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How low of a tip will you give for bad service?

If it's the server's fault, I will leave either zero or a penny to make my point.
If it's the kitchen's fault, then I leave the normal tip for the server.
 
I mean to leave nothing, must be pretty bad.

I’d still leave something especially during these times
 
I was in Plymouth, MA , on Labour Day many years ago. A new restaurant had opened and thought it would go with a skeleton staff as it was a public holiday. Big mistake, as it was slammed. We walked in and after 30 minutes we had not got menus. We were on vacation so we stayed to see how it would end. Eventually, we got menus, then eventually we got food, an hour after sitting down. I got the wrong order, but my wife's food was excellent. When my correct order finally arrived, it was superb. When the bill arrived, the owner had taken off 50% because of the 'poor service'.

I added 75% because the food was excellent and the staff could not have done more for us. The owner had miscalculated the demand, in his first three months so it was 'one of those things'. My wife and I helped clear tables when we finished eating because the staff were so nice and so stretched! We spent two hours over a 30 minute meal.
 
To my wife's chagrin, I tip very well as a matter of routine. 40-50% frequently as the norm.

But particularly bad service will get nothing from me. I pay for my food, I tip for the service. That's extra so when the service is awful, as in it detracts from my meal and experience, it's zero.

I can only remember that happening twice.
 
Okay. So “Rob” my server is no where to be found. I’ve been sitting here for 10 min and even the manager cannot find Rob. This is the one time I may tip zero.
 
ddstanford said:
I was a waiter, my wife was a waitress,... They are getting paid very small amounts with no benefits and in these times, it must be really tough to make a living.
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Well then if you are not getting paid very well and benefits are minimal, that should be enough incentive to provide good service. What mine set would cause somebody in such financial dire circumstances to even consider providing poor service? If you serve decently you get a tip, if you're foolish enough to be an a hole, well you reap what you sow.
 
Yeah, 15% is usually my lowest. Server has to be really bad for me not to do that. 15% means you gave me pretty bad service. I am usually in the 20-25% range. I will go to 10% if the server is really bad. But I can't remember the last time that happened.
 
i have known several "lifers" and they made decent money, $800 to $1,000 a week is nice. they do work their tail off to get that money.

i will admit that i was a crappy waiter and my tips reflected that.
 
The wife and I had a waitress at a diner in Ticonderoga, NY who was down right rude, I was going to leave her a penny but the wife intervened and left the tip.
 
My server never showed up. The GM felt so bad my meal was free. They server completely disappeared.
 
probably 5%.

I'm a heavy tipper, as my mom was a waitress and I know how much a few extra $ can mean.

If I walk into the door, you seat me, take my order and keep my drinks filled, automatic 20%. It can go up and it can go down.

I have stiffed before, but the service has to be extra special terrible to get stiffed. I have also given the tip from my server to another server if my server was bad, but I saw the other server busting butt.

I've also given extremely heavy tips to people I just kind of sense need the help.
 
There have been a couple of times when I've gotten stellar service. Those times I asked to see the manager to let them know their employee was doing a great job.. and they received a good tip. The other time I still see the server at the restaurant I go to. And they always do a great job.

If my wife and I are in a restaurant and it's taken too long, and we're not seeing hide nor hair of the server, drinks, menu, or whatever, we're leaving. If we are highly interested then I'll get another server's attention and see if they want to help and earn a tip. I mean it's pretty obvious when a server is slammed and their section is full... that's understandable and we're patient. At least acknowledge us in passing that you'll get to us... but ignore us too long and we walk out.

There are plenty of restaurants that are willing to take our money...

This is all pre covid...
 
Scorpion12 said:
There have been a couple of times when I've gotten stellar service. Those times I asked to see the manager to let them know their employee was doing a great job.. and they received a good tip.
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When have done this before for very good service
 
Tip bad service? That would seem giving money for bad service. Some servers should be working at something else.
 
left with no tip once when the server got everyone's order wrong and then handed us the check to someone else's meal. Restaurant wasnt busy at all and food took forever to get to our table.

I generally tip 20% for standard service with a little leeway either direction. I will be extra generous, especially in this covid environment, for good service. My wife and I have dilligently worked our way to a much stronger financially stable situation and are able to be much more generous to people.
 
I have failed to tip at all maybe once or twice in my life. If the service is mediocre I'll still leave 15% or so, because anybody can have a bad day, and wait staff in the U.S. make almost nothing in wages. But, if the service is truly poor, I'll leave as little as 10%. And I do that so they know what I thought of the service. When you leave no tip at all they may think, or fool themselves into thinking, you simply forgot. When you leave 10% they know exactly what you thought--and that your meant them to know.
 
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