Tipping Your Server
Why should I tip a server?
I have been doing this for about five years and I am just now starting to really feel comfortable in to it. Seriously things that go behind scene are. There are times when you have eight tables. There are most of us who are working really hard.
How much should I tip a server?
It should be between fifteen and twenty percent. Fifteen percent for mediocre service, twenty percent for good service. More if you really have like a connection with the person. If you make your server run around like a crazy person, you know if you ask for all these different modifications, and if you make them go back and get you five different ramekins of ketchup, if your kids are throwing things all over the place. There are some times when you just get a waiter and you just kind of click with the person. Talking and you're telling each other about your personal lives, and hey I could be friends with this person. I won't be, but I could be. And that's when you should tip a lot more. One time when I went into an Applebee's, we were sitting there, like they sat us and we were sitting there for probably like twenty minutes, and like no one cared. Like just no one cared. I tipped them nothing. Cause I guess what I wanted was for somebody to be apologetic. "Hey, we're really sorry, we're really busy,"
What was your best or worst tip?
I have actually gotten two hundred dollar tips. This one time I got a hundred dollar tip from this couple. We had a really nice like rapport and they were professional dancers and I was like, "I love dancing" and they were like, "We know J-Lo." And I was like, "Oh, my God!" And then I had someone who was a restaurant owner and we just got to talking and he tipped me a hundred dollars....The worst is when you have someone that you are talking with and that you are friendly with and you feel like you are giving them really good service and then they tip you 10%. We're taking care of you so take care of us, you know?
How should I give a tip to a server?
I like the money handshake. I've gotten a couple of those at the restaurant and I love it because it's a surprise. You open up your hand and, "what did I get?" One guy who was really sweet comes up to me after his meal, and he gives me a handshake and there's money in it. And later I looked at my hand and it was a dollar. But just put it in your hand and then shake it and they automatically know what it is. It's a pretty universal handshake.