Please always tip at least 15%, regardless of the service.

[pnwest]

102. Everything you said - right here. I have 18 years in the

restaurant industry. I, too, know when a bad restaurant experience is the server's fault or due to circumstances out of his/her control, and tip accordingly. I start with the assumption that good service will get 20%. But I have NO problem with stiffing a server if they completely muck up the whole experience, especially when it's clear they just don't care. Sometimes when I got stiffed, I'd wonder if they just plain forgot to tip. So, to make it clear I meant to stiff 'em, I'll leave a quarter on the table.

And, sometimes, even if the server is responsible for the muck-up, if they are apologetic and own up to it and seem genuinely concerned, I'll still tip them 10-15% for their effort at making it right. But if they screw up and don't give a damn about it, they'll get zero money from me. They won't learn that actually caring about a customer's dining experience is what matters, if they get tipped for shitty service.

I know whether my food is late because the kitchen messed up, or the server is so in the weeds they can't get to the kitchen to pick up my food, or if they're out back smoking while my food is dying in the window. And I tip accordingly.

Everyone who gets into waiting tables knows the pay is shitty, so blaming the law is not really helpful. Waiting tables is about providing a certain dining experience. And the server either understands that or they don't. If the server just wants to take orders and be paid minimum wage, they need to work at a fast food joint. If a server understands that selling food is just PART of the job, they can make serious bank. I did, cause I was entertaining, genuinely gave a shit whether people enjoyed their evening, and have mad skillz at upselling.

When you go to a travel agency, or computer store, you want a salesperson who is knowledgable, skilled at listening to your needs, and steers you in the right direction for the best purchase to meet your needs. You want a food server to do the same thing - be knowledgeable about the menu, about wines, and whether you want an evening of fun, lively banter - or to be served quietly because you're having a romantic evening...you want a skilled, knowledgable server. And if the server has taken the time to learn how to be skilled, they deserve highest compensation for it. Lackadaisical, uninformed computer salesmen will lead me to go elsewhere to buy, and shitty service will do the same.