Thread: Tipping

I wanted to get a view on what everyone thinks about Waitress Tipping.

What are your thoughts?

In Belize tipping has traditionally been expected only from tourists. There are some small, neighbourhood, Creole restaurants whose staff will be offended by tipping. When I first came to Belize I had the owner of one of these small restaurants give me back the tip with the explanation that the amount on the menu was the amount he expected from me, and that he was well able to pay his waitress a good wage without her having to accept anything extra. That was 16 years ago and I've not left a tip since.

Attitudes are changing as the tourism sector grows, but I'd say that a majority of Belizeans rarely tip, and many never tip at all. For tourists, 15% is considered correct.

To Insure Prompt Service

You have to tip. Many waiters and waitresses work on a salary close to minimum wage. They rely on tips to take home a decent salary. Personally, I believe, any customer who doesn't leave at least a 15% tip is a cheapskate. And, if I owned the restaurant and the customer had a reputation for not tipping the servers well, I'd let him wait two hours before serving his meal. Hopefully, he'd get the hint and take his cheap behind to another restaurant.


Cheap people ought to stay home and eat frozen dinners. They have no business in a restaurant. All they do is irritate the waiters and waitresses.

I have no problem leaving a nice tip, if the service has been good. I don't like it when the tip is already charged to your bill, as I think the quality of the service or lack thereof, is what should determine the amount of the tip. I also have no problem leaving a not so nice tip, if the service has been poor.

If prefer to leave the tip in cash, if I have the cash with me. The amount depends on the quality of service I receive:

I'm one of those people that usually needs a drink to help wash a meal down. So if the service is prompt and my drink is refilled in a timely manner, I usually tip generously. If I have to wait an unacceptable amount of time for either the service or a refill on my drink, I start docking the tip amount in $1 increments. If the waitress is impolite or otherwise conducts herself poorly, I will dock another $1 each time she steps over the line. That's pretty much how it goes for anything that annoys me about the quality of my visit, at least the parts of it the waitress would be responsible for.

If, at the end of the meal, the entire amount for the tip has been docked due to the above deficiencies or the like, then I leave no tip at all, and I won't feel bad about it. Treat me right and you get tipped well. Treat me poorly and you get nothing but the price of the meal.

There is one exception: if the waitress's service or behavior is *really* out of line, I may leave a few pennies on the table in place of the tip. This is an insult, and is a direct response to the unacceptable or insulting treatment I received. That said, I can't remember ever having to do that, so if I have it's been many years.

Didn't Yahoo! release an article on tipping just yesterday?

Anyhow, I always leave a generous tip, though it isn't exactly mandatory here in the Philippines. And tipping here is usually 5% of the bill.

I think I've only not left a tip twice. Both times were for rude/inconsiderate/absent waiters/waitresses. The second time I wrote a zero on the slip right in front of the waiter. I was pizzed and I don't get that way easily. I have not been back, either.
Other than that, if I see they are courteous, friendly and making an effort, I tip between 15-20% depending on exact cash and my pathetic math skills which err in favor of the waitress/waiter most of the time.

I think it's horribly wrong and a stupid law that tipped workers (i.e. waiters/waitresses) get two something an hour. I don't know how waiters make it on that. My niece waited on tables for a bit, and she's very much a people person, and her coffers were far from brimming over.

Back in the 90's, when Perot was Presidential material, I was in on his inner circle. This was one of the laws I wanted to change.

With that said-what I tip:

horrible service: 5% get a clue
Drink servers only: a dollar (unless she's done me a favor)
average service: 15%
Great service: 25%
She put herself out there-the 25% in cash (so she doesn't have to wait on the paycheck)

I once stiffed a waitress who only took my order. I tipped the hostess, who seated me, brought me a drink, sought out someone to deliver my food (because the waitress went missing) and the hostess also took my dessert order-had someone else deliver the dessert. I gave the hostess five bucks.

I thought this thread was going to be about cow tipping. For the record, I'm against it.

