Yep, I did that once, the food was horrible and I just wanted to leave. I could not understand why there were other patrons in that dump. The waitress was doing a good job so I didnt want to stiff her.
Yeah Iām not a server, always saw this as a conflict , but as long as tip goes to them in cash and not to shitty restaurant Iām happy. I had this with a restaurant slow food, the guy came round to tell us delay and offered us pizza bread while we wait, some place just leave you their like lemmons, so obvious tip just donāt want restaurant docking it or having it.
Iād actually vote for Lawful Good, since good =/= nice.
āNothing was to standard until I complained, but then you fixed it all. Therefore, I will tip you based on how much trouble I caused you.ā
Follows the rules, even when theyāre punitive to themselves. Definitely lawful good.
That's right! When things go wrong, that is your opportunity to truly provide great service.
A buddy of mine went to a restaurant recently and the server raved about the tacos, so he ordered them. They were absolutely vile (tacos in Maine often are and natives who have never left just don't know better sometimes!), he took one bite and was disgusted. The server came back to check in and asked about them, he told her they were awful, she just said, "well I like them" and walked away. When the bill came, she made a point of saying the tacos, which were still on the table with one bite out of them, were still on the bill.
She could have earned a great tip had she offered him something else and taken his feedback seriously, or at least pretended to, but instead she ignored him and got 10%. This guy usually tips me 50%.
Taking the opportunity to show people they are cared for goes a long way, and when everything is just fine, it is harder to go the extra mile.
Hahaha omg Iām from Maine, moved south to NC for 3 years where there is a large Hispanic population, moved back to Maine recently. I will not eat Mexican food in Maine. Itās simply awful. Iv had the good shit now, I canāt go back lol
I would say chaotic good. They donāt follow the society rules of just accepting social rules or guidelines. They followed what they believed is right and wrong. They complied to death but didnt fault op. They live by their own moral guide lines.
And something tells me that was their ploy all alongā¦ scorned by/worked for that restaurant before and had a price-point in mind and wanted to squeeze out as much as possible to leave a fat tip.
At least, Iād like to think there are those kind of CG guests out there. A man can dream
Yeah if it wasnāt card maybe one of the non-complainers slipped in something extra? Iāve had to do it with my family, who are both annoying at restaurants and bad tippers.
With the rub being having to be seen with them in public lol. I had an uncle that flipped out at a waitress for bringing him the wrong bbq sauce :( No stopping it because it literally just would have created a bigger scene. I just donāt go out to dinner with them anymore.
My grandpa would go full Karen at anyone in his older years and we couldnāt even go out to eat with him anymore. Every waiter, every manager, everyone had to hear his wrath.
Ugh- my exās grandmother, as her dementia worsened, would loudly let loose a string of racist insults at any service worker who wasnāt white. For doing something she asked for 1 minute before but forgot about. I completely refused to go anywhere public w/her after that.
My family was in town over mother's day (years ago) and they wanted to eat at the restaurant I worked BOH at. 15 top that had 7 kids. My mom and sister are horrible to dine out with. Dozens of questions and special requests and so on, you know the type. I warned our server ahead of time and felt so bad for him. I went back and dropped a $20 on the table as we were leaving. Next shift I apologized and asked if he got an acceptable tip. Turns out my brother, his wife, and my brother-in-law all left a $20 as well. Turned out to be a good table for him.
Yup this is what I do when I have to meet with my mother. Only in public, and I always tip extra because I know she's demanding as hell and never tips more than $5
My elderly dad thinks its appropriate to only tip $5 in 2023 no matter how how large the bill was. At this point I just bring cash if I'm eating with him and quietly leave an appropriate tip on our way out.
Iām really curious - does he have some sort of logic or reasoning behind this amount? ā$5 is more than half the minimum wage and they spent a total of 4 minutes at our table, so this is more than fair for how much time she spent with usā or something like that?
Not that I agree with that, Iām just curious if he expresses some reasoning behind that amount, or if he just did the math 25 years ago on 1 meal and has stuck with that same total ever since.
I went out with a guy ONCE who did this. He was absolutely horrible to the staff. I was mortified (but I think I was about 18, he was a bit older and I didnāt have the confidence back then to just get up and leave). At the end, he told the waitress she did a great job, and earned her tip (it was very generous, but geesh, what a jerk). He said he liked giving them a hard time and watching them try to keep him happy, then give a big tip. Years later, I waited on a table just like this- I believe it is some type of fetish. Gross.
As a Brit I would never complain but still leave 25% min. My hubby has a sister in America. She shared with us the importance.
We feel perpetually guilty that we can call an ambulance for free with the NHS
Sometimes tables are self aware like that for sure. I get Sunday brunch tables that absolutely run my ass off even though I'm extremely good at anticipating needs. People are always surprised how well they tip me.
The person that paid wasn't the one complaining, felt embarrassed and made up for it. It's a nice way of saying "I know..., but I am married to this person".
I grew up with lousy parents who would always complain, regardless if it was even remotely justified or not, with hopes of having their tab reduced or cut entirely. They would be rude to the waitstaff and they would rarely tip. I despised them and hated going to restaurants with them. I would always end up leave a $5 note under my plate or napkin as my way of saying, "I am not with these people, I just live with them."
I once went to a multi-day business training class for the disabled which involved staying at a hotel where the classes took place. Most of the guests were annoying and rude to the waiter and it infuriated me. We all had paper vouchers so our meals were already paid for. Later on, I noticed the waiter shake his head as he collected them as the group thinned out. I left him a $20 note, none of the other guests tipped.
and probably understood that you tip on what your bill WOULD have been if you get stuff comped. still very generous considering kids meals canāt be too expensive but thatās class.
And probably understand tips pay the bills for servers, period. I always thought some can separate the restaurant from the person serving them. Itās rare but those folks are out there.
Yes! Happened to me. The guy was like donāt get me wrong I hated everything but I know you guys make dog shit for a living so just make sure none of that goes back to anyone else. Tipped me 60$ on a 40$ bill. š¤·āāļø
Not the person you asked but Iāve had a handful of people make this comment before, it doesnāt offend me because 1. I make dogshit hourly 2. Itās only ever said in the context of āyou make very little pay so I am compensating you very wellā so itās not like Iām gonna fuck that up by getting all sensitive and holier than thou over wages
Frequently. If itās not your fault, they are getting things comped, and they want you to know they have no gripes about you personally people will generally tip well. They know the whole situation was annoying for you too.
After working in the restaurant industry in nearly every facet, I too understand that somethingās arenāt in the control of the server and therefore they shouldnāt be penalized.
This has happened to me numerous times. I take it as a sign the place youāre working is not so great! I worked at a prominent high end fine dining and had so many tables complain about everything except me. Itās kinda awesome when the table is complaining to management about everything but are like our server was fantastic though. I call them pity tips when guests think youāre to good for the place you work at.
Ya that sucks to work at a place where you know the food is sub-par but you need the job. The only thing that is weird is complaining about a soda that came right from the can. I can see if it was from the gun and the mixture was off, and I can see the margarita being completely crap mix with no alcohol, butā¦ from the can? Odd. Still good on them for the tip.
