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I feel like every 20-something year old who's watched the opening scene in Reservoir Dogs has adopted Mr. Pink's philosophy on tipping.

I got stiffed for a tip on $140 tab at the bar I work at last night and when I said something to the guys they got offended and complained to my security guy at the door.

Was I in the wrong for saying anything? Is it irrational to get upset at people who don't tip? I realize it isn't required... but is it still common courtesy at all?

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I think it all depends on the person. I’ve worked as a waitress and bartender, so I know how it feels to get stiffed. Now when I go out to eat or go to the bar, I tip a dollar on every single drink and tip at around 30 percent on my meal/multiple drink tab... and if the service was really great, I’ll leave more.

I do have to say that when I was a server at a really classy and grossly overpriced country club, I got screwed on a daily basis. It’s not like these people didn’t have money either, because they did. I’ve never really been able to justify in my mind why I would get more in tips from a family who I could tell was not very well off vs a family of polo wearing khaki people.

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My bill anywhere is usually less than $10 given my limited funds for eating out/drinking so I have no problem tipping at least 20%. I've never had service bad enough to justify not tipping. I think everyone should work in the service industry at least for a little while so they understand what it means to make shit wages and work for tips.

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If you stiff on a $140 bill, you are a scumbag

Right!?!

Not to mention that we only serve beer at my bar. So to get to $140 dollars you have to drink quite a bit. They were drinking $9 Chimay Triple White drafts and had 5 rounds total.

Plus I normally charge for our pool tables, but because they were drinking I let them play for free because I knew they were racking up a decent tab.

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I think it all depends on the person. I’ve worked as a waitress and bartender, so I know how it feels to get stiffed. Now when I go out to eat or go to the bar, I tip a dollar on every single drink and tip at around 30 percent on my meal/multiple drink tab... and if the service was really great, I’ll leave more.

I do have to say that when I was a server at a really classy and grossly overpriced country club, I got screwed on a daily basis. It’s not like these people didn’t have money either, because they did. I’ve never really been able to justify in my mind why I would get more in tips from a family who I could tell was not very well off vs a family of polo wearing khaki people.

I definitely see that same trend. Those that can afford it are not as likely to tip where those that will try their best or at the very least let you know they can't but that you did a good job or something. That goes a long way too.

By far the best people to serve to are others from the service industry. They know what's up and will take care of you if you do a good job. If you don't, they'll be sure to let you know.

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I drive the shuttle at the resort I work at, along with working front desk. The rich bastards who come for conferences, ie. doctors, lawyers, accountants, corporate types, never ever tip. i think if they have money, they really don't want to see it go. But people who in my mind saved for years for their trip, will give the world to you and teach their children the same. It sucks, but its life. I do definitely think people should be forced into the service industry for a bit so they know it should be a necessity to tip

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If you stiff on a $140 bill, you are a scumbag

You rang? ;)

Seriously, it's not tipping I believe in...it's OVER tipping. I have been known to tip 50% or more sometimes because I understand that the person on the receiving end makes their living on those tips.

I would have told those fucks who stiffed you to never come back.

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Firstly in regards to the original poster I don't know the point of confronting a non-tipper (or extremely low tipper). I guess if you asked them how your there service or there was anything that you could have done better that might be a better way to go about it. If someone is a dick it's not like your going to embarass them into tipping in the future. A dick is a dick. However, perhaps they were pissed about such and such scenario that you didn't even know about.

Now more broadly tipping is something that is totally dependent on the situation. I would general consider myself a decent tipper. At bars a buck a beer is standard, however if the bar is dead and there is only a few people in there I'll give a bit more. If the bartender is a super slutty dressed girl trying to bend over to show cleavage to try and get more tips, I generally stiff her. (I didn't even mean that to be a pun, I meant I give her no money. If I'm getting a round of Irish car bombs I generally tip the price of a drink 4-6 bucks. If we're watching a Brewers game, gettting food and drinking I'll typically tip 3 bucks an hour plus 20% of tab.

Buffets are one place where I never know what to tip. Are servers/bussers at Buffets payed like servers at standard restaurants or are they paid at a higher rate. I've always tried to tip around 15% at buffets and 25% at standard restaurants.

