Restaurant Tipping in DC

[Anonymous]

Was just looking at another thread where someone left a $16 tip on an $82 bill and someone else labeled this tip as "terrible." That's about 20% which I think of as standard? That is what we tend to leave on restaurant tabs, although for better-than-average service I do tend to give a bit more. Has the percentage that one should tip gone up and I don't know it? When I waited tables ages ago most left us 15% if we were lucky, but standards evolve of course. Nowadays I would only leave 15% if disappointed with the service.

So what is a standard tip now? Is it 20% like I thought and someone was just being extra on that other thread calling that a terrible tip? Or should I be tipping more, and I didn't realize it?

To be clear I'm talking about eating in a sit down restaurant...

[Anonymous]

I do 20%. The other night had bad service, like didn’t bring water i asked for, didn’t ask it we wanted another drink, one entree was way behind the others, something else was wrong and left 15%.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t read the other thread but on an $82 bill I would probably leave $100 not $98.
In general I tend to do somewhere between 15-20% in a sit down restaurant.

[Anonymous]

15-20% is standard.

[Anonymous]

15 -20% — more if the bill is low or the service is excellent. I agree with the PP who would leave $100 in this situation.

[Anonymous]

I currently tip 18-20 percent, but may revisit that as Initiative 82 continues to go into effect, especially as restaurants add surcharges or increase prices.

[Anonymous]

Who cares about exact percentage. Please get the heck out of there when you are done eating. Put down the cash/credit card fairly fast after getting the check. Put your chair back.
Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who cares about exact percentage. Please get the heck out of there when you are done eating. Put down the cash/credit card fairly fast after getting the check. Put your chair back.
Thank you.

What’s the rush? Most restaurants aren’t busy anyway.

[Anonymous]

It’s not “terrible.” I do 20% but tend to round up. So I probably would have done 18.

I also tip more %-wise if we have a small bill, especially if we have our toddler. He’s pretty well-behaved but it still means we leave more mess and drink less alcohol so I will usually up the tip for that depending on the total bill.

[Anonymous]

I tend to tip 20 percent. A little more if it’s a small bill or the service is exceptional.

But if I see an unexpected “Covid surcharge” or “inflation surcharge” or any other charge that is not explicitly listed on the menu, the tip goes way down and I’ll never go back. I know it’s not the waiter’s fault, but restaurants that do that need to shut down

Also, if I need to screenshot or download anything, minimal tip

- former waiter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I tend to tip 20 percent. A little more if it’s a small bill or the service is exceptional.

But if I see an unexpected “Covid surcharge” or “inflation surcharge” or any other charge that is not explicitly listed on the menu, the tip goes way down and I’ll never go back. I know it’s not the waiter’s fault, but restaurants that do that need to shut down

Also, if I need to screenshot or download anything, minimal tip

- former waiter

The surcharges are what’s killing me. Just raise your prices. I was in a restaurant and it said the surcharge was used to take care of BOH staff. Isn’t that what their salary/hourly wage is for? I’m not tipping the cooks and dishwashers.

[Anonymous]

I usually do 20% but we were at a California Pizza Kitchen yesterday where the server was super nice, so we left 25%.

[Anonymous]

25 percent is now standard for great service

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I tend to tip 20 percent. A little more if it’s a small bill or the service is exceptional.

But if I see an unexpected “Covid surcharge” or “inflation surcharge” or any other charge that is not explicitly listed on the menu, the tip goes way down and I’ll never go back. I know it’s not the waiter’s fault, but restaurants that do that need to shut down

Also, if I need to screenshot or download anything, minimal tip

- former waiter

The surcharges are what’s killing me. Just raise your prices. I was in a restaurant and it said the surcharge was used to take care of BOH staff. Isn’t that what their salary/hourly wage is for? I’m not tipping the cooks and dishwashers.

You are tipping the cooks and dishwashers, aren’t you? I thought tips were pooled.

The surcharges are because people are more sensitive to changes to the prices on the menu. It’s dumb but that’s how it is. It’s like airline fees or hotel fees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:25 percent is now standard for great service

No, it’s not. You just made that up.

People who brag about tipping = people who are afraid that someone will find out how broke and in debt they truly are