I hate this policy. And another thing, even if I use a credit card to pay at a restaurant, I ALWAYS leave my tip in cash, to make sure the server gets it, not "the house". I tend to be a big tipper-around 25% of most bills. If confronted with a situation like that, I'd ask the manager to please prepare another bill without the tip. And I would never return to that place. By the way, I'm a former waitress.

I have seen it for parties as few as 6. It is usually printed on the menu.

I don't mind that kind of tip - but if the service is poor, I would speak to the manager about it.

That seems to be the policy in many restaurants although I do not necessarily agree with it. When we go out as a group, we tend to ask for separate bills before we order and tip according to our own bill. I know that is a pain but it is certainly better than the "I had this, you had that..." division of cost that happens when it is all on one bill.

It should be printed on the menu when the tip will be added to your bill.

I thoroughly dislike the " let's split the bill 8 ways" theory too. I want to pay for what I ate, not for what someone else ate -- and drank.

it's easy. no tipping needed, unless you think the server was GREAT, then leave a cash tip, for them to get the whole thing. :)

Moni

Most places here have it somewhere, saying 6/8 or more that tip will be automatically added to bill.

No big deal. All restaurants do this. If the service was exceptional, just add a few more bucks. If the service was abysmal, then ask to speak to the manager. I always leave the tip in cash, so as the server gets the money right away. If you add it to your cc, many restaurants hold the tip until the charge clears. Sometimes, the servers never see the correct amount.

Moni--let me ask you this. If you had a son or daughter who worked as a server, and was paid under $3/hour to do so, would you STILL feel that only great servers deserve a tip?

Whether or not you like the system, those who work as servers depend upon and need their tips. I tip well--as long as the service is adequate. I don't even short the waiter/waitress if the food isn't up to par (as long as they served it appropriately).

And think about this. If you don't tip a server, you're actually shorting them twice. Once, because they didn't get the tip they need, and secondly, because in many establishments, at the end of the year, the servers are given an estimate of how much they collected in tips that's based on the amount of food they served, NOT the actual tips they collected. So even if you don't tip, they STILL have to pay tax on the normal tip for your dinner. Not nice to do that to someone. Please--reconsider and tip ALL servers, unless they truly are horrendous and personally ruin your dining experience (and never hold a kitchen mistake against them). After all, one day it might be your child, or even yourself waiting tables. And anyone who does that job sincerely needs the money they make in tips.

Sadly, I find that bigger parties often just don't end up tipping well or even adequately. Often people add up their amount, but they seem to forget that cheese costs extra, and that there is tax to pay, etc... so when bigger groups throw their money together and the money is all added up and a little short, it ends up being the waitress/waiter that gets stiffed. So, I understand why some places do this.

Generally, I don't like to be told what tip I have to pay and I would hope if the service was awful, that the manager would take the tip amount off if asked. But, the policy itself doesn't really bother me as long as it is clear that they are doing it -- Otherwise, you may accidentally double tip and that woudl bother me.

Like earlier people have said, many places charge a standard amount for parties of a certain number - over 5,6,7, etc - I have seen 15%, 18%, 20% - buyer beware I guess.

Also like Jannie when paying by credit card I always leave a tip in cash - but for a very different reason. A waitress at a local restaurant was taking credit card bills and adding a bigger tip. Your receipt would reflect the tip that was written, but she would change a 1 to a 4, adding a 1 in front of numbers etc. when she cashed out her tips. She was charged with a felony two weeks ago.

If you pay by credit card write the word "ZERO" in the tip line, or "PAID TO SERVER"

I always x thru the part of the credti slip where you are supposed to put the tim and rewrite the bill amount unde it that is if I'm leaving the tip in cash.

I've never been to a place that adds the tip on the bill, I guess nobody does that around here. I go out quite a bit too, but I'll ask my friends if they've heard of it.

I think I prefer to leave the tip in cash. And we are not cheap, by any means.