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Firstly in regards to the original poster I don't know the point of confronting a non-tipper (or extremely low tipper). I guess if you asked them how your there service or there was anything that you could have done better that might be a better way to go about it. If someone is a dick it's not like your going to embarass them into tipping in the future. A dick is a dick. However, perhaps they were pissed about such and such scenario that you didn't even know about.

Now more broadly tipping is something that is totally dependent on the situation. I would general consider myself a decent tipper. At bars a buck a beer is standard, however if the bar is dead and there is only a few people in there I'll give a bit more. If the bartender is a super slutty dressed girl trying to bend over to show cleavage to try and get more tips, I generally stiff her. (I didn't even mean that to be a pun, I meant I give her no money. If I'm getting a round of Irish car bombs I generally tip the price of a drink 4-6 bucks. If we're watching a Brewers game, gettting food and drinking I'll typically tip 3 bucks an hour plus 20% of tab.

Buffets are one place where I never know what to tip. Are servers/bussers at Buffets payed like servers at standard restaurants or are they paid at a higher rate. I've always tried to tip around 15% at buffets and 25% at standard restaurants.

I completely understand what you mean in the first part of your statement. I didn't call them out or tell them off or anything. When they finished their first round and turned back in the pool set up I closed their card and gave them their slip. They were still standing there when I picked it back up.

I looked at it, saw they put a zero in the tip section. I looked up for a second so they knew I saw it and then told them "You guys need to finish up your beers and go". We obviously weren't closed yet, but I fairly nicely asked them to leave. I didn't say anything else to them.

Clearly they knew why I told them to go and were offended.

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I have absolutely no problem tipping pretty well... I went out to eat yesterday and tipped ~25%.

But if for any reason I feel like you think I "owe you" a good tip, or that they expect at least 20%, fuck you, you're getting less. I don't know how I pick up on it, but I've definitely done it a couple of times where the person seemed like they felt they were entitled.

A tip can be 15% for decent service. It's nice to go above that, but if you bitch that that's a bad tip, seriously, go fuck yourself. I'll never not leave a tip, but I don't ever want to hear about 15% being too little. I remember when 10-12% seemed to be ok and 15% was good, I don't know where this tip inflation has come from in the last decade or so.

Basically, I definitely appreciate servers, but you as a server better appreciate the tip and not feel like it's owed you. So the guy who stiffs on a $140 tab is a scumbag, but so is the server who bitches him out about it.

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This is what sucks about America. People and their sense of entitlement.

I worked in the food industry for 8 years, at about 14 different restaurants. I had a 2 year stint at Chili's where I just got baked and went into work everyday. I knew the menu like the back of my hand, and never wrote anything down. There was one particular day where there was a couple of families that totaled 18 people all sat at about three tables. The last guy who ordered was clearly in charge. He said "You didn't write any of this down." I told him that I knew what everyone ordered and pointed a few at random out, telling him what they had as sides, showing off. He looked impressed and said, "If you don't mess this up, I'll give you an extra $20 for the tip."

I didn't mess anything up, and he even asked and everyone said it was perfect. He tipped $27. It was 15% exactly. So either he didn't give me the extra $20, or he was only going to tip me 3% to begin with...

People in America (some of my closest friends included) think that serving is a lowly job and that they shouldn't have to pay someone any more than what they're already getting paid. I had a friend tip $1.60 on a $48.40 tab once at a bar. The bartender came to the table and threw the $1.60 on it and said "If you tip less than 10% here you can fucking keep it." I thought that was bad-ass. I was also embarrassed to be seen with the cheap friend.

I tip 40-50% more often than not. I gave the server at Steak n Shake on Saturday night (2am after drinking) a $20 for a $12 bill because she was busting her ass dealing with drunks and homeless dudes falling asleep at booths.

This world's messed up, man.

Kudos to the OP for having balls. Most servers/barkeeps would just mutter under their breath and daydream about slashing the douche's tires.

