Restaurant etiquette

       This is, in my opinion, the most important page on the entire web.  Everybody has to eat, and every now and then, people go out to eat.  Some people were taught restaurant etiquette and some were not (those who were taught are probably the offspring of servers past).  However, everybody needs to know how to behave themselves in a restaurant environment.  I may be a little biased because I served tables for over 4 years.  However, I feel that there are rules to dining, and it is my duty to share them with you.

Server does not equal slave
       I know this sounds like common sense to most of you, but IT happens more often than people realize.  The IT I am talking about is lack of manners.  It makes sense to be nice to those who handle your food, does it not?  All I am asking is for the "please's and thank you's".  It makes a servers night when their guests are kind to them.

The 15% ideology
       We have all heard that 15% is an appropriate tip.  However, this is an old ideology, and it needs to be updated.  When we were in a recession, (late 70's to early 90's) that addage was formed.  However, we are in prosperity now.  This has brought about many "nicer" restaurants.  These restaurants hire more staff to better take care of their customers.  The extra staff is paid for by the servers in a term coined "tipping out."  The servers gives a certain percentage of their sales to these individuals.  This ranges anywhere from 1% to 5%.  This means that the base percentage in these restaurants needs to be higher as well.  For a good, competant job (no mistakes, never ran out of beverages, and friendly service) the base tip percentage needs to 20%.

Base Tip
      Base tip is a term that I have coined to mean a competant job (see above).  However, there are certain things that can raise and lower this.  If the server goes well out his/her way, (i.e. asking the kichen to make something for you off the menu) the tip should be raised at your discretion.  This gives the servers a good reason to be accomadating to you again on your next visit.  There are also circumstances when it could be lowered (i.e. forgetting to order your food) but keep in mind we are all human and everyone makes mistakes.

"Camping"
     This is a an old term used by servers to describe people who stay too long.  Now, there are different types of restaurants, but these guidelines apply to 95% of them.  Most dinners do not last longer than 55 minutes, and lunches usually won't last longer than 40 minutes.  Appetizers, desserts, bottles of wine can and do add to the length.  The problems arise when people stay more than 10 minutes after their last dish is finished. 
      Servers make money by "turning tables" (How many times a table gets seated in a shift).  The longer you stay, the fewer tables that server takes care of.  So, your tip needs to reflect this.  If you stay long enough for another table to have dined and left (1 table turn) you have to double your tip.  By staying, you can cost the server more money than your tip can compensate for.  I have seen servers get rude and even nasty with guests who stay too long (not in my restaurant though).  Once again, use your own judgement on this.  It is just being considerate of the server.

The "kid" tables
   I love children, and they may even be inflicted upon me one day (I'm joking Lori).  And there are certain restaurants that cater toward children, and some that do not (Chuck E. Cheese vs.  Posh Bar and Grille).  When you do take a child to a restaurant, do not let them drink 45 cokes, because they will.  And if they make a mess, increase the tip for the extra work the server has to do to clean up THEIR mess.