The Mrs. and I had a very nice dinner at the new Buckhorn Grill in Midtown recently. If you haven’t been there, it’s a stripped down version of Buckhorn’s flagship steakhouse in Winters. Like Pronto and Cafe Bernardo and a few other casual places, they offer sit-down quality food that you have to stand up and order at the counter. The food was very good, but that’s not what this piece is about. The issue here is whether or not one should tip at this type of establishment, and if so, how much?
We all know that a traditional sit-down restaurant with full waiter/waitress service usually brings with it a 15-20% tip. But how much should you tip if you have to place your order at a counter, get your own silverware, napkins and condiments, and dispense your own soft drinks? I thought about it for a while, checked some resources on the subject and have come up with my own system. If the waitstaff performs most of the traditional roles of a waiter/waitress, then they are probably due most of a traditional tip. For a place like Buckhorn, where the staff refills water glasses, delivers your food, brings you to-go boxes and buses your table, I feel that a 10% tip is appropriate. This works out to a couple of bucks per entree.
For a place like Pronto, where you place your order, you get your utensils, you pick up your order and the staff only buses your table, maybe a dollar per diner is appropriate. Also, with some of these places, table turnover is pretty high, so you might think about leaving your tip at the front counter in the ubiquitous tip jar.
One question still remains for me: How much should you tip at a coffee shop? What if you’re just getting beans? What if you’re a regular customer? If anyone has time, I’d like your input on that question.
The Sac Rag 
As a general rule, I do not tip at a coffee shop, just as I don’t tip at a fast food joint or sandwich shop. However, if I do a large order at a coffee shop, or if I’m feeling generous, I may throw in a dollar.
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I have a related question… the standard 15%-20% is calculated on what portion of the bill? I learned, back when I was learning such things, that tax and alcohol should not be included when calculating the tip. I see the logic in not including alcohol– one can spend an awful lot on drinks without a lot of extra inconvenience to the wait staff.
In practice, I usually end up tipping the bare 15% of the entire bill, tax and drinks included.
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Most of the authorities state that you can leave the tax out of the total but a bottle of wine or one round of drinks is acceptable to include in the total when caculating tip. More than one bottle of wine need not be counted unless the restaurant offers a sommolier who usually commands his own separate tip.
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I will usually tip something at a walk-up, Bernardo’s style place, mostly at the time I order (they usually have a jar out or if I am using Visa then there is a line that prints out) but not the full 20 percent. Probably closer to 10. My dilemma is tipping for takeout, like when I pick up pizza or chinese food, and I am using Visa so the tip line prints out, I always feel bad leaving it blank. Any thoughts on takeout tipping?
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At places like Cafe Bernardo, I tip like I do at the airport..2 bucks a bag..2 bucks a diner.
Back in the day, I used to wait tables at a fine dining establishment. We had to split our tip with the bar staff and the bussers. I tip 20% in that.. case but I won’t tip that amount if the service is bad…no matter how good the food is.
I tip 50 cents per beverage at coffee shops or juice bars.
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What about delivery services, such as Food To You, where the tip is included after a $40 minimum? I usually tip $10-$20 dollars on top of that, depending on how high my purchase it. I always get great service after that, which I guess is the whole idea.
-jennyfur
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While we are on the topic of tips. How much do you tip a hooker? 🙂
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bout an inch and a half here…of course thats JUST the tip.
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For full service, do not tip on tax. In CA just double the tax (so roughly 15-16% depending on county and city add-ons) as a base guide and round up plus for good/exceptional service. BAd service gets 10 or less, sorry, have to earn it. Don’t blame the waiter though for problem with the cook, tell that to management. I used to buss and serve.
For limited service, ie order at counter, I don’t tip unless they do something in service or really make my day somehow in humor, etc. They are order takers not service, like fast food counter. If your restaurant is a hybrid, blend it appropriately, say 10% or whatever.
Another example, if I order take out from sit down restaurant, I don’t tip as if I ate there. Token tip if nice and its ready when they say it will be. After all, I am eating on paper plates and napkins right?
If you get extra service while waiting, then that deserves other tip, depending on what you receive. 😉
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What about delivered food? They drove over the food. What’s so big about that. How much should you tip?
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I always give delivery poeple gift cards for tips, usually cards that have been in my wallet and are partially spent and a little warm. “Thanks for the pizza, here, have $3.27 at Jamba Juice.” I think Emily Post would approve.
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