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Also, in my own little "fuck the man" kinda way, if I can, I always tip cash (as opposed to adding it to the credit card total) so the server can take it and count their tips lower for taxable income. Whether they do or not, I dunno obviously, but I give them the opportunity if they'd like.

Maybe that's what those guys were going to do? Paying $140 on the card and leaving $25 bucks or something would've been fine, but maybe you rushed them into not leaving the cash?

I don't know, just trying to hope people aren't really that scummy to not tip on that much.

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When I worked at an upscale Chinese restaurant, I had to wear this tux-shirt/vest/bowtie ensemble that was horrid. One Tuesday evening, this old ritzy fuck decided he was going to take his friends out for a fancy dinner. He ran me like a dog and treated me like I was filth. He yelled at me at one point, degrading me in front of his guests, and I yelled back, saying "I'm a server, not your slave. A little respect, dude." His guests looked shocked. He apologized to save face.

Later that night, before I took out the table's food, I touched my nutsack and patted his moo-goo-gai-pan. Not my proudest moment, but that's what you get when you fuck with the wrong people.

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I don't understand how people can be dicks to servers, but then again the world is full of assholes. I give everyone a shot and don't act like a dick until they give me a reason to, no matter what the setting is.

But boy have I gotten into some arguments once things get going.

I deal with a lot of unhappy people in many of my jobs - parents of students when I'm teaching, parents of players when I'm coaching, unhappy customers at golf, unhappy people at the ice rink (many of whom think we have any influence on what the refs and/or coaches do). You have to greet their displeasure with kindness. If you work in customer service and you immediately snap into aggression, you need to find another job because you're not right for it. Every customer needs a clean slate, and I've found many CS people get jaded quickly. Just because the last 20 people have been assholes doesn't mean the next person is going to be as well, and it's not fair to take out your frustrations on them (just like it really isn't fair for them to take it out on you, but as the face of whatever organization, you're their entry point, so it's your job).

So servers bitching - tough up. It comes with the territory that not everyone is going to hand you $20 and pat you on the back for being amazing.

If they're being unreasonable and you address them with it and it persists, by all means, fondle yourself and sprinkle your crabs on his food, spit in his drink, tell him to die, whatever you gotta do, but you have to give them a chance to change their demeanor (in a polite way) before you return the dick-ish behavior.

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i dont skimp when im out to eat. 20% minimum... and that usually involves everyone going back in their pockets after the initial throw-down. few weeks ago we tipped extra for this girl because she started going along with the fake accent i was using.

however, i am kind of cheap at the bars. like alex said, limited funds are mostly to blame. but saturday night, when i was at a really busy bar, i really didnt feel bad about holding on to my dollar after paying $4.50 for a bud light. that guys gonna make enough that night already, and ive just never been cool with giving people money for twisting off a cap.

there was a time we left a 34 cent tip at dennys. but i promise it was deserved.

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i dont skimp when im out to eat. 20% minimum... and that usually involves everyone going back in their pockets after the initial throw-down. few weeks ago we tipped extra for this girl because she started going along with the fake accent i was using.

however, i am kind of cheap at the bars. like alex said, limited funds are mostly to blame. but saturday night, when i was at a really busy bar, i really didnt feel bad about holding on to my dollar after paying $4.50 for a bud light. that guys gonna make enough that night already, and ive just never been cool with giving people money for twisting off a cap.

there was a time we left a 34 cent tip at dennys. but i promise it was deserved.

I think this is a really good point.

As a bartender, I don't expect (nor do I really deserve) a tip on every beer I serve. Like you said, sometimes it's as simple as just opening the bottle. And because my bar does imports and high end beer you may be paying $12 or more for that one bottle of beer. You don't have to tip me on that as long as you're nice when you are ordering.

But what get's me are people that go out in groups, don't know what they want so they take up a ton of your time asking crazy questions or making you describe every single beer you have, order multiple rounds of draft beer (which requires a little more than just flipping off the cap), get free pool all night when we normally charge $8 an hour and then still don't tip when they sign for the receipt!

Also, to comment on Casey dipping his nuts in Moo Goo Gai Pan... that is fan-fucking-tastic. +1

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