If they fix the problem, is the 'full tip' still warranted?

[ydpubs]

Managers are not supposed to get tips, so what I would have done is stiffed the waitress and put the tips directly in the hands of the bus boys. That message needed to be sent to her for her horrible service.

(I have worked in many restaurants from high end to casual.)

[lowspark]

Given the OP's update, well, my first thought is that yeah, y'all should have let Uncle just cover the entire tab. Sometimes being polite entails allowing someone do something for you. I know that has nothing to do with the tip question so I don't mean to derail.

Tangent: A lady actually chewed me out one day when I had half of the restaurant by myself and could not keep up. Most of the servers hadn't shown up that day. I don't remember why; maybe it was the flu going around, but I do remember that they weren't just lazy no-shows. I was really apologetic, explained what had happened while trying not to sound like an excuse-maker (if I'm angry about something, I like to know that someone has a reason and isn't just lazy). She told me that it was still our fault because we weren't prepared. By... magic? I don't know.

Well, to be honest, if a restaurant is that short staffed, then they need to close off part of the restaurant and only serve the tables that they can give reasonable attention to. I know it's not the waitstaff's fault that they are understaffed, but why should the customers suffer for it? I'd rather be told there will be a long wait for a table (and make my own decision as to whether it's worth the wait) or turned away than to be seated as if everything is business-as-usual and then get bad service because the establishment is stretching their staff too thin.

Yeah, it's a bummer to turn customers away, but I think it's bad business to knowingly give bad service. It's not fair to the staff and it leaves an impression on the customers. That lady should have chewed out the manager/owner, not the waitress.

[TootsNYC]

I've had waiters* mess up, and then try very hard to fix things and make it right, etc., and I've tipped them big.

I've had waiters be truly overstaffed and frazzled and provide less than stellar service but are trying hard, and I've tipped them big.

In this case, the waitress didn't provide service really at all, so I wouldn't want to tip. And managers don't work for tips, so I would never tip him. His reward comes from his larger salary and from the fact that he *gets* a real salary.

I'd want to preserve my reputation as someone who tips well enough to deserve good service.

I'd want to be able to tip the bus boys (or anyone else who normally gets "tipped" and would end up stiffed if I stiffed the waitress), but I wouldn't know how to do it. I guess the suggestion of handing the tip to the manager and saying, "would you get this to the bus boys, and anyone else necessary?"





*male AND female

[Hmmmmm]

Given the OP's update, well, my first thought is that yeah, y'all should have let Uncle just cover the entire tab. Sometimes being polite entails allowing someone do something for you. I know that has nothing to do with the tip question so I don't mean to derail.

Tangent: A lady actually chewed me out one day when I had half of the restaurant by myself and could not keep up. Most of the servers hadn't shown up that day. I don't remember why; maybe it was the flu going around, but I do remember that they weren't just lazy no-shows. I was really apologetic, explained what had happened while trying not to sound like an excuse-maker (if I'm angry about something, I like to know that someone has a reason and isn't just lazy). She told me that it was still our fault because we weren't prepared. By... magic? I don't know.

Well, to be honest, if a restaurant is that short staffed, then they need to close off part of the restaurant and only serve the tables that they can give reasonable attention to. I know it's not the waitstaff's fault that they are understaffed, but why should the customers suffer for it? I'd rather be told there will be a long wait for a table (and make my own decision as to whether it's worth the wait) or turned away than to be seated as if everything is business-as-usual and then get bad service because the establishment is stretching their staff too thin.
Yeah, it's a bummer to turn customers away, but I think it's bad business to knowingly give bad service. It's not fair to the staff and it leaves an impression on the customers. That lady should have chewed out the manager/owner, not the waitress.

POD to this. The woman shouldn't have chewed you out, but I can imagine being upset if told the reason I was getting subpar service was because management did not deal with an unexpected issue effectively.

[delabela]

Eh, I would have tipped my normal amount.  The way they made up for the rough beginning would have satisfied me, and it does seem they went above and beyond.  I suppose one could spend time thinking about who might get what portion of the tip, but that's not really where I want to spend mental energy on a night I've gone out.  It's about the whole experience. 

I'm sure it's just me, but the fact that Uncle seems to have stated he "wanted to send a message" irritates me.  It just sounds so righteous.  Tip a lot or tip a little, but don't make pronouncements about why you're doing it.

[Outdoor Girl]

^ I would have tipped my normal amount, too.  But there is no way I'd leave it on the table for the waitress who messed up.  I would give it directly to the bus boys or to the manager to distribute to the bus boys.

[bopper]

The waitress/waiter should be the quarterback of the team.  They should make sure that food comes out in the right order and in a complete manner.     If there is a kitchen issue, they should keep you up to date. If there are less servers than usual, they also could let you know so as to manage expectations.

Your issues were service issues.  In my mind, the waitress should get a poor tip. She did not provide good service.
The manager is like the coach.  He had to make sure that he didn't lose you as customers, hence all the goodies.

[Eeep!]

I've had waiters* mess up, and then try very hard to fix things and make it right, etc., and I've tipped them big.

I've had waiters be truly overstaffed and frazzled and provide less than stellar service but are trying hard, and I've tipped them big.

In this case, the waitress didn't provide service really at all, so I wouldn't want to tip. And managers don't work for tips, so I would never tip him. His reward comes from his larger salary and from the fact that he *gets* a real salary.

I'd want to preserve my reputation as someone who tips well enough to deserve good service.

I'd want to be able to tip the bus boys (or anyone else who normally gets "tipped" and would end up stiffed if I stiffed the waitress), but I wouldn't know how to do it. I guess the suggestion of handing the tip to the manager and saying, "would you get this to the bus boys, and anyone else necessary?"

This is where I fall too.





*male AND female