Tipping
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I have to say this is one of the things I find most difficult in the US - the expectation of tipping for just about everything, it seems - alongside the absolutely infuriating failure to include tax in prices (honestly, this drives me to distraction - I choose something, check the price, and then find that the price is entirely different when I get to the checkout - it may or may not now be more than I am willing/able to pay for said item. WHY do you guys do this?!). As a non-local, I'm never sure what is expected, or precisely when a tip is required - and have sometimes been at the receiving end of abuse and/or threatening behaviour if my offering didn't come up to standard.
I wish we were more like that!0 -
I think we don't include tax in the prices of things because we use a sales tax, rather than a value-added tax, so it's easier to calculate. But yeah, I know non-US folks are frustrated to eat at a restaurant in the US, and then they end up paying 25% more than they expected between tax and tip.
One of the hardest things about moving overseas was learning when to tip. For example, we don't tip taxi drivers over here, and I have trouble convincing visiting Americans that the sky will not fall if they only leave a 10% tip for waiters. Then again, I'm pretty sure waiters here make minimum wage before tips, and minimum wage is equal to $5 an hour, even though the cost of living is about half what it is in the US.0 -
I have to say this is one of the things I find most difficult in the US - the expectation of tipping for just about everything, it seems - alongside the absolutely infuriating failure to include tax in prices (honestly, this drives me to distraction - I choose something, check the price, and then find that the price is entirely different when I get to the checkout - it may or may not now be more than I am willing/able to pay for said item. WHY do you guys do this?!). As a non-local, I'm never sure what is expected, or precisely when a tip is required - and have sometimes been at the receiving end of abuse and/or threatening behaviour if my offering didn't come up to standard.
I wish we were more like that!
Sorry - not sure I follow! You wish you were more abusive and threatening when someone doesn't leave an 'adequate' tip or you wish you didn't include sales tax in prices?! :laugh:0 -
I have to say this is one of the things I find most difficult in the US - the expectation of tipping for just about everything, it seems - alongside the absolutely infuriating failure to include tax in prices (honestly, this drives me to distraction - I choose something, check the price, and then find that the price is entirely different when I get to the checkout - it may or may not now be more than I am willing/able to pay for said item. WHY do you guys do this?!). As a non-local, I'm never sure what is expected, or precisely when a tip is required - and have sometimes been at the receiving end of abuse and/or threatening behaviour if my offering didn't come up to standard.
I wish we were more like that!
Sorry - not sure I follow! You wish you were more abusive and threatening when someone doesn't leave an 'adequate' tip or you wish you didn't include sales tax in prices?! :laugh:
As a fellow Brit, I completely agree. We have minimum wage here, full stop. If you're working legitimately, you get at least the minimum wage (•the main adult rate (for workers 21 and over) will increase by 11p to £6.19 an hour •the rate for 18-20 year olds will remain at £4.98 an hour •the rate for 16-17 year olds will remain at £3.68 an hour •the rate for apprentices will increase by 5p to £2.65 an hour )
As such, for average service, I'll tip about 10%, for great service, I'll tip better, and for mediocre service, sorry, no tip. You're being paid, do a good job (and like many have said, I know mistakes happen, but it's how you treat me regarding them that matters - say sorry and fix it, that's all I want).
I find it abhorrent that in the US the minimum wage is so low, and that customers are/aren't ensuring someone has enough to eat, pay rent, etc. If I knew that were the case, I'd tip more, but I'd grudge it as it's the government's job to ensure a minimum wage is a liveable wage and it's the employer's job to pay it.0 -
I have to say this is one of the things I find most difficult in the US - the expectation of tipping for just about everything, it seems - alongside the absolutely infuriating failure to include tax in prices (honestly, this drives me to distraction - I choose something, check the price, and then find that the price is entirely different when I get to the checkout - it may or may not now be more than I am willing/able to pay for said item. WHY do you guys do this?!). As a non-local, I'm never sure what is expected, or precisely when a tip is required - and have sometimes been at the receiving end of abuse and/or threatening behaviour if my offering didn't come up to standard.
