Tip your waiters!!!!

[The Grim Reaper]

Is anyone besides me thanking your lucky stars not to be married to this woman?

 

[Faerluna]

Is anyone besides me thanking your lucky stars not to be married to this woman?

OOOO ME ME ME ME!!


Even reading these posts is making me contemplate using Ignore, and I never use Ignore.

What a crazy psycho-*****!

Talk about a sense of entitlement when eating out. Sadly, I've waited on plenty of people like this, and they never understand how high-maintenance or how over-the-top they are.

People like this need to stay home and eat so they can ensure every last crumb is in it's place and cooked to perfection.

 

[Hostile]

There's a scene in the movie "Return To Me" that somehow seems to fit.



Marsha: [as Grace is bringing water to their table] Oh no-no-no-no-no! Do you have *bottled* water?
Grace Briggs: Sure. Anybody else?
Marsha: I don't want Swiss water. I got sick on an imported Swiss water.
[to her friend]
Marsha: Do you remember that night? As long as it's not Swiss or tap water it will be fine, preferably French, no bubbles. I want it cold, no ice, no glass, just the bottle and a straw. Do you want to write it down? I don't want Swiss water, I got sick on an imported Swiss water once...
Grace Briggs: I'm pretty sure I got it.
Marsha: [later, as Grace is telling her the specials] That sounds so *fattening*. Is every dish here cooked in *oil*?
Grace Briggs: No... some we boil in Swiss water.

 

[WoodysGirl]

After reading the last part of this thread, I now have a taste for McDonald's fries.. Hmmm...

Went to TGI Friday's the other day and thought about this thread. I tipped my usual. My only complaint is that my server was loud. I think one could hear her from the other side of the restaurant she was so loud.

 

[tomson75]

We aren't cheap to tip 25%-30%. Even 20% isn't a cheap tip. I would say 10%-15% is cheap.

That's your opinion about what a decent meal is. I hate overdone fries. That has nothing to do with being cheap. It doesn't matter WHERE you are, you can get the service you want to. It ALL DEPENDS ON THE SERVER!!

Of course it does. While you may occasionally find a decent waiter at a TGI Fridays or Outback, you're kidding yourself if you think you aren't going to run into a ton of inexperienced wait staff as well. You don't become a good server overnight in most cases...it takes some time to learn the trade. As a customer, it's unfair to expect the same service at Chili's and Ruth's Chris.

Most good severs would likely learn the trade at a place like that and then move on to places that demand the type of service that YOU deem standard everywhere....independently owned restaurants and bistros, where the table fare is more expensive, demanding a bigger tip, and the customers are usually in the financial position to do so.

It's common sense.

 

[daschoo]

Is anyone besides me thanking your lucky stars not to be married to this woman?

i'm sure florida rob has changed his mind about how high maintenance his wife is when they eat out. i was actually wondering if she was florida robs wife before they had their conversation about the mothers day meal

 

[Danny White]

I had an interesting incident this morning that made me think of this thread.

I took a client out for breakfast... Bob Evans, where you take the check to the register rather than paying your server. At the end of the meal, I took the check. My guest thanked me for paying, and said he'd pay the tip. He then proceeded to lay down a few dollar bills... ended up being less than 15% tip.

I thought the service was fine, so now what do I do? Do I add a bit extra and risk my guest noticing and offending him because I'm basically implying that he's a cheapskate? Or do I just let it go and end up under-tipping the waiter?

 

[vta]

I had an interesting incident this morning that made me think of this thread.

I took a client out for breakfast... Bob Evans, where you take the check to the register rather than paying your server. At the end of the meal, I took the check. My guest thanked me for paying, and said he'd pay the tip. He then proceeded to lay down a few dollar bills... ended up being less than 15% tip.

I thought the service was fine, so now what do I do? Do I add a bit extra and risk my guest noticing and offending him because I'm basically implying that he's a cheapskate? Or do I just let it go and end up under-tipping the waiter?

Wait until you get in the parking lot and then feign having to use the head.
Run back inside and hand the waiter/waitress a few extra bucks...

 

[tomson75]

I had an interesting incident this morning that made me think of this thread.

I took a client out for breakfast... Bob Evans, where you take the check to the register rather than paying your server. At the end of the meal, I took the check. My guest thanked me for paying, and said he'd pay the tip. He then proceeded to lay down a few dollar bills... ended up being less than 15% tip.

I thought the service was fine, so now what do I do? Do I add a bit extra and risk my guest noticing and offending him because I'm basically implying that he's a cheapskate? Or do I just let it go and end up under-tipping the waiter?

That's a tough one. I've had the same thing happen to me on several occasions. I usually let the tip stand, although I usually feel bad about it, as to not offend the person I'm with. However, if I'm close to the person I treated (i.e. good friend), I call their cheap *** out and make a scene by throwing a few more dollars down.

