Tips

Yesterday we were at a local eatery(name withheld to protect the not so innocent). The waitress was horrible. She was never pleasant. The food my partner ordered was undercooked, so when he sent it back, the food she brought back looked burnt. Then there was the scowl on her face. I get it though, she may have had a bad day, or was in a grumpy mood, or was just being herself. Every day I work with the public. Do I have my less than stellar days? I do, but I always put my best face on for the public, because they deserve good service.

When I went to pay the bill, my partner told me to leave .75 as a tip. I did. The cashier said, ".75?" I nodded, "Yeah, the service was pretty bad." She laughed. As we walked out, we heard her giggling, and telling others about the low tip. Note to self....do not go back to that restaurant.

How does this relate to coffee? Baristas work very hard, do not get a ton of money, so tips are key to their income. Now before you think I am going to tell you to tip at all costs - I'm not. Tips to me are earned, they are NEVER a given, nor are they intended to be. A tip is a reward for good service.

In a coffee house, here is how I tip. If I ordered a coffee, and all the person did was pour a spigot of coffee into a cup - no tip. I know, heartless, but really nothing extraordinary has been done. If the coffee is more involved, like a french press or Chemex, I tip. This is more labor intensive, and I can actually talk to the barista. Espresso drinks get a tip, because again, there is a skill and labor involved. If the barista has been extra nice....a lithe extra tip-wise.

Tips for me start at 10%. I hear you all yelling about it, but that is my base. Again, tips are earned, you want a better tip, you provide the better service.

A big faux pas, and this has happened to me, if the server or barista mentions a tip or the tip jar....no tip. I think that's rude. I see the jar. I don't need to be pointed to it. I also don't need to be told, "Hey don't forget to tip us." My response to that should have been, "Why did you do something amazing?" If I did that though, I would be that asshole guy. Come to think of it, I bet there's a certain server from yesterday who already thinks that.

Charlie