The Ultimate Guide to Determine if You’re Tipping Enough!

Tipping your waiter is a very common practice in most countries, but how much to tip is something that always baffles customers. Before, paying 15% for decent services and 20% if it was extraordinary was the standard amount. But now, with more restaurants levying service charges, it leaves a confusing situation of whether you should tip your server. Leaving a tip is not a legal obligation for the customers but a cultural norm to help servers pull through. So, look at these simple tips to figure out how much you should pay extra for your servers.

How Much to Tip?

Servers are paid based on a tipping system. The better service they provide, the more tips they receive. Now, spending at least 18% on tips is acceptable, and 20-22% is considered a generous tip. If you feel like your waiter deserves more, don’t shy away from paying more. However, if you thought that service was not up to par and you don’t want to tip, consider talking to a superior about it. It seems rude not to leave a tip, even if the service was not good. And it’s always better to talk it out instead of having something unwanted in your next coffee.

Doing the Calculations

A good rule of thumb is rounding off your total for a 20% tip, double the amount and add one decimal point. For illustration, if your bill comes up to be $35.84, round off to $36, then double it, which is $72. Add a decimal point by moving one place from the left, making it $7.2. Hence, for a $36 bill, you can tip your server $7.2 or more. You can even download a tipping app to do your work and pay the amount.

Why Is Tipping Important?

Waiting tables is one of the most challenging jobs in the US, and servers survive through tips only. They are being paid a minimal amount of $2.13 an hour, making it harder to fulfill their basic needs. Some servers actually pool their tipping to support other staff members or bartenders. It is done in many restaurants to ensure that the servers make at least the bare minimum amount. When it comes to tipping, there are people relying on them. You can always speak your heart out if you don’t like the service because your opinion matters. But do it politely so you don’t offend anybody. The next time you go out, appreciate your server and make them happy by tipping rightfully.