WARNING: Tipping traps – Suggested tips based on total after tax (not your food bill!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I tip 10 to 20% based on quality of service. I don't care if it's pre or post tax.

Tipping 10% often costs your server money. If you can't afford to tip 20%, do not eat out. If you receive excellent service, feel free to leave more. I doubt you would though.

Sigh. I saw the John Oliver segment on tips, PP. I know. But I refuse to be the one paying that extra tax on meals. I come from a country where waiters and waitresses get fair living wages. If everyone keeps tipping wait staff to compensate for entirely inhumane wages, guess what? Politicians won't do a darn thing about it. We need to pressure politicians to enact fair wages for that population, and part of that pressure means not being left holding the bag. Some states have implemented this already, and it hasn't led to the death of their restaurant industry!

So I think you have entirely the wrong approach. I'm not tipping to get the waiter to a living wage. I want as many American states as possible to pay wait staff a decent wage.

The only person worse than the OP (cheap and bad at math) are those who try to disguise their cheapness by asserting they are making some kind of political statement, or trying to change the status quo (cheap and dishonest about it). Guess what? You stiffing your server does absolutely nothing to "pressure politicians to enact fair wages" - all it does is stiff your server. You are not taking a principled stand, you are being a selfish jerk, and trying to rationalize it.

Also, news flash - if your servers were paid a fair wage, the price of your meal would increase, and you'd be paying the same thing you would be if you tipped. I agree, though, that would be better for everyone, because then servers wouldn't have to contend with a-holes like you, who try to save a few bucks at their expense by claiming they are acting for the common good.

YOU are the one with the problem. You don't get to tell people what to do with their money. Especially to someone who explicitly told you they were ready to bear the taxpayer costs of a law that guarantees higher wages for restaurant workers.

"I would pay more if legally required to, but until then I don't care if having me as a customer costs the server money."

Stay home, then. It's better for everyone.

[Anonymous]

I’m Arlignton in a $100 bill, tax is $10. So I’m tipping $22 bs $20. I seriously DNGAF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip properly but please stop telling people “if you can afford to eat out you can afford to tip generously”. Do you apply this thinking to everything? If I can afford to pay $25000 for a car then I can afford to pay $28000?

If that additional $3k were going directly to the person who assisted you, and that was built into their expected pay structure, then I'd say if you can't afford the additional $3k, you can't afford the car.

Dining out is a luxury. In my city the restaurants are bursting to overflowing--with people who will tip. Don't take up space and time in a restaurant and then not play the game.

But how am I supposed to know to know what their expected pay structure is? Should they walk around with a sign?

But you do know the pay structure of waiters. That’s why we tip unless your hi k someone should serve you for $3/hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People like the OP make me crazy, because they are both cheap and bad at math. Let's break this down:

- The tax on restaurant food and drink in Arlington totals 10% - the 6% regular sales tax and an extra 4% food and beverage tax.
- Let's assume that the OP is tipping 20%, though I tend to doubt that.
- Let's also assume that OP spent $100 pretax on her meal - a nice round number. With tax, the meal was $110.
- If she tipped on the the pretax total, she'd leave a tip of $20, and the total bill would be $130. $100 + $20 + $10 = $130.
- If the tipped on the after tax total, she'd leave a tip of $22, and the total bill would be $132. $100 + $10 + $22 = $132.

That's right - there is 2% difference. Assuming a 10% tax, if you tip on the after tax amount you will tip a whole $2 for every $100 you spend on food and drink. If you go out for a very expensive meal and spend $500, tipping on the after tax amount will cost you an extra $10.

What I tell my daughter is look at total bill, move the decimal point, multiply by 2, and round up. It's easy, and you don't out yourself as a pedantic weasel.

Finally, OP, you didn't "have to" manually edit the tip - you chose to, because, as I said above, you are cheap and bad at math.

OP is not cheap. Tipping culture in America is out of control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I tip 10 to 20% based on quality of service. I don't care if it's pre or post tax.

