I need your help. Math has never been my strong suit and if you don’t believe me you can ask Ms. Huddleston who was my 10th grade algebra teacher. I remember her telling once how important is was for me to learn a specific algebra theorem and I assuredly told her that I would never need it in my adult life because I was going to be a famous actor. The famous actor part didn’t work out but I have never once needed to know algebra. Sorry, Ms. Huddleston, but I was right. Anyway, someone sent me a receipt from Texas Roadhouse in Elyria, Ohio. At the bottom is a tip guide with the suggested gratuity for 15, 18 and 20%. Now maybe this is my math handicap that is getting in the way, but these totals don’t seem to add up.
If the total (after tax) is 126.35, I would automatically tip about $25 which is what I consider 20%. For some people who don’t like to tip on the tax, so they would look at the pre-tax total of 119.98, so a 20% tip would be about $24. But look at the totals they suggest:
20% = 19.60
18% = 17.64
15% = 14.70
Ms. Huddleston, that ain’t right, right? Let’s give Texas Roadhouse the benefit of the doubt that they are creating a tip guide on the pre-tax amount. But a 19.60 tip on 119.98 is not 20% it’s 16.33%. And 17.64 isn’t an 18% tip, it’s only 14.7%. And that last tip of 14.70 is only a 12.25% tip. What in Rattlesnake Bites and Fried Pickles hell is that, Texas Roadhouse? Stop encouraging people to leave a shitty 12% tip.
We all know that the info added to the bottom of a receipt is individualized at each restaurant, so this can be changed. I also see that it says “this guide does not reflect To-Go orders, Comps or Promos. Please adjust accordingly.” Ummm, Texas Roadhouse, you know that people barely read the receipt, right? You think someone is going to see that and then use their brains to figure out the right tip? No, they are going to see the 20% tip total and assume that it’s a good tip and mosey on their way.
So, here is the help I need, everyone. We need to go to the Texas Roadhouse Facebook page and ask them to explain this or to fix it. We servers work too hard to get bad tips from customers who are being led to believe they are leaving good tips. It’s not fair. If you’re going to put a tip guide at the bottom of a receipt, at least do it where it will help the server and not hurt them. Also, Texas Roadhouse, that one salad you have called a Chicken Critter® Salad sounds gross. It makes me think it’s a salad filled with all kinds of random farm animals. When you change the tip guide on the receipt, go ahead and change the name of that salad too.
Robert
The problem i have is I’m on a fixed income (SOCIAL SECURITY) and I would like to get a good meal once in a while at Texas Roadhouse, put with the increasing prices and now all the add on for higher tipping and all (i don’t mine tipping a fair amount) it is becoming more and more i can’t afford to go get a good meal. Even fast food because of the rising prices.
Kyle N
What I leave for tip varies depending on service, price on menu. The higher the price of a restaurant the % will drop accordingly to a set mark to what the value of the food is. Also figure what the starting wage is at the location. Tips are a floating estimate.
Xarata
I would tear off the bottom of the receipt…
Lauren
I also work at Texas Roadhouse and we do not put that on any of our receipts. I’m guessing that this picture is from a long long time ago from when they used to print gratuity on them but this no longer is on there
Robin
I’ve brought this to TGIFRIDAYS Management also. He didn’t understand.
Christin
I work at Texas roadhouse and we don’t print any of that on our receipts. We don’t suggest any tip amount.
Bob
Yeah, its your math…no wonder you are a waiter.
“Texas Roadhouse Hi Amanda, carry-out items are not figured into the tip guide. In this instance, the 8 oz. smothered Dallas Filet was ordered as a carryout item. The total cost of the filet was $21.98. On the pretax amount, $119.98 minus $21.98 is $98. 20% of $98 is $19.60, 18% is $17.64, etc. The strength of our brand is our people. We appreciate our server’s efforts in delivering legendary service to each and every guest every day.”
Kate
Bob, looking at the receipt picture there is no way to tell that the filet was ordered as carryout. So BW’s math isn’t a problem, just the lack of information needed.
Amber
It’s*
And don’t insult servers by saying we are bad at math. We’re only shown the bottom of the receipt, not the carry out steak added to it.
Jason
Craig is a dildo
Robert
Are bar drinks on the bill? The 20% might just be on food only.
Parker G
Face palm Robert. Likely part of it goes to the BAR. Why would you exclude alcohol when that’s atleast half of the work.
Craig Loudermilk
Tip percentages are based on pre-taxed totals. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out
Alan H.
No, they’re not. Did you even read the post?
At my place, not only are they on the post-tax total, they also don’t go down when a coupon is used.
Ben
Craig, like Bitchy Waiter explained, the pretax amount is 119.98. 20% would be 24 dollars, not 19.70. Considering 20 dollars is 20% of 100, then the 19.70 is not based on the pretax amount. So maybe it does take a rocket scientist to figure out what a 20% tip would be on the pre-tax amount.
Steven
What part of percentages is hardest for you? Because 20% of 119.98= 23.996 or 24.00. Not 19.60. It’s really very basic to figure out, so if you need help there are many who can show you.