I wish we were more like that!
Sorry - not sure I follow! You wish you were more abusive and threatening when someone doesn't leave an 'adequate' tip or you wish you didn't include sales tax in prices?! :laugh:
Oops. I botched that quote. I meant to just say, I agree with your viewpoint, and wish we (the U.S.) weren't such a tip-happy place. I wish our employers paid their employees better so that tips weren't necessary. All of my friends who have lived in the UK or who are from there and have moved to the US all seem to agree with your viewpoint. Especially on the tax thing...an ex boyfriend of mine's mother-in-law was from Germany, and she told me when she first moved to the US, it was especially annoying that prices were BEFORE tax, not after. She said she used to just count out her money in Germany and know exactly what she was spending, unlike here, where certain items are taxed, certain items are not.
I definitely don't abuse people on their tips. :laugh: I don't abuse anyone, promise!0 -
I find it abhorrent that in the US the minimum wage is so low
Yep. I live in Florida, and minimum wage right now is $7.67/hour (if Google is correct, that is the equivalent to 4.82 in your currency?). When I had my first "real" job in 2004, it was $5.15/hour (3.24 to your currency). I've been on a leave of absence from work since last year so I can focus solely on school, but I know when I left, I was only making $8.43/hour (5.30). Which is pretty crappy for having worked there over 3 years at that point. A .06 cent raise a year is all anyone in my department got...and that was only if we were given a good evaluation. I suppose, depending on your area, that that is "good enough" to live on, but it's not easy. My situation is different now, but when I first started, my rent was $350/month (that's with a roommate, too). Car insurance was $90. I had to put gas in my vehicle about once every 10 days, so that's about $150/month. Phone bill was $70/month back then. I paid half of the electric, which varies seasonally...that'd be about $80 in the summer, about $35-$45 in the winter, depending. That usually left me with about $100+/- for food, emergencies, etc. Add in little things like needing new clothes for work (even with an apron, coffee stains on khaki clothes = not good, lol), or in my case new glasses, or if you have an issue with your vehicle (happened to me a LOT), it's really wasn't fun. I know many people were and are worse off than my case was, but for the sake of proving a point, minimum wage sucks. :frown:0 -
Having worked as a server and a bartender for over 7 years, let me say I made more money doing that job than I do now at a desk job. It was also much less stressful.
The amount of money you bring home is normally based on how hard you work. Want more tips? Upsell. Deliver good service. Be prompt.
Simple as that.
With that being said, I only tip when I sit down to eat. If I place a to-go order, I tip 10%. If I eat-in, I tip 20%+ (I take the tax amount, round up, and double it...unless you service is outstanding, in which case I tip higher).0 -
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In the UK, National Minimum Wage applies to all jobs, including service roles - there was a court case a few years ago in which various chains (often with American parent companies) tried to pay waiting staff a lower rate, plus tips, and the Supreme Court ruled that this practice was illegal. That being the case, I tip if service is good, tip well if service is excellent, and don't tip at all if service is mediocre or poor. I also insist on the removal of automatic service charges that have been added to my bill - if I wish to tip, I will do so, at my own discretion.
I loathe the 'American' tipping practice that is becoming common here. I'm paying the hairdresser (quite a lot) to cut my hair - why would, or should, I tip her as well? A small token at Christmas, sure, whether monetary or a small gift, but I do that because I like her and appreciate what she does for me, not because I feel obligated.0 -
That does it. I'm putting a Tip Jar on my desk. You need me to solve your Scheduling or Production Issues, you'd better drop a buck in the Tip Jar.0
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Saw something on the News last night about a new Debit/Visa card reader in NY that is being tried out. Swiping your card automatically tips in the pre-set amount of $1.00.
