Tipping at eateries where you pay for the food first

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the server refills your drinks and wipe your table.

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If this is all they do, like at a buffet, or when you order the food at a counter and they just bring it out to you, I leave like 3 bucks regardless of the total bill.

I don't think 15% should be expected when the servers do so little.

I was a former server/bartender in my college days. 20% or more is pretty standard for me anytime I'm SERVED. Even shitty service warrants 10% for me.

I'm sorry, you are not plating my meal, running my meal, serving my meal to me, or removing the plate after I'm done. You did not wait on me and don't deserve the same consdieration I would give to a real server. In places like that, the cooks are the only people who deseerve tips. Obsering my drink level from afar doesn't do it for me.

Sounds like a question about tipping at George's

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So you are talking about a place like Picadilly then..

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Thats what I thought when I got there, so I rounded up the 27 dollar bill to 30.

But then they seated us, gave us the remote to the tv without us asking, eventually bring our food to the table, and asking us several times if we were doing alright, all the while being as nice as anyone could be.

Felt terrible afterwards. Great food too.

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They at least ask you up front if you want cash back to tip your waiter. Big clue that they expect something.

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I've had this question posed at the cashier of Ryan's. It's an awkward question because my butt hasn't even hit the chair yet, nor have I even MET my server, so how would I know at the beginning of a meal how much $ to leave to reflect the service?

There's a small deli in Laffy that I hit up where college kids both prepare the food and also tend to the dining room, and even though there's no drink refils I leave em 20% because I know they're doing everything else.

I own and run a place just like this...at nights the cook takes the orders and runs the food out..no real waiting is involved and he usually averages 10% which i feel is fair. That's what I tip at an establishment like mine.

I know a lot of people that work at the restaurants and bars I frequent so I always tip well. They hook me up well in return. General rule of thumb, it never hurts to tip the people handling your food and drinks....