Dumb Waiter is another tip-calculator for the Palm Pre. While the previously reviewed “Tip ‘em!” scored well in design and functionality, Dumb Waiter brings a little fun to the table with the ability to grade your server based on various parameters such as how quickly the menus were brought to your table. The interface is much more conventional in Dumb Waiter and fits in well with the Pre’s built-in menus and buttons. The tip amount is shown right at the top, which is nice. There’s no way to split the tab with Dumb Waiter, which is a huge oversight for any worthy tip-calculator. You can set the percentage tip amount based on the total bill. This tip amount is then modulated up or down depending on how you rate your server.
This is where the fun starts. You can rate your server based on Attitude (Friendly, Neutral, Rude, Downright Mean), Accuracy, Cleanliness, and how long it took to do various things. The speed with which your menus, drinks, starters, meal, and the check were brought to you can all be graded from “What’s taking so long!?” to “Too Quickly.” Depending on how you pick these options, the tip amount based on the percentage of the bill is then pushed upwards (turning the tip amount green in color) or pulled downwards (turning the tip red). The app can probably be very cathartic in situations where you have been very poorly served or when you’re looking to justify a low tip (hey! the Palm Pre told me to undertip!). Dumb Waiter is a fun tip-calculator for the Palm Pre, but certainly falls behind Tip ‘em! in terms of features and design quality.
