Ask a group of servers about their biggest pet peeve and they'll almost unanimously cite the Bad Tipper. We found two cases of diners who went way over the 20 percent standard this week as refreshing as having your water glass swiftly refilled.In a case of cash-flashing that was more Yo Yo Ma than Ne-Yo, a member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra left a $10,000 tip to the staff of Sullivan's Steakhouse in Omaha. Several members of the company had dined at the restaurant during the week, and one musician in particular wanted to say thanks in a big way.
The second windfall went to a waitress in Portland, Ore., who casually mentioned to a few of her regulars that she was interested in cosmetology school. Two of the customers, an unnamed woman and her father, crunched the cost of tuition over their baked potatoes, then left her a check for $14,000 with their tab.
We've waited a table or two in our day, and we were happy enough when somebody left us our own pen after signing the credit card slip.
In spite of our massive jealousy, we'd like to offer a couple of suggestions for how these superior servers can spend their cash below.
What 150K Will Get You
A Three-Bedroom House in Dallas or a One-Bedroom Apartment in New York City: More into real estate than runway looks? Search through nationwide home listings on Cyberhomes.
Cyberhomes
A Couture Gown: See something you like on the runway? A custom-fitted couture dress from the likes of Dior or Versace (above) can be yours for upwards of $25,000.
Versace
A College Education: According to a College Board report issued last week, the average cost of tuition and fees (not including incidentals like room and board) at a public university is $6,585 per year, and at a private university, $25,143 per year.
Flickr, CarbonNYC
A Year of Christian Louboutins: With $150K at your disposal, you could afford to drop almost $2,900 on shoes at Bergdorf Goodman every week for a year. That's a lot of red-soled Mary Jane platforms.
Bergdorf Goodman
His & Hers Life-Size LEGO Replicas: Who needs a mirror when you've got your own LEGO clone to look at? At $60,000 a pop, artist Nathan Sawaya's life-sized creations (available at Neiman Marcus) were made for people with dough to blow.
Neiman Marcus
Marquis Jet Card: Commercial flights are for suckers. Now you can pony up for the ultra-elite Marquis Jet program, which provides 25 hours of flight time on NetJets private jets. Pricing starts at $126,900.
Marquis Jet
Diamonds Galore: Want some major bling for your buck? Set your sights on Tiffany & Co.'s 2.5-carat round-cut three-stone engagement ring (starting at $71,000), with $77,000 dangling Legacy-cut diamonds to match.
Tiffany
The Tesla Roadster: This 100 electric, rechargeable car of the future goes for $109,000 at Tesla Motors, leaving you plenty of change for fuzzy dice and vanity plates.
Tesla Motors
Hermes Matte Crocodile Bag: According to "Forbes," this diamond-crusted, reptilian bag sold at auction for $120,000. Suddenly a Chanel 2.55 sounds like a bargain. It's tough to snag (and near impossible to get online), but you can start the search with Hermes.com's store listings.
Doyle New York
Five Nights at the Ty Warner Penthouse: Priced at $30,000 a night, this beyond-luxurious nine-room NYC Four Seasons penthouse boasts 360-degree city views, a personal butler and trainer, and a private chauffeur to drive a Rolls Royce Phantom or Mercedes Maybach. Take that, Motel 6.
Four Seasons
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Report Warns That Tasmanian Devils May Go Extinct
Bad news for devil worshipers.
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New Dad Names Daughter After McCain/Palin Campaign
An overzealous Republican dad named his daughter Sarah McCain Palin.
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Comments:
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Friday 07 November
By jonas
I think tips are a way for the restaurants to keep from paying their help the money they deserve, I do not like the idea of them adding the grautiuty to my tab, when that happens I pay it, but I make it very plain, that I will not be back, If the service is good I leave 10% if it is very Good I leave 15%, and if they really go out of their way to make my meal a pleasent experience I may leave 20-25%, if the service is lousy I leave $.25 cents and a note explaining why.
Reply
Friday 07 November
By Shelly
I wanted to comment on your amount of tipping. Do you realize that servers are paid only $2.65 an hr, which doesn't give you anything, they make their living off of what the guests leave them. Furthermore - the standard starts off at 18% and should go up from there. Everyone may have an off day, but do remember that the servers are also having to tip out thier bussers and the bartenders also.
You may not know that so I'm just letting you in on a little secret. Sometimes if you feel that your aren't being waited on hand and foot is maybe due to the fact that you are not thier only table and the next table maybe giving them a hard time - so it may take an extra minute or so to get what you need.
Friday 07 November
By Angel
I am a waitress. I get paid 4.65 an hour to kiss YOUR ass. My check is about 150.00 every 2 weeks. Do you like getting a paycheck every week? We work for TIPS!!! Why on Earth would you not come back to a restaurant because grutuity was added to your bill??? Cheap people like you are the reason why grutuity is added. 10% is a MAJOR insult. I bet you come in with a group of 20 and want your check split too. What our employer chooses to pay us is not our fault. I suppose you think you are better than some trashy waitress? I am not white trash. My husband has a very good job. I work for extra spending money. I bet you are a real bitch and your food has been spit in a few times too. Sit on that and spin.
Friday 07 November
By Russ
Its pretty simple, if you don't plan on tipping, dont dine in at a restaurant. If you think it is unfair making tips find a new job.
Friday 07 November
By Linda
Many waitresses have to tip out the bartender, bussers and cooks. They are required to tip out even if they dont get a tip, therefore they are negative on that service for that hour or so. I am amazed how many people think tips are Optional and that restaurants really think you know to do the right thing and tip the 15-20%. That's why good waitresses are hard to find, they are tired of going home after running 8 hours for basically nothing. Get a clue people.
