Tipping at restaurants.

[Anonymous]

How do you calculate your tip at restaurants? We are generous tippers and calculate based on the total.

But recently I was told that you look at the subtotal and exclude the cost of drinks. Then you calculate the tip and add in $1 or slightly more for drinks.
Is this true?

[Anonymous]

I just round up the total and give 20% if it was good service. That's partially because I want to be a good tipper, and partially because I like easy math.

[Anonymous]

I always tip 20% on the total. A little more for excellent service.

[Anonymous]

We've always based it on the total too (including drinks, tax, etc).

[Anonymous]

I tip 20% pre-tax, esp. in DC where the food and beverage tax is 10% - if you tip on top of that, it's a lot!

FWIW, I absolutely hate the practice of tipping and would rather have it included in the bill.

[Anonymous]

I tip on the total before tax. Wine and drinks should be included in the total, but I don't tip on tax.

[Anonymous]

I tip on the total before tax.

In my years as a waiter, it used to really gall me to have a party linger over appetizers and drinks for a couple hours (long enough to turn the table twice for a normal meal) and then tip only on the relatively cheap food-- like $50 of a $250 bill or something. Tipping should, in part, be considered "rent" for the table!

[Anonymous]

We tip 20% for good service BEFORE the tax and we include drinks, wine, etc. If service is superior, we will tip 25%.

[Anonymous]

We tip 10% on total (before tax). If the service is good we tip 15%, and if it is exceptional, 20%.

[Anonymous]

I tip 20% routinely and more if it's a cheap restaurant and I have gotten excellent service ex. today I at at The Sunflower restaurant (wonderful vegan food fyi and you don't have to be vegan to love it)-I went in and had the special and brought a book with me to read while I ate--even though my total was around 15 with tax-I gave server a five dollar tip because he was great and it was just me at the table and not two people. I too am a former waitress so I am really sensitive to tipping.

[Anonymous]

Wow, 18:06. That seems pretty stingy. I'd say 20% is the norm these days.

[Anonymous]

I know people who don't tip at all and they are not foreigners.

[Anonymous]

PP: I hope they don't frequent the same restaurant very often! I'd be scared to know what is done to their food in retaliation!

I tip at least 15% always. 20-20+ if the service is good/great.

I also don't live in the immediate dc area (20-30 minutes out.)

[Anonymous]

I tip 15% for good service (pre-tax). I tip less if the server was not up to par. I tip 20% if the server was outstanding. Tipping sucks - I wish it was a flat rate. Why should the person ordering the $15 pasta have to pay less of a tip than the person who ordered the $30 steak? The effort on the server is the same to take the order and bring the plate to you.

[Anonymous]

I worked (way back) as a waitress and know how important tips are to their wages- but if the waiter is not good- don't go overboard (meaning- stick to less than 15%) - what message are we sending? do a crappy job and you'll get your minimum? I have no problem tipping above 15% if it was excellent.