I have an issue with #1. Some places charge $12 for a Mojito made with a mix, not muddled mint and lime. I tip according to the quality, just like a waiter/waitress. I've heard #2 before b/c of friends that work in that industry.

I'm confused by #3. Last call means just that anywhere I've ever lived. You legally can't place an order after that.

#2 sounds like you need to find a better bar.

I agree with JP Money on the tip issue but, assuming the drink was well-mixed, I tip as I would for a food order.

I agree with Chinadoll on #3. Weird to include it because, like, most bartenders will just refuse to serve after "last call".

I'm glad to live in a place where tipping isn't compulsory. Tipping 15% on every drink order sounds crazy.

That said a $12 cocktail here is mostly unheard of. I expect to pay $15-$20 :(

Unfortunately, tipping IS part of the social contract of going out for drinks. The bartender supplies you with drinks, you pay the bill and supply them with a tip. I you don't want to tip the standard 15%, don't go out. Go to a liquor store instead. Alternatively, you are always able to open a tab and tip on the total amount spent,

I also usually tip a dollar a drink. I won't pay 15+% tip on a basic drink that's simply overpriced by the establishment. A specialty cocktail, maybe -- some drinks are just awesome. But not on a plain shot of whiskey, which I usually get, and which is often 8+ dollars (in some cities, that's just the well whiskey!). Some whiskies and beers are more expensive, but they don't take any more effort to open and pour into a glass than their bottom shelf counterparts (even less so if there's a measuring cap on it, preventing the "good pour"). Some places charge $12 for a simple shake of gin and tonic with a browning lime because they can get away with it (trendy place, in an expensive area, etc.). And sometimes the drink is just poorly made. So I guess my general rule is $1 for the most basic of drinks (or ones that are poorly made, or made with a cheapo mix), which I usually end up ordering because I'm poor, but around 15-20% for more complex or "mixologist" drinks.

On a related note, does everyone tip $1 for ever to-go barista-made drink? I do, and that's always well over 15%, which makes getting coffee on the way to school/work/etc. super expensive in the long run. But I feel weird tipping the true 15%.

As a full time bartender for over a decade, it pains me when I read articles like this because both the bartender and the guest are right.

Of course, it all depends on context (what bar you are at, what kind of a guest you are, the quality of the bartender, etc.)

1. Yell, whistle etc. to get bartender's attention. This could be (at least) any of three things:
a. bartender sucks & doesn't acknowledge you
b. bar is understaffed & it is the only way to get a drink
c. You, as the guest, may not recognize that there are quite a few other people that also need to be taken care of.

I have seen all three. When a bartender "rant" is written like the one that was linked, it is because they are a good bartender, get waved, whistled, etc. and then the guest says, "Hmmm... now what do I want."

I see the guest perspective as well. When the bartender sucks, it seems like you can't get a drink if you are the only person in the bar.

2. Start a tab.
If you plan on staying for a while, at most places, this works a lot better (and you can get away with a smaller tip). Running a credit card several times may cause a manager to have to run the card (who you will have to find), or it may even cause the issuer of the credit card to think your card was stolen, which makes your life harder.

Even with good bartenders, this can add some mental work into taking care of you and all of the other guests. Are you leaving? After the third time I ran your card? Should I ask you for another drink? etc.

3. "Make it strong" will typically get you one of three things (if you are not a regular, and sometimes then, as well):
a. a bunch of extra ice in your glass, so there is little room for mixer
b. a couple drops down the straw, so the first thing you taste is liquor
c. a "dramatic" pour in front of you (hold the bottle way up high) so it looks like we are pouring more.

I am not stealing from my employer and I am not cheating my guests. If you want something "stronger", you pay for something "stronger".

7. Tipping guides. I am interested to hear in what other people (both service and non-service industry) think about this. I make well over 20% (keep in mind, I also serve food and I am a pretty good bartender) tips, so I don't see an issue with getting a quarter to open a bottled beer.

@jp money, I wouldn't be offended if I got 50 cents when I made your mojito (ours run $6.50), even though I actually do muddle and don't use mix. Overall, I make my money and I feel I am fairly compensated for my job.

Tipping bartenders in America is in this weird quasi-land. Do we tip a buck a drink? 15-20%? The change left over?

8. Bar Garnishes - Just don't eat them. Ever. This is for your benefit, not mine. In fact, if the bar doesn't keep the garnish away from guests, don't even squeeze it in your drink.

22. Everyone should bartend for a few nights. I totally disagree. I have some on my staff who should never have ever been allowed to bartend. :-)

No, wait, "last call" means "last chance for drinks" and it seems to vary widely as to a bartenders reaction. At our local brewpub, it's no big deal to pour another pint even 5 minutes after last call. I wouldn't expect a bartender to whip up a half-dozen manhattans though. Keep it simple.

@sara d'arc - At least for me, a buck a drink is usually fine. It all works out. (A buck to open a bottled beer? THANK YOU VERY MUCH!)

12 bucks for browning garnish on your drink is absolutely wrong. Find better bars. :-)

To answer your other question, there is a Starbucks across the street from where I work. On the rare occasions I go there, I tip at least one buck on my 2.50 coffee. Usually, I'll just grab a 75 cent refill from the gas station on the way in to work.

@Strundblade - Not in Australia it isn't. Tipping is for extra super good service, unless you are feeling generous. The Bartender/Waitress/Waiter is paid for doing their job and the price of their labour is included in the bill. Which is why we pay more for cocktails.

I cannot imagine having to try to calculate what 15% of a bill is after a few drinks! I think the bartender would be waiting a long time while my brain exploded.

Since when does Last Call mean the bar is closed? In every bar I've been to at last call, it's just that... your last chance to get your final drink order in... How would I know that last call is coming unless I've been given warning? Last Call IS my warning.

I have no intention of tipping $1 for a bottle of beer ordered from a bartender unless the bar is packed and the bartender is quick. However, at my favorite bar, where the bartender is now one of my friends, I tip well. But that's because I can go in and tell George what kind of mood I'm in, what alcohol I want and maybe a garnish and he goes out to his herb garden (yes, an herb garden at the bar) and makes me something fresh and amazing (watermelon mojito last time). It is a spectacular experience that I am quite willing to pay for.

@Fiona - this is where having a smartphone with a tipping app (or just a calculator) comes in handy.

that, or if an individual lives in a place where the tax is 5 or 6%, simply tripling the tax works, too.

I'm honestly shocked at how many people aren't tipping properly. All service industries deserve minimum 15% ... tipping per drink is just silly. These people usually make below minimum wage and work horrible hours. I will only drop below 15% if I feel the service is inadequate. If you don't want to pay $12 for a premixed drink, then don't order that drink, or stay home.

15% is easy, calculate 10% by moving the decimal point, and then just add half of that on top. Also, you probably have a calculator on your phone. I'm sure you could figure it out.

