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By what percentage do you reduce a server's tip if the service is subpar? —Jeff P., St. Louis
For me, the short answer is "probably not enough." Here's the reason why and the best solution to correct the problem.
As a rule, people in the industry tend to be generous when it comes to leaving gratuities, which only perpetuates the issue. These days, I tend to tip at or close to 25 percent (sometimes more), so reducing the amount to 15 percent (which I do when service is shoddy) is a high insult—but probably only to me. The server may interpret the situation as just another cheap, grey-haired guy leaving a mediocre tip. (The debate about whether restaurant owners should pay servers enough so that tipping isn't necessary can be addressed another day.)
The average customer should consider that servers are taxed at 8 percent of total sales, so many patrons think that percentage is the minimum appropriate tip. Sliding down the ladder, leaving a flat 5 percent tip sends a clear signal in the industry that the service was lacking. Leaving a penny is another indicator that's both universally understood and loathed.
The surest way to move the service needle: Follow the adage that “if service was good, tip the server; if it wasn't, tip the management.”Doing so is the only way to ensure that future customers don’t suffer the same fate. (And by service, we mean the server's service; if there's a problem with the food/kitchen/drinks or if the busser isn't attentive, then the server's tip should not suffer.)
Management typically prefers that customers address service (and food) issues while still in the restaurant, at the time of the lapse, as it were. Personally, I prefer to jot an email or call someone in charge the following day, avoiding a buzzkill situation or an unnecessary discussion at the table. Either way achieves the same result: Management is appreciative, and you've helped bring about some improvements.
In the case of an automatic gratuity or a service charge (usually applied to larger parties), I apply the same logic, addressing the issue the following day. Dining patrons should know that tips, service charges, auto gratuity—any charge, really—can be negotiated after the fact.
In a fast-casual restaurant, the scenario is different. In almost all cases, the customer is prompted to leave a tip (sometimes up to 30 percent) before any service is rendered. When service suffers in that instance, the “tip the management” rule applies as well. But after experiencing several situations in which I felt my tip (even if only a few bucks) was undeserved, I’ve learned not to pre-tip at fast-casual restaurants if I can avoid it and to always have a few bucks on hand to tip in the traditional manner—after the service, or lack thereof.
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