Common sense. Tip the 'right' amount. When a restaurant has a special and the meal costs almost nothing, your wait staff had to do just as much work. Tip accordingly. Also, treat your wait people like human beings. I was a waitress years ago, I think I was 14, for half a day. One of the guys I served thought his 10 cent tip entitled him to pat me on the bottom. Not.

My tips range from 10% (snuck to a Home Depot employee as we hid behind my vehicle because tips are not allowed) to 80% (I took my grand daughter for her first wash and style which are not very expensive services but the stylist loved her and spent over an hour just on her, made her feel comfortable and treated her like a little princess with the mirrors and whatnot so she could see everything that was happening).

we are 99% of the time at 20%.... if the service was great, a little more. not so great, little less -15%

places we frequent often, always 20%

if we are just stopping for a couple of drinks at the bar and moving on to another place...15%. we do this often in the city -going to to 2 or more places, especially now with all the beer gardens open. just pop in for a drink or two, enjoy the view and move on :)

"I wonder if the server that received such generosity shares your opinion
on that. I wonder if she was offended at being condescended to in such a
way............."

If you pick food out of a garbage can and drive a few blocks to give it to a homeless person, is their gratitude a reasonable measure of what was done? No. Someone working in a job is looking for pay, not charity or a customer's ego-driven action.

Why, Elmer, I'm surprised that it took you so long to diss my post. Not all all surprised that you had something negative to say, however -- just that it took you over 24 hours to do so.

This was on a Friday night at a very popular restaurant that was very busy. Friday was our 38th anniversary. We had not told anyone at the restaurant that it was a special occasion. For all anyone knew, it was just a regular night out. Our server made the entire evening extremely enjoyable. She was very attentive even though she was being run ragged; and as I said, above, she was friendly and funny. We had a *great* time.

We dine at this restaurant fairly regularly, and we normally end up with a much higher bill. Friday, however, we didn't order any appetizers or salads, and we each ordered something other than our usual choices, and what we ordered was less expensive than what we usually order (and, no, we don't usually get the same thing - there are two or three things that I normally "rotate between," and there are two or three things that Hubs normally "rotates between"). If we had ordered "our usual" including appetizers and salads, our bill, as I said, would have been at least twice as much and the $50 tip, while still a bit high for our normal total, wouldn't have been so out of line that you would have crawled out of the woodwork to diss it. Wait, you probably would have because it was *me* that you're dissing.

And, as I'm sure you know, I don't give a rat's patootie what you think of the amount of our tip.

So you think our tip was "ego-driven"? Interesting. And tells a lot about YOU.

Lindsey when I read about your meal and tip I thought it was lovely of you to have a wonderful evening out and to share that goodness with those who helped you have a great time.

Elmer has something puny and mean to say frequently, to an array of people. You don't owe him an explanation.

I find this gaudy and incredibly pretentious .

You are welcome to think what you like, but to make a comment like this in front of a perfectly nice member of our group is mean and rude. Elmer, since you've retired you have gone beyond your ordinary habit on expounding on almost everything here to show off how much you think you know. If you treat your wife this way I imagine you are lonely, I can't imagine her wanting to spend much time with you so you come here and expound. You don't have to be perfect to be here, but quit being rude to nice people.

lindsey, sorry to derail your train but I usually am responding to words and thoughts, not people. I'd written my comment and clicked on Submit before noticing who the author was.

Lucille, many of the people I know who are very generous do so anonymously. My view is that a table server serves the table and has no responsibility to be the evening's entertainment or to serve as charity recipient of the evening.

In a thread about "how much do you tip...", do you think talking about leaving a 70% tip is anything other than bragging? If you do, great. I don't. As I said, people I know who are generous are quiet about it.

I don't know if you've ever been to Las Vegas? A place I detest but have not been able to avoid going to on a few occasions. Anyway, in casinos, there are always people here and there, usually drunk, throwing money around like crazy in tips and overpayments for free drinks when gambling. All they need to do is open their mouths and you know you're not in the presence of someone who's a positive force or contributor to his or her community. Do the dealers and cocktail servers love these people? Of course they do, it's because of these fools their jobs are desirable. Do they know how to egg them on and cater to them to get more money? Of course. This restaurant gesture reminded me of that. Maybe not on the part of the server but certainly so on the part of the customers.

"If you treat your wife this way I imagine you are lonely, I can't imagine her wanting to spend much time with you so you come here and expound."

