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I don't want to be too lonely up here on my pedestal and restaurants are one place I probably spread too much money around (its a hard job, I sucked at it and respect people that can do it). I think if you are buying a $14 soup then saving $2 seems a little pennywise. The coat check deserves to make a living as much as the waiter or chef. I can see your point of saving where you can though. I can also acknowledge that checking your coat isn't a very valuable service especially in a pub. Tipping is designed to make you feel guilty for not doing it - I don't think you can save those $2 and not feel guilty about it.

I look at it this way - my husband and I are very lucky to have jobs. When we do go out, which isn't that often anymore, I try to share my luck with anyone I come in contact with. (Not panhandlers)

I live in Florida and wouldn't have a clue what to do with the coat check person - how much tip, do they get paid an hourly wage? I don't feel as guilty for someone that I know will get an hourly rate, even if no one is tipping.

I think tipping is a stupid system anyway. I feel like the rich landholder throwing money to the local peasants and it feels awkward and archaic to me.

P.S. I have huge guilt, constantly, even when I shouldn't - so now I feel guilty that I answered this because I think I was no help....

There are reasons why I never check coats. One being I am severly allergic to cats and my coat cannot be near any cat hair or dander.
The second reason is I once went with a friend of mine to a great restaurant and she checked her mink and when we went to leave she was handed a cloth coat in place of her mink. You never saw someone look more upset that coat check girl. The police were called and theft report filed. Now we don't wear fur coats in big cities anymore because we are PETA phobic.

It's really considerate of you to raise the issue. My first instinct is to say hey, if you can spare a couple of bucks that goes to support someone in what might be a struggling earning position at the moment, why not. Then, I remember that I have never, aside for maybe once or twice, checked my coat in my entire life - the motivation is entirely personal.

That said, since the economic dip, I've been really conscious to tip well for good service. I think this is a situation-specific judgement call - either way, there's no reason to feel guilty.

Unless you HAVE to eat at a restaurant for work, because you are traveling, or some other reason beyond your control, it is a treat and not a necessity. With this being said, when it is out of necessity and I'm on a tight budget, I don't feel guilty for cutting corners if I have no other choice. However, if I'm planning to dine out for the sheer enjoyment of a restaurant, I plan to spend the money necessary to assauge my guilt. I know that may be crazy, but if I have the money to splurge on a treat like dining out, I don't want the meal ruined by feelings of guilt that two dollars could have fixed... see what I mean? That's just me though.

I never check my coat unless it's mandatory -- I'm always cold, and I like being able to drape it on my shoulders. Since, as you said, there was enough room for you to keep it with you, I wouldn't worry. You went, you ate, you (presumably) tipped well -- you've done your share.

On a related note, we just had a Restaurant Week-like event here, with prix-fixe menus and the like, and it spurred a series of "Dos and Don'ts" lists everywhere. On every list: Make sure you order drinks, so you don't deprive the staff of tips. Now, I never usually order drinks, and the average prix-fixe costs more than the single entrée I'd normally eat, so I resent people trying to make me feel guilty for drinking water. If you think you're getting robbed of tips, don't participate in the event.

I usually don't check my coat unless I'm at a super lux restaurant and would feel really weird if I didn't. Like @jerzee, I'm really, really allergic to cats. If someone's cat haired coat is next to mine, that coat will be unwearable for me until it gets dry cleaned.

That said, the current economy hasn't changed at all how I tip. It should not be the server's problem if I'm feeling a little skint. If I feel like I need to go light on the tip due to my financial situation, I have no business going to that particular restaurant.

Restaurant dining is essentially a leisure activity, not a charity. It is your money and you should get to spend it as you wish. I check my coat and tip in very crowded restaurants because it is convenient to not have my winter coat slumped over my chair but I don't feel that it is an obligation to do so in an empty place or in a casual setting such as a bar. What really irks me is the bathroom attendants who expect tips for simple turning on a tap, they provide absolutely no service as opposed to the coat check. A question for anyone that might know - do restaurants take a portion of coat check tips?

people won't notice you didn't check your coat if you bring a gigantic tripod with you at the restaurant.

