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Comment by toomanythings2 | Hacker News Reader

You do NOT have to pay a "minimum service fee". This is the third time I've read, recently, someone from Europe say that and it's totally false. Tips are a gift, if you will, to the waiter for giving good service and NO ONE will get into a "loud argument" with you for not leaving one, despite the online stories from anonymous posters who say they have at some pretentious dump they went to.

In addition, tips are given AFTER service and the customer is on his way out the door. Rarely does the waiter even know a tip was left till they collect the check and the guest is gone.

Note: I have been in the restaurant business on the side for 31 years. If anyone got into an argument with one of our guests, I would fire them on the spot.

Also, when I eat out, I tip what I wish; typically 15% except for exceptional service and then it's 20% but I have tipped less and nothing at all. I have NEVER been confronted about it and I NEVER expect to.

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> You do NOT have to pay a "minimum service fee". This is the third time I've read, recently, someone from Europe say that and it's totally false.

I did not make that up: I visited New York a month ago, and experienced first-hand what happens if you pay less than 15%. I was at a restaurant where the noise was so loud I could not talk normally with my family. The place was very loud by itself, but at a neighboring table three guys were having an aggressive argument, they were screaming, standing upright at their table, acted completely obnoxious and extremely loud. The personnel let this go on for more than 20 minutes until one guy left, angrily. The whole experience was very unpleasant for us, so I gave only $5 tip, instead of the $15 that was the "minimum". I even explained the reason. I still was told that I had miscalculated, that they could not help the behavior of other customers, and I had to get into an argument and get help from another waiter before making my way out.

Probably this was just a poorly-run restaurant, but in my experience almost all restaurants there make it quite clear on the bill that the 15% service fee is really not optional. Only the part above that is.

I've traveled all over this country for business and visited cities large and small as well as cheap and expensive restaurants. I'll say it again, I have never, ever seen this or heard of any such thing from anyone I've ever known. What you encountered could only have been a low-class dump from your description.

Bad restaurant .

I've left plenty of bad tips when the service was poor. I've also left plenty of generous tips when the service was amazing.

I'm not denying you were confronted but that's not normal. Generally I'm out the door before the staff has even collected the tip. Even if paying by credit card they leave the reciept on the table with a pen. I write in the tip and leave. It's still on the table when I'm walking out the door

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