Tipping etiquette

It's always a dilemma - how much to tip at restaurants? It can make or break a meal. Great date but the guy tips 12%? Sorry, can't go out with you again. I have yet to try waitressing, but as a hostess I witnessed poor tipping firsthand and was sometimes even the victim of it. Most often the culprits were gaggles of European tourists - strollers and twelve massive 5th Avenue shopping bags in tow - who  checked their cumbersome bags and never deigned to tip even a buck. I often embarrassingly turn away when my dad makes calculations, subtracting the wine and the tax from the overall total, but also never know if 20% is way too far overboard. And what about in Quebec where the tax is already sky-high? I don't need my $15 dollar salad to be double its price with tax and tip, thankyouverymuch! Bon Appetit's Foodist outlines some tipping protocol. For the full article, click on this link: http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2008/10/foodist_tipping

If you just want the essential summary, here you go! My favourite is #5. So true...

The BA Foodist's Tipping Rules

• RULE NO. 1: Unless the server is rude, condescending, and/or completely absent, tip between 18 and 20 percent.
• RULE NO. 2: Never tip on tax. Tip based on the subtotal. And if you're calculating your tip simply by doubling the tax, stop it—you're being cheap.
• RULE NO. 3: Unless you drink like Dean Martin or have a taste for expensive wines (i.e., $40 or more, depending on your budget), it's best to include booze when calculating a tip. Bartenders expect a dollar tip per drink (which is usually about 20 percent of the drink's price), and it's no different with waiters.
• RULE NO. 4: Never turn a blind eye when others are tipping—especially if they're unfamiliar with our tipping culture (i.e., Europeans). If you think your tablemate is lowballing the service, it's best to hand the waiter a few bills on the way out.
• RULE NO. 5: If a few dollars here and there really matter that much to your bank account, perhaps you shouldn't be going out to eat in the first place.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2008/10/foodist_tipping#ixzz1bR8DRGYQ