Call me a standard tipper. As far as ordering take-out items, I rarely tip. Sit down, I do 15% for standard service, max at $10 per sitting(if an hour or less) on a table for two. I've only been at a place for longer than an hour a few times in my life. If the service is above expectations, I go higher, if it's bad service, I give less. I feel this is fairly standard. And if I simply don't know what to tip(someone else takes the bill), I do $4 on the table(minimum).
I don't like putting tips on a credit card receipt, mainly because I've been burned a few times by dishonest servers that think they can just ink a #1 somewhere in there.
In my glovebox, I keep a roll of silver quarters(1932-64). Well, partial roll. When I don't have cash on me, I'll leave two quarters on the table, and tell the waitress/waiter. I was out on Christmas Eve after midnight one year(long story, but it was the only way I was going to see my girlfriend for Christmas because of our family plans). All of my cash went into Christmas cards and the same with her, so I tipped 5 silver quarters. I forgot to tell the waitress they were silver and she came up to us paying the bill at the register. She was like "Hay, I don't usually speak up about stuff like this, but it's Christmas and neither of you two look poor to me". I smiled and apologized, told her to look at those quarters closely, told her honestly that they were worth $4 each in melt value alone. I said Merry Christmas, she had a big smile on her face, and we left.
I'm also one of those weird guys that goes to his local bank and asks for $2 bills, and I like giving those out for tips.
I worked as a server before at a busy dive. It's far from the hardest job I have ever had. Yes, it takes the right kind of person, but serving tables is not hard. I made more that summer waiting tables, than I did in the Army.
