<p>Here is another twist. I buy meal coupons from Groupon sometimes. They would have $150 dinner for $75. Should I tip in $150 or $75? I used to tip on $150, but then I found out it is very much a water down $150 worth meal, so I was over tipping.</p>
<p>I am pretty sure those coupons specifically state that you should tip on what the regular price of the meal would be. I tried one of those coupons once years ago, but made the mistake of telling them upfront we were using it. We were seated at the worst table one can imagine and got very poor service. I felt they viewed us as “cheapskates” or something. They certainly treated us as second class citizens. It wasn’t Groupon but another company that has since been bought out. I wrote them a nasty e-mail saying they should advise their clients that if they are going to treat patrons in that manner, then they have no business participating in the program.</p>
<p>I honestly think those programs arose out of the economic crisis of 2008 and many businesses needed to offer reductions to stay afloat. Now that the economy has recovered, I am not sure those programs are even still around.</p>
<p>The best deal was a bottle of Moet and oysters for half price at the Standard Hotel cafe in NYC.</p>
<p>I tip hotel room folks. And I tip on the full normal price when I use a coupon. </p>
<p>I tip for the regular price when I use a coupon, but if I were noticeably poorly treated, no tip at all. I have used coupons a number of times and had no such problem. Amazon, I believe, offered some deals a couple of years ago and I did end up with a number of wonderful restaurant coupons. Oh, what a delight it was to get to dine on them, as some of them were tremendous deals, even more than 50% off. I didn’t have any issues that I noticed in how we were treated. I gladly paid the tip on what the meal would have cost. </p>
<p>My brother, however, did tell me that he has had some issues in NYC with discount coupons. But we did a huge family meal --20 or so people with a substantial coupon, and the restaurant which was one that my brother had reported was one that did not like patrons with such discounts, treated us wonderfully. They did charge us 18% on the full undiscounted cost for gratuity, and I do believe my DH added more on top of that, as the service, food and consideration was worth it. </p>
<p>I haven’t been out to a new place in a while, and this place has me hankering for a night out. </p>
<p>Funny our less than satisfactory experience with the meal coupon was in NYC as well.</p>
<p>I wish hotels would be more clear when they add the gratuity to the bill.
A couple times I have left tips when it was already included.
Oddly, its the more expensive hotels that seem to do that.</p>
<p>Groupons, when they first started had numerous restaurants offering discounts. These days, in my town, they are few and far between. I read someplace that many jumped on the bandwagon because it would increase their clientele. However, many like me, are more after a bargain than anything else, and would not return to those places without the incentive of the discount. Yes, it does state that tipping should be on the full amount. </p>
<p>I tip, at least minimally with each hotel stay, as it seems like a direct line to helping needy people in poor corners of the world. That maid is often supporting family back in Mexico, or wherever, and my dollars go right to a place of need. </p>
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When I say you “have to” plan to include tips, I don’t mean that you are legally required to, but that good manners require you to do so. To put it baldly, if you receive normal service, and don’t tip, you are stealing from the server.</p>
<p>Nope, don’t “HAVE TO” plan, though I agree the etiquette is to do so. I know some people who don’t. They only tip at places where they intend to return. They save a lot of money that way in eating out. And for many restaurants, you aren’t just stiffing the server. The whole back kitchen structure gets from that tip and that server is only penalized about 10% of the amount. Tips are usually pooled in the larger restaurant. </p>
<p>Where you hurt those who need it most is when you don’t tip for that cup of coffee or little bit of food at some place where the bill is just not that high. 15% tips there, to me, are absurd, too low, and that’ s where I tip the most. Some of those workers truly are making min wage or very little more. I’ll tip cash there too. When I go to a high flying expensive place, yes, 15% of the pretax amount, unless the service is stellar, and above and beyond. Rarely get that. Rarely get bad service either, and the reality is I usually tip more than that. Especially since I rarely go to the higher end places. I most like to eat at non chain not so well known restaurants where the food is very good, that serve things I can’t make well myself, don’t like to make, or are a lot of trouble for me to make. Cost of meal for me per person $10-20 average. So I will tip more than 15%. And in cash most of the time, and I know that for some of those places, tips aren’t pooled and the waitstaff work very hard. </p>
<p>EmeraldK, I’ve never had a gratuity added for me at a hotel. I do check those charges carefully too. What hotels do that? I have never added a gratuity for a lodging charge either. When I’ve left anything, it was in cash in the room with a thank you note. Xiggy’s father’s way is a lot more pragmatic, but I wouldn’t know how to tip in advance for a room. How on earth does one do that? </p>
<p>We recently had a block of rooms at a chain for a wedding we attended, and I noticed that the maids cleaning were NOT the same each day. Which meant tipping at the end of our 3 day stay, meant that whoever got us last, got the tip. We had gotten deeply discounted rooms through a family member who works for the chain, as well, so I felt that some extra was in order. DH just took care of it, but does so on autopilot, so only those who cleaned our room got anything, and whoever go the room last got the most, the way he tips for hotel service. Cash each day in the room with extra the last day if the service was good. He always tips for hotel stays.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse–Amen. I like to think I’m making some poor waiter/waitress happy when I overtip for a tiny meal or coffee in a diner. And that makes me happy.</p>
<p>
It’s a matter of semantics, I suppose, but the fact that other people don’t do what is ethically obligatory doesn’t alter the fact that I, at least, “have to” do it.</p>
<p>I’ll never forget eating out at IHOP with a group of about 10, and the guy who had the most money was the stingiest tipper, counting out coins like they were gold. I wanted to say something but couldn’t think of a tactful way to do it. [-( </p>
<p>Edit: And we had just come from a religious event and MOST of us were feeling like it was our time to improve the world. I think that’s what got me the most. The irony.</p>
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<p>I’ve noticed that too–my book group goes out to dinner together twice a year. The woman who organizes it all insists on a single check and then asks everyone to figure out her portion of the bill and put the money in the middle of the table. There are a couple of women who “don’t believe” in tipping–they are probably the two who are the most financially comfortable. </p>
<p>As a result of their views, there’s never been enough money to leave a 15% tip let alone a 20% tip. The place we go doesn’t automatically add a gratuity for bigger groups. Each year, a few of us (who don’t think it’s fair to leave the servers high and dry) end up adding the difference to make sure the servers get a 20% tip. We’ve got a group of 8-10 women who are very picky and it’s not easy serving that crew and making sure that each woman gets her order/drink. </p>
<p>A person who doesn’t believe in tipping shouldn’t eat in a restaurant where the servers earn their living from tips. It’s stealing.</p>
<p>They probably only went because it was part of our book group meeting, but one would think that these two would realize that they are part of a group and that by not tipping the rest of the group is subsidizing them. </p>
<p>I think it is really bad form to dine at a restaurant, whether it’s Applebees or Daniel, and not leave a gratuity for the service staff. We do have friends that are “low” tippers and we always make up the difference. Usually we dine at places that we will return, so it is worth it to us. Our friends have other qualities that make the relationship worthwhile. They are employed in academia, so perhaps there is a reason that they are more conservative with their resources. </p>
<p>Would these people buy three oranges, but shoplift the fourth because they think the price is too high></p>
<p>cpt - We’re very similar in our tipping practices for both restaurants and daily at hotels. No regrets at all here.</p>
<p>I just ate at a hotel restaurant last night in which the bill came to me with the amounts of 18%, 20% and 22% tip already pre-calculated so I could fill in which I liked. I did the 18%. The service was pleasant and fine. It was an easy order for 2 people and she didn’t do anything extra (nor was anything extra needed). I’m not going to do 20% for that. </p>