[ClearBlueSky]

I usually eat at Chinese buffets where you serve yourself, but there are servers who clear your plates and bring you drink refills. I always leave $3-4 tip( and thats for a place that charges no more than $8-11, lunch or dinner), AND use the napkins to clean the table of any spills or crumbs. ( Especially when eating with toddlers!)I think that's just considerate.

I am a female who did that kind of work as a teen. I know how hard and thankless it can be- especially with big groups.
Guess I go against the stereotype again!

[Tall_Texan]

Well, toddlers are more of a challenge! OTOH, if all the server's interaction with me is to bring me a beverage and hand me the check, it just doesn't seem worth the same as someone who takes my order, brings my beverage, brings my food, checks to see if I need anything else (dessert?), brings my check and handles the transaction as opposed to having me walk up to the cash register.

Obviously, if my party has completely trashed the area or been an ungodly nightmare, I'd be more sympathetic. But I'm rarely with kids and, when I am, they've been well-behaved or they don't go out to dinner.