Mountain Views News          Saturday, August 4, 2012

GOOD FOOD & DRINK

10

 Mountain Views News Saturday August 4, 2012 


TIPPING ANOTHER VIEW

 

My dearly departed pappy Elmer Dills would tell me; 
don‘t argue sex, politics, and or religion. And now I must 
add tipping to the list. I have used this topic many times 
on my radio show, Dining with Dills on KABC Radio, to 
get the phones buzzing. Just a month ago I was on vacation 
in Greece and was sure that I had the correct formula 
for tipping in Greece, but alas I must say that each 
country in Europe is different. A friend of mine recently 
visited England and was told 'no tipping necessary', but 
he found that to be wrong. In Japan it always included 
and considered in bad taste, in Greece after I tipped 20% 
my first day, I was told that rounding up your bill or 10% 
token tip is well appreciated. My father’s rule of thumb here in the states was 10% for a buffet 
and couple of extra dollars to the busboy and never tip the full amount on an expensive 
bottle of wine.. His thought was it takes up the same amount of energy to open a $25 bottle 
of wine that of a $200 bottle of wine. Makes sense to me.

 

What made me scratch my head is a recent 
posting by what seems to be a very capable 
blogger/ someone that posts on the Internet. 
This was a list of nine recommendations to us, uninformed diners, on how to tip in the year 
2012. Of course it might be a little biased coming from a person that works for tips, going 
through the list I agreed with the concept: $1 per drink at the bar as the tip, if you are using 
a coupon or getting part or whole of your meal comped, you should tip on what the amount 
should be, agree and agreed, but next is where the scratching took place.

Times have changed, (ok I am with you), and a 15% tip is now considered a bad tip. I am 
reading it as if you received bad service please tip 15% or that your server gave great service 
and 15% is an insult. The reasoning continues to say that with the cost of living going up, 
that to be a server, 15% doesn’t cut it anymore. Here is my argument against that thought 
process. As a professional person such as a waiter, indeed you will not get a raise from the 
owner of the restaurant because it is set in stone and is a timeless practice that the job pays 
minimum wage plus tips. Not the end of the story though, many restaurants will pay $2 
more an hour to the “training” waiter or the headwaiter. As your experience grows and you 
become better, it would make sense that your tips as a percentage would grow accordingly. 

Tips… they are to insure proper service. Here is my rundown and no it hasn’t changed in 
twenty years of reviewing restaurants.

Anyone in any country that provides a service should be rewarded.

10% buffet plus $2 directly to busboy that brought you water and had to clean up after the 
kids through Jell-O on the ground.

$1 for each drink at the bar

$2 for a to-go order, as long as they got it right

12% fair service, means they brought you the food and came back with your check

15% Good service brought you your food and drinks and refilled drinks and asked how was 
it

18% Very Good service, all of the above, plus asked you if your meal was prepared to your 
liking

20-25% All of the above, brought items in proper order, waited for you to ask for check, 
asked if there is a validation needed, and please ask for me next time.

One more note… I subtract 5% when the server blames the kitchen for a mistake, got it?!

 

This a fun conversation please listen in KABC Talk Radio 790 AM on Saturday evenings 
at 6 PM


FROSTY STRAWBERRY 
DESSERT

INGREDIENTS:

.1 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 

1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

1/2 cup melted butter 

2 egg whites 

2/3 cup sugar 

1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

1 cup whipping cream, whipped 

DIRECTIONS:

1

Stir together flour, sugar, walnuts, and butter. Sprinkle this crumbly mixture onto a cookie 
sheet and bake at 350° for 20 minutes, stirring a few times to break up the mixture. 

2

Meanwhile, whip egg whites until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar. Add strawberries and 
lemon juice. Beat at high speed a few minutes (up to ten minutes depending on your 
mixer) until very light and fluffy. Fold in whipped cream. 

3

Sprinkle 2/3 of the crumb mixture into a 13X9 inch pan. Spread strawberry mixture on top 
of crumbs. Top with rest of crumbs. 

4

Cover tightly and keep in freezer until time to serve, at least an hour. Garnish each square 
with fresh strawberries and promptly return to freezer any unused portion.

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com