You should still tip 15 per cent in a restaurant even if you get poor service, say etiquette experts who believe angry customers should speak up rather than cheap out.
Viewer Kim wrote to Steele on Your Side after receiving what she believed was “horrible” service on a recent dinner outing. She wondered if you had to leave a tip if you’re disappointed.
The answer is yes, according to Peggy Post, great granddaughter in-law of Emily Post and co-author of the 18th edition of Emily Post's Etiquette.
She says regardless of the infraction it’s important to leave a tip of at least 15 per cent, because many establishments pool tips and split them among staff.
“The person serving you may not have caused the problem and others who did their jobs well -- the busboy or dishwasher – will be penalized unfairly,” Post told CTV News in an email.
Even worse, leaving no tip -- a drastic step in most people's eyes -- may not make your point. Rather than realizing the service was poor, the server may think you forgot or that you're just a cheapskate.
Post says the best solution is to talk to your server, or even better, a manager in charge.
“Explain the situation and let them know your future patronage is in question. This way, there is a reasonable chance that the problem might be corrected,” Post said.
There’s a good chance you’ll get a free meal or at the very least a discount, she added.
Post recommends tipping 15 per cent for a restaurant meal, but a lower percentage is reasonable if you’ve had bad service. A great experience should garner closer to 20 per cent.
A study by U.S.’s CouponCabin.com this spring found one-third of diners left no tip when they received service they considered poor. A total of 20 per cent of respondents said they tipped less when the economy wasn’t doing as well.
Have your say: How much do you tip on bad service?
