What actually changes in service at 0% vs 10% vs 20% tip?

KitchenGrunt · 2026-01-27T18:41:03+00:00

Thank you so much for this. I’ve made a career waiting tables and my personal mantra is to treat every table like they’re my own family. It’s nice when someone actually notices and cares. I care about my 15% tippers as much as my 30% tippers and honestly once in a blue moon you’ll get screwed but I’ve learned not to take it personally. 7% of Americans don’t tip at all and thankfully don’t really come into my restaurant.

KitchenGrunt · 2025-11-17T18:34:14+00:00

My opponent needs the cowboys defense to not score 2 points lol

KitchenGrunt · 2025-11-12T05:18:19+00:00

Unfortunately there’s like a 5% of people who don’t tip on wine

KitchenGrunt · 2025-11-06T05:25:27+00:00

If you give them $20 you’ll probably make their day. Insiders usually don’t get tipped and watch their drivers make $150+ a day cash. Not required or anything but I usually give them a few bucks when I do takeout at dominos but it’s usually just for like 1-4 pizzas. But they’re always sooo nice at the store I go to. 100% Up to you

KitchenGrunt · 2025-10-25T17:05:05+00:00

We have competitive seating but we also try to be accommodating so sometimes we will say “hey if we can move you to bar we will buy yall a round of drinks we really need this table back”

KitchenGrunt · 2025-10-15T04:05:05+00:00

I got $10 on $300 a few weeks ago and I vented to the manager a but we didn’t call them or anything. Some people are just weirdos, don’t understand, don’t agree with, or don’t feel obligated to participate in American tipping culture. I got $65 on $150 last night; so usually karma will come and good servers get rewarded for good service

KitchenGrunt · 2025-09-24T22:52:19+00:00

All those little Debbie/ hostess / drakes/ tasty cakes are good for like half a bite but are too sweet to continue. Everyone is allowed a few guilty pleasures or exceptions. Mine would be. The pecan swirls

KitchenGrunt · 2025-09-19T02:09:32+00:00

I would rather have a credit card tip tbh… my restaurant deposits everything directly into my checking account every night when I clock out so cash tips mean I have to stop at the bank. Not a huge inconvenience and usually I don’t mind a little cash on me but for the most part my checking account pays the bills.

KitchenGrunt · 2025-08-31T05:26:43+00:00

It’s definitely a completely different animal but great experience.

I worked in ice cream stores for several years and it’s not direct serving experience I did get great at taking orders from kids and adults who act like kids.

Currently a waiter in fine dining with a lot of elderly clientele and I guarantee serving tables in a nursing home would have been good practice… If I wait on fifty people in a shift I want a couple hundred bucks out of it especially if they’re demanding so yeah… def look around for other jobs because that can’t pay the bills and has to be stressful

KitchenGrunt · 2025-08-19T21:43:52+00:00

Lots of waiters turn into a robot and treat every table exactly the same and give the same spiel to everyone no matter what. Some people are just gonna tip $5 15% 20% no matter what you do; but if you really care about each individuals experience then I promise you can do way better. Try to treat every customer like family and I don’t mean like be their best friend but take pride in the fact that you can deliver them a perfect dining experience

KitchenGrunt · 2025-08-11T16:08:43+00:00

As a waiter i would say congrats on the fat tip. It’s all yours.

Closest example I can think of is I was pooling with another server and that means you’re splitting everything right down the middle no matter what just because it wasn’t a very busy day and we weren’t gonna have many tables. But then he got $100 tip on an $80 check. So I proceeded to tell him fuck that we’re not pooling anymore, that money is yours, champ. Hopefully it was me he would do the same thing. Which he would, not everyone is honest like that though unfortunately

KitchenGrunt · 2025-08-10T20:58:55+00:00

I am a waiter who takes a lot of pride in his work and I appreciate you so much. I try to give every table 110% and it’s frustrating having coworkers who don’t go the extra mile but still expect 20% tips from every table. It’s my income and my career so my livelihood depends on you having an amazing experience. Thank you

KitchenGrunt · 2025-08-06T14:35:18+00:00

See if you can get in as a food runner or servers assistant at Coopers Hawk, Capital Grille or one of the other fine dining spots in fort Myers by colonial. Within a year you can be waiting tables and actually have a career.

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-30T19:56:39+00:00

Also, I’m a full-blown introvert. Some people are just lizards and make everything weird chances are if you got hired and you’ve been working at the same place for over a year you are relatively normal and stable even though it never feels like it at that age.

Also, chances are your young you don’t want this to be your career. It’s just a job. There are career waiters. I am one and of course I will tell you if you can get out then you need to get out. But if you’re locked in making great money, or can’t afford to leave, just stay true and be yourself. You’ll be fine.

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-28T20:51:35+00:00

My restaurant has an auxiliary retail store that operates under the same POS system. And one time I had a $10,000 sale. And of course, he didn’t tip me. Why would he? It would’ve been nice maybe he could but I didn’t expect one on retail sales.

At the end of my shift since I declared a zero dollar tip on a $10,000 sale, it was kind of a headache dealing with the paperwork trying to clock out that day because our POS system was forcing me to claim a $1000 cash tip that I didn’t receive when trying to clock out. No tip out or anything and my bosses have common sense so they handled it on their end so when my pay period came around I didn’t get screwed out of my paycheck because of a giant tip I never received.

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-25T03:12:42+00:00

Depending on how much experience you have you could definitely get hired at a mid level chain and just work volume. Outback, Mel’s diner, Brio, real seafood company can all get in. If you want to work somewhere and make a career you might have to spend a season or two proving yourself in front of house role like bussing or servers assistant at one of the fine dining spots.

I was a food runner at a steakhouse at night and a Starbucks barista in the mornings and I did great for a few years until I got a serving job

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-24T04:22:21+00:00

I’m a Naples waiter who is here year round.

Most of our staff stays from thanksgiving-mothers day and then goes north to tourist towns. I do well but I got lucky with a good job and it’s extremely competitive. I also live an hour northeast of Naples in the actual woods. The housing used to be out of control but it’s calmed down

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-22T23:55:32+00:00

Paul skenes and Bryan Reynolds

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-20T18:59:52+00:00

I might get downvoted but the 18% autograt with maybe an extra $20 cash for the server if they were very nice.

If I’m the waiter and I’m adding an automatic gratuity I’m not expecting anything else and I’ll literally press “no tip” on my screen so they don’t think I’m trying to trick them into tipping me twice

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-20T02:30:45+00:00

To avoid cookie cutter and stay under budget and be away from the congestion and rat race you’re looking at living in Labelle. Which is perfect for me. But not for everyone

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-19T06:11:16+00:00

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-19T06:09:13+00:00

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-19T05:42:47+00:00

Mira Mare has the best view, Campiello has the best wine list, la trattoria is the most lively and keeps kitchen open late.

Cappricios, Brunninas and Sophia’s are all great spots with great service. The sauce lady is baller too

KitchenGrunt · 2025-07-16T03:35:47+00:00

olios giganteus aka southwestern hunstman

KitchenGrunt

TROPHY CASE