Tipping isn’t just for the cows. Ok, ok, I know that’s a bit corny, but it’s still true. Tipping, it seems, has become more of a gesture than a formality in today’s society, and this doesn’t quite sit right with me.
Anyone who’s ever worked in the food service industry knows that it isn’t an easy job. Customers constantly send food back, give you attitude for problems that aren’t even your fault, and stiff you on the tip. While many people see tipping servers as a kind gesture after an excellent meal, it’s a bit more than that.
Servers in restaurants make less than minimum wage. Most of them make something in the $2.50 to $2.75 range (the last time I checked). Employers are allowed to pay them such low wages because they are supposed to make up for that money in tips. So when you don’t tip your waitress, you are essentially making her work for next to nothing.
What’s even worse is that many restaurants require all tips to be pooled and split amongst the servers, the busboys, and, on rare occasions, the host or hostess. This means that even great servers often get shorted money when someone decides not to leave a tip after a bad experience.
I am not saying that you should tip all servers 20 or more percent, but you should tip any time you eat in a restaurant with a wait staff. If the service was horrible, 10 percent is a reasonable tip. If the service was good, 15 to 20 percent is the standard tip. And if the service was excellent or you know you were a particularly difficult customer, 25 percent or more is in order.
For services without a wait staff but with tip jars, such as Crepes A La Cart or Creole Creamery, one to two dollars is a sensible tip. Those workers, though most likely paid more than servers in restaurants, don’t make nearly enough in wages for the amount of effort they put into it. You don’t have to factor a perfect 15 percent tip, but dropping your change or a few bills into the tip jar is common courtesy.
As for bartenders, I like to tip about one dollar a drink in most situations. Unless the bartender is rude or messes up your drink, you should tip him or her. These situations are bit more lenient, though, so feel free to use your judgment when it comes to how much.
I have often been berated by my friends for being too gracious a tipper. I once left tip of more than 50 percent at a Waffle House, but to be fair the bill was less than ten dollars, and I was feeling generous. I also usually pre-bus my own table, but that’s not expected of you. I just come from a long line of restaurant workers and that’s simply the dining etiquette that I was raised with.
I’m not saying that you have to be as extravagant a tipper as I am, but when you go out to eat, you should expect to tip. And if you can’t afford the tip, then you can’t afford to eat out.
Rebekah Locke can be reached at
