At a Restaurant

Not only would I not have tipped, I'd have demanded to see the manager and asked for an explanation for the delay. Treating diners with such a cavalier attitude should not be tolerated. We're doing the favour by patronising the establishment, we should be treated like welcome and honoured guests, not nuisances, which seems to be how you were treated. You should have had your meals for free, together with a written explanation for your boss.

I think i would still tip if the the food and the ambience is still up to standard. After all, a tip isn't about the service only. Tip should be given as a gauge of the overall standard of our visit to the particular restaurant. Agree?

You've reminded me of an incident when we went to a restaurant years ago. We sat forever just waiting for a menu. There was this guy sound asleep in another booth and when the waitress finally came around we ordered pillows and blankets so we could take a nap. The waitress didn't think it was funny. The fact was it wasn't so busy that they were swamped. We could be patient for that. It was just about empty except for us and the snorer. Needless to say, we didn't leave a tip and we complained about the service.

hi breepeace if I had had to wait like that no no I would' not leave any tip, and might even tell the cashier that the manager ought to cut my bill in half for making me wait so long I would be late getting back to my job. For excellent service yes I will tip for medium service no and lousy service really really no no way no how.

It depends on the situation I think. If I have to wait because the place is crowded, I usually leave a tip, but if the restaurant is almost empty I don't leave a tip if the service is really slow. My ex and I once had dinner at a restaurant in Copenhagen, and we waited more than an hour for our food. When we finally got the food that we had ordered, we had to eat it really fast, because we had to go somewhere else. The waiters apologized more than once and offered us a free dessert, but we were in hurry so we didn't have time to eat dessert. We didn't leave a tip, we just paid and hurried out of the door. I think that the restaurant handled the situation okay, and we would have taken the free dessert, if we hadn't been so busy.

Oh gosh, this so reminds me of an incident when we ate at a pizza place! We went to Cebu (here in the Philippines) to file for our licenses, and by the time we were finished, we were all craving for pizza. A friend suggested that we go to the restaurant that is rumored to be the best in Cebu. So, looking forward to that reputation, we decided to try it out. UPon arriving, we ordered immediately their specials, and some appetizers. To our dismay, the first pizza arrived around 45 minutes after we ordered. The next pizza arrived 30 minutes after the first one. I was really disgusted by the service and we left without leaving a tip. I think it's not one's obligation to leave a tip, especially if you're not satisfied with the service!

In my country the Philippines, tipping is not required but highly appreciated. I am also like you, I am a generous tipper especially if I like the service. I give tips in restaurants and I also give a tip to the salon staff who gives me a foot spa, massage and pedicure. Giving a tip is to ensure promptness. There are times that I don't give a tip, thats the time when I am not satisfied or happy with the service being given to me. I think I am reasonable with that.

Not only should you NOT leave a tip, but the restaurant should have given you your meal for free. Something also needs to be said to the manager. If this is typical, they're going to start losing business.

Those servers are hired by the restaurant and should be paid by the restaurant, not you. If you want to leave them a little something, out of the goodness of your heart, because the service was good, that's your right; otherwise, you don't own them anything.

hi, breepeace! Yea, I'm a tipper, and quite a generous one, I think. But, it depends on the situation. If I experience one like yours, I won't tip them. Perhaps, I will even question them what took them so long? Especially, as you said, that the restaurant wasn't that busy. I also often fill the feedback card that available in some restaurants, and will mark poor for the delivery service, lol. I don't care if they read it or not, but at least I show my effort to them to improve their service :)

We do not have a tipping culture in Australia where I live, so I would not tip at all here no matter how good they are at serving me! I did live in the USA for a while though and found it very hard to get used to tipping for service. I had to be pushed into it a bit at first but after I was there for a while, I became used to it. I did always leave a tip, but if service was not good, then a very small one would be left for them!

I have worked as a waiter and am working as a bar tender. So I am usually very good with the tips, but one time I was at a restaurant with some friends and we were the only ones in there. We could see the employees standing around talking. We stared saying loudly I wounder if they would get upset if we refilled our own drink cause they didn't want to. I even told the waiter that there tip was to give good service if they want a tip.

Usually I don't give any tips in the restaurant. Most probably because they already charge the service tax on it. They usually charge 5% on the service tax but they did not provide a good service to us. So I usually will not give extra for such a slow and bad service. If the service was very good, maybe I will just give some.

that's not a good experience, if that happens to me, i won't give a single cent to tip them. tipping someone is for the good job done.

Not only would I have not left a tip I would have complained to the manager. I would have told him that you are here for lunch and because of your Waite person you are now late going back to work. You are going to make sure ever body in your office knows that you are not a working persons friend

I only tip if im satisfies with the food and service. Isnt a tip like a bonus of good service? Im certianly not tipping if the food is crappy or the service is.

NO, I would not have left a tip either. I don't tip for bad service. I very seldom get to go out to eat & when i do I expect good food & good service. I don't blame u abit.

I really can't blame you for not leaving anything...I might have done the same thing especially if it was cutting into the time I would have been earning money at work. I have had that happen to me a few times and often wonder what is taking so long? The worst part is you kind of hate to say anything because of being afraid they might do something to your food.

Having been a waitress, I can honestly say that there are times when the waitress is doing all that is possible to serve well, but the cook staff is not doing their part. That said, it should never take a waitress more than a moment or two to get drinks. The best approach is to take water to the table when you deliver menus. Then, return with the requested drinks and take the order. It sounds to me like you either had a very inexperienced server or a very lazy one. I would not have left a tip either. Any one who serves in a restaurant should know that if the food is slow coming, thet should try to inform the customers of the problem rather than avoid them and they should always ask if anything else is needed upon serving the food. Rather than leave no tip at all, I would rather make a bold, unforgetable statement like leaving only a penny. This tells the server that you did not merely forget to leave a tip, as most would perceive that, but that you were very unhappy with the service.

If experiencing that effect, my friend. I don't leave any tip for them. Because my expectation is not really meet...Have a nice day!