And I always assumed last call meant "last call" as in "last chance to order".... so why would you place orders afterward?

I guess if you've never worked in a service atmosphere you don't understand that they can't close until everyone is gone, and they usually can't even start cleaning until everyone is gone, so when the bar "closes" at 2:00 and people still want to hang out utnil 2:30 the poor employees are stuck there until 3:30 cleaning up and counting drawers....

I tip 20% in most bars. The bartender definitely notices and you get better service and often better drinks on your second round or second visit. If you are a regular this generally promises great treatment all the time. the extra tip is the price of the extra service service, a great trade in my book. That said if it's a super busy overly crowded kind of place and you are just ordering beers and you will never be remembered, I usually tip a $1 a beer.

I always start a tab at a bar; and when I get my bill I just double the first number of the total for the tip. So if my bill was $30, I'd leave a $6 tip. This ususally works out to a 15%-20% tip and it's super easy on a brain that's had a few drinks!

WEE EATS: my boyfriend was a bartender for awhile (and has worked other service industry jobs) and usually only tips $1 per drink...whether it's a beer or a margarita. And a bartender just came here to say $1 per drink is fine with him, too. You can disagree, but no need to be outraged or "shocked." Tipping 15-20% is customary for full-service waiters, but bartenders, baristas, and deli sandwich clerks are "at the counter" -- it's not actually full service, it's part service, because the customer is going up to the bar/counter/whatever and doing part of the work themselves. When I have to go to the counter to order, carry my own order to where I'm standing or sitting, and/or bus my own table, I don't tip what I'd tip a full-service waiter -- sorry.

On tipping:

In Canada and the US, tipping is more compulsory and should be done with higher frequency because bartenders and people in the service industry don't get paid a living wage.

In most of Europe, the service is factored into the price of the item and one rounds up.
I believe it's the same in Australia and New Zealand, with service people making a very good wage (I've heard $15-20/hour, as opposed to $10/hour in Ontario, Canada).

I did not take the time to read through the comments so I appologise if I am restating.

#2 is easily avoided. Ask your bartender/server if they cut fruit for their shift. If it is a high volume night (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) chances are its fresh because they run through it fast.

ALWAYS use a straw in any glass that you don't see a bartender reach to a rack for. I have worked in many establishments where glasses that are turned upsided down under the counter/ontop of chests on non-skid matts that are riddled with bacteria.

ALWAYS wipe a bottle top, even if you are pouring into a glass. Juice pourers, fruit bowls, plates of pasta, etc have habits of falling into open chests and are hardly ever cleaned up after.

I agree on the $12 martini 2-3 dollar tip rule. Bartenders, servers make $2.63 an hour in MA. We must also claim 15% of what we ring in as tip income. You doc our pay every time you tip less than 15%.

Also 20% now is the norm

fwiw I usually tip $2 on the 12 dollar martini, but not on the $12 bottle of wine -- most drinks I order are $8 or less

oops I meant $12 bottle of beer

if i order a 6 dollar drink i will leave 2 dollars, if i order a 20 dollar drink you still get 2 dollars, i dont usually calculate "15% tip", just what feels right like from:

1- how well mixed
2. how quick
3. did i like you? (as a person)
4. how much money i have on hand i'm willing to leave/tip without having to change a bill.
&. if food/drink where really bad, or the waiter was a jerk....No Tip.

I will like to post a question to all readers,: How do you go about tips at a wedding and that sort of event? do you tip at all? at start or finish? how much is apropiate?

@ELARHY, If it is an open bar, tips are appreciated, not necessary. The wedding hosts have provided drinks to you and either have a tip for the bartender worked into their bill, or will provide it separately to the bartender. That said, a wedding host tip is usually about 10%, so if the bartender is good I personally would throw in a buck a drink. If it is an open bar tips are definitely required. The venue is not going to be paying the bartender anything other than normal wages. If you were hosting a wedding that had an open bar, I would ask the venue for a run-up of their service and tip the bartender 10% of their sales, mostly because people don't think about tipping when they come to a wedding.

Having been a bartender and waiter, I've seen every type of customer.
The worst tippers are the "biggest spenders". The ones that make a production out of mispronouncing the names of the liquors they order, loudly. The ones that drop the name or the owner or manager. The ones that must be total assholes to work for/with because they expect to be well paid because their time is valuable and they;re worth it, but when they're out on the town expecting top notch service and products, they feel cheated by the prices in the trendy establishment so they stiff the guy (or gal) that keeps up with the latest drink recipes and makes their evening enjoyable.
As others have said, if the $12 cocktail is too much of a stretch for your budget and you can't drop another $2 for a tip, there's a beer-and-a-shot corner bar where you can get something out of a plastic bottle in a one ounce shot glass and a draught in a 12 ounce glass that will keep you in ramen for the rest of the week.

I drink at a few bars that are cash only and don't do tabs. They tend to be cheap, but I feel fine about my 1 dollar tip in exchange for an inexpensive watering hole. It still stays cheaper with the tip included. I also find that because of consistent tipping, I enjoy my share of free drinks.

If I order a 12 dollar cocktail, I expect a 12 dollar cocktail. This isn't about shorting anyone on a tip. Return the crappy concoction and leave. If a place is trying to be hip and trendy but can't manage to meet expectations, why on earth would I tolerate that.

If I am in a specialty beer place and I occupy the server or bartender by geeking out over breweries or expect someone to match a perfect beer with my fois gras entree, I remember that with a fatter tip.

If I can't afford to tip appropriately, I can't afford to go out.

Re: #1—Don't pay $12 for a cocktail.

i don't care where you live, a tip is NEVER mandatory. if it was mandatory it would have been included on the bill. usually i'll tip 15%, and if my server is exceptional i'll tip 20% to say thanks for a great evening. but if my server sucked, why would i tip at all? they get their pay check for the labour, but i refuse to pay for services that i didn't receive.

As a career Bartender, I find some of these comments in regards to tipping very surprising and somewhat disturbing. Perhaps the general public does not know that both servers and bartenders are taxed on their sales generated, NOT on tips declared. So if you go to a bar or restaurant and you tip less than 15% (be it for a $12 cocktail or a full meal) you are actually COSTING your server or bartender money. The government assumes you get 15% tips across the board and taxes your income accordingly. You pay taxes on assumed gratuities whether you receive a tip or not. That being said...tipping is not mandatory. If you truly believe you received sub par service, then you shouldn't feel forced to tip.

As to #2- Never eat your garnishes! As a professional, I can tell you it is (mostly) true. They are sitting out a long time and sometimes become a buffet for hungry servers or passers by.

Another Australian here. Unless I receive exceptional service I don't tip. The plus side of living in a country with a good minimum wage and penalty agreement is that there really is no need and even low end jobs pay relatively well. The downside is that people expect to be paid well and don't always give a good quality of service to go with it as they're not relying on tips to live.

