whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on May 27, 2011 10:18:11 GMT -5
do you tell the waiter why you did it??
I went to dinner last night and our waiter was terrible. I even asked my friend if she agreed, bc I've been "told" I can be just a bit hard on people.
My standard tip is 20%, can go way over that if the service was great. Yesterday we left a bit less than 10%
I really really wanted to tell him why, thinking that may be he just doesn't realize that he is not good. But then he brought me a piece of cake that looked liked someone took a bite from it. I pointed it out to him and asked him if it looked right to him and his response was "oh, it's fine, our corporate office wouldn't let us serve a cake if it was bitten before". So, I figured nothing I could say to him would make any difference.
So, did you ever "explain" your tip before?
Lena
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Post by gsbrq on May 27, 2011 10:21:02 GMT -5
I usually don't bother. If I explain to anyone, I explain to the manager.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on May 27, 2011 10:23:03 GMT -5
response was "oh, it's fine, our corporate office wouldn't let us serve a cake if it was bitten before". So, I figured nothing I could say to him would make any difference. ![](http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff155/JiminiChristmas/smileys/1-1.gif) No it's not fine. They are supposed to take it back and disgard it since it's been on a table and get you a fresh piece. I've wanted to but DH tells me that is "rude", well how is the person supposed to know if I don't tell them? Where I worked had a little online survery type thing you could use to comment on customer service and they did address bad reviews, they didn't just get sucked into an interweb black hole. I still see the little cards every once and awhile. Next time I plan on filling one of those out while DH is in the bathroom. Some servers genuinely don't care and a good chunk of the time management doesn't care either. I'd complain to management if I couldn't do the above. The server can just write me off as being a bitch. A manager more than likely will address it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2011 10:25:53 GMT -5
I usually go home and berate them on the interwebs. (I'm a big fan of yelp for this purpose)
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Post by Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ on May 27, 2011 10:33:32 GMT -5
I go one step further, I never patronize the establishment nor do I recommend it. Dining establishments with good food and good service I always recommend.
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wodehouse
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Post by wodehouse on May 27, 2011 10:37:39 GMT -5
One Saturday early afternoon I had an awful migraine, had to go to McD's to get some food (happened to be the "prestigious" location near their Hamburger U in Oak Brook). Got to my table with my Quarter Pounder. D*mn thing had a perfectly formed bite out of it. ![](http://us.social.s-msn.com/s/images/emoticons/52_52.gif)
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on May 27, 2011 10:41:00 GMT -5
I don't bother. I let the money do the talking.
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jitterbug
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Post by jitterbug on May 27, 2011 10:45:34 GMT -5
Where I worked had a little online survery type thing you could use to comment on customer service and they did address bad reviews, they didn't just get sucked into an interweb black hole.
I still see the little cards every once and awhile. Next time I plan on filling one of those out while DH is in the bathroom.
My son's a manager at a restaurant - please fill those little cards out if you had a good experience too!! There are so many things based on those little cards and of course more people fill them out for a bad experience than a good one! And yes, I'd tell the manager over the server, because the server just doesn't care. The manager SHOULD and will maybe do something to fix the situation in the future.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2011 10:45:53 GMT -5
If I feel like the tip should be below 15%, my norm is 20%, I speak to the manager. Sometimes things are outside the server's control and sometimes it is the server. I like finding out which it is. Doing this I have only felt the need to tip 10% twice in my life.
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lynnerself
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Post by lynnerself on May 27, 2011 11:23:57 GMT -5
So many people are bad tippers that just leaving a short tip may not express your displeasure. I'd like to hear form anyone who has wait experience. If you got a low tip, would you assume that you disappointed the patron, or that they we just cheap?
