I used to tip anywhere from high 20's to low 30's, but in the years since COVID, _everything_ asks for a tip even when no extra service is provided (i.e. take-out), so I default to 0%, or a modest 10 or 15% if it's dine-in at a local shop.
I support workers' rights and a living wage, but can't really justify upholding the current scheme of exploitation by store owners in the name of supporting labor. I would much rather laws and/or unions force the issue of laborers getting paid what their labor is worth than giving more money to business owners praying that they are not crushing their employees.
The biggest myth is that of poor service workers being paid under minimum wage and relying on your tips to survive
the reality is that attractive waitresses make up to FIVE TIMES the take home nightly pay of workers in the back in tips. tips are extremely lucrative. there is a reason that wait staff themselves never oppose the current system. Not to mention the legal myths. if they actually received $0 in tips their employer would still be obligated to pay them atleast minimum wage. there is a reason they dont have to.
> the reality is that attractive waitresses make up to FIVE TIMES the take home nightly pay
People constantly make this statement as if it is something wrong. The factor of the matter is that I probably make 20-30% more than ny teams project manager, why? Because I went into computers and had a mind for it and being blessed to be fairly intelligent (at least I'd like to believe so), resulting in me getting paid more for than someone else on my team. Is this wrong?
Should I be resentful that somebody was born with better looks than me and that they get compensated more for that in certain sectors than people who are less attractive or fail to take care of their personal appearance?
We all have strengths and weaknesses. Some people were blessed to be good with numbers, some to be good with people, why resent people for being good at something, or working to get good at it?
It's wrong because you go to restaurants for food, not to get your coffee refilled and awkward smalltalk. so the tip should go to the person who is making your food, not refilling your coffee and making small talk. And if the tips mean they are making more than double the cooks the cooks time is not being valued and they will likely quit
> I'm pretty sure the reason is that the employees are paid a living wage.
The reason is cultural. They take pride in their work, regardless of any additional donations. I would even say it is insulting to be left a tip since the assumption, then, is that the worker would not have done the job to the best of their ability without the prospect of a donation.
To note, "it's cultural" usually means "they've tried a lot of options and this one stuck as the most pragmatic at a social level"
There's just so many reasons to not accept tips. In tipping countries it's seen as a boost for productivity, while in practice it also generates friction within the staff, widens the gap between day and night staff, blurries the client/staff relationship and makes kitchen staff miserable. And just so many additional reasons.
Yesterday I had lunch at a Shake Shack. Humans don't take orders there any more; you place your order at a self-serve touchscreen kiosk. As I finished placing my order, I was prompted to leave a tip; 10% was the default and you had to press a button to change it.
Who am I tipping, exactly? The kiosk? Myself? No one had even made eye contact with me up to this point. I have ordered fast food from a computer. When I have eaten it, I'm expected to bus my own table.
And yet, I felt bad for removing the tip before placing my order, and kind of slunk away from the kiosk hoping the kitchen in the back doesn't know whether or not I tipped, so they can't spit on my burger.
That's especially ridiculous because Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer made a big stink about eliminating tipping from his numerous restaurants back in 2015!
In theory tips are shared with back-of-the-house staff (which probably also depresses their salaries). So if you usually tip 10%, tipping 5% sounds fair!
(thankfully I'm in Europe and don't have to deal with this bullshit)
I had the lady at PetChain ask me if I wanted to donate to starving dogs (as I hold a bag of food, to feed MY starving dog). I ignored her, anyway, then i go to pay and theres another question on some digital pad asking if I want to donate to X shelter. I just ignored it and played dumb. It was enjoyable to watch her say 'its asking you a questsion' and me just tapping my card repetitively like a boomer.
The staff who make pretty crap money to do a pretty thankless job who opened the restaurant, kept it clean + stocked, kept the bathrooms cleaned, make the order, serve the order, help you if something is wrong, help keep condiments/drink machines working, etc.
I agree with this logic we should always tip everybody we interact with $1 and that isn't the standard. It's a weird thing. Tipping in the food service industry is just "accepted" the same way a 6% real estate facilitation commission is.
I don’t want to tip. Ever. Charge me more money and pay your damn employees. Don’t make employee compensation your customer’s problem. Tipping is rarely ever enjoyable for the customer, so why put that on them?? I know why… greed. You can get away with paying them less because “tips”.
I don't agree with this way of looking at things. It isn't a thankless job; they're getting paid. It's a different argument if they're not getting paid enough, but it seems backwards to pass on the responsibility of properly compensating them to the customer.
The customer should pay for the product. The employees should be paid by the employer. This whole tipping nonsense has been exacerbated by the move to POS systems nationwide. Tipping should be seen as a reward for doing something excellent or extraordinary.
Tipping has gotten absurd in the US. I am unironically waiting for the self-checkout machines at grocery stores to start demanding tips.
I still cave and end up tipping almost every time