROP in Tip is coming, from now on.why? because of Oprahs comments on the economy being bad so its ok to tip 10%. iF YOU DON’T BELIEVE the influence she has just watch when she recommends anything, their sales skyrocket!!
Who is influenced by oprah and whos gonna be the future “kinds of people that are bad tippers” are her audience and look how long it is…
**Oprah’s audience is predominantly female, white, and over the age of 55. Nationally 7.4 million people watch Oprah daily — about 2.6% of American households. Four percent of American women (about 5.7 million) watch her daily, compared with 1.2% of men (1.7 million people). Overall, 2% of all 18- to 49-year-olds watch Oprah.
@kathy bravo for your generosity but i truly believe if the service is crappy you shouldn’t tip good at all. Now that doesn’t mean don’t be understand when a waiter is busy but as a guest you should be treated with awesome hospitality. Don’t let the incompetent waiter off the hook and let him know what he could have done differently that would have gotten him a better tip. On the flip side if a waiter gives great hospitality they should be rewards 30%plus tip
Hear, hear!
I waited tables in college, so I can relate. That said here are my tipping guidelines, maybe this will help increase your tips.
1) I always start at 20% your actions or lack there of make it go up or down
2) Are you nice, nothing worse then a mean waiter
3) Did you come to my table in the order that we were seated, can be tough but if not sure ask the hostess
4) Did you come to my table soon after we sat down or did we have to wait anything over 10 minutes is bad
5) Do you know the menu, and if you can not answer a question do you ask
6) If it is your job is my water / beverage kept full (sorry but I drink a lot)
7) Did you bring the food hot
8) Did you check back to see if all is ok
9) Did you ask if we would like desert
10 Did you make me wait for the check
Extra credit Did you engage the table, did you bring some bread for the kids, Did you offer a free ap or desert if we are good customers, If I asked you to order for me did you or did you refuse, did you do something to make the meal stand out.
I have been known to tip up to 100% (on a $200 bill) for mind blowing service. If I need to tip under 15% I will ask the manager for a different wait person. Now the surprising part other then my beverage I am a low mantainance customer.
Yes! (except the freebies thing; I have no control over that)
I’ve question to all you folks who’ve said, “Church people and people who talk about how well they tip”:
Do you believe the folks who say, “I’m part of the Christian lunch crowd, but I always tip well”?
lleecarpenter— Does that mean I should start saying “thank you” less? I smile and say thank you a lot, but tip 18 1/2* to 20% generally. Sometimes less or more if the service is out of the ordinary one way or the other. Lately, though, I’ve been tipping 20%, now that I’m employed again.
*18 1/2 is because we sometimes double the tax, which is 9 1/4% around here.
@pmk- Why do people assume I have the ability to give them free stuff (Appetizers, drinks, deserts)??? Do you honestly think the amount of ‘hook-ups’ should affect the tip amount??
I work in a casual greek rest in the burbs of Chicago.
I agree that Church people, especially Black Jehovah’s witness are the worst! There is a huge Kingdom Hall, not to far from the rest and near a very big interchange……. I-55 north to Chicago, south to Danville. They come in big parties, tie up your time. They don’t know what they want, and run our asses off.
Also, they all want to convert me…… You people are really nice. I WORK weekends. I don’t have time for any kind of church!
I had a table that gave me the money for this big check. He acted like a big shot. Maybe, he couldn’t read. He shorted me 15 bucks and NO tip!
I had to pick up the slack. It cost me money to take care of this table!
A white minister and his wife come in. I tactfully approached them. They made up for it and gave me a sweet card.
The other worst tippers in the Chicago area. Real Esatate agents….
They are tieing up the deal, They come in my rest, only order drinks. Tie up my tables during the dinner hour. They leave only change,,,,,,,, gimme a break!
How am I going to make any money if they are ” Lollygagging ?”
Go to Starbucks or Barnes and Noble?
Am I jaded? Maybe I am…….
There was a comment made about a server’s job being mindless??????????
Are you freaking kidding me?
