Do you leave a tip when you eat at a buffet?

[TexasBushwhacker]

I went to a neighborhood Indian restaurant on Friday where they have a buffet for lunch. It's kind of a dive, but the food is good. At $12.95 plus tax, it's not exactly cheap for a lunch (for Houston), so I only go once a month or so.

As it's a buffet, it's strictly self service. The staff fills your water glass and brings you your check. So in this situation, I generally don't tip, or I might tip a dollar. I paid with a credit card. Imagine my surprise when I found they added a 20% tip AFTER I had signed my bill. I just happened to check my charges online.

Now in a traditional restaurant, I'm a decent tipper. 15% would be the bare minimum, but more often I tip 20 or 25%, but that's when the waiter has taken my order, brought me my food, refilled my drink a couple if times, etc. They provide more service than a buffet and I'm happy to pay for it.

Your thoughts?

[DonaldsRump]

1. I would report them to the credit card company

Totally unacceptable for them to do it.

I might give a small tip to a self-serve buffet where they refilled my drink and removed plates. However, the fact you did not leave an optional tip that they wrote in for you is basically fraud.

[SCantiGOP]

17. There may be a sign somewhere

that points out that the gratuity will be added to your bill. Otherwise, yes, that would be totally illegal.

We ate at a hotel buffet once and I was surprised to see that they had Crab Legs. It wasn't until the bill came that I saw that the $10 or so charge for me had been bumped to almost $20. When I asked, the server pointed out a small, handwritten note taped to the buffet that said an extra charge of $8.99 would be added for crab legs. I had only eaten a few because they were small and not particularly good, but I realized that they had successfully tricked me on a technicality.

I didn't add a tip, and took it out on them with a Yelp review.

[elleng]

2. Yes, often visit an Indian buffet, engage with the staff, and leave a tip.

(Learned that management didn't give designated tip to the staff, so we leave cash.)

[csziggy]

3. I haven't before but it's a good thought

Buffets are not worth for me these days since I am on a very strict diet and other than a cruise I haven't been to one for at least five years.

I think my husband does add a tip when he goes to a buffet - he is a generous tipper, but he adds it onto his credit card when he pays the bill. I prefer to leave cash when I east out alone.

[GP6971]

4. For a Buffet we usually

leave 10%. Regular restaurants about 20%.

[2naSalit]

5. It was wrong for them to do it for you

but you should tip otherwise. I never eat out or go to a bar or some place where there is wait staff, even if it's a bakery and all they did was put an eclair in a container, I'll tip something worth leaving. Even if there's no tip jar. Living on food service wages sucks unless you're the bar tender or a head chef. They all work hard, food is heavy and so are all the pans and all the equipment, they will remember you if you leave a tip and go back there at a later date.

[Aristus]

6. I always tip at least a few bucks for a buffet or for takeout.

You wouldn't believe the kind of good will you can create with service staff by leaving a good tip, even for buffet or takeout service. The take-out server at our local Famous Dave's knows me by name, and always makes sure to give me a few extra goodies in my order, gratis, for being a good tipper.

[katmondoo]

9. Always tip this may be the only job they could get

or maybe it is a woman working several jobs to make ends meet

[MichMan]

12. Isn't that true of every low paying job ?

Should we always tip the cashier at the hardware store when she rings us up, or the self serve gas station attendant too?

I spent $60 at the grocery store yesterday and didn't leave the cashier a 15% tip. Was that wrong?

[Aristus]

14. Restaurant servers occupy possibly the lowest rung on the wage ladder.

The hospitality industry is permitted to pay their workers less than minimum wage because they are expected to make up the difference with tips.

Retail workers and gas station attendants are at least paid minimum wage, as far as I know.

[MichMan]

15. Employers are still required to make up the difference

Servers are not the lowest rung by a long shot; busboys, dishwashers, and food prep are.

Not every employee is allowed to be paid under minimum wage; only servers and bartenders that routinely receive tips. If they still don't reach minimum wage, the employer is required to make up the difference.

Many other restaurant employees like cashiers, hostesses, cooks, busboys, dishwashers etc do not fall under that category. I would suspect that buffet employees are not paid under minimum wage either

Many many years ago I worked part time at a mid level seafood restaurant as a busboy when I was attending college. I made a whopping $3.35/hr minimum wage setting and clearing tables. The waitresses and bartenders would brag about making $100 a night in tips on the weekends while I was lucky to bring home $18 for the night. Once, one of them slipped me $1.

[Kaleva]

21. Many work under the table for cash at an hourly rate below minimum.

I would agree that servers and bartenders are at the top while busboys and dishwashers are at the bottom. Most of the dishwashers and busboys I know are either in school or just out of school and are just starting out. To them, it's just a temp job until something better comes along.

My stepdaughter, working as a waitress in high school, made far more money because of tips then either of my two stepsons who worked as dishwashers while in high school.

[Mr. Quackers]

24. If your grocery store is a restaurant, then you were wrong for not leaving a tip.

[MichMan]

26. My local grocery store has a Subway in it.

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2018, 01:21 AM - Edit history (1)

I normally don't tip at fast food places unless I decide to throw my change into the tip jar. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.

Why should I tip the cashier ringing up my potato chips and cans of tomato soup just because they are in the same building????

[dflprincess]

28. Depending on where you are grocery store cashiers may be union

they always have been in my area. Sadly, the union wage - which was very good when I worked as a cashier in high school & college has not kept pace (whose salary has?) - but still good enough not to tip.

[radical noodle]

7. We always leave a tip when at a buffet

but normally not a full 20%.