Lucille, I think this is about as inappropriate and offensive as a comment could be.

Most adults know that having a successful marriage can be a challenge. If you really have to know, I think I got off to a pretty good start with my first wife but as always happens, things came up in pretty short order to strain the relationship. You give it your best, sometimes it works, sometimes not. We're still married, it's been over 40 years. Before you presume to guess so wrongly about me and my relationships, tell me, have you had a marriage that ended other than by the tragic death of a spouse, like by divorce? (Any death of a spouse is tragic). If so, how long were you married?

The question was "how much do you tip?" A direct and truthful answer to a direct question is not bragging. If someone asks."How many homes do you own?" If it's more than the standard "one" is saying so bragging? No.

And a tip is not "charity." Even if its higher than the customary one.

Why is tipping about a percentage? Doesn't the server, and staff if they tip out, doing the same amount of work whether you get a grilled cheese or a burger with cheese? (around here the burger costs more. I know, I know, that's a bad example as the difference is pretty negligible, but it was the best I could come up with in the moment.) Or any entrée? It just doesn't make sense. It should be built in to the prices, or a line item.

Why is tipping about a percentage?

One reason is because of taxes. The IRS requires tips to be reported as a percentage of the business's gross receipts. Most places track those receipts by individual server. Generally a minimum of 8% is reported as income. So the tip truly isn't a gift but part of the server's wage thanks to the IRS. So the cost of the meal means more taxable income.

I see a difference between extravagant tips to all and sundry and tipping "our usual amount" one time, at a restaurant you frequent, despite the check being less than usual.

Do recipients like money? Yes. Do they think it's due to a person's generous heart? No. But that is immaterial, along with how the money became yours to spend.

Ostentatious tipping, in person, in public, *appears* to be self-aggrandizing, regardless of whether that was the intent. It is different from quiet *generosity* -- a fine character trait.

Depends. If they don't get me the food or the drink (buffet style), almost nothing. If at all. I don't understand servers in that situation. I don't tip at Starbucks or other coffee stands either (it's part of the job to make the drink, why should I tip for that?). If it's sit-down service, I start at 20% and it goes down if there are glaring server errors. Not the kitchen. Kitchen errors aren't something over which they have control. I don't tip more than that. Why would I? If they need more than that, maybe the establishment should step up their game??? I could be wrong, but it really shouldn't have to be more than that. They'd have to really knock my socks off, over and above, to get more. As they would have to be seriously egregious to get less.

My usual is 20% and I usually round up a bit to the nearest dollar.

I tip somewhat more at my go-to sushi restaurant - they know me -, and I tip more around 25% (maybe 30%) at diners where I'm spending, say, $9 on a meal - the waitstaff does just about as much work (sometimes more) than those at fancy restaurants.

Bad service? There's only been one occasion where I left no tip at all. (It was late at night at a 24 hour diner, only two tables, and the waitress had a 'tude, and spent her time flirting with the cook. It was before cell phones, otherwise I'm sure she'd be hanging on three of them at once. It was so evidently a real pain in her tush for her to come to our table. She didn't deserve a job, much less a tip.)

Otherwise, I do take into account crowds, being short-staffed and such. And I really do know the waitstaff isn't cooking the food, so I never tip based on the food itself. My range is between 18% and 20% at regular restaurants, more towards that 25% at places I'm spending just a little at.

I don't tip at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks where I stand in line, not typically.

Ostentatious tipping, in person, in public, *appears* to be self-aggrandizing,

Most tips to wait staff are not ostentatious, they are quietly placed in a folder, or marked on a charge slip. Hardly anyone sees them.

If you are tipping an exotic dancer for a public dance by stuffing large denomination bills in his/her g string I agree that would be both ostentatious and self aggrandizing.

I do tip a lot sometimes. Got my hair cut the other day at a cheap place that has $10 hair cuts. I gave her a $5 tip...50%. She always tells me to come back for no charge if I don't like it, or she didn't cut enough off. Most places charge double what they do or more and there is always waiting if you walk in or even have an appointment. This place I rarely have to wait and if I do it's quick. Sometimes I do this at some restaurants especially if it's me and my daughter because most of the time we split a meal so I like to give a little more even if the bill isn't that big because they are serving two people and not one.

At least 20%. Cheap haircut for son runs $18. I give the girl $5. My girl who only charges $35. I'll tip $10-$15 because I'd pay way more than $35. elsewhere and she always does a good job.

