Tipping should be based on both how good the service was from your waitress and an obligation. remember, waitresses receive the majority of their salary, from the customer. i am not a waiter or waitress, but i have received both excellent and lousy service, while dining. The attitude, of a waitress, plays a big part in how much of a tip i give. the standard base tip today, is between 10-20%. i have been known to leave a $5 tip for a cup of coffee. its all in the attitude.

Something I've learnt is that its very dependent on where you live. A lot of British people go abroad and don't tip, or only tip a little, because over here a tip is an extra for a job well done. I've even heard of American waiters angrily confronting shell-shocked Brits about the lack of tip! The difference (which most Brits don't realise) is that in the UK waiters and waitresses (provided they're British citizens)are subject to the same minimum wage laws as governing any other job. Therefore we expect them to provide adequate service (food on time, polite, on the ball, not getting orders muddled, not spilling stuff, do a service check halfway through the meal)as a matter of course, and would not tip for this. Likewise in a greasy-spoon cafe or coffee shop, where food is ordered at the counter we wouldn't tip. Tipping is for when the waiter makes you feel a little bit special, goes the extra way. In the US (and I believe many other countries) waiters and waitresses are not bound my minimum wage requiremnets- essentially the government expects that the customer will pay the extra part of the server's wages in the form of a 10-15% tip. Given that the food is usually cheaper in the US and Europe than it is in Britain this pretty much amounts to what we would call a "service charge" something you pay for the privelige of eating in arestaurant environment and having your food brought to you as opposed to getting it yourself. Therefore in countries with this system tipping, unless service is totally appalling, should be considered an obligation- an extra that you pay for the privelige of waiter service. Of course if thes ervice is very good, you can always leave a little more.

Only tip on how well the job was done. Give a customary tip for customary service, but do not feel ashamed at not tipping a lousy server. Bad service is bad service.

I tip on how the servce was. I have left close to nothing, but I have also left 50% of the bill. Only once though, in Denver. The waiter treated us like we were the best, most important people he ever meant. I'll bet he makes out well every night, it just seemed he loved his job, and it showed.

For how well the job is done, if they do alright give the standard tip, but if they do significantly better or worse, then you should adjust accordingly. Bad service does not deserve a good tip, and excellent service deserves a little something extra sometimes.

Both. It is a given that you should tip in a restaurant and at hotels and motels in the USA And if they did a very good job for you, make it a decent tip. If you are going out to dinner and you're wondering how much you will need to spend, figure in the tip ahead of time.

Come to another country where minimum wage laws are fairer ;D The worst excuse I've heard for tipping is "If they didn't, then food would cost $50/meal". Using that logic, the rest of the world would be spending that much, when we pay the same amount for food, the waiters etc get paid >$8/hr, and everyones happy. Tipping as an obligation is pathetic

Tips should be based on quality, but if your not willing to tip extra for exceptional service then stay at home, and count your pennies.

Tipping is usually not an obligation. I feel I MUST qualify the statement: In some restaurants, it's clearly stated on the menu, for parties of 6 or more, a 15% gratuity is added to the check. As I tell everyone: "The sword cuts both ways - good and bad." When I have a meal in a restaurant or dining room, when the food is good and the service is good, I let the folks know. How? IF the business uses comment cards, I take the time to fill-out a card. AND I let the server ("waiter"/"waitress") know I was satisfied. At times I let the cooks and chefs know I was happy. THEN there are those times when I get not-so-good service and/or not-so-great food. I STILL let the servers know how I feel. I STILL let the cooks and chefs know about it. Usually, I DON'T criticize in a loud, boisterous manner. I don't think it's necessary to "start the snowball rolling" by "calling folks on the carpet" by cursing or screaming and hollering at them in front of customers and their peers. I do it in a quiet, constructive way. It seems to me the criticism is usually well-appreciated. Once I turn my back or walk-out, maybe I'm called names or cursed. It doesn't bother me. If people aren't told the jobs they are doing are good or not-so-good, how are they supposed to better themselves? Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it! VTY, Ron Berue Yes, that is my real last name! Sources: My wonderful family! Was in the Food and Beverage business over 26 years. "THE University of Hard Knocks" also known as ("a/k/a") "life's valuable lessons"

I tip if I generally want to see that restaurant stay open, if I don't think I can live without the food then I tip. Eg. I always tip at the Mexican Cafe in Auckland. It would be a crime not to.

