I go out to eat often (actually in all honesty I go out to eat way, way, way too often--but I am trying to cut back on that) Since I eat out often I got to thinking about the servers in the food service industry. I have lots of respect for servers--they are on their feet for long hours, running around all over the place, juggling the demands of lots of different tables all at once and 99% of them are really hard-working and friendly. That is why when I do out to eat I try to be friendly, considerate and very conscience of leaving a good tip. Since I don't want to unintentionally stiff someone on a tip these are a few questions I have about tip etiquette--I hope someone out there reading this will be able to provide me with some answers or else just tune in tomorrow for the answers I found online. Any other tipping questions I missed?
1. When you get food from a curb-side takeaway service are you supposed to tip the person who brings the food to your car?
As some of you might already know, a prime example of this is going to Outback Steakhouse. There are a few other places that have started doing this as well (because heaven forbid someone have to get out of their car and walk the 15 to 20 steps from the parking lot to the restaurant--but I digress) They have a curb-side takeaway service where you pull your car up to the side of the restaurant and someone brings your bag of food out to the car. I am more then willing to tip for services that are provided but in this case I'm not sure if I should tip. And to be honest I'm not sure that I should have to tip especially if there's not another option for picking up take-out. This is how you have to pick up your food.
2. What do you tip when you have a coupons for a free meal?
The other day I went out to lunch because I had a coupons for a free lunch. So I got my free lunch (yaa hoo!) and ordered an iced tea. When I got my bill I was only charged for the iced tea. A tip is supposed to be a percentage of the bill but when you have a coupon or discount for a free meal the server is (obviously) bringing the same amount of food but the bill is much cheaper. How do you tip?
3. What do you tip when the server is the owner of the restaurant?
I often go to a small Chinese restaurant. They don't have a wait staff--there are a few cooks in the back and the owners serve the food. The standard tip for a server is 15%-20%. It's pretty common knowledge that servers gets paid below minimum wage and the tips they make during a shift are the primary portion of their income. And of course, the owners work very hard and I always tip them but if you look at the purpose of tipping servers it doesn't seem like the logic of supplementing servers income applies in the same way when an owner is the one bringing your food. But I tip because regardless of whether they're owners or not they still serve the food, pour the water and clear the dishes. Maybe you tip them but not the full 20%? What do you think?
4. What do you tip at a buffet?
What I love about buffets is that there's lots of food and you get to try a little of everything. It seems to me that the servers who work at buffets work very hard. They are constantly running around filling water glasses, bringing bread baskets and clearing numerous plates from the table. Even though they run around like crazy I was always under the impression that servers at a buffet get tipped less then servers at other restaurants. I figured this was because the customers were serving their own food. I heard somewhere that servers at buffet get tipped 10%. Is that right?
I hope these questions don't make be sound cheap or like I'm trying to avoid tipping...just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.
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