There is multi-tasking going on BIG Time!
This is the scenario………. You have five tables. One table sits down, you need to greet them so, they you are aware of them, so they don’t feel slighted or ignored. I have a table, that needs soup and salad, I have another table that is eating slow,, OK I have time to spare!
Ok, get a bread basket and drinks to hold them for a few!
I have regulars that I know what they need, whatever, let me slip this by and get this out of the way!
I hope this helps!
I agree with many others here, the Sunday Church crowd as a group are among the crappiest of tippers. It is had to describe the hell of having 20 or so members of a church decend upon your section with the members of the same family sitting at different tables and asking for split checks (yeah, the blond haird boy at that table and the woman in the blue flower print dress at that table all are both with me.) all the while occupying your section for 2 hours making sure that the 5 to 10% they average and a tract on how to be saved by Jesus is all you’ll take home that night. One of the reasons I liked working the smoking sections (back in the day when there were smoking sections) was that I never had to deal with these people. Or am I just bitter?
As a bartender, I have noticed Australians are the worst tippers when it comes the bar tab. In addition to their bad tips, they always want to tell you the “correct way” to make a drink. Thanks guys but I know how to make a great old fashioned, the correct way. The other big group I have noticed while working in Boston were the people that probably have like 25% irish blood but yet they “know” the correct and irish way to pour a stout and are very vocal about it. (“Well when I visited the Guinness brewery…”). What happened to trusting someone when it concerns their profession?
Two words: Asian students.
1. Churchies.
2. Canadians. By the way, non-servers may wonder how we know they’re Canadian. They tell us. They always manage to slip it in so they won’t be confused with us ugly Americans. And then they leave 5 on 75…
@Dave (post 193)
I’d like to know where you got your information that we tip BEFORE the meal anywhere in Europe.
oh and on the tipping front best and worst tippers often come from our own industy.
Hooters Girl, actually at a lot of restaurants it is the waitstaff that is able to do just that or they can say to the manager “I have 2 top that is here all the time how about we send a little something over”. Now should it affect your tip, never in a negitive way but yes I do feel that it is ok to tip extra at such times. Also a note to owners that might be looking on, the cheapest thing that you can do to retain customers it to give a freeby every once in a while. Case in point a place that use to go to 3-5 times a week for lunch for more then three years never sent over as much as a free soda, we went to a new place with a friend and liked it so we went back 4 times in a 2 week period. On the 4th visit the owner came over Thanked us for the business. When we asked the waitress for the bill, she said that the owner picked it up. Guess where we go for lunch now. Don’t get me wrong I am not looking for free food, but a little something 2-3 times a year goes a long way. And yes we did tip the waitress 30%
Please shut up!
Reading these makes me laugh! The church crowd is generally terrible tippers, I agree about them thinking they have done their good deed. Or leave church pamphlets. Also, the verbal tip. “What a great server you are!” Wow, thanks. I will take that church pamphlet with me to pay my electric bill, tell them what a good waitress I am, and see how long my heat stays on.
Teachers!!! As a teacher and a server I must say that teachers are horrible tippers. I am embarrassed to go out with my teacher friends sometimes, I end up overtipping to compensate. I am also Canadian and don’t find Canadians to be bad tippers, I think that they may be playing that “ignorant tourist” game while on vacation.
I would have to say after working in a country club, an upscale D.C. restaurant, and a few family style places…the worst tippers were different in every restaurant, because of the different customer base. In the country club, they didn’t tip at all, believing I got paid at least minimum wage. In D.C., the worst were political housewives that came in with their ‘accessory’ children, nannies in toe, who have never worked a day in their lives. And now it is most certainly nurses getting off their shifts, super religious people, and regulars.
