USA Gratuity And/Or Tip?

[romft123]

Upon ordering in a nice bar/pub/restaurant in WPB, Floriduh, we told the waitress/server we were in no hurry. The place was 1/2 full/empty. Drinks arrived. Lager for wife, Guinness for me. But not in a glass with that drink, just another beer make.
Then a while later, our starters arrived. 1/2 way thru, she came back holding our mains! A steak and a fish. I looked up as she tried to slide the plates onto the smallish table. I basically asked WTF are you doing. After a short discussion, she left the mains on the table and we hurried eating the starter, as cold fish isnt that nice. Could we have sent them back? To be put under a hot plate and dried out?
Of course she came back, "everything OK"....etc. "Well not really" and I told her why....
Next up the duty manager comes out, squats down, gives a quick spiel. So I told him what I thought of the service I got. It wasnt an Applebees/Chillis etc but the mains were in the $35 per plate range.

Did the waitress/server get a regular tip of 15%. NOPE.

[bad company]

romft123 said:

Upon ordering in a nice bar/pub/restaurant in WPB, Floriduh, we told the waitress/server we were in no hurry. The place was 1/2 full/empty. Drinks arrived. Lager for wife, Guinness for me. But not in a glass with that drink, just another beer make.
Then a while later, our starters arrived. 1/2 way thru, she came back holding our mains! A steak and a fish. I looked up as she tried to slide the plates onto the smallish table. I basically asked WTF are you doing. After a short discussion, she left the mains on the table and we hurried eating the starter, as cold fish isnt that nice. Could we have sent them back? To be put under a hot plate and dried out?
Of course she came back, "everything OK"....etc. "Well not really" and I told her why....
Next up the duty manager comes out, squats down, gives a quick spiel. So I told him what I thought of the service I got. It wasnt an Applebees/Chillis etc but the mains were in the $35 per plate range.

Did the waitress/server get a regular tip of 15%. NOPE.

We’re off to the USA tomorrow. For the reason you said we don’t order our main course until we’ve finished the starter. There seems to be a mindset there that fast service equals good service.

[romft123]

bad company said:

romft123 said:

Upon ordering in a nice bar/pub/restaurant in WPB, Floriduh, we told the waitress/server we were in no hurry. The place was 1/2 full/empty. Drinks arrived. Lager for wife, Guinness for me. But not in a glass with that drink, just another beer make.
Then a while later, our starters arrived. 1/2 way thru, she came back holding our mains! A steak and a fish. I looked up as she tried to slide the plates onto the smallish table. I basically asked WTF are you doing. After a short discussion, she left the mains on the table and we hurried eating the starter, as cold fish isnt that nice. Could we have sent them back? To be put under a hot plate and dried out?
Of course she came back, "everything OK"....etc. "Well not really" and I told her why....
Next up the duty manager comes out, squats down, gives a quick spiel. So I told him what I thought of the service I got. It wasnt an Applebees/Chillis etc but the mains were in the $35 per plate range.

Did the waitress/server get a regular tip of 15%. NOPE.

We’re off to the USA tomorrow. For the reason you said we don’t order our main course until we’ve finished the starter. There seems to be a mindset there that fast service equals good service.

.

This was a while ago and it taught us a lesson!

[Matt Harper]

We've now arrived at 15 pages of UK tourist outrage at the concept of rewarding wait staff for good service.

Just a reminder - tipping is not a legal requirement. If the idea is so abhorrent (because it is not the norm at home), then don't fking do it.

Granted, that will just confirm to US servers that the tight-fisted reputation of British tourists is justified - but you won't be going back there anyway, so who cares?

Either that, or we could just continue pissing and moaning about it for another chapter or two....

[bad company]

Matt Harper said:

Either that, or we could just continue pissing and moaning about it for another chapter or two....

Please read my original post. For me it’s more a matter of when and how much to tip.

[Boxster5]

bad company said:

romft123 said:

Upon ordering in a nice bar/pub/restaurant in WPB, Floriduh, we told the waitress/server we were in no hurry. The place was 1/2 full/empty. Drinks arrived. Lager for wife, Guinness for me. But not in a glass with that drink, just another beer make.
Then a while later, our starters arrived. 1/2 way thru, she came back holding our mains! A steak and a fish. I looked up as she tried to slide the plates onto the smallish table. I basically asked WTF are you doing. After a short discussion, she left the mains on the table and we hurried eating the starter, as cold fish isnt that nice. Could we have sent them back? To be put under a hot plate and dried out?
Of course she came back, "everything OK"....etc. "Well not really" and I told her why....
Next up the duty manager comes out, squats down, gives a quick spiel. So I told him what I thought of the service I got. It wasnt an Applebees/Chillis etc but the mains were in the $35 per plate range.

Did the waitress/server get a regular tip of 15%. NOPE.

We’re off to the USA tomorrow. For the reason you said we don’t order our main course until we’ve finished the starter. There seems to be a mindset there that fast service equals good service.

And that is one of our pet hates when in a US restaurant - they just don’t understand the concept of us taking our time - it’s not a bloody race. So as you suggested, we order starters then decide if we want mains when we want them, not when the kitchen dictates.
But of course they want 3-4 sittings out of a table each & every night.
Been many many times to the US but it is now firmly off our list of destinations for their whole attitude and obsession with making money.
There are many other destinations where you are truly treated with respect and not the “have a nice day now” fakeness.
Let’s be honest the majority of the food ain’t that great anyway!

