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so i go to the same chinese takeout place on a pretty regular basis to get dinner after work. today, i wanted something that wasn't on the menu, steamed chinese and string beans. i was pleased that they made something that wasn't on the menu for me, so i gave them $10 instead of $8.75.

now, i know 8.75 for chinese food is a rip off, but please keep in mind, i don't live near a chinatown, a first markham place, or any of the other things you guys take for granted in toronto. i am in NJ, on the s***ty side of the river :)

i told me friends about this, and they were like.. dude you are an idiot. why do you tip them? i guess chinese take out ppl are not like wait staff or hair stylists or valet parkers, who 'traditionally' get tips.. but i feel like its so hard to find good service/ppl willing to go the extra mile, so i put that $1.25 tip in the same bucket as buying a 24 for the parts dept when they go the extra mile to give me parts diags etc

thoughts?
i would have done the same thing.

good service deserves a good tip
You did what we do all the time. Mmmm Chinese... now I know what to order for supper tomorrow!

Not tipping someone who makes your life easier just lowers your karma in my books.
I woulda tipped in that situation. They went out of their way to make something that isn't normally on their menu, that deserves a lil extra in my books.
Another vote for tipping. If they go out of their way for you, its only fair to help them defray the extra time it took for your order.

NefCanuck
Absolutely appropriate to tip in that case. It also lessens the chance of you getting the "special sauce" next time you are there.
ya i woulda defintiely tipped in that situation. I usually tip well no matter the situation unless somethign was wrong.
Defintaley would have tipped in that situation. Whenever you receive service that is *over the top* or even service that exceeds your expectations, you should reward the person who provided you that service. Whether it be in money form or in some small gift, I think it's a great way to say thanks.
I agree Tipping in that case was more then warented, more so as they made something not on the menu for you.

As someone who works at a food place, it's good to get tips because some of you guys / girls don't realize that's more then likely their gas money to get to work as most of these jobs pay way to low to live off, and most people that work there live pay check to pay check.
Frost__2001,Jul 10 2006, 10:11 AM Wrote:As someone who works at a food place, it's good to get tips because some of you guys / girls don't realize that's more then likely their gas money to get to work as most of these jobs pay way to low to live off, and most people that work there live pay check to pay check.
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I agree with you on the living paycheque to paycheque thing... I've been a server for four years now, putting myself through university.
Another thing that most people don't understand is that most of the time, the server has to pay what is called "tip-out". For me, I have to pay 5% of whatever I sell to this tip-pool system which ensures that the cooks, bus boys, bartenders and hostesses get paid. When you leave a restaurant and you don't leave the server any tip, the server ends up having to pay the tip pool for your portion of their sales out of their own pocket!! When you're only making 6$ an hour, it hurts the bank account.
Not to mention the amount of people who run out without even paying their bill... who do you think has to pay for that?
ZX5chica,Jul 10 2006, 10:22 AM Wrote:Another thing that most people don't understand is that most of the time, the server has to pay what is called "tip-out". For me, I have to pay 5% of whatever I sell to this tip-pool system which ensures that the cooks, bus boys, bartenders and hostesses get paid. When you leave a restaurant and you don't leave the server any tip, the server ends up having to pay the tip pool for your portion of their sales out of their own pocket!! When you're only making 6$ an hour, it hurts the bank account.
Not to mention the amount of people who run out without even paying their bill... who do you think has to pay for that?
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Wow, I knew that the server was on the hook for the cretins who ran out on their bill (Something that only the lowest of the low would attempt IMO <_< ) but I never knew about the "tip out"

I'd always assumed that whatever I paid the to server, stayed with the server because of the way the servers get borked on the minimum wage, which is lower that the "regular" minimum wage. AFAIK the other staff in a restaurant made at least the real minimum wage and not the servers version of it. :blink:

Learn something new every day I guess ;)

NefCanuck
TIPPING IS NOT A TOWN IN CHINA!


I used to tell my tables this for years.

Tipping is something you MUST do if service was good.
Sometimes, the support staff in the restaurant business make more money than the actual servers...

I'm not complaining, because it's a job I have chosen to do... I can handle talking with people and joking around all night, but put me in kitchen and I would be a wreck within 5 minutes. :)

Also... the tipping rate should be understood. Adding the taxes does not equal a good tip :). 15% of the total bill is standard, 20% for exceptional service. If you cannot afford to dine out and tip accordingly, stay at home!! :)
thanks for the feedback guys! i guess my nyc friends are just douches to chinese fast food places :P

i dont think all places have tipout, when i was a waiter in college i didn't have that. i did have a lower than min wage hourly

ZX5chica,Jul 10 2006, 12:52 PM Wrote:Sometimes, the support staff in the restaurant business make more money than the actual servers...

