Tipping etiquette for waiters

The wife and I went out to dinner the other evening to celebrate her birthday at a well-known French restaurant in our area. We arrived exactly on time and were seated promptly.

After a couple of appetite-stimulating cocktails, we ordered an appetizer, wine and dinner. The food was excellent, the wine sublime and the service responsive and attentive.

Everything was top notch until the waitperson presented the bill (not cheap!) and I produced cash with which to pay.

The whole experience was greatly diminished when the server then asked whether I needed change. Let’s see. The check was for about $140 and I tendered two $100 bills. Was this a not-so-subtle hint?

To me this is presumptuous, rude and insulting. If I had tendered a credit card would the server have asked me if they could apply any amount of tip they wished? Of course not!

I had anticipated a 20 percent gratuity, or about $30. After the server’s comment I backed the tip down to 15 percent, or $21. That cost the server about a ten dollar bill and they probably never realized their faux pas.

This arm-twisting always produces a backlash with me. I’m in hopes that owners of restaurants will read this and impart to their wait staff that this is unacceptable behavior. I would tell them myself except my wife would hide under the table while I excoriated the offender.

Happy restaurant week to all and remember to tip a good server generously!

Thomas G. Johnson