I waited tables all through college (and had friends in the industry at different restaurants) at and never found a tip out that was less then 3% of total sales. So if you tip under 3% the waiter pays out of pocket for that 3%.

I used to not tip for bad service until my brother gave me some good advice that really hit me. If your angry enough to not leave a tip, you should have the courage to find the manager and complain about the service. 9 times out of 10 you will get a good portion of your bill removed. If the service was not bad enough for you to complain, suck it up and leave a passable tip. A bad tip will just convince a bad waiter that you are cheap, a talk with a manager will change that server or get them removed.

As others have said waiters do not get paychecks, they work for only tips. I got one that wasn't stamped void, and I think I kept it as a souvenir.

I waited tables all through college (and had friends in the industry at different restaurants) at and never found a tip out that was less then 3% of total sales. So if you tip under 3% the waiter pays out of pocket for that 3%.

Can you explain that to me? Why 3%? I'm confused...

I remember back in the day waiting tables, and I sometimes got stiffed. Maybe that's because I was the worst waitress EVER! Don't like your food? I'm being too slow? What no bacon you're a vegetarian? Tough !@#$. :poke:

Some people aren't meant to work in the food industry

So everyone gets good service and good food from Braum's?

Must be just me. :(

The service is typically bad at Braum's, but who cares? I don't go there very often but the food has always been good. Who goes to Braum's expecting service?

The worst service I have ever had was at Legend's in Norman years ago. We eventually just got up and left after waiting about half an hour for our waiter to arrive and the other passing by waitstaff promising someone would be with us "shortly".

Another instance of terrible service was at the Chili's on NW Expressway. The waitress did nothing correct the entire meal and was extremely slow and obviously uninterested in doing it. She got a 13 cent tip. I figured 13 cents was more insulting than zero because she wouldn't be able to rationalize that I must have forgotten to leave a tip.

Incidentally the best service I have ever had was at the Chili's in Norman. There was a tiny gnat in my water and I discreetly asked the waiter for a new one, which he brought promptly. I forgot all about the issue and never said another word about it. Later, as we were wrapping up our meal the manager came over and apologized for the "uninvited guest" in the water and comp'd our meal and gave us a gift card for our next visit.

I should have added that for a tip out, the "0.5% to 1%" of sales goes to *each* of the support staff, and yeah its usually over 3%.

The thing i hate most is places that atomatically include the tip to your bill for a party of 4 or more, alfredos in moore did this or use to , I will not be going back, the wait staff sucks and the the order was wrong even after the second try, desert was frozen in the middle, which was suppose to be a hot dessert, and the staff never filled our drinks we had to get up and look for the soda machine, but yet we they got 15 percent from us

I would never patronize a restaurant that automatically includes a tip for a party of four. That's absolutely asinine. I assume the tips were probably pretty low in this place and that's why the owner initiated this stupid policy. Instead of training the staff to do a better job, the owner probably decided to "force" people to pay 18% tip so that the lousy wait people can get a decent tip. They won't last long doing business like this.

I'm with GWB on this one. I have no issue with included gratuity on groups of 8 or more, but if I picked a place that treated a 4 top that way, I'd apologize to my guests for not having checked the place out better, and freed up the table for someone else.

Not cheap. I'm a firm believer in tipping, generally better than any minimum that would be established. But, I elect to set the tip, absent extraordinary circumstances such as large groups. Compulsory tipping on single tables? hogwarsh balderdash and poppycock- that's just laziness.!

I'm with GWB on this one. I have no issue with included gratuity on groups of 8 or more, but if I picked a place that treated a 4 top that way, I'd apologize to my guests for not having checked the place out better, and freed up the table for someone else.

Not cheap. I'm a firm believer in tipping, generally better than any minimum that would be established. But, I elect to set the tip, absent extraordinary circumstances such as large groups. Compulsory tipping on single tables? hogwarsh balderdash and poppycock- that's just laziness.!

Same here. I tip minimum of 15% on regular service and will generally give 20% (sometimes more) when the service is excellent. This restaurant needs to change their tipping policy and train their waiters to do a better job. If they did that the tips would improve drastically. Last week we ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant and the waiter brought out an appetizer for us. I told him I think he got the wrong table as we didn't order this. He said, "no, we wanted to give you appetizer today because we appreciate your business". The people in this restaurant know that we tend to leave 20% tips (or more) when we go there because of their great service. They understand what it means to be in the "service" business. As you might imagine, the waiter got a big tip that day. :smile:

Do you guys tip at Sonic? I never realized that is common practice for many people. Now I only go to Sonic if I have cash, which is rarely, because you can't add a tip on a debit card there.

Last week we ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant and the waiter brought out an appetizer for us. I told him I think he got the wrong table as we didn't order this. He said, "no, we wanted to give you appetizer today because we appreciate your business". The people in this restaurant know that we tend to leave 20% tips (or more) when we go there because of their great service. They understand what it means to be in the "service" business. As you might imagine, the waiter got a big tip that day. :smile:

Do you mind if I ask which restaurant this is?

Do you guys tip at Sonic? I never realized that is common practice for many people. Now I only go to Sonic if I have cash, which is rarely, because you can't add a tip on a debit card there.

No, I don't tip at Sonic because I just go with the drive through...they don't have to bring it to your car.

Do you guys tip at Sonic? I never realized that is common practice for many people. Now I only go to Sonic if I have cash, which is rarely, because you can't add a tip on a debit card there.

I tip there.

Workers at Sonic generally try to keep the changes for their tip.

Do you mind if I ask which restaurant this is?

It was Los Vaqueros on Air Depot in Midwest City. I should have said "one of our favorite Mexican restaurants", not "our favorite..." We also like La Luna downtown and Iguana downtown too. The people who work at Los Vaqueros in Midwest City are very friendly and make eating there an enjoyable experience. I believe they have two or three other restaurants but I've only been to this one. My favorite is their chicken taquitos. I've had none better anywhere.

Do you guys tip at Sonic? I never realized that is common practice for many people. Now I only go to Sonic if I have cash, which is rarely, because you can't add a tip on a debit card there.

We always tip at Sonic, even if we just get a soft drink or an ice cream cone. Percentage varies, but usually around 15%.

I tip at Sonic, sometimes I'm forced to. Like it was mentioned, i've had them walk away with my change which is not cool at all.

If you consider these folks work for you in the Oklahoma weather at minimum wage, you should probably tip them. . .

In fact, anyone who provides a service and does a great job deserves a tip.

In fact, anyone who provides a service and does a great job deserves a tip.


exactly!

sonic should allow tips on the credit card transactions, all they have to do is push a few buttons on the credit card machine. poor choice on corporate's behalf, IMHO.

I tip at Sonic, sometimes I'm forced to. Like it was mentioned, i've had them walk away with my change which is not cool at all.

If you consider these folks work for you in the Oklahoma weather at minimum wage, you should probably tip them. . .

In fact, anyone who provides a service and does a great job deserves a tip.

The keyword is "does a great job" I refuse to tip someone who provides substandard service or has an attitude about having to actually having to do work. It is not my responsiblity to pay someone who does not want to perform above beyond the expected standards of good customer service.

Back when I was poor, I was secretly happy to get a lousy waiter because then I didn't have to tip them. I'm not that cheap, anymore.

Back when I was poor, I was secretly happy to get a lousy waiter because then I didn't have to tip them. I'm not that cheap, anymore.

WHOA! I just had that thought today...weird. I did end up tipping, but not very well. Pretty crummy service.