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Tipping when eating out.

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Comments

  • Posts: 1,817 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Ultrflat wrote: »
    Probably still have your communion money :rolleyes:

    Far from it, i spend money like its going out of fashion. But I think about what I spend it on and tipping someone as a matter of course for carrying a plate of food to my table doesn't add up for me. I do tip but not always.

    The points have been made well here by a few posters. But if you want to be Billy big balls dropping 20% for someone carrying your food to your table go ahead. A job they are already getting paid for.


  • Posts: 1,817 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    To be honest I'd rather tip the chef directly if the meal is particularly good. But instead the protocol is to tip some teenager who carries the food to my table and maybe the chef might get 10% of that tip if they are lucky.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭Ultrflat


    Far from it, i spend money like its going out of fashion. But I think about what I spend it on and tipping someone as a matter of course for carrying a plate of food to my table doesn't add up for me. I do tip but not always.

    The points have been made well here by a few posters. But if you want to be Billy big balls dropping 20% for someone carrying your food to your table go ahead. A job they are already getting paid for.


    Suddenly I'm dropping a 20% tip?

    Having worked in the food service industry for over 15 years I have a little insight for you as a cook/chef on a 10/11 hour shift, depending on the day I would walk any where between 18,000 and 22,000 steps a day, I'm pretty sure front of house staff would walk that and a lot more. I've never asked.

    But far be it for me to tell you how to spend your money. Go work in the food service industry. You might gain a small amount of credible knowledge about an industry you clearly sweet FA about!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,845 ✭✭✭Antares35


    I've a friend who always tips big when he's out. Fair enough, but he will go out of his way to make sure we all see it, and will always comment "I like to tip well, I worked in a bar once" as he throws down a huge tip. Then he will wait for our reaction. He doesn't even mind if someone else pays the actual bill once he can make a lavish tip. Definitely a case of him doing the big guy. The irony is, he can only afford to do the big guy because he still lives at home leeching off mammy and daddy.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,421 ✭✭✭raclle


    I've only ever seen this tipping culture in the U.S as I presume staff don't get paid enough and tipping is sort of like a commission which is not the case here


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,088 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Pkiernan wrote: »
    1. I'm not a cheap bastard.
    2. Some guy has to root around my head, cut my hair, and trim my ears and eyebrows.
    3. I'm not a cheap bastard.
    Yeah so,
    1 you're afraid of being seen as cheap for not paying extra for the job on top of the price,
    2 they do the job,
    3 you're afraid of being seen as cheap for not paying extra for the job on top of the price

    How unpleasant is your head if you feel you need to pay extra to get someone to cut your hair or "root around my head".

    I just treat a barber as a professional and pay them the normal courtesy of washing my hair the day o get a haircut so it's a pleasant working environment for them, and then I pay the asking price in full. Job's a good'n and no fear of appearing to be a cheap bastard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭the_pen_turner


    Ultrflat wrote: »
    Suddenly I'm dropping a 20% tip?

    Having worked in the food service industry for over 15 years I have a little insight for you as a cook/chef on a 10/11 hour shift, depending on the day I would walk any where between 18,000 and 22,000 steps a day, I'm pretty sure front of house staff would walk that and a lot more. I've never asked.

    But far be it for me to tell you how to spend your money. Go work in the food service industry. You might gain a small amount of credible knowledge about an industry you clearly sweet FA about!

    a chef is a horrible . the waiter is on their feet a lot and has to come to each table an awful amount of time. the last time myself and my GF went out i made a not of the times (friend was commenting on it) . 14 times she came to our table and there was just 2 of us. and each trip was needed

    but thats irrelivent to this question. thats all part of the job. its the job they are paid for. im sure chef gets paid apropriatly for the horrible job. the waiter is an easy enough job but just hugly physical. i dont see any diference between a waiter and a labourer on a building site. labourer is worse if anything but gets less wages, no tips and has no facilities like a waiter has


  • Posts: 1,817 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Ultrflat wrote: »
    But far be it for me to tell you how to spend your money. Go work in the food service industry. You might gain a small amount of credible knowledge about an industry you clearly sweet FA about!

    I did, I worked in a kitchen in a restaurant in America about 20 years ago. The waitresses made the most money of anyone bar the owner.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,450 ✭✭✭Jizique


    Jizique wrote: »
    Depends on the price of the wine

    Wine is often 4x the retail price in a restaurant so I consider the margin is already built in for that; also, the bottle is often just left on the table so you end up pouring it yourself, different if you are getting matching wines in Chapter One with explanations etc but I struggle to see why wine should be included in a tip


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,088 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Why are some people getting so exercised about others leaving a tip? It's your money, tip or don't, your choice. I've yet to see a non tipping customer get chased down the street by a cleaver wielding waiter!
    Speaking as someone who spent several summers working as a waiter I'd say that a tip was always appreciated and yes we remembered those who were more likely to leave "a little something". However, what was even more important was to be treated with respect and not just as an automaton that brought food and drink. Obviously I'm not saying we expected customers to engage in conversation but "good evening" "please" and "thank you" were more likely to ensure alacrity than snapped fingers.
    Finally I never add the tip on to the bill, as based on personal experience and discrete conversations with hotel/restaurant staff it rarely if ever reaches them.

