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View Full Version : How to tip a waitress at a Club?


justbecause
03-14-2007, 07:01 PM
a month ago, my friends and I were at a lounge/club in the city, celebrating an engagement party. We had reserved a table and the table service included a personal waitress. There were 10 of us and we decided to get bottles. We were all going to chip in, and one of my guy friend asked the waitress to bring out 2 champagnes and she told him that they need to be paid upfront ($190). So he did (paid $190 for the bottles). When she walked off with the money, everyone calculated their share and paid the friend ~$25 (bottle + tip). When she brought out the bottles and glasses, she motioned to my friend (the one who had initially paid for the bottles) and said, "you know, you only gave me $190. That's not including the tip." He was humiliated. We all did.

We were going to give her the tip when she brought out the drinks. at the time of the order, we were not aware that we had to pay for the drinks upfront so we were unprepared to pay her right away.

so here are my questions.
Should you expect to pay for bottle services each time you order? and pay tips each time as well? even if you are sitting at a table?

what is the proper way to tip waitress at a club, if you are sitting at a table?

I'm not familiar with table service tippings. I was under the assumption that it would be similar to restaurants - order as much as you would like, and pay at the end of the night.

lindsey923
03-14-2007, 07:08 PM
I feel like she was rude in telling you that there was not a tip included. I have never worked in this situation, so I don't know what is proper to do, but she should have waited until the end of the meal. Getting a bottle of champagne and opening it is not hard work.. I might be wrong.

Dude111
03-14-2007, 11:48 PM
Yes it was VERY RUDE of her to say that (Like she was expecting a tip)

Welcome to frappydoo justbecause :)

jamesglewisf
03-15-2007, 12:23 AM
I've never heard of having to pay before you got it, but then I've never ordered alcohol at a club/lounge. Restaurants don't make you pay in advance.

The tip should come after the service, not before. You don't know how good the service is until after you've received it. You tip at the end, not the beginning.

She was rude. You have no reason to be embarrassed.

justbecause
03-15-2007, 03:09 PM
we'll be going out again this weekend for my bday, and this time I'll know exactly how to tip a server at a club. Thanks for all the advises. And we will not be returning to the same club.