The worst time would have to have been in D.C. The plastic rich housewives came in for a busy lunch shift. Kids going crazy everywhere with no nannies to actually parent them. After two hours of the women getting hammered on chocolate martinis, one of the children went missing. I looked around in the bathrooms and stuff for the woman. I found the kid under one of the tables crying and when I returned them to the mom, she went ballistic on me, telling me I should have been a more attentive waitress and should have been paying more attention to their table, then the kid wouldn’t havent gotten lost. She told me I didn’t deserve a tip and that she should get her food and drinks for free. The check was nearly $400 with over half of that being their martinis. I wished I had a xanax, but I didnt, so I replied, telling her there is no way she is getting anything for free and that I was going to talk to her husband about the tip when he comes in later that night. She asked me how I knew her husband and I told her that he came in all the time with a 6′ tall blonde calling herself Candy and tipped very well. Of course, I didn’t know who the hell her husband was, but I figured all is fair in war and waiting tables. She was none too happy, but I got great satisfaction out the look on her face.
TEACHERS!!!
Good read!
PMK- Most chain restaurants will not give free food or drinks to patrons unless there is a circumstance where it is absolutely necessary. If you do get free food no reason other than being a regular at restaurant be certain it is either a mess up from another table, an unclaimed item from the expo line, stolen from the kitchen (most cooks in these restaurants will not give a server an item without it being rang in) or the server bought it for you themselves.
LESBIANS.
First of all, I love the idea of this blog, I just stumbled upon it looking up blow jobs.
Back to lezzies- They would serve themselves in order to not tip. They are the worst! They wish they could pay in licks to ma muff but they can’t!
I could give my whole pecking order of tipping, but I would come off a big bigot.
@pmk,
“Case in point a place that use to go to 3-5 times a week for lunch for more then three years never sent over as much as a free soda”
So you obviously enjoyed the place to go there quite often but decided that because you werent getting sent free drinks from there you should stick to going to a place that you got a freebie from. Big spender.
@pmk:
You’re an idiot.
Black-French-Canadian-Jewish-lesbians, there arent very many of them, but they were widely regarded as the cheapest tippers where I worked in Florida. Difference between a canoe and a Canadian? Canoes tip.
What the hell’s wrong with 10%?
I usually tip at least 20%, (to make up for those years I couldn’t afford to tip at all), but nobody EVER tipped me anything, much less 10%!
In my 17 years of serving experience, I’d have to say the worst tippers are (in no particular order)
Ladies who Lunch- eating disorder wannabes who come in at the peak of lunch rush, bitch about their table, modify their orders beyond recognition, and invariably need the check split 4 ways so that each lady can pay with either a credit card or a brand new $20 bill so you need to either set up camp at a micro station or ask the manager for $77.92 in small bills. Then they sit there trying to think of the 47 ways you detracted from ideal service so they can smugly leave you 5%. Lovely!
Churchgoers- Every Sunday, they come in, all dressed up, with their entire family. Then they run you ragged, act like jerks the whole time, then have the nerve to be sanctimonious because they went to Church and assumed you didn’t. Then they leave you a shitty tip or worse, a church tract saying why you’re going to hell. I hope that when they die, Jesus hands them a folded up piece of paper that says “VIP Ticket to Heaven” on the front and opens up to say “Why you’re going to hell” on the inside.
Sweet Sixteens- Groups of obnoxious, over-privileged adolescents wearing $185 jeans and $80 shirts, who take up your entire section and either order the most time-consuming items on the menu (N.A. smoothies, peanut-butter hot fudge sundaes) or a bunch of waters and an order of french fries to split between 6 kids. They also try to claim it’s some kid’s birthday for the free dessert. They sit there for 2 hours making a mess of the place and leave you $15 on their $14.62 bill.
Amway Victims- They’re almost exactly like the Sweet Sixteens except that they’re older, a lot more broke, much less well-dressed, and try to tell you how YOUR job is dead-end because they’re poised to make a million dollars any day now. And they’re more likely to leave you $14.62 on a $15 bill.
Mothers of Young Children- They park a stroller the size of Shaq’s golf cart right in the aisle, tell you to empty the bar of maraschino cherries, expect you to sit there while they teach Jr. how to say “chicken nuggets” and then remain calmly oblivious while Jr. has a shit fit for the next 40 minutes. After they leave, your section looks like a tornado went through Cheerio Town, there may be bodily fluids to clean up, and the rest of your section hates your guts because Jr. ruined their meal and Momma changed his diaper at the table while you weren’t looking. 5% from everyone, yay!
