Is this an appropriate question to a group of four restaurant clients in one table after they paid the bill but still sitting and chatting amongst themselves? "Why was your tip low?" And requested a higher tip be paid? This restaurant had a $$$ rating and the tip was appropriate for the service received. There was no group gratuity policy under 6 people anywhere posted nor was there a rule upon arrival to the restaurant that they should receive a specific percentage of the bill. So therefore, if we use legal terms, a reasonable man standard, would apply in this situation. And the reasonable man would tip in accordance to experience had (and other factors that I've graphed in the pix above). It's a snap decision, tipping. Thus supposed stellar performance need to make an impression to tip the gratuity scale more favourably in accordance with one's snap impressions.
There are many reasons for tipping or not tipping (and I'm sure you can add your own experience):
On the restaurant side ~ non or low tippers would do so because of:
1. Wrong or inaccurate meal orders
2. Service being slow
3. Clients feeling they were being pushed to leave the premises way before closing time [example: 3 hours before closing a rush to clear tables asking if clients were done eating when one of the guests still had pasta literally sticking out of his mouth when the question was asked. And it was at four different occassions in the span of 20 minutes]
4. Inappropriate behaviours
5. Taste, Odours, Presentation - any or all wrong
6. Miscalculated bill
7. --- Fill in your thoughts here ---
On the client side, non- or low-tippers do so because:
1. of a realization of lack of funds at that moment for additional tipping was not possible even if service was stellar
2. of a perception of bad service (due to one of the above)
There's more I'm sure that you can add (please do). Ultimately, short of being punk'd, tipping is a customer right that cannot be demanded (am I the only one thinking this?). I am reminded of Shai's recent posting querying her readers about the appropriate restaurant etiquette for leaving the premises prior to service. This experience makes one to keep staying on until they close just to prove a point. Childish? Yeah, so it was time to leave the premises.
Comments (10)
In thinking about you question(s) I realized I never leave a "low" tip for poor service. I just never return. (I put low in "" because that's always perceptual - maybe I'm always a tight-wad!) At the same time, I'd never tip more just because the food was great or the seating comfortable. I'd just make a point of returning, bring friends, etc.
I sometimes tip a bit more because I feel I've asked a bit more in terms of service - or, for some reason, they've gone out of their way for me.
Posted by Wendell | January 12, 2008 5:24 PM
Posted on January 12, 2008 17:24
Thank you Wendell. Tipping is such a subjective action that it becomes an interesting discussion point for customer service training. But this is the first time in my life that I heard someone asking to be given "more" when there was a clear misalignment of perceptions of what was an appropriate tip for the experience.
Posted by Robin Yap | January 12, 2008 6:11 PM
Posted on January 12, 2008 18:11
On very rare occasions I have left a low tip, and felt disappointed with my behavior of not delivering specific feedback. I don't know that I've ever not given a tip. I'm generally too embarrassed to do so, perhaps for the very reason of being confronted.
If the experience is sub-par, and it's the server's fault, absolutely I think it appropriate to express your dissatisfaction by leaving a lower tip. If confronted - which I think is ghastly, especially in the manner you describe - I hope I would tell the server why the tip was low.
But I do think it important to not blame the server for food quality. The tip's job is "to insure prompt service."
In this case, the server or his boss might have, on your way out, discretely asked how your experience was. But to confront and ask for more money is horrible. At that point, I would have found the manager and had a conversation about the entire experience.
Posted by David Badash | January 12, 2008 6:28 PM
Posted on January 12, 2008 18:28
Thanks David. Interestingly enough there was no manager in sight. A clear "When the cat's away" opportunity it seems. Also re the tip, without privy to how tips are being handled it can be difficult to judge how what you leave for the waitstaff is handled - it could many ways from directly to the specific waitstaff, to a pool that goes to all, to any other method. Clearly a letter would have been appropriate as this restaurant is part of a chain (well there's only two) restaurants in the city.
Posted by Robin Yap | January 12, 2008 6:56 PM
Posted on January 12, 2008 18:56
No matter what, that to me, is poor taste.
The management should know that this creates a very unpleasant dining experience.
You can always get back "lost tips" from higher tippers. But, you can never get back a client's trust if it's lost in that way.
At least, not in my book.
Posted by Shai Coggins | January 12, 2008 7:03 PM
Posted on January 12, 2008 19:03
Nicely put. Thanks Shai. I agree with you that trust is far more important.
Posted by Robin Yap | January 12, 2008 10:22 PM
Posted on January 12, 2008 22:22
Sounds like an experience!
The server can't expect to get standard tip for sub-standard service. The only reaction that might be appropriate would be for the manager to apologize for a poor experience.
Regarding tipping... for adequate service I'll generally tip 15%, but for good service will tip more. I'll only leave a low tip for really poor service.
Posted by Michele | January 13, 2008 7:22 PM
Posted on January 13, 2008 19:22
My friends who were with me were still talking about it at Starbucks today so I guess it wa quite an experience indeed. Thanks for your post Michelle. Still waiting for manager response, I doubt it tho. Oh well...
Posted by Robin Yap | January 13, 2008 9:19 PM
Posted on January 13, 2008 21:19
I think it's an appropriate thought but they asked it improperly.
I would honestly want to know why my tip was low so I could correct things that are wrong. I may have lost a customer from you, but with the criticism is a list of things to improve.
I would have been asked, "Was there anything I could have done or not done tonight to make your evening more enjoyable? Did you enjoy the food? How did you rate the service?"
and then if the customer isn't comfortable with it, ask them to fill out a short "Suggestions" card before they left or visit a restuarant critique website and post a review in the next few days.
The clear difference is that the server/waitress wasn't interested providing good service, but instead just working and didn't care about anything but the money.
Posted by Daniel Nicolas | January 14, 2008 7:49 PM
Posted on January 14, 2008 19:49
I totally agree with you Daniel re ask and/or comment card but ask politely rather than demanding gratuity. Thanks for your post!
Posted by Robin Yap | January 14, 2008 8:27 PM
Posted on January 14, 2008 20:27