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Sunday, November 22, 2009
Tipping in trying times
By Rivkela Brodsky
Journal Staff Writer
The economy has had diners budgeting their money especially when it comes to eating out.
But those in a financial pinch who still find the means to dine out shouldn't forget the servers bringing them their meals, say those in the local restaurant industry and etiquette experts.
"A lot of this reflects who we really are," said Thelma Domenici, etiquette columnist for the Journal and CEO of Thelma Domenici & Associates. "If you still have the means to dine out ... then I think that demonstrates you still have financial opportunity to tip according to what seems to be the norm today."
Domenici says the standard tip is 18 percent, although local industry experts say it ranges from 15-20 percent.
"I start at 20 percent and then go down from there based on service," said Carol Wight, CEO of the New Mexico Restaurant Association.
Domenici and Wight say diners should have high expectations. "They're there to serve you," Wight said.
If service is bad, Domenici said, a customer should tell a manager so the server has a chance to learn from his or her mistakes.
Rebecca Rodriguez, general manager for Jinja Bar & Bistro off of Coors, said tips have dropped this past year into the 10 percent to 15 percent range due to the economy.
"Servers are relying on that money also," she told the Journal. "Remember that everybody is working really hard to survive."
That money usually helps students get through school or provides extra income for the household, Rodriguez said, saying only a small percentage of customers don't understand that tips supplement the $2.13 per hour minimum wage servers are paid.
"They pretty much make a zero dollar check... Their taxes eat up that check," she said.
Linda Bohman, a server and bartender at Jinja, said customers should know that tips are divided among all wait staff for a table, including bartenders and bussers.
"I didn't know that until I served. ... A lot of people don't know," she told the Journal.
Tipping in tip jars is another matter altogether.
Domenici said she's not a big believer in them because employees are paid a regular minimum wage. "If we feel like tipping, fine, but I don't think we should feel guilty if we don't," she said.
Theresa Marquez, co-owner of Tea's Cafe and Bagelry in Rio Rancho, pays her six employees $7.50 an hour and leaves a tip jar on the counter for customers who want to show their appreciation for good service — if they can.
"I don't feel you should be forced into it," she said. "If the service was really excellent, then tip."
Customer tab receipts at the eatery at 2003 Southern Blvd., don't include a tip line for that reason, she says. Also, this method encourages more diners to her eatery in this economy, she said.
Tipping isn't the only thing to remember, Domenici added, as basic rules of etiquette should also be practiced year-round.
Diners should be respectful to their servers and should expect the same from them, she said. "I always ask the server their name," she said. "It shows you appreciate them."
Tips on tipping
• Tip between 15 and 20 percent.
• Calculate the tip without the tax.
• If you have a discount or coupon, you should not tip according to the reduced price, but according to the amount the bill would have been without the discount.
• If you get bad service, your tip should reflect that. Also, mention it to management so servers can learn from their mistakes.
• Don't feel like you have to put a tip in a tip jar. These employees do not rely on tips to fund their wages.
• Make an effort to be kind to servers.
• "Two bites, two minutes" rule. If you are unhappy with your meal, you should inform your server according to this rule.
— Sources: Carol Wight, CEO of the New Mexico Restaurant Association, and Thelma Domenici, etiquette columnist for the Journal and CEO of Thelma Domenici & Associates, and Linda Bohman, server at Jinja Bar and Bistro
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