Some servers completely deserve it. I once had a server that took my drink to refill it at half time in a football game and never brought it back. He had to retake our order 4 times because he kept forgetting to put it in. I ended up talking to the manager and he was just as worthless. I finally got my check (an $80 tab) and left no tip. I have been back and found out that that server and manager had both been fired.

And that's a different circumstance. But if a server is going out of their way to create the best possible experience for you, that's when tips go a long way.

And #4 please understand that there is a significant difference between recognizing horrible service and not recognizing great service. Especially when tips are not only the money servers survive on, but also a form of feedback. There's nothing wrong with deciding not to tip if service was truly awful, but don't be a dick if service was good.

First of all, I agree with what you said, especially since I know that the situation is different in the US compared to Europe (I'm Dutch) and you're truly relying on tips. Having said that, I have a hard time understanding why it's ok, or at least accepted, that waiters don't get paid enough by their bosses and the customers have to "fix" that by tipping. That's just a weird way of thinking imo.

I agree. If businesses were forced to pay them a better wage, they wouldn't have to rely so heavily on tips. So if they didn't get as much one week, they would know they will be ok because their bosses pay them right.

I hate the US tipping system. It makes servers reliant on the kindness of customers for what should be a regular living wage paid by their employer. But I always tipped 20%, because it's not the server's fault that the system sucks.

This comment really winds me up. Unfortunately here in the UK so many restaurants are over priced and somewhere like a B&B where you have to sacrifice a limb just to have a nice night. You then are expected to tip all the staff, waiters, cleaners ect. Sure the staff may rely on tips but theres a limit to how much a person can spend on a meal. At the end of the day if the 'industry' isn't sustainable for you then try looking for another job? I'll probably get down votes for this but I wonder how many people would agree with me

Is there not a minimum wage? Here in England tipping is not really done often as servers get paid fairly by employers

#27 to my understanding a bunch of places (in the US) will pay their servers say $2 an hour for example, and whatever tips they make is what they get. However if the tips earned aren't above what they would make minimum wage, then the employer pays up to that amount. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't worked in the service industry. But that's my two cents cause you asked.

When I read your original comment. All i could think about was how in my country, Sweden. Nobody tips anywhere and the places Never expect any tips. I understand that its diffrent from country to country but do you really Rely on the tips in your country? What if everyone stopped tipping? would your company survive? -Im just curious because i dont live there and i would like to know.

To answer your questions, my country has a far lower minimum wage for servers, well below living wage because they believe that you'll make it up in tips. I'm not saying it's at all fair, it's just unfortunately how it works.

At #30, as a server in a America, yes, you are correct. There are posters at every service job I've ever worked at, which is required by law for the employees knowledge of the system, that state that if you do not make in a weeks worth what you would make at a regular minimum wage job in tips, your employer is liable to make up the difference, however it is dependent on the server recognizing this law and bringing it up with the manager. That being said, I've had some amazing weeks at work making well over what I made working in the oil industry in a week, and I've also had some terrible weeks where the customers just weren't pouring in as per usual, or just had poor luck of the draw and a bad section. That being said, and I hate to say this about my fellow servers, but I've come to realize we're a rather entitled bunch. Even on my poorest weeks I make plenty of money, well enough to live on and then some. I hate being shafted on a tip as well as the next guy, but I've had some really high paying jobs, and I've brought in much more as a server than I ever did at any other job, and because of that I've learned to shrug off the bad tips, because that next table very well might drop you a $20 on a 50 dollar check if you take care of them correctly and they're feeling generous. Being a server here means selling yourself and providing the best service to the guest that you can. Too many of my coworkers show up to work and slack off, expecting a good tip no matter what, and then complain when a table stiffs them on the tip because they provided them with mediocre service at best. I know when I go out to eat, I want to be taken care of and treated well. Not enough servers here in America realize it's a job, and if you preform well, your tips will show for it, regardless of a bad tip here or there.

Yeah okay, let's make people tip before they know if the server is good or not.

Thoughts don't pay bills.