Did you ever left a penny tip for a server in a restaurant for very poor service?

[Xwtxx]

Also, did you ever argued with the management of the establish because there is an automatic 20% gratuity regardless of the quality of the service?

[Darkfairie17]

If I went to a restaurant and found there was a 20% automatic gratuity I would get up and leave. Or refuse to pay the 20% tip. A tip should be earned, it's not automatic. I understand where the concern lies for the cheapos out there who, even though they are given amazing service do not tip, or tip very little to a hard working server.

But what happens if the service is not good enough? What if the waitress makes you wait an hour and a half for your bill? This happened to me and the place wasn't even busy. We went on like a Monday night and we were at this restaurant at 5pm. We had to hunt the waitress down to take our order, then once she did, it took us an hour or so to get our food. Then when we asked for our bill, she took an hour and a half to bring the bill to us. She had no problem finding co-workers to chat up, but when we would approach to ask her to bring the bill she would disappear.

My group almost left without giving a tip because the service was so bad. She never came back to the table once to check how our food was or if we needed drink refills. The only time she came promptly to us was when we were about to get out of there without paying for the meal.

I don't like to dine and dash, but she was not coming and we had an event we had to go to, and since she took forever with everything we were going to be late if we didn't leave. None of us tipped her and she gave us dirty looks. WE were not the ones who made us wait an hour and a half for our bill!

Luckily that place did not have an automatic gratuity. Otherwise I would be asking for a total refund of my food and would never come there again. Terrible service does not deserve a tip.

I understand why some people like the gratuity, because there are those who just refuse to tip. But I don't think tips are something that everyone should expect to get. If they don't give decent service, I will not tip. I understand if it's busy, I will be more understanding. But when it's not busy and the waitress or waiter is not attending you, I wouldn't leave them anything.

[Xwtxx]

I was in the situation couple years ago and I left a penny. I also sent an e-mail to their corporate headquarters. I describe the detail report what happened. I even named names from the server to the duty manager.

Next day, VP of the Midwest territory called me and gave me a comp. I returned and there was a new server who knew what they are doing.

[ayelen]

I only leave tips if they're appropriate and I never argue. If the service is bad, I'll just not come back. As simple as that. Sadly it happened a few times that I left a resaurant because the stupid waiter did not attend us.

[ketfoen]

I do tip if the service was good, sometimes they charge for the service when you pay your bill, but that is in some cases divided by the whole staff not to your waiter alone, if I found my waiter to be very good I tip him extra so it goes into his pocket and gives good service to the next customer, hopefully that person isn't a prick.

[starlight124]

Never, I don't argue. I just pay and leave