Personally I much prefer it our way, I also prefer the tax being included in the price. The quoted price is what you pay, I find it very deceptive that in other countries it is common for the store to quote their price, and then sting you with tax afterwards.

Sara D'arc said:

"Tipping 15-20% is customary for full-service waiters, but bartenders, baristas, and deli sandwich clerks are "at the counter" -- it's not actually full service"

That depends on the bar. I technically work in a restaurant and happen to have the title of bartender. I provide full service at the bar as well as providing full service to the tables in our lounge. I know of several "real bars" in my area where the bartender also provides food for a number of tables and at least one where they are also expected to cook.

Guests usually don't see the distinction and usually tip in a set way no matter what type of bar they are in. I certainly won't denigrate any of the commenters above who said to tip bartenders more (sure, I would like more money). But, when one realizes that a majority of people are set in their ways, one can not take the amount of the tip personally.

Your boyfriend tips me a buck for a beer or a rita? Cool. The next couple behind don't tip at all? No problem... esp. since a lot of times they will just tip at the end. I almost never take it personally.

What I have noticed is, at the end of the day, it all evens out. When bartenders and servers stop obsessing over tips during the shift and obsess over guests during that time, they make a whole lot more money.

MEO said:

"Perhaps the general public does not know that both servers and bartenders are taxed on their sales generated, NOT on tips declared."

If I am understanding your statement, it is actually a little bit of both. Here is the first link from google that I found.

That article states that the IRS is going to automatically assume you are making 8% in tips based on your sales, so that is the minimum they will expect you to declare as income. (If you are making less than 8% in tips, I would suggest a different a job.)

The IRS also expects you to declare 100% of your tips. If your declared tips are greater than 8% of your sales, you will be taxed on that.

Of course, all of your credit card tips must be declared, since there is a paper record proving you got those tips.

Tip share, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. If MEO was talking about tip share, that money is almost always based on sales and not declared tips.

Two more quick things from MEO:

"That being said...tipping is not mandatory. If you truly believe you received sub par service, then you shouldn't feel forced to tip"

And, tell the manager immediately, and if the service is really bad, DO NOT TIP AT ALL!
Every time I say this, a ton of people that work in the food service industry hate it. But, if you had a bad experience, and everyone else that was "taken care of" by the server had a bad experience and all left only 10% (to prove the bad experience), then that server could still be walking out with hundreds of dollars on a double (depending on restaurant, etc.)

If, every time, someone got bad service, told the manager, and left 0 tip, that server will either become a better server or find a job more suited for them.

MEO again:

"As to #2- Never eat your garnishes! As a professional, I can tell you it is (mostly) true. They are sitting out a long time and sometimes become a buffet for hungry servers or passers by"

I wasn't going to share this story, but...

When I was much younger, there was this "college" bar that was on the way home. I was just a few years out of college, so I liked the atmosphere. Then, I started noticing that guys would use the restroom and not wash their hands, even when another guy (me) was in the restroom. They would not even pretend and "rinse". They would then go straight to the bar, order a drink and "munch on the buffet" of olives, cherries, oranges (sometimes even limes and lemons) until they got their drink.

Unless those garnishes are controlled by the bartender, I recommend staying away from them.

I have a pretty basic rule of thumb for tipping on drinks.

If I'm drinking beer (which I usually am) and it only requires a pour or a bottle opener, I tip $1 per drink. Since my beers usually run in the range of $5-$8, this seems decent to me. However, if I'm out for an evening and open up a tab, rather than just one drink, chances are I'll tip 20% on the tab at the end of the night.

@SHAYNA "Bartenders, servers make $2.63 an hour in MA. We must also claim 15% of what we ring in as tip income."

That is HORRIBLE. I'm a bartender in Australia. I make $22 an hour, with additional penalty rates on weekends. Admittedly, my employer is very generous with wages but I can't imagine trying to survive on $2.63 an hour even with tips. How does somewhere supposedly civilised get away with paying such ridiculously low wages? How do people pay rent and buy food on that kind of money?

@NIC M We pay our bills with tips, my dear.

Nic M, and the couple of other fellow Australians on this thread - I totally agree with you. I too was flabbergasted to read Shayna's statement that bartenders in MA make just a couple bucks an hour (even with the big difference in average cost of living between our two countries). That's appalling! And what's the point of a government mandating a "minimum wage" if there are entire industries in which workers earn a fraction of the so-called minimum, and it's legal??

Believe me, I've heard the argument for a "tipping culture" many times - to wit, it encourages consistently better service when servers know that their income is solely dependent on their attitude. But please. This is so demeaning. Just because as the customer, we may feel that our server's attitude/discretion/knowledgeability/speed is THE definition of their skill at their job, there's a whole lot more going on that's not visible to the customer, yet still integral to the job.

Here in Melbourne exists one of the strongest, most vibrant food cultures I've ever experienced, which is firmly rooted in a culture of excellent service, yet we don't have a tipping culture. If you eat/drink in a high-end place, and both your food and the service was excellent, then sure, it's pretty normal to leave a tip, either of around 10% of your total, or just the extra few dollars after rounding up. But it's a signal of appreciation rather than something that's taken for granted, or that's necessary to ensure the same excellence on your next visit.

@JP MONEY
I'm pretty sure you're supposed to tip according to service, not quality. Quality is what you pay for in the base price of the food or drink. If the drink quality isn't up to snuff, then don't go back, and maybe let them know that you want better quality for the price you're paying.

I live in Ireland and here you tip floorstaff, usually around 10%, but not people behind the counter. This is why I find the American (and apparently Canadian) tipping culture terrifying.

Getting back to item 2 - garnishes can be scary, but honestly if it isn't safe for me to put it in my mouth and eat it, it ought not to be steeping in something I'm going to drink, either.

So glad I've never lived (nor drank) anywhere where a cocktail cost more than $5.50. Tipping a buck a drink is more than adequate where I go.

Seven states -- Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, & Washington -- do not allow a tip credit. Restaurant must pay their tipped employees the same applicable minimum wage as other non-tipped workers.

So, if you're in one of these states, then the rules *should* be slightly different, since their wages are already included in the price of your purchase. Although, in these states the waiters/waitresses still think they should get 20% from every customer.

These "things your bartender isn't telling you" are obviously written by bartenders! Here's a tip - if you aren't making enough money, either smile more or change jobs. Yeah, I've even tipped more than 20% for a drink but it's only if the bartender rocked (and that usually wasn't the case at a place that charged over $10 for a cocktail). Complain about your severely lacking income to the shmucks that run your gov't or, better yet, to the shmucks you work for. DON'T complain to the poor slobs suckered into paying too much for a good time.

As for No. 5, If I only had $1.80 for every time I've had to ask for an extra shot (that came out looking like a pony- or I should say foal- shot) just because my $12 cocktail had no alcohol in it.

be nice to the same bartender, tip well, and you'll get one on the house, guaranteed.