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on May 27, 2011 11:30:47 GMT -5
If you got a low tip, would you assume that you disappointed the patron, or that they we just cheap?Depends. I would usually spend some time trying to think if I did anything wrong, but if I couldn't come up with something I wasn't going to lose sleep over it. I certainly never knew if it was due to a kitchen mistake, pissed off at the hostess, didn't like the floor manager etc. I personally preferred that people tell me if something went wrong food wise so I could tell the manager and the manager could address it with the kitchen. A time it came in really handy was with a Cajun pasta special. Some genius in the kitchen ran out of Cajun spice and decided to sub straight Cayenne pepper! It was choking our patrons! We had enough people complain on the same day taht it was too hot that the floor manager got a sample from the kitchen to taste himself and that's how the mistake was discovered. The item was pulled till they could correct it. Never would have known if someone had just left me a bad tip and it just would have kept happening to customer after customer. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2011 12:33:30 GMT -5
So many people are bad tippers that just leaving a short tip may not express your displeasure. I'd like to hear form anyone who has wait experience. If you got a low tip, would you assume that you disappointed the patron, or that they we just cheap? Unless I did something wrong, I would assume they were cheap. Often, if I did something wrong I would try to correct it, which explains why my tips often were 18-20% before tip out.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on May 27, 2011 13:21:52 GMT -5
I don't bother. I let the money do the talking.
The problem with this is a lot of people don't tip because they're jerks, not because they're trying to send a message.
I've never had service bad enough that I felt like skimping on the tip was reasonable. Most of the time I cut servers an awful lot of slack. They have a tough job and they can have bad days like everyone else.
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lynnerself
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Post by lynnerself on May 27, 2011 13:34:04 GMT -5
It looks like if you want the server to realize there is a problem, you need to speak up. I have also heard managers and owners say over and over again: If there is a problem, please tell us so we can address it. Don't just leave, never come again and bad mouth us to others.
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AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP
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Post by AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP on May 27, 2011 13:52:45 GMT -5
I had a bad experience last night at Buffalo Wild Wings. I was out with two friends-- all of us had served before-- and we were sitting at the bar watching the Bulls lose which was bad enough, but we had to flag her down to get drinks- she didn't notice that our glasses were empty. Mind you, I only had three beers so perhaps the fact I was nursing them (Sorry, I don't chug Guiness) led her to believe she didn't need to check in. So, I let some of it slide, but when it took us more than 20 minutes to put in a food order, I was getting irritated. Then, when our food arrived- someone else dropped it off, and it was several food-cooling minutes before we got what was to be my last round before she even came back into view at the other end of the bar from wherever she was. She never did make her way back down the bar to us-- I had to get up and fetch her. Then the Guiness keg blew and it was 10 minutes to change that and get me another beer to go with the food.
Now, when I am paying for food- I'm fussy. I like HOT, and I like a beer-- or whatever. This was like letting my steak cool off and then bringing me a glass of wine.
I decided I had had it and I flagged her down and said I no longer want the food, OR the beer, I want my tab-- which had better not have either on it-- and I want it NOW. I don't want it in 20 minutes. You have two minutes to get the check to me, and I looked at my watch, looked up and said, "Go".
At this point she was very apologetic and offered to get us brand new food, and a fresh beer. I said, "I appreciate you trying to fix things now, but it's too late. I've served before, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it has (at this point) been 31 minutes to get the food that it took us 20 minutes to order. I'm nearly an hour into this, and I'm not starting over now in hopes things will be different. I'm just going to pay and leave, thank you."
She got the check, and I left her 10% and I told her why: slow and inattentive service. Sorry.
The manager stopped me on my way out and did the whole, "I understand you're upset" thing. I said, "I'm not really upset, I'm just disappointed. Service was slow, and our server didn't seem to notice, or pay much attention to us".
I ended up leaving with a $25 gift card, but I won't be using it at that particular location.