The USA is one of the few countries that Tips regularly. We have "rules" for it. Set amounts for service. Frankly, I'm getting tired of seeing a Tip Jar on every counter surface these days.
Employers that employ wait staff is subject to minimum wage laws. Why do I have to supplement their income?
Does the waitress or waiter that brings me my never ending pasta bowl work any harder than the fry cook at McDonalds? How about the guy that changes my oil? Does he deserve a tip?
I don't think I'm going to tip any more.
What do you think about that?
The minimum wage for waitstaff is less than half in most states of minimum wage for other workers. I was a high paid server at 3.17 an hour.0 -
Saw something on the News last night about a new Debit/Visa card reader in NY that is being tried out. Swiping your card automatically tips in the pre-set amount of $1.00.
I work in the credit card industry and thought I might bring some knowledge into this.
Debits (where you actually enter in pin) can have a surcharge placed by a particular business. This is not very common, but it can happen (and is legal). Now, if this tip is effectively replacing that surcharge, then it's just renaming it for businesses that process tips.
If it's credit card thing, then there's a whole other ball of wax which I probably can't get into (honestly, I haven't heard of something like this...it sounds more like a renamed debit surcharge to me)0 -
As far as having a business automatically add a tip, whether it be for $1 or $100, for 1% or 50%, I'm completely against it. It's my money, not yours, and I'll figure out how much to tip on my own, thank you.
As to the business of who and how much to tip: I only tip at sit-down restaurants, bars (on the rare occasion I'm out late), and the barber shop. I'm not going to tip the barista, the fast food clerk, the mailman, the garbage man, etc. I typically tip 10%, not the "industry standard" 20% (which used to be 10%, then 15%, then 18%, now 20%), but it depends on the level of service - I'll happily tip 15-20% if the wait staff was timely and courteous.0 -
I hate learning the "rules" of tipping. Every time I learn a new rule I think back to how many times I didn't tip and looked like a jerk.0
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That does it. I'm putting a Tip Jar on my desk. You need me to solve your Scheduling or Production Issues, you'd better drop a buck in the Tip Jar.
A buck? I'd work a little more diligently here at home for a $50. Let's just call it "inspiration".
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That does it. I'm putting a Tip Jar on my desk. You need me to solve your Scheduling or Production Issues, you'd better drop a buck in the Tip Jar.
A buck? I'd work a little more diligently here at home for a $50. Let's just call it "inspiration".
Another example of unfairness in tipping. Pretty girls always get tipped more than their male counterparts.0 -
coming from someone who has to work for tips.. We truly depend on thse...I was making 2.75 hourly rate because we got tips they could pay less.....SUCKED anyway please remember that when dining out or having that adult beverage..be kind to your wait staff and please TIP0
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This story is a great reason to resurrect this thread, at least for the moment. It's the perfect viral internet article--a relatively trivial incident that just happens to push peoples' buttons and so it erupts into a megastorm of outrage.
http://consumerist.com/2013/01/31/waitress-who-posted-no-tip-receipt-from-pastor-customer-fired-from-job/
Short version: a diner with a group of people at an Applebee's objected to the automatic 18% gratuity that is added to all checks for a large group. Being a minister, the woman wrote on the receipt "I give God 18%...why do you get 18?". She then scratched out the printed gratuity amount and wrote "0" on the tip line. (She claims she left the tip in cash anyway).
Another waitress--a friend of the one who was waiting on the minister--took a picture of the receipt and posted in on Reddit, along with details about the incident. She did not do a good enough job of hiding the signature on the receipt and soon everyone guessed the identity of the minister.
The minister contacted Applebee's and the waitress was fired. You should follow the link as it has video interviews with both of them and I think that adds a lot.
It just goes to show that, in this age of the internet, you never know when your random act of douchiness is going to be publicized all over the world. We are all just one You Tube video away from infamy......0 -
That does it. I'm putting a Tip Jar on my desk. You need me to solve your Scheduling or Production Issues, you'd better drop a buck in the Tip Jar.