If I am buying "per drink", like at a club or bar, I will tip a $1 or two. Casue guess what- that bartender is making $1 every 5 minutes or less! that $12 or more per hour on top of their house wage. And at a nice place, they arent making minimum wage.

I am sitting down somewhere and I get a bill for evening, I usually tip more because in that sort of place the bartender isnt as busy and doesnt make as much per drink

#2 is absolutely true, I have seen this first hand many times. Everytime I order a wheat beer in a bar I have to specify "no fruit" because whoever is manning the bar will inevitably stick a decrepit, dried out orange wedge in my perfectly good beer.

NO FRUIT!

Regarding the last tip (#26?): What kind of bartender WON'T tell you to take a cab? Ridiculous.

Perhaps the general public does not know that both servers and bartenders are taxed on their sales generated, NOT on tips declared.

@MEO: I'm assuming you are in the U.S. as well. I was a cocktail waitress/food waitress for years during college. I was not aware that I was taxed on the government's perceived amount of my sales. Serious question: how would they even know that? Unless you work in a place that is automated to an inch of it's life and is tracking the sales of each employee and that amount is, for whatever reason, reported to the IRS how the hell would they be able to do that? I was taxed on my hourly wage and my credit card tips only.

Maybe what you describe really only applied to servers who work in a bar with a POS system?

I worked as a bartender in nightclubs for 6+ years. NEVER eat the cherry or olive garnishes! Oh and they are not a buffet.

Any place I've ever worked, last call meant that you could order one more round. It usually meant you had 10 min left till the bar cut the entire venue off. I also live in TX which has extremely strict laws regarding serving past 2am and could mean the bartender getting arrested or fined for breaking the law. People, especially drunk people, never understood the severity of me serving them at 2:15am. You gonna bail me outta jail, drunk guy?

All these comments on not tipping/tipping very little have me pretty terrified. I work as a bartender/waitress at an average-priced bar (between $4-$10 for beer and drinks, depending on what you order of course) in a very big city.

There have been nights when I have lost money on customers because of poor tipping. At most bars/restaurants, servers/bartenders have to give portions of their tip to others (barbacks, door staff, sometimes the kitchen, etc.) so not only are they receiving less than minimum wage (roughly $2.80 in my state), but they also have to give away part of their earnings. Couple this with the fact that the government assumes we make 15% of our sales (which some nights, with some crowds, I just don't make at all) and the server loses money. People who say "I only tip if the following conditions are met" have never worked in the service industry and clearly do not understand how some nights, they are costing us money.

And for folks that say "then choose another profession," sometimes that isn't an option. I have to be in the bar service world because it's one of the only ones with night hours and the *potential* to make decent money. But every night is a crap shoot, and I do recognize that comes with the territory.

The part that a customer who tips less than 15% costs the bartender money doesn't make sense. Regardless of what the IRS assumes your income is, don't you fill out a tax return with your actual income for the year? That's what your actual tax rate is based on, so if the IRS overtaxed you all year, you would get that money back. Plus, you can't tell me that those cash tips actually end up being declared.
Also, let's assume a bartender can pour 1 drink ever 1 or 2 minutes (shouldn't take more than a few seconds to open a bottle of beer or pour a glass of wine). If he gets $1/drink, he should be making $30 - $60/hour. I think that's fair

I have been a server/bartender in the US for 12 years. While I understand that there are vastly different politics and customs regarding tipping from one county to another, here are the facts about tipping in the US. In the US, for good service, the customary tip is between 15% and 20%. For poor service, well, that's a personal decision.

1. Minimum service wage (any person recieving tips - bartenders, servers, bussers) in the US is $2.13 per hour. Only a handful of states have mandated above this level. In 12 years, I have never gotten paid above $2.13.

2. You are indeed taxed based on total sales, NOT on your tips. Because of this, service people live off tips alone. Taxes devour any paltry paycheck you get (40 hours at $2.13 doesn't even begin to cover your tax liability). Most servers owe several thousand dollars in taxes at the end of the year to boot!

3. We're not just talking tips -- we're talking tip-outs. In a restaurant, bartenders and servers are required to "tip-out" support staff (hosts, food runners, bussers, bartenders). That is, it is compulsory for a server/bartender to pay anywhere from 3% to 7% of their total sales, NOT total tips to the staff.

So let's say you stiff your server/bardenter on a $100 tab. Then that person will lose from $3 to $7 of their own money (excluding tax liablity) after serving and cleaning up after you. Tipping is a range, but do you really mean to COST your server money? That just makes you a bad human.

So if I have $1000 in sales and only made $100 in tips, after I tip-out 7% (which is $70), I can leave an 8+ hour shift with as little as $30. Thats it. For the whole day.

4. Regarding the "quality" issue: The amount of time and labor I put into something does NOT change simply becuase you didn't like an item. If you have a service issue, thats one thing, but if a product is lacking, you shouldn't stiff your server/bartender. What you should do is speak up about the problem and give your server/bartender an opportunity to make it better. Help us help you. We'll be happy to make another or take it off the tab. Staying quiet about an issue, getting angry that your server/bartender can't read your mind, then leaving a horrindous tip is ludicrious.

5. Know the customs! When visiting another county, ask what the tipping protocol is. As can be seen above, theres a huge variation. Don't be an inadvertent jerk!

And I'll end my tip rant there.

On #2: Seriously, those garnishes are disgusting. Stay away. Trust me.

@Hoshii Wow. Just wow.

I'm not sure where to start -- your complete disregard for your fellow man, your willful ignorance to the difficult realities that the working poor face, or just your vulgar language and lack of tact. You, sir, are offensive, mean-spirited, and your opions are unwelcome and repulsive.

Can we back track??? WHO in their right mind pays $12 for a cocktail??? I'll be honest, I'm not much of a drinker, but when my man wants a drink I prefer to make him something at home. I don't know how anyone can afford a night out with such prices. I have been to establishments with $15+ cocktails and was like, "are you putting glitter and magic and rainbows in it??"

I'm not going to tip 15% to pour me a beer or a glass of wine. If you're making something shaken or stirred, we can talk.

An add to the above - generally on a glass of wine or a beer when I'm drinking at a bar, I leave the residual change. If you are a bartender and your employer makes it so that the cost of a beer is X dollars and 75 cents, you are probably getting 25 cents (FLOG ME for only tipping 25 cents for someone to pop the top off one beer! - that is NOT the same amount of effort I suppose someone put in to tray my food, plate up all the accoutrements, deliver from the kitchen to table, keep my water glass filled, etc.). If your employer makes it so that the cost is X dollars and 5 cents, you'll get 95 cents.

If you are going to be at the bar for a while, tip in $10 increments, up front.

