Take a tip, don’t stiff the waiter

Dear John: Now that wait staff at restaurants have received a pay increase, should we now tip at a lower percentage?

At Olive Garden, for example, they are now automatically adding 18 percent to bills. In London recently I found most restaurants added 12.5 percent.

I apologize for not identifying myself, but the waiter at my local coffee shop who now greets me with a gruff “are you ready?” would be even less friendly.

P.S. When a favored coffee shop in Chelsea closed abruptly, the owner cited the increase in wages, but I don’t believe it. Anonymous.

Dear Anonymous: Oh, boy! You don’t want to get in trouble with waiters, but you want me to. Thanks a lot.

I usually tip 20 percent. I once did the math wrong and only tipped 10 percent by accident, and I walked all the way back to the restaurant to make amends.

I’d rather the restaurant add the tip in for me. They usually give less than I would give. If the waiter warns me that the tip is included, then I bring the amount up to 20 per- cent. If the waiter doesn’t, then he only gets what the restaurant includes.

I’ve never worked for tips. But I can sympathize with those who do. But everyone has to make the tip decision on their own.

I have spoken with a number of restaurant owners recently, and they claim that higher wages are making it difficult to stay in business. So I sympathize with both sides.

Luckily, all I have to decide is whether 18 percent or 12.5 percent is enough after I eat my omelet. Oh yeah, one more thing. If I get bad service, I give less. But that hardly ever happens.