I’ve always based my tip on the total bill, after tax, which now I’m thinking might be wrong. I just noticed this after paying for dinner and, afterwards, looking at the receipt that has the percentages listed for tip. I’ve never paid attention to them before but tonight I noticed that the 20% recommended was less than what I put as a 20% tip. It took me a while to realize that their number is pre-tax.

So, am I the only one who has been overtipping my entire life?

Tipping is up to the customer of course and I tip based on many factors. If I go by a percentage - be it 10, 15, 20 percent or whatever - it's based on the PRE-tax amount. I'm not tipping on sales tax, airport tax, or any sort of VAT.

Pre-tax

Total. Not that big of a deal.

Agreed. Pre-tax and I give 18% for good service

quote:

Originally posted by Leemur:
Pre-tax

Also depends on a few factors.

If it's a 2.50 bill for coffee and they refilled it, I'm leaving a 5.

If it's me alone and I decide to try the 60$ steak. I'll leave 10$ if service is good. When I eat alone I'm in and out 15 minutes after I get my food. Don't need refills. 10$ for 15 minutes is plenty.

If the service is good and it's a normal meal, they get 20% of total bill, not sure I noticed tax before.

If service falls they get less and less % until it hits zero.

I also never fault the waiting staff If food is bad, only on service

Pre tax, in Illinois they tend to base the tip after tax added. I will adjust higher or lower depending on the service received. Just because you take my order does not mean you get a full tip if you don't keep my drink refilled without asking.
I am still waiting for that one terrible server so I can wright my tip on a napkin. It will say thusly: Tip, don't plant corn in the winter!

I always tip on total including tax. I never bothered finding the pre tax amount to calculate from. That being said electronic pads are being used more where I just click the percentage and it adds it automatically. These calculate pretax. I love these things as I don’t need to think about it or do the math.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Total. Not that big of a deal.

Same. At the end of the day, these folks work their asses off for their tips. By eating in their establishment I’ve accepted a social-contract that I will tip them; I’m not going to quibble over a few bucks.

The only difference is if we order a few bottles of wine or expensive drinks, I might knock a couple bucks off. I’m not going to give an extra $10 tip on each bottle of $50 wine.

I have always just gone off the total and never thought about it before until now. Maybe if it was an expensive dinner then now I would go off pre-tax. I really do try to base my tip amount based on the service I received.

For example, if I was to do something silly and go somewhere and buy a $500 hamburger and all they did was bring it to me, or I had a decent group of people and the total bill was $500 and the server did a good job at getting things right and re-fillings drinks, etc then the tip for the server who worked harder would be more than the one that just brought me a hamburger. Obviously the $500 hamburger is a silly example, but I am sure you get my point.

I think it depends to some degree on how big the tax is. Here in Texas I usually calculate double the tax and round up.

flashguy

I always base the tip off the total.

Many friends have waited tables before, I know they get paid shit and DEPEND on tips. My BIL and SIL own a restaurant in Hendersonville NC (shameless less plug-Postero) and I know those ladies and guy run their asses off.

Now, if you can’t fill my glass of water or check on me at least every 1/2 hour…mmmmm you may wind up sucking hind tit in the tip department.

I only tip in cash, period.

Total.
It's not much different anyway.

Tax here is 7% depending which county I’m in. I typically triple the tax. As an aside I usually try to leave a cash tip. What the waiter reports is their business not mine.

Pre-tax. Then I look at the shoe laces and see if they are equally allocated so that they are exactly the same length on each shoe when tied. Symmetry is the basis of true spirituality.

After that, I ensure that the waiter/waitress always turns away from the table both clockwise and counterclockwise the same number of turns as to not upset the space time continuum. Or mess up someone Toyota Coriolis effect on the freeway.

I also pay special attention to the placement and removal of all things during the service so as to ensure proper Feng Shui. Nothing upsets the digestion at it's earliest stages than bad energy, which results in night terrors.

Who the hell do these servers think they are, trying to scam me out of a few more pennies when I have made the effort to come and provide myself for the purpose of them grifting off of my basic need for sustenance?

It's not as if they have earned anything...

Total. But if a place has cheap, good food and good service, I have often tipped more than the food cost. OTOH, if a place is outrageously expensive, the tip may be under 8%.

Why should the little girl working her tail off to serve you a $5 burrito dinner get a buck, where the expensive food server who may in fact have actually do much less work than burrito girl, get so much more as a tip?

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Total. Not that big of a deal.

B’zactly

It appears that I’m not crazy after all.

FWIW I’m not changing my habits. I worked in a restaurant for many years and my family had managed and owned a few. We aren’t talking a ton of money here, especially at the level of restaurants where I usually eat.

I tip based on total BEFORE tax.

Why would anyone tip on money nobody has earned?