A question of tipping etiquette for Questionland Seattle

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A question of tipping etiquette

What do you leave as a tip when your server/bartender is a friend (from outside the context of his/her workplace)? Does it change if he/she hooks you up with discounts or freebies? Is tipping a friend condescending?

I've run into a friend a couple times lately, and I did what I figured he would say if I asked, 100% tip.

Mike Smith asked in Food & Drink about 1 year ago | Report

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I'm going to answer your questions in order. Trust me, I have a lot of friends who are bartenders/waiters. I'm an expert:

1) You tip a friend double what you tip anybody else.

2) YES, it changes if she/he hooks you up. You don't necessarily exchange $15 of free food or booze for $15 of extra tip but it's pretty damn close. If you get a free $5 beer and a free $10 appetizer, you should add $8 to the total tip. MINIMUM.

3) NO tipping a friend at their workplace is not condescending.

soundslikepuget answered in Food & Drink about 1 year ago | Report

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If you are getting the "hook up", as in free food, drinks, or whatever, then the unwritten rule is to tip not only for the stuff you paid for, but more importantly, for the stuff you didnt pay for. If they hook you up, then its only fair to hook them up...with a fat tip.

But otherwise, normal service = normal tip.

rastabilly answered in Food & Drink about 1 year ago | Report

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I'm not disagreeing, but doesn't this negate the "hook up"? If the friend is doing you a favor, and you reciprocate by paying him/her 100%+ for what you receive, the only person benefiting is the friend. The restaurant looses and you break even. So in essence you are hooking the friend up, and the friend owes YOU. Or am I misunderstanding?

Bion Satir commented about 1 year ago | Report

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Okay, sorry I did misread. I think you are saying you pay a percentage of the cost of food (say 20-30%), even if you didn't pay for it. I knew this intuitively, and have done this on various occasions. I thought you meant one should pay 100% of the cost of the food.

Bion Satir commented about 1 year ago | Report

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Not tipping your friend for service is condescending.

cd answered in Food & Drink about 1 year ago | Report

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Thanks for asking this question. A friend of mine tips nothing on comped food or drink. It makes me cringe.

jane doe answered in Food & Drink about 1 year ago | Report

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normal tip for normal service. if they hook you up, definitely up the ante. but my follow up question, did you not know your friend worked there before you went? are you both in the service industry? is it a joint where the hookups are extra special? so many variables in this question...

beef answered in Food & Drink about 1 year ago | Report

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