it could be a cultural thing. The waitress may misunderstood that tipping is optional and have come to expect it - therefore she's just reminding you.
She need to watch the first 15minutes of Reservoir Dogs.

 

A tip is definitely not a necessity or a given. You are never required to leave a tip. I don't give a flying flip how little a waiter or waitress makes, that's not my problem.

When you go to a restaurant and pay for food that includes the food and (gasp) delivery to the table, kinda basic wouldn't you think?

You give a tip because you are taken care of beyond that minimum standard. Whether it is a nice smile, attention to your needs, a good recommendation of what is good or bad tonight, etc. etc.

Some people don't deserve a tip others deserve a lot. To tell you that you forgot a tip like it was a part of your dining experience is ballsy to say the least, BUT it may have been a communication breakdown. (you and your wife had one, why not her?)

Now to sound a little racist, but actually it is more realistic, I have found that people not from our country don't really understand the system well. It doesn't matter that tips are a possibility all over the world. And many try to use a guilt trip to get you to tip more. You'll never know whether it was communication or guilt working, but if it made you uncomfortable I'd talk to the manager or owner as that directly affects how often you will return.

You might think it's trivial, but anything that affects you enjoyment of the restaurant or how often you return is definitely not trivial to them.

 

Ya know what? If it was an honest mistake, and now everybody's cool, I would not even give it a second thought. If you like the food there, and you appear to be a regular, I would just move on with my life. It was a little out of line for the waitress to say anything about the tip to you, but is it really worth abandoning your favorite joint? I don't think so.

This whole thread reminds me of the opening scene in Reservior Dogs. Anyone else?

 

I do feel that she could have gotten your attention on the matter a bit different but no one has yet brought up this point...You say you're a regular there and she has served you in the past and you feel that you have tipped "generously" before, now out of the blue she gets zip.

If I was your server I would have thought something was seriously wrong with your dinning experiance. Maybe it was the food or somthing I did to warrent $0 this particular dinner. I, as the server, would at least fish for criticism for at least a reason. I could use that criticism to maybe improve your next visit or even my next table. If you came out and said, "I don't have any cash, just enough for the meal is all" it would come out rude as hell and I'd just spit in your food next time. (The movie Waiting is funny and yet scary at the same time)

FWIW, I've never worked in the serving/food industry, and don't intend to. I do know that a lot of those people make shit pay and when it seems that they are busting ass to make everything right for you they deserve a little something.

BTW, I would have been more mad at my wife. God knows she has selective hearing.

 

Mr. Pink, is that you?

 

It's true, we shouldn't feel obligated to tip.

I tip 20% plus or minus change when I go out.

However I feel like one of those people that propagate the problem.

We should be like, wow that guy was great tip him not OMG she didn't even fill my water glass once the whole time I was here now as a punishment I'm going to give 15%

That being said if the service is really bad (three times in my life) I clear off a spot on the table in the middle and find the shiniest penny and I put it right in the center. That way they know I didn't forget to tip and they were that bad.

I once had service so good I told the waitress that I wanted to speak to the manager. She asked me if there was something wrong and I said I need to speak to him right away. I think she had a mild heartattack. He came over and I told him it was one of the best experience I've had and that she was great. He smiled and told me he never got such a compliment before and he was happy, the bill was on the house. I left what I thought was the whole price of the bill +25% on the table. I'm sure it made her day. it was asomething like a $125 tip.

Side note we went out with some friends today for a birthday. The bill come $520 tip included. Fine I understand adding the 15% because people get cheap. 11 people, one doesn't pay because it's her birthday. Should come to $47 a person. if she paid. I say no problem I'll throw in $200 for me and my girl. That leaves $40 * 8 =$320 a person thats $7 less for everyone even if they didn't plan on paying for her. I get $22xi :smackhead: some dude had the balls to give me $10 for him and his wife who ate the kitchen sink. I let it pass. I can't stand it when people are cheap and have alligator arms. For god sakes I'm giving you a break. It's a japanese restraint you want to try to figure out WTF you owe? Do you read japanese? What do these people think they are taking the cash with them?

 

I normally leave about 25%-35% tip and never forget...But i don't think it was right of her to point that out to you(we all forget sometimes).Let me guess she was a young girl right?If she had any brain in that head of hers i wouldn't try to make a regular customer angry.....( If you really like the place just keep going back,I'm sure she forgot about it already)I suggest you do the same.

Just my .02

Peace
David

 

Wow....great responses..

 

I once went to the "I love sushi" place in the lake union area in seattle with a couple friends and the total bill was about 250 dollars. My friend paid the bill and gave 20 dollars in tips. He only got one 20-dollar bill left with no smaller bills except a few 100-dollar bills.

when the waiter took the 20 dollar tip, he asked the table if his service wasn't good enuf with a very unhappy face since my friend only gave 20 bucks. I gave him a another 20 dollar.

the owner/manager of the restaurant saw what was going on and when we came out the restaurant, they met us outside and we let them know the whole thing. he promised us that would not happen again..I don't know what happenned later but I haven't been back since....not because of that incident but because I moved out of state

tipping is a courtesy, not the requirement although I understand some/many waiters live on tips. if they get less tips from some customers, they should look at it as if it's a bad day and suck it up. we all have bad days.

the only place where I tip cheaply is when I eat "pho" in viet restaurant. I tip 1 buck. the waiters there don't care and don't expect much anyway.

 

[QUOTE=SIIK2NR,Mar 24 2006, 12:56 PM] My wife and I have been eating at the same Thai restaurant for about 2-3 years.