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AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP
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Post by AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP on May 27, 2011 14:06:23 GMT -5
It looks like if you want the server to realize there is a problem, you need to speak up. I have also heard managers and owners say over and over again: If there is a problem, please tell us so we can address it. Don't just leave, never come again and bad mouth us to others. A lot of people don't want to say anything at the time. As a server, it's your job to 'tune in' to what the guest is really communicating, and to ask bold questions designed to elicit a complaint if one was lurking. Not, "Is everything OK", but "Is everything perfect?", or "Is everything exactly what you were expecting?" If the answer is "It's OK" or "Fine" to that, dig. There's probably something wrong. With us last night it was all timing. She was just inattentive and slow-- you can't train for a sense of urgency, you have to hire it. I'm not sure you can train for the importance of timing a "turn" but every server should know exactly where every guest is in the process at all times. If a drink is 2/3rds to 3/4ths empty-- that's a great time to ask if they're going to want another drink. If it's free refills, just grab a refill. Don't ask, don't wait to be asked, and don't wait until empy-- period.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on May 27, 2011 14:16:03 GMT -5
DD is a server so I am more sympathetic to how it goes. But she is careful and personable and management does not over load her or any other server with too many tables. Still, there are those that she says you know are not going to tip no matter what. She now can spot them.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 27, 2011 14:28:10 GMT -5
Horrible Service and food: $1 tip
Bad Service / Good Food: 10% tip
Good Service / Good Food: 15% tip
Excellent Service / Good Food: 20% tip and a talk with the manager praising our waiter/waitress.
In addition, if I have horrible service, I don't go back unless I have heard that management has been changed. DSIS and I went to a chain restaurant. It took forever to get our drinks, it took forever to get our order taken, it took forever to get the food. There was no follow up to see if we needed anything, which we did - had to ask the person filling up the water glasses to get it for us. Then we waited, waited, waited for our check. I said to DSIS, "Let's just go find where we can pay. I'm sure our bill will show up in the process" and sure enough. And the place was not even crowded - at all!! The food was excellent, so I think I left 10%. By that time we were in a hurry. I was going to call the manager, but I thought what was the point (in getting compensation) since I had no plans to go back.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on May 27, 2011 14:33:49 GMT -5
I once wrote a list of complaints all over our credit card receipt.
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AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP
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Post by AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP on May 27, 2011 14:38:41 GMT -5
DD is a server so I am more sympathetic to how it goes. But she is careful and personable and management does not over load her or any other server with too many tables. Still, there are those that she says you know are not going to tip no matter what. She now can spot them. She should be careful. I'm not as confident she can spot them. I made it a point to give the best service I could to everyone, and more than a few times I was surprised by an unexpected tip. Even if all you get out if it is the ability to look yourself in the mirror at the end of your shift and honestly say, it was them, it wasn't me-- that was good enough for me.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on May 27, 2011 15:15:29 GMT -5
I had a bad experience last night at Buffalo Wild Wings. You expected a good experience at BWW? They have the nastiest wings I've ever had.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on May 27, 2011 15:26:45 GMT -5
But if you are CUTE, you get good tips!!!
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on May 27, 2011 15:42:02 GMT -5
I agree with the BWW comments.. I've been to a few in Texas and the service was ALWAYS horrible. One time, I waited 40 minutes after sitting down to even see the waiter and order water. We had a large party and half our party was done with their meal by the time I got my water (We all got there and sat down at the same time). This was during a weekday lunch so it was very slow. They couldn't figure out why I didn't want to order any food (Sorry, I don't have another 3 hours to sit here while you make the food). ![](http://forum.blu-ray.com/images/smilies/imported/crazy.gif)
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Post by dragonfly7 on May 27, 2011 15:58:14 GMT -5
If you got a low tip, would you assume that you disappointed the patron, or that they we just cheap?
The placed I waited tables had pretty steady repeats, so after a few weeks, it wasn't difficult to separate the times I wasn't doing my job well from the people who were just cheap. I fully admit I was not an outstanding server. I could handle about 8 tables of 4-6 just fine, but having 12-15 tables on Sunday didn't go very well.