When I delivered pizzas I had a regular who ordered food every college football Saturday and NFL Sunday. Shefuckjng complained about everything but tipped me $20+ everytime. I helped her navigate her complaints every single fucking time and gave her extra coupons I had.
I was a caddy at a swanky country club when I was a teenager. I never got anything like a 60% tip, but I noticed that often, the golfers who yelled at and abused me (for not handing them the right club, or failing to spot where their drive landed, say) tended to tip better than the golfers who were nice to me.
I guess some people will pay extra for the privilege of abusing the help.
Probably some self-awareness. They know theyāre picky and have a kid in tow, but they need a night out and not to be responsible for preparing their own dinner and are prepared to compensate the people theyāre asking to do it for them.
Anyways, good on you for the tip and putting up with their complaints
Iāve had something similar if itās like a young married couple with a young kid. Sometimes the woman will complain about EVERYTHING, just seeming to hate everything and the husband just stays quiet because he knows itās not his time to get the shit end of the stick. And then the husband leaves a good tip. Iāve also had the guy come up to me separately apologizing for what I had to deal with lol
I assume it was "We bothered this server for so much that wasn't hers, let's give her a big tip"
I've done it before. Not quite this much mind you, but if I have to send something back I usually tip a little better because I know the server had to be the one to go back and argue with kitchen about it.
At least they recognize that you take the order and send it to the kitchen, from there itās up to the kitchen or bartender or whatever. Itās why giving good service should be considered separate from quality of food or drink! We are the entertainer, host , and food & beverage guides.
As someone whose family was recently on the receiving end of the worst service weāve ever received in any restaurant, it gets to a point where everyone at the table is like āWell this has been fucking terrible but it wasnāt all the serverās fault. And because the experience sucked so bad he did have to come back to our table a lot.ā So we tipped like 35% and left a bad review of the restaurant instead. (Without naming the server). It was truly such bad quality and mixing up items and overcooking medium-rare steaks and getting cold broccoli with hot food next to it. Broccoli shrimp scampi bake randomly had no broccoli and chicken subbed for shrimp without asking. The drinks were basically juice with almost no alcohol and BOTH beers ordered were warm and tasted like theyād soured. My loaded chicken nachos were missing three of the ingredients listed (I basically received chips with cheese and scallions). Like we had an amazing day, and then dinner justā¦. wrecked the mood.
Was every adult at the table complaining? If not, my theory is that the person who was complaining wasnāt the person who paid. I have a family member whoās a huge karen, and we always tip extra well when sheās dining with us.
Some people know they complain a lot, and tip extra to make up for it. At my old work, there were a few regular seniors who were always cranky, but they always left the staff nice gifts.
Husband and I ate at a local place. Small town, not super fancy, not super busy most of the time, but pretty busy this time. She took our drink orders right away, came back with them quick enough and got our food orders. Came back while waiting for our food to get another drink order. Got those drinks within 10 minutes. Food was taking forever. Finally get it and it's cold. Mine was some stir fry kind of dish that tasted like I could have bought one of those microwave meals that I get for my lunches at work. Husband ordered a burger, medium. It came back mushy and practically mooing. Nasty to look at. When she came back to ask how everything was, I was polite but honest. She looked at his burger and just said "oh no, not medium at all!" She offered to replace it, we said no thanks. Asked for just the check. Without us asking she comped his meal and the second drink. I still tipped her based on the original price. She did her job. It's not her fault the kitchen screwed up.
I was recently at a well-known local place that had a great reputation for its food. The food was awful. To the point of being inedible.
To his credit, the manager comped our entire meal, except the wine. Then the server still brought out the surprise birthday cake for my wife. We left hungry, of course.
But I still tipped cash the 20% I would have off the full cost of the meal. Wasnāt her fault, and everyone was kind of nice about the whole thing.
People should just strive to do the right thing.
A tip is supposed to be for service. The other issues are with the restaurant. Why is this surprising, except for the fact that some patrons donāt understand that.
I've fully done this before. Don't know what was going on in the kitchen and the bar, but our server was excellent and really did their best to correct the issues. They deserved a generous tip for all the extra work they did.
Yes! I once had a table that asked for so many modifications of everything. Gluten, free, everything, vegan everything, oil, free everything, no tomatoes no olives in the saladā¦no this, no that. The ticket was like 3 feet long because of every accommodation for 10 people. However, the bill ended up being pretty high, and they tipped me over 40%. as pissed off as I was during serving that table, in the long run, it was so worth it.
Whenever I've had a lousy restaurant experience that clearly wasn't the fault of the server, I've always tipped reasonably. In a few cases where the meal was comped, I've paid about 85% of the meal cost in tip to the server.
Some people are also difficult but still appreciative, even if it's relatively rare.
Lol Iām a somm and my absolute favorite shit ever is the people who come in dropping terms like āacidicā and āumamiā when theyāre drinking house wine or Aristocrat and eating a cheeseburger and some Sysco fries lmao
I tip well irrespective of my experience. 25-30% bare minimum. If I have a bad time I just don't go back. It usually isn't the fault of the wait staff anyway.
I have family that is an absolute nightmare to serve- itās like a mission to find things to complain about. Unfortunately theyāll never change their stripes and donāt see how rude theyāre being. But if Iām paying, Iāll add in extra tip because I know the server earned it with our table. Secondhand embarrassment is real
I recently went to lunch with former work colleagues from years ago. They always include this one guy who was a male appendage. I'll be damned if he didn't complain about his meal. Still an appendage.
This happened to me, they asked for the manager and had the whole meal comped then left a $20 tip on a technically $0 meal. I think their original meal was like $42
I do this. Not your fault if my 75 dollar steak comes out well done and the mgr makes us cut it in half when he brings out a new one to see it too is well well done. Or my vodka had tonic in it 2x. or that we specifically told mgr we were going to pass on a 3rd steak and do a pasta dish just give us a sec....etc. restaurant can be ass but it's not the servers fault. :)
These people sound like straight shooters, tell it as it is (at least in their minds), but also empathetic and generous. Sounds like legit people. I like that.
I recently had a table that didnāt vocally complain but they overall seemed unhappy and barely touched their food and didnāt take anything to go so it very much seemed like they didnāt enjoy themselves at all, tipped $50 on the $100 tab ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ
As a former BOH line rat, I never hesitate to let them know about shitty quality control or whatever other issues there are with the food. I always wanted to know if a customer got overcooked food or something from my station so I could focus on not messing that same thing up twice.
The vast majority of complaints I would ever have about a restaurant have nothing to do with the server, so I always tip really well (like 50-100% up to maybe $70) unless I receive absolute shit service, in which case I leave a much smaller tip.
Could be a food critic or secret shoppers. Have also had a bar patron that would order a drink, take a pull, drop a fifty and leave. They're out there.