Friday 07 November
By tu padre
Jonas the frugal,
It sounds like you have never worked in the food and beverage industry before.
It's a labor intensive job that involves taking a lot of crap from unhappy and maladjusted douchebags. Do you incorrectly assume that part of the server's responsibilities entail taking crap from miserable diners like yourself that stroll in off the street? I am sure what you consider to be excellent service involves not having to pay for your entree or perhaps being offered a piggy-back ride to the bus stop after you've finished your meal.
You complained about restaurants placing an auto-gratuity on your bill and are oblivious to the irony at work here. People like you are the reason why certain establishments employ this protocol, if you didn't tip like we were living in the 19th century this wouldn't happen to you.
Pay close attention to what I am about to post Jonas;
Any person under 70 yrs of age who leaves less than a 15% gratuity for even average service should not be eating out...unless it's at Burger King. You paid for the meal but refuse to pay for the service, that makes you more than a little scummy.
I laugh when I think about how many times you have unwittingly ingested items not familiar to the recipe from food handlers who don't appreciate your tight-fisted patronage. Idiots like you don't understand that messing around with someones money is a bad idea and an even worse idea when you have entrusted the persons you abuse with handling your meals. ; )
In closing I will state emphatically that you do society, and yourself, a favor and stay at home Jonas. Learn how to prepare your own meals, don't burden others with the responsibility of feeding you. If you aren't willing to leave a percentage of gratuity that is commensurate with the current economy and cost of living it's best for all parties involved that you take your meals within the confines of your lovely trailer. ; )
-Emeril Lagasse
PS Gratuity is spelled with one U, like pickle-chugger.
Friday 07 November
By April
I also have been a waitress, and was making 2.65...if you are going to eat out..you know to tip..I call myself a great tipper..even if the meal was 20..I am know to leave 15..I know how hard it is to do everything perfect..I always could see before hand how the people would tip..the people who let the kids make a mess and do not even bother to pick up after them, they are the worse ones....imagine what there house looks like...or when there is a group of 20..just because one person left 6 dollars..does not mean you are off the hook...tip on your amount of the bill..this is another reason I went to bartending..you get tipped per drink and a lot of times you get tipped extra..and if they are giving you heck..you get to kick them out..lol...I will never go back being a waitress again...
Friday 07 November
By thats not cool
Sadly it is not your place to teach a lesson to the server. If you have a problem, then talk to the manager instead of taking away from their pockets. Either that or stop eating at places where you have to tip.
Friday 07 November
By Lolita
You should be ashamed to leave a $0.25 tip. If you do not know how to tip properly, you should stick with fast-food or just stay at home.
Friday 07 November
By Shannon
Boo f#cking hoo Angel - Nobody told you to choose a professional that relies on your personally (your childish post attests to how lousy it must be) to supplement your pay! You don't like it try a grown up career and leave the waitressing to the teens! If not, maybe you should try dropping the attitude and you won't have to worry about us "cheap" customers paying you what we deem you to be worth... which apparently in your case, judging by your post, more often than not is less than 10%!
Saturday 08 November
By Jan
Jones you really should not go to resturants.STAY HOME! Save your money for some sauerkraut.
Saturday 08 November
By mzpoelv
It's obvious you have never waited tables. If you want to change the system then you should start a movement and get signatures and get it on the ballot of your state and try to get it passed into law. However, you'll be paying a whole lot more for your dining experience. It will be pass on to you.
Right!!!!! You won't bother...you'll just complain. 15 - 20%. That's the minimum unless you've been treated badly by your server. They don't seat you, they don't make your drinks, they don't cook your food, but they're blamed for everything that goes wrong.
They also have to split their tips with 2-5 people, which leaves them a lot less than you think.
Not to mention...restaurant customers are some of the most impolite, obnoxious, and phony people you will ever come in contact with.
My personal opinion is that nobody...NOBODY...should be allowed to go out to eat in a restaurant until they've spent at least 3 months working in a restaurant in some capacity. Dealing with the (not so) wonderful public.
Saturday 08 November
By ryan
your a cheap ass loser jonas. 90% of bad service is due to the kitchen not your server. Your tip is basically there paycheck, tip at least 20% unless your server is a giant asshole like you are.
Saturday 08 November
By Campy
Jonas, 10% for good service???? You cheap prick
Saturday 08 November
By Robert
I am the same way. If you offer bad service, you get a bad tip. Does anyone kn ow what the word TIP stands for? It is a GRATUITY so you should NEVER base you livelyhood on it. Most servers think that it is a manditory part of their income when in fact it is T to I insure P promtness. If you are only making 2.65 or 4.65 an hour you better take a look at the FEDERAL minimum wage which is 7.75 or something near. You are being cheated!
Saturday 08 November
By kazzar32
No wonder you get bad service! What a cheap bastard. I would be ashamed to be associated with you in any way whatsoever!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Saturday 08 November
By rapala111
you are a douche-bag
Saturday 08 November
By maria
I have to say waiting tables is a very hard job, I did it for a short time and hated it. Not only are wait staff dealing with the public good and bad, they are also dealing with miserable chefs who are hot from being behind a stove all day/night. They should also tip the wait person just for putting up with them.
But my point is that I have always tipped well, even if service recieved is not as great as I would like, its part of going out to diner. I tell my children waiting tables is one of the hardest jobs a person could do. That they should always be respectful and mindful that the person waiting on them only gets paid a small amount of hourly money, that they rely on tips to live. NOT only does a waiter rely on tips, most have to split what they make with other people.
Saturday 08 November
By Kenneth
Well as for 10% that's for bad service not for good...That's a bad tip...15% is for an average tip....So you're %10 would be a horrible cheap tip to a server...
Saturday 08 November
By okjo1126
Yes, I remember cheapskates like you when I was a waitress. Excuses, excuses