Customer service is not for everyone. Waiters constantly have to put on their best performance for each table they serve to reap the benefits of a good show – the money. Waiters only make at most a little over two dollars per hour, so tips are very much relied on. In other jobs, people don’t work for free, so why would it be any different in the service industry?
When people go out to eat at a nice restaurant, they go for the experience because that’s what makes it different than just picking up fast food. The people who provide that experience deserve to be treated and appreciated.
Waiters depend on tips as their main source of income. It’s what pays the bills, so technically, they rely on you, the customer. At the bottom of most tickets, there should be a gratuity tip percentage for the customer depending on how expensive their meal was. The rule of thumb is to always at least tip 15 percent, but that rule is outdated. Customers should tip according to how pleased they were with the service given. If they really liked their waiter and the food was excellent, a bigger tip won’t hurt their wallet as much as they might think it will.
A lot of waiters like to serve big parties because they have a mindset of “the bigger the table, the bigger the tip,” but that’s not always the case. If you know your table was one of your server’s bigger ones or you know your table made a pretty big mess or even if you know your table was a bit needy, constantly asking for more, then your waiter deserves a bigger tip.
Yes, some restaurants have people designated to cleaning up the messy tables, but if it’s busy and people are waiting for open seats, the waiter usually cleans their own tables. So, your tip essentially is paying for their service and clean up.
The bottom line is to just be a kind customer and tip out of the kindness of your heart according to how much you liked the service. Servers don’t have to go out of their way to have conversations with you or get to know a customer.
Don’t make excuses that you didn’t know they don’t get paid minimum wage because everybody at some point has heard that.
Be respectful just as they have towards you and thank them with more than just two or three dollars.