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Tipping on alcohol at a restaurant
Posted: 3:45 pm, November 6th, 2009 in Miscellaneous
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57 Comments
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i posted this on serious eats but I wanted to know what you guys thought
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check out wsj.com. their wine reviewers mentioned this before.
i dont remember exactly what was written, but there should definitely be some tip on the wine, but not the full 20% if it is a very expensive bottle.
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I tip on the whole meal (wine included) but that could just be because I hate the maths. If money is of a concern, maybe avoid the Margaux until pay day?
Did you see that Abramovitch tab from the Hamptons? That was mostly wine and the gratuity was INCLUDED.
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I don't think just because you can afford to pay for $1,000 bottle of wine means that you just pay the 20% (even if it the money impacts you very little).
That tab was what made me post this. I thought that was pretty ridiculous how they automatically included the gratuity. In any case, it's not about whether you can afford it. It's what is right and what should be done.
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You tip on food AND drinks. You really should be tipping 15%-20% of the pre-tax total. The 0% is a real jerkoff move...but so is the waiter's outwardly bitching about his tip...so it's a push in my book.
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I tip on food and booze, and I tip mininum 20%.
Then again, it's rare that we've ordered a bottle of wine at the table (and even if we did, it's probably going to be one of the least expensive ones on the menu).
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I generally follow that rule too. However, it just seems insane that if I order a $1,000 bottle that somehow I "SHOULD" be paying $200 for the server to bring and open the bottle.
And honestly.. if I got horrible service (which has happened to all of us), I have no problem tipping 5% or less on my bill. Otherwise, the waiter will think he can get away with being extremely bad at his/her job and still get away with receiving the same (or close to the same) amount of tip as a server that is excellent at his/her job.
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It does seem insane logistically, but at the same time, the server is merely bringing you your food; not cooking it or taking part in the preparation. Why should your fancy steakhouse server get more than your diner server who merely brings you a plate of eggs and juice? All "eating out" is tiered to a degree...Frankly, we should move to the european standard of no tipping--just pay the damn servers normal.....
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You should tip on alcohol. That's a huge part of a servers tips for the night. However, they should be good enough at their job to refill your glass often if you order an expensive bottle of wine. If they aren't doing at least that, then I would deduct from their tip a bit. In this case, screw the waiter. He should have never come after the dude.
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if you are at a restaurant and eating you def tip the 20%..
if you are just drinking...i usually tip 1$ per drink...
ive noticed in bars alot of people dont tip accordingly...
like if they order 4 drinks they will tip 1$....
if i order 4 drinks ill tip 4$...and peopel have told me im over tipping...but i still do it...even if its 1$ beers -
if you can afford to buy $1000 bottle of wine...$200 tip shouldnt really be your biggest concern.
thats like buying an aston martin and worrying about the cost of an oil change.
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at the bar, it's tricky. You can do $1 a drink, but if i order 3, I usually give 2 bucks. If I order 4, I will give 3 bucks. But it also depends if I'm a regular at the establishment. USually, I will just throw down a card and give the usual 20%, unless it's at McCormacks where I throw down a cart and usually tip 50-100% depending on how much I get hooked up. That way, no one's feelings are hurt, and you wind up saving money than tipping $1 per drink.....
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People who can afford $1K bottles of wine probably got to the point where they can afford $1K bottles of wine by minding their money, especially "how much to tip".
Also, $4 on 4 beers is around a 20% tip (if it's a $5 beer that is)...
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@Samwich: It's more like buying an Aston Martin, then being required to pay an extra $20,000 for the steering wheel. As a %, it's a lot more than an oil change is my point and you can't drink the wine w/o the server bringing it to you as you can't drive the car w/o a steering wheel.
Again, it's not whether you can afford it or not that is in question.
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@ adam...good point...i do think 200 is quite a hefty tip but if your gonna buy a $1000 bottle...i dont think the people who buy then are really minding most of their $ in how much they save on tip though...success has nothing to do with how thrifty you are.
ive never bought a $1000 bottle of wine so i cant really say...im just speaking hypothetically.
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@sushibar - so by your logic, if you order the $60 lobster special vs. the $20 roast chicken at a restaurant, you'd still tip $4 cause all the waiter did was take your order and bring the plates over?
People should tip on the total bill no matter what it is comprised of.
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my two cents: i agree, tip according to the bill regardless if there is a steep bar tab or not. if a server rings you up for a $1,000 bottle of wine, that server is expecting to be tipped accordingly and if im not mistaken, in the end is also taxed according to what tips he/she is expected to make.
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rinda's got it - when the receipts are totaled and sent to the IRS, that server is going to be taxed on, what is it, 8% of gross receipts, as the government assumes that is your tip allotment? That includes everything.
As many restaurants tip out everyone from a collective tip pool over the course of the evening, and your server probably doesn't keep every dime (busboys are customarily tipped a few % by the wait staff) not tipping a decent amount when a pricey bottle is added can make lots of people unhappy from that table. Bottom line: assume your wine costs 28% more than it's listed for (tax and tip), and if that's too much, don't buy it - bring in a bottle and pay the corkage.
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i have a problem with waiters usually... because i dont care about how much they survive on tips... if you survived on the tips you should be doing something to get them... being nice, being prompt, apologizing for problems in service or accidents.
if all you do is take an order and leave... then bring the food and leave... then give the check and leave... what did you do? maybe thats what the guy who buys a 1000 dollar bottle of wine, 40 dollars worth of food, and giving only about 5 dollars tip is thinking.