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AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP
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Post by AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP on May 27, 2011 16:13:56 GMT -5
As a server your best bet is to assume a low tip was caused by one of three things-- in this order: 1. You- and try to figure it out; 2. Them, due to ignorance- they never learned how, and still don't know how to tip; or 3. Them, due to belligerence of some kind. I would try to exhaust all the possibilities of 1 first and avoid the temptation to believe you're the best server in the universe and all your patrons are jerks.
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AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP
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Post by AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP on May 27, 2011 16:15:46 GMT -5
And I've honestly never had a bad BWW experience. Granted, they aren't known for cuisine, but I like their Asian Zing wings for what they are.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2011 16:21:58 GMT -5
Horrible Service and food: $1 tip Bad Service / Good Food: 10% tip
Good Service / Good Food: 15% tipExcellent Service / Good Food: 20% tip and a talk with the manager praising our waiter/waitress. In addition, if I have horrible service, I don't go back unless I have heard that management has been changed. DSIS and I went to a chain restaurant. It took forever to get our drinks, it took forever to get our order taken, it took forever to get the food. There was no follow up to see if we needed anything, which we did - had to ask the person filling up the water glasses to get it for us. Then we waited, waited, waited for our check. I said to DSIS, "Let's just go find where we can pay. I'm sure our bill will show up in the process" and sure enough. And the place was not even crowded - at all!! The food was excellent, so I think I left 10%. By that time we were in a hurry. I was going to call the manager, but I thought what was the point (in getting compensation) since I had no plans to go back. The server often has no control over the food, what do you change your tip based on it? If the food is bad, speak to the manager, the server cannot control the kitchen and the manager listens to guest more than the server.
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AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP
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Post by AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP on May 27, 2011 16:45:33 GMT -5
Horrible Service and food: $1 tip Bad Service / Good Food: 10% tip
Good Service / Good Food: 15% tipExcellent Service / Good Food: 20% tip and a talk with the manager praising our waiter/waitress. In addition, if I have horrible service, I don't go back unless I have heard that management has been changed. DSIS and I went to a chain restaurant. It took forever to get our drinks, it took forever to get our order taken, it took forever to get the food. There was no follow up to see if we needed anything, which we did - had to ask the person filling up the water glasses to get it for us. Then we waited, waited, waited for our check. I said to DSIS, "Let's just go find where we can pay. I'm sure our bill will show up in the process" and sure enough. And the place was not even crowded - at all!! The food was excellent, so I think I left 10%. By that time we were in a hurry. I was going to call the manager, but I thought what was the point (in getting compensation) since I had no plans to go back. The server often has no control over the food, what do you change your tip based on it? If the food is bad, speak to the manager, the server cannot control the kitchen and the manager listens to guest more than the server. I thought it odd, too-- that they wouldn't go back unless MANAGEMENT had changed, but they'd see fit to take it out on the server anyway. But I disagree a little bit- servers have control in that they can-- and should-- stay on top of the kitchen and act as their own quality control to ensure that the food is right, and is not sitting out waiting to be run-- but noticing what's up, and running it when it comes up.
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AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP
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Post by AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP on May 27, 2011 16:46:51 GMT -5
But if you are CUTE, you get good tips!!! Studies show that married men get the best tips. I guess that on some level- consciously or subconsciously they're considered 'head of household' or something.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on May 27, 2011 20:12:53 GMT -5
I tip 15% if the service is good. If there is a problem, it depends on what the problem is. Major problem at the Outback of cold french onion soup that they wouldn't comp resulted in no tip and I will never go back to that location.
I go to Village Inn for breakfast and see all these elderly people leave $1 for a table to 2 or 4 people. My dad does the same thing. He's 87. I try to hang behind and leave the tip. He's only caught me once.
I know the manager and servers at my local Village Inn. If I ever have a problem there, they will know about it immediately.
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