What does bother me is that as often as it is done, lots of people don't even pay attention unless they are paying by credit card and what pisses me off, is the diners start leaving tips or handing tips to or leaving tips and the server just sticks it in their pocket and doesn't say one word. I've seen this on more than one occasion and at a big hotel in downtown San Antonio...I told everyone that they had already tipped when they paid and most of them didn't even realize it...An old hotel that has been refurbished and includes a beautiful Lunch buffet that is about one price with tip included...I don't remember exactly by the bill states that the tip has been added.

azzalea I can't say. Never had my girls as wait people. But I also know, I used to be a TERRIBLE tipper. Mostly, because of money shortage.

But, right now, since we hardly ever go out, tipping is not a problem. We can tip better, cause we don't tip often.

Moni

I will not tip for lousy service, period. When service is terrible, they get the insult tip (a penny) or just plain no tip. It's their JOB to give good service. They know that superior service will usually result in superior tips and having someone ignore me, not give me a chance to get what I want, well no way will I tip for that. Start taking pride in your work folks. And yes, I've worked in restaurants and other service businesses.

Just today I stopped for lunch and the service was not good. This place has really gone downhill in service in the last years, but their food is so good. I know I SHOULD be sending a tip to the cooks and occasionally I will. They deserve it too. But trying to get a refill on water, an extra napkin or even an insincere is everything OK? makes for a bad dining experience and it will affect their tip. If you tip for bad service, you reward them for not doing their job. And that's wrong. If my kids or I have a service job, we know the rules.

I've seen places saying there's a charge for parties of 6 or more. It never specifies it as a tip though. I suspected that part of it was because large parties "party" and take longer than a normal diner would and ties up income potential. Need to inquire on that next time I see it.

One thing I've wondered about is on food deliveries, like a pizza, there's a delivery charge. Who gets that? Is that a fee/tip that goes to the delivery person? I've been meaning to ask. I always tip well, but don't like being double charged. I know some places added a fuel surcharge and don't blame them when gas was $4/gal but would like to know what I'm paying. To go 2 blocks and pick up a pizza might be worth $5.

cynic,

I don't think you should count delivery fees as a tip to that goes to the driver. I think it goes to cover the car expenses, insurance, gas, etc... I always tip again anyway.

It may seem easier to go pick up the pizza yourself rather than pay the extra delivery fee... but I bet you don't anyway because often it's worth paying to not have to go out and have it delivered to your door.

I've never treated the delivery fee like a tip; it's a totally deifferent service... it's a delivery charge... even if the driver does get some of it... it's just like when you order a dishwasher or flowers... delivering something to your door costs extra.

I always leave 20%. If there's a problem and there was the other day. I ordered clam chowder and there was a large piece of shell in the soup that banged on my toothe. i beckoned the waiter to get the manager and i quietly told him. He offered more food. I said I was off food now with the experience and I was. He comped both meals and gave us ten five dollar coupons to use in the restaurant. Very nice man. oh yes and I still left a tip for the waitress.

sadly 8 seems to be the magic number for that whopping 18 percent tip...and while they usually put it somewhere on their menus or resturant...most people miss it...and still lay down a tip so their getting WAAY more then the 18 percent...I think it should be policy to TELL the party of 8 or more their bill will include an 18 percent tip...

Yes, most restaurants add on a % tip for large parties. I consider 8 or more a large party. It is usually stated on the menu either on the bottom or back side. I don't have a problem with it. If the % doesn't meet up with our usual 20% tip we will put in extra. If we have bad service (and I can't recall having bad service from a wait person in some years) we would talk to the manager. NancyLouise

We dine out infrequently, but always tip generously for good service. If the service is not up to par, we don't wait until the bill arrives to speak to the manager.
We generally put the tip on the credit card, and have never encountered a problem with the tip amount being changed, as the felonious waitress did! However, we did get billed thrice for one meal at Outback. We haven't been back since.