Sometimes I think that people who are far removed from harsh economic circumstances can be less considerate of those who struggle more. I don't think the generosity described here comes from a prideful stance, rather one of understanding and care. And there are people who are fortunate in life who never lose sight of their blessings and are eager to share. And then there are the people who never have enough and are Grinchly. I am related to a woman who tips 10 percent and considers herself generous.

zalco, I think you've greatly oversimplified, and greatly rationalized for effect, the "types" of people and circumstances they may be in. I'm personally not a believer in blessings. It was Thomas Jefferson who said "I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."

I've probably given more time and money to real charities - non-religious non-profits- than most have. Overtipping and throwing money at low wage earners isn't helping the less fortunate of our society nor is it charitable giving of thoughtful, caring people in my experience. If you think it is, then have at it.

In no way was I suggesting what you or anyone else does for charitable reasons. I did not mean to aim my comment at you specifically. The question of over-tipping was addressed by several posters and got me thinking.

As for our ability to make our own luck, that's another issue all together. I know I have worked hard, school, grad school, professional climb, yada yada. I am crystal clear that I started out way ahead of the game by the accident if birth. Blessing is surely a trite word and I should not have used it, since it implies many things I did not mean to imply.

As I said before, I am a 20 to 25 percent tipper myself. But reading the responses here of those who go beyond that made me consider what drove them to their generosity. I don't think the extra money is corrupting the service providers. Kindness never fails.

zalco, maybe it's me, but I can't help but think some are equating the motivations of a table server with the poor souls who stand on the road medians at a left turn lane, holding a small cardboard sign that says "Hungry, need food or money please". Table servers are not there hoping to be benefactors of someone's largesse or kindness, anymore than the chef or the host(ess) or anyone else. Someone who feels touched by an interaction with a server of modest means can go home and write a check to a deserving charity.

Many poor choices and decisions are made with the best of intentions.

elmer, would it make you feel better if I posted copies of our tax returns? We donate more than 10% of our AGI (which is a healthy amount) to charity each year. We have no children, so we've not had to put out thousands of dollars on clothes, schools, activities, support, etc. We have more disposable income in retirement than we did when we were both working full time. We spend our money as we see fit.

You claimed that your diss of my post about our anniversary dinner tip was not directed at me, but, rather, at the post itself. You claim that, "I usually am responding to words and thoughts, not people. I'd written my comment and clicked on Submit before noticing who the author was." That's bull and you know it. If you truly responded only to words and thoughts, you wouldn't address your comments to people by name.

"lindsey, sorry to ..." "Lucille, many of ..." "Lucille, I think ..." "zalco, I think ..." "zalco, maybe it's me ..."

Yeah, elmer, it's YOU.

Sorry, but the first comment I made on this subject that you think was intentionally directed to you had no name mentioned. You can look above and check, I haven't edited it, it is how it was originally. There's bragging in your most recent post too so what I was responding to without mentioning a name, in the first post we're discussing, was hardly out of character, though I didn't know who I was referring to.

I'll use a name to respond to a comment I think someone directed to or at me.

Tax returns? Yeah, there are some that should be made public but it's not yours.

Again, elmer, what you say is bull. In your very first response in this thread, you quoted the last line of my response. How can that be construed as not being directed at me?

Citing words means I was responding to words.

I'm done, you've ignored my explanations and your mind seems to be closed. Does it disappoint you that my comment wasn't about you? Then I guess you need to be disappointed.

I have a chance for raises and bonuses at work if I do a great job. The way I see it, servers have hundreds or thousands of "mini-bosses" over the course of a year. If they do a good job for me, I like rewarding good performance because Lord knows they're never going to get more than the bare minimum from their employer.

We have several family owned restaurants we frequent, along with servers in each one who practically fight to serve us when we arrive. The ones who are attentive and take good care of us typically get about 25%. We tend to get phenomenal service at those places.

"Sometimes it's not the servers fault the food is slow in coming. They could be understaffed in the kitchen or on the floor."

While "SOMETIMES" it is true, MOST of the time it's not, sorry to say, here's why:

Sorry to burst your bubble, but here's why you are wrong:

Ask yourself these questions as a server:

1. WHEN do you put in my order? Do you wait or do you go put it in
   immediately after taking it? If you are double sat or triple sat, you can still
   go put in each order into the computer after taking each table’s order. By not
   doing that can result in a much longer wait and that would be YOUR FAULT.