    Couldn't agree more about treating waiters as normal people. I always appreciated the people who spoke to you as a professional and a person. Some people actually did click their fingers or speak to you without even looking at you.

    I think some people just didn't know how to behave in a restaurant. And some people just wanted to appear the big shot - in my experience golf groups were bad for that kind of thing. Not bad peope, just people who were probably uncomfortable with being waited on and didn't really know how to behave.

    If you want to show appreciation for someone, you don't have to use money. You can use all the normal tools of pleasant human interactions like smiles, greetings, a bit of eye contact while speaking and generally treating them as a person.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,236 ✭✭✭Pkiernan


    Yeah so,
    1 you're afraid of being seen as cheap for not paying extra for the job on top of the price,
    2 they do the job,
    3 you're afraid of being seen as cheap for not paying extra for the job on top of the price

    How unpleasant is your head if you feel you need to pay extra to get someone to cut your hair or "root around my head".

    I just treat a barber as a professional and pay them the normal courtesy of washing my hair the day o get a haircut so it's a pleasant working environment for them, and then I pay the asking price in full. Job's a good'n and no fear of appearing to be a cheap bastard.

    Whatever floats your boat.
    I'm wealthy, and dont mind tipping.


    I'm not here to try to make cheap bastards feel bad.

    You obviously have serious issues.
    Were things very tough at home growing up?
    I feel a bit sorry for you. I'd tip you if it helps?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,088 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Antares35 wrote: »
    I've a friend who always tips big when he's out. Fair enough, but he will go out of his way to make sure we all see it, and will always comment "I like to tip well, I worked in a bar once" as he throws down a huge tip. Then he will wait for our reaction. He doesn't even mind if someone else pays the actual bill once he can make a lavish tip. Definitely a case of him doing the big guy...

    Yeah, this demonstrates one of the reasons people tip - a kind of thinly veiled humble-brag. Nothing to do with quality of service or any of the stated reason. See below for an example.
    Pkiernan wrote: »
    Whatever floats your boat.
    I'm wealthy, and dont mind tipping.


    I'm not here to try to make cheap bastards feel bad.

    You obviously have serious issues.
    Were things very tough at home growing up?
    I feel a bit sorry for you. I'd tip you if it helps?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 277 ✭✭scrumqueen


    As this is Ireland we pay minimum wage and above in some places so we don't need to tip.

    However, in certain restaurants fine dining etc for example where the staff can/have to explain the dish and know their way around the wine list then yes 10%.
    If the service is exceptional 15% but this is a rareity.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15,111 ✭✭✭✭RasTa


    Seems most people who tip used to either work in hospitality or are wealthy.

    Imagine not tipping a 16 year lounge boy bringing over your pints because that's his job.

    I remember loving Ben Dunne when he used to come into Myos in Castleknock. €20 a round thrown at whoever brought down his stuff.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Heckler


    I would have a problem with that. You are not tipping for good service there, you are paying to be served at all. Paying someone who is already getting paid for the job.

    Someone in a beer hall of hundreds of drunk people, run of their feet for a 12 hour shift and you'd question giving them a few bob ?

    Taxi driver dropped me home with me on my ear last week. 7.50. Did I wait around for the change from a tenner. Did I ****. Jesus a few quid here and there...I'd be mortified if I was with any of ye manges on a night out.


  • Posts: 1,817 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Heckler wrote: »
    Someone in a beer hall of hundreds of drunk people, run of their feet for a 12 hour shift and you'd question giving them a few bob ?

    Taxi driver dropped me home with me on my ear last week. 7.50. Did I wait around for the change from a tenner. Did I ****. Jesus a few quid here and there...I'd be mortified if I was with any of ye manges on a night out.

    I do tip, I tip the guy who washes my car, tip the person delivering my takeaway, tip in restaurants, taxis and quite a few other places where I say keep the change. But it is only if I am happy with the service and its not every time.

    I do not support the idea of an Americanised set up where tips become expected. I've seen the American system and I dont like it.

    People here have mentioned 15 to 20% as a matter of course. No way.

    And what was described earlier re the Oktoberfest was being ignored if not tipped. I would not be happy at that. That's not tipping for good service. That's the bartender not doing their job and forcing people to tip them if they want a drink.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,088 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Heckler wrote: »
    Someone in a beer hall of hundreds of drunk people, run of their feet for a 12 hour shift and you'd question giving them a few bob ?

    Taxi driver dropped me home with me on my ear last week. 7.50. Did I wait around for the change from a tenner. Did I ****. Jesus a few quid here and there...I'd be mortified if I was with any of ye manges on a night out.

    So why didn't you wait for the change from the taxi driver? (Let's assume the first answer is "because I'm not a a stingy bastard" so let's skip past that answer and get to the reason you did tip the driver)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Heckler


    So why didn't you wait for the change from the taxi driver? (Let's assume the first answer is "because I'm not a a stingy bastard" so let's skip past that answer and get to the reason you did tip the driver)

    I tipped the driver because he delivered me home safe and sound when I was wankered drunk and I appreciated him putting up with me. Its not ****ing rocket science.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,088 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Heckler wrote: »
    I tipped the driver because he delivered me home safe and sound when I was wankered drunk and I appreciated him putting up with me. Its not ****ing rocket science.