[unrepentant]

DodgyGeezer said:

out of curiosity here: why don't the Yanks also give 20/25% tips to store staff who help them with clothing choices, furniture or decor? Surely that's (arguably) more important than bringing some grub to your table?

Sales people in clothing stores are usually on commission, generally 10-15% of the selling price.

In a furniture store, again, you are dealing with a salesperson who is on commission. They are paid directly in proportion to what they sell you. Usually between 4 and 10% of the selling price. I just bought 2 Amish sofas. The sales person was great, very attentive and made a lot of recommendations. She also arranged the delivery of the furniture to me three months later when it was built. For the two hours she spent on us she probably made $600. I didn’t tip her although I did give her a great review online which is very valuable. I did tip the two delivery men who bought the furniture in and set it up.

[daqinggregg]

you bought two Amish sofas, why?

[markiii]

I guess they had nothing to sit on

[RayDonovan]

My mate manages 2 medical reps in the US and their total comp package is $350k each.

[snuffy]

Matt Harper said:

Granted, that will just confirm to US servers that the tight-fisted reputation of British tourists is justified - but you won't be going back there anyway, so who cares?

As opposed to the tight-fisted nature of said US server's employers who don't pay them properly ?

That, I have found, is a concept that has never entered an America's head.

[markiii]

Boxster5 said:

bad company said:

romft123 said:

Upon ordering in a nice bar/pub/restaurant in WPB, Floriduh, we told the waitress/server we were in no hurry. The place was 1/2 full/empty. Drinks arrived. Lager for wife, Guinness for me. But not in a glass with that drink, just another beer make.
Then a while later, our starters arrived. 1/2 way thru, she came back holding our mains! A steak and a fish. I looked up as she tried to slide the plates onto the smallish table. I basically asked WTF are you doing. After a short discussion, she left the mains on the table and we hurried eating the starter, as cold fish isnt that nice. Could we have sent them back? To be put under a hot plate and dried out?
Of course she came back, "everything OK"....etc. "Well not really" and I told her why....
Next up the duty manager comes out, squats down, gives a quick spiel. So I told him what I thought of the service I got. It wasnt an Applebees/Chillis etc but the mains were in the $35 per plate range.

Did the waitress/server get a regular tip of 15%. NOPE.

We’re off to the USA tomorrow. For the reason you said we don’t order our main course until we’ve finished the starter. There seems to be a mindset there that fast service equals good service.

And that is one of our pet hates when in a US restaurant - they just don’t understand the concept of us taking our time - it’s not a bloody race. So as you suggested, we order starters then decide if we want mains when we want them, not when the kitchen dictates.
But of course they want 3-4 sittings out of a table each & every night.

I wonder if most people eat out because historically its cheap? scoff and go home rather than want the experience of eating out?

[unrepentant]

snuffy said:

Matt Harper said:

Granted, that will just confirm to US servers that the tight-fisted reputation of British tourists is justified - but you won't be going back there anyway, so who cares?

As opposed to the tight-fisted nature of said US server's employers who don't pay them properly ?

That, I have found, is a concept that has never entered an America's head.

Not at all. But that is a typically British comment.

Ask a server what they would like, no salary but tips or what you would think of a reasonable salary and no tips. They will quickly tell you that they would rather be in control of their earnings. Same with sales people.

Americans actually understand the system, you clearly don’t.

[unrepentant]

daqinggregg said:

you bought two Amish sofas, why?

Solid wood, hand built and will last forever. Unlike the cheap and poorly made crap you find in most furniture stores.

[snuffy]

unrepentant said:

Not at all. But that is a typically British comment.

Ask a server what they would like, no salary but tips or what you would think of a reasonable salary and no tips. They will quickly tell you that they would rather be in control of their earnings. Same with sales people.

Americans actually understand the system, you clearly don’t.

As I say, you don't people properly.

[unrepentant]

snuffy said:

As I say, you don't people properly.

You set up a website to brag about the cars you’ve owned?

We have a word for that over here.

[TriumphStag3.0V8]

Just wondering what percentage Unrepentant tipped the server for bringing him the massive chip he now has on his shoulder.

[snuffy]

unrepentant said:

snuffy said:

As I say, you don't people properly.

You set up a website to brag about the cars you’ve owned?

We have a word for that over here.

And you have a picture of your car in your PH profile. But that is not bragging in any way then ?

[snuffy]

TriumphStag3.0V8 said:

Just wondering what percentage Unrepentant tipped the server for bringing him the massive chip he now has on his shoulder.

Anything less that 25% would make him a cheapskate, clearly.

[romft123]

unrepentant said:

snuffy said:

Matt Harper said:

Granted, that will just confirm to US servers that the tight-fisted reputation of British tourists is justified - but you won't be going back there anyway, so who cares?

As opposed to the tight-fisted nature of said US server's employers who don't pay them properly ?

That, I have found, is a concept that has never entered an America's head.

Not at all. But that is a typically British comment.

Ask a server what they would like, no salary but tips or what you would think of a reasonable salary and no tips. They will quickly tell you that they would rather be in control of their earnings. Same with sales people.

Americans actually understand the system, you clearly don’t.

They get high tips BECAUSE their pay is so low! It isnt difficult to grasp that. Steak n chips $25, well it isnt really is it, its $29!