2. FORGETTING to put in an order. My husband and I have experienced this for
REAL that servers ADMITTED to our faces they have FORGOTTEN TO PUT ORDERS IN.
All of them were appetizers, bar drinks, and a cup of soup.

3. Did you put in the order CORRECTLY into the computer? Have had many times
servers ADMITTED to our faces they did not do that correctly. Have had wrong
entrées before due to our server putting in the order wrong. Have had wrong bar
drinks too due to the server putting in the order wrong.

4. Did you FORGET ANYTHING I ORDERED such as a SIDE DISH? We have had this
happen a number of times as well.

5. Did you DROP anything I ordered? Luckily, we have not had this happen,
but I have seen a server once drop some fries from a plate before and I did
have a waiter spill some margarita martini when pouring into a martini glass.
In other words, it is possible, not likely, but very possible.

6. Did you remember to GET my food? We have had a server do that before.
Also, we have had a number of servers forget bar drinks.

7. Did you bring out my food obviously correctly if you bring my food out?
Do you realize how many times OUR OWN SERVER brings out DUH mistakes like the
side dish is wrong, the entrée is wrong, something obvious is not correct bacon
that isn’t covered up isn’t extra, extra crispy when you can clearly notice
that it isn’t without touching anything, etc.? Every DUH mistake you bring out
is YOUR FAULT I am waiting for what I did order by you wasting my time bringing
me the wrong item or wrongly prepared item or forgot something. While we all
make mistakes, I would have to say a good 90% of the time, servers NEVER
COMPARE THE WRITTEN ORDERS TO THE FOOD, because they are TOO LAZY and DON’T
CARE!!

8. Servers DO wait to put in entrée orders when appetizers, side salads, or
cups of soup are ordered. THAT *IS* THE GOD’S TRUTH! Sometimes it’s TOO LONG
THEY WAIT! If it’s another server, it still doesn’t make it the kitchen staff’s
fault I have the wrong side dish for example since that is something that’s
obvious. It’s either my server that didn’t put in my order correctly or this
other server that didn’t compare the ticket to the food or that this other
server did compare the ticket to the food, but just missed it(HIGHLY UNLIKELY,
but possible).

9. WHEN do you come to GET MY ORDER? That part is covered in #2 below.

10. WHEN do you DECIDE to LET ME ORDER? That part is covered in #4 below.

11. WHEN do you decide to DELIVER MY FOOD? That part is covered in #1 below.

12. Do you, because they are out of something, decide to assume everyone
wants the closest thing so you do the ordering for me? That part is covered in
#3 below.

13. WHEN do you decide to check up on WHERE the food is? If the kitchen
staff somehow lost the ticket, did you wait 30 minutes and then decide to find
out that or did you check after 10-15 minutes to see that our food was getting
started on?Continued next post:

I just recently went with my husband, we were the FIRST people when they
opened. Our waitress greets us and gets our drink orders with bread
request. She doesn't tell the other party behind us that got seated a
minute or so after us that she'd be right with them, she actually TOOK
their drink orders and then FIXED ALL of the other 3 drinks, then
actually had the GALL to *GIVE THEM THEIR DRINKS FIRST OFF THE TRAY
EVEN**. Needless to say this waitress did NOT see a tip. She cut
SEVERAL TIMES in front of OUR TURN and our check receipt has 11:10.am.,
which we were greeted literally 30 seconds after being seated, so
there's no excuse to have your food orders take THAT LONG to be put into
the computer. She didn't even have our drinks until around 11:07a.m..
It took her 7 minutes to get 2 soft drinks, that's RIDICULOUS!

Needless to say I did REPORT her cutting in front of our turn. So don't say
sometimes this or that, because the MAJORITY of the time, honestly, your
server has LOTS to do with your wait time. Especially if they take
your food orders and then go to another table without being called over
to take their food orders and then they have more people in their party
than you do even. That's so unfair! Just WATCH YOUR SERVER THAT NEXT
TIME YOU EAT OUT AND SEE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!

I would have to say a good 90% of the time, servers NEVER
COMPARE THE WRITTEN ORDERS TO THE FOOD, because they are TOO LAZY and DON’T
CARE!!

I don't believe this. While there are some in every job that don't care, the wait staff I've seen are by and large hard working, and they do care. Looking out over a long life, the VAST majority of my meals at restaurants have been fine. Some have been very good. A few have had problems. But I don't think that unmotivated staff last too long because it can be hard work.