A buck? I'd work a little more diligently here at home for a $50. Let's just call it "inspiration".
Another example of unfairness in tipping. Pretty girls always get tipped more than their male counterparts.
I'll disagree here. There were plenty of guys that totally kicked the pretty girl's *kitten* in tips.0 -
This story is a great reason to resurrect this thread, at least for the moment. It's the perfect viral internet article--a relatively trivial incident that just happens to push peoples' buttons and so it erupts into a megastorm of outrage.
http://consumerist.com/2013/01/31/waitress-who-posted-no-tip-receipt-from-pastor-customer-fired-from-job/
Short version: a diner with a group of people at an Applebee's objected to the automatic 18% gratuity that is added to all checks for a large group. Being a minister, the woman wrote on the receipt "I give God 18%...why do you get 18?". She then scratched out the printed gratuity amount and wrote "0" on the tip line. (She claims she left the tip in cash anyway).
Another waitress--a friend of the one who was waiting on the minister--took a picture of the receipt and posted in on Reddit, along with details about the incident. She did not do a good enough job of hiding the signature on the receipt and soon everyone guessed the identity of the minister.
The minister contacted Applebee's and the waitress was fired. You should follow the link as it has video interviews with both of them and I think that adds a lot.
It just goes to show that, in this age of the internet, you never know when your random act of douchiness is going to be publicized all over the world. We are all just one You Tube video away from infamy......
that "pastor" is a POS. if you cant tip at least 15% you shouldnt eat out. and that 15% is only for bad service...if you have average service you should always tip at least 20%.0 -
This story is a great reason to resurrect this thread, at least for the moment. It's the perfect viral internet article--a relatively trivial incident that just happens to push peoples' buttons and so it erupts into a megastorm of outrage.
http://consumerist.com/2013/01/31/waitress-who-posted-no-tip-receipt-from-pastor-customer-fired-from-job/
Short version: a diner with a group of people at an Applebee's objected to the automatic 18% gratuity that is added to all checks for a large group. Being a minister, the woman wrote on the receipt "I give God 18%...why do you get 18?". She then scratched out the printed gratuity amount and wrote "0" on the tip line. (She claims she left the tip in cash anyway).
Another waitress--a friend of the one who was waiting on the minister--took a picture of the receipt and posted in on Reddit, along with details about the incident. She did not do a good enough job of hiding the signature on the receipt and soon everyone guessed the identity of the minister.
The minister contacted Applebee's and the waitress was fired. You should follow the link as it has video interviews with both of them and I think that adds a lot.
It just goes to show that, in this age of the internet, you never know when your random act of douchiness is going to be publicized all over the world. We are all just one You Tube video away from infamy......
She says she paid the tip and I have not seen anything to dispute that. In fact, the receipt that she signed proves her card was charged the full amount. Her privacy was breached over a snarky comment she wrote on the receipt. In addition, since the merchant id was left on the receipt the retailer was outed as an establishment that if you do business with them your privacy is not protected.
The server got what she deserved. 18% of the bill and her pink slip.0 -
that "pastor" is a POS. if you cant tip at least 15% you shouldnt eat out. and that 15% is only for bad service...if you have average service you should always tip at least 20%.
Average service is not worth 20%. It's worth about 10%. 20% is for nice, attentive service.0 -
that "pastor" is a POS. if you cant tip at least 15% you shouldnt eat out. and that 15% is only for bad service...if you have average service you should always tip at least 20%.
In your opinion...
If I am tipping 15% or higher I am expected bare minimum or better service.... With that said, we have tipped 50% for excellent service... I can remember the instance... it was at a Chili's and it was packed, and the guy (all I remember is he was tall and dark complected) brought drinks before we were out because he knew he was going to be (and was) slammed... he worked his *kitten* off and we saw it and he did it without missing a beat....