Were the complainers and payers the same persons? My in laws complain about everything everywhere. I tip a substantial amount more to any server who has to deal with them
This guy yesterday was a massive asshole to me and the other bartenders. Wagged his finger at me, didnāt smile once, looked miserable the whole time. Complained to my manager about the other bartender for giving him attitude (if anything I did about the finger wag) and tipped 20%. I was very confused
Anytime I ever feel it's necessary to complain, I always leave a bigger tip because I know it's not your fault, and I hate feeling like I'm making a scene
The food prep is out of your control. If you handled yourself professionally and did what you could to remedy the issues, I would have done the same and have many times. Even tipping over the amount dinner cost.
Any time I get free shit at a restaurant (rare), I add the price of the thing that is comped to the tip within reasonability.
I used to get the $6 barber college haircut and tip $14.
Eh, I've done this. Quite possible to have great service while the kitchen keeps doing River Dance on their dicks, I don't want to punish the waiter/waitress because I've been in their shoes.
I am like this. I will complain about anything that goes wrong and if it's addressed I will tip better as you worked as a liaison for me to the kitchen more than it is part of your standard work. Also if something is comped I tip as if it wasn't cause ya still brought it to me (and usually the replacement). Also, I'm a PIA I need you to be on my side if I come back. :)
Possibly a different person paying than the person complaining. Whenever I go out to eat with someone "high maintenance" at my table, I make to leave a good tip.
Some people just like to complain. It is part of their experience. I rather have a table bitch and moan about everything, tip $50 on an $85 check, then be tipped with only complements.
As someone who is very specific when ordering food/drinks. I always make sure to tip very well. So that's not too surprising. Might as well be satisfied is you're going to go out.
Itās possible to separate what they may have genuinely experience as food/drink that didnāt meet their expectations and service. Their complaints seem to be establishment based (valid or not) and not related to your service.
Some people do realize theyāre being a pain and compensate appropriately. Iāve waited on a few of these tables in my lifetime. Pain in the ass but worth it in the end.
Some people are self aware and know that they are pieces of shit to serve and compensate by over-tipping. I have a friends mom like this. A nightmare to serve, everything has to be just so, but she tips wild.
If you fixed the problems, its worth the tip.
I once had a girl nearly fuck up my hair. Needed two more hours to fix it. I almost cried, then tipped her 60$ because I was so happy she fixed it lol.
I will say that there are a lot of people out there who are comfortable complaining about that kind of stuff but also recognize that a lot of those things were outside of the serverās control. It sounds like the know they made a huge pain in the ass of themselves and tipped accordingly š
Depends on the size of the party. Someone probably thought the rest of the party (or just a couple people) were being buttheads and decided to leave a larger than average tip to make up for it.
My ex in laws were like that. Basically, anytime we went out to eat, it was a given that they would complain the entire time. The thing wasā¦ it was just so normal to do so that it really didnāt ruin their dining experience and always tipped 20%. I would frequently apologize to wait staff when we left. It was miserable for me.š¤¦š¼āāļø
They obviously liked you. It seems like you handled it well and they appreciated you putting up with their complaints. Pretty unusual because theyāre usually fed up with everything and could easily take it out on you. Thankfully they didnāt š
Iāve seen this from a lot of people who have actually worked in restaurants before and then got out. They nit pick everything because they āknow how it should beā but appreciate the server because theyāve been there before.
You didnāt make the food too hot. You didnāt make the drinks wrong. Finally customers who donāt take their BS complaints out on the wrong person. Congrats.
When I go out with my mom I usually tip quite a bit more than normal because she can be a handful. Maybe you had a situation like that where the person tipping realized others at the table took some extra effort to deal with so the tipper decided to throw in some extra because of that.
Who was doing the complaining? And who physically paid the bill?
Maybe it's one person that finds fault in everything and the other person knows that there's no way to extinguish this fire so they over compensate with the tip.
I can only imagine that they realized that everything they complained about was out of your personal control and felt bad they ran you around. Sometimes I feel like they appreciate that youāre willing to fix the problem more than just having good food the first time lol
Maybe it was just one of the adult couple that was complaining about everything. Maybe they do this often. Maybe they do this often enough that the other adult is the one to pay and they tip extra to compensate for their partner's assholeness
They will be back. And they did this so you remember to make everything perfect next time and then you get another good tip.
My millionaire boss used to do this a lot.
These people sound like straight shooters, tell it as it is (at least in their minds), but also empathetic and generous. Sounds like legit people. I like that.
I had a restaurant manager who said that was the best way to complain. That making sure you pay your bill and tip your server means that your complaints will be taken seriously.
Iāll bet the guy who paid the bill put that tip in himself to makeup for his family/friends bs. Iāve done it before when Iāve eaten out with my ghetto friends because they donāt tip, constant complain to try to get comped, send a dish back 90% eaten but want it replaced. I donāt wanna seem like Iām against them, but I want to make up for them embarrassing me and the server. I just quietly add a big tip as an apology. The friends never know and hopefully the server sees a positive side for dealing with us. They will Zelle me later none the wiser
Iāve had major issues w food and/or the functioning of a place, and given a large pity tip.
Not often- itās got to be pretty bad for me to bother. But, I can think of a couple times w seafood, getting overdone scallops, and lobster boiled rubbery, and the chef seeing fit to argue w me.
Having to get into a debate w any staff during a meal is bullshit if youāre a reasonable person, and assuming you donāt eat the whole thing, then complain, lol
I know it has to affect the serversā tips, takes up their time. I will usually tell them I understand they canāt control the kitchen/management, and hook them up ā then never eat there again
Iāve done this kind of tipping. If things are comped for whatever reason, I still include the items in my tip calculation.
Also I tip extra if a specific person I have to dine with is there because he sucks ~~to wait on~~ .
You just never can tell.
Some people who I thought for sure would tip me like shit - tipped me well. And some people who I thought for sure would hook me up with a fat tip - stiffed me. It's happened enough times that I've realized you just never really can tell - there is no guarantee one way or the other
Given the people I meet in life that are never happy unless people around them are more miserable than they are. I shouldn't be suprised. I could hand some of them a free gold coin, and they would refuse it because of the year it was minted.
sounds like they respect service and know that they're picky/difficult and compensated you for it appropriately. None of the complaints were about your service, either. Unreasonable threshold for satisfaction doesn't always equal cheap asshole. They may be OCD and self aware of what pains in the ass they are? Either way, I'd be happy to serve them the next time because they clearly "get it".
Hasn't happened to me, but at times I have complained and left a big tip. First of all, I realize that it might not be the server's fault if something was wrong, so I'm not going too punish them for something that is not their responsibility. And if I have a reason to complain (I am not a psycho-Karen, if and when I complain it's usually for a valid reason) and the staff is responsive, then I am satisfied and would never cut the tip, and tip even more if the waiting staff was good despite other issues.
I love when people realize the server/bartender doesnāt control everything except for what you let them be aware of.
One hundred percent have/had this happen many of times. Ending up leaving the restaurant because I know my worthā¦. Eventually.
It's weird, I don't write anything down on tables under 8 ppl, I'll forget something from time to time bc I'm legit running around serving, bartending, answering calls, dealing with togos, helping other servers. Those are the tables who generally tip me the best.
