It's rare I'll full out stiff them but in my almost 27 yrs I've had at least 2-3 horrible experiences and left them with squat. Never coming back to check on us, rude, and so forth...sorry no tip from me!

only when it's really REALLY bad

I don't think I've ever fully stiffed them, but if I get really bad service I'll leave a dollar or 2.

A couple weeks ago, 3 friends and I went to Olive Garden and had an awful waiter. He kept telling us to remind him to bring stuff, which I've never had a waiter do. So when my friend asked for marinara, the waiter said "remind me when when I come back", so he asked again when he came back the waiter goes "relax, you're my only table" like my friend was freaking out or something. He kept forgetting stuff we had asked for like another salad and refills on drinks. And if we were his only table why did we have to keep "reminding" him of things? Jeez, write it down if you can't remember! Then, we get our checks, we each pay, he brings the cards back and the receipts for us to sign, and as we are getting up from the table, he brings a refilled drink my friend had asked for!! I laughed out loud at him. I left him a couple bucks cuz the bill was over $20, one friend only gave him 75 cents and the other's bf gave a few out of guilt.

I hardly ever go out to eat, but if I get lousy service, sure I will.

I have, but only when the service is terrible. If the restaurant is slow and they still take forever to come back to my table or refresh drinks then ill leave a small tip, 10% or something, but if it is something unacceptable like the server telling my friends and I to hurry up because her shift was almost over... yeah.. NO tip for you!

Yes. I used to be a server so I know both sides of the table and can spot when a server is having a bad day or just downright bad. If the server is having a bad day then I will still tip but leave a note with it saying why I still tipped them but don't think you deserved it cause of your attitude. But if the server decides to look at me or my family and pass judgment then they probably won't be getting a tip or a small 10% tip at the most. This would happen all the time in high school and also for some reason right after my husband and I had our daughter, for some reason new families and teens don't tip or something. True some don't but you cannot pass judgment till they leave.

Many years ago, my friend and I went to our local Denny's and we waited two hours for our food. It was ridiculous. I don't think they were even that busy considering it was pretty late at night. I was really irritated by the end of the meal and didn't want to tip at all, but I think we ended up leaving a $1 or $2 tip.

I can remember a specific instance where the service was terrible, the waitress was rude, and the food was terrible, and we left a 50 cent tip. I think that's even more in-your-face than totally stiffing the server.

It felt good, damnit.

I selected number 1- Yes I've stiffed a server and I do not regret it.
I've stiffed a few of them - those who are rude to me, did not provide good service or just flat out only come to the table twice - to take my order and the deliver the bill.

I really don't care if this is their only means of supporting themselves. If that is the case then you will do your best with every customer regardless of how tired or how swamped you are.

I have actually had servers who were so good that even though I tipped them on the bill with my card I have run out to an ATM and gotten cash and went back to the restaurant, hunted down the server and given them an additional cash tip and told them their hard work was very appreciated.

I have and I haven't. Instead of just leaving no tip or leaving an extremely small tip, if the service is bad enough to warrant it, I ask to speak to the manager instead. I feel like if you leave a small tip, the server could just think you are a bad tipper or rude or something, but if you actually speak to someone about it, it does more to correct the problem in the future.

I have one time, in a group. The service was SO terrible that one time!

The thing that got me is that, when the manager took off the gratuity for the server being so lazy, she started trying to do everything right. But she had this fake grin on her face, like if she could *hold on* just long enough, she might still get a tip.

I told her, "look, you've treated us horribly all night. The restaurant isn't even HALF full, you only have 2 tables including ours, you didn't address that we were even here until 30 minutes after we arrived, we had to wait 2 hours for food - you didn't give us an update, we had to go call ANOTHER SERVER to FIND you, you never came to see if we needed more water or napkins or anything, and you slammed all our food on the table when it finally DID come...you haven't done the bare necessities required of your job! So no, I'm not going to pay you. And I don't think anyone else here will, either."

And absolutely nobody did. Not a penny, not a dime! We did leave our complaints on the receipts, though, just in case somebody else looking at them thought we were just stiffing her for no reason.

Otherwise, I tip very well. Typically I don't get treated as well when I'm out by myself because of some stereotypes and prejudice, but when I do get a server that's at least decent or even goes out of their way, I recognize and reward the effort.