I also remember the time where we tipped the busboy instead of our waitress (I can't remember the name of the resturant but it was in MA and the theme was fishing (all I can remember is the inside was light blue and decorated to look like a fishing boat), the lady failed to check on us but maybe two or three times while we sat there (for over an hour) because she was too busy socializing with her co-workers at the front podium.... We finally got a busboy to bring the manager around because we couldn't get the attention of our server whose back was to us...
ETA: If a gratuity is already added, I ain't payin' extra... You essentially gave yourself a tip when you could have made more.0 -
that "pastor" is a POS. if you cant tip at least 15% you shouldnt eat out. and that 15% is only for bad service...if you have average service you should always tip at least 20%.
Average service is not worth 20%. It's worth about 10%. 20% is for nice, attentive service.
fine. be cheap. im sure your server really appreciates that!
lol@10% for average service. is this Europe?0 -
that "pastor" is a POS. if you cant tip at least 15% you shouldnt eat out. and that 15% is only for bad service...if you have average service you should always tip at least 20%.
Average service is not worth 20%. It's worth about 10%. 20% is for nice, attentive service.
fine. be cheap. im sure your server really appreciates that!
lol@10% for average service. is this Europe?
Nah it's a country where the self-entitled think they can get waited on for less than a living wage. I'd spit in their food personally.0 -
fine. be cheap. im sure your server really appreciates that!
lol@10% for average service. is this Europe?
Nah it's a country where the self-entitled think they can get waited on for less than a living wage. I'd spit in their food personally.
Funny how just a few years ago, 10% for average service was the norm. Then it was 15%, now it's 20%. I don't feel particularly bad about tipping average for average service and tipping well for good service. That's what tips are for, after all - gratuity (thanks) for good service, not an entitlement for wait staff.0 -
fine. be cheap. im sure your server really appreciates that!
lol@10% for average service. is this Europe?
Nah it's a country where the self-entitled think they can get waited on for less than a living wage. I'd spit in their food personally.
Funny how just a few years ago, 10% for average service was the norm. Then it was 15%, now it's 20%. I don't feel particularly bad about tipping average for average service and tipping well for good service. That's what tips are for, after all - gratuity (thanks) for good service, not an entitlement for wait staff.
No it wasn't. 20+ years ago the norm was %15, even in this podunk redneck state.0 -
Funny how just a few years ago, 10% for average service was the norm. Then it was 15%, now it's 20%. I don't feel particularly bad about tipping average for average service and tipping well for good service. That's what tips are for, after all - gratuity (thanks) for good service, not an entitlement for wait staff.
i had to check where you are. it must be a Georgia thing. because you are completely out of step with the rest of the country since no where else was it "10% just a few years ago"
its 20% for average(normal)...higher for exceptional and 15 for poor.
TIL Georgians are bad tippers.
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that "pastor" is a POS. if you cant tip at least 15% you shouldnt eat out. and that 15% is only for bad service...if you have average service you should always tip at least 20%.
Average service is not worth 20%. It's worth about 10%. 20% is for nice, attentive service.
fine. be cheap. im sure your server really appreciates that!
lol@10% for average service. is this Europe?
Nah it's a country where the self-entitled think they can get waited on for less than a living wage. I'd spit in their food personally.
fwiw ive known a lot of self entitle people and none of them have been bad tippers. so i think this is just more about being cheap.
are u still a server? do u know what your average tip is?0 -
Funny how just a few years ago, 10% for average service was the norm. Then it was 15%, now it's 20%. I don't feel particularly bad about tipping average for average service and tipping well for good service. That's what tips are for, after all - gratuity (thanks) for good service, not an entitlement for wait staff.
i had to check where you are. it must be a Georgia thing. because you are completely out of step with the rest of the country since no where else was it "10% just a few years ago"
its 20% for average(normal)...higher for exceptional and 15 for poor.
TIL Georgians are bad tippers.
Awww I am from GA and I always tip 20+% EXCEPT when they are kind enough to pre-determine my tip for me.0
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