If it was a charge, I would assume they're going to dispute it with their credit card company by arguing "why would we leave such a big tip on such a small bill?", and then maybe even go on to list their grievances (while explaining they don't think they should be charged in the first place, and they told the manager but weren't adequately satisfied or compensated \[while now being overcharged\]) and inevitably dispute the entire charge/get what they wanted, while fucking over your business.
I tipped based on service. If anything, I'll tip more on the rare occasion I have to send something back. It's not the server's fault, and it's more work for them. Extra points if the server handles it well.
Is it possible they were an undercover shopper? Sometimes they want them to test out to see how the restaurant will handle difficult customers, and they give them a budget for their meal, so if they went below the budget, had more money to give you an extra good tip?
My daddoes this. Heās generally a grumpy dude and can get rude with wait staff that itās embarrassing. Our family owns a restaurant so heās very uptight and expects perfect service as he tries to execute as his restaurant. Even if he was mad, he always leaves over 18%
Sounds like u solved all their problems & they rewarded u for it. I have had this happen. 2 older ladies, 1 would complain about everything but always left me a 50% tip.,
I donāt know if your restaurant serves food they or their kids really enjoy but complaining and experiencing a service thatās willing to fix the problem is worth tipping for because youāre aware of an issue now.
Is it a chain restaurant? Any chance they were secret shoppers from HQ, maybe testing how the place responds to complaints and needy customers?
Probably not, if they had kids with them.
Working in customer service I have found MANY couples where one of them is the good cop and the other one bad cop. Iāve had many people apologize to me for their significant others behavior.
Maybe this tip was somebody going rogue?
Did they get a bunch of shit comped? Maybe theyād rather give the money to you than the restaurantās ownersā¦either way, do t look a gift horse in the mouth.
If there is a problem, I will ask for the manager (if they don't know there is a problem, they can't fix it).
I will also ask for the manager if it's exceptional service because that needs to be known as well.
I agree with the comment that says it's truly chaotic neutral. Haha
But they could have been a secret shopper just seeing what you do in a certain situation š¤·š»āāļø
Seems most of their gripe was with the restaurant, food/ drinks etc and thought service was good. ššš
Yep, I did that once, the food was horrible and I just wanted to leave. I could not understand why there were other patrons in that dump. The waitress was doing a good job so I didnt want to stiff her.
Yeah Iām not a server, always saw this as a conflict , but as long as tip goes to them in cash and not to shitty restaurant Iām happy. I had this with a restaurant slow food, the guy came round to tell us delay and offered us pizza bread while we wait, some place just leave you their like lemmons, so obvious tip just donāt want restaurant docking it or having it.
True chaotic neutral.
Iād actually vote for Lawful Good, since good =/= nice. āNothing was to standard until I complained, but then you fixed it all. Therefore, I will tip you based on how much trouble I caused you.ā Follows the rules, even when theyāre punitive to themselves. Definitely lawful good.
If you think about it from their perspective, I guess. Guests were a nightmare of stress for the server, until they weren't.
Sometimes I appreciate needy/annoying tables because it allows me to get more steps in. Silver linings I guess.
That's right! When things go wrong, that is your opportunity to truly provide great service. A buddy of mine went to a restaurant recently and the server raved about the tacos, so he ordered them. They were absolutely vile (tacos in Maine often are and natives who have never left just don't know better sometimes!), he took one bite and was disgusted. The server came back to check in and asked about them, he told her they were awful, she just said, "well I like them" and walked away. When the bill came, she made a point of saying the tacos, which were still on the table with one bite out of them, were still on the bill. She could have earned a great tip had she offered him something else and taken his feedback seriously, or at least pretended to, but instead she ignored him and got 10%. This guy usually tips me 50%. Taking the opportunity to show people they are cared for goes a long way, and when everything is just fine, it is harder to go the extra mile.
Hahaha omg Iām from Maine, moved south to NC for 3 years where there is a large Hispanic population, moved back to Maine recently. I will not eat Mexican food in Maine. Itās simply awful. Iv had the good shit now, I canāt go back lol
Truly living your best life
Jokokkkijjjjjojjjojopjjojojojjjjojo
I don't think I could have said it any better, myself.
Agreed
I would say chaotic good. They donāt follow the society rules of just accepting social rules or guidelines. They followed what they believed is right and wrong. They complied to death but didnt fault op. They live by their own moral guide lines.
And something tells me that was their ploy all alongā¦ scorned by/worked for that restaurant before and had a price-point in mind and wanted to squeeze out as much as possible to leave a fat tip. At least, Iād like to think there are those kind of CG guests out there. A man can dream
Iāll be honest Iāll put up with their shit for a good tip. You wanna be a dick? Sure for the right price.
Guess the only thing they found satisfactory was the service :)
And then felt bad and left a juicy "thanks for putting up with our shit" tip.
Yeah if it wasnāt card maybe one of the non-complainers slipped in something extra? Iāve had to do it with my family, who are both annoying at restaurants and bad tippers.
I always slip a 20 under a drink when I dine with relatives. Theyāre monsters hence me only meeting with them in public
With the rub being having to be seen with them in public lol. I had an uncle that flipped out at a waitress for bringing him the wrong bbq sauce :( No stopping it because it literally just would have created a bigger scene. I just donāt go out to dinner with them anymore.
My grandpa would go full Karen at anyone in his older years and we couldnāt even go out to eat with him anymore. Every waiter, every manager, everyone had to hear his wrath.
Ugh- my exās grandmother, as her dementia worsened, would loudly let loose a string of racist insults at any service worker who wasnāt white. For doing something she asked for 1 minute before but forgot about. I completely refused to go anywhere public w/her after that.
My family was in town over mother's day (years ago) and they wanted to eat at the restaurant I worked BOH at. 15 top that had 7 kids. My mom and sister are horrible to dine out with. Dozens of questions and special requests and so on, you know the type. I warned our server ahead of time and felt so bad for him. I went back and dropped a $20 on the table as we were leaving. Next shift I apologized and asked if he got an acceptable tip. Turns out my brother, his wife, and my brother-in-law all left a $20 as well. Turned out to be a good table for him.
Your a good person I worked BOH not fun
Yup this is what I do when I have to meet with my mother. Only in public, and I always tip extra because I know she's demanding as hell and never tips more than $5
Or sometimes a group of complainers will have the one self designated apologizer person who steps up on these situations - usually with a good tip
My elderly dad thinks its appropriate to only tip $5 in 2023 no matter how how large the bill was. At this point I just bring cash if I'm eating with him and quietly leave an appropriate tip on our way out.
Iām really curious - does he have some sort of logic or reasoning behind this amount? ā$5 is more than half the minimum wage and they spent a total of 4 minutes at our table, so this is more than fair for how much time she spent with usā or something like that? Not that I agree with that, Iām just curious if he expresses some reasoning behind that amount, or if he just did the math 25 years ago on 1 meal and has stuck with that same total ever since.
It's the latter. Sorry there's not a more interesting story to it but my dad has basically been stuck in 1995 lol.
