ronan_d_john said:
My attitude, different from yours, is that the more I pay for something, the better service I expect. Again, we'll have to agree to disagree on outlooks here.
No, our attitudes are actually the same on service. If I get crappy service, I tip accordingly. But I guess it (the differences we have) depends on how the actual price of the meal is calculated. In a 'high price' restaurant, there may be many things other than the cost of service that are causing the higher prices (better food, better presentation, more varied menu, higher rents, higher fit out costs, more tables=more staff, higher rates? etc.), the restauranter may not
necessarily be paying his staff any more (I'm not disagreeing that many restauranters will say that staff costs are a high % of turnover, but all restaurants are obligated to pay minmium wage, and there is no guarantee that staff in higher priced restaurants receive higher wages on an individual basis).
If I get crappy food, I refuse to pay for it. This hits the restauranter rather than the waiter (who is responsible for the service, not the food). If staff are rude, obviously no tip, and I would take it up with the owner/manager with a view of getting the cost of the meal looked at.
Tipping is for good (or adequate I guess) service. Rest assured that I don't tip for the sake of it.
And like I said, I don't really distinguish between service in different restaurants (whether 'greasy spoon' or otherwise), other than maybe better trained staff in higher priced restaurants, but I don't place a premium on this. I value attentive, efficient and reasonably friendly staff, wherever I go, regardless of surroundings (greasy or otherwise).