How do tips work in really fancy restaurants?

[noisycats]

I mean, waitering doesn't require any education, hardly any training if you're intelligent, generally someone in such a job is not supposed to be making that much.

You have much to learn. Hopefully your new job will teach you how wrong you are.

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... so I would find it strange if they made five times as much as me.

Well then, get ready...

Customers will still leave 15-25%. The higher cost of the menu items generally drives a higher level of service. There are likely also more staff with which to share that tip (busboy, water boy, etc).

Nevertheless, the top waitstaff at your restaurant will be making more than you.

 

[stylinexpat]

I think BBC NEWS nailed this one right about tipping.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22846846

 

[b06tmm]

I believe the original poster specified Really Fancy Restaurant.

This was years ago in one of the best restaurants in New Orleans at the time, the Rib Room in the Royal Sonesta hotel.

I wanted to impress my girlfriend so I made a reservation there, and then right away called my dad and asked him about the etiquette for this. He was a New Orleans policeman for 15 years and a New Orleans bartender for another 15.

He said the "thing to do" is palm the maître d' a crisp $100 dollar bill when you first arrive, tip the server (witch was the maître d') the amount of the bill, then leave money under the plate for the dishwasher.

Let me tell you, I did all of this and it was a night to remember! Expensive? Yes, but well worth it. There was a couple by us and the man turned around and asked me who I was. When I replied "no one special", he shook his head and stated that the President was here last week and didn't get the service I got.

Granted, this is an extreme, but something one should try once in their life.

To be honest, my dad knew the maître d' and I knew him through my dad. That did not play into the reservation and experience I had.

I've known some other pretty well placed people in the French Quarter, and it is truly "who you know" and not "what you know" here.

 

[Andythemusicman]

I hate to break it to you bro but I have seen plenty of very intelligent people unable to hack it as a server .. it is actually a confusing fast past difficult job if you are working in a understaffed busy restaurant.

 

[leonardmchavok]

I'm having a hard time answering this question, since I've never been to a place like that. (I'm not very wealthy). If I were able to be there, though, I would probably tip as best I could- if the service deserves it. But I would have a hard time exceeding a $50 tip though. I haven't spend more than $30 on a MEAL since before student loans.....

 

[nebo1ss]

If my meal costed £40-50, I'd tip £5.

Though, I've never tipped more than £5. I sometimes find it hard to actually let that £5 go..

Tipping in Scotland isn't as regular as it is in the US. I served two American girls once at a bar, and they left a £1 coin on the bar. I'd never been tipped before for serving drinks. Wasn't as if it was table service. Never got tipped again, apart from the regulars leaving a Christmas tip.

I think maybe the minimum wage in the UK is far higher than the US, so waiters in the US generally rely upon tips to make a living? Maybe someone can explain that.

Tipping in Pubs is unheard of in England. However, Tipping in Restaurants is fairly standard practice even in the UK.
I got the impression the original question was more about what the waiters can expect to feed through to them from tips.
I have a little experience in the US from a New York Night club and I can tell you that on a Friday or Saturday night it was not unusual for waitresses to go home with between $600 and $800 Dollars. A 20 percent tip was added to all Credit card payments and apart from deducting a small percentage for card processing fees this all went to the service staff.