Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The most I have given is 25% and the least I have given is zilch ...... though this has happened only once.

I don't see why one would tip 15% if the service was not good.

Benefit of the doubt that something outside the server's control was at play.

Agreed. I worked as a server for a month before I got tired of being blamed for the fact that the kitchen or bartender was slow, the fact that the hostess would sit too many people at my table all at once so I'd be running around trying to get everything done and then get yelled at by the manager for not checking in with my table within 60 seconds of being sat down, etc. DH and I go out to eat a lot more than we probably should and I can probably count on one hand the amount of times we've had bad service and the server was completely to blame.

Baseline. But rarely go over 25.

But I tip furniture and grocery delivery people and plenty of people on here apparently don't.

Anonymous wrote:I generally tip 20%, regardless of service. Since service tends to be somewhere between mediocre and bad, here, even at very nice restaurants, I've learned not to be too particular.

+1

Baseline, but typically that's what I give unless the service was truly fantastic or awful.

I generally tip 20%, regardless of service. Since service tends to be somewhere between mediocre and bad, here, even at very nice restaurants, I've learned not to be too particular.

Anonymous wrote:The most I have given is 25% and the least I have given is zilch ...... though this has happened only once.

I don't see why one would tip 15% if the service was not good.

Benefit of the doubt that something outside the server's control was at play.

Anonymous wrote:I give 20% when I feel the service was good. Average gets 18%. Crappy gets 15%. I was a waiter all through college so I don't ever go too low. I guess it would have to be really horrible to get less. Sometimes I will give more than 20% if it is truly exceptional.

Same. Exactly, except I didn't wait tables.

I also tip more than 20% if the total bill is less than $20. Which happens sometimes when it's only my son and me at a cheap restaurant.

The most I have given is 25% and the least I have given is zilch ...... though this has happened only once.

I don't see why one would tip 15% if the service was not good.

For me, 20% is baseline.

I don't go out enough to eat that I've had truly outstanding service, but will round up if the person is good (or slightly above good).

Will also round down if someone has been awful. Haven't had that many service people who have been truly awful. I think the smallest restaurant tip I gave was like 12-13%, and that was for someone who kept spilling stuff, getting stuff wrong, forgetting stuff, disappearing repeatedly for long periods of time, repeatedly knocking coats off of chairs (and not helping/offering to pick them up). It almost seemed like we were on candid camera or something.

20% is the starting point and it can go up or down from there. Though usually not much up, and only a lot down if the service is truly atrocious.

Agree with you OP. Substandard service is usually 15% only because it is a rarity when the substandard service is entirely the server's fault. More often than not, it has to do with the kitchen or the hostess not seating people properly in the sections.

I used to give 20% regardless of the service and rarely gave more unless it was truly exceptional. Then I had to many experiences in a row with mediocre to completely lousy service and have stopped doing that. 15% for average service... Did I have to wait or even ask for a refill? Of so not worth 20% especially is the place isn't packed. I left zero tip twice for truly bad service.

I rarely give more or less than 20 - only if service was crappy or exceptional.

I give 20% when I feel the service was good. Average gets 18%. Crappy gets 15%. I was a waiter all through college so I don't ever go too low. I guess it would have to be really horrible to get less. Sometimes I will give more than 20% if it is truly exceptional.

I am talking about in a restaurant setting. Is 20 percent where a waiter starts out and you go up from there (IE: a 20 percent tip = normal/average service) or is a 20 percent tip reserved for the best waiters (IE: not standard and you usually give 15 or whatever). If service is very poor how far below 20 percent are you will to go? I tend to think 20 percent is the average and give more if warranted. Even if service is horrible I feel I can't give below 10.