Is it okay to give a waiter a 1 penny tip?

Question

We had the worst waiter today. He only came to our table to take our order. We waited 15 minutes to get our drinks and 20 minutes to have our plates clears. We never got water refills of any kind. He didn't even bring food to our table, but a helper did.

On top of that, he gave ALL THE OTHER TABLES around us great service, asking if they were good, refilling their waters, etc multiple times.

Did he deserve the one penny tip we gave him?

Answer 1

I'm a waiter, and I'm adamant about the importance of leaving 20% tips, never leaving 10% (because a waiter can't survive on that, which many people don't understand).



I will fight tooth and nail to express to people the importance of good tipping, how even a good waiter can be overwhelmed by more than 5 or 8 tables, how people have to not be so selfish and understand that a tip is part of the price of the meal etc; HOWEVER - this is a big however - if a server provides exceptionally poor service, like 15 minutes for drinks, especially if he/she is managing to handle the other tables efficiently, then...



Then, I don't know. I mean, I want to say leave the penny, but I think you should only do that if you're absolutely furious. And if the waiter was truly miserable. From the wait and the fact that other servers brought your food, I am considering that the server may have been handling more tables than he was supposed to or than is normal. In other words, he was probably overworking himself to make up for the restaurant's faults. That happens to me often enough, and, by default, I cannot serve everybody efficiently (better service than no service at all, but even still) and then I get awful tips.



I can't honestly expect people to be aware of that sort of situation though, and, to be fair, the other side of the coin is that the patron is receiving bad service regardless, which means that a good tip is still a charity. Serving, after all, isn't about hard work. The less hard your server works, the better tips he'll get (unfortunately, that's oddly true).



Bottom line:

There's a saying, "Don't tip an ugly stripper."

She'll quit stripping and do something else with her life. Starving her is your good deed for the day.

The same principal works for servers. If the server himself is actually a very bad server, then a penny or a zero tip can be used to send a message; however, I always suggest that people try and analyze the situation. If it is taking forever for the service, but you see the server running around with food in his hands, taking care of multiple tables and not leaning up against a pillar, chances are he's doing the best he can and you, by not tipping, are taking the bad service out on the server instead of the restaurant.

Answer 2

You should have spoken with the manager. How busy was the restaurant? Just because other tables around you are getting better service, probably means they didn't have as many tables as the waiter that was waiting on you did. He could have 6 other tables with more than 3 people he had to worry about too. So before you take out bad service on waiter, ( unless the place has barely any customers) you shouldn't blame the waitstaff, or waiter in general. believe me waiting tables isn't as easy as it looks. So you leaving a penny for his work, no matter how little he did, just know in the back of your head he's only getting paid $2.35 an hour. Next time, ask another waiter for a refill, or just use common sense and go get the damn manager. Waiters are people too, we can help how backed up we are, to check on you to spoon feed you every 5 mins... we got bills and SH*T!!!!! SMH

Answer 3

a penny tip goes a LOT further in sending a message than no tip. With no tip the server can write it off as a customer being cheap but a cheap person would rather leave nothing than even a penny so when it's low like that there's no denying it, they sucked. I think a penny tip was just fine AND should have talked to the manager so maybe they can crack the whip with this waiter but it's done and over with now. No need to dwell

Answer 4

I have had bad service plenty of times, but always leave a tip. I usually tip 15-20%, but have never tipped less than 10% for terriible service....and can't really think of the last time I did that. Tips are part of thier salary and yes, are earned as far as how much, but are also be expected. On a few rare occationas, I have told the manager if it was that bad, but more oftern, I tell the manager that the server was great!



Edit..no, not like a tattle tale. Most places have a mangager that walks around asking how things are OR at the door when you check out. IF asked, I'm not going to lie, but simply say "well, actually, we didn't see much of our waiter", OR "the food was great, but the service could ahve been better". A 1 cent tip won't improve the service, it typically just pisses them off. BUT, a word from thier boss WILL improve service. BUT, if your goal is to punish him for lousy service, then sure, the 1 cent tip works.

Answer 5

a 1 penny tip is the absolute insult to a waiter. My family has been in the restaurant business since before I was born. there has only been one time in my life that I left a penny. it was to tell the waiter he did a shitastic job.



usually if the service sucks, I just don't leave a tip. but there have only been about 3 incidents where I left no tip.



Some waiters and waitresses really suck. they don't know what they're doing. You can tell the difference between a waiter who is clueless and a waiter who doesn't care.

Answer 6

I think a penny is rude. This question is in the etiquette category. i think proper etiquette would state..rudeness or a bad act does not deserve another in response. This just brings you down to a low level. If you were unhappy with the service, don't tip. Simple as that. Tipping is not guaranteed whether servers believe it is or not. A waitress may not be able to "survive" on lousy tips but this is why she needs to work hard to get good ones. A tip is earned....Just like in the cosmetology business. Wouldn't it be nice if all hairdressers got what they were worth. Some need to work hard and make sure their social skills match up to their professional skills....this is the world we live in. Don't like it, get a Master's degree, or learn to be polite. Most good servers get by. Most lousy servers get what's coming to them. But there is nothing in this world that can't be done with some kindness, even if it is making the decision to not tip a server who has given the worst service of her life...for whatever reason. Shrug your shoulders, don't leave a tip...but don't be furious, tacky and make some kind of "point". It's not good etiquette. That's all.

Answer 7

I'm surprised most people here are saying you should have tipped him anyways. I don't think so.



Tips are to be EARNED and if you don't get the service you want, then you don't tip. Leaving a penny is obnoxious, but i'm sure he got the point.



I'm a generous tipper but a more than once i've been forgotten, ignored and lipped off too, none of which was my doing...it was a lousy waiter/waitress. Why encourage them to be idiots by tipping them when they don't deserve it??

Answer 8

Waiters are usually much more aware of what's going on at a table than most people realize. If you were rude in any way, some waiters won't give you the time of day. If you would have tipped well you would have gotten incredible service the next time you came in- guarantee it. Waiters remember those who they serve, especially those who tip -well-.

Answer 9

A penny gives a better message than nothing at all. I used to wait tables, and if I got that sort of feedback, then I would re-evaluate the service provided. It may seem rude, but we should all like feedback since it gives us an opportunity to learn.

Answer 10

If the waiter did not give good service, leave nothing. However, leaving a penny is personally insulting and inappropriate.

Answer 11

He still deserves a tip, a penny is just insulting. Maybe give him a break and he was having a bad day. Plus there can be mis-communication on who's table is who's between waiters.

Answer 12

Are you sure that your table behaved well? If he attended everyone but you then he singled out your table for a reason.

Answer 13

Haha I like that!

Good for you. If a penny is what he deserves, then why not?

Answer 14

In these circumstances it is best to leave no tip. a 1p tip is rude and making a point. Just leave no tip. I never leave a tip even if the service was outstanding as the waiters have wages and dnt need my money

Answer 15

You should have said something to the manager.

Answer 16

No it's not ok. And there was me thinking that Charles Dickens "Scrooge" was fictitious.

Answer 17

No leave them atleast a 3$ tip be nice or if you come back the next time they remember you only gave them a one cent tip and will serve you shitty.