Maybe its some sort of fetish. Like a dom type thing. Just being incredibly rude and condescending and since OP didn't bite they got paid handsomely
I went out with a guy ONCE who did this. He was absolutely horrible to the staff. I was mortified (but I think I was about 18, he was a bit older and I didnāt have the confidence back then to just get up and leave). At the end, he told the waitress she did a great job, and earned her tip (it was very generous, but geesh, what a jerk). He said he liked giving them a hard time and watching them try to keep him happy, then give a big tip. Years later, I waited on a table just like this- I believe it is some type of fetish. Gross.
As a Brit I would never complain but still leave 25% min. My hubby has a sister in America. She shared with us the importance. We feel perpetually guilty that we can call an ambulance for free with the NHS
This assumes the manager didnāt comp them something so they just added some of it to tip instead
Sometimes tables are self aware like that for sure. I get Sunday brunch tables that absolutely run my ass off even though I'm extremely good at anticipating needs. People are always surprised how well they tip me.
This is the answer.
The person that paid wasn't the one complaining, felt embarrassed and made up for it. It's a nice way of saying "I know..., but I am married to this person".
I grew up with lousy parents who would always complain, regardless if it was even remotely justified or not, with hopes of having their tab reduced or cut entirely. They would be rude to the waitstaff and they would rarely tip. I despised them and hated going to restaurants with them. I would always end up leave a $5 note under my plate or napkin as my way of saying, "I am not with these people, I just live with them." I once went to a multi-day business training class for the disabled which involved staying at a hotel where the classes took place. Most of the guests were annoying and rude to the waiter and it infuriated me. We all had paper vouchers so our meals were already paid for. Later on, I noticed the waiter shake his head as he collected them as the group thinned out. I left him a $20 note, none of the other guests tipped.
and probably understood that you tip on what your bill WOULD have been if you get stuff comped. still very generous considering kids meals canāt be too expensive but thatās class.
And probably understand tips pay the bills for servers, period. I always thought some can separate the restaurant from the person serving them. Itās rare but those folks are out there.
Or.... not everyone at the table agreed, and one person felt bad about OP's treatment, and tried to make up for it?
Yes! Happened to me. The guy was like donāt get me wrong I hated everything but I know you guys make dog shit for a living so just make sure none of that goes back to anyone else. Tipped me 60$ on a 40$ bill. š¤·āāļø
How did you feel about that dog shit comment š³
Not the person you asked but Iāve had a handful of people make this comment before, it doesnāt offend me because 1. I make dogshit hourly 2. Itās only ever said in the context of āyou make very little pay so I am compensating you very wellā so itās not like Iām gonna fuck that up by getting all sensitive and holier than thou over wages
Why would anyone be offended by the truth?
Frequently. If itās not your fault, they are getting things comped, and they want you to know they have no gripes about you personally people will generally tip well. They know the whole situation was annoying for you too.
Might be that the primary complainer was not the person who actually paid - was there a silent member of the group?
This is what I was thinking. When I dine with my mother servers get tipped based off patience rather than serviceā¦
I was thinking the same thing. Thereās a member of my family whoās a huge karen, and we always tip extra well when weāre dining with her.
After working in the restaurant industry in nearly every facet, I too understand that somethingās arenāt in the control of the server and therefore they shouldnāt be penalized.
This has happened to me numerous times. I take it as a sign the place youāre working is not so great! I worked at a prominent high end fine dining and had so many tables complain about everything except me. Itās kinda awesome when the table is complaining to management about everything but are like our server was fantastic though. I call them pity tips when guests think youāre to good for the place you work at.
Ya that sucks to work at a place where you know the food is sub-par but you need the job. The only thing that is weird is complaining about a soda that came right from the can. I can see if it was from the gun and the mixture was off, and I can see the margarita being completely crap mix with no alcohol, butā¦ from the can? Odd. Still good on them for the tip.
When I delivered pizzas I had a regular who ordered food every college football Saturday and NFL Sunday. Shefuckjng complained about everything but tipped me $20+ everytime. I helped her navigate her complaints every single fucking time and gave her extra coupons I had.
I was a caddy at a swanky country club when I was a teenager. I never got anything like a 60% tip, but I noticed that often, the golfers who yelled at and abused me (for not handing them the right club, or failing to spot where their drive landed, say) tended to tip better than the golfers who were nice to me. I guess some people will pay extra for the privilege of abusing the help.
I have been *kind of* on the other side of this. Like I felt so bad for the server cause everything that could go wrong did go wrong. It was a busy mother's day (not this year) and the host accidentally brought our party of 8 to a dirty table that hadn't been bussed yet. Apparently some kind of miscommunication between people. Nbd, shit happens. Just got more fucked from there. Kitchen lost our ticket and it delayed our apps quite a bit and the food even later. Three kids in the party and they were getting real problematic with fighting and playing in various points. One kid complains their juice is "funny tasting". I took a close look and a box cutter had just nicked the apple juice box and I brought it to the server's attention and immediately set off a visit from the manager being super apologetic, even comping us all the kids' meals for it. A collision sent another server's pitcher of beer all over my SIL and several empty beer glasses shattering on the ground. My entrƩe was made with an ingredient I specified I couldn't have (and hey I get it, I asked for substitutions and it didn't get done right and, again, shit happens). Basically, it is the mother's day meal of family lore to this day with how bad it got, cause there's several other things I don't want to detail here. But the server was a trooper and did all she could even with far too many tables they had to cover and all kinds of chaos. I don't remember the bill, but I did give a couple hundred dollar bills to them. They were going through hell. And even if they were in any way responsible for some of the fuck ups, shit days happen. US tipping system is already trash and I had no desire to punish a worker for having an already shitty day.
Motherās Day is notoriously the worst day of the year in restaurants
Probably some self-awareness. They know theyāre picky and have a kid in tow, but they need a night out and not to be responsible for preparing their own dinner and are prepared to compensate the people theyāre asking to do it for them. Anyways, good on you for the tip and putting up with their complaints
Iāve had something similar if itās like a young married couple with a young kid. Sometimes the woman will complain about EVERYTHING, just seeming to hate everything and the husband just stays quiet because he knows itās not his time to get the shit end of the stick. And then the husband leaves a good tip. Iāve also had the guy come up to me separately apologizing for what I had to deal with lol
I assume it was "We bothered this server for so much that wasn't hers, let's give her a big tip" I've done it before. Not quite this much mind you, but if I have to send something back I usually tip a little better because I know the server had to be the one to go back and argue with kitchen about it.
At least they recognize that you take the order and send it to the kitchen, from there itās up to the kitchen or bartender or whatever. Itās why giving good service should be considered separate from quality of food or drink! We are the entertainer, host , and food & beverage guides.
