Last week (pre-Farrah/Michael), media around the world were abuzz with the news that actor Johnny Depp had left a $4,000 tip (reportedly on a $4,400 tab) after a night of partying with friends in a Chicago restaurant.
Not knowing Depp personally, I can only speculate on what led to this. Perhaps consuming a lot of excellent wine can cause one to misplace decimal points. A cynical guess would be that Depp or a savvy handler planned the giant tip as a brilliant PR stunt -- he did have a movie coming out, after all. Or maybe he's just a nice guy who understands he is fortunate and subscribes to the idea that what you give in this world comes back to you.
Whatever the reason, stories immediately popped up online listing famous people who are notoriously poor tippers. Hello, servers, why have you been withholding this information? This is the most interesting thing to be reported about these people in years.
One list (see it at glamorati.com/celebrity/2008/34-notoriously-bad-celebrity-tippers/) included 34 celebs who routinely spend hundreds of dollars on meals, then tip very little or not at all. A few highlights:
Madonna doesn't always leave a tip, and when she does it's a cheap one.
Barbra Streisand doesn't always tip, and is very high-maintenance and nobody wants to wait on her.
Bill Cosby once left a $3 tip on a $350 order.
Mariah Carey brought a very large party to a restaurant, kept the staff jumping and didn't leave a tip.
John Kerry left a $20 tip on a tab of more than $700.
We can only assume these celebs never spent time waiting tables before they made it; most former servers are the best tippers.
I waited tables for years, in college and during some four-job-having early journalism years. People will tell you, "Be nice to waiters or they'll spit in your food." This is true, and I've heard worse, though I never saw it and didn't do it despite some very deserving customers.
But spit prevention is not the reason why you should treat servers well. They're hardworking fellow human beings who are trying to keep their electricity on and food in the fridge. Remember, servers are making well below minimum wage and are taxed on the assumption that you're tipping. Plus, they usually have to dole out a percentage to the bartender and busboys.
Restaurants are one of the few remaining elements of our society that aren't outsourced, understaffed or automated, so we should enjoy and appreciate the service.
If you've never been a server or bartender, here are a few tips on how to be a considerate customer. Call it Spit Prevention 101:
Look your waiter in the eye and say "please" and "thank you." He's a person, not a Roomba (the robot vacuum).
Tip about 20 percent. The standard has long been 15 to 20, but 20 is easiest to figure: Look at your total, move the decimal to the left, that's 10 percent. Now double that.
Tip extra if: You're a demanding diva ordering elaborate mixed or frozen drinks and running your waitress ragged with demands for extra cherries, water, napkins, etc.; or you're a "camper," sitting at a table for hours just getting your coffee refilled -- you're costing your server money.
Leave a comment