[demmiblue]

8. Yes, slightly less than full service. n/t

[krispos42]

10. I usually leave a couple of bucks.

The only buffet around me is a Golden Corral, and I go a couple of times a year, I guess.

Drinks are handled by the server and they have bussers, so I leave a couple bucks for them. But I don't tip as much as a sit down place.

[MichMan]

11. No, I don't tip at a buffet

I do however, drop a buck and change in the tip jar at my favorite Coney island restaurant that is designated for the cooks.

Neither do I tip the grocery cashier, receptionist at my dentist, fast found drive through person, or the tire store staff. Like the buffet, they are paid by their employer to do their jobs, and perform no extra special service on my behalf. I do tip food servers at full service restaurants as I understand that their compensation takes tips into account, and for some reason, I give my barber a couple bucks.

Many many years ago I worked part time at a mid level seafood restaurant as a busboy when I was attending college. I made a whopping $3.35/hr minimum wage setting and clearing tables. The waitresses and bartenders would brag about making $100 a night in tips on the weekends while I was lucky to bring home $18 for the night. Once, one of them slipped me $1

[Chipper Chat]

13. Always a dollar.

After I stuff myself with as much fried chicken i want....i leave a buck because i know my server probably cant afford to eat at their own job.

[Major Nikon]

16. I don't give a full tip unless it's full service

I will tip at a buffet, and will tip more if they have some level of service like refilling drinks.

Some restaurants have stated policies of automatically adding a tip to large groups, although I've never seen that at a buffet.

Probably your best first course of action is to contact the restaurant management and ask why the charge was applied.

[Generic Brad]

18. I go 20%

The people in the kitchen and those who bus tables deserve it.

[MichMan]

19. The servers thought every dime was theirs ....

….in the restaurant I once worked in many years ago. I was a busboy and once, a server gave me $1.

[wishstar]

20. I always tip if they provide service such as bringing drinks and offering refills

Only places I don't tip at the table is like at a Subway where I get my own drinks but if I like how they make my sub to order I will throw some change in their tipjar as I am paying.

At a cafeteria where I eat, if no one approaches my table at all to ask if we need anything or offer a refill or take dirty plates away, then I don't leave a tip. But usually they do come around to offer service if needed and get a nice tip from me.

[Kaleva]

22. There was a time when DUers tipped at buffets. Not no more apparently.

J/K!

[Mr. Quackers]

23. Tip everyone generously

no question. Otherwise, stay home.

[MichMan]

31. What do you mean when you say "everyone" ?

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2018, 01:17 AM - Edit history (1)

Are you speaking only of restaurant staff, or every place of business that I ever have a transaction with?


Tomorrow morning I have an appointment at the car dealer for a recall. On my way back home, I plan on stopping at the gas station and the drugstore to pick up a prescription. Unless I decide to tip the car dealer service writer, technician, self serve gas station attendant, pharmacist and drug store cashier, I should just stay home?

[Iggo]

33. Yes, exactly that, obviously.

[Tikki]

25. Yes

Tikki

[Hoyt]

27. I usually do because they are typically people who come by to see if you need anything

and who have to clean up my mess. Plus the buffets where I eat, it’s pretty clear the workers aren’t exactly well situated and probably have kids.

However, I wouldn’t expect to be charged unless it was clearly advertised.

[dflprincess]

29. I tip at buffets, usually a few dollars, not the 20% I normally leave.

You should complain to the credit card company about the charge and, if you go back to this place, pay cash.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

30. Depends

There is a buffet I love in Kansas City called Cinzetti's. They bring drinks, refill drinks, and clear plates. Obviously, you get your own food. I generally leave 10-15%. If it's totally self-service, a couple of bucks.

[mercuryblues]

32. Yes

How do you think that food gets on the buffet? Who breaks it down and cleans it up at closing? Who clears your plates, fills your drink? The server does. Wait staff earns $2.13 an hour. If they have 5 tables in an hour that don't tip, they've earned .43 per table. then taxes are taken out.

Sure the restaurant is supposed make sure if you don't earn at least minimum wage for your shift they are to adjust your pay accordingly. But when you see a coworker getting fired for bringing it up, you keep your mouth shut.

[Iggo]

34. I leave a tip when I receive table service at a dining establishment.

EDIT: And cash is king, in case you didn't know.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

35. Unless you bus your own table, and wipe it off when you are done,

you should absolutely leave a small tip at a buffet. In cash.

When I do pay the check with a credit card, I always draw a line through the tip space, and write the total again, on the total line. It makes me look quite cheap, but I've already left the cash tip on the table. I've heard too many horror stories of restaurants not giving the servers the credit card tip amount. I've never waited tables but I know it's a very tough job.

[MichMan]

36. How do you know that the servers share their tips with the people clearing the tables ?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

37. If I leave a tip on my table at a buffet,

somehow I think the person clearing the table will get it.

I know that different restaurants have different rules about sharing of tips, and I think perhaps state and/or federal laws come into play here. I don't know for sure, since I have never worked in food service.

[Iggo]

38. Do the right thing.

Even if you know that every now and then someone else is going to cheat.

Do the right thing.

[Hotler]

39. I toss coins in the chocolate fountain.....

does that count?

[TeamPooka]

40. I do not trust restaurants to give any auto-tip-charge to the servers. They rip them off

all the time.

[backtoblue]

41. I waited tables at a buffet (Ryan's) in my early twenties

We made 2.75 an hour and had to roll silverware, help stock buffet, clean bathrooms, and alot more after closing.

Typically we cleared dirty plates from tables, filled drinks, and brought rolls and baked potatoes. And we busted our own tables.

So, I would say a definitive yes on leaving a few bucks

However, charging you a gratuity without your knowledge is wrong and likely illegal.