Let's say you're a waitress. 2-3 nights a week the same lovely couple come to your upscale restaurant for dinner. They are always nice and pleasant and have never caused you any trouble.

However .. they have never once left a tip. Every time they pay the amount on the bill. You suspect (because of their accent) that they may be new to the country and you wonder if in their home country, tipping isn't the norm.

You like these people but you only get paid $3 a hour and you're getting a bit tired of all that service for free.

What do you do?

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Mom to dd (age 9) and ds (age 11)
blogging daily about purpose and personal identity

You continue to offer them good service, whether or not they tip.

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Yep, I agree, you buck up and probably complain, quietly, to your co-workers back in the kitchen.

Agreed. If they are great customers otherwise, they may just not know. It's sort of rude to tell them too. Maybe one day they will catch on to the custom. Until then, continue to offer great service.

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Chopey

Ditto

Having own a cafe for years, I see both sides.

But I think a tip should be voluntary.

A tip is based on the service.

But we are close friends with a couple who think that all they should pay for is the meal, and the service should be included. In all of the 20 years that I have known them, they have never paid a tip on their meal.

And I am sure that the couple has been in the country long enough to pick up on the customs.

I won't say anything, and just keep giving them the best service that I could.

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Several years ago, my mom and I took my grandparents out to dinner for thier 50th wedding anniversary. When the bill came, we were confused and thought the gratutity had already been added, and paid the amount on the bill. As we were out in the parking lot discussing the lovely meal, the manager came out and asked us if there was aproblem and why did we not tip our server? WE explained that we thought we did, and went right in to fix the mistake.

I have NEVER had that happen before ever.
We were so embarrassed.

SO I think if the server complained the manager, maybe they could broach the subject with the customer.

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Meghan9.Samantha7,Cameron5

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I agree with serving them well as if they were any other customer, but honestly I would hope that they weren't seated in the section I was serving. If that was my main income I would definitely avoid serving their table. $3 an hour is nothing, and waiting tables is hard work!

I used to wait tables and the amish would come in. They NEVER ever tipped, and they left a heck of a mess.

So what we did, is took turns on who waited on them, and then had the manager put the meal on her card, so I didn't have to pay taxes on a $100 food bill that left me no tip, but uncle Sam still expected me to claim.

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married 8 years to a crazy Brit, mommy to a banana, she is 5 and a pineapple who is just about 2 , mommy to 4 ~angel~ babies