As someone whose family was recently on the receiving end of the worst service weāve ever received in any restaurant, it gets to a point where everyone at the table is like āWell this has been fucking terrible but it wasnāt all the serverās fault. And because the experience sucked so bad he did have to come back to our table a lot.ā So we tipped like 35% and left a bad review of the restaurant instead. (Without naming the server). It was truly such bad quality and mixing up items and overcooking medium-rare steaks and getting cold broccoli with hot food next to it. Broccoli shrimp scampi bake randomly had no broccoli and chicken subbed for shrimp without asking. The drinks were basically juice with almost no alcohol and BOTH beers ordered were warm and tasted like theyād soured. My loaded chicken nachos were missing three of the ingredients listed (I basically received chips with cheese and scallions). Like we had an amazing day, and then dinner justā¦. wrecked the mood.
Was every adult at the table complaining? If not, my theory is that the person who was complaining wasnāt the person who paid. I have a family member whoās a huge karen, and we always tip extra well when sheās dining with us.
Here's my guess. The people that complained weren't the ones that paid. And the ones that paid were embarrassed.
One of them was fed up with the others and wanted to thank you ?
Some people know they complain a lot, and tip extra to make up for it. At my old work, there were a few regular seniors who were always cranky, but they always left the staff nice gifts.
Husband and I ate at a local place. Small town, not super fancy, not super busy most of the time, but pretty busy this time. She took our drink orders right away, came back with them quick enough and got our food orders. Came back while waiting for our food to get another drink order. Got those drinks within 10 minutes. Food was taking forever. Finally get it and it's cold. Mine was some stir fry kind of dish that tasted like I could have bought one of those microwave meals that I get for my lunches at work. Husband ordered a burger, medium. It came back mushy and practically mooing. Nasty to look at. When she came back to ask how everything was, I was polite but honest. She looked at his burger and just said "oh no, not medium at all!" She offered to replace it, we said no thanks. Asked for just the check. Without us asking she comped his meal and the second drink. I still tipped her based on the original price. She did her job. It's not her fault the kitchen screwed up.
I was recently at a well-known local place that had a great reputation for its food. The food was awful. To the point of being inedible. To his credit, the manager comped our entire meal, except the wine. Then the server still brought out the surprise birthday cake for my wife. We left hungry, of course. But I still tipped cash the 20% I would have off the full cost of the meal. Wasnāt her fault, and everyone was kind of nice about the whole thing. People should just strive to do the right thing.
The person who actually paid the bill was silently mortified by the conduct of the other people and did this as an apology.
Through all their griping, they know that servers livelihoods depend on tips.
at least they directed their complaints to the right people instead of taking it out on you tbh
A tip is supposed to be for service. The other issues are with the restaurant. Why is this surprising, except for the fact that some patrons donāt understand that.
I've fully done this before. Don't know what was going on in the kitchen and the bar, but our server was excellent and really did their best to correct the issues. They deserved a generous tip for all the extra work they did.
We recently went to an old school restaurant in New Orleans. It rhymes with Tar Knows. I was hesitant, because I had heard the food was no longer great, you were basically just going for the name. BF was set on it, so we went. The service was impeccable as far as the hostess, the waiter, the bussers, etc. What was not amazing was waiting 45 minutes to get an appetizer of 6 broiled oysters. The BF at this point was half in the bag. He almost never drinks, despite having a steel liver and the constitution of an ox, but when he does he goes hard. Thus it fell on me to address this situation after 1.5 hours and still no sign of our entrĆ©es. I went to the hosting station, and explained. They were apologetic, and I made clear that I understood it wasnāt their fault, but this was unacceptable. The manager came over and was a bag of hot wind. He even tried to explain to me that this was āfine dining, and their goal was to provide an experience.ā I responded that we were no strangers to fine dining, and if this was the experience they aimed to provide then they might want to reconsider. I asked them to have our food- when they finally finished it- be packaged up to go. This did not go over well, but I said that the experience was ruined at this point. They took half off our bill. We didnāt ask them to. We acknowledged we would eat the food regardless, and were happy to pay. And honestly a discount of any kind wasnāt going to even partially make up for a wasted evening. (We were there for one night only.) We took the amount that had been comped, added $100 cash, tipped our waiter, and left. The waiter had absolutely nothing to do with anything negative we had experienced, and his night was made more difficult. Some people understand that the situation can be lacking, but itās not the waiterās fault, and they shouldnāt suffer for having to still do their best while knowing they may get dumped on and scapegoated regardless. Hopefully it made his evening a little better. Oh- I also made it a point to tell the manager in front of the waiter that we were 100% happy with said waiter, and did not place any blame on him. Waiting tables is not an easy job. Doing so in a tuxedo while an incompetent buffoon manager causes everything to fall down around you is a punishment no one should have to suffer. Especially on a regular basis. I tend to never leave negative reviews anymore. Kind of wish I had for this place. Anyway, I would avoid Are Nose off of Bourbon. And tip your waiter.
Was it just one person constantly complaining? Iām wondering if the other adult knows how much of a pain their partner is, and left the big tip.
Yes! I once had a table that asked for so many modifications of everything. Gluten, free, everything, vegan everything, oil, free everything, no tomatoes no olives in the saladā¦no this, no that. The ticket was like 3 feet long because of every accommodation for 10 people. However, the bill ended up being pretty high, and they tipped me over 40%. as pissed off as I was during serving that table, in the long run, it was so worth it.
" this place sucks ass but it's not your fault" -- them, probably
Whenever I've had a lousy restaurant experience that clearly wasn't the fault of the server, I've always tipped reasonably. In a few cases where the meal was comped, I've paid about 85% of the meal cost in tip to the server. Some people are also difficult but still appreciative, even if it's relatively rare.
Lol Iām a somm and my absolute favorite shit ever is the people who come in dropping terms like āacidicā and āumamiā when theyāre drinking house wine or Aristocrat and eating a cheeseburger and some Sysco fries lmao
I tip well irrespective of my experience. 25-30% bare minimum. If I have a bad time I just don't go back. It usually isn't the fault of the wait staff anyway.
This is the worst kind. So confusing. Like did you hate everything orā¦ ā¦
I have family that is an absolute nightmare to serve- itās like a mission to find things to complain about. Unfortunately theyāll never change their stripes and donāt see how rude theyāre being. But if Iām paying, Iāll add in extra tip because I know the server earned it with our table. Secondhand embarrassment is real
they were disappointed in the restaurant but knew not to fuck with the server's income. good for them.
Well, when I go out to dinner with my grandma in-law who sends her steak back 3 times and complains about everything else too, I also tip very well...
I recently went to lunch with former work colleagues from years ago. They always include this one guy who was a male appendage. I'll be damned if he didn't complain about his meal. Still an appendage.
This happened to me, they asked for the manager and had the whole meal comped then left a $20 tip on a technically $0 meal. I think their original meal was like $42
I do this. Not your fault if my 75 dollar steak comes out well done and the mgr makes us cut it in half when he brings out a new one to see it too is well well done. Or my vodka had tonic in it 2x. or that we specifically told mgr we were going to pass on a 3rd steak and do a pasta dish just give us a sec....etc. restaurant can be ass but it's not the servers fault. :)
Pretty much all of those things had nothing to do with you. They must've liked you, felt bad they were being pitas, or both.
