When most people go to a bar, they take care to tip the bartender and/or the wait staff. But for many people, that courtesy seems to go out the window when someone else is picking up the tab, as guests assume that the tip has also been taken care of (or just don’t think about it at all). But are they making the right assumption? [More]
the tipping point
Waiter Scores $5,000 Tip On $26.95 Bill
By 5.29.12
Waiting tables can sometimes be a thankless slog, especially if diners choose to go light on the tip. But a waiter at a Houston restaurant is reaping the rewards of years of good service after a pair of loyal customers left him with a $5,000 tip for a bill that had only totaled $26.95. [More]
Restaurant Says 1% Tip Receipt Is A Fake
By 2.27.12
You know that receipt with the 1% tip and the handwritten “get a real job” note? Well, in a case of too-funny-to-be-true, it’s apparently a hoax. [More]
Store Pits Iron Man Vs. Batman In Battle To Bring In More Tips
By 1.4.12
If you’re looking to give people a reason to drop a dime (or preferably a dollar) in that tip jar, how about turning the whole process into a popularity contest that taps into your customers’ inner comic book fan boy/girl? [More]
Survey: We Tip The People That Clean Our Houses, But Not The Ones Who Collect Our Garbage
By 12.13.11
For a lot of people in various facets of the service industry, this time of year means that some customers will brighten up your holidays with a gift or a tip to show their appreciation. But new numbers from our surveying siblings at Consumer Reports break down which particular people get the most end-of-year love. [More]
3 Tips On Holiday Tipping
By 11.30.11
Now is the time of year when some people choose to add to the holiday cheer by leaving a little extra something out for the folks — doormen, mail carriers, garbage collectors — who make their lives easier during the other 49 weeks of the year. And if you’re going to hand out tips during the holiday season, there are some things you can do to make sure you’re doing it properly. [More]
Are San Francisco Restaurants Actually Pushing To Make 25% The Standard Tip?
By 10.14.11
Earlier this week, a writer for the San Jose Mercury News posted a story claiming that wait staff and high-end restaurants in San Francisco are behind a move to make 25% tips standard across the city. But is this actually true or just hype? [More]
"Suggested Gratuity" Calculations Can Incorrectly Include Tax
By 6.21.11
Whether your standard tipping policy is 10%, 15%, or 20%, the calculation is supposed to made on the bill’s subtotal before tax. After all, the taxman didn’t have a pleasant pairing suggestion or crack a wry joke. But at the bottom of some restaurant bills, the “suggested gratuity” included “for your convenience” is sometimes wrong, making the calculation after sales tax is added. Reader Mark spotted two of these recently. [More]
Brooklyn Delivery Guy Calls Out Bad Tippers On His Blog
By 4.30.11
Crappy tippers, beware. The delivery guy or gal who you grossly undertip this weekend might have a Tumblr account. Tired of meager tips from customers who clearly have some cash, one delivery guy in Brooklyn–Williamsburg, to be exact–is striking back by calling out lousy tippers on his blog, and gathering tips from readers. Unlike us, he leaves names, addresses, and locations unredacted. Check it out soon, because it probably won’t stay up for long in its current form. [More]
Starbucks In Wrongful-Death Lawsuit After Tip Jar Dispute
By 3.9.11
The estate of a Starbucks customer who lost his life after attempting to chase down a tip jar thief has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the java giant, alleging that the company invited crime by having an unsecured tip jar on the counter. [More]
Hawaiian Restaurant Adds Surcharge For Customers Who Don't Speak English
By 2.4.11
Fed up with being stiffed on tips by foreigners, a restaurant in Hawaii has added on a mandatory 15% gratuity for customers who don’t speak English. [More]
Angry Restaurant Workers Secretly Tape Bosses
By 1.28.11
Some employees at a famous restaurant NYC’s Central Park got so fed up with the way they were being treated by their bosses that they took matters into their own hands and began secretly tape-recording workplace conversations. [More]
Waiter: Parents Of Bratty Kids Should Tip More At Restaurants
By 1.11.11
Taking young children out to eat at a restaurant is an expensive — and sometimes messy — prospect for parents. One waiter also claims it’s actually a costly experience for the restaurant’s staff — and that the parents should be willing to dish out bigger tips to make up for it. [More]
Who Should I Tip During The Holidays And How Much?
By 12.20.10
I’ve left strict word upstairs that the cat-sitter must be tipped well. So far, it’s worked. The fancy food comes out, the litter box is kept extra clean, and I even get to sleep in the master bedroom. But not everyone is so generous with their cash. [More]
This Dunkin' Donuts Tip Cup Has Trust Issues
By 12.14.10
The workers at this Dunkin’ Donuts hope that you’ll be happy enough with their service that you’ll leave a tip. But doesn’t trust you not to run off with the tip jar. [More]
What You Have To Tip People Who Work For You So They Don't Think You're A Jerk
By 12.2.10
If you’re a mailman, you’ll probably look just a little more kindly upon those who slip you $10 gift cards during the holidays, and may be willing to work just a little bit harder to keep them happy throughout the year. So think of holiday tipping as a way to buy goodwill that lasts year round and you’ll find yourself more motivated to tip appropriately. [More]
Is "I'm From Europe" A Good Excuse For Being A Crappy Tipper?
By 12.1.10
About a month ago, we brought you the story of overpriced NYC hotel bars that were adding automatic 18-20% gratuities to tabs, claiming that they had to do so because so many of their patrons were from Europe and other parts of the world where tipping isn’t part of the culture. Now we hear from a waiter who proves they might have a point. [More]
At Least One Overpriced NYC Bar Ditches Mandatory 20% Tip
By 11.2.10
Yesterday we brought you the story about several overpriced, overhyped NYC hotel bars that were adding mandatory 18-20% tips to drinks that already cost more than a good meal. Today, we’re happy to report that at least one of these spots has changed its policy. [More]
