When is it acceptable not to give a tip?

I can probably count the times I haven't tipped on one hand.

Most memorable was Wang Thai in Milnerton Lagoon, came back from Franschoek after celebrating our 1 year anniversary, ordered a bottle of mcc - when suddenly the hostess arrived and asked us as loud as possible if we were going to settle our bill from the Friday night (we were in Franschoek) - I tried to explain to her that it must be a mistake, because we weren't even in Cape Town, but she kept going on that the waiter remembers us clearly, but its fine - she'll leave it this time, we must "just make sure we pay before we leave".

Needless to say, that was the end if dinner - went to the till to pay for the just delivered mcc - and the hostess actually asked me why I am not tipping 10%...then threatened me not to leave with the bottle I just paid for... told her to try stop me, and see what'll happen.

She didn't try stop me - nothing happened.
 
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xrapidx said:
I can probably count the times I haven't tipped on one hand.

Most memorable was Wang Thai in Milnerton Lagoon, came back from Franschoek after celebrating our 1 year anniversary, ordered a bottle of mcc - when suddenly the hostess arrived and asked us as loud as possible if we were going to settle our bill from the Friday night (we were in Franschoek) - I tried to explain to her that it must be a mistake, because we weren't even in Cape Town, but she kept going on that the waiter remembers us clearly, but its fine - she'll leave it this time, we must "just make sure we pay before we leave".

Needless to say, that was the end if dinner - went to the till to pay for the just delivered mcc - and the hostess actually asked me why I am not tipping 10%...then threatened me not to leave with the bottle I just paid for... told her to try stop me, and see what'll happen.

She didn't try stop me - nothing happened.
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Really? Have only had good service there from the waiters, times like when there was a power outage and the extractor fan didn't work they made a plan to still serve us as we waited for the power to come back on, etc.
I really like their honeyed duck with egg rice. This place, right?

Only time I remember not tipping was when we walked out due to: half an hour wait time between ordering drinks and food, then the food taking near two hours, then getting a bill for the wrong table, complaining to the manager about it, getting another bill with incorrect stuff, everyone else at my table wanted to leave so I told the waiter last chance for the order and I'll tell you what's on and he still messed it up while the manager was standing next to him just shaking his head (the manager not intervening was also bad). Pretty sure he's fired as he messed up quite a few other tables as well, haven't been back to that place.

EDIT: Google maps says: The Red Herring Restaurant which has a 4.0 rating now, so hopefully they changed something/improved, it's been a while.
 
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Don't think I ever not given a tip.. oh wait the one time I completely forgot to pay !!
 
The only time I won't tip at all is if the service was really bad as in the waiter getting multiple orders wrong in the same sitting. As in wrong drink for one of the people at the table, big apology and fixes it, but then also getting a food item wrong right after that etc etc. I can count these no tip insodents on one hand though.
Apart from that I'm a good tipper and the staff at my regular spots know this so most of the time I get good service. If at a regular spot and I get bad service from say one of their new waiters, the manager on duty will be informed right away, like just the other evening when a waitress couldn't even tell me what whiskeys they stock, I still gave 10% but afterwards had a good chat to the manager.
 
Average service = 10%, but usually a minimum of R 20 depending on the bill.
Poor service = < 10% and depends on why its poor
Good service = > 15% and depend on value of bill, can go up to 25% + if really good
 
Ho3n3r said:
The only reason I still tip if the service is bad, is because I don't wanna **** where I eat. Next time they'll remember you and arrange a "special order".
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A "next time" can be avoided by going to another place
 
Johnatan56 said:
Really? Have only had good service there from the waiters, times like when there was a power outage and the extractor fan didn't work they made a plan to still serve us as we waited for the power to come back on, etc.
I really like their honeyed duck with egg rice. This place, right?
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That's the place - a few years back (Sep2013). We used to be regulars there, so you'd think they would have known us.

While I realize these thing can happen - its how you handle them that counts.
 
When the service is really bad and you keep getting excuses. Then I write a value for the tip and draw a line through it just to make the statement that you would have gotten that if the service was not so poor.
 
If she is hot, you go all the way, otherwise you just give the tip. Oh, wrong thread..................
 
Poor service = No tip...But this depends on whose at fault for instance if I order a rare steak and get well done & show this to the waiter whose apologetic and immediately takes it back to the kitchen & then returns with the correct rare steak I'll tip the waiter because it possibly/probably wasn't his fault.

However if the waiter renders poor service there's no tip;
Reasonable service will get ~10%
Good service ~15%
Extremely good service 20%+
 
Also depends on what I'm eating - if I sit down and have a coffee and a small breakfast that costs R80... I'm probably going to tip R20... 10% just doesn't seem right.
 
We went to Spur yesterday. Cold ribs, tough steak, the new steak was too rare for my friend and the chips were stone cold. My burger was overdone. Total food ball$ up.

Bafana at Spur Kenilworth have us the best service I've received in a restaurant in years. The perfect amount of friendly, but not intrusive. He didn't freak out when we complained about the food, he just took it away and replaced it. Despite this terrible experience from the kitchen, we still tipped him 20% on R900

Waiters can not be blamed if 1 item on the plate is cold. This is poor planning by the kitchen. Nor can they be blamed for a fatty cut of steak. These are out of their hands.

However, If a person is really bad at their job, brings the wrong side, forgets cutlery, interrupts my conversation to ask if everything is ok or asks me when my mouth is full, I won't hesitate to tip below 10%
 
In restaurants, it is important to understand the difference between the product (chef/manager) and the service (waiter). This also applies to other areas, such as Uber, etc. Point is, if you have a problem with the product, the chef or manager should fix that with a new or discounted product. This should NOT affect the tip - so you should still tip as if you paid full price. If the issue is service, and it was really poor, to the point where it spoiled the evening, then by all means skip on the tip.
 
UZ. said:
In restaurants, it is important to understand the difference between the product (chef/manager) and the service (waiter). This also applies to other areas, such as Uber, etc. Point is, if you have a problem with the product, the chef or manager should fix that with a new or discounted product. This should NOT affect the tip - so you should still tip as if you paid full price. If the issue is service, and it was really poor, to the point where it spoiled the evening, then by all means skip on the tip.
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Correct. There are only certain times a waiter can actually intervene, for instance when he sees you ordered eggs soft, and they're well done, or the toast is burnt, or something.
 
What I can say is our waitress at Spur on Friday mornings get's a massive tip. Those who take the R29 Unreal breakfast pays R50 and the ones opting for R59 Trailblazer pays R100. She's not bad looking and we don't even have to order she just brings us the regular order. Plus she caught on to our rather lewd sense of humour because one time I said I would love to give her more than the tip and she said the tip is already so big she won't be able to fit much more in. :D
 
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