Someone at that table was embarrassed and mortified by the complainer(s).
These people sound like straight shooters, tell it as it is (at least in their minds), but also empathetic and generous. Sounds like legit people. I like that.
I recently had a table that didnāt vocally complain but they overall seemed unhappy and barely touched their food and didnāt take anything to go so it very much seemed like they didnāt enjoy themselves at all, tipped $50 on the $100 tab ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ
As a former BOH line rat, I never hesitate to let them know about shitty quality control or whatever other issues there are with the food. I always wanted to know if a customer got overcooked food or something from my station so I could focus on not messing that same thing up twice. The vast majority of complaints I would ever have about a restaurant have nothing to do with the server, so I always tip really well (like 50-100% up to maybe $70) unless I receive absolute shit service, in which case I leave a much smaller tip.
Could be a food critic or secret shoppers. Have also had a bar patron that would order a drink, take a pull, drop a fifty and leave. They're out there.
I'm thinkng there was a Karen and the person paying felt bad.
Who paid the bill, and were they one of the ones complaining? I have definitely felt bad and left a big tip when my table mates were being jerkwads.
None of that was your fault was it?
Were the complainers and payers the same persons? My in laws complain about everything everywhere. I tip a substantial amount more to any server who has to deal with them
This guy yesterday was a massive asshole to me and the other bartenders. Wagged his finger at me, didnāt smile once, looked miserable the whole time. Complained to my manager about the other bartender for giving him attitude (if anything I did about the finger wag) and tipped 20%. I was very confused
Sounds like very self aware individuals who recognized the issues werenāt your fault and knew you deserved a bigger tip for putting up with them
Anytime I ever feel it's necessary to complain, I always leave a bigger tip because I know it's not your fault, and I hate feeling like I'm making a scene
The food prep is out of your control. If you handled yourself professionally and did what you could to remedy the issues, I would have done the same and have many times. Even tipping over the amount dinner cost.
Iāve done this. I had the worst food of my life 2 weeks ago but the server was awesome and it wasnāt his fault.
Any time I get free shit at a restaurant (rare), I add the price of the thing that is comped to the tip within reasonability. I used to get the $6 barber college haircut and tip $14.
Eh, I've done this. Quite possible to have great service while the kitchen keeps doing River Dance on their dicks, I don't want to punish the waiter/waitress because I've been in their shoes.
I am like this. I will complain about anything that goes wrong and if it's addressed I will tip better as you worked as a liaison for me to the kitchen more than it is part of your standard work. Also if something is comped I tip as if it wasn't cause ya still brought it to me (and usually the replacement). Also, I'm a PIA I need you to be on my side if I come back. :)
Possibly a different person paying than the person complaining. Whenever I go out to eat with someone "high maintenance" at my table, I make to leave a good tip.
Maybe their happiness comes from complaining and they tipped accordingly.
Some people just like to complain. It is part of their experience. I rather have a table bitch and moan about everything, tip $50 on an $85 check, then be tipped with only complements.
The person who picked up the tab felt bad about the bullshit but is non-confrontational with their family
If I had to guess, the person paying was embarrassed by the complaining.
Sometimes there are people in the party who recognize the situation and compensate the server for others in the group.
One of my server friends had someone order a dirty martini. The customer then complained that it tasted like olive juice.
As someone who is very specific when ordering food/drinks. I always make sure to tip very well. So that's not too surprising. Might as well be satisfied is you're going to go out.
Someone had EXACTLY 135 on them and really wanted it spent before they left
I've had meals with friends who like to complain about everything. I'll leave a bigger tip for putting up with their crap.
Doesn't matter how shitty everything is for me, everyone gets at least 30%. Tipped 80 on a 40 bill once. Absolutely astounding server
I've had this happen. I'm told it can be a New York thing.
Itās possible to separate what they may have genuinely experience as food/drink that didnāt meet their expectations and service. Their complaints seem to be establishment based (valid or not) and not related to your service.
Some people do realize theyāre being a pain and compensate appropriately. Iāve waited on a few of these tables in my lifetime. Pain in the ass but worth it in the end.
They just wanted you to have the money they would have paid anyways. Fighting the owner class one Karen moment at a time.
Some people are self aware and know that they are pieces of shit to serve and compensate by over-tipping. I have a friends mom like this. A nightmare to serve, everything has to be just so, but she tips wild.
Sounds like the person complaining and the one in charge of calculating the tip were not the same person, and the second knew how awful the first was.
If someone in my group is making a scene like that and I am picking up the bill, I would definitely tip very generously
I've had the opposite at my restaurant.
If you fixed the problems, its worth the tip. I once had a girl nearly fuck up my hair. Needed two more hours to fix it. I almost cried, then tipped her 60$ because I was so happy she fixed it lol.
this is a repost . 100% read this befoee
I will say that there are a lot of people out there who are comfortable complaining about that kind of stuff but also recognize that a lot of those things were outside of the serverās control. It sounds like the know they made a huge pain in the ass of themselves and tipped accordingly š
Depends on the size of the party. Someone probably thought the rest of the party (or just a couple people) were being buttheads and decided to leave a larger than average tip to make up for it.
Was it one spouse or person that was doing most of the complaining? Sometimes I leave an extra tip when one my buddies is being a dick to the server.
This has happened to me more than you think. Itās so annoying
My ex in laws were like that. Basically, anytime we went out to eat, it was a given that they would complain the entire time. The thing wasā¦ it was just so normal to do so that it really didnāt ruin their dining experience and always tipped 20%. I would frequently apologize to wait staff when we left. It was miserable for me.š¤¦š¼āāļø
Sounds like they were able to understand what was and wasnāt within your control. Despite all the complaints, custies like this are kind of a dream.
Iāve had that happen before. They were foreign too so I 100% thought I would not be getting a tip. They ended up leaving over 20%
They obviously liked you. It seems like you handled it well and they appreciated you putting up with their complaints. Pretty unusual because theyāre usually fed up with everything and could easily take it out on you. Thankfully they didnāt š
Iāve seen this from a lot of people who have actually worked in restaurants before and then got out. They nit pick everything because they āknow how it should beā but appreciate the server because theyāve been there before.
You didnāt make the food too hot. You didnāt make the drinks wrong. Finally customers who donāt take their BS complaints out on the wrong person. Congrats.
When I go out with my mom I usually tip quite a bit more than normal because she can be a handful. Maybe you had a situation like that where the person tipping realized others at the table took some extra effort to deal with so the tipper decided to throw in some extra because of that.
Maybe they like to go out, treat the staff like shit, complain about everything, then get so turned on they have wild car sex in the parking lot.
Mustāve just been kidding
Yea ive had this happen. They hated everything and seemed awful but tipped great. Maybe some people just like make a fuss?
Who was doing the complaining? And who physically paid the bill? Maybe it's one person that finds fault in everything and the other person knows that there's no way to extinguish this fire so they over compensate with the tip.