Sexual Harassers- desperate dudes who think that flair or polo shirts are just really conservative g-strings. Their behavior gets more crass and inappropriate as they hint increasingly blatantly that they expect their meal to come with a happy ending. For the $5 on $65 they were planning to leave, of course. When you turn them down, the real dickwads have the nerve to complain to the manager about how frigid and standoffish you were.
Man, I do not miss these people. I say you can tell a person’s true character by the way they act at a wedding, a funeral, and a restaurant.
People who come in the last fifteen minutes and expect their food to be hot. I don’t care if you love fresh and great service, if you come 10 minutes to 11, your food is being mircowaved or heat lamped.
there is a list of endless bad tippers! I have @ leat 20 different categories!
First off, I’ve never worked in places that weren’t fine dining/high end and maybe my expectations are different. And while I hate stereotyping and I feel somewhat prejudgist saying this, here it goes anyway:
(in no particular order)
1. Groups of women-horrible to wait on and horrible tippers. SOS, split checks, extra this and that….
2. Black folk-the ones with gold teeth and their pants around their knees. Not the ones who come in dressed like they were going out for a great meal.
3. Canadians-even though I’m Canadian and made great money waiting tables at home, here in Orlando they are pretty bad. (PS when black folk screw you over it is more kosher to call them Canadian)
4. British- Figure we should be paid a living wage or “forget” where they are visiting. This does not pertain to the many Brits who live and work here in Orlando. These are the ones who you can spot from a mile away by their white legs and fanny packs.
I think pmk has a point, but maybe I’ve worked in different restaurants than most. At the current place, I’m given a fair degree of autonomy on comps. A regular guest came in tonight and requested me. It was her friend’s birthday, and while my restaurant doesn’t normally buy birthday desserts, my managers had no problem doing it. We also do it with some frequency for regulars regardless of the significance of the day. We’re even encouraged to send out and comp shared appetizers for people when the kitchen’s weeded and the guests haven’t ordered a first course. Our guests are happy and we’re happy.
College kids who pay with a plasma donation credit card have no problem leaving a dollar tip on a 40 dollar bill. I get it you’re broke, but when you’re broke a 50 oz margarita isn’t a priority.
A few people said restaurant owners should pay their servers more. I don’t know how it works everywhere else but in California servers can ONLY make minimum wage (which is currently $8/hour). Why? Because our tips are considered part of our income. So inflation is a reason to tip your server more.
To answer The Waiters question:
Australians, Canadians, Church people, and the “verbal tipper”
INDIANS!!!!!
They are the WORST WORST WORST tippers in the world. And to make matters worse, they’re picky and hard to please. They’ll order an entree and split it, only order waters w/ lemons (so they can mix their own lemonades instead of buying one). “Slum Dog Millionaires” describes them perfectly… in my area many of them are wealthy (buy their BMWs, Benzs, Lexus, etc) yet they can’t even leave 15%.
Hootersgirl you miss the point on the free stuff. It is not about getting something for free, it is about the owner making you feel that you are a valued customer. It does not have to be something free sent over. Send a card on a birthday, an invite to taste test new menu items, anything that shows the customer that you are thank full for their business. I own a business, we do things like this. We send holiday presents, at the convention that we go to twice a year we host a party for our customers, we do some otherthings through out the year. Nothing a huge but our customers are very loyal and have been with us for years. Right or wrong in the restaurant business the way to show gratitude is usually to send a little something over.
To oh so anyonypants on this one, if you are a waiter you only wish that all of your customers were like me, you’ll say not but I know better.
You want your servers to send birthday cards and promo invites now? Isn’t marketing your fucking job?
School teachers and A.A. counselors are shit tippers.
