French Dining Journal: Some tips on tipping

November 8, 4:23 PMNY French Restaurants ExaminerHoward Portnoy

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At the conclusion of a recent dinner with old friends, the three couples present decided to split the check equally. It was not until we had each ponied up our third that I had a chance to look at the physical bill itself and realized the friend who had done the "math" computed a tip equaling 35 percent of the total. Service had been decent and I like to think I am as magnanimous as the next guy, but 35 percent? In all my years of dining out, I can think of only one restaurant with service dazzling enough to merit a gratituity of that size, and that was the late, great Le Cygne in midtown. The service there was something the like of which I had never experienced before and have not experienced since. The waiters managed the miraculous task of being at once available and unobtrusive. At times, they almost appeared to be clairvoyant. You needed but think of something that was lacking and it magically seemed to materialize.

You may never encounter service that polished and professional, and if you eat in New York you're certain to endure much worse. Which brings me to the questions I am asked most often, all of them relating to the practice of tipping. Here are some answers.

Q: What is the correct amount to tip?

A: A basic rule of thumb is to tip 15 percent of the pre-tax total. Some people I know like to triple the tax, which is fine if you live in a state where the sales tax rate is 5 percent. Here in New York, it is 8.875 percent. That means if you triple the tax, you are tipping close to 27 percent.

Q: What should you base a tip on?

A: The tip should be based exclusively on the level of service, not on the quality of the food, stinginess of the portion size, or other such issues. Service in a restaurant begins the instant you are seated and continues until you have paid your check and rise from the table to leave. If your reservation is lost or you are required wait for a table, don't take your frustration out on the waiter. As for the service itself, a waiter should be knowledgeable about the menu, including daily specials, and on hand when needed. Water and wine glasses should be kept filled, though not to the brim and not comulsively. If service is particularly competent or gracious, you can adjust the tip upward. If service is subpar, feel free to tip less.

Q: Is it ever appropriate to "stiff" a waiter?

A: Tips are a waiter's livelihood. I try always to be cognizant of that. By the same token, as with any job, those who wait tables for a living should be expected to display at least minimal competence and a modicum of cordiality in their work. The answer to the question, therefore, is yes, though the circumstances must be sufficiently dire to warrant such extreme action. Punishable offenses, in my view, include overt rudeness, sarcasm, and gross incompetence. I've heard of instances where patrons asked to speak to a manager, though I can't imagine why you'd want to get involved in a workplace dispute. By the way, never leave nothing. A bad waiter might dismiss this as forgetfulness or negligence. Always make your intentions clear by leaving a nickel.