[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Once again, context is everything. Note the bolded. I don't need a waiter to just deliver food and smile. Counter clerks can do that.

Minimum service for a tip: offer us water and/or other beverage before we even order food. Bring it, if we ask for it. Ensure that our table is clean and has all the cutlery necessary for a guest to eat at their restaurant. Take the order efficiently. Ensure that our food is delivered efficiently and correctly. Pause to make sure everyone got what they ordered and that it at least -looks- right, before walking away. Return after a few minutes to see if everyone's food is prepared properly and tastes satisfactorily to the guest. Ask if they want anything - condiments, more lemon for their tea, a refill on the water, another beer, another basket of bread, etc. etc. Make eye contact every time you pass the table, in case the guest wants to flag you down for something new. Assist them promptly, or apologize for any delay, if applicable. Around 20 minutes after their food was placed on their table, return again to see if they're finished, or almost finished. If so, ask if they want dessert and/or another drink. Make sure the busboy has taken the empty plates off the table (or do it yourself if there's no available busboy). Present the check. Smile with each step of this process.

That is the MINIMUM required, to get any tip at all. If they fail to do these things, then it's worthy of a complaint. This is the minimum I was trained to deliver, to ensure that I still had a job the following week. And this is the minimum I expect from my server as well.

If that is the MINIMUM to get any tip, is that a 10%, 15%, or 20% tip?

If they don’t smile, do you not tip?