The woman in the coat room needs the $2 tip more than you need the $14 soup. Seriously, though, you're going to a very elegant restaurant, where checking one's coat is part of the process. You're at Gramercy Tavern, fer crying out loud. Behave like it. And besides, tipping is a matter of decency, and civility. Overtipping is a matter of generosity.

The bottom line is: you stiffed her. You should feel badly.

Agreed. It's your money, if you think it's worth $2 to check your coat than you should do it. Otherwise not. As for the guilt, what would you have done with the $2 otherwise? Would you have bought coffee? Should you feel sorry for the barista for checking your coat rather than buying coffee? The only time you should feel guilty is if you checked your coat and not tipped.

I don't get the issue... Did you lose your job? Are you making less money now, or are afraid you might lose your job in the near future? If no to all these questions, why are you spending less money? Spending less money because the economy is "bad" doesn't seem to make much sense. All you're doing is removing money you could (and according to your post, normally would) spend from the economy, thereby making the economy, as a whole, ever so slightly worse.

Unless you have some rational financial reason not to spend, I don't see a reason not to live normally...

I worked coatcheck for 2 seasons at various dance clubs in Chicago in the late 90s. It's definitely a different coat-checking scene than at a fancy restaurant but when I worked the club took $1 for each $2 coat I checked and we got to keep all of our tips. It's not a particularly lucrative "career" choice and from what I've been told a lot of restaurant coat checkers are off-shift wait staff trying to make a few extra dollars. Which works out well for both employee and employer cause it's gotta be cheaper to do that than hire a dedicated coat checker.
I say, if you have the cash, check your coat, if not, don't worry about it. It's not like they are taking notes on who you are and are going to come knocking on your door demanding their $2.

i think supagold hit the nail on the head.

I really hate it when people act like I HAVE to tip anyone, anywhere, at any time. I would never check my coat, recession or not. I don't enjoy spending money on things that I think are ridiculous, whether or not someone else decided to get a job DOING something ridiculous & therefore "depends" on me to spend $2 for someone else to hang my coat up somewhere.

And I doubly hate it when people judge others over whether they choose to check a coat, leave a big tip, etc. It's really none of your business why a person is or is not tipping.

My husband has been hit by that Ed. He feels guilty that he is spending money to start with when so many of our friends don't have jobs and then tries to cut back when we are out, not so much because he is cheap, he is usually a way overatipper, but feels guilty that he shouldn't be spending the money.

I on the other hand, will try to save the economy the best I can, and am on my way out now to buy baby shower gifts and then take my parents out to dinner.

Everyone, share what you have!!

Sorry, but this seems like a ridiculous story not worthy of serious eats. If you're going to check, then you should tip the coat check. If you don't feel like you want to tip someone a buck or two, then keep your coat. If you're dining at Gramercy Tavern, then two bucks for the coat check shouldn't be such a big deal. If you can't spare those two bucks, then rethink where to dine.

If you didn't use the service provided, there is no need ot tip. It's that simple.

And if you choose not to use a service that's provided, then that is your choice. Ilove all these people here telling others that they 'should' check their coats, ans saying or implying that there's an obligation to provide financial support to a coatcheck person, or to prevent the restaurant from looking unsightly. Huh? If I'm wearing a decent long winter coat, I'll check it. (And tip the checker.) If it's a short coat, I'll keep it on my chair. If someone doesn't make enough coat check tips, let them find a different job. And if a restaurant doesn't like the sight of coats on chairs or coathooks, let them institute a mandatory coat check policy. (I which case I would probably find other places to spend my dining out money.)

Bottom line: If you want to check your coat, you should do so and tip.If you don't want to, don't let any of the nannies here guilt you into it.

Note to self: Fargo might be a nice place to be a coat checker.

