First, opinions are like assh*les...
Everybody got one.
Everybody's stinks but yours.

That having been said, and philosophical/political/religious issues aside:
that $20 tab you rang up 	- will cost the server 8% for federal/state/local
taxes (this is based on Indiana laws, of which I can speak to)
				- will cost the server 4% (additionally) to the bus-person

Now we can lay aside the whole 'in Europe they...', cause a quick 2nd grade
check of geography will reveal that WE AREN'T THERE! If it comes as a
surprise to anybody at this point that tips are expected as part of your
dining experience, perhaps there are more remedial classes for you. 15% is
the norm.

Now I have worked waiting tables (briefly, but it's there, and there's a
reason I DON'T any more, but I digress....), and it IS my responsibility to
give you service. You came out to dinner to 'be served' - you expect drinks
refilled, extra napkins, suggestions of what the specialty of the house is,
possibly what beverage goes with the meal (wine, for instance), dessert
options, doggy bags, and crayons for the rugrats. If I perform all these
tasks in an acceptable manner it is your responsibility to conform to what
is expected and tip - some do, some don't - but it IS expected. (Again, I'm
not going into philosophical points here on whether 'it should be' or
'shouldn't be' - it's JUST THE WAY IT IS IN THE US.) And the established
norm for this is 15%. Most places put a surcharge on groups of 20% because
the wait staff is having to take an inordinate amount of time on a single
group instead of taking more tables w/ likely a larger tip opportunity - and
to prevent the 'don't's from skipping out on it.

Now that I've wailed away at that point, I also HIGHLY recommend that if you
get substandard service, PLEASE pay by plastic... you get that $20 tab and
received nasty service PUT DOWN YOUR 2 CENTS - literally! I can't tell you
how many .02 tips I've put down. See, they have to do that whole
reconciliation thing at the end of the shift, and that .02 is REQUIRED to be
run thru the machine again. And any manager that sees this will KNOW it
wasn't a mistake (where it COULD be written off as one if you didn't tip at
all), questions follow, and you've made your statement and got it heard.

BUT THE BIGGEST POINT IS... IF you are going to participate in the
beermeetings - where social morays DEMAND you tip 15% (or more - I don't
recall EVER getting bad service at one of our beermeetings - of which I've
missed very few all in all), choke it up or stay home and choke your chicken
because the REST OF US WILL PICK UP THE SLACK. I may like you. I may even
like you enough to buy you a beer (hey! I said 'a', as in ONE). But $60 is
just plain taking cash out of my pocket.

Wil

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to
visit violence on those who would do us harm." - George Orwell



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