re: Has 20% become the new standard for tipping?

quote:

---

Two couples. Two drinks apiece, some hors d ouevres and salads or small plates, four main dishes, four or more sides, a couple desserts, and coffee. That's a $400 ticket, and I'm being generous. Fifteen percent is 60 dollars. Give up your 5 percent tipout, that's 40 for the table take home. You said you'd have a 4 table section, and you mean to tell me you couldn't serve 6 four tops (and some deuces) between 5 and 10 and take home 250 or more? C'mon dude.

---

Vast majority of guest tables at a high end place like that are couples. Either business dinners or date nights. Then consider the amount of time a full course meal takes to complete - on average about an hour and a half - and that’s if they eat, drink, and leave. So adjust those numbers and see what you come up with.

Also, we’re talking AVERAGE server take home. Sure, as a trainer at a top end restaurant, I had some pretty decent nights of $200+. That’s far from average - even on the weekend at a normal restaurant.