As a server, I know how hard and unrewarding the job can be. People don’t realize a lot of things about the industry, including the fact that servers often have to tip out as much as 7% of their sales to the support staff (hosts, bussers, etc), so they sometimes walk with only 13% in tips (that is, if everyone has been kind and given 20%!)
It can get frustrating to work SO hard for a table, then not get ‘rewarded’ for it. Sometimes, a table will sit for hours, and won’t compensate for that in their tip. Perhaps they don’t realize they are compromising the server’s ability to make money by taking up one of their tables!
So, next time I am out to dinner and receive impeccable service, I will leave the server a 50-100% tip, depending on how hard they’ve worked, and how long I sit at their table.
