Should you tip at a buffet where all the girl does is say "How is everything?"?

04-29-2009, 04:10 AM

I went to a buffet, and it was a pretty nice, more upscale buffet. But I had this one waitress who wouldn't take my dishes until I had a pile of them and had to specifically ask her to take them. Then she doesn't even say "Sure!" or anything, she just mopes over to my table and takes them away.

Literally, all she did was ask me a couple times if everything was ok. She didn't ask to bring me a drink, I had to do that myself. Again, she didn't clear my plates until we had to ask her to....

So, we each left her a penny. There were four of us so she got a 4 cent tip.

Do people at buffets really expect to be tipped?

**ravenpoe787** · 04-29-2009, 04:11 AM

Buffets are always weird and some people do not know if you should tip or not.
But I agree with the first one who said if they did something tip if not no tip.
Sure they expect a tip. But a regular restaurant you know who your server is They take your order, input order, keep order straight in who gets what, bring your drinks then a bill.(and he/she has other tables as well) A buffet they clear plates and maybe bring drinks (but some places you usually get everything yourself) so the very least they do is clear your plates and if they dont even do that why should they get 3 bucks?

04-29-2009, 04:11 AM

I would not tip in your case.

In general I tip 15 % for meals, 20% if the service was exceptional, and for a buffet I would normally leave dollar per person.

I would not insult her by leaving 4 cents.

**whsswim** · 04-29-2009, 04:12 AM

I would say if they bring you your drinks and clean your plates, yes. If they don't do anything, no.

As a waitress, though, I would rather you stiff me than leave four cents. That's really an a-hole move right there.