Too harsh for just poor service IMO. It'd be different if you were somehow personally insulted or had food dumped on you. If I'm completely unhappy with the level of service I just leave no tip.

I mean, if you're really dead set on giving the waitress a hard time there's always the trick of putting the tip into a full glass of water, inverting it on a thin plastic menu page, and then sliding the glass quickly onto the table. That makes it nearly impossible to lift the glass without dumping the water all over the table...

 

The key word here is service. Asking for a separate check may be an inconvenience, but that's part of the job. If I have an inkling our server feels put out by a reasonable request I have, it will be reflected in the tip. I can't ever recall treating the server like crap as a sort of "revenge" for bad service - it's just not my nature.

 

I don't see a problem with seperating the bill. IT's the best way to keep your cheap friends from getting drunk and not paying their part.

 

I would never f**k with a server even if they were really bad, I'd show my disatisfaction through my tip (or lack there of). I have friends who take two dollar bills and put ketchup/syrup/gravy inbetween them and leave it for a tip if they get real bad service. Funny, yes, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

 

^^Ditto. When you get a group bill, ordering becomes a game of prisoner's dilema. Sometimes the total amount is divided by the number of people, other times people are actually paying for what they've ordered. In the case that it's the former, do you order surf and turf or a grill chicken sandwich? Normally, with close friends, this isn't a big deal but when you go to group meets...separate checks is the best way to go. And no, I don't need a breakdown of the costs of ingredients but if you feel obliged, then fine go ahead, I like pie charts to go along with them. Honestly, if you feel the need to be sarcastic even when it's part of your job, best way to handle this is to not serve me at all or get a new job.

 

So I should have had some macaroni and cheese in my apartment by myself instead?

 

yes...then you wouldn't have had to start this thread.

 

no you should have taken the server out back and PIIHB.

 

**** all of you, don't diss the $7 endless pasta bowl.

 

For good or bad service, I'll write comments on the bill. That way the server sees it and so does the manager - good or bad. I'll tip 5%-25% depending on service, but I don't feel obligated to give anyone money for being an ass or doing less than what's expected. I can explain the tip on the bill, and that feedback can be valuable to a server knowing what they did right or wrong, and can actually help.

When you go out to eat, the idea imo is you are being served, and you should not want for anything. The food should be good, same with the service, and you should have things handled for you. If you're going to have to worry about it, you might as well be cooking at home.

If you don't have the personality to be a good server, go work the counter at McDonalds.

Oh, and if you have them, go try your local restaurants before you go to a national chain. The food is almost always better and you're supporting local business. I have four great Italian restaurants I can go to in my town before I'll set foot in an Olive Garden or other chain restaurant.