Tipping


October 15, 2024 3:48 PM CDT
By: Jay Roberts
Supported by
It’s an age-old question. How much should I tip? With restaurant/bar servers, 15%-20% has been the golden rule for many years. But these days, with seemingly everyone putting out the tip jar (even in situations where tipping isn’t usually part of the equation) you might ask yourself if that rule still applies.
I’m generally a 20% tipper. If the server does a decent job and is at least moderately friendly, they’re getting the full 20%. If they go above and beyond, suggest great menu items, offer suggestions on particular pairings that I’m likely to enjoy, and make me feel like a valued customer, I will go higher than 20%. Often times, people in the service industry rely on those tips as part of their income. But should tipping be expected when the service is subpar? What if the server comes off as being annoyed, or even rude to the customers? I will admit that in an extreme circumstance, I once left a 10% tip. Our server was not very polite, we could tell she didn’t want to be there, and she made us feel unwelcome. She even brought out something I didn’t order. I did feel bad for cutting her tip in half, but at the same time I felt she could have done so much better.
More on tipping, coming soon….
Jay Roberts
More Articles By Jay Roberts

04.17.25
Support Local!
It’s the reality of our every day, wanting to get the best deal. Many people shop online for the convenience and (in many cases) the cost savings. Often times this means the money you spend leaves our local economy and goes to other places. Most of us want to support our local economy as much […]
Read More >

04.14.25
“I Could Pass With Flying Colors”
Or so I thought! I have been driving for over 32 years. In that time, I have shown that I’m a pretty good driver. Being a pretty good driver probably means that you know the rules and regulations of the road, right? Well, not so fast. What you think and what you actually know are […]
Read More >

04.09.25
Do you do this??
For as long as I can remember, I have been a fingernail chewer. When you think about it, it is actually really disgusting. And, somehow, I am a germ fanatic at the same time. I know they say that some people chew their fingernails because they are anxious. For me, it must be a subconscious […]
Read More >

04.03.25
Anyone Can Do Anything.
In my last blog, I wrote about Autism Awareness Month and what it means. Today, I want to share a story that I read this morning that signifies how far people on the autism spectrum can go. A friend of mine lives in Northern Michigan and saw this post on a community Facebook forum. It […]
Read More >