How to Determine Gratuity
- 1). Consider your waiter's appearance and demeanor. A good server is ready for work, energetic about the job and happy to serve you.
- 2). Evaluate your waiter's ability to determine your needs. This may include suggesting appealing meals and appropriate beverages, describing daily specials and entrees, and accommodating your needs in general.
- 3). Take note of the continuing service, such as the frequency in which your drink was refilled and the timely removal of empty plates.
- 4). Determine the amount you will need to tip. Keep in mind that a standard tip is 15 percent. This is an appropriate amount if the server met your basic needs in a pleasant manner. If so, there is no reason to tip below this figure. To tip less than 15 percent is to tell your waiter that she needs improvement. However, if you are financially able, you should always reward excellent service with an excellent tip.
- 5). Calculate a 15 percent tip by moving the decimal of your bill's total one point to the left. This will give you 10 percent. Halve that number to get another 5 percent. Add both numbers for a total of 15 percent. For example if your total is $10.22, moving the decimal to the left one makes it $1.02, which is 10 percent. Then add half of that, $.51, which is an additional five percent. Add the two together and you have $1.53 or 15 percent of the bill's total amount.
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