We're all FANTASTIC tippers, but that's the question the thread is asking. Is the built in 18-20% charge (not including the other $5 built in charge) on a room service charge a 'tip"?

And the joke is...

"What did the leper say to the prostitute?"

Not the other way around


Botched that one...

I tried to explain the difference between a fixed gratuity and a service charge.

No, no, no.

The leper said "keep the tip".

The prostitute said "don't forget the tip".

I tend to tip well when I first arrive or use a service for the first time. The word gets around, and if you're staying for more than a night, then it's a great way to ensure that you get good service.

I'd rather grease the wheels to start with than wait and see and tip accordingly.

Same goes for a bar... when I first walk in and order drinks at a busy bar, I make sure that my first drink order has a $10-20 tip along with it that goes into the tip jar, and that the bartender sees it happen.

After that you could be the last guy in the back of the crowd, but if you need a drink, you'll get awesome service and bumped up to the front.

The punch line is "that's as bad as screen doors on a submarine"!:p

[QUOTE=jeffgrant;4659220]I tend to tip well when I first arrive or use a service for the first time. The word gets around, and if you're staying for more than a night, then it's a great way to ensure that you get good service.

I'd rather grease the wheels to start with than wait and see and tip accordingly.




the acronym " tips" is " to insure prompt service".

Big tipper that you are Dottore, care to explain the apparent chasm between this post" It is slightly ridiculous that the food industry is able to subsidise their payroll costs in this fashion because of the widespread expecation that people will leave a 15% tip no matter what. Why not just add 15% to menu prices and be done with this mendacity? What other industry explots our gullibility to this degree?"
And the current one in which you say that you tip a bill for the time and effort?

Hah! This does work. Many years ago we used to frequent a beer joint that had cheap pitchers on a week night. The thing is, they only put out about 20 pitchers that night. So, to get one and not buy by the mug, we'd give the waitress a few bucks to get started. We always had a full pitcher of beer and we used them up pretty fast.

This used to be the Oarhouse in Santa Monica off National Blvd.

No, no, no....
The punchline is: "Well she's got worms too, but I love to fish!"

i have never ever ordered room service in my entire life. if i am in another city, i hit the pavement looking for somewhere else to eat, besides my hotel room. i have made it a hobby to "eat like the locals".

room service food appears to be overpriced everytime i check out the menu for kicks.

Sorry, Milt, I did the ol' "shoot to the end and don't read anything and blab your fat mouth off" thing. SmileWavy

Simple. I much prefer a system in which tipping 15—20% is not expected. But in NA it is. And I am a realist.

But I will not tip if the service is poor. That may have been missing from my previous post.

+1
A little goes a long way...

I just got back from my honeymoon in Pismo Beach, stayed at a 5 star resort and always slipped the guys a few dollars. Yes, everything came with a "gratuity included" reciept, but, The bonus for taking care of them anyways? They noticed our car was filthy from the drive up from LA, ash from the Santa Barbara fires etc. So they detailed the car inside and out... As a courtesy. We called front desk and asked about DVD's very late one night, lady says I'll pick out a few and have them delivered, if you don't like them tell us, we'll bring more. She called 5 min later and said your movies are on your door step! With pop corn and chocolates.
Word gets around a hotel/resort, if you're taking care of them, they enjoy taking care of you. Same goes for restaurants....
I'm just sayin

"Gunga, gunga lunga . . . " is all they get from me.;)

If you leave a tip for the "room cleaners" at disney they will make animals out of the towels..... :D

I always add "extra" in the palm. Not alot, but enough to keep them interested. Denis in #14, Milt in #19, Jeff in #25, and 911 freak in #34 are right.

If your going out, or if your staying in, if the service is above acceptable, and if you consider yourself "taken care of", tip the staff. Screw the "added" gratuity. Doesn't really need to be alot (relative) but I have found everything above to be true. Small thoughts count, the service improves, the bar staff responds more quickly, and the tip goes up. This includes hotel cleaning staff. Funny what they can take care of for $2/day

Karl
88 Targa

One of the 1st things I learned in college when my buddies were bartending, it didn't happen to me, but one of my good friends straightened out a friend with said one night that he had just enough money for 3 drinks, just the drinks, nother for a tip. I've bartended and worked other gigs where I earned tips, so I understand how much a tip means, plus, my father always told me to ever leave coin, always round up.

Now, why would you order room service, I always look forward to heading to the bar for dinner...

General rule of thumb is if you don't know what an appropriate tip should be, tip the equivalent of the price of a pack of cigarettes in whatever locale you're in.

'course now days that is getting quite pricey.

But, yes, you should tip RS guy even if a gratuity is added. The added gratuity is usually shared with the kitchen staff, maids, janitors, service bartenders, operator, etc. Perhaps a bit less if they're adding 15%+, but still you should tip him. That way he won't spit in your food the next order he brings to you;)

Oh yeah...another thing. A cash tip is usually more appreciated than adding a tip to a credit card or hotel receipt. Reason: If no tip is added to a credit bill, then most rest/bars assume 8-10% and calculate accordingly for tax reporting purposes. Whereas, if you leave the tip on your credit card, the waitstaff tip is reported in the actual amount. Plus some establishments payout the tips on a weekly basis if they're on the hotel or CC bill.

Trust me...cash talks.