Wow, this board is getting to be like so many other messageboards. I like these travel boards because civility always seemed to be the name of the game, but recently I've noticed more of the nit picky, nasty, bickering attacks that I've seen elsewhere.
In a few months, I suppose this board, too, will be nothing more than a mosh pit unless you wonderful, articulate, civilized people (No sarcasm, I really mean that.) I love to read reign it in. NP and P, especially ...do better! Behave! *wags finger like the curmudgeonly old lady I am*


jmho

First, I don't expect -- or want -- a server to stand and recite today's menu

I also don't want them to keep coming up and asking me if everything is all right.
This pernicious habit has crept into the UK.
A waiter should be like Jeeves.
You shouldn't notice him, but he should just materialise when you need something.

Josser wrote: "I also don't want them to keep coming up and asking me if everything is all right."

Have you noticed how they do it? They wait until you are masticating, hit you with the question, and are gone before you can swallow.

Yes, there is a different minimum wage for waiters. Our area is $2.33 per hour. This is because all of the tips are claimed for taxes and averaged out to make the pay higher.

Then, as stated before, many other people are tipped out of the waiters tip(bus people, bartenders, etc.) Also keep in mind that on a charge tip(and 90% are charges), 3% of that tip goes back to the house to pay to the charge company.

If you have had good service from a server who does a good job and seems happy doing it, tip accordingly. 18% to 20% is average. If you tip more, it will be much appreciated, and if you have bad service, tip less.

Another "tip" for you is if it is a restaurant you frequent often, the staff will know the "good tippers" and be very happy to see you--you may very well make their night, and make up for the people who don't believe in tipping at all.

Hi NP,

>Twenty years ago, one wouldn't have expected the waiter to stand and recite a list of 6 or more evening specials many with a dozen or more ingredients and special techniques.

Where?

Even in Salisbury, MD 60 years ago a decent waiter did that.

From memory, without looking at notes.

They also didn't lean on the table, introduce themselves, or come around every 2 min to interrupt the conversation with "everything OK?".
.................................
Hey ek,

> It concerned your statement that management "usually frowns on" leaving tips for a maid. Where would you get this idea ...

From the responses of the desk clerks.

>why would you ever leave a maid's tip with the hotel front desk?

Why not leave it under the pillow on your bed?<

Because I don't know who will find it if I leave it in the room.

In general, I trust the desk clerks at the hotels where I stay.

Thank you for your response, Ira. Not sure why a desk clerk would frown on a guest leaving a tip for the maid, but if you say so...

I just leave it under the pillow figuring that the maid will be the one to make the bed. Or, during a stay of several days, just hand it to the maid. I often stay at larger (non-European) hotels with large front desk staffs..it would never occur to me to leave a maid's tip with any of the personnel there..

To each his own..

For those who leaves tips for housekeeping staff, where do you leave these?

In the room the last morning.

Well, we conform on that one!

Ira, twenty years ago your dining experiences were VERY different from mine. In those days the options usually were "tonight's special is veal picatta -- or -- roast chicken -- or veal oscar. Twenty years ago I would have fallen off my chair if a waiter said, "tonight the chef has prepared a fresh pappardelle pasta with thin slices of filet mignon lightly seared in extra virgin olive oil and rosemary reduction, tossed with a light sundried tomato and roasted red pepper coulis, finished with a hint of cream and topped with freshly grated asiago cheese and shreds of arugula", and then followed with several more similarly involved dishes. But then I'm not familiar with the "modern" kitchens of Salisbury, Maryland 20 years ago. I just find that surprising.

I can't believe after all these years I am finally learning that waiters get paid a lower minimum wage than everyone else. I think I tip generously and now I feel it is validated. So cashiers at Starbucks make more hourly wage than a waiter at a fine restaurant, eh?

A friend of mine who is a waiter at a nice local restaurant, literally pays money to the restaurant each week. His tiny base pay does not meet what is required for his withholding plus his portion he pays for his own health care. In other words, he owes them money to work there. But he makes MAJOR tips.

NeoPatrick wrote: "Twenty years ago I would have fallen off my chair if a waiter said, "tonight the chef has prepared a fresh pappardelle pasta with thin slices of filet mignon lightly seared in extra virgin olive oil and rosemary reduction, tossed with a light sundried tomato and roasted red pepper coulis, finished with a hint of cream and topped with freshly grated asiago cheese and shreds of arugula", and then followed with several more similarly involved dishes." "

I'd have to read that three times to form a preliminary judgement on whether or not I would like to eat that. And then I am hit with a few more spoken paragraphs, similarly difficult to assess. Oh, my aching head!