Like all above me. The tipping 15% is BS. You get a buck for beers, and two for a specialty cocktail. That's it.

As CLEVERNESTER said:

There is minimum wage, and then there's 'minimum wage for tipped employees'. Before the mid nineties the two used to be correlated, meaning that as the min wage went up so did the min tipped wage. Herman Cain as the head of the National Restaurant Association struck a deal with then pres. Clinton to decouple the two; the democrats got to increase the regular minimum wage that way, but NRA got to keep the min tipped wage at the outrageously low levels it is today ($2.13/hr) *for the last twenty years*.

"Tipping is part of the social contract.." I've never heard such bull. Tipping is a voluntary reward for exceptional service. There is no expectation or requirement to tip. Responsible establishments pay their valued staff adequately. It is not my role to make up for the managements choice to under pay their staff. And the idea that I should 3 times the tip for a $15 martini than I give for a $5 martini is ridiculous. The same amount of effort is required for each drink. Remember that inappropriate tipping is also tacky. I see the image of the tacky new rich cad walking thru the hotel stuffing fivers in everybody's pockets.

It's so interesting how the division between the working class and the upper class has come to fruition. What started as a sincere article about how to treat someone who is "serving" you has turned into a political debate, whether anyone wants to admit it or not, about how to deal with a caste system that has been in place since the beginning of time. The way I see it, if you have a problem with tipping, don't eat at restauraunts, order coffee from a cafe, or spend your happy hours or weekends at bars. You clearly need the money more than the staff does, so hold on to it. Forever. You would be doing every service industry person a favor by never gracing them with your enititled presence. The bottom line is that you go to restaurants, to bars, to coffee shops, because you like the atmosphere, to be around people, to socialize, to meet men or women or both, and to create ANY ATMOSPHERE, it takes OTHER PEOPLE'S TIME AND MONEY. Trust me, the last thing I would want to do on any given day is explain the ins-and-outs of how much gluten is involved in making a potato vodka. But the reality is that without the "people who need to find another job if they don't like the one they have", you wouldn't have bartenders, waiters, waitresses, baristas, etc. Do you love selling phones at At&T? Do you love doing endless paperwork for your jerk boss? Do you love emptying bed pans as a nurse or thanklessly raising money for non-profit organizations? Do you ENJOY making customer service phone calls to people that hang up on you 4 out of 6 times?! NO! NOBODY likes working. If we could all have our way, we would be living out our dreams and be rolling in money in the process. But it doesn't work that way. We all have bills and families. We need money. And being made to feel like a jerk while in the process is the utlimate insult. Simply put, just delve out the extra dollar and make a bartender smile. It's not really that hard. And, I love apartment therepy. =)

ALSO - bartenders and servers make $2.13 per hour, and that money usually covers their taxes, and even that little amount is utilized for tax purposes, resulting in a paycheck that is often $20 or less. Maybe even VOID. So don't use the "they get paid hourly" excuse not to tip. And, I meant "therapy", not "therepy".

One of the best bar tipping recommendations I ever received is to over tip on your first drink. Like a $5 on a cheap drink and a $10 on something more complex. That way the bartender will remember you and for future orders you can get away with the $1 a drink.

I've been horrified by some of the comments. Some of the comments remind me of my local paper. I admit I usually tip a dollar a drink and sometimes more, but I also tip for bottled water when I'm at a club. I also sometimes tip even more if the bartender is extra nice and the drinks are extra good.

Sorry, Quiltmaster. Minimum wage for tipped employees = expectation to tip. That's the nation you live in, deal with it.

Do every service employee in the US a favor and do your drinking at home.

Im glad I live in the UK where we don't tip at the bar. Drinks are expensive enough as it is.

Didn't realize how many cheapskates frequented these parts. If you can't afford the tip, you can't afford the meal/drink/haircut/manicure/whathaveyou.

Wow, I never tip at Starbucks! These people get hourly wages and even benefits! I do tip about $2/drink, but I go out for drinks so infrequently (once in a blue moon). Good to know about the garnishes, though!

I'm sorry, but a tip is a gratuity, NOT your wage. It is politic's and your boss' fault if you are making two bucks an hour, NOT the guest's fault. A restaurant that charges $12 for a cocktail and can't pay their staff a decent hourly wage is a restaurant or bar run badly. IF I am meant to pay you a wage of 15% of the cost of my drink, it should be included in the price straight up. If it is not a mandatory fee, then you should be making more money. This is just a way of bullsh!tting the customers into paying higher prices.

I'm have my own company and have 2 employees. Should I pay them nothing (cause $2.13 is nothing) and tell my clients they have to tip them 15%? My employees would probably earn more, but I doubt I would keep my clients very long.

To all of the waiters and bartenders, if you are being told the IRS wants 15% of the gross sales then I would ask who ever told you that for their sources. Right now the current IRS guidelines (http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/industries/article/0,,id=98401,00.html) are for 8% of allocatable receipts to be collected as taxes for tipped income. Also, if you are being taxed at 15% the keep track of everything and file exactly want you made in tips at the end of the year to recover the over payment. You may not complain about losing money to taxes when the IRS provides you with a means of getting that money back.

With regards to tipping in general, most of the folks here have a point with regards to popping the top off of a bottled beer. There just isn't enough work involved in that for anyone to really want to drop $1, 10%, or 20% to have that task performed. Where I live (MA) the rule of thumb seems to be be the change on a bottled beer, $1 on a draft beer, $1 - 2 on hard liquor (i.e. shots), and $2 on a mixed drink. If a tab is opened then most people will tip around 20% at the end of the night.

Also, on the point of service, do not try to complain about being low balled on your tip if someone orders a fine scotch with a rock back and you bring it the rocks.

In San Francisco everyone (waitstaff and bartenders included) makes at least minimum wage, which is $10.24 an hour. Bartenders and waiters make that plus tips. Most restaurants also add a small charge to the bill to cover health insurance for their employees. I'm not saying its cheap to live here by any means, but at least we make an attempt to give people a living wage.

I have a huge problem with the tipping issues. I worked my way through med school doing service jobs. Tending bar, Valet parking, Waiter, and other things. I will admit that I and the people I worked with did sometimes get bitter about not being tipped or not tipped enough. You can develop a sense of entitlement in these types of jobs because YOU think you are working hard. No one really cares though. But, were do some of the other commenters get off saying you have to pay 15-20% or stay home. You know what i got told a few times? Don't like what your getting here so quite!!

@Nackie, I'm guessing you don't own a restaurant. Stop blaming the waitstaff. We don't make the rules. These rules have been in place since the beginning of the induction of the restaurant industry AND maybe instead of whining about it, LEARN about it.

If you have a problem with tipping then, stay home. Make your own dinner. Or , have it delivered. End of problem. Not understanding how the restaurant industry serves YOUR needs is part of YOUR problem. No one is forcing you to go to a restaurant.