If I had that many problems with restaurants I would wonder where the problem actually is. I have had wrong items on my plates but it is generally that the kitchen followed what they were told went on the plate when I asked for a substitution. Handling several tables at the same time while waitstaff might glance to see if the normal items are on the plate most do not have the memory to remember special requests.

Yikes. There are some people here that CLEARLY need to stay home and cook and serve their own food.

My first job was a sandwich artist at Subway. My boss WARNED me on my first day that the most difficult person to deal with was a hungry, picky one. And that some people would treat me like a piece of scum. And that I needed to be ready for that. Later that same day, a large woman waddled in there. She demanded that her pickles be cut into quarters. Okay. No problem. While i was putting the pickle shards on her sandwich, she spotted two pieces that were still barely connected and flew off the handle. She called me all sorts of vile names. I was 15. That was almost 20 years ago. I still remember her face, her voice, that rotten fish/moldy corn chip smell that was likely wafting from her 6 month old hair weave, and the look of helpless terror on her adult daughter's face. This was the first incident. But it was not the last or even the worst.

I didn't expect a tip ever. However, as a PERSON, I expected some level of respect for my existence and my effort. I certainly did not INTEND to leave the pickle pieces connected in some sort of diabolical plot to ruin her meal. I highly doubt there is a noteworthy percentage of servers who dont care or are lazy, as THEY do work for tips. Any servers that I know personally say they certainly can tell when someone they are serving simply cannot be satisfied,so they put in the minimum effort. Maybe some people here are such people......

And Elmer, as for your comment, the cooks and hostesses make a higher wage. And it is not customary or expected to tip them,so of course they don't expect it. Part of a server's income does depend on the discretion of the customer.

And again,it is highly inappropriate to suggest that someone give THEIR money to a charity rather than whatever they wish to spend it on,whether it be a higher tip for a server, a lottery ticket or a tutu for their dog.

And I find your statement about how YOU have given more to charities and non profits than most a form of shameless BRAGGING,especially as know one asked about it. (Do you have proof of this,btw? Hours logged volunteering, receipts of donations? Not just yours, but everyone elses too so that you can truthfully make such a statement?)

I'll wait....

It sounds like the boss at Subway had good insights to pass along. A good learning experience to work there.

My comments about charitable giving were in response to an insinuation that I lacked empathy and generousity for others. I wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise. I'll repeat my opinion that throwing money at a table server out of empathy isn't charitable giving nor is it something anyone should feel other than foolish about. If anything, it's condescending - "Look at what a miserable wretch you are. Here, see, I can throw money at you that you need and I don't and then just walk away".

If anything, it's condescending

I do not agree with your outlook, although you do seem to be an expert at being condescending.

I have a family member of substantial independent means who eats out often as well as hosts family gatherings of various sizes at local restaurants. He is just on the slightly picky or demanding side but is always greeted very warmly at any restaurant he routinely patronizes, be it the local diner or a very upscale eatery. Always seated promptly and the servers flock to wait on his table. The reason is he is a very generous tipper, regardless if the bill is modest or in the multiple hundreds (which is more often than not). There is nothing ostentatious or pretentious about it and no one, other than he and the primary server, have any idea of just how much he is tipping but the degree of service he receives - and no doubt has come to expect - is directly proportional to what he is willing to pay for.

Lucille, your personal insults become tiring. Take a break, most others find they can participate here without resorting to that. If I cared about your opinions, I'd be more concerned. I don't and I'm not.

"I'll repeat my opinion that throwing money at a table server out of empathy isn't charitable giving nor is it something anyone should feel other than foolish about. If anything, it's condescending - 'Look at what a miserable wretch you are. Here, see, I can throw money at you that you need and I don't and then just walk away'."

It is interesting that you presume a large tip is given out of empathy for the server's unfortunate lot in life, and that the tip giver feels superior to the server. I can assure you that the tip we left for our server on our anniversary was given as a reward for stellar service, witty conversation, and all-around making the evening extremely enjoyable for us.

"Lucille, your personal insults become tiring. Take a break, most others find they can participate here without resorting to that. If I cared about your opinions, I'd be more concerned. I don't and I'm not."

Obviously, you do care and you are concerned. Otherwise, you wouldn't have mentioned it.

" I find this gaudy and incredibly pretentious ." Elmer this is your description of a tip left by someone here for wait staff after a nice evening out. This remark you made is discourteous and disrespectful and insulting, IMHO. You seem to feel that you can say anything, calling it an opinion or observation.

