Anonymous wrote:I went to 5guys today and didn't tip. The cashier was standing there giving me passive aggressive pressure but did not give in. I was so proud of myself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What annoys me - is that for example - when ordering takeout or delivery I am asked to tip before I even know what the service will be like!

Agreed. Never give a tip before the service is provided.

Completely agree. Why am I tipping before I even know if the service/food was good?!?!? It doesn’t make sense! If you want people to pay extra up front, don’t call it a tip!

Agree! [/b]The tip was "To insure proper (or prompt) service"[b]. Why am I tipping before I even know if the service/food was good?!?!? It doesn’t make sense! I am not here to pay their salary. I've had some horrible service and told the manager about it. I've even been comped meals for bad service and bad food. Why do I still have to tip if I've had a horrible dining experience! It's my money. I will pay where I see fit.

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe you should think about how in Europe, where there is no tipping culture, these same people would have a short commute, better home, better schools for their children, and free health care.

And, if they want that, they are free to move. Not my problem if they don't. A 15% (10-20%, depending upon service quality) tip is standard in the US. Like it or not.

Today a $100 bill your $20 dollar tip on Amex by the time you remove all the credit car fees, payroll taxes, some place they give a cut to bus boys and hostess your 20 percent tip is 10-12 percent.

Credit card fees cannot legally be deducted from tips (the business has to eat that). All tips are taxable. So, your first two arguments are moot. I believe that many restaurants have (always had?) a policy of sharing tips with the non-waitstaff. Not sure of the history of that, however.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just went out this weekend with the whole fam. There was 11 of us. They included a 20 automatic gratuity of 20 percent - 90 dollars. I paid the bill and added another 30.

That’s what nice people do.

This actually raises an interesting point, which is that some customers are much harder to deal with than others. Like a big group of 11 is a PITA for most restaurants. Same with a huge take out order, or ordering with lots of substitutions, or going out with multiple small kids who can't sit still and are noisy.

In those cases, I do think tipping extra is the "nice" thing to do because you are creating extra work for the people there, likely making it harder for them to serve other customers, and just causing additional stress. Having self-awareness about that is good.

But I don't think you need to tip 50% (or even 25% or 22%) if you are just going out to dinner with your spouse or a friend, and ordering off the menu and being polite and patient and causing no problems for them whatsoever. Like OF COURSE the party of 11 should tip more. But that shouldn't be the standard for the quiet party of two at the next table. They don't need to tip extra to be "nice." They are already nice in that they aren't asking for anything more than standard service.

+1. 20% is currently the standard for good service. Above and beyond is additional.

Tell that to the cheap ass poster who inflicts her kids on the server and then under tíos. So far as I’m concerned, a table with kids is almost by definition “harder to deal with.”

You can tip 50%, it your money. Just don't tell others what to do. I think everyone is comfortable with their tipping habits.

You’re right. I can’t “tell others what to do.” But I can call out a cheap ass when I see one.

What does that accomplish exactly? It's an anonymous forum.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just ask if the establishment if they use the tipped minimum wage if you want to. Those waiters make far less hourly money, so tipping 15% isn't amazing at full-service restaurant.
If you are eating at a fast-casual spot, they get above the regular minimum wage, so you shouldn't look at the tipping situations in the same way. $1-3 is just a nice addition. Remember if you're paying via credit card that they are ultimately taking a cut too so your tip may not be quite as generous as you first think.

Pre-pandemic, 15% was the norm and waiters were perfectly happy. Post pandemic, waiters who are 'taken advantage of' with the tipping minimum wage system have way too many other options. Why don't they just quit and work at a Starbucks or a fast-food place and get paid a higher wage? They didn't pre-pandemic, and they won't now because they make way more than they would otherwise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I hate the most is this strategy of shaming you or making it so awkward and uncomfortable that you are "forced" to tip higher amount. I can deal with it now but it took some getting used to.

Yes, I had to adjust the way I approach these interactions. I used to view tipping as a form of thank you or a compliment to the staff, and I was happy to provide the tip. Now that places aggressively ask for tips or provide a "default" tip on electronic transactions that I must affirmatively change, I view it as what it is -- a negotiation. It's not a thank you or a compliment, we're bargaining and your goal is to get as much of my money as possible. Well now my goal is to keep as much of my money as possible, and I'm not going to bullied or manipulated into giving more. See how that works?