Tipping 10% often costs your server money. If you can't afford to tip 20%, do not eat out. If you receive excellent service, feel free to leave more. I doubt you would though.

Get a life. The sever can get another job if they don’t like their wages. That’s what the rest of us workers do. Or we ask our boss not our clients for a raise.

[Anonymous]

I used to be a server and will never tip less than 10% regardless of performance but I also am less likely to tip above 20% due to all the up charges/wellness fees/service charges. I feel stingy but also feel like the owners must be paying the servers extra - and if they aren’t, they will find themselves short staffed.

And what in the world with the PP who cares what the server thinks of them? Who cares!?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People like the OP make me crazy, because they are both cheap and bad at math. Let's break this down:

- The tax on restaurant food and drink in Arlington totals 10% - the 6% regular sales tax and an extra 4% food and beverage tax.
- Let's assume that the OP is tipping 20%, though I tend to doubt that.
- Let's also assume that OP spent $100 pretax on her meal - a nice round number. With tax, the meal was $110.
- If she tipped on the the pretax total, she'd leave a tip of $20, and the total bill would be $130. $100 + $20 + $10 = $130.
- If the tipped on the after tax total, she'd leave a tip of $22, and the total bill would be $132. $100 + $10 + $22 = $132.

That's right - there is 2% difference. Assuming a 10% tax, if you tip on the after tax amount you will tip a whole $2 for every $100 you spend on food and drink. If you go out for a very expensive meal and spend $500, tipping on the after tax amount will cost you an extra $10.

What I tell my daughter is look at total bill, move the decimal point, multiply by 2, and round up. It's easy, and you don't out yourself as a pedantic weasel.

Finally, OP, you didn't "have to" manually edit the tip - you chose to, because, as I said above, you are cheap and bad at math.

I disagree. This is about the Suggested Tip automatically put on the bill by the restaurant. There is no reason that someone who lives in a low sales tax state should be suggested to leave less tip than someone in a high sales tax state.

Because the server at least commutes through the higher tax area, even if they don’t work there. OP, those $2/$100 off eating out mean less to you than to the server. The proof is that you choose to eat out. If you need to stiff your server to afford the meal, you can’t afford the real cost of the meal. Just don’t eat out, or choose to eat at places within your budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People like the OP make me crazy, because they are both cheap and bad at math. Let's break this down:

- The tax on restaurant food and drink in Arlington totals 10% - the 6% regular sales tax and an extra 4% food and beverage tax.
- Let's assume that the OP is tipping 20%, though I tend to doubt that.
- Let's also assume that OP spent $100 pretax on her meal - a nice round number. With tax, the meal was $110.
- If she tipped on the the pretax total, she'd leave a tip of $20, and the total bill would be $130. $100 + $20 + $10 = $130.
- If the tipped on the after tax total, she'd leave a tip of $22, and the total bill would be $132. $100 + $10 + $22 = $132.

That's right - there is 2% difference. Assuming a 10% tax, if you tip on the after tax amount you will tip a whole $2 for every $100 you spend on food and drink. If you go out for a very expensive meal and spend $500, tipping on the after tax amount will cost you an extra $10.

What I tell my daughter is look at total bill, move the decimal point, multiply by 2, and round up. It's easy, and you don't out yourself as a pedantic weasel.

Finally, OP, you didn't "have to" manually edit the tip - you chose to, because, as I said above, you are cheap and bad at math.

I disagree. This is about the Suggested Tip automatically put on the bill by the restaurant. There is no reason that someone who lives in a low sales tax state should be suggested to leave less tip than someone in a high sales tax state.

Because the server at least commutes through the higher tax area, even if they don’t livethere. OP, those $2/$100 off eating out mean less to you than to the server. The proof is that you choose to eat out. If you need to stiff your server to afford the meal, you can’t afford the real cost of the meal. Just don’t eat out, or choose to eat at places within your budget.