Can I have that in writing, please, and a loan of the chef's dictionary, and can you come back in fifteen minutes, when I might be ready to order?

If everything goes well and we really enjoyed our meal, we tip 20%(SF, CA area). If things are amazing, or if it's an inexpensive restaurant, we may give 25% but I don't think that's every expected. If things aren't great, we lower what we give. There has to be something very wrong for us to go below 15%.

I always leave a couple of bucks for a US hotel maid, for which I occasionally get a thank you. But in France, a couple of euros ALWAYS produces a short personal thank-you note. Are maids especially poorly paid there, or is this just a different view of politeness?

SemiMike, I don't think they are particularly well-paid, but they probably earn a living wage for a lowish standard of living. I don't think many Europeans leave a tip for chambermaids, so if you use hotels with a dominantly European clientele, then your action will stand out a bit. And yes, there might also be a different tradition of politeness: I presume you leave a note to indicate that it is a tip and not just pocket change that you forgot to pick up that morning -- and a written note merits written response.

[I can be very casual about pocket change, and I don't think any chambermaid anywhere in Europe has presumed that cash left in the room is for her to pocket.]

One of the larger hotel chains in the U.S. (can't remember which one now) issued an edict of sorts that unless the money was on the pillow, it was not to be assumed a tip.

Another story I read in the N.Y Times was an interview with a Hilton manager who said that $5 per day was a customary tip. I find that hard to believe. I always leave a couple of bucks, but most people I know don't even think about leaving a tip for housekeeping.

<i>For those who leaves tips for housekeeping staff, where do you leave these?</i>

I leave it on the pillow now, each day rather than at the end because the same person does not clean the room each day.

We make a lot of requests of the concierge staff in Europe so we leave money in an envelope at the desk for all the staff the day we leave. Most of the hotels we stay in have rotating personnel.

If I ever have to call housekeeping for an extra towel or pillow or iron at night, I always tip them directly when they deliver as I feel the night housekeepers don't see any part of the tip I leave at checkout.

Same if a daytime housekeeper does something specific I've requested.

zama, seriously? you never tip above $20 regardless? that is ridiculous.

as a former waitress in college, i made a whopping $2.30 an hour. After taxes, i often had paychecks of less than $5 or nothing. I certainly was not working for my hourly paycheck!

When you take a serving position, you don't do it for the paycheck, you select the restaurant for the tip potential. 18-20% is the norm. Less than 15 and I would wonder what I had done wrong. 10% would be a serious greviance.


Waiting in fancy restaurants deserve higher tip. why? first they usually have to tip out a lot of people...the sommelier, the bartender, the host, the busboys. Each usually get 10% pay out of total pot. In addition, in a fancy restaurant your meal takes a lot longer and a waiter has less tables, that means they may depnd on 2-3 tables for the entire nights wages.

If i work at denny's, I may be turning over $20 checks at $4 tip a time, but I may turn 20 some tables consistently, every 3 hrs. At Denny's...I would get to keep all my wages.

To have a max &quot;tip&quot; amount regardless of meal price is ridiculous and as a waiter, i would be very offended and wonder what major offense had I incurred.

I agree with HGL. I cover DC for work and we have many friends that work in DC. It's a HCOL city and i would tip 20% for normal service as any of my friends would. 15% is a little below normal.

Neopatrick , the restaurant you describe does not sound very upscale to me,, sounds tacky and annoying.

Twenty years ago they did something called &quot; table side service&quot; the waiters flambed , made caesars, and carved Chateaubriands, so , I have not idea where the heck you ate twenty years ago.

Americans just rip off their waiters by paying them slave wages, so the public has to pay them since the employers apparently don't have to,, its just a dumb situation. Seems like the only ones who win are the tax guys and the restaurant owners, the waiters and the public get screwed.

PS . &quot; hi, I 'm Bob and I'm your waiter tonight&quot; means, &quot; hi tip me big or I'll spit in your food next time you come in&quot; or &quot; hi , I 'm trying to befriend you and imply a relationship so you will feel obligated to pay my wage tonight suckers&quot;