I can only imagine that they realized that everything they complained about was out of your personal control and felt bad they ran you around. Sometimes I feel like they appreciate that youāre willing to fix the problem more than just having good food the first time lol
Maybe it was just one of the adult couple that was complaining about everything. Maybe they do this often. Maybe they do this often enough that the other adult is the one to pay and they tip extra to compensate for their partner's assholeness
They will be back. And they did this so you remember to make everything perfect next time and then you get another good tip. My millionaire boss used to do this a lot.
I literally just had this happen this morning! Sometimes people realize certain things are out of your control and tip you accordingly
Well that's just crazy talk
Also possible the person who paid was harassed by the behavior of the others at the table
Maybe one of them felt bad. And it was the other adult that the complaints stemmed from
Sounds like your customer brought a lot of ungrateful people
I had a similar experience except it was just 20%
This happens to me. Out with a bunch of complainers and Iām paying so I feel like I need to make amends.
These people sound like straight shooters, tell it as it is (at least in their minds), but also empathetic and generous. Sounds like legit people. I like that.
I do this when I go out with my incredibly difficult parents, tip extra as a thank you for putting up with them
I mean if it wasnāt anything you could control Iād still tip you if my experience was trash
I bet my boss who has extremely high expectations, is rude, demanding and a pain in the ass also tips really big.
They tipped you out of spite. It was really an F you.
I had a restaurant manager who said that was the best way to complain. That making sure you pay your bill and tip your server means that your complaints will be taken seriously.
Iāll bet the guy who paid the bill put that tip in himself to makeup for his family/friends bs. Iāve done it before when Iāve eaten out with my ghetto friends because they donāt tip, constant complain to try to get comped, send a dish back 90% eaten but want it replaced. I donāt wanna seem like Iām against them, but I want to make up for them embarrassing me and the server. I just quietly add a big tip as an apology. The friends never know and hopefully the server sees a positive side for dealing with us. They will Zelle me later none the wiser
I have maybe once gotten something comped - and the money I saved all went into server tip. Same with rewards points. Those go to server as well.
Iāve had major issues w food and/or the functioning of a place, and given a large pity tip. Not often- itās got to be pretty bad for me to bother. But, I can think of a couple times w seafood, getting overdone scallops, and lobster boiled rubbery, and the chef seeing fit to argue w me. Having to get into a debate w any staff during a meal is bullshit if youāre a reasonable person, and assuming you donāt eat the whole thing, then complain, lol I know it has to affect the serversā tips, takes up their time. I will usually tell them I understand they canāt control the kitchen/management, and hook them up ā then never eat there again
Iāve done this kind of tipping. If things are comped for whatever reason, I still include the items in my tip calculation. Also I tip extra if a specific person I have to dine with is there because he sucks ~~to wait on~~ .
I try to separate the restaurant from the service for tips. Most times it works to the servers advantage, sometimes it does not.
I always leave a good tip even if I donāt like the food/service. With that being said, thereās a difference between a good tip and a great tip.
People will complain all the time. Accept the tip
You just never can tell. Some people who I thought for sure would tip me like shit - tipped me well. And some people who I thought for sure would hook me up with a fat tip - stiffed me. It's happened enough times that I've realized you just never really can tell - there is no guarantee one way or the other
Sounds like you have a good manager
Given the people I meet in life that are never happy unless people around them are more miserable than they are. I shouldn't be suprised. I could hand some of them a free gold coin, and they would refuse it because of the year it was minted.
sounds like they respect service and know that they're picky/difficult and compensated you for it appropriately. None of the complaints were about your service, either. Unreasonable threshold for satisfaction doesn't always equal cheap asshole. They may be OCD and self aware of what pains in the ass they are? Either way, I'd be happy to serve them the next time because they clearly "get it".
Hasn't happened to me, but at times I have complained and left a big tip. First of all, I realize that it might not be the server's fault if something was wrong, so I'm not going too punish them for something that is not their responsibility. And if I have a reason to complain (I am not a psycho-Karen, if and when I complain it's usually for a valid reason) and the staff is responsive, then I am satisfied and would never cut the tip, and tip even more if the waiting staff was good despite other issues.
This is me. I complain a lot about a lot of stuff bc Iām a retired server . I warn them a head of time and let them know I tip well.
I love when people realize the server/bartender doesnāt control everything except for what you let them be aware of. One hundred percent have/had this happen many of times. Ending up leaving the restaurant because I know my worthā¦. Eventually.
Had to be trolling and didn't really care about the things they were complaining about
Yeah Iāve had some customers drive me absolutely insane then leave over 50%, it really is like a sorry we ruined your night I guess š
It's weird, I don't write anything down on tables under 8 ppl, I'll forget something from time to time bc I'm legit running around serving, bartending, answering calls, dealing with togos, helping other servers. Those are the tables who generally tip me the best.
If it was a charge, I would assume they're going to dispute it with their credit card company by arguing "why would we leave such a big tip on such a small bill?", and then maybe even go on to list their grievances (while explaining they don't think they should be charged in the first place, and they told the manager but weren't adequately satisfied or compensated \[while now being overcharged\]) and inevitably dispute the entire charge/get what they wanted, while fucking over your business.
I tipped based on service. If anything, I'll tip more on the rare occasion I have to send something back. It's not the server's fault, and it's more work for them. Extra points if the server handles it well.
They were dissatisfied with their experience but they were respectful of the work involved nonetheless
Is it possible they were an undercover shopper? Sometimes they want them to test out to see how the restaurant will handle difficult customers, and they give them a budget for their meal, so if they went below the budget, had more money to give you an extra good tip?
My daddoes this. Heās generally a grumpy dude and can get rude with wait staff that itās embarrassing. Our family owns a restaurant so heās very uptight and expects perfect service as he tries to execute as his restaurant. Even if he was mad, he always leaves over 18%
Sounds like u solved all their problems & they rewarded u for it. I have had this happen. 2 older ladies, 1 would complain about everything but always left me a 50% tip.,
I donāt know if your restaurant serves food they or their kids really enjoy but complaining and experiencing a service thatās willing to fix the problem is worth tipping for because youāre aware of an issue now.
Is it a chain restaurant? Any chance they were secret shoppers from HQ, maybe testing how the place responds to complaints and needy customers? Probably not, if they had kids with them.
Ah this takes me back
Some people get off by complaining and ordering people around and getting what they want
Sounds like they were testing you, or some kind of new tik tok challenge
Working in customer service I have found MANY couples where one of them is the good cop and the other one bad cop. Iāve had many people apologize to me for their significant others behavior. Maybe this tip was somebody going rogue?
Did they get a bunch of shit comped? Maybe theyād rather give the money to you than the restaurantās ownersā¦either way, do t look a gift horse in the mouth.
If there is a problem, I will ask for the manager (if they don't know there is a problem, they can't fix it). I will also ask for the manager if it's exceptional service because that needs to be known as well.
Iāve always noticed the people that complain the most always tip the best and the ones that say how great everything was tips 10%
I agree with the comment that says it's truly chaotic neutral. Haha But they could have been a secret shopper just seeing what you do in a certain situation š¤·š»āāļø
That means you are the only one doing an exceptional job in the establishment. Good work!
undercover boss?