Man, this was one fun 45 minutes of rants. Couldn’t a loved it more. I’d leave 40% tip for this. One question? I live in a a summer resort. I lunch out a lot. Because most customers here are here for a week or less, the service in most restaurants is horrible. What do you do then? I tip 20% standard and 25% at the places I go to regularly. When did tipping not become a reward? If I tip 0-5-10% tip, it’s based on the bad service. But the servers just think I’m a jerk.
Also, I hate restaurants where the workers act like the place is their club for their friends. That sucks.
ps: love the fact that Churchers are the worst and gay men are the best tippers. That speaks volumes.
In Maine servers are paid 3.25/hr. If you don’t make enough tips to bring you up to minimum, the owner has to kick in. Never seen that happen. I average $20-$30/ hr. After 30 years in the biz on both sides of the line, and 13 years as an owner, I make the best money waiting tables as a side job.
Worst by far was church people, after church Sunday mornings. Perplexing!
Alex T- great story, thanks
I have been surprised so many times I try not to generalize anymore. I do this more as a hobby now, and am not getting bitter and burned out like I used to. Took me 3 years after selling my cafe before I was able to do this again.
As a cocktail in a casino for a decade. . .by far the best tippers were asians. As a -group- they were the very best. Older white men did pretty well. . . the worst as a group were college students and blacks. They wanted top shelf stuff and usually would not tip. . and thought nothing of sitting in my section the entire eight hour shift and not give me a nickel the whole night. Bimbos with a guy never tipped, if he was busy when she ordered, you got nothing. And celebrities were usually very lousy tippers or total stiffs.Occasionally one would give up a few bucks. The groups of Indians they called Gypsies were horrible. . they trashed the hotels, and never gave anyone a penny.
Um.. Alex T YES thank you. Loved it.
to SJ –> In Jersey you make 2.15 an hour 🙁 and that usually turns out to be a paycheck of 0000000 since it goes to taxes.
I love the sense of entitlement coming from some of the comments here.
When did 15% become ‘archaic’ – you kids claim inflation, but the prices of meals have gone up, which means your tip has automatically gone up as well.
If service is bad I’ll leave a terrible tip to teach them a lesson. It’s up to them whether or not they learn the lesson. But if the service is exception I’ll go much higher.
I wonder how long before self-entitled waiters of the next generation start demanding 25% and 30% tips and whining when they don’t get it.
Church people. Especially, during Sunday brunches when they’re just leaving church and all straight with god so nevermind mankind…
The best tippers are men on dates who are convinced by the end of the meal that they will get laid.
I wonder how long it will take people like Edward to stop lurking on sites like this making nasty remarks before he gets bored and looks to harrass another occupational website.
indians are the worst tippers ever. after i spent the past 45 minutes running around getting you extra hot sauce, water with no ice, bread and butter with crushed red pepper and parmesan cheese shakers, and reading you every single thing on our 5 page menu that can be made vegetarian, you’re going to leave me a 50 dollar bill on a 47.98 check? go back to india, or just don’t come back here.
Edward,
If service is bad, than by all means, leave little to no tip. What many servers are complaining about here is doing everything possible to make an experience enjoyable and than getting stiffed on a gratuity because, lets face it- these people we are catagorizing usually dont know better. We take it personal when we get a bad tip on a good job. If this thread was titled “Who are the Worst Tippers when you do a shitty job” than sure you can assume we are acting self-entitled to other’s money. Also, if a server is just shitty at their job then all they get is shitty tips, so trust me they wont even notice your “lesson” because it is normal to them to get bad tips and they dont know better. The best thing to do is tell them they did a bad job and let the manager know…chances are that person isnt cut out to be a server in the first place.
Right.
I am a little disappointed at the regular mention of the Church crowd, both that they are notoriously bad tippers but mostly that they come straight from Church. Don’t they know the 4th commandment?
I’m going to address Edward first. I’m not a kid. I’m a Grandmother for 2. How is a 15% tip archaic? Well, let’s see. 15% for a tip has been around now for how long?? Hmmm…at least a good 20+ years. Talk about not keeping up with inflation. I’d add to my list as the worst tippers: older white men who are demanding and rude to boot.
