I calculate 20% on food and beverage. Then, I pause and ask myself if the dollar amount is reasonable for the effort expended and service received. I adjust accordingly. Typically, I find that 15% is more appropriate because food prices have increased 30%. General inflation has not been 30%, so I’m not giving a tip on an unusually-inflated food and beverage subtotal.

Anonymous wrote:I recently saw an interview with a fella that owns a restaurant chain (don't recall his name). He thought tipping was outrageous and made the point that 'people handing out the food make more money on that transaction (20%) that he does as the owner'! Think about that!

Not true. The tips are pooled, often with hosts/bussers/kitchen staff. No one server is pocketing that 20%.

I recently saw an interview with a fella that owns a restaurant chain (don't recall his name). He thought tipping was outrageous and made the point that 'people handing out the food make more money on that transaction (20%) that he does as the owner'! Think about that!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t afford to tip at least 20 percent then you should stay home. These servers get $2 hourly because they depend on the tips to pay their bills.

If the servers couldn’t get a job of more than $2/hr, it’s their problem, not other people’s. Get a better job!

The $2 an hour was a long time ago. Minimum wage for servers in NYC is $15 an hour. The high end restaurants pay $20 - $50 an hour plus tips easily taking home $2,000 a week. People like you don’t dine in these type of restaurants. People who do dine in these restaurants don’t moan and groan about having to tip.

We aren't in NYC.

Tipping is a horrible practice and I don't tip. It puts the economic costs of running a business on the low paid workers rather than the corporation. For example, if Top Golf is open one night, and no one shows up to play - they only pay their workers $2 an hour. Low risk. But the poor worker still has to show up - there is a high risk that the worker will lose money by working there on that night (driving there, opportunity costs of not using that time for something else.) The worker has no guarantee that they will earn any money at all.

It is only in America that workers have to rely on tips to live. If you boycott tipping, eventually the corporations will have to pay more money to their staff to convince people to work there. That is good for the economy as a whole.

As a general comment, I used to tip 20% everywhere since the math is easier. I’ve recently switched to 15% since so many places are asking for a tip these days.

Yes, I ignore at fast casual places, but it’s out of control.

My son and I used to go to Jimmy John’s a couple times a month since he loves that place. Due to the new tipping options they present, we haven’t been since October. Again, I ignore, but does that mean a disgruntled employee is going to spit in my food? Not worth the risk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of places also calculate tip on top of the total with tax. I tip on the subtotal.

Cheapskate! Who does that?

Why is PP a cheapskate for not tipping on the tax?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t afford to tip at least 20 percent then you should stay home. These servers get $2 hourly because they depend on the tips to pay their bills.

If the servers couldn’t get a job of more than $2/hr, it’s their problem, not other people’s. Get a better job!

The $2 an hour was a long time ago. Minimum wage for servers in NYC is $15 an hour. The high end restaurants pay $20 - $50 an hour plus tips easily taking home $2,000 a week. People like you don’t dine in these type of restaurants. People who do dine in these restaurants don’t moan and groan about having to tip.

Anonymous wrote:A lot of places also calculate tip on top of the total with tax. I tip on the subtotal.

Cheapskate! Who does that?

How many bays do the servers get ?

Tipping has gotten so crazy, and is becoming an entitlement. I tip 15% minimum when I get decent service while dining out. I tip 20% if it's fantastic service in general. I top NOTHING if I have to pick up my own food, and have to go to the counter. Simple as that.

The other day, I was buying lemonade from some random kids on the street in my neighborhood. The lemonade was warm and tasted terrible. I didn't need lemonade but I thought to boost the kids' spirits by buying what they sold on the neighborhood streets. 50 cents for a cup of lemonade. I bought 4 and some chips for a total of maybe $5. Gave them a $10 (because that was all I had in my wallet) and they asked if the rest is tip? WTH. Of course I said no.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t afford to tip at least 20 percent then you should stay home. These servers get $2 hourly because they depend on the tips to pay their bills.

go find another job

sure, but then you are going to be back here complaining that "no one wants to work!" and "it's absurd that folks want $15+ an hour to make coffee!"

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t afford to tip at least 20 percent then you should stay home. These servers get $2 hourly because they depend on the tips to pay their bills.

go find another job

Anonymous wrote:Guys guys. Lots of places have standard industrywide software payment and receipt systems.

I’ve been presented with the tip line receipt in places where it makes zero sense. I ignore.

I also get the tip screen at places where it makes zero sense. I ignore.

I have learned this by staff telling me to ignore that when I was confused.

This! Don't be a fuc*in' sheepie. If someone says jump, the response is not how high, but why.

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t afford to tip at least 20 percent then you should stay home. These servers get $2 hourly because they depend on the tips to pay their bills.

If the servers couldn’t get a job of more than $2/hr, it’s their problem, not other people’s. Get a better job!