Dining - Tipping question

billryan

Jan 13, 2016
9:22pm

So you go to a nice semi-upscale steakhouse. Think Robertas before it closed.
You order a $30 bottle of wine, two $10 salads, two $30 steaks, and two $12 sides.
Wine is good, salads are so-so, sides are fine, but both steaks are horrible.
You complain to the staff and they offer to replace your steaks but you don't have time and simply want your bill.
They don't charge you for the steaks, and give you a 20% discount on the rest. What do you tip?
tip on the original $134 bill, or tip on the discounted bill, or somewhere in between?
I'd like to to read why you tipped what you did, as well as how much you tipped?
I'd be inclined to leave $20 because I didn't get the satisfaction I was expecting when I sat down. Normally, if service is okay, I'd leave $30.

nonsense

Jan 14, 2016
1:21am

Block User

good question, I would tip on the service, was it good? I'm not tipping for the food, that's what the bill is for, if the service was good then I would tip 20% on whatever the bill was. If the service was exceptional than I would tip more.

Don the Dentist

Jan 14, 2016
1:50am

Block User

Quote

Originally posted by: nonsense
good question, I would tip on the service, was it good? I'm not tipping for the food, that's what the bill is for, if the service was good then I would tip 20% on whatever the bill was. If the service was exceptional than I would tip more.

I disagree. I am tipping based on my entire experience. In the scenario listed above I would leave a $10 - $15 tip

chafraho

Jan 14, 2016
9:35am

Block User

I don't tip for crappy service or crappy food. I've walked on places when the food and service was crappy, but not before confronting the manager. If an establishment is going to charge $30 plus for a steak, they dang well better prepare it well and offer decent service. Don't expect perfection, but refuse to tip for garbage or neglect.

mescalita

Jan 14, 2016
11:11am

Block User

Dang, I miss Roberta's. Siegel's doesn't have the atmosphere, but luckily they still serve some good food from the old menu.

Terry Locke

Jan 14, 2016
11:16am

Block User

Server negotiates $60 off the tab, which is anything but a given based on my experiences, I'm inclined to tip toward the portion of check that vanished.

O2bnVegas

Jan 14, 2016
11:19pm

Block User

The server did everything right. Who doesn't know that when you tip you are tipping the service, not the manager nor the quality of the food.

When the food isn't right, communicate this to the manager. Sending the food back is the best way to insure this is known. It 'says' it was unedible, not just fair, not just less good than another restaurant, but awful. In a good restaurant, telling the server, as billryan did, should be sufficient as they are required to tell the manager. But I always send stuff back if I'm not going to eat it after the first taste.

That server didn't have authority to remove charges for the steaks nor to give the 20% discount. He was required to (and did) inform the manager; the manager authorized removing the charges and the 20% discount. This took up some of his time from other diners, and maybe an undeserved scowl from the manager. The cook deserves the scowl.

Just as when a meal is fully comped, I would have tipped 15-20% of the full bill, depending on the server's overall performance.

In most places the server must share tips with his bartender and busboy, but not the cook or manager. The bartender must share his portion with his bar back. So a tip doesn't go as far for the server as one would think. If the server had a great overall attitude and performance, from start to finish, I might even sneak an extra $20 in his hand.

Might. Karma and all that.

mckenztf

Jan 16, 2016
10:53pm

Block User

I, too, would tip on the full amount of the bill, just as if it were comped. It's not the server's fault that the steak wasn't good or that you didn't have time or inclination to wait for it to be replaced. (Nor is that your fault - I'm NOT being critical).

Glad to see you back on the boards, BTW.

justmare

Jan 17, 2016
11:58am

Block User

Quote

Originally posted by: O2bnVegas
The server did everything right. Who doesn't know that when you tip you are tipping the service, not the manager nor the quality of the food.

When the food isn't right, communicate this to the manager. Sending the food back is the best way to insure this is known. It 'says' it was unedible, not just fair, not just less good than another restaurant, but awful. In a good restaurant, telling the server, as billryan did, should be sufficient as they are required to tell the manager. But I always send stuff back if I'm not going to eat it after the first taste.

That server didn't have authority to remove charges for the steaks nor to give the 20% discount. He was required to (and did) inform the manager; the manager authorized removing the charges and the 20% discount. This took up some of his time from other diners, and maybe an undeserved scowl from the manager. The cook deserves the scowl.

Just as when a meal is fully comped, I would have tipped 15-20% of the full bill, depending on the server's overall performance.

In most places the server must share tips with his bartender and busboy, but not the cook or manager. The bartender must share his portion with his bar back. So a tip doesn't go as far for the server as one would think. If the server had a great overall attitude and performance, from start to finish, I might even sneak an extra $20 in his hand.

Might. Karma and all that.

I agree completely with everything Candy said. The food isn't the servers fault and he/she shouldn't be punished if service wasn't the problem.

pjstroh

Jan 18, 2016
11:00pm

Block User

I think its fair to pay the tip on the food you paid for. that's how the tip is calculated. True, its not the servers fault the food was bad - but its not your fault either. You should not tip for something you didn't eat. Many people would not tip at all in your situation. I think by tipping the billed amount you are recognizing both the good service and your original complaint.

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