What kind of tip do you leave when you go out to eat? A recent web survey shows that Americans most frequently tip 15%, followed by 20%. Only one in twenty customers tip 25% or more, and about one in eight people tip 10% or less (iTipping 2006). After being a waitress for five years I can tell you that this is true. I now am able to distinguish the different types of tippers waitresses encounter in the restaurant. There are four different types of tippers: The Generous Tipper, The Stingy Tipper, The Church Go-er, and The Five Dollar Biller.
The Generous Tipper: The generous tipper is usually the customer who will give a great tip whether they had good or bad service. I notice that usually good tippers are the respectful ones whereas bad tippers are disrespectful. Most customers who tip over 25% are usually the ones who have a huge amount of money, or maybe they feel that we gave them an excellent service and that we deserve a good tip. Some customers just have a habit of following the percentage rule and tip according to the total amount they spent. Most customers tip according to how good or bad the service was. The kind of service they receive is a great way to decide how much to tip. I believe that giving a good tip all depends on a good service. Not all customers are people friendly though.
The Stingy Tipper: Stingy tippers are the ones who don't tip accordingly to the percentage of the bill. I give them great customer service, and they still give me a horrible tip. Many customers also don’t know that waitresses don’t even make minimum wage. We only make $2.40 an hour. If you can't or are not able to give a good tip, then you probably shouldn't be eating out. I believe that the waitress is the one who makes the customers’ experience worthwhile. Some customers just don't understand how hard we work to give them good customer service, and yet, they give us problems. I've experienced these customers many times, and I hate waiting on them. Some customers just don't have any manners. The Church Go-er: Let’s just say “I hate working Sundays” and it is because of this kind of tipper. This type of tipper generally comes into the restaurant on a Sunday afternoon following church. They can usually be spotted in their Sunday attire, sometimes sporting extravagant hats with huge