As I'm sure my faithful readers (*chuckle*) are aware of, I'm currently employed as a server at Olive Garden. It's through this vocation that I've become aware of the eccentricities that accompany working in a restaurant. Included in these is the forgotten art of tipping. Let me lay down a few points before I continue:
1 - Servers in restaurants like the one I work in typically earn an hourly pay that is far less than minimum wage.
2 - Thus, Servers depend on their tips for living.
3 - Therefore, servers don't necessarily care about you as much as they care about their tips.
4 - So, logically, any good service you receive is intended to be exchanged for a good tip.
Now that I have that out of the way, let me break down tipping for you. If everything goes good during your meal, then a tip that roughly equals 15 percent of the total bill is customary. Let me clarify what "everything goes good" means. If: your food arrives in a timely manner; your drinks are refilled (maybe you'll need to ask for it, but that happens. Cut us some slack.); and any unforseen problems are dealt with in a professional manner, then your server is worthy of that 15 percent tip.
If service is great then you'll want to tip 18 percent. You can usually tell great service by all things from the "good service" category being performed, accompanied with: a constant smile on the persons face; sounding thoroughly interested in anything you feel like you have to talk about; actually laughing at your jokes no matter how un-funny they are...though some may be funny, don't press your luck; and filling your drinks without you having to ask. That's great service. Most of the servers I work with (myself included) typically perform this kind of service with every party we are sat, but all-too-often do we deal with persons ignorant to the concept of tipping. Tipping me 4 dollars on a 30 dollar check when, on 3 occasions, I had the bread guy make you breadsticks without butter and garlic does not cut it.
If your server provides the absolute best dining experience you've ever had, do more than just tell them they're a great server. Plop a few extra bucks on top of the 18 percent they deserve. Money speaks louder than a comment we've heard many times before. Believe it or not, servers EXPECT to get a crappy tip when people compliment us. It happens to me almost every time someone compliments me. It's almost like a jinx, or a curse...
What people also need to be aware of is that they are not the only table we're waiting on. At OG, I'll serve you and two other tables. Depending on what part of the restaurant I'm in, and how the Hosts are seating me, I might not be able to rush out those breadsticks and salad refill as fast as you'd like. Believe me, though, I put your request in queue and I'll get to it when I can. This is a problem that most people don't know how to deal with. Apparently, I'm not supposed to be waiting on any other tables...Why not just castrate me now?
Every time I work, I never stop to do anything for myself. I never use the bathroom (seriously), I rarely get anything to drink, and I NEVER get anything to eat while I'm working. We don't get breaks when we work, because there's always the chance that we'll get sat. So, we have to be on our toes the entire time. Most of the people we serve are unaware of this. Like, today for instance (though this happens every time I work), I worked from 11:30 to 4:30 with no break. While that may not seem like much time to work (just 5 hours for those of you who don't feel like subtracting), you need to take into consideration that I was constantly walking (and sometimes running) without stopping to do anything besides give people their food.
While this post may sound like I'm ranting and raving about my job, believe me, it's FAR more than that. Serving is one of the most popular jobs among people my age, but it is also one that people are most ignorant about (and, no, I'm not calling people ignorant...simply un-informed). Sure, I may be biased, but I now realize this is something EVERYONE needs to know about. Not for my sake, but for the sake of any person involved in a tipped profession. Be they servers, pizza delivery guys, or bartenders. Tip them, and tip them well. When they know where the money is coming from, they will focus on ensuring your happiness.