    Ah, so you were a difficult customer. Tipping in that case makes sense.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Heckler


    No i wasn't difficult at all. May have been talking a load of drunk ****e is all.

    Get off that horse.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,088 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Heckler wrote: »
    No i wasn't difficult at all. May have been talking a load of drunk ****e is all.

    And you paid money for that?

    If you can't be pleasant to someone while they're providing a service then I suppose it makes sense to pay them extra. If you weren't any trouble and we're pleasant then it's money for nothing. And, obviously, it's your money so you can give money for nothing whenever you want. But that's what it was.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Heckler


    I do tip, I tip the guy who washes my car, tip the person delivering my takeaway, tip in restaurants, taxis and quite a few other places where I say keep the change. But it is only if I am happy with the service and its not every time.

    I do not support the idea of an Americanised set up where tips become expected. I've seen the American system and I dont like it.

    People here have mentioned 15 to 20% as a matter of course. No way.

    And what was described earlier re the Oktoberfest was being ignored if not tipped. I would not be happy at that. That's not tipping for good service. That's the bartender not doing their job and forcing people to tip them if they want a drink.


    No one is saying its how it should be. But it's how it is. Someone can bitch and whine about poor service as they are waiting for food/drink while someone who put a few dollars on a table is looked after straight away. Its called the real world. Jesus Christ....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Heckler


    And you paid money for that?

    If you can't be pleasant to someone while they're providing a service then I suppose it makes sense to pay them extra. If you weren't any trouble and we're pleasant then it's money for nothing. And, obviously, it's your money so you can give money for nothing whenever you want. But that's what it was.

    You enjoy that communion money if you ever get around to actually spending any of it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,649 ✭✭✭El Tarangu


    Heckler wrote: »

    Taxi driver dropped me home with me on my ear last week. 7.50. Did I wait around for the change from a tenner. Did I ****. Jesus a few quid here and there...I'd be mortified if I was with any of ye manges on a night out.

    I'd say you lash another couple of grand onto the tax return when you make it - don't want to come across as a "mange", now...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Heckler


    El Tarangu wrote: »
    I'd say you lash another couple of grand onto the tax return when you make it - don't want to come across as a "mange", now...

    I'm just about breaking minimum wage. Which is why I appreciate people earning the same and if I can give them a bit extra for a service then I'm happy to. Maybe they will return the favour in the future and if not no probs.


  • Posts: 1,817 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Heckler wrote: »
    No one is saying its how it should be. But it's how it is. Someone can bitch and whine about poor service as they are waiting for food/drink while someone who put a few dollars on a table is looked after straight away. Its called the real world. Jesus Christ....

    If more people were principled those staff wouldn't get away with taking customers for a ride like that.

    And I'm sure bar owners wouldn't be happy with staff ignoring customers unless they tip well. The only person who gains there is the barman.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Heckler


    If more people were principled those staff wouldn't get away with taking customers for a ride like that.

    And I'm sure bar owners wouldn't be happy with staff ignoring customers unless they tip well. The only person who gains there is the barman.

    Christ are you 10 years old ? You have obviously never worked bar.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,649 ✭✭✭El Tarangu


    Heckler wrote: »
    I'm just about breaking minimum wage. Which is why I appreciate people earning the same and if I can give them a bit extra for a service then I'm happy to. Maybe they will return the favour in the future and if not no probs.

    That's fine, but why do you feel the need to characterise other people who, not even that they don't tip, but who don't tip as a matter of course, as:
    Heckler wrote: »
    Not a time to be mangy...
    Heckler wrote: »
    ... I'd be mortified if I was with any of ye manges on a night out.
    Heckler wrote: »
    You enjoy that communion money if you ever get around to actually spending any of it.

    Heckler wrote: »
    Christ are you 10 years old ?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,088 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Heckler wrote: »
    I'm just about breaking minimum wage. Which is why I appreciate people earning the same and if I can give them a bit extra for a service then I'm happy to. Maybe they will return the favour in the future and if not no probs.

    Lovely sentiment but ultimately random in application. Do you tip cleaners in the office or businesses you use? They make minimum wage too and do a pretty important job to keep the place clean and hygienic (particularly during Covid but the toilets and floors always needed to be cleaned). It's a reasonably unpleasant job too. So does anyone seek out the cleaners to tip them?

    Of course they don't. Why? Because it's not the convention


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭the_pen_turner


    Lovely sentiment but ultimately random in application. Do you tip cleaners in the office or businesses you use? They make minimum wage too and do a pretty important job to keep the place clean and hygienic (particularly during Covid but the toilets and floors always needed to be cleaned). It's a reasonably unpleasant job too. So does anyone seek out the cleaners to tip them?

    Of course they don't. Why? Because it's not the convention

    It's a strange divide. A cleaner has a way worse job and effects you way more . A bad cleaner is way worse than a bad waiter. We should tip cleaner was sooner than waiters


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