How to Tip a Waiter

Food servers receive a low hourly wage because of the income they receive in gratuities, or tips. Follow these guidelines for tipping at a restaurant or café.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Etiquette Book
• Tipping Guides

1. Tip 15% of the overall bill, minus the tax, in most cases. Depending on the service, 15%-20% is the common range.

2. Tip an extra 5% (a total of 20%) if the restaurant is a highly rated establishment or if a large party is dining and the gratuity is not automatically added to the tab.

3. Add the gratuity to the overall bill, which includes alcohol but does not include tax.

4. Consider scribbling a note on your check if you wish to acknowledge someone on the staff who went out of his way for you.

5. Leave a lesser tip if you are unhappy with the service. A word with the server, in addition, is also appropriate.

Tips & Warnings

• If applicable, it's appropriate to give the coat-check attendant, the ladies' room attendant and the men's room attendant one dollar. The parking attendant should receive a a tip of two dollars. Other restaurant help, such as the traveling musician, may be tipped as seen fit.
• The word "tip," which originated in England, was originally an acronym for the phrase "to insure promptness."

[Diablo2]

on 11/5/2009 Good article and advice, thanks 5*

[ljbinkop]

on 8/12/2009 Very basic information on how to tip properly. There is SOOO much more to it. Tipping is expected in most restaurants, but not required. It should be at least 15%, but based on the service received.

[moleman89]

on 6/28/2009 I tip 20% of the total bill, including the sales tax, and I usually round up. Although I've never worked in the restaurant industry, it's obvious that they work hard for their money, and their hourly rate isn't significant (and I'm sure they don't get benefits, either!). Also, it helps to be polite and considerate - why would you want to be rude to someone who is handling your food? Plus, being polite and considerate makes the dining experience better for everyone involved - who knows, you may even make a new friend!

[graybeard52]

on 6/28/2009 If you can't afford to leave a decent "tip" (actually the only REAL part of a server's income) - then order a meal without dessert or have one less glass of wine, etc. Here is a "shocker" to those who don't work in the service industry - serveres do NOT get all of their tips - they share 20% of their eanrings(more in some restaurants) with the bussers and the bar - even if all you get is a simple glass of wine or a beer with your meal! Personaly, I eat out less due to the economy, but when I do, I almost always tip 20% - I tip more is the service is outstanding.

[bob52]

on 6/27/2009 Good luck with the cars. Obviously if you hadn't read the news that's not going so well. The only secure blue collar job, and for the last fifteen years, has been service. I'm sorry your boss outsourced your job. If you can't tip, don't go out and eat then. It's not my fault your boss was cheap. We're not a soup kitchen. If if you'd had worked in any type of service industry in the last twenty years you'd noticed the majority of industrial materials are made in China/Taiwan/Vietnam. Sorry, but we don't serve food in cars and trucks. You have a stove, use it.