Otherwise -- what's the debate? Tipping is customary and expected. (If you're in the U.S.) So is the amount, more or less depending on quality of service. I usually tip 20%, more, if the service is good, sometimes a good bit more if the service is outstanding -- maybe less if it isn't.

I waited tables in college, and made pretty good money. I didn't mind the tip system -- the harder I worked, and the better the service I provided, the more money I'd make. What a novel concept.

Now for a little stereotyping -- women were the worst tippers. A group of women almost always meant a lousy tip. Often a pile of chicken feed that had nothing to do with the amount of the check. Flirting helped -- but not always.

Originally Posted by Robinjazz

To Insure Prompt Service

I don't really look at it that way, either from the perspective of the customer or the waiter. Prompt service is the baseline and what's expected -- and it should be provided regardless. A customary tip acknowledges that expectations were met. A bigger tip is a reward for exceeding them.

RobinJazz - Please take in all that I said in my post. Tipping is not traditionally part of every culture. That's changing, but has not completely changed yet. When I'm in Belize City I eat regularly at a restaurant whose owner would very definitely be offended by anyone leaving a tip.

'What? You think I can't pay my staff?' would be her response.

Originally Posted by garza

RobinJazz - Please take in all that I said in my post. Tipping is not traditionally part of every culture. That's changing, but has not completely changed yet. When I'm in Belize City I eat regularly at a restaurant whose owner would very definitely be offended by anyone leaving a tip.

'What? You think I can't pay my staff?' would be her response.

I wasn't taking aim at you with those remarks. I haven't a clue what goes on in restaurants outside the USA. Here, most food servers earn minium wages and expect tips to make their salary worthwhile.

It's not an easy job, escepically working the graveyard shift or the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes, you look at these people and sort of feel sorry for them. The part-time food server/collegian will be okay with time, but the older ones who are not going anyplace, those are the ones who depend on the tips.

I tried waitering once and didn't last three hours after going out and spending nearly $100 on black pants, white shirts, and black shoes. It takes a special individual to approach a table, all happy-faced, and start plugging away.

And if I owned the joint, I would never prevent the help from earning extra--customs or not. Personally, and no offense, I think the owner of the restaurant is afraid one of his workers might earn enough on tips to open a joint down the road--competition. His excuse his too lame. It doesn't make sense, and there must be something going on beneath the surface. Cover-up?


The restaurant owner is in business to earn as much as he can. Why should he think his staff is any different?

Do you believe U.S. culture should set the standard for the whole world, and local traditions should be discarded? I would have to disagree with such an idea. I have lived in many different countries and have always tried to adapt my habits to fit local custom. I'm embarrassed when I see another u-essian turn into the ugly American. On my rare visits to the U.S. I always tip.

Originally Posted by Robinjazz

His excuse his too lame. It doesn't make sense, and there must be something going on beneath the surface. Cover-up?

Always looking for a conspiracy. Maybe aliens are behind it, or it could be that's just the way it's done elsewhere. And you know what they say -- when in Rome...

That was supposed to be a joke.

Put a worm on a hook and . . . even the Loch Ness monster isn't off limits.


The owner of a bagel shop in New York City trusted one of his workers with his bagel recipe. In a few years time, the worker saved up enough money to open his own bagel shop, using his former boss' bagel recipe. It probably wouldn't have been such a big deal if the worker hadn't opened the new bagel shop just two blocks away from his former boss' place.

The owner of the original shop sued and the case went before a judge.


Ugly American or Ugly duckling? Why drag cultures into this? Common sense will tell you that a need is a need in any part of the world. There's no need to prevent people from having a better life; And, money is one of the vehicles to a better life. What's, what's. so difficult in understanding that?

Eat, drink, be merry. Live, laugh, learn--and use common sense. Good enough rules, anyplace.


By the way, there are many local traditions that imprison women still in place around the globe. Don't you think it is about time those customs change? Or should they continue under the guise of "traditions"?

Originally Posted by Robinjazz

That was supposed to be a joke.

Heh. Well, based on some of your previous posts, it's kind of hard to tell.