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I used to bartend... (beers only) and let me tell you how I personally tip at bars:
Beers and glasses of wine (which I NEVER order at a bar, unless it's a wine bar) get $1. $2 for the glasses of wine at a wine bar if the bartender/sommelier has explained it to me/recommended it to me/etc. actually done more.$2-3 for mixed drinks and special fancy cocktails as the drink gets more complicated.
It's a combination of labor and bother. And yes, $1 on the beer even if it's a $2 beer.
My question is - do you people tip the guy at the ballpark who keeps bringing you beers?
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I would go with the standard tip for the meal and drinks but calculate a separate tip for the expensive bottle and add it all up, I see no reason for him or her to hit paydirt because they happen to be serving such a table, the house already gets like a 70% markup on the wine so how many people need to be paid off here?
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I Tip depending on service provided.
I know employees that have been chased down 47th st. for 'only' tipping $20 on a $200 lunch for 2.
I Also HATE "PARties over 8 people will be charged a ManDatory 15% service charge".....what for?...providing income for the restaurant?
I'd far more rather pay 10% more for a meal and the employers of the staff pay them better than be charged for "Service".....you know....all's you're doing is carrying a plate to a table...you fuckwits.
rant over
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Tipping should be banned. I prefer it to be included in the price of items. i can't stand calculating and all the nonsenses that follow with it.
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I'd rather meals just cost 20% more. I think servers in Times Square and other hotspots for foreign tourists would readily agree (so long as their hourly wage went up commensurately). Exceptional service? Feel free to drop a few more dollars on the table.
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for those who are against tipping on a high bar tab or those who think waiters shouldnt even be tipped, period, let me ask.. have you ever worked in the food service industry?
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actually waiters and waitresses usually make more money than your cooks who graduated from culinary schools.
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rinda....ive worked in banking for 20 years....never asked for a tip.
choices. they made shitty ones.....so why should i pay?
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What about tip jars in delis. Who started that phenomena?
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Wow Rudy... elitist much???
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mkim - that depends on the establishment but I suppose if they have a $1k bottle of wine on the menu, those servers probably do generally pull in a lot of money.
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Why tip someone for a job I'm capable of doing myself? I can deliver food. I can drive a taxi. I can, and do, cut my own hair. I did however, tip my urologist, because I am unable to pulverize my own kidney stones.
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Samwich, I am positive that has already been quoted ON THIS BLOG and possibly even by you.
I'd like to see Dwight create the type of food served at places that also offer $1k bottles of wine, though.
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Yvo...you may be right!!!! but i cant agree with dwight...i tip.
how about open bars...do you guys tip?...
two scenraios...wedding open bars
and like a mcfaddens 20$ open bar.i tip for both...in most cases i just drop in a 5-10 for the night...cuz who really has that many singles lying around
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For open bar weddings, I tip at the beginning of the night - $10 if I'm going to go easy and $20 if I'm going to be a lush. It ensures prompt and generous service. (Ok, I'll be honest, it's usually my boyfriend doing so, but he's the one getting the drinks anyway, so I rarely deal with the bartender myself.)
McFadden's $20 open bar I still tip, they're still doing the same as if I didn't get an all-you-can-drink tab...
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Yvo, yes, my sis is a pastry cook who graduated from CIA. she told me some of the waiters who work in her restaurant drive mercedez and earn more than a six figure a year. I don't think her pastry chef makes that much...or even the executive chef for that matter.
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Oh, I believe it. And that money is earned from tips on $1k bottles of wine.
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i find it hard to believe that a an average chef makes more than an average server. maybe a line cook but not the head chef. and even at the finer dining establishment there is a heirarchy in terms of the front of the house. most restaurants servers have to pay their dues. for instance, when you first start waiting tables most, if not all, servers do not get paid for the training they go through. this may be anywhere from 1-5 shifts. and you will not be getting the better shifts right away like a weekend dinner service. and NY law does not enforce a mandatory minimum wage to servers so all servers rely on the tips they earn from the tables they serve.
and i do not buy the "i can do the job myself so why should i tip" attitude. if that's the case, then go buy yourself some groceries and make the food yourself at home.
and Rudy: im sure you never turned down a bonus in your 20 years, right?
i am not saying all waiters/waitresses deserve generous tips all the time. it does boil down to the quality of service you receive and the experience of the meal. but unless you've actually waited tables and had to deal with customers who may not be so friendly themselves, i dont think it fair to make statements that people who work in the food service industry do not deserve their fair share.
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Bonus?......me?
The Aston DBS was paid for by sexual favours to Pelosi...........it took me 5 hours and i had to buy a HMO.
I read an article once (I think Food and Wine, but I don't really remember) where a writer went to celebrate and bought two expensive bottles of wine. The bottles of wine were more expensive than the food ordered. However, the waiter, after bringing over the bottles and opening it, never really did anything. When the guy was leaving, he tipped 20% for the food, but didn't tip on the wine. When the waiter followed him out to ask him if there was anything wrong, the man replied no. The waiter continued and asked, then why did he tipped so little, and an argument ensued over the tip on the wine. The man was pissed off and crossed off the tip on the credit card bill and replaced it with 0%.
Is there a rule for this? Do you just tip 20% on the wine no matter what? For $40 bottles, this is not that big of a deal, but at several hundred (or thousand) it is.. so i was just wondering if there was some sort of rule for tipping on alcohol...