Stay home if it bothers you that much.

@Mdaleem...are you saying that waiters aren't working hard? Why are we saying to tip between 15 to 20%? Are you kidding? You like so many others have no idea what that percentage means do you? You think the waiters are making up that random number?

Yes, it's all our fault.

You might have gone to Med School but you like a large percentage of people commenting are clueless. I am telling you to stay home because you think that 15 to 20% is a lot of money. It's probably what you spend on a pair of shoes OR what you spend on gas. But you don't even know that.

So stay home. If you're going to be that ignorant about it, why tip the valet? They get a way better hourly wage than a waiter. Learn about why you should tip instead of complaining about it. If tomorrow, all of the restaurants shut down because, it's such a lowly job what would you people do? Complain some more?

You don't get to just throw pennies at someone who just served you food and drink like they are some homeless person. They are people who have families and ENJOY waiting on people. I guess you never thought about that huh? That there are people who actually enjoy the service industry.

You can tell a lot about about person by the way they treat people in the service industry. Every job is sacred FYI. And since when do doctors do their jobs right 100%?

Yet, you still get that big ol' paycheck right MDALEEM?

Yeah.

As for having a sense of entitlement, there is NO one with a bigger sense of entitlement than a doctor so...?

You guys can't even cure the common cold.

@Nackie, you said, I'm sorry, but a tip is a gratuity, NOT your wage. It is politic's and your boss' fault if you are making two bucks an hour, NOT the guest's fault. A restaurant that charges $12 for a cocktail and can't pay their staff a decent hourly wage is a restaurant or bar run badly. IF I am meant to pay you a wage of 15% of the cost of my drink, it should be included in the price straight up.

1. It's not a wage? Then somebody PLEASE tell the government that because apparently, they think it is.

2. It's not the boss' fault but okay, I'll let you believe that.

3. There are restaurant's that charge more than that for a cocktail. You must be use to local pubs were the drinks are watered down. Half of you complaining don't even know what goes into making a drink in the first place.

4. Yeah, that's right, charging 12 bucks for a drink has a lot to do with how the owner pays their waitstaff...wrong again.

5. I am sure, if the owner of a bar/restaurant charged you a gratuity for drinks and food automatically, you'd whine about that also. Yes you would. You don't even know how much 15% is of a 12.00 drink or you'd be embarrassed.

Everyone complaining about tipping 15% on a drink right now does not even know what that amount is or you'd be embarrassed. You should be embarrassed. You throw money away for the smallest things yet you complain about leaving a tip anywhere from 2 to 40 dollars?

Pathetic.

And last call means, we're closed. Go home. Not order another drink and hang for another hour. People who camp out when the place is closed...are disrespectful plain and simple.

Both sides are "right" and both sides are "wrong".

In my original comment, I mentioned that I dislike these "rants" because both guest and server/bartender are right. We are all wrong, as well.

A bartender or a server SHOULD NOT expect 15-20+% all the time. The guest is right, in that the tip is for services rendered. (Aside: on a cruise ship, the wait staff is not paid at all. They literally live off of the tips.) I know too many servers that hardly work and walk with more cash than your typical office drone (and they are the first ones to complain about a lousy tip).

On the other hand, the reality in most of the United States, servers make only $2.13/hr and pay some sort of tip-share. One restaurant will not increase wages to livable wages BECAUSE it makes YOUR meal more expensive.

If you have the option of, say, two Greek restaurants and one sells spanakopita at $3 and pays the server the minimum wage or another that sells the same app at $6.50 so they can provide a server a living wage, where are you going to go? (It's a trick question. I know the answer for most people.)

And, seriously, do you want to provide a living wage to someone who really is not meant to be in the service industry? Or, would you rather increase the wages of those who do an excellent job every time you enter that restaurant? If it is the former, it is your steak that is overcooked and your water that is never refilled, not mine.

I am ambivalent about quality issues. Tip should have nothing to do with quality issues. Yet, if the server doesn't realize there is a quality issue, there is something wrong with the server. (I have sent many a chicken breast back to the kitchen before it left expo because it was obviously pink...) Some quality issues are guest perception. Some are kitchen error. Regardless, the server should be aware and be able to resolve those issues.

I have never heard so many people sound so painfully cheap at one given moment. WOW! You get what you pay for. Normally a bartender will greet you with a smile and a good attitude. once you display your inability to tip (or as it seems through this thread, inability to do simple math) that is when you meet the wrath of a bartender ie. nasty/weak drink. Bartenders in the U.S. make sometimes no money per hour and work strictly for tips. If you can't afford to tip, then you shouldn't go out to begin with. I know I don't. if you are a terrible tipper (someone who tips less than 17%....yea you heard me 17) don't be shocked when your bartender serves the entire bar 3 times before walking over to make you the worst drink they can physically pour. You are wasting their time and in turn costing them money.

"If, every time, someone got bad service, told the manager, and left 0 tip, that server will either become a better server or find a job more suited for them."

That's what you think. The reality is that the manager, server, and cook, have spent the last half hour rolling their eyes and hoping you leave so they can fill the table with someone who's more pleasant.

95% of the customers who ever did this to me were angry at problems I couldn't control. I can't make the cooks cook faster, get the hostess to stop seating the entire section at a time, or whatever else is going on that makes people irritated before I even get there. If a customer got rude with me for no reason I knew I wasn't going to make any money anyway. Hence, orders entered after tables that were sat behind you. Medium rare's cooked well, and whatever else I could do to make their day as bad as mine.

Hell hath no fury like a waitress scorned.

@MrsBerg - I pay $12 for a cocktail because it's the only way I'm getting one. Welcome to Western Australia.

Personally, I loved going out for drinks when on holiday in North America. All in all, it shook out to cheaper drinks and better service.

@Zaba - "And, seriously, do you want to provide a living wage to someone who really is not meant to be in the service industry? Or, would you rather increase the wages of those who do an excellent job every time you enter that restaurant? If it is the former, it is your steak that is overcooked and your water that is never refilled, not mine."

Well, actually, yes, I do want to provide a living wage to the people who serve me. It doesn't matter whether I deem that they are "meant to be" in that industry or not. It sounds like you don't quite understand what it means to earn a "living wage".

Do you honestly believe that cultures that aren't steeped in America's ruthless catch-21-situation of a service industry that literally depends on tips for even the most basic subsistence wage, have restaurants and bars that serve disgusting, badly cooked food and drinks, peopled by rude and sloppy staff??

I simply... have no words for you, Zaba. All I can do is facepalm.

@TracyeS - Maybe this is a regional issue, but where I live "Last call" means that no more drink orders will be accepted and to get your last order in. This is usually done anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes before the establishment will close for the night and there is a graduated system indicating people need to get out, namely:

T-30 to 45 "Last call!"
T-15 Light go up, music stops.
T-5 Staff informs guests that they will be closing in five.
T-0 Staff moves guests in the direction of the door.
T+5 Staff rounds stragglers up and moves them out the door.
T+15 Police are called if you are still around unless you have a very good reason.

