To Insure Proper Service
Music is softly floating in the background, people are chattering quietly around you and the sound of clinking forks and knives surrounds you; A perfect restaurant scene. The end of the meal comes, after you are pleasantly full, and the bill is placed on the table. You glance at the check and wonder how much you should tip. A percentage? A specific dollar amount? Do you give based on how good the service was?
What Is Acceptable?
Some restaurants, depending how many people are in your party, add the gratuity for you. The added tip usually ranges from 15- to 20- percent or more, depending on the place.
“A good tip is one that is 20-percent or more because we only get paid $2.13 an hour and solely rely on our tips for income,” says New Jersey Applebees’ server, Allison Olcott.
Consumer Alex Emr sticks to the 15- to 20- percent range.
“A good tip is at least 15-percent,” says Emr. “I usually give about 18-percent. I'm a struggling student, but they're usually struggling too. I try to keep that in mind.”
In fact, most servers take home less than what you tip them. Since there are a lot of components to a restaurant most servers tip-out a percentage to bartenders, hosts, bus people and food runners. Everyone gets a piece of the pie.
Servers also make less than minimum wage per hour in most states, ranging from about two to about four dollars an hour. This means that how much money a server pulls in is all based on tips. A person who is trying to support themselves solely on their serving job can have a difficult time trying to make ends meet. Just one bad storm, one holiday weekend or one gorgeous day that urges people to barbeque outside can wreak devastation on that servers’ survival.
“When the weather is rainy or snowing less people leave their houses and when the weather is sunny and beautiful people want to stay outside or go to the beach,” says Olcott. For her less people means less money, making it harder to earn a living.
What Is Good Service?
Good service can be defined in many different ways, but most people enjoy their dining experience when they have their drinks refilled in a timely manner, have anything they need to be able to enjoy their meal and are greeted by a smile and friendly personality.
“When I go out to a restaurant I expect my server to get the order right, be down to earth, and be generally happy,” says Emr.
Restaurant visitor Jessica Tanney also thinks it is important for a server to have a good attitude.
“I would give a bad tip to a server if they seemed annoyed by the fact that I may be asking them to do their job or if the server is miserable,” says Tanney. “This generally downgrades the entire meal.”
However, servers are people too and people make mistakes. Waiters and waitresses are pulled in a lot of different directions and sometimes it's easy for things to go wrong or easy for that person to momentarily forget your drink refill.
“If the server forgets what I asked for, I'd rather he or she come back and clarify with me because everybody makes mistakes,” says Emr. “I would rather have that than have him or her put in the wrong order.”
Restaurant service involves multiple people where mixed messages can occur; have you ever played the telephone game? It is something like that.
“If a server screws everything up and is genuinely sorry, I will still tip them normally,” says Emr.
To Insure Proper Service
Tips, To Insure Proper Service, motivate waiters and waitress to serve their customers in more than an excellent manner. Servers always remember the customers that tip well and the ones that don’t. So next time you are enjoying that serene restaurant scene with friends, co-workers or family members remember to insure your proper service by taking care of your server; they will appreciate it and return the favor. You will find your tips will enhance and enlighten your dining experience and help boost your overall mood.