You’re cheap. Make your own coffee and eat at home. Done.

I’m engaging in a transaction with your business owner. I am not running a charity or a subsidy for your boss. If you don’t like your wages talk to your manager or quit. I DGAF. It’s not my job to pay you more to keep you happy. I have no skin in the game regarding your retention.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My HHI last year was 110k (2 incomes, three people) Does that mean I can tip less, according to “but you can afford it” logic?

Absolutely. Tip whatever you think they deserve. It is "your" money after all.

My kids make far less than that and live in shared housing with roommates in DC. They tip 25 percent.

If you know how much your kids tip when they go out, you need to step back. That sounds very wrong.

You could only wish you had the same kind of relationship with your kids that I have with mine. We see each other all the time and they don’t expect us to pick up the tab every time. That’s how I know how they tip. That’s how their roommates tip too. That’s how generous people conduct themselves in real life.

Yeah, i don't know how much my kids tip. I usually take them out and pay. You should try sometime.

Yea and if they knew how cheap you were they’d be horrified. They probably add to the tip when you’re not looking. That’s what we used to do when our Australian friends took us to dinner.

I doubt that. They are 7 and 9.

LOL Knock out punch!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I tip $15 an hour. It never made sense why I have to tip more for my $40 meal vs. my friend’s $20 meal especially if we each order say a drink and a main. Same amount of work. If the goal is to ensure a server or hairstylist or whoever gets minimum wage, I’ll just pay the minimum wage.

Interesting concept

+1. A decade ago went on a splurge dinner date and bill was 225. Was a higher end restaurant. Tip was 20% for standard service. Was thinking afterwards it must be a good job to work at an expensive restaurant where the typical table is 200-300.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I tip $15 an hour. It never made sense why I have to tip more for my $40 meal vs. my friend’s $20 meal especially if we each order say a drink and a main. Same amount of work. If the goal is to ensure a server or hairstylist or whoever gets minimum wage, I’ll just pay the minimum wage.

Interesting concept

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not gonna indulge this BS and nonsense. I'm paying less tips than before. Someone has gotta be the first to do it.

Me too … less tips now! Btw, I noticed a few restaurants have started employing robots to get food. Do we tip robots now perhaps that’s the way to go! Use QR codes for menu and someone to answer basic questions on the menu. Robots carrying dishes from the kitchen to table and a call button the table to call the server for check. Then we can eliminate tips all together

Anonymous wrote:Not gonna indulge this BS and nonsense. I'm paying less tips than before. Someone has gotta be the first to do it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just do 15 and be done with it. 0 for carry outs. i refuse to buy into this crazy tip-sh*t culture we are in

Tipping is out of control but you’re cheap and wrong. Give 20 for good table service. Give something for takeout.

It’s getting harder to receive good table service unfortunately, but yes to 20 percent if it is.

Why is it harder? Customer expectations and, presumably, industry standards remain consistent, no? What is causing this? Climate change? Racism? War and revolution? What is causing table service to decline? Do tell us.

Because servers think tip is coming regardless. If you are getting money with 50% effort, why give 100%?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just do 15 and be done with it. 0 for carry outs. i refuse to buy into this crazy tip-sh*t culture we are in

Tipping is out of control but you’re cheap and wrong. Give 20 for good table service. Give something for takeout.

It’s getting harder to receive good table service unfortunately, but yes to 20 percent if it is.

Why is it harder? Customer expectations and, presumably, industry standards remain consistent, no? What is causing this? Climate change? Racism? War and revolution? What is causing table service to decline? Do tell us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just do 15 and be done with it. 0 for carry outs. i refuse to buy into this crazy tip-sh*t culture we are in

Tipping is out of control but you’re cheap and wrong. Give 20 for good table service. Give something for takeout.

It’s getting harder to receive good table service unfortunately, but yes to 20 percent if it is.

Why is it harder? Customer expectations and, presumably, industry standards remain consistent, no? What is causing this? Climate change? Racism? War and revolution? What is causing table service to decline? Do tell us.