Honestly, I never have had service that was bad enough to make me want to stiff them. However, I've definitely had service that was lacking, so I've left a smaller tip than what I usually will leave. I think it would have to be REALLY horrible for me to leave them nothing...I'd just feel guilty.

I am normally a very generous tipper but I have done this once..

I was at lunch with girlfriends and our waitress was so rude to us. She brought us the wrong drinks then YELLED at us when we told her they were the wrong drinks... She refused to return the drinks to the bartender so one of us did! The bartender had mixed up the drink orders with another table. We told her about the mix up and she was so rude about it. Then, she was rude the entire time... we were all so uncomfortable eating there.

It was 8 of us and we all agreed that she should get zip, zero, nada for her service. We even left her a note on the receipt saying: "Here's your tip: be nicer to your guests!!"

If the service completely sucks, I'll stiff 'em. But it really really has to suck. I like to believe I'm a nice forgiving person.

I have stiffed a waitress before and I definitely do not regret it. We waited over an hour for our food when it wasn't even busy and the entrees were cold. When we asked her about it, she was extremely rude about it and basically told us to just eat it and not complain. I ordered a cup of coffee and the stuff I got was not exactly hot and it was bitter and old-tasting. I asked her if she could make some fresh coffee and she said "We only make coffee in the morning, so no". We had a missing set of silverware and asked her several times to bring another set and she never did, so we poached one from a neighboring table. The entire meal was just horrific, so I left her a dime and a note saying that if she earns most of her money in tips, then she damn well better start doing that job so she could earn a few tips. Most of the time, I'm a pretty decent tipper though, especially if the service is good (even if the meal maybe isn't...it's not the server's fault if the food isn't great, but they should try to amend the situation if they can).

Whew! I love reading all the terrible service stories! It makes me feel better about the times I haven't left great tips, either.

i did once, mistakenly. i went on study abroad to ireland one year and on the first night we were there, all ten of us went out to a pub to eat. a server saw all of us walk in and was super awesome, had the owner open up the basement so we could all sit together and kept recommending drinks, etc. we had all been told though that you don't tip in ireland, so noone left anything. the next day we had an all day "training" of sorts and someone asked about it and we were told that no you don't tip bartenders, but in a restaurant you still tip. in a pub that serves food you can, but it's not a big deal if you don't (servers there apparently make a good hourly wage, with tips not included in that.) we felt so bad!!! she was so nice and fun, we def. should have tipped her. oh well, live and learn i guess.

Agreed, Lil K. If it's really that bad, you need to let someone know.

I accidentally did once, though. I was going to leave cash as a tip. I signed the slip and just completely forgot. That was like five years ago and I still feel bad about it, but I was just traveling through so I couldn't even go back and make it right.

Once my dad did, because the waitress didn't bring him back enough change, so we thought she automatically added in tip, but looking back we thought she probably just made a mistake and gave him a 10 instead of a 20 or something like that.

But just now we had a not so great dining experience. We're on a business trip so the company is supposed to pay for the meal, but they wouldn't let us put the tip on our credit cards or give us a receipt, so we only left like 5%. That's all the cash I had anyway.

oh and they over charged my meal by $4 anyway. Frellers.

I've done it when the service is inexcusably awful. I've had a similar Denny's experience where we waited ages for our food and we were one of only a few tables in the restaurant. Our waitress pretty much ignored us the entire time and our food definitely sat under a hot lamp for a long time.

Though I understand that a lot of people on here have their reasons for not tipping, as a waitress I hope you remember that if your food takes a long time IT IS NOT THE WAITRESSES FAULT!! The kitchen makes the food and the waitress just delivers it!! It sucks when I bust my butt on a saturday night to make sure a table is happy, but the food they order takes a while and they leave me a bad tip.

even though I have been tempted quite a few times, I still leave a little something of a tip.

Yes, i have , because ive been a server and theres NO reason to treat a customer crappy or forget to check on them, thats terrible, if you dont like to serve DONT be a server.. ! ( but when they do a good job i do WELL over 20 percent) !

Only once. I recognize that servers are terribly underpaid with the intention of earning the rest from tips, so the service had to be pretty horrible for me to go that far.

there have been MANY times that i've wanted to but i haven't yet. granted i may not have left much, but at least i didn't do the mean thing and not leave anything.