 

[AbeBeta]

What does this have to do with being cheap? Secondly, I don't want anything for free. I just want my food the **EXACT** WAY I ORDERED IT!! With the fries being overdone, even my husband noticed how dark they were. I noticed it literally 2 seconds from our waitress putting the plate in front of me. This was a DUH mistake. Instead of being a RESPONSIBLE, CARING server to have told the cooks the fries were very overdone instead of lightly cooked by her COMPARING the written order to the plate, she didn't care and just brought out anything just like McDonald's cashiers do. Since we were TIPPING our server and since our server actually brought us our food, shouldn't the server **EARN** their tip and CARE a bit more about what the heck is IN THEIR HANDS they are BRINGING YOU?

I didn't get anything for free because of the fries. That's just stupid to say. WHY would ANYONE expect something for free for overdone fries?

Again what you are missing here is that you don't get to tell the waitstaff how you want your fries. You can tell them how you want your steak cooked, you can tell them what sides you want, and what dressing you want on your salad. All of that is fair game. But when you get to something like how to cook something that is going to serve multiple diners - like a batch of fries - then you are out of line. When you ask for special stuff like that you are just putting the staff in a crap situation. Let's see, make a new batch for Ms. Batguano Crazy and delay either her order or everyone else's, or just serve her the fries the way the everyone else gets them.

Of course, I expect if your order were delayed because of this request, you'd have a whole 'nuther round of rants.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I had an interesting incident this morning that made me think of this thread.

I took a client out for breakfast... Bob Evans, where you take the check to the register rather than paying your server. At the end of the meal, I took the check. My guest thanked me for paying, and said he'd pay the tip. He then proceeded to lay down a few dollar bills... ended up being less than 15% tip.

I thought the service was fine, so now what do I do? Do I add a bit extra and risk my guest noticing and offending him because I'm basically implying that he's a cheapskate? Or do I just let it go and end up under-tipping the waiter?

If you're paying with a credit card, then just add the tip.

I've done that before.

 

[zrinkill]

If you're paying with a credit card, then just add the tip.

I've done that before.

Me too.

 

[Danny White]

If you're paying with a credit card, then just add the tip.

I've done that before.

That's what I ended up doing because he moved away from the register as I was signing the slip. But if he'd have been standing over my shoulder it would definitely had "awkwardness" potential.

 

[ethiostar]

So please quit LYING! Most mistakes with your food are the SERVER'S FAULT in general. It's very rare that a mistake is the kitchen staff's fault, because most mistakes my server can see without touching the food if they bring it out and a lot of times, the servers put in the order wrong or forget to put an order in. Also, condiments can ALWAYS be brought out ahead of time no matter what.

I hate generalizations like this. If you haven't worked in a restaurant you have no factual basis to make statements like this.

Do servers make mistakes? of course just like any other profession. But what matters is what they do to correct their mistakes.

Also,Waiters depend on a lot of other restaurant employees to provide a good service. A lot of restaurants have 'food runners' whose jobs is to take the food to the table when it's ready. Sometimes whichever waiter happens to be in the kitchen and not too busy will also take the food to the table. If they don't look at the ticket closely they can take out the wrong sauce to the table. Which will have nothing to do with the waiter who took the order.

If it's a busy restaurants (i.e., chains), chances are the kitchen staff will not make a separate order of fries just because someone wants them yellow. However, If they are willing to do that, you should be willing to wait a few extra minutes to get your fries.

Also, keep in mind you're not the only customer in the restaurant. If you're very picky and very high maintenance, a waiter will make a decision if he/she wants to spend too much time and energy on you at the expense of the other 4-8 tables that he/she is responsible for.

Customers can set the tone for the kind of service they receive. If you treat your waiter as a servant and expect him/her to jump every time you snap your fingers (which btw is a big no no) there is a big chance that you will get less than optimal service and maybe a surprise in your food to boot.

Having said all this, i hold the waiting staff to a high standard for things they can control.

 

[ethiostar]

Wait until you get in the parking lot and then feign having to use the head.
Run back inside and hand the waiter/waitress a few extra bucks...

Yep, i've done the same thing.

 

[TheKey]

I hate generalizations like this. If you haven't worked in a restaurant you have no factual basis to make statements like this.

Do servers make mistakes? of course just like any other profession. But what matters is what they do to correct their mistakes.

Also,Waiters depend on a lot of other restaurant employees to provide a good service. A lot of restaurants have 'food runners' whose jobs is to take the food to the table when it's ready. Sometimes whichever waiter happens to be in the kitchen and not too busy will also take the food to the table. If they don't look at the ticket closely they can take out the wrong sauce to the table. Which will have nothing to do with the waiter who took the order.

If it's a busy restaurants (i.e., chains), chances are the kitchen staff will not make a separate order of fries just because someone wants them yellow. However, If they are willing to do that, you should be willing to wait a few extra minutes to get your fries.