There's no obligation to check your coat assuming it won't be in people's way, but if you do check it, please tip. Coat check is a fickle and seasonal gig and everyone who works at that job knows it. In my experience it pays more than minimum tipping wage for an hourly, but is no way to make a living.

As far as restroom attendants go, they don't just turn on the tap and hand you a towel- they're generally responsible for constantly cleaning and keeping up the restroom. Some intoxicated patron misses the bowl? Guess who cleans it up so that you can sit on a sanitary toilet.

In general, I tell people that if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat out. Unfortunately, many restaurant employees rely on tips for their livelihoods. I think all employees should be paid a living wage, but in most of the US, $2.15/hr is sufficient for those who make tips. Until that changes, stiffing any tipped employee sends the message that they're not even worth federal minimum wage.

I just realized that the two times (that I can recall) I've checked my coat (at different DC restaurants), I did not leave a tip. Both times the hostess asked if I wanted to check my coat, so I figured it was just something they were required to ask. There wasn't a separate coat check room with an attendant or anything (if there had been, I would've tipped, like you see in movies/tv shows).

Unless you're supposed to tip the coat-taking hostess? But then, wouldn't it be tacky to hand her a couple of dollar bills in view of everyone? I don't know.

As you can tell, I don't go to fancy restaurants often.

There is no need to pay for a service you don't use. There's also no need to feel guilty about it.

Guilt should have nothing to do with it.

Reason, though, should. If you can afford $15 plus tax and tip for the server for lunch but you can't afford $15 plus tax and tip for the server plus tip for the coat check person....then you couldn't afford $15 plus tax and tip for the server for lunch to begin with.

These aren't the kinds of savings that are reasonable to look for or budget for. They're "$40 a Day" kinds of savings. The way you save "in these times" or deal with the "uncertain economic climate" is to go out less. When you do go out, go and do the normal things which while they need not include every extravagance, should include _your_ normal things. If you'd normally check your coat, check it. If you'd normally valet your car, valet it. Just do what you normally do.

Thanks for the diverse inputs. My biggest problem with tipping coat check and restroom folks is that I usually do not have cash or small bills. I debit card/charge most things. Usually for coat check I can arrange to get cash while dining from my partner or ask for change. But it can be a hassle. Sometimes I overtip but that seems preferable to stiffing the person.

The last time I went to the attendant serviced men's room at Saks in NYC I did not have a dollar and felt terrible. I got one from my partner and went back and gave it to the gentlemen. It was the right thing to do and I felt better for it.

Tipping in those instances is a cost that comes with certain environments. If you are there then do what is expected.

Here in Michigan of course you wear a coat, usually nine months out of the year, but I guess I don't go to the kind of restaurants who have coatchecks or have $14.00 soup/sandwiches. But, if I were to ever go to the restaurant that has these things, of course I would tip the coatcheck girl if I used that service. A tip for your table service is expected so I have to assume that the coatcheck girl, and, the lady in the restroom who hands out the towels would also be tipped. If you don't want to tip these people, then don't go to this kind of restaurant. You'll save a lot more money buying the $7.98 bowl of soup and sandwich at a lesser restaurant, which is probably just as good as the expensive one. Do you buy a $14.00 bowl of soup and a sandwich just to impress someone? Certainly laying your coat on a chair just to save a couple bucks would sure impress me. NOT!

I have worked coat check for five seasons and it does upset me when a number of people do not check their coats but what is worst is checking your coat and not tipping. The coat check staff hustles for those tips and we deserve to be treated as generously as the wait staff. I work coat check because I need that extra money to survive. Giving up my evenings to hustle for a job is upseting when the night is not lucrative. I get home about 1 or 2 in the morning and must wake up at 6:30 to go to my full time job. So for those who tip I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Perhaps someday I will get out of my own economic crisis that I have been dealing with for the past 13 years. Coat check staff get paid a very small hourly wage, just like a server.