Aussie Ben: The best service and food I had in Auz was in Melbers. Love the “Lane ways” and a certain hotel that served 2 for 1 dinners on Monday nights, back in September.
Hooter Girl: People DO know better. They just choose to act ignorant.
AJ: Your comments were funny! I’ve worked with many black servers who tried to get me to take the black tables. I figured if they didn’t want to wait on them, I sure as hell wasn’t. White Trash people don’t discriminate. They are equal opportunity stiffers.
As far as the teens go: Ignore them. Their parents didn’t raise them right, and it’s not our jobs to do it. I’ve had many tables of those ignorant inconsiderate brats. I wait on them after everyone else is taken care of, and I don’t care if they have a limo waiting for them. To this day I’m not sorry they got sub-par service. Go home and tell yer Momma, and gawd help her if she comes in and bitches while I’m working. Server jobs are a dime a dozen, and if you look on craigslist under restaurants, you’ll be amazed how many restaurants need help.
@DragonFly:
Percentages do not have to go up with inflation as long as the value they are based on does.
If your meal costs 20$ and you get a 20% tip that’s 4$.
Now comes inflation. Let’s take something easy to calculate: 50% inflation.
Now your meal costs 30$. A 20% tip of that is 6$ which is exactly the same 50% more as your inflation.
I agree with comment #198. I fit the “bad tipper” profile, middle-aged woman who drinks water. The reality is that I tip 20%, even on take-out. I’m tired of getting sat near service stations and bathrooms. The issue I have is I can’t hear when there is a lot of background noise. I want to enjoy my meal out, not have to read the lips of my dining companions.
What troubles me with this thread is that on one hand, we’re told that tipping is to make up for the sub-par wages that servers get paid and on the other hand, if we get rid of the tipping system it means we’ll all have crappy service. Talk about mixed messages?!?!
Every time there’s a thread like this on Waiter Rant, I become more and more convinced that it’s not the tip of 15% that’s archaic, but rather the whole system of tipping that’s archaic and needs to go the way of the horse and buggy.
Leigh
Time to change the entire service economy. I’m sure our feelings will have a huge effect on it!
People who have never worked any form of service job — those who have never gotten their hands dirty while performing their work — they are the shittiest tippers.
They tend to feel entitled to leave small tips because the work that we do ‘isn’t hard enough,’ or doesn’t require a college education — and that’s reason enough to leave a crappy gratuity.
Blacks are the worst by far. No matter how high the bill is you will only get five bucks and if they order a heineken or henessy than forget it no tip for you.
By far the the worst tippers are Indians. I have almost a decade of food service experience and while most people are hit or miss about getting stiffed on tip Indians will ALWAYS stiff you. It is so bad that the hostess will never sit more then one table of Indians in a section (unless 6+ when we add gratuity.)
For sure it is any person from Asian countries. In thier cultures, it is concidered rude and disrespectful to tip, as if you are paying a maid to serve you. They find that appreciation of the food is good enough. I lived in Hawaii for may years and worked at several restaurants and bars. At one place we had tip suggestion cards in Japanese that we would give them along with their bill which explained how to tip waiters. We still never got what we expected.
FWIW, Oprah NEVER said that it was okay to tip 10% in these trying times. Check out snopes.com.
As a missle age Canadian woman who worked for many years in the food service industry, I never would have thought that other Canadians would fall into the worst tipper catagory. After all, even here we’re tipped employees and make less than minimum wage based on expected tips.
But in my personal experience, the worst tippers were Quebec french. Maybe because I am english, and although I’m bilingual my accent clearly comes through. But I know that when the same customer was served by another member of the staff who was french, the tip would be higher than if I served them. And especially if they were trash french – like being stuck in the 80’s with mullets, Maybelline blue eyeshadow, hot pink Wet’N’Wild lipstick…
As a general group Asians were the worst tippers overall no matter what langualge they spoke as a 1st language. The best tippers were the police – hands down. Tips were usually 50-100% for small orders, and 25% on larger ones.
Leigh, yay!
