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S E E D E D C O N T E N T
I can remember when coffee used to cost a dime at the Woolworth's counter. I don't remember having to tip a penny or two. And when I first arrived in China, I tipped the cabbie the first taxi ride I had and the cabbie looked at me as if I was crazy and tried to give the money back to me, so I discovered that I was in a land where nobody even EXPECTS tips.
It is hard to tell who is getting tipped. As the final total roles around to have myself confronted by a tip suggestion, I, like the author of this piece, am not really sure who is benefitting from the tips. If I am at a deli and order a half pound of sliced roast beef, they aren't getting a tip. If they deliver three party platters, hell, yes! they are getting a tip.
That makes sense.
Is it not their job to also prepare party platters? When I hire a contractor to do some home improvement, I don’t tip them when it comes out great. It just means they do good work. Anyone who is not satisfied with the feeling of doing their job well should just change their career.
A contractor sets his price for a job he/she is required to do, and most likely would not expect a tip anyway. You're right in that they are expected to do a proper job for the price they set.
One is at a point of sale. The other is going beyond the strictly necessary.
Tipping has gotten completely out of hand.
It has become like some kind of extra tax
It's inflationary in itself and is simply an add-on cost to make things morre expensive than they are advertised to be.
It has. I do have a few "general rules" when it comes to tipping.
Additionally, the tip I leave is NOT based on the check. Just because your place overprices everything doesn't mean a tip should be higher.
Tipping is not mandatory.
What if it's not a drive-thru, but a drive-in and they bring a tray of food to your car, and maybe they're on roller skates?
It's not 1950 anymore.
You're talking like Sonic. I've never had them ask about tips when ordering. If the order comes out in a timely manner I'll give the server $5 - $10.
Maybe no roller skates but still a great memory...
Someone I know has a simplified version of that:
-If he's standing when he pays the bill-- no tip.
-But if he's sitting when he pays, then he tips.
Tipping has gotten completely out of hand.
IIRC, the demands for tips (Large signs by the register in restaurants, or "suggested amounts" on your bill, etc) suddenly got worse during the Pandemic. And that hasn't changed after the Pandemic is over.
I still tip 15% max at restaurants only, because fuck you if you think your service was worth even that much. I have no problem entering “no tip” when someone just hands me something across a counter. I could never work in the service industry because I would be too embarrassed to ask anyone if they’d like to tip me because I did the bare minimum that my job requires of me.
I wonder how much it would have cost me if I hadn't stopped needing to tip 20 years ago.
I'll tip 20% if the service worker actually has to do work to get me my order. I remember not that long ago we were talking about raising minimum wage and the owner of Burger King said no one would pay for $6 burgers. Well....
At the Burger KIng here that I use employees have to work to take my order, others work to prepare my order, but all stay behind the counter. Would you tip them? Even the others who deliver my order to my home don't expect to get tipped here.
The fast food employees here work well above minimum wage to start. Which, I think, is why they are cutting back on the number of people working the front counter and pushing customers to order to the app of a kiosk. There are times I would have liked to tip them, but they can't take tips. I had a guy try to tip me twice for answering his insurance questions. I told him to give it to charity.
I also try to frequent the restaurants that pay their waitstaff over $20 an hour to start - over the ones that factor tips into their wage. They are more expensive, but they only require gratuity for large groups, otherwise they tell you right up front that tipping is not expected. Good service still gets a tip. I also tip delivery drivers, like Door Dash well because otherwise they are making $4 for a half hour run.
I have never in the US encountered a restaurant that says tipping for anything other than large groups is not expected. Not calling you a liar, I just haven’t experienced that. The problem is that it would be uncomfortable for most people, who are steeped in a lifetime of routine tipping culture, to not just reflexively do it out of habit. I’m guessing that the servers there realize this and benefit from it.
As far as going above and beyond, I don’t even know what would need to happen to be considered above and beyond. In my experience orders are taken and served in much the same basic way. One thing I dislike is when it seems like they’re just trying to get your bill higher. If I want a drink I’ll ask for one, if I want a desert I’ll ask for it. Restaurant drinks will radically increase your bill and most Americans should be encouraged to skip desert.