@Lizbb - No offense, but I'm going to speculate that you aren't working at the higher end establishments. At them the wait staff tend to be very keen to the needs to of the customers and most of what you just described would not fly. Furthermore, if customers complain about your service you will be fired, no eye rolling involved. When guests are spending several hundred dollars for their meal you can be assured that the staff is going to be attentive.

First of all, anything I am referring to from this point on is within the boundaries of the United States. I understand that in different countries, there are different standards and ethics towards tipping. But for the sake of argument for anyone who was born in the U.S. and understands the etiquette expected here, and yes, I do refer to it as etiquette because that is what it strictly comes down to, this is where I stand on this discussion.
I understand the logic of tipping $1 on a drink. The standard price of a drink has gone up substantially. Also, I feel like most people who order multiple drinks will end up tipping out the bartender quite a bit of cash, depending on how many drinks they order.
However, a lot of places price their drinks according to the quality of what is going into the drink and how it is crafted. If you're paying $12 for a mojito that does not have fresh mint sprig and crappy mojito mix, then you picked the wrong bar and that problem lies with you. I am also going to make a loose assumption that anyone who thinks that it is ridiculous to tip at least 15%, mind you, in the United States, has not served or tended bar before, and I would ask you to reconsider your opinion, simply because you do not always know what you are talking about. As a server and a bartender, I make $4.95 an hour. Anything that I get tipped gets taken out of my paycheck. Also, as far as servers losing money on people who don't tip accordingly, that is true. What most people forget is that yes, someone who has a $700 tab should be served very attentively, as should the person who ordered only $12 worth, but that attentiveness comes from multiple people. Servers and bartenders tip out bus boys as well as hosts and hostesses. And that tip is a set percentage configured by the company, meaning we don't have a choice as to how much we tip. Taking that logic into consideration, if someone ordered $150 worth of stuff and decided to stiff a server, that server owes money on that bill. It may not be like that at every serving establishment, but every place is different, but the standard of tipping is the same everywhere. These people serve to pay for school, their children and everything in between. The people working these jobs count on their customers to tip according to the quality of service. Not by some crackpot standard you've set for yourself, justifying the reason you have for not wanting to shell out the extra $5 for the tab. I am not talking about shitty servers, because they do not deserve good tips, but do consider the quality of service given to you and tip at least 15% knowing that you were taken care of.

Oh, and NACKIE,
I WISH I could put automatic 15% gratuity on people like you. And it's so wonderful that you mention your theory on servers and bartenders trying to trick you out of a little extra cash. See, these hourly wages are set not only by the company, but also by the government.
Here's a little knowledge I'm sending your way. Call it a gift.

Federal Law

The Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA, sets the federal minimum wage for servers and other tipped employees. The U.S. Department of Labor, which administrates the FLSA, defines a tipped worker as one who regularly receives $30 or more monthly in tips. The FLSA requires the employer to pay a server direct hourly wages of no less than $2.13 per hour. If the employee's tips and direct hourly wages do not equal at least the federal minimum wage -- $7.25 per hour, as of July 24, 2009 -- the employer must pay the employee the difference. The employer can pay a server less than the federal minimum wage only if she earns enough tips to cover the difference. This process is called a tip credit.

We cannot put automatic gratuity on any bill we want to because it is against most company policies. Think before you speak.

@BECSTER.HENRICH Your strategy is perfect.

AntionetteC - This is an honest question, so please do not think it's snarky or trying to argue, but I don't understand where you say "As a server and a bartender, I make $4.95 an hour. Anything that I get tipped gets taken out of my paycheck.". As you explained, businesses must make up the difference if your wage (including tips) is less than the federal minimum. So how would tips deduct from your $4.95 wage? I understand the concept of tip sharing, etc, but I don't understand when you say that anything you get tipped gets taken out of your $4.95/hr paycheck.

It's funny how many people don't know that most waiters/waitresses/bartenders only get paid 2.65 - 3.00 an hour. The catch to that is tip reporting, if you are not reporting enough tips to be paid at least what a minimum wage job would pay, then your employer has to pay the rest. Most service staff make above minimum wage with tips included.

That being said, I have worked as a bartender and a server. I tip well. I never eat fruit or garnishments that come with my drink and I never order after last call (This is just rude). You know what time your state has the bars close, don't order drinks at the last minute. People have to sit around, wait for you to finish and then not tip them.

@lizbb:

"If, every time, someone got bad service, told the manager, and left 0 tip, that server will either become a better server or find a job more suited for them."

That's what you think. The reality is that the manager, server, and cook, have spent the last half hour rolling their eyes and hoping you leave so they can fill the table with someone who's more pleasant.

95% of the customers who ever did this to me were angry at problems I couldn't control."

I see your point and have been in that situation more than I can remember. I see it as an awesome opportunity to change a 0% tip to one that is up to 30%. I can't control the bad day the guest is having, but I can help them have the best dining experience possible.

"I can't make the cooks cook faster"

You can be aware of the cook's speed. You can allow your guests to know about it. You can suggest a soup/salad/app, so the guest has something to eat. You can keep your guests informed about ticket times.

"get the hostess to stop seating the entire section at a time"

Yeah, that sucks. But, then you have the opportunity to treat your entire section as one big table. I used to love being triple-sat because, after the chaos, I got a smoke break every time the food was dropped for all of my tables AT THE EXACT SAME TIME.

"If a customer got rude with me for no reason I knew I wasn't going to make any money anyway. Hence, orders entered after tables that were sat behind you. Medium rare's cooked well, and whatever else I could do to make their day as bad as mine."

I remember having those feelings. I think it is the wrong way to deal with guests, but YMMV. I believe that I am there for the guests. People are allowed to have a bad day. Turning their bad day into a good day is an incredibly satifsying feeling.

Choosing to hold their ticket, put the order in wrong, etc. just makes it more likely that you will get a bad tip. Helping your guest out of whatever funk they are in can help line your wallet, give you a better day and give them a better day.

@rosiegreenie:

It seems like what I was trying to say got lost. I am more than willing to discuss this via e-mail, if you think that is a better way to understand what may or may not be differences. My e-mail address is todd@zabanet.net

On to what I said and your reply:

"@zaba - "And, seriously, do you want to provide a living wage to someone who really is not meant to be in the service industry? Or, would you rather increase the wages of those who do an excellent job every time you enter that restaurant? If it is the former, it is your steak that is overcooked and your water that is never refilled, not mine."

Well, actually, yes, I do want to provide a living wage to the people who serve me.

I agree with you 100%. I also agree that I could have written my comment much better. My point was that, even at $2.13/hr + tips, we end up with some REALLY BAD servers.

