89GTA - 30 December 2007 06:34 AM
alph13 - 29 December 2007 09:16 PM
My favorite one here is when you have a server respond to your “thank you” with a “no problem”. Has everyone forgotten that the proper response to “thank you” is “you’re welcome”? Why would I even begin to think that bringing me something I’ve asked for is a “problem”? IT’S YOUR JOB. It shouldn’t be a PROBLEM. It’s what you get paid to do, it’s what you’re tip can get based on. I’m not a cheap tipper but i’ll tell you my tip is much closer to 15% after a few “no problems”.
Now that’s just silly. Getting all bent out of shape because a polite response is not the correct polite response? You’re reading way too much into that response and/or misinterpreting it. Do you have any other favorite ones “here” as opposed to “there”?
Unless you’re all having tea with the Queen, you seem to be expecting a bit much from local diner staff. First, they’re diner staff. Secondly, just because a polite response wasn’t the polite response you were looking for, doesn’t make it any less sincere. If the waitress wasn’t rude, and said “No problem” in a nice way with a smile, take it as the reply and move on with life. If she threw your food/drink at you, then that’s a different story. Unfortunately, this isn’t 1955 and we don’t live in “Leave it to Beaver” world. Things have changed, and the world isn’t as formal a place as it once was. I’m not saying that I think people shouldn’t be polite, because I think they should. If the waiter/ewaitress is nasty to you, be ridiculously polite back to them. “Kill ‘em with kindness”. But it’s too petty to get all bent out of shape over.
As for gratuity, it’s that. I almost always tip, and there’s only been a few instances in my life where I haven’t. That’s not saying that we always leave 15% Actually, we rarely do. If the service is good or great, we usually tip at least 20%. However, if the service is bad, I leave less than expected. If the whole experience is horrible, than nothing, or some change. And, for places that add gratuity in, that’s all they get. I know the premise behind it, but I figure if that’s what they’re expecting, than I should give them what they’re expecting. But, when we’ve received bad service and the gratuity was already added, I’ve made them credit it off the bill.