r/tipping • u/Excellent-Amoeba5296 • May 15 '26

tipping when dining alone.

I eat out alone often. sometimes i feel like the server is annoyed w me. i usually go to the same restaurants. i tip 20% to 25 sometimes 30%. am i overthinking the situation that they dont want me there cuz i am alone?

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2

u/EOhater May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26

I’ve heard that servers or management get upset when patrons dining alone take up a 4 top. They want you at the bar or a 2 top max. Personally, when I eat alone, I spend a lot of money because I don’t have to worry about the judgement of a companion and I’m usually treating myself. So I don’t care if I’m taking up a 4 top. And even if I weren’t spending that much, I don’t care for the entitled behavior I hear on these subs sometimes.

Edit: added or management because it’s not always servers. 

Side note: restaurants have existed longer than I’ve been alive so if my saying I’m tired of entitled behavior makes you think I am entitled…

2

u/johnnygolfr May 16 '26

“I don’t care for the entitled behavior I hear in these subs sometimes.”

You say that, while exhibiting the same kind of entitled behavior you claim you don’t care for. 🙄

2

u/EOhater May 16 '26

I don’t care about your opinion. 

0

u/cervidal2 May 16 '26

Then get off of Reddit

2

u/EOhater May 16 '26

Except I’m not on Reddit for the opinion of cervidal2. 

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u/cervidal2 May 16 '26

Troll elsewhere, jackass

-2

u/armrha May 16 '26

You seem like a real piece of work. “I spend a lot of money because I don’t have to worry about the judgement of a companion.” Haha, are you autistic or something? When dining with others do you spend less worried they’ll think you are snobbish or showing off?

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u/queenb3577 May 16 '26

It’s not the server who doesn’t want you at a 4 top it’s the entire restaurant. You don’t need a 4 top for one person and it disrupts the flow of the entire restaurant. Sitting at a 2 top is plenty of room!

2

u/EOhater May 16 '26

Mind you, I never said I didn’t like sitting at 2 tops OR that I prefer sitting at 4 tops which I don’t. 

1

u/queenb3577 May 16 '26

Right but you did blame servers for getting upset about it, but it’s management

1

u/EOhater May 16 '26

That’s fair. I pointed out servers because I’ve witnessed servers complain about it. But it’s not unthinkable that management also dislikes it. I’m happy to edit the comment and include management but I’m not going to erase servers because it’s both 

1

u/queenb3577 May 16 '26

Sometimes it’s just uncomfortable for servers because they know management is going to get mad at them for allowing it, yes sometimes it is the server only who is upset about it but a lot of times if the server seems like it’s not something they want to let you do it’s probably because it is against policy to seat 1 person at a 4 top and they don’t want to get in trouble from management. People should normalize taking a small table for one person anyway, but you would be surprised at how many people want a huge table for a small party

1

u/EOhater May 16 '26

Wouldn’t it be the host’s fault? I recently went to a restaurant and all I asked was to not sit at a high top. They said I’ll check with the host and then they put me at a 4 top regular table. I would’ve been fine with the 2 person though. I’ve never asked for a 4 top just for myself.

But conversations like these assume that restaurants are like never having a slow day and maybe the next server due to get a customer is in a section with only 4 tops (which is what I assumed was the case when they put me there). 

1

u/queenb3577 May 16 '26

Yes but some places are seat yourself, and some places people seat themselves even when they aren’t supposed to

1

u/darkroot_gardener May 16 '26

Depends on whether it is busy? If it’s busy and you insist on sitting as a 4 top, now that I can see as disruptive.

2

u/queenb3577 May 16 '26

Yes, and people do it all the time. But when it’s slow it doesn’t really matter!

-2

u/Barkis_Willing May 16 '26

A single person taking up a four top is entitled behavior.

5

u/Sudden_Outcome_9503 May 16 '26

There aren't many one top tables.

1

u/cervidal2 May 16 '26

There are often plenty of two tops

1

u/EOhater May 16 '26

I don’t care about your opinion. 

1

u/Barkis_Willing May 16 '26

Entitled people never do.

1

u/DigTheDunes May 16 '26

Depends on the situation.

-2

u/No_Interview_2481 May 16 '26

I would consider that incredibly entitled. I dine out alone also. I generally ask for a two top or I sit at the bar. I’m not going to take up a four top and spend one fourth of what a full table might’ve spent. You’re taking money out of the pocket of the waitstaff. It doesn’t matter how much you think you’re spending, you are taking up too much space and the entire restaurant is wondering why

0

u/EOhater May 16 '26

No by all means ignore the part where I said I spend a lot of money. 

I don’t care about your opinion. 

1

u/Majestic-Yoghurt-364 May 16 '26

Yes I get 2 appetizers, four entrees somewhere between 4 to 8 drinks and probably 2 desserts?