How do you calculate tips?

[sparkeyjames]

I have a card in my wallet with 2 tip tables (15% and 20%) with bill amounts from $1.00 too $100. If in doubt I just whip that out.
Makes figuring out the tip easy. Reverse of card has tipping tips on what percentage to give certain service types. I have had this thing for at least 15 years.

[cabinetman]

According to Playboy, tipping is on the bill, not including the tax. It's easy to just take the amount and "times 2", with correctly moving the decimal.

Now, I'm not saying 20% is being a big spender, but it's further from the fulcrum if the last cup of coffee was hot when served.
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[messmaker]

I usually use the above procedure to arrive at 20% and work down toward the nearest dollar . If 20% of the bill is $6.72, I throw down 6 bucks. If it ends up almost to the next dollar, I go up.

[LCHIEN]

According to Playboy, tipping is on the bill, not including the tax. It's easy to just take the amount and "times 2", with correctly moving the decimal.

Now, I'm not saying 20% is being a big spender, but it's further from the fulcrum if the last cup of coffee was hot when served.
.

Oh, yeah, I like to live by Playboy rules.

[BrazosJake]

10% x 1.5 & round up.

Really good service, the factor is 10% x 2.

[Mr__Bill]

Another consideration is if you leave the tip on the card the waitperson may be charged whatever the discount is by management. I always leave cash. As stated move the decimal and double, work from there. If it's a place you frequent, never leave less than a dollar per person, even if it's only coffee.

[Alex Franke]

According to Playboy, tipping is on the bill, not including the tax. It's easy to just take the amount and "times 2", with correctly moving the decimal.

What?!? There are articles in that magazine?

[tommyt654]

20% of the total bill,Unless sevice and food were lousy,Then I deduct 5% for any infractions occured during what I payed for which are quality food and good service. Exceptional food and service will garner 25%.

[BobSch]

And one thing i always make a point, if i am using a coupon for free entree or $$$ off or if the place comps me a meal because the cook screwed up, I always tip on the amount before discount, figuring the restuarant is making the promotion, not the server.

I've had some rather pointed discussions with friends and coworkers over this point. I'll always tip on the amount before the discount. Serving people work too hard for too little money to suffer because I'm getting a discount on the meal.

As I said, there's been a lot of discussion over this.

[LCHIEN]

Another consideration is if you leave the tip on the card the waitperson may be charged whatever the discount is by management. I always leave cash. As stated move the decimal and double, work from there. If it's a place you frequent, never leave less than a dollar per person, even if it's only coffee.

I always put it on my card.
Two reasons:
1. its more convenient for me - no change to carry, always the correct amount
2. I have every penny earned reported to the IRS by my employer, if I'm tipping these guys fairly why shouldn't their income be traceable, too, and they pay taxes like me.

[Mr__Bill]

I always put it on my card.
Two reasons:
1. its more convenient for me - no change to carry, always the correct amount
2. I have every penny earned reported to the IRS by my employer, if I'm tipping these guys fairly why shouldn't their income be traceable, too, and they pay taxes like me.

Actually, they pay taxes on it even when you don't tip. The tax man assumes a certain level of income based on the tips and collect the tax. If the waitperson does not take that much in........

The cash is to avoid having part of the tip being taken by the card company for processing. In some restaurants the tip on the card is paid with the pay check.

bill,

[parnelli]

I take 10%, round up, then add a number that's anywhere from half to double the result, depending on service, and round up again. So $42.85 = $4.285 (10%) = $5 (rounded up) = $7.5 (added half) = $8 (rounded up), for a bill total of $50.85, or about 18.5% in this case.

I just take the 10% ballpark number, in this case 4.20 or 4.30, double it and go with that. 8.40 in this case comes to 19.6, and the 4.30 comes to 20.0

[dbhost]

I simply multiply by .15 and get the total tip amount.

My tipping has gone down since we are no longer DINKs, but SINKs (Single Income No Kids).

[Tom Slick]

$1 for every $5 is easy mental math for 20% and in my area doubling the tax and rounding up gets close to 15%. if it is more complicated then that my phone has an excellent tip calculator function.

here is another element, do you tip on drinks? I do but some people I know don't because they doesn't consider paying 15-20% of the cost of the drink(s) part of service, i.e. paying an extra $4.50 to the waiter to set a bottle of wine on the table or $1 for every drink to the bartender for spending 30 seconds pouring an overpriced $5 scotch.

[OpaDC]

Just saw THIS article and it reminded me of this discussion. A Brit's take on our American tipping system.