Absolutely where a minimum 15% to 20% service charge is included in the menu to ensure staff get paid a living minimum wage. Where it is not, such as in the USA non-tipping country customers such as myself need to learn the rules and pay up. Equally in Australia, New Zealand and in other "non-tipping culture countries" our poor Americans should only tip for excellent service (10%) as the practice is optional. I can tell you when waitstaff spot an American accent in Sydney they pounce on them very promptly. When the "American" then turns out to be a long term local they switch off, after all they may have learned not to tip too much. As a waiter in Sydney with locals even if you give good service you cannot expect a tip.

I always leave 10%, and it goes up from there...I've worked in restaurants...

a little of both, if I reall like a waiters service I'll usually tip in between 10-20 dollars. If not I always try to tip atleast 5, or 10% if 5 isn't atleast 10%

the tip they receive depends on the service given, the better the service the better the tip

Depends....

I tip on service that was above and beyond the call of duty. If I'm ordering food in a restaurant, I feel it's the waiters job to ensure my plate is perfect. I shouldn't have to ask for beverage refills. I shouldn't have to wait 15 minutes after my meal ends for the bill.

my friend tips because she is a bartender - i tip very little and they get no tip if they screw up my order.

i only tip if they refill my glass without me having to ask or to set it on the edge of the table empty after going without a beverage ... never is it a percentage of my bill (i don't see why WHAT i order is relevant to the task of bringing out to me) ... i will tip at least enough to bring their base salary (normally around $3/hr) to more than minimum wage

i always tip. the size of that tip depends on the service that i receive.

I leave a tip based on two things, the quality of service (and I don't expect the waitress to practically blow me like some of you, but a friendly attitude and attention to service is a plus) and also how much money I have. If I can't afford to leave a big tip then I don't, if I have money a nice stack with me then I'll be reasonably generous.

First of all,...Points for the question! I tip because 'servers' rely on that income to support their families. Their hourly wages are ridiculously low,... like $2 or $3 dollars an hour. Without tips, they couldn't even pay for the gasoline they used to get to work. I always tip at least 15%,...20% or better if the service was truly outstanding.

Normally my parents tip, since I've only been living on my own 10 days.. But the one time I did tip, it was because I have no real use for pennies and nickels. It was a self-serve frozen yogurt shop, so obviously there was no service. I'm not sure how much it was, I think 12 cents.

What's a tip?

I seldom, if ever, do things because I am "supposed to". I tip according to the quality of service I receive. If it stinks, I don't tip at all. I don't tip wage earners like post men, hair dressers, grocers, auto repair, and meter readers. I do like to tip delivery people if they do an outstanding and timely job. . Good question.+

I only tip if I'm tipsy. Seriously though, I tip because it's part of their wage, but the amount of the tip is dependent on the service.

I always tip something because I think everyone is worht at least some change. I worked in restaurants when I was a kid and I know how it feels to rely on tips, especially when that's all you make and you have to share them and the hourly wage you get only covers taxes. So, I'll always tip at least 10-15% if the service is tolerable (I get my food eventually, there's nothing wrong with the food, the server wasn't a totla ass) But on the rare occasion I do actually get good service I will tip 20% or more.

I always tip except for very bad service. But I tip more for good service. I only didn't tip once in the past 10 years; A guy at a buffet place said "I'll be your waiter tonight" and then I never saw him again; my water glass was empty the whole time.