Is there a different tipping etiquette for staying in restaurants for a long time?

I like to go to restaurants to study. I wouldn't consider myself a burdensome client because I'm just quietly reading notes and what-not. I generally leave about a 25-35% tip, but you'd also have to consider that my total check is generally less than $15, that I'm there for at least four hours and that the waiter keeps coming by to refill my drink.



What would be good tipping etiquette in cases like these?Is there a different tipping etiquette for staying in restaurants for a long time?
Etiquette would be to first decide whether or not you're putting someone out.



If the restaurant is full, then it would not be polite or good etiquette to occupy a table. A full restaurant means that the restaurant / server should be able to fill your table and get paid.



If the restaurant's not full, you probably aren't causing that much harm. Additional tip is always nice in this case. Perhaps you should consider a 20% tip on your order, and then an additional $.50 per refill?



Here's the gist of the thing-- it seems that you're empathetic enough to discern whether or not you're being a burden, and also to tip appropriately. That's 90% of the etiquette battle right there.
To begin with, it's poor etiquette to occupy a table long after your meal.



Not only do you have to consider guests that may be on a waiting list, but the waiter is actually losing money because you are occupying a table for 4 hours at a time. Within those four hours the restaurant and your waiter could have served 3-5 more parties on your table. You might have tipped generously based on the cost of your meal, but that doesn't make up for the 3-5 tables he/she missed out on during your stay.



Consider studying at other eating establishments that don't employ wait staff.Is there a different tipping etiquette for staying in restaurants for a long time?
I think I'd go with the regular guide of around 20% when paying the bill-obviously more or less depending on the service so far. Sometime during the meal I'd tell the waiter you'd like to stay and study...maybe even asking if that resturaunt is ok with that. If it's ok and the waiter keeps checking on you for refills or whatever else, I'd pay any remaining tab I might rack up and tip something appropriate for his/her time checking back on you. Maybe use how much work they did for you during the meal as a guide or maybe do the math on a per visit kind of thing. Use common sense and think how you'd like to be tipped for similar work.
I would not think it OK to hang in a restaurant for 4 hours to study, especially if they have wait service. Even if the restaurant is empty you are still burdening the staff by having to constantly inquire if you need anything. If the restaurant is busy then you are being selfish of the other customers, the restaurant and the wait staff.



Can you find another place to study (like a bookstore, library)?
typically you would want to tip a little more if the restaurant is full because that would make up for a table the waiter would have otherwise had- also, all that free soda they bring you.
that would depend on the restaurant. and whether they're full or not.

because restaurants would obviously prefer costumers who order more expensive stuff..
I've been a server for over 20 years and it is rough on the wait staff when you have campers at your tables, especially when you only get a paltry tip after taking care to make sure your drinks stay full and then clean up the usual mess these campers leave. My friends and I used to camp at Denny's and we based our tip to the server (especially when we were taken good care of) on what it would have cost to tip for a meal, per hour. For example, a meal would cost $7, but maybe we only had coffee or soda, each one of us would put in a dollar. Now if we stayed longer and the place was busy, we would add another dollar, per hour. So, our group of say, four people, would leave between 5 and 15 dollars. It is not only being respectful and polite, it also made the servers most of the time, happy to have us there. Oh and please, try to pre clean your table, by stacking plates and cleaning up major messes. Remember, these people are servers, not maids or your momma. If you like to leave a huge mess, pluck out a couple more dollars to pay for the cleaning service.