Posted: 09 Aug 2007 at 7:34pm | IP Logged

I think smart tip is very cool - one suggestion that I would believe would be very easy to implement would be:

another label below the calculated tip - this label would then divide the calculated tip by the number of people, and return the value of each persons tip amount.  

I bring this up because although the meals may be varried in price (I have a chicken sandwich he has 2 cheeseburgers - we aren't splitting it evenly, no way!) The tip is often (not always...) split evenly based on the bill total (the service isn't varried depending upon his meal vs. mine...particularly when each meal is similar and only varries by a relatively small amount - he has 2 beers I have 1 soda, or whatever..).   

I would think this would be a very minor change that would make SmartTip even better.  you could say - "your part of the tip is 1.05 if we want to give 20% or whatever...     

Posted: 10 Aug 2007 at 8:55am | IP Logged

Hi Capolan,

I'm confused....when a bill is split among people equally, I don't rwally understand the importance of a person knowing how much of their contribution is for the tip?

Posted: 10 Aug 2007 at 12:32pm | IP Logged

ah -

I guess it would be to calculate the tip even when the bill isn't split evenly...  so my meal might be 11.42,  and my friend's meal might be 18.89 - but,  the tip would be be split two ways across the TOTAL bill - so the tip would be based on 30.31.   with two people its pretty easy, but say you're eating with 3 friends now its long division..carry the one... (lol j/k)

This makes your Smart Tip application useful even when the bill isn't split evenly (which it often is not) - as it gives each person's tip amount.   You could say "well, we want to give her 25% cause she was great, so each of you owe "x" for the tip.  This is in addition to your bill.." its not 25% of each person's meal, its 25% of all the meals (her service wasn't diminished simply because you had a hot dog and I had a chicken sandwich - the same effort was needed...so i would think you would base the tip percentage on the total bill rather than the individual meals?)

there are obvious exceptions to this rule - I order a coke, and he has steak for example.. but I've always, as have friends and family - tipped on the total bill - not each person's part of the bill...  is this a weird practice, perhaps I'm doing things oddly..who knows.

I've never said before (again, maybe I'm strange) "my meal was 7.45 of the bill so my tip will be 1.50."  its always been - "whats the bill - 32.44? -- ok, I'll throw in 2 bucks, that should cover me."  (i have eaten with some accountants however that did figure it to the penny...but that was the exception not the rule)

now - if we all tip 25% on each of our meals, then it adds up the same, but - it seems easier to use the bill total to figure the tip and then divide by # of people.

Posted: 10 Aug 2007 at 12:36pm | IP Logged

I understand now. Basically, I was thinking of adding an ability to calculate each persons contribution based on what they got because often someone may just get a salad, but everyone else got a steak. This way it will be more fair to the salad person if calculated that way.

Thanks for the suggestion.