Twenty percent (or close to it) is the standard amount to leave on a restaurant check. But other tipping-related matters aren’t so clear-cut. Steve Dublanica, former server and author of the blog Waiter Rant and Keep the Change: A Clueless Tipper’s Quest to Become the Guru of the Gratuity, weighs in on some hot-button tipping issues.
1. Should you tip on the tax? I like it when you do, but you don’t have to.
2. What is the correct amount to tip on drinks? At the bar, you should leave 15 to 20 percent of the total cost of that drink, which may seem kind of ridiculous. But think of it this way: At the table, you’re paying 15 to 20 percent. Why does the bartender not get that money, but the waiter—who doesn’t make those drinks—does?
3. When, if ever, is it acceptable to leave a bad tip? I don’t suggest stiffing servers on the tip, because you are punishing all the other people connected to that food chain. I tell people to talk to the manager and say, “I had very poor service, but I’m leaving a tip anyway.”
4. Should a server be able to automatically include gratuity if it’s not a large group? I don’t support waiters deciding who they’re going to attach a tip to. That’s not their job—that’s management’s job—and they need to have a very well thought-out policy about it.