Tipping-New Norm- 25%?

[Mitchell]

I was just watching a segment from Kathie Lee and Hoda on the Today show. According to this segment, they claim that the new "norm" for tipping is 25%. This surprised me a bit, considering the still weak economy, etc.

I know this topic has been discussed on the forum before. I consider myself to be a very good tipper. I always tip cab drivers, both NYC, and livery, at least 20%. In resturants, even moderately priced ones, I never leave anything less than about 18%, and most often its 20%. My haircuts cost $25, so I give the cutter a $5 tip, and there is a seperate hair washer, who I give $3 to. For delivery, chinese food and pizza, etc, I usually give them at least $2, even for a $10 meal.

Has anyone else heard this about 25% being the new norm for tips? Thoughts on this?

Mitch

 

[milagros317]

I continue to give 20% in restaurants. I've gotten no dirty looks from waiters.

 

[Mitchell]

LOL, mils.

 

[Angel_2]

I think it always comes down to as in the past to the service you get. Good or outstanding service should get no less then 20% or higher. I'd still think 20% is the norm today but if it went up another 5% that isn't a crazy jump imo. What I'm no fan of is when you go into a restaurant and you see at the bottom of the menu or the bill you get after the meal is that an 18% or so gratuity has been added to your bill despite the service or lack there of. I'm very much in favor of tipping but let me be the judge on how much a waiter or waitress gets based on how they took care of my needs at the time. Adding in gratuity to my bill even before I can see what kind of service I'll get says to me there is no need for the person waiting on me to do much because he/she may already know that no matter what they have that already added in gratuity coming to them no matter what.

 

[maniactickler]

I give 20% to 25%

 

[Jagermeistered]

I think it always comes down to as in the past to the service you get.

-Angel_2

This should always be the main diagnosis. In Las Vegas, the minimum is still 18%. But, I usually judge my tipping to the experience, and not the norm...

 

[WorkInProgress]

I haven't heard of any rise in the standard rate. In fact, I think a lot of people still think the way to figure the tip is to double the tax, which makes for 15% of the net. In my case, I give 20% of the gross unless the service is willfully bad, and I round up a bit.

 

[njjktk]

For me:

15% crap service
20% the usual
20+% good stuff

 

[Mitchell]

WIP has an interesting point, except that in cities such as NY, their sales tax is often higher than 7.5%

I went to lunch at Pizzeria Uno today. My bill was $23 and change, and I left $28, just about 20%, as I usually do.

Mitch

 

[njjktk]

It's almost 10% in Omaha (sales tax + newly placed restaurant tax)!

 

[ticklehound]

Wow... well, call me Mr. Pink, then. I'd be considered cheap as hell.... but screw those 2 tipsy twits.... 25%? for normal service? Kiss my ass...

I still see tipping as my way of getting good service. I can bitch & complain about bad service, or laud really good service... but money talks.

I usually calculate what 15% is, roughly, and then round it up to the next dollar or so (ends up ~ 16-17%). That is what I consider average. IF it's really great service, I nudge it up over 20%.

If it's just awful service, I've gone as low as 10%, but I like to send a blunt message if I can. One time, a couple of friends & I were at a sports bar (one we've been to multiple times, so we know what to expect), and this guy was just horrible. Whether he was incompetent or lazy or both, we couldn't tell. We decided to leave early & saw no reason to tip anywhere close to what we give to the other servers. So, we left a deliberately shitty $1 apiece as tip... That'll learn him!

And to show I'm not callous, at another place, and the waiter gave us a note saying he was deaf, could read lips but had a note-pad for us to write what we wanted. He worked his ass off (more than he needed to) & was better than a lotta other people. I wanted to leave a hefty tip but didn't want him to presume I did it out of pity or something. It didn't help my buddy was joking around, criticizing my calculations. I imagine the tip was well over 25%, might have been closer to 30-33%.

 

[gentlefeather007]

I think it always comes down to as in the past to the service you get. Good or outstanding service should get no less then 20% or higher. I'd still think 20% is the norm today but if it went up another 5% that isn't a crazy jump imo. What I'm no fan of is when you go into a restaurant and you see at the bottom of the menu or the bill you get after the meal is that an 18% or so gratuity has been added to your bill despite the service or lack there of. I'm very much in favor of tipping but let me be the judge on how much a waiter or waitress gets based on how they took care of my needs at the time. Adding in gratuity to my bill even before I can see what kind of service I'll get says to me there is no need for the person waiting on me to do much because he/she may already know that no matter what they have that already added in gratuity coming to them no matter what.

That is usually for larger parties where more than one server is needed, that is no excuse for restaurants to add it in my opinion but that is what they do. In that case if the service was bad I'd ask for the manager and if I got nowhere with them I'd go corporate!!

 

[Bugman]

For decent service I'll leave 20% and bump it to 25% if I feel it's worth it. Waiting tables is not easy, and many servers live on tips. They sure don't get paid much by most restaurants. If my server is clearly goofing off and not paying attention, I'll leave 10 or 15% and ask to speak to the manager on the way out. I'm really not that demanding, just come by now and then and ask if I need anything. That's not too much to expect I think.

 

[Ticklerguy4u]

i usually tip to what I can afford. Most of the time its usually its twenty percent but not everytime.

 

[Dave Pavet]

The wit and wisdom of Kathy Lee and Hoda... Hoda WTF?

 

[tcklft]

15% for good service, 20% for great service. For 25% I'd better get a happy ending.

 

[tcklft]

The wit and wisdom of Kathy Lee and Hoda... Hoda WTF?

Hoda had a soda with ol' Yoda and a toada, a-la-moda....