Being raised in the business and working every job from the back to the front of the house I have to agree with most of the worst tippers mentioned Asians #1 Japan not included they are generally very generous, French Canadians but only the ones who wear way too much cheap gold oversized chains and speedo’s down in Hollywood Florida the rest are generally good, Americans from small town anywhere demanding, arrogant, ignorant and cheap, anybody who comes from old money(how do you think they got it), depression era seniors,30 year old kids taking mom out for mothers day and lawyers. The best are most food service people especially ones that work bars and high end dining,accountants(as strange as that may sound), surgeons, kept women, guys on a Valentine date, hookers and drug and car dealers.
Officers.
I grew up Air Force and used to work as a waitress on a military base at the Officer and Enlisted clubs.
The Enlisted, making half the money of the Officers, went above and beyond in tipping with 25% or more.
Sincerely,
Ally
People who claim gluten issues…what’s up with this?…almost always guaranteed to leave a bad tip even though you bend over backwards to recreate the dish they really want and get utterly weeded in the process.
I have been a Bartender and Server for 19 years and have lived in New Orleans and the Midwest. I have worked in sleazy bars and now in high-end restaurants. I give excellent service, unless I’m getting absolutely crushed, and then above average at the very least. The worst tippers in no order are Blacks, teachers, Guvment(Sp) workers (especially the Sunday before a bank holiday), farmers, Europeans (notably Dutch, French, German, Scandinavian, and British), groups of middle aged women and doctors.
When I run across bad service as a customer, I always observe and assess the situation and tip accordingly with a note explaining why they have gotten a small tip. 10% is my lowest I will give, as they still have to tipout. If the service is absolutely horrible due to neglect or poor attitude, I will speak to a manager.
The best tippers are bartenders, high-end servers and the aforementioned gay men.
Edward- you are exacly the kind of person I hate waiting on. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- 15 percent is an insult.
I only worked as a waitress for 6 months at a low class diner in Zellers (not sure if American’s have Zellers, it’s like walmart but shittier). You can imagine the class of people that came in – usually the elderly were bad tippers, generally I didn’t get a percent but pocket change. The job sucked and I was exhasted by the end of the day, but at least up here we get paid minimum wage no matter what – I realized that the tips were icing on my student life cake, I’d be busting my hump just as hard at some other job to put myself through school instead, and waiting gave me a nice little chunk to play with. The harder I worked, the more play money I got, so I relished a busy day or difficult customers to please. Usually the picky ones tipped well if you doted on them. When people tipped badly, or the other waiters literally stole the money off the table, I didn’t care too much and brushed it off – I was still grateful to be getting the extra. Tips weren’t part of my pay, they didn’t say anything about the service, they just WERE. I had this mindset until I met “the couple”.
The couple were legendary non-tippers. It’s not that they didn’t know, they apparently tipped once and only once, and I got to work with the waitress that lived to tell the tale.
They came in and spent a huge amount of money, badgered and demanded superior service, talk at length about their problems, cause a huge mess to clean up and use to SNAP THEIR FINGERS at us to get our attention. Nobody wanted them in their section, but being the moron I was at the time, I took pity on them and invited them to sit with me…before, it was Russian roulette were they would go and what unfortunate soul would have to deal with their shit.
As time went on, they learned that sitting in my section was best. I even got to the point where I had memorized their order, and when they sat down I would bring them their usual drinks, spend the time chatting with them instead of asking what they’d like, and throwing in a pre-cursory “would you like your usual today?” instead of just assuming. The meal was always prompt, perfectly in order (they were picky – extra lemon, turkey gravy, salad before entree, over easy eggs, extra bacon, No butter brown toast, extra jam…crap I still remember it) and they never had a complaint in the world. Yet, they never tipped. They paid to the penny on everything that came to the table.
Now, I wasn’t smart enough to offer them a declining service when I knew they didn’t tip. I like to think everybody has good intentions at least in their heart, so I actually turned UP the volume instead of down to try to reach a level of satisfaction where they said “God, she really knows us and tr