Also, keep in mind you're not the only customer in the restaurant. If you're very picky and very high maintenance, a waiter will make a decision if he/she wants to spend too much time and energy on you at the expense of the other 4-8 tables that he/she is responsible for.

Customers can set the tone for the kind of service they receive. If you treat your waiter as a servant and expect him/her to jump every time you snap your fingers (which btw is a big no no) there is a big chance that you will get less than optimal service and maybe a surprise in your food to boot.

Having said all this, i hold the waiting staff to a high standard for things they can control.

You make a good point. Everything you said is true. On another note, there is nothing that will make me more mad at a customer then for the person to hold up an empty cup and shake it so the ice makes noice, implying give me a refill. If you do that to me I'll write off the tip as 0 and you will be waiting a long time to get your drink, unless it was in jest, then I would be OK with that. I think a lot of people are missing the point that maybe their service is bad because of how they treat the waitstaff.

 

[Faerluna]

You make a good point. Everything you said is true. On another note, there is nothing that will make me more mad at a customer then for the person to hold up an empty cup and shake it so the ice makes noice, implying give me a refill. If you do that to me I'll write off the tip as 0 and you will be waiting a long time to get your drink, unless it was in jest, then I would be OK with that. I think a lot of people are missing the point that maybe their service is bad because of how they treat the waitstaff.

I felt the same when I was waiting tables. I am your server, but not your personal servant. A customer's attitude determines the type of service they receive.

That being said, as a customer, I am really, really nice, but expect good service.

 

[Danny White]

You make a good point. Everything you said is true. On another note, there is nothing that will make me more mad at a customer then for the person to hold up an empty cup and shake it so the ice makes noice, implying give me a refill. If you do that to me I'll write off the tip as 0 and you will be waiting a long time to get your drink, unless it was in jest, then I would be OK with that. I think a lot of people are missing the point that maybe their service is bad because of how they treat the waitstaff.

Wow, that seems extreme.

I guess it's all in the attitude with which the gesture is done, and there's no excuse for people being a-holes, but unless it's done extremely condescendingly, that doesn't seem that bad.

If they're in the middle of a conversation and they happen to catch your glance as you're walking by or in the vicinity, what's wrong with a non-verbal gesture to communicate a message? I've done this so many times I can't even count them all... maybe not shake the glass, but definitely point to it or maybe lift it so the waiter can see it's empty. I've done the same thing in asking for the check.

 

[ethiostar]

Wow, that seems extreme.

I guess it's all in the attitude with which the gesture is done, and there's no excuse for people being a-holes, but unless it's done extremely condescendingly, that doesn't seem that bad.

If they're in the middle of a conversation and they happen to catch your glance as you're walking by or in the vicinity, what's wrong with a non-verbal gesture to communicate a message? I've done this so many times I can't even count them all... maybe not shake the glass, but definitely point to it or maybe lift it so the waiter can see it's empty. I've done the same thing in asking for the check.

Yeah, i personally didn't have a problem with a customer raising their glass to tell me that they need a refill. The way i saw it, i shouldn't have let the glass get that empty to begin with so it was on me. But like you said it's all in the attitude.

My personal take on customers with bad attitude was that, i will give you the most basic service i can give you and get the check to you ASAP so i can get rid of you and turn the table over.

What i found key to being a good waiter was a good relationship with the cooks, bartenders and those who clean the tables. They can make or break a waiter. When/if you mess up, the cooks will give you someone else's order so you don't have to wait, bartenders will get your drinks as quickly as possible and busers will clean the tables quickly so you can turn your tables over asap.

If you have a good relationship with the hostess, you can tell them to never sit anyone who is known to be high maintenance or cheap in your section ever again. In the past, I have told my managers that i would not wait on a particular table because they were being jerks or a holes. Of course, you would have to be very good at what you do and very valuable to your managers to pull that off.

 

[Hostile]

You make a good point. Everything you said is true. On another note, there is nothing that will make me more mad at a customer then for the person to hold up an empty cup and shake it so the ice makes noice, implying give me a refill. If you do that to me I'll write off the tip as 0 and you will be waiting a long time to get your drink, unless it was in jest, then I would be OK with that. I think a lot of people are missing the point that maybe their service is bad because of how they treat the waitstaff.

Okay, this is an honest question. I drink a LOT of water. I explain that to the waiter or waitress as soon as they take drink orders. It is my favorite drink. Sometimes I feel I get crappy service on my refills because there's no money attached to water. Am I wrong?

BTW, I have never stiffed a tip despite feeling parched because I went without water for much of the meal. I have however, reduced the tip if there was something else wrong too.

I have never lifted my glass to a waiter or watiress to suggest I want a refill. I feel it should be obvious, especially since I let them know ahead of time I drink a lot of water.

Oh yeah, one more thing. If the restaurant has crushed ice instead of ice cubes I tip better. I have no idea if anyone else feels that strongly about it, but as a water drinker it makes it so much more refreshing not to have lukewarm water later because the ice is all gone.