Should You Tip More When Dining Out With Kids?

February 12, 2010

If you're making reservations for dinner, does the tip increase if you bring your kids? While some eateries welcome (and even accommodate or cater to) the smaller set, other restaurant employees cringe, no matter how well-behaved young diners may be. Do you tip more since becoming a parent, or do you think moms and dads should?

Source: Getty

16 Comments

Girl Jen 3 years 12 weeks

I have a two-year-old. I leave HUGE tips. Even when she's good, she's still two. She drops food, she occasionally spills her drink, she sometimes forgets to use her inside voice (we're working on it), and I usually have a few special requests (extra napkins, a lid for her cup, a small plate, etc.). Every once in a while, when she leaves a ridiculous mess, I give a separate tip to the busser.

Sarana 3 years 12 weeks

I tip for service, so any waiter that does not do more than their job will not get a tip. Waiting on children is part of their job. Of course I don't live in the US, because I realize this is not possible there.

3 years 13 weeks

I don't tip any extra just because I have a child unless the server goes out of his/her way to accomodate a little one or pays extra attention to her. That being said, I woud never leave a restaurant with a mess all over the floor. I always attempt to clean it up and 9 times out of 10 the server tells me not to worry about it, but at least I'm showing effort.

3 years 14 weeks

I've never been a server, and I've always cleaned up after myself, even before kids. I think it's a matter of manners, not past work experience. I rarely see families leave a mess, but groups of people in their early 20s are infamous for it.

Niami 3 years 14 weeks

After having to clean smooshed pasta out of a carpet and getting less than a dollar tip for giving excellent service...I say people better tip more. Kids make messes. In all the years I waited tables I can say that I never saw a family enter a restaurant and not leave a mess. Now if the service sucks, the tip should be lessened or in some cases not given at all. I can honestly say that I wouldn't dare leave a mess that my child left in a restaurant. I cleaned up after my first child and will do the same with my second. Leaving food dropped and smeared all over the table, chair, wall and floor is just rude.

GMarie 3 years 14 weeks

I think I'm only more sensitive about it, because I was a server. My kiddo's not perfect, by any means, but I do clean up after him and myself.

3 years 14 weeks

To Anon#8, I completely agree with MissSushi that 8 our of a few billion is "so many" but not everyone is trashy and lazy! You may want to consider where you're working as a server and where you're dining as a customer if your experience is not good. There are many of us mothers out there who do take pride in well behaved children and in cleaning up behind ourselves.

MissSushi 3 years 14 weeks

Well.. i wouldn't call 8 or so out of billions of people "so many", but really, not everyone is trashy and lazy.

3 years 14 weeks

I find it hard to believe that there are so many children more well-behaved than adults and that there are so many mothers cleaning up after their children. This has certainly not been my experience as either a customer or a server.

Bettye Wayne 3 years 14 weeks

If you're the sort of person who lets your kids run wild and leave behind a huge mess, you're probably the sort of person who doesn't care how well you tip. I usually leave a 20% tip anyway, though if the waiter talks to my little one and goes out of his way to entertain her, I absolutely tip more.

kellys 3 years 14 weeks

i clean up after myself and i tip more, especially if the server goes out of his or her way to befriend my daughter. but the main reason i tip more is mathematical. a small child's meal costs less (sometimes nothing if it's an "eat free" night or she's eating from our dishes), but she's a "full-sized" guest. even if she's better behaved than most adults, the server does the same amount of work for her $5 meal that he does for my $15 one. if he deserves $3 for taking care of me, he deserves more than $1 for taking care of her.

MissSushi 3 years 14 weeks

I agree about the tip and the service. I don't just tip to tip. Like GMarie though, i completely clean and organize my table after I'm done becuase it's just obnoxious to leave behind this gigantic mess. There may be someone paid to clean up after we leave, but it isn't well and it isn't an excuse to be a slob. We have a 2 year old daughter that has been dining with us from early on, and we always make sure any mess related to her is completely cleaned up - nothing left behind. I bring a new container of baby wipes with me and clean up the table, the high chair, and the floor.

3 years 14 weeks

I agree that tip should be weighed against service received. Whether or not I have kids, if I make a mess or the server had to do extra work, they're going to get tipped higher unless they gave us crappy service. I don't think having kids makes people messier. If they use going out as an excuse to make a mess, they'll do that whether they have kids or not.

GMarie 3 years 14 weeks

I waited tables for many years, and now I have a child, so while I absolutely think tips should be based on quality of service, I also think that some folks see going out to eat with their kids as an excuse to let the kiddo make the biggest mess possible and then leave it for the server to clean up. Because I remember cleaning up some major disasters when I was a server, when my toddler was smaller and would make a mess at a restaurant, I'd clean it up as well as I could, and if it was a BIG mess, I'd acknowledge it and apologize to the server and I would tend to leave a little more in tip. No matter what though, I'm one of those folks who stacks my dishes and groups my silverware before leaving the table at a restaurant - old habits die hard ;)

3 years 14 weeks

I'm confused as to why the picture shows older children dining. I would think the question would apply to young children in a restaurant and the supposed risk they are to mess and noise. No, I don't tip more. I clean up after my children and they don't cause a scene.

MartiniLush 3 years 14 weeks

In all honesty, my 5 year old behaves better than most adults when we go out to a restaurant. He sits still at the table, says please when ordering and thank you when they bring the food. The only time I tip more than usual is when we have a large party (more than 6 people) with us. That is always extra work for the server, so I usually up the tip by at least 5% in those instances.

Link Love

16 Comments

You Might Also Like