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I'm a server.
If you order something, you take into account the tax, so why not the tip? Whether you order the $40 bottle or the $1000 bottle your going to be paying the $2 tax or the $50 tax. You can't argue with that, because its the LAW. Just because you're a dolt who orders an outrageously priced bottle means that you should tip accordingly.
At the place I work at I have to declare 10% of my sales. If my cash out says I've sold a $1000 I have to tell the government I made $100 of that sale, regardless of the idiots I serve.

hey! I saw this a few days ago and searched and searched for it so I could make it today! You might add a tag just called Candy Pie to make it easier for folks to find it. I finally remembered you calling it leftover halloween candy pie and thats how I finally found you!

Love the pie!

Actually, according to the U.S. Department of Labor the following is the case:

"An employer may pay a tipped employee not less than $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equal at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference."

For New York City (where I live), the minimum they must meet is $7.25 an hour. That means that even if the server does a horrible job and receives no tips, the restaurant must make up the difference so he/she will be entitled to a federal minimum wage no matter what. That means that the tip you give will contribute to that, but also increase his wage. Why would I want to increase a person's wage that does a horrible job? If the person is putting forth minimum wage type of work, that is what he/she deserves (not an extra pat on the back).

So while you may be right in that the tip is part of their pay, they will receive the minimum wage no matter what. If they want to make anything above that, they should obviously be good at what they do.

excuse me, "to not leave a tip..."

I disagree. When you pay a tip (to anyone in the service industry) it's not something the person should assume to get. My paying for the food and drinks pays for the food and the service. You don't have the option of bringing the food to the table yourself. If it's mandatory to use the service, the cost of the mandatory service is always baked into the price of the product. This is true for everything. When you buy a DVD from Best Buy, you are paying not only for the product but the guy behind the counter and other operational costs that go into bringing the product to you. My point being that the tip you give on top of the purchased product / service (cab ride, server, hair dresser, food, etc...) is paid for how well the service was in delivering what you bought. If a server is rude and not attentive and horrible at his/her job... there's no way that person will receive a 15% tip.

@yayfood: If the waiters rely on their tips, shouldn't they work that much harder to make sure they get a good tip? Don't you think that if they put no effort into their job then they should be paid accordingly? The same way as any job. If i don't perform at my job, they don't give me a raise or I get fired. It should be the same way for everyone... I'm not giving them a 15% - 20% tip or any tip to enhance their lives if they are unable to perform their job well.

I agree with presenttense. There's a problem with the industry and I also agree that its not the server's fault. However, I don't see how anyone can say that paying $200 to open a bottle of wine (if it were a $1,000 bottle) or even pour a bottle of wine is reasonable.

When I go to a bar, I definitely tip the bartender and I'm not against the idea of tipping on a bottle. But just as you generally set a $1 per drink standard at a bar (weather it's a $7 drink or $18 drink), a same method should be applied to wine or any expensive bottle of alcohol that you might purchase at a restaurant.

THis is so very interesting to read!!!
@ yayfood: as a student of business in Hospitality Mangement, i agree with your contentions entirely! BUT, if I were ever chased and it was implied that ,'hey, lady...you need to fork over a hell of a lot more'..that would just be so very unprofessional and repellent.

Actually the more alcohol I drink the more I tip! So I've stopped ordering drinks when we go out for family dinners. What I spend in scotch at a bar for 2 drinks, will usually buy me a nice bottle for home.

I have expensive tastes for my whiskey, wine and martini desires. My alcohol component can run as much as $20 - 30 dollars - for drinks before dinner, throw in a bottle of wine and now I'm close to $70 / $80 dollars before any food comes to the table....Oy!

And yes I tip on alcohol. Good bartenders and wait staff need to compensated for their talents.

Now I enjoy a glass of water with a lime. I do reserve a few bucks for special meals out (anniversary, birthdays, big commission check etc. etc).

I have never been a waiter or a bartender, but from what I understand, it is industry standard that both positions are paid half of the state's required hourly minimum wage, which on average turns out to be about $3.62 per hour. This is a restaurant industry issue, for sure, and yes, the waiters and bartenders choose to apply for these positions, but that means a tip of at least 15% (the standard minimum) is a part of their pay in order to insure a living wage. In Europe, waitstaff and hospitality professionals are considered just that - professionals. And they are paid a living wage, unlike here in the US. Customers in Europe are also not expected to tip, the actual cost of paying the waitstaff is reflected in the bill.

That said, I knew someone who worked as a waiter at a five star restaurant in a major US city. His thought was that if you're going to wait tables, go for the high-end - the higher the professionalism, the higher the bill, the higher the pay. I've never been to Nello's, but I would think the level of training is substantial. In any other field, if you're at the top of your game, you get paid for it. Why should waiting tables be any different? Sure a customer could bring their own corkscrew, open the bottle and pour for themselves. They could also learn to change the oil in their own car, give themselves a facial, sell their own real estate, etc. but that's not the point. The customer chose to go out and pay to be served, rather than dine in and serve themselves.

If a person can afford to spend hundreds or thousands on an absurdly marked-up bottle of wine, they should be able to pay at least 15% gratuity.

@ericjpdx - The reason waiters should be careful when uncorking is so that they don't have to give you a new bottle. if they did that with even a $40 bottle, I would expect them to accommodate for that.. for $1,000 bottle, i would ask for a new bottle. That's for the restaurants benefit, not the customer.

@hungrychristel - I would say 15%-20%... If it was horrible service, I will literally leave a 1% tip. There is no way I'm paying a standard tipping rate for horrible service. There's a reason they call it a tip. It should be completely dependent on service, not a standard.

@PrettyNicola - Generally(not always, but most of the time) there is a reason why the salads are cheaper than a more complicated entree. The tip value will follow accordingly (maybe not the %)

I'm with grampart... there is no way a person deserves $200 for opening a bottle of wine... that's just absolutely ridiculous.

@FierceGreekChick - I don't think the argument is about being able to afford it... it's the principle behind it.

I think there needs to be a salty balance to make this perfect...maybe a crust made from crushed pretzels! While I'd never make this (so I say now), I think it's a fun idea for a party or gathering!

@grampart -- well said, the max I think I'd tip for a bottle of wine with a high-maintenance cork is $30 (on top of the amount I'd already tip for the food service and other beverages). If it takes me one hour to drink said expensive bottle of wine, then the server just made $30/hr on that bottle of wine alone. Even if half that amount is divvied out to others, $15 to open a bottle of wine is pretty damn good.