Restaurant tipping: pre-tax or post-tax?

[Norelco]

Went out with some friends last night for MNF and when the bill came we got in a discussion about whether the tip should be applied on the pre-tax or the post-tax amount?

What is your take?

I never even considered tipping on the post-tax amount. I think you should only tip on the goods and services you received and not the amount the government imposes upon you. I usually just double the tax and adjust from there (usually up), since tax here in Buffalo is 8.75%.

[Emik]

I dunno, I always just tip ~15% of whatever the bill says as grand total. Which would be post-tax. Unless its at a bar, then I usually give $2 tip the first time I'm up there and $0.50 - $1.00 later times.

Edit: You shouldn't have to tip the tax amount, I just do because it's usually only like $1 in the difference and most times I pay I don't fret too much in front of others.

[Myst]

~15% after tax.

unless they're assholes, then i just put ketchup on the bottom of the plate.

[Xavier]

I generally go pre-tax.

[Headspace]

What's a tip?

[Tristam]

I usually tip 15-18% posttax, never even thought about doing it pretax, though I guess it makes sense.

[Xanthe]

I usually double the tax and use that as my standard tip (8% tax here in Rochester), though if service is exceptionally good or bad I'll adjust and base the tip off of the pre-tax total.

[layoneil]

pre- and post-tax is usually no more than a difference of 1.5%.

doubling the tax is easy and what i tend to in groups, so it'd be ~16.5% pre-tax and closer to ~15% post-tax, so either way you'd be tipping over 15%.

[Norelco]

I usually double the tax and use that as my standard tip (8% tax here in Rochester), though if service is exceptionally good or bad I'll adjust and base the tip off of the pre-tax total.

Minnesota or New York? I used to live in Rochester, NY

[Daahan]

I'm incredibly old-fashioned in that don't tip based on calculations. I tip based on how well the service was and I eyeball it according to the bill.

[Norelco]

pre- and post-tax is usually no more than a difference of 1.5%.

Huh? Isn't the difference between pre and post tax the amount of tax? That's usually way more than 1.5%.

[Xanthe]

I usually double the tax and use that as my standard tip (8% tax here in Rochester), though if service is exceptionally good or bad I'll adjust and base the tip off of the pre-tax total.

Minnesota or New York? I used to live in Rochester, NY

NY born and raised.

[Norelco]

Sweet, I grew up in Fairport.

[Xanthe]

Ahh, I was a Pittsford Sutherland grad, myself. It's certainly a small world!

[Vedder]

I used to stauchly tip pre-tax only, but now I just tip 15% on whatever the final bill is... since I'm told by many that a commonly accepted tip rate is now 18-20%.

Works out the same either way, I'm guessing.

Oh, the only exception is if the server is rude and/or they don't keep my drink refilled. I don't blame them for food taking a long time or whatever, but I damn sure better be able to liberally sip on whatever I'm drinking while I wait!

[Tricen]

I like how british people come to America and don't tip cause they thing the tip was already included.

[riddaraan]

Just use post-tax. Honestly, unless your meal cost hundreds of dollars, 15% (tip) of 8% (avg tax) is negligible to worry about.

What's a tip?

You must be a Canadian.

Anyway, seriously, I think its a joke when people sit there and caluclate 15% to figure out how much they think they should leave. A tip should be based on how good you think your service was, including food presentation and timeliness. The waitstaff typically has to tip out 3% of their total ticket values for the night to the bar, food prep, etc, so be thoughtful.

Waiters are some of the hardest working individuals in the world. Treat them well. Because otherwise, they just might spit in your food. Or worse.

[Septimus]

Generally I tip 20% pre-tax if the service is adequate. I have no qualms of not tipping (and never going back) if the service sucks. I don't expect to be the center of the universe, but I also don't like to be treated like a bother. I know that the job sucks, so I try to be as low-maintenance as possible.

[layoneil]

pre- and post-tax is usually no more than a difference of 1.5%.

Huh? Isn't the difference between pre and post tax the amount of tax? That's usually way more than 1.5%.

$100 bill. $8 tax.

15% tip on $100 = $15.00
15% tip on $108 = $16.20

so the difference is $1.20, which is 1.2% of the bill.

I'm incredibly old-fashioned in that don't tip based on calculations. I tip based on how well the service was and I eyeball it according to the bill.

that's what i do when it's just me paying (when it's multiple people chipping in, it's not just my money), but even when you're "eyaballing it" your head is doing something, most people are not going to eyeball it and pay $50 on $100.

[Rocl]

I always tip about 20% post-tax, unless they really suck.