15%-20% regardless of the meals price, depending on service, unless it's really cheap. If there's bad service, it will shrink to 10% or 5% but only if the problem is something the server could control. If it's a small order, like a 50 cent cup of coffee, I may put 1 or both quarters from my change in the tip jar.

Always 20%, unless the service was exceptional, then it'll be rounded up higher. I've worked in food service - their wages are several dollars below minimum wage, even those who work at expensive places.

Never less than 20%, generally more. For inexpensive meals rule of thumb is $5 per member of our party.

Depends...generally 20% + or - depending on the service. More on cheaper meals.

Always $50. If I konow I'm going somewhere fancy, I will always pull out $50 for a tip. I know those kids must go through hell working there.

I'm usually lost when it comes to tipping at various 'qualities' of restaurants so I appreciate the commenters' insights!

Someone waiting tables at a less expensive eatery ($5-$6 tips) will usually turn a table a few times in the same time frame that your server waits on only your table at a more expensive place ($40 tip). My guess is that most people will also have a much higher expectation of service and attentiveness to details at a $200 dinner than one that cost $30.

As for the argument that is often made that they make almost nothing per hour... They chose to take a job paying very little (i.e. $2.00/hr) because they have the opportunity to make much more with the inclusion of tips.

If a server waits on two tables per hour and earns $5.00 tip per table, that totals $12.00/hr. I've never understood why so many express sympathy for a server when so many other hardworking individuals are earning less than $12.00/hr without any opportunity to supplement their salary with tips/commissions.

In the more expensive restaurants, the server is expected to share that tip with the bartender and bus boy, and in some cases other folks in the kitchen, and that share is not based on the tip you leave, but rather on the bill itself. So if you walk out without leaving a tip at all, the server is still expected to give those folks that set amount, even though it would now be coming from their own pocket directly. Leaving less than twenty percent at a fancy restaurant is poor etiquette at best. You chose to eat the two hundred dollar meal, so it's too late to get frugal once the bill comes.

I don't really eat at restaurants but when I would go out with my parents it would really depend on the quality of the server. Usually my dad would leave between 10 and 15 dollars if he had the cash on him. For some exceptional servers he's left up to 25 dollars.

what I don't like is more recently more and more places have the tips go into a pool and at the end of the night all the tips are split evenly. This is basically fucking the good servers over because they are paying out to those who don't do their job. It basically eliminates the incentive to do one's best or more because it's taking up for the slack of those who do poorly that. Not every table tips and the server should be able to keep what they make for themselves considering how shit their pay usually is.

I always do 20%+ regardless of the size of the bill.