Tip or not to Tip (Page 2)

Dealer do OK - I know several. But you would be surprised how much bartenders, vallets and strippers make. I know several, all making over 6 figures. This town (Vegas) never stops amazing me, even after living here for 5 years.

yeah another reason I do not feel bad not paying my dollar even in my fairly small college town in a fairly quite bar the bartender will bring in $400 - $500 a night. Its crazy really. Why would anyone not want to be a bartender? I had to pay over $60k to get a job that does not get paid close to that.

I had a buddy who left the $.25 change from a $2.75 beer on the bar and the bartender gave him a dirty look so he picked up the quarter and said that he planned on drinking 15-20 beers that night and at $.25 a beer that was 3.75-5.00 and he just lost every penny of it.  That is why I usualy run a tab or at least buy a few beers.  Sorry for the hijack/rant.

This is why I have spent hours if not days talking about tipping.

I like this example. One time I had a dinner and we ordered a $100 bottle of wine. When my friend tipped, the server made a big deal over the fact that it was short of 15% (with the wine included on the tab).

Now, what if we ordered a $20 bottle of wine. SAME amount of work, SAME amount of effort, but then the same tip would have been over 25%.

It all balances out in the end. Don't get me wrong, my significant other used to work in the service industry, and I still have tons of friends doing the same, so I am an above average tipper. I tip EVERYONE that deserves it here in Vegas. But I get pissed when it is expected and you get flack if it's not enough. Good tips are based on good service - not automatic.

My rule, 20% standard, 15% if is was below average. 50% if I'm getting drinks for free by my friends! That's a win/win!

I'm surprised by the full service gas example.  That's one situation where I would expect to tip.  Huh.  Do the full service gas people have to pay more for their gas?  We don't have any full service stations around here that I know of, so I'm totally clueless.

I kind of understand, but no way would the bartender know what he "intended" to drink.

My "tip" for bartenders: The first round, give them a $10 to $20 tip - no joke. Then every time you go up there, no matter how crowded, you get attention right away. Then just leave $1 per drink after for the rest of the night. Goes a long way and can impress that "miss right", or at least "miss right now".

I've had similar experiences with servers here. The second time I had a server say something about the tip being below 15% (the service was very bad), I asked him to let me see the check and the tip again. I took my tip back leaving him with only a dollar and informed him that he had a lot of nerve and should have been happy he got that much.

Haha Nate, I love the huge Cajones you have, thats the perfect way to handle the situation. Also, yes, you do pay more for full serve ($0.05 a litre, I'm Canadian) so it works out to usually an extra $2, but I check oils, clean windows and whatever else you should want

yeah and I also found out I tend to tip on the tax and bill and not jsut the bill.

honestly I think tippy is crazy and out of hand. I worked at kmart and we would have to load up 200 50 lb bags of mulch and there is no tip for that, but having to give a waitress 15% on a $200 of wine. Wow. that is crazy. For me typing should be based on the effort. If I order 2 - 3 mixed drinks yeah I can see tipping that. alot of work goes into that and it can be a real art but for twisting off a cap I do not think so.

Tipping started I beleive as a way of bribing for good service. I give you $10 now and you take care of me.

Hahaha!

I am a clyesdale. Ever notice there is never a tip jar at town fest or like finish line at a race.

They are people who come and pour beer for free and no one thinks about tipping them even though people can be pretty mean about it. Being really tired its easy to be short with the people who are keeping you from the reason you do it.

Cylesdales go last to make sure everyone has the beer then we finish it off.

Funny someone should mention the wine,

I worked at a Fine Dining restaurant, and sometimes the rich people would not tip on wine(we are talking $800 to $1200 dlls a bottle) They still tipped very well but we understood that high end ticket items like that did not deserve a percentage tip. (Though man would that have been nice)

180 tip on the bottle alone? I would and complained. actually I would been like wtf spending that much on a bottle of wine. you can get a nice tri bike for that.

As a server in Vegas, I would like to remind people that the waitresses have to tip out a certain percantage on their sales at the end of the night. It varies, but my tip-out (busser, kitchen expo, bartender) is 5%. That means if someone tips me $5 on a $100 bill, I don't get any of it. If I don't tip the bartender right, I wait longer for my drinks, if I don't tip the kitchen expo right, he doesn't neccesarily see to my food needs...etc. A $5 tip on $100 does happen, and it means nothing for sitting at one of my four tables for an hour, making me run back and forth for drink refills or extra sides of butter or whatever you may ask for. Those nights are disheartening and tend to make servers bitter toward other guests. Especially if someone at the table is annoyingly rude or makes obnoxious jokes or talks to you with thier mouth full. Gross.

And tip the bartender for pete's sake. Normally, a dollar per drink is good, even if it's just a beer. They have to listen to your stupid drunk stories and clean the vomit out of the urinal, that's the least they deserve.

And I've never commented on a tip, except to say thank you. In the end, I will take the quarter. But next time you come in, I won't slip you the coupon price, and your extra side of butter may slip my mind for a better paying customer's request on which strip club is the best.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack. Tip the bike guy. He's messing with your bike and if he messes up, you could (at best) get a bad time (at worst) get an injury. A tip will grease the spokes, so to speak, and ensure he does a great job.

If it's not customary, he will regrettfully decline the tip, and your question is answered.

After working at a bike shop in Vegas for the past 5 months, I've been tipped for things I never expected. It's all about service. A guy came into the shop and said that he wanted a good road bike, and gear to make him "cool". Fair enough. He was a very nice guy, obviously lots of cash, but very humble also. I sold him a really nice Specialized road bike, lots of gear, and did a fitting for him. About 4,000.00 later, he walks out of the store. As I help him load his bike in his truck, he shakes my hand, and I can feel that he handed me a dollar bill. I don't look, put it in my pocket and walk back into the store.
Later I check, and it was a 100.00 bill. Necessary, not at all. Very, very appreciative. For all those who have, or do work in the service industry, I'm sure you know that experiences like this are few and far between. Retail is a thankless job, only have 3 days left, thank goodness.
It's been very humbling, but I'm grateful for the opportunity.
Unless the person who is serving you is a total jagoff, please tip them something, it does make a difference.
Hah, I'm going to miss the person who is 50 lbs. overweight, wants a full carbon bike with Dura-ace components for under 1000.00!!!!

Have a great day everyone!!!

Better watch it though a tip can be a real dangerous thing. I used to work in the service indistry I did alot but never jobs that you could ever get or expect tips. Well a guy gave me some free dried cherries for all my help. they were good and I thanked him. problem is whenver he got troubles he would remind of them and expect me to do things that were against my company policly. It came back to bit me on my butt.

I guess tipping I feel is such a pain in the butt that I do not bother in so many case so they lose all my money.

Edited by chirunner134 2007-10-04 8:32 AM

I have always made sure to tip you bro. You are the example of the bike shop employee who deserves it because you're willing to go the extra bit to help out.

I hope you enjoy leaving retail. There are times where I definitely still miss it.

come to Chicago and help me out. I want that bike and I fit the ridership requirements.

Thanks Nathan,

And you are the perfect example of a great customer, not because you tip, because you are interested in getting better, and are very respectful. Big props to you!