Just from my restaurant, here are two easy examples that I think those inside and outside the restaurant industry can relate to:

1. Any dish that has fries should have ketchup on the table before the plate arrives.
2. Dirty plates get taken back to the dishwasher immediately, instead of sitting around somewhere in the view of the guests.

Yet, the staff I work with generally will not do either of these things. We are a high volume, high quality restaurant. I am tired of seeing some of our "servers" sit around and do nothing and expect to get paid for it.

I see where you are coming from. I always over-tip, because I am in the industry. And, in the U.S., we are stuck with $2.13/hr plus tips.
So, we are stuck with what we have.

But, to what I think your point is, no tip AND talking to the manager is a great way to tell someone they may be better suited for another job.

Good servers and good bartenders do just fine. Let the others find a data entry job or some such where they can earn a liveable wage

"It doesn't matter whether I deem that they are "meant to be" in that industry or not. It sounds like you don't quite understand what it means to earn a "living wage".

I understand a "living wage" very well. My argument is that, while most servers and bartenders in the U.S. make 2.13/hr, good servers and good bartenders will do just fine because of their tips.

While I disagree with the minimum wage for tipped employees, I see too many, even at my own place of work, that think they are entitled to more money without actually working.

Do you honestly believe that cultures that aren't steeped in America's ruthless catch-21-situation of a service industry that literally depends on tips for even the most basic subsistence wage, have restaurants and bars that serve disgusting, badly cooked food and drinks, peopled by rude and sloppy staff??

I have not travelled much outside of America, so I can not honestly answer your question. I was speaking to the culture in the U.S. and how quite a few servers should find another job since they do not take care of the guests. I am disgusted with some of the staff that I have to deal with daily. It really bothers me that they think they are entitled to money when all they really do is take orders, rather than give service.

I simply... have no words for you, Zaba. All I can do is facepalm.

Again, I would love to discuss this privately (todd@zabanet.net) or in the comments. I probably did not make it clear that, because of how serving wages are paid in the U.S., it makes sense to stiff a crappy server *IF* you also tell the manager in order to help them find a better profession.

P.S. It is Catch-22. You may now continue facepalming.

General rule, if you only have to open/pour... $1 per drink. Doesn't matter if I'm drinking a $2 can of PRB or a $8 local microbrew, if the only work was to open a can or pull a lever on a tap, $1 for the 1 minute or so of your time. I have a lot of friends who are bartenders and consider this fair.

Start mixing things and getting a little more complicated... that tip goes up.

Oke some mind food... I'm from Europand we geta living wage and good / exselent service gets tips works for me and the industry.
Now i went to Japan and yes FOOD DRINKS AND SERVICE is better IT JUST IS bellive me every one thats ever bine there knows..
American breakfast tast better waiters is faster and HUMBLE waitres smilles heck if you like it there is plases with weird cospy outfits gigggli girls and stuff but i mean just a normel ever day place. and here comes the best bit TIPPING IS CONSIDERT A INSULT !! they did a excellent job deliver fast and efficient service and get a good pay for it and you leave them CHANGE like there a HOBO? NOT in Japan.

If a goverment is willing to fix a broke Class system it can work HECK NO it WORKS EVEN BETTER!!

Dis how ever dont make it alright if you KNOW!! a system socks your serving staff is under payd you can just say HECK your problem socccor and walk out with out leaving a desent tip.

Thats all i wanted to add it can work and there is a place where people pride in dilivering a good job and see it as a insult when you leave your spare change hanging around XD

oh and some drunk men math as a help for my American friends.
$5 beer $1 tip is %20
$6 beer $1 tip is %17,5
$7 beer $1 tip is %15 oke a tine bit less but thats a simple tumb nail no? till 7 buck tip a buck easy as apple pie 14 bucks is then the obvious tipping point to go up to 3 buck 21 to 4 and so one we al had thoos in shool i hope 7 14 21 28 you can do it kids lol

Not sure that anyone will be back to read these, it's been a while. But I wanted to answer Tracy and AntoinetteC and add to my defense that I never said I don't tip and I never said people shouldn't tip. I did say it's your boss' and politic's fault that you aren't payed a living wage. You can't tell me that a mojito has a raw worth of almost 12 bucks. It's a quarter of a lime (maybe 8 cents), 4-6 cl of rum (going with a $20 bottle of rum at 75 cl / 25 oz = about 18 drinks, coming up to about $1.20 in rum), a sprig of mint (pennies), a spoon of sugar (pennies) a shovel full of ice (pennies) and a fill up with fizzy water (pennies) we have a product with a raw price of around $1.50 (generously calculated, remember I am using wholesale prices, because the bar owner is not paying normal retail). Add to that cost your fixed costs of glasses, washing glasses, whatever -- let's be generous here -- and we're up to $1.80 for the raw price of this drink. That means that we are working with about 10 dollars per drink to cover the costs of running the establishment including staff. A mojito should take about 3, maximal 4 minutes (slooooow bartender) to make. And in this scenario I am going with the bartender making only ONE drink at a time, just to keep things simple (if it were that way in real life, I would be asking myself if my bartender is right for my bar). So, let's see, average 3 1/2 minutes for one drink should be making at least 14 drinks an hour (in 50 minutes, giving 10 minutes for breaks, cash, whatever). This means the bar owner is making $140 on this barkeeper after the goods have been paid for. You can't tell me that the owner can't afford to pay his barkeep even a measly $15 an hour? If you can't see that it's in your boss' hand to pay you more, then you are blind. Why are you taking it out on the customers?

So, I went through all that math for you to break it down. However, please re-read my comment, I never said it was the SERVER'S or BARKEEP'S fault. I don't fault any server for being employed by these conditions, it is the fault of politics and yes, your boss. We need to come away from the Walmart mentality and pay people wages that they can live on. You aren't an outsourced service, you should not be have to take the hit for bad cooking or things outside of your control. Even if you are an awful server, this should not be reflected in your wage, but in your further employment. A shoe salesperson who does a crap job selling shoes doesn't take a wage hit when a customer leaves dissatisfied, but may not be employed long. I don't see how that should be different from waiting tables.

However, this does NOT change the fact that a TIP is not mandatory but a gratuity, and I still think it's unfair to take your (rightful) anger of your paltry wages out on your customers. Being paid $2.13 is MINIMUM WAGE, your employer CAN pay you more. It is your employer that I say is engaging in false advertising, not that wait staff shouldn't get a tip. But if I went to my clients and said, this is what my service costs but when I write the invoice I tack on another 15-20% for a mandatory gratuity to pay for my staff, that *I* as the employer should be paying, then I will get sued for false advertising. If I quote a job at $10,000 and then, after all is said and done, add another $2,000 because my staff otherwise doesn't get paid enough to live off, then I have calculated my business costs wrong and should not be in business. No where does this reflect on my STAFF, though, so please calm down and read what people write more slowly.