I'm not complaining, because it's a job I have chosen to do... I can handle talking with people and joking around all night, but put me in kitchen and I would be a wreck within 5 minutes. :)

Also... the tipping rate should be understood. Adding the taxes does not equal a good tip :). 15% of the total bill is standard, 20% for exceptional service. If you cannot afford to dine out and tip accordingly, stay at home!! :)
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You think I'm going to add 15% on top of the taxes? You're kidding right? I ain't tipping 15% on top of the taxes, how does that make sense?

Most of the time I give more then I should but if it's just average service I'll give 15%, on top of the total of the ACTUAL VALUE OF the food/drinks.
It's all personal preference how you tip... I was just getting what the "industry standard" is out there for everyone to understand.
Hope I didn't offend :(
I'm not a very good tipper.. probably because I also work in the service industry (just not the food service industry) and rarely ever get tipped, even if I go totally out of my way and give amazing service. I guess that experience has marred me :P

I tip a fair amount when service is good, if service is bad then there's no tip.. Although I also disagree with the "punishment" of no tip. If a server gives terrible service, is rude, whatever they dont deserve a tip, but they ALSO deserve a complaint.

Not trying to start a fight with food service people, but there are many minimum wage jobs that you have to work just as hard at (or harder) that people do and never get tipped. Also note that my perspective is based on the fact that in SK everyone has to make at least minimum wage (hence the term "minimum").

And one more thing.. making the servers pay for the bills of deadbeat dine-and-dashers is total bulls***. The company makes more than enough to allow for general loss.. but then again I'm a union man so I dont have to put up with any s*** like that.
guilty,Jul 12 2006, 06:46 PM Wrote:I'm not a very good tipper.. probably because I also work in the service industry (just not the food service industry) and rarely ever get tipped, even if I go totally out of my way and give amazing service.  I guess that experience has marred me :P

I tip a fair amount when service is good, if service is bad then there's no tip.. Although I also disagree with the "punishment" of no tip.  If a server gives terrible service, is rude, whatever they dont deserve a tip, but they ALSO deserve a complaint.

Not trying to start a fight with food service people, but there are many minimum wage jobs that you have to work just as hard at (or harder) that people do and never get tipped.  Also note that my perspective is based on the fact that in SK everyone has to make at least minimum wage (hence the term "minimum").

And one more thing.. making the servers pay for the bills of deadbeat dine-and-dashers is total bulls***.  The company makes more than enough to allow for general loss.. but then again I'm a union man so I dont have to put up with any s*** like that.
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Believe me... I'm not complaining about serving at all... I'm just *informing*. I would rather be serving tables than back at my old job of retail at Sports Experts anyday!!
Jays2000ZX3,Jul 11 2006, 10:14 AM Wrote:You think I'm going to add 15% on top of the taxes? You're kidding right? I ain't tipping 15% on top of the taxes, how does that make sense?

Most of the time I give more then I should but if it's just average service I'll give 15%, on top of the total of the ACTUAL VALUE OF the food/drinks.
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I think it's pretty cheesy when people start nickle and diming the tip. I think that the service would have to be VERY average to warrant an exact 15% tip... so why sit there and debate it?

considering the fact your server has to put up with asshat customers and a below minimum wage, an extra dollar on the bill means little to me, but would add up for them, and I don't mind that. That's a dollar I guess I could give to a street kid who's too lazy to get a job, or a dollar I can give to someone willing to work for it.

But then again, I'm one of those people that feels guilty if I've tied up a table for an hour for a $20 bill and don't tip at least 20%
darkpuppet,Jul 13 2006, 09:31 AM Wrote:
Jays2000ZX3,Jul 11 2006, 10:14 AM Wrote:You think I'm going to add 15% on top of the taxes? You're kidding right? I ain't tipping 15% on top of the taxes, how does that make sense?

Most of the time I give more then I should but if it's just average service I'll give 15%, on top of the total of the ACTUAL VALUE OF the food/drinks.
[right][snapback]197110[/snapback][/right]

I think it's pretty cheesy when people start nickle and diming the tip. I think that the service would have to be VERY average to warrant an exact 15% tip... so why sit there and debate it?

considering the fact your server has to put up with asshat customers and a below minimum wage, an extra dollar on the bill means little to me, but would add up for them, and I don't mind that. That's a dollar I guess I could give to a street kid who's too lazy to get a job, or a dollar I can give to someone willing to work for it.

But then again, I'm one of those people that feels guilty if I've tied up a table for an hour for a $20 bill and don't tip at least 20%
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hahahaha.... if you're willing to tip 20%... i work at the keg, in the market... come in anytime :)
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