Tipping for good service has been customary around the world for centuries. Where exactly tipping first developed is open to debate with some parties attributing the behavior?s beginnings with feudal lords who tossed extra coins to serfs to guarantee safe passage while others look to 16^th century England where employees of pubs and coffee houses placed brass urns inscribed with the words ?To Insure Promptitude? (abbreviated T.I.P.). Regardless of where the behavior first developed, giving gratuities to restaurant servers is a customary social behavior no matter where one may reside.

What’s the Minimum Tip?

Restaurant servers depend upon gratuities for the bulk of their pay. In the US, a dining establishment only has to pay its server employees $2.13 an hour if the employee?s tips average out to meet federal minimum wage guidelines of $5.85 an hour (effective July 27, 2007). This minimum amount does vary from state to state with states on the west coast pegging the minimum hourly limit over $7.00. Still, it?s safe to say your server does depend upon your tips no matter where you dine no matter the hourly cash limit.

What’s a Good Tipping Amount?

That said, a good tip should be earned with exemplary service. Tips are gratuities, by definition a gift and not a right. American laws do not require tipping. It is my belief to always tip at 15% of the total bill unless the service was extraordinarily bad. In these cases, one should contact the restaurant manager and be specific about the bad service because these instances really provide the restaurant a disservice. Alternatively, exceptional service should be rewarded with a greater tip, perhaps even up to a 25% total of the total bill. Exceptional service could include making your meal right if it wasn?t when first delivered, or those intangible ?extras? that made your dining experience special. Perhaps your server provided you with a good tip on an activity going on that evening where you may adjourn after your dining experience or was able to sense perfectly when their presence were needed, or when their presence was not required.

Things To Look Out For Before Tipping

It is important to note another customary behavior within American restaurants, this time on the part of the restaurant establishments. It is often customary for the restaurant to automatically add a 15% premium to the bill if your party consists of 8-10 or more members. This is always noted on the printed bill, usually in fine print. It does vary, depending upon what restaurant you attend, how many members qualify for the premium but it?s a good bet that no matter what restaurant you choose this custom will be followed. If the 15% premium has been added to your bill, then anything extra left would be a tip for exemplary service. When a 15% premium has been added, the restaurant patron has no choice to reduce the tip for bad service. Once again, I would suggest talking to the restaurant manager, especially in this situation, to inform them of an unearned surcharge added to the bill. When taking a bad experience to the restaurant manager, be sure to be specific about what the issue was. If it was food that was prepared improperly, that is not all the server?s fault (though perhaps they could have done more to rectify the situation), if it was bad service, then the manager should know.