I do not recall ever stiffing a server but I have definitely felt like doing so before. I also agree with lilkim about talking to management.

Only once, and she was TERRIBLE! Well actually I didn't totally stiff...I left a penny..

She took forever to get to our table...expected us to order everything right then and there, brought the wrong drinks, then the wrong appetizer (one that was similar but not the same and looked like it'd been under the heat lamps for 20 mins) When we finally got the right appetizer, our meals were brought out after only a few minutes of having the appetizer...the story goes on and on...
By the end of the meal I was so fed up I left her the penny in change and left

Most of these places you all didn't tip sound like sh*t-holes. At any decent restaurant (and no Chilis does not count), I would think you would speak to a manager and figure out the problem.

Hello... some of us probably DID speak to the manager. And? Telling the manager that the waitress is being a b!tch doesn't mean she all of a sudden deserves a tip.

Hello...no one said you didn't. Nor did anyone say the waitress deserves a tip if you talk to the manager. Were are you even getting that?

The point was that if the service is bad, in my opinion the best thing to do isn't to just leave without tipping but to instead bring it up to the management. (aaand not leave a tip.)

Yes, when servers have completely forgotten about me, or consistently messed up my order. Last time was a few weeks ago, when the server mixed up both my order and my husband's order, we got the food after people who arrived after us got their food, and she seemed to be paying better attention to other tables than ours, and she took friggin' forever

"At any decent restaurant (and no Chilis does not count), I would think you would speak to a manager and figure out the problem."
This response to the question "Have you ever stiffed a waitress" is where I'm getting that.

Yes, once. It was over ten years ago. The server was rude to my friend, who was my dining companion.

On the other hand, one time, my husband and I were particularly generous to one server. We tipped 40%. She was hospitable, gracious, and handled a sticky situation really well. The table next to us had a family with a toddler. When toddler started fussing, she gently approached the toddler with a helium balloon. She cooed sweetly,"Do you want this?" With the parent's permission, she tied the balloon to the toddler's high chair. That balloon placated the child, and he happily played with the balloon, and stopped crying. We were already happy with her service, and when we saw how well she handled that crying child, we were really impressed. We decided to give her extra tip. She earned it.

I've never not left a tip, mainly due to I know how annoying I am and they deserve a reward for putting up with me. =p But seriously, I always tip. However, the servers disposition and treatment of me guages whether they get the bare minimum, versus a hell of a good tip. I don't go out much, so if I get a good server, I feel good giving them a large tip. Makes me happy and them too. Win win.

I live in the UK so it's not as important to tip over here I suppose...but I definitely don't leave a tip if the service isn't up to scratch. One recurring theme is that the service is good throughout the meal, then when you request the bill it doesn't arrive/takes ages to arrive....if that happens then I don't leave a tip. Why is it so hard to bring the bill?

It is rare, but I have done it. I was in the service industry for over 7 years so I can understand a whole lot. So for me to leave less than 15% or not tip all together you had to have really f'ed up.

It is rare, but I have done it. I was in the service industry for over 7 years so I can understand a whole lot. So for me to leave less than 15% or not tip all together you had to have really f'ed up.

Never! Even if the service is questionable I've never not tipped. I have been more generous with some servers than others.

Never! Even if the service is questionable I've never not tipped. I have been more generous with some servers than others.

NEVER!!! My sister used to be a server and my mom is one since she doesn't really have to work but wants to, and I know that is where they make their money. I always leave a tip, and I even put my finished dishes at the end of the table, making it easy for them to bus.

Not tipping is stealing. Two dollars per person (one if it was coffee and a muffin) is the minimum for terrible service. Servers are people, it's a hard job, and they have bad days. If you are really upset, talk to the manager.

Not tipping is stealing?!? Where on Earth did you learn that? There is no minimum, especially for terrible service, and yes, I've worked in food service many a time.

I agree with lilkimbo. i'd rather talk to a manager if i didnt like the service enough to not tio enough and to be seen as a bad tipper they might not think they were doing anything wrong.. the only time i stiffed someone was when they spoke so softly to me i couldnt hear and when i asked them again i couldnt hear she shouted at me and gave me attitude. look, just because you had a bad day doesnt mean i should take any crap. you dont like your job you get another one. i know being a server is hard i dont think i could do it because i would be bad at it. but i know enough not to give attitude where its not needed.