Ugh, fixed the typo. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Typically, in restaurants, the server has to pay the credit card transaction fee for tips. That’s for each tip paid on a card. Typically it’s around 2% of the sale. They’ll also have to report tips for taxable income. They also often have to tip out other staff like bartender and host. Sometimes back of house too - back waiters and bussers. Tipping on entirety of check helps more of your intended amount of tip go to your server.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Typically, in restaurants, the server has to pay the credit card transaction fee for tips. That’s for each tip paid on a card. Typically it’s around 2% of the sale. They’ll also have to report tips for taxable income. They also often have to tip out other staff like bartender and host. Sometimes back of house too - back waiters and bussers. Tipping on entirety of check helps more of your intended amount of tip go to your server.

Really???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to be a server and will never tip less than 10% regardless of performance but I also am less likely to tip above 20% due to all the up charges/wellness fees/service charges. I feel stingy but also feel like the owners must be paying the servers extra - and if they aren’t, they will find themselves short staffed.

And what in the world with the PP who cares what the server thinks of them? Who cares!?!

+1

I waited tables through college and grad school. I generally knew if I did a good job, I could get a higher tip, if I dropped the bal for whatever reason I would expect 10-15%. Lately when we eat out service is abysmal, but they have shifted to requiring you to tip in front of the server. I still tip based on service. And I tip less in places that are effectively self serve, like True Food Kitchen with qr menus and online ordering. It’s basically fast casual. Went to Rehoboth last week and bought fries from Thrashers on the boardwalk - same 10-20% tip choice for the high school kids who scooped fries in a bucket and I paid myself electronically. It’s ridiculous. If people keep tipping - and increasing the percentage without merit - it only get worse. I should not be asked to tip at self-serve yogurt stores!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People like the OP make me crazy, because they are both cheap and bad at math. Let's break this down:

- The tax on restaurant food and drink in Arlington totals 10% - the 6% regular sales tax and an extra 4% food and beverage tax.
- Let's assume that the OP is tipping 20%, though I tend to doubt that.
- Let's also assume that OP spent $100 pretax on her meal - a nice round number. With tax, the meal was $110.
- If she tipped on the the pretax total, she'd leave a tip of $20, and the total bill would be $130. $100 + $20 + $10 = $130.
- If the tipped on the after tax total, she'd leave a tip of $22, and the total bill would be $132. $100 + $10 + $22 = $132.

That's right - there is 2% difference. Assuming a 10% tax, if you tip on the after tax amount you will tip a whole $2 for every $100 you spend on food and drink. If you go out for a very expensive meal and spend $500, tipping on the after tax amount will cost you an extra $10.

What I tell my daughter is look at total bill, move the decimal point, multiply by 2, and round up. It's easy, and you don't out yourself as a pedantic weasel.

Finally, OP, you didn't "have to" manually edit the tip - you chose to, because, as I said above, you are cheap and bad at math.

This. Pointless stinginess.

[Anonymous]

Who cares?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you care about the cost, just don't eat out. Eating out is for entertainment, not nourishment. If you're worrying about the money, you aren't enjoying the experience. If you can't pay the bill, tip generously, and walk out thinking "I'm surprised it costs so little!", that means it's not worth it to you.

Goodness, you elite arseholes think you’re better than everyone else. So if you’re not wealthy enough to not have to worry about cost, a person should never eat out. Typical coastal elite mentality

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip properly but please stop telling people “if you can afford to eat out you can afford to tip generously”. Do you apply this thinking to everything? If I can afford to pay $25000 for a car then I can afford to pay $28000?

If that additional $3k were going directly to the person who assisted you, and that was built into their expected pay structure, then I'd say if you can't afford the additional $3k, you can't afford the car.

Dining out is a luxury. In my city the restaurants are bursting to overflowing--with people who will tip. Don't take up space and time in a restaurant and then not play the game.

What city and what time of day? In DC, a lot of restaurants closed. They didn’t make it.