I always go by the philosphy that there is no such thing as over- tipping,but there has been a few times when I left a low tip based on the servers attitude.

I work in the restaurant business, and I always tip based on service. Were they friendly, did they do their best to keep my drinks filled, did they make suggestions on the menu items. People need to realize that when that server turns in a drink into the bar, or food into the kitchen. They no longer have control of it, if it is wrong or takes a while, more times than not the bartender or cook screwed it up. Also a server asking the cook or bartender where their stuff just pisses them off and you wind up getting punished. Sure that server should have caught the error and had them fix it right away, but sometimes they make mistakes. If your food wasn't cooked enough or over cooked, it is always the kitchens fault. Don't punish your servers for other peoples errors.

Even for really bad service I will leave 10%, but normally it is at least 20%.

I always tip, but it varies on how much depending on the service I receive. I've had bad service, but it's usually been when the tip was included in the bill because the party I was with was large.

 Ok its time for the Q waitress to post.lol. I have been a waitress now for 30 years and here are my thoughts on tipping. If you get great service and at the end of the meal you are in a better mood and the server was a part of that over tip it really does tell us that we have done our job. I am an over tipper of course, but yes I have on occasion not left a tip. Why am I going to leave money for someone that had not done their job properly? It is the only way to let that person know. Now my pet peeve about tipping when couples go out and one picks up the bill woo hoo bonus right? Well if the service was good leave half of what you expected to pay for your dinner, dont throw down a couple of dollars after a free dinner. And yes in case you dont believe it, I make 3.63 an hour thats not a lot of money. 

I tip based on service...15% for average to poor....10% for poor to bad...and once, left a penny because it was SO BAD...but anything above average gets 20-25%.

Well, it sounds like I'm going to e the hard-ass on this thread.  I would, however, at the onset state that I've waited tables in college and cooked so I state such from an 'informed perspective'.

I always look to leave a generous tip and have, on two occasions tipped equal too, or in excess of the cost of the meal for service that was so incredible it was like they were reading my mind.  Both times was with my family when the waitress was serving four of us (before my daughter was born).

There have also been a few occasions where I have compensated a good waiter/waitress for a cheap-skate at another table that shorted them a due tip.  Usually such were accompanied by people that treated the staff so bad you could tell they were either of the elitist mindset or just prikx in general so verbal support in the process was also given.  One time I waited for a guy outside to give him the "what-for" regarding their actions in a restaurant because he obviously didn't care about anyone around him.

The rest is based upon service.  Yes, I have left several "one penny" tips for those times when service was so bad the individual didn't deserve anything more than acknowledgment that I was at their station.  One got really pissed when I tipped the cooks $20 for an outstanding meal.

normally I would tip what is customary( double the tax by rounding to nearest dollar). Here in NY the tax rate is 8.65% but in other states I usually compute the tax rtate to equal 15-20%. Now restuarants that automatically puts the grautiuity in the bill- YOU GET NOTHING!!!!!,, I will leave EXACT AMOUNT, change and all. I am not  rich nor am i cheap skate, dont stereotype me because you think nobody leaves competitive tips.

Hey !! they work hard  so I always tip

 Ok guys another tip, the new generation of servers don't understand the penny thing,lol. Last sunday I waited on 4 people they left me a 10 and a penny, and one server said a penny? And I explained to her that a penny with a good tip is a wonderful compliment a penny by itself means well you suck. And do you know 4 other younger servers at my restaurant did not know that. So thats why when I absolutely have to God they have to be bad I just stiff them if they are younger. (i have done this maybe 5 times my whole life)

Only once ... but not by choice ...

I was in Viriginia for some training with a unit on Fort Story (itty bitty base, with two buildings for the Marines ... easy to miss if there hadn't been a 10ft by 10ft sign with an obvious 'Marine' emblem ala skull and cross bones ... LOL).  Basically a few days out of the week, and weekends we got liberty to go and do as we please, with curfews in effect .... miss curfew, and you're dropped from the course, no questions! 

One day at about 4:30pm, we'd just finished our last "ruck run" (8 miles with 80lbs on our backs ... with a 2hr time limit), and 4 of us "survivors" decided that although our curfew was at 10:30pm, we WERE GOING TO HOOTERS!!! 

For any of you familiar with the crowds, it was a Thursday crowd, and it was the beginning of baseball season, so it WAS JAM PACKED!!!  We got lucky, hit the last open table, got a waitress in like 30 seconds, and ordered $80 worth of food and alcohol, with the understanding that weren't done ... we were going to order more by the time she made it back with our order ............. AND, we made sure to inform her, that we would tip, HANDSOMELY!!!

I'm not sure what put her in her mood that day.  Maybe she really hated Marines.  Maybe somebody really did p*ss in her cheerios.  Or, maybe she had just made enough money that week and felt like a 40 dollar tip wasn't going to make much of a difference .....

Whatever the case ... she gave each our pitcher of beer and then she PURPOSELY avoided our table as much as she could the rest of the evening!!  Literally.  She'd walk by, look over at us, and walk off ............. seeing empty pitchers and us motioning!  So we were polite .... luckily, even with the wait, we managed to get the right amount of food each, and the right amount of beer ............... but it was 10pm, and if we weren't in our car in 8 minutes, we weren't going to make it.

My buddy grabbed the money I put on the table as I ran out, and put it in my back pocket as we exited the building ... and as we drove off, they all informed me they opted to leave her a Single Penny, as her tip!! 

I still feel a little guilty, but if there was ever a waitress in my entire life who deserved the 1 cent tip .... it was her!!!

Wherever you are, Miss Thang, sorry, but your service was beyond SUCK!!!!!!!!  Hope you got over the fact that you had a table worth $130 and only got a penny!!!

I'm one of those people who probably tips more than necessary, but I think it's important to be grateful for our servers and show our thanks through gratuities above and beyond what's "expected". As for the quality of service; I always take into account how busy a place is, how well it's staffed (that's not the waitperson's fault if they're taking care of the whole place because it's understaffed), and how late we're there. If I pop in to a restaurant a half hour before they close, I'm going to make damn sure to be as friendly and polite as possible, and tip extremely well. If the place is absolutely packed and the wait staff is stressed and frazzled, I'm going to be extra patient and let them know I'm in no rush. As long as they're even remotely friendly and don't act like my being there is a burden to them, I make sure to take care of them. Never once have I left a place without tipping. I have, however, tipped just the cook before when the wait staff has been rude.

 umm feel free to come to my restaurant anytime ok 

I'm one of those people who probably tips more than necessary, but I think it's important to be grateful for our servers and show our thanks through gratuities above and beyond what's "expected". As for the quality of service; I always take into account how busy a place is, how well it's staffed (that's not the waitperson's fault if they're taking care of the whole place because it's understaffed), and how late we're there. If I pop in to a restaurant a half hour before they close, I'm going to make damn sure to be as friendly and polite as possible, and tip extremely well. If the place is absolutely packed and the wait staff is stressed and frazzled, I'm going to be extra patient and let them know I'm in no rush. As long as they're even remotely friendly and don't act like my being there is a burden to them, I make sure to take care of them. Never once have I left a place without tipping. I have, however, tipped just the cook before when the wait staff has been rude.

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