d4v3 wrote:

Dmnkly wrote:$21.91 is exactly 20% of $119.55... stick to food

So it is. I forgot that .2 x .05 will give you a penny. 20% will always result in an even number or a number ending in 1.

$119.15?
$119.25?
$119.35?
$119.45?

Stick to food

gleam wrote:

d4v3 wrote:

Dmnkly wrote:$21.91 is exactly 20% of $119.55... stick to food

So it is. I forgot that .2 x .05 will give you a penny. 20% will always result in an even number or a number ending in 1.

$119.15?
$119.25?
$119.35?
$119.45?

Stick to food

Duh, Ok I will shut up now. It's too late to be thinking about math. Maybe I do need Craig to help me calculate tips.

Why not educate Craig right back by continuing the dialogue? For instance, write on the check "A 10% tip equals $10.55, appropriate for the level of service received this evening. Bad service=no tip, lackluster service=10%, appropriate service= 15%, excellent service = 20%"

Of course, you'd have to stop eating there...

I'd suggest contacting the manager and ask if they're aware of what Craig is doing. They may not be. Not all of your employees have your best interests at heart and some things get by you. The poor connotation this leaves in the minds of many people is not the desired effect you want your customers to take home with them. Last impressions are as important as first impressions. Know that besides the obvious, there's actually a very calculated reason for beautiful hostesses greeting you and wonderful desserts and coffee at meals end.

Some places don't mind though and many do post in advance added gratuities for service. I'm involved in a fairly unique project with full service that most people had never experienced and no one was tipping. We ended up having to implement something like what I've just described with little or no resistance on the part of the customer. As if we had to teach them how to use the facility. But it was explained throughly in advance both visually and then at the end, verbally with virtually no issues. In seasonal places such as South Florida with many international tourists, it's common, but in a restaurant in Chicago (I'm assuming) I'd find an individual note from a waitron unit suggesting what to tip, to be greedy and presumptuous.

I'm with you Olde School, although I've been referred to by my employees as a bit of a dinosaur myself. If Craig worked for me, he would looking for work the moment I found out.

Alternatively, he could be used to dealing with international tourists who aren't familiar with US tipping practices.

Even if, I don't think it's the duty of the server to "teach" the tourists how to tip. You're always going to have customers who don't tip as well (and those who make up for it).

I would definitely tell Craig's manager as it reflects very badly on the restaurant if customer's feel obligated to tip (esp. for bad service).

On another note: why is it that so many international tourists tip badly, but Americans are considered the obnoxious tourists? Whenever I go to a foreign country, I do research on their tipping practices (this usually involves picking up one travel book and looking "tipping" in the index). There are certainly plenty of books/articles/guides that deal with tipping in America?

figmolly wrote:On another note: why is it that so many international tourists tip badly, but Americans are considered the obnoxious tourists?

Though I'm with you as far as responsibility, it's easy to forget to research things you never think about at home - and if you come from a country where the tip is always added in, it may be outside your frame of reference (or you might assume the tax is the tip, since it's on the bill...)

I remember my Mother being told her friends from Argentina had all been directed to bring their own aspirin as "American aspirin is no good." It hadn't occurred to them that our dosage (two pills instead of one) might be different...

I think the Americans-as-obnoxious-tourists thing is a leftover notion from the postwar period when Americans in numbers first starting visiting Europe (as opposed to waging war in it). Even in the 70s, I had this experience more than once in Germany and Austria:

NATIVE: (Looks at me warily) Bist du Änglisch?

ME: Nein, Amerikan.

NATIVE (Big welcoming smile) Amerikan! Bonanza Gunsmoke!

Mike G wrote:I think the Americans-as-obnoxious-tourists thing is a leftover notion from the postwar period when Americans in numbers first starting visiting Europe (as opposed to waging war in it).

Evidently you have not vacationed with my parents lately.

figmolly wrote:On another note: why is it that so many international tourists tip badly, but Americans are considered the obnoxious tourists?

Because, stereotypically, we are loud, don't try to speak the language, and demand things to be exactly the way they are at home?

leek wrote:

figmolly wrote:On another note: why is it that so many international tourists tip badly, but Americans are considered the obnoxious tourists?

Because, stereotypically, we are loud, don't try to speak the language, and demand things to be exactly the way they are at home?

I have seen foreigners behave the same way here. I have had guests arrive with a lengthy list of American foods they did not want to eat.

Regards,