Elmer, respect is earned. Interestingly, so is the opposite, which you have earned by being disrespectful to many here. It is not like I am the only one noticing that your intrusive, judgmental behavior is getting worse here since you retired. That your are condescending is not an insult, it is an observation. Don't like it? Then it is up to you to change.

I have always thought Wait Staff have very tough jobs. They work very hard to keep multiple tables "Happy". They are on their feet moving in tight spaces with arm loads of hot plates for 6 or 8 hour shifts. I admire anyone willing to take a job in a restaurant. It is amazing how many people treat wait staff in a rude manner, for no reason. If an error happens, NOT the end of a good experience. It is very apparent on cruises, guests feel they can say and do whatever they feel like. I believe being polite and friendly gets you a much better experience. And we tip in excess of 20% most often.

My base is 20% and can go up or down. I appreciate excellent service, and notice when I am snubbed, mostly due to assumptions.

What diane said.

Although, I don't get why some people get so riled up about the tipping practices of others. It's their money and if they want to spend some of it by leaving large tips, so what?

Amylou, I agree, some people just shouldn't go out to eat. They are never going to be happy. My daughter has told me some things. People coming in, eating every bit of their food and then complaining. The restaurant then comps them their meal. After they gobbled it all down!!!!

"Yikes. There are some people here that CLEARLY need to stay home and cook and serve their own food." Yes, I think one of them was posting here.

I'm reminded of something I witnessed in a craft brewery when we were on vacation last summer. To start - it's a brewery. They make beer. All different kinds of craft beer. However, they have four types of wine available for those who don't care for beer.

Two women walked in and sat next to us at the bar. I knew the minute they sat down that they were going to be impossible to please. What kind of wine do you have? We don't like any of those. No, we don't want beer, it's disgusting. The bartender offered the sparkling apple cider made by the brewery. Nope, they didn't want that. They looked at the food menu and disparaged all of the choices, including the recommendations made by the bartender.

Finally, they settled on a white wine, b*tched the entire time they were there, and after taking a couple of sips of their wine, asked for their bill. They paid and walked out complaining the entire time. Yep, they stiffed the bartender too.

They were the kind of people who should probably stay home.

My parents came to Calgary a few years ago, and took my sister, myself and my husband out for dinner to a steak restaurant. My dad and I ordered our steaks medium rare, and my husband ordered his blue rare. Remember: STEAK restaurant, it's their specialty. We get our meals and both my steak and my dads are medium well, and my husbands is closer to medium. We told the server our steaks were cooked wrong. She gets the chef. The chef comes out to tell us (I live in Alberta, we know our steaks, we eat a LOT of steak!) that "medium rare and blue rare mean different things depending where you come from." Really? No. Just no. Rare is rare. Medium rare means the middle is rare. Medium is pink. Blue rare is the cow still moo's. We asked for the manager. He agreed with us. My husband was starving, he ate his anyway. My dad and I asked for ours to be cooked over again. All three of our meals were removed from the bill by the manager.

Regular Mimimum wage=$11.10 an hr/non tipped position

In Colorado....a "tipped" employee makes less than a minimum wage job.

quote:

$8.08=Tipped Minimum Wage.

If an employee is covered by federal and Colorado state minimum wage laws, then the employer must pay the higher minimum wage for tipped employees. Federal tipped minimum wage is currently $2.13 per hour, which is lower than the 2019 Colorado tipped minimum wage of $8.08 per hour. Jan 1, 2019

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think a LOT of people don't understand a tipped position, like a waitress, earns their wage through tips. And....they're taxed 8% for tips, since most don't claim tips.

IRS used to use charts for tipped positions. My StS was working as a waiter and was notified he under reported tips. Knowing him, he did not report any. A family friend suggested that he report the ones on the cc's plus a little extra but not all. I have been known to leave a tip on a card and real money to the staff.

Okay, the remarks and stories on here have influenced my tipping. I now tip quite a bit more than i did 2 weeks ago when i started reading this thread. And i tip my mechanic, too, now.

And...i tip in cash. The waitress can claim it, or not, but im fighting the cashless society where the govt will be able to monitor everything that we do with our money.

I just had dinner with my sister. We talked tips. Her daughter is a hostess in an upscale restaurant here. She makes $15 an hour. In an 8 hour shift, she earns $120 in wages, less taxes. PLUS she brings home in cash every single shift $80 - $100 on top of her wage. In one day, she can earn about $210 before taxes. PER DAY! Servers bring home more in tips.