Tipping Etiquette

Lots of places add a 12.5% service charge these days. Of course this is optional but lots of people out there won't ask them to remove it.

At a place like Starbucks or Chipotle I usually stick any loose change in the jar.

Oh! Also adding in to derail this completely. Its pretty common practise to tip your postman at Christmas in the UK.

Stuff like that is cool. I try to remember to give something to my trash dudes. My postman is a prick, so nothing for him.

My wife makes trays of goodies. Homemade cookies, candies, etc. Her and my daughter spend a week cooking and putting them together. We pass them out during the Holiday season. Mail Carrier, Gas Station Attendant, Co-workers. People we come into contact during the year on a regular basis.

While I do tip (approx 20%) it is starting to irk me. Not just in restaurants. It seems like everywhere you turn these days, someone has placed a "Tip Jar". My personal opinion is that if you are relying on the generosity of others to eek out a living, get another job.

Maybe I should put a tip jar on my desk.

the irony is I am less likely to tip or i generally tip less if there is a "tip jar."

Yes it is true that you don't have to tip at all in some countries.

Australia is one of them.

Believe it or not, the whole world does not do the same as USA

When we first went to live in the US from Australia tipping caused us so much stress. How much, when, add to bill or leave on table. It was almost a relief to get home to grumpy wait staff who dont expect a tip and treat you accordingly.

I haven't been to USA - but that hasn't been my experience of waitpersons in Australia - most are friendly and attentive.
and its nice to know people are friendly because they are friendly, not because they are just after extra money.

I found waitpersons in UK friendly and attentive too - and tipping, whilst not non-existent there, is nowhere near as entrenched as in USA.

Of course, waitpersons in Australia are paid much more reasonable wages to start with.
Much better system IMO.

For those of you who say you never tip on a to-go order because it doesn't involve any work -- what do you think, that it miraculously appears all put together for your eating pleasure? I worked in the food service industry for 8 years and I freaking hated to-go orders. On top of my regular guests who were dining in, I had to make to-go drinks, steam bread, wrap it in foil, make a to-go butter, get plastic silverware and napkins, ensure the order was correct, make desserts to-go, stop what I'm doing to run your credit card, get you change, answer your questions, entertain your conversation, etc all while still trying to be attentive to my dining in guests. It doesn't just come pre-packaged out of a vending machine -- someone is still doing the work and it certainly wouldn't kill you to add an additional $2, $3, $4 on. I certainty don't expect 20%, but a little something. It is still a service that is being provided.

The way I view tipping is, tipping is part of the dining out experience. Agree with it or not, that is how it works in the states. If you cannot afford food and a tip, then you cannot afford to eat out. Go through a drive-thru or cook your own meal and save going out for occasions when you can afford both food and tip. And at the end of the day, what is $4 versus $3 to you? Probably very insignificant. But if every table left an extra dollar on top of what they might leave normally, that really adds up at the end of the night for a server who makes $2.13 an hour (actually, much closer to zero dollars an hour once we get taxed). That being said, I do also think that poor service should be of some consequence. But 8 out of 10 times when tables complain, its really a complaint of the kitchen, and yet it gets taken out on us. Of course we chose our profession, no ****. Pilots chose their profession with the hopes that they won't die in a plane crash. Surfers chose their profession and hope that they won't get eaten by sharks. Teachers chose their profession and hope their student doesn't shoot up the school. Bank tellers chose their profession and hope they won't be robbed. Just because we chose a profession doesn't mean we deserve the **** end of the deal.

For all of your who don't tip, I pray that your kids never end up waiting tables and call you crying because they waited on ****s like you and can't make their rent.

For those of you who say you never tip on a to-go order because it doesn't involve any work -- what do you think, that it miraculously appears all put together for your eating pleasure? I worked in the food service industry for 8 years and I freaking hated to-go orders. On top of my regular guests who were dining in, I had to make to-go drinks, steam bread, wrap it in foil, make a to-go butter, get plastic silverware and napkins, ensure the order was correct, make desserts to-go, stop what I'm doing to run your credit card, get you change, answer your questions, entertain your conversation, etc all while still trying to be attentive to my dining in guests. It doesn't just come pre-packaged out of a vending machine -- someone is still doing the work and it certainly wouldn't kill you to add an additional $2, $3, $4 on. I certainty don't expect 20%, but a little something. It is still a service that is being provided.

The way I view tipping is, tipping is part of the dining out experience. Agree with it or not, that is how it works in the states. If you cannot afford food and a tip, then you cannot afford to eat out. Go through a drive-thru or cook your own meal and save going out for occasions when you can afford both food and tip. And at the end of the day, what is $4 versus $3 to you? Probably very insignificant. But if every table left an extra dollar on top of what they might leave normally, that really adds up at the end of the night for a server who makes $2.13 an hour (actually, much closer to zero dollars an hour once we get taxed). That being said, I do also think that poor service should be of some consequence. But 8 out of 10 times when tables complain, its really a complaint of the kitchen, and yet it gets taken out on us. Of course we chose our profession, no ****. Pilots chose their profession with the hopes that they won't die in a plane crash. Surfers chose their profession and hope that they won't get eaten by sharks. Teachers chose their profession and hope their student doesn't shoot up the school. Bank tellers chose their profession and hope they won't be robbed. Just because we chose a profession doesn't mean we deserve the **** end of the deal.

For all of your who don't tip, I pray that your kids never end up waiting tables and call you crying because they waited on ****s like you and can't make their rent.

For those of you who say you never tip on a to-go order because it doesn't involve any work -- what do you think, that it miraculously appears all put together for your eating pleasure? I worked in the food service industry for 8 years and I freaking hated to-go orders. On top of my regular guests who were dining in, I had to make to-go drinks, steam bread, wrap it in foil, make a to-go butter, get plastic silverware and napkins, ensure the order was correct, make desserts to-go, stop what I'm doing to run your credit card, get you change, answer your questions, entertain your conversation, etc all while still trying to be attentive to my dining in guests. It doesn't just come pre-packaged out of a vending machine -- someone is still doing the work and it certainly wouldn't kill you to add an additional $2, $3, $4 on. I certainty don't expect 20%, but a little something. It is still a service that is being provided.

Take-out(away) too hard. Don't offer it as a service then.
Saying 'And at the end of the day, what is $4 versus $3 to you?' is assuming that everyone is rich, that is not the case. Are low waged people or even servers themselves not expected to eat out?