What people's favourite dessert is could make a new article.
right now, strawberry short cake
Post that on the article I'm about to post.
They advertise off paying their waitstaff a living wage and profit sharing. The expanded from one family owned hipster menued restaurant to at least four now...A deli with a bar, a smash burger place and an upscale bbq dinner place. They are a more expensive place to eat, but there is always a line to get in.
Tomorrow I'm planning on baking chocolate cupcakes with a lemon curd center and raspberry drizzle on top. I've never done it before so we'll see how good I am.
So you're giving me a tip about what you're going to do.
I generally will make a tip at fast food because of the above. Although I do wonder if the tip ever reaches them. Sometimes you just have to have faith.
And basing the tip on the price of the food is stupid. It doesn’t take more effort to bring me the prime rib instead of a cheese sandwich.
Perhaps, but the emotional connection a server might develop with the prime rib could make their separation more painful and thus require additional financial consideration. /s
But seriously, America should just nut up, adopt the metric system and charge what it costs to make and serve a sandwich without expecting additional money for their staff as if they don't pay them anything for service.
It's about time America should catch up to the rest of the world and adopt the metric system, but prepare yourself for what happens when everyone has to adjust.
I've never had anyone (in a restaurant) ask me for a tip or anyone say my tip was insufficient.
I’m sure to be the exception here.
As a college student was fortunate to get hired as a waiter in a local, higher end restaurant. The tips paid my rent and allowed me to stay in school. I was never one to grouse about a below average tip as I knew I was good at what I did and had plenty of loyal customers that made it up. I continue to tip at a 15% minimum, and adjust upward as the service warrants, knowing just how demanding a job it is.
And rarely visit fast food establishments nor have doordashed but have been known to slip a random $5 in cash to a counter worker every now and then. It feels good and is always unexpected and appreciated.
Considering the explosion in minimum wage and the resulting increase in food prices, I am less enthusiastic about tipping than ever.
best way to get a tip from me is to give me something extra, drink, dessert, extra side.
How about if the waiter sings a song at your table?
that could work
Or when a large group of musicians (each with a different musical instrument) cames to you outdoof table and serenades you?
I'm thinking of The Mariachis in Gualdalajara:
Mariachi music is quite lively and entertaining, and certainly does liven up a restaurant .
I've been to Guadalajara (I believe it was the birthplace of the Mariachis).IIRC there's a large central square with tables and chairs. And several Mariachis walk around to each table, People choose one group who plays one or more songs for tips.
In addition to the music, there the spectacle of a group of musicians in very colorful costumes playing music-- very livley and a lot of fun!
If anyone is planning a vacation in Mexico, I would highly recommendavisiting Guadalajara. The Marichias are quite enjoyable. In addition (at least the last time I was there) there are some wonderful markets in the area-- not only food but also Mexican handicrafts!
My tip is often based on the following:
Personality(at least pretend you don't hate your job)
Recommendations
Keep the water glass full(very important)
Serve the food hot
Check in once or twice to make sure the food is good and up to expectations
Don't rush
Take care of any issues that may arise (not cooked correctly, dropped silverware, etc.)
Give me these things and I give you 25% (before taxes)
How much do you tax the 25%?
I don't. But I am not going to tip on tax.
I've been a waiter during several times in my life, After a while, as a waiter you learn what pleases most people.
i did this at a restaurant in NYC's Greenwich Village. Most diners were tourists, and apparently the guidbooks told them the standard tip in NYC was 15%.
So in addition to good service, other waiters taught me a few things in addition to good service. One was to recomment a drink (alcoholic) before the meal. And then a wine that went well with the food. Since many tipped the same %age of the bill, alcohol jacked up the bill-- and therefore the percentage based tip!
You could also get enthusiastic about the desserts-- but the larger amounts of money always came from the Alcohol.
(BTW I knew one restaurant owner he said his place was basically break even-- after expenses he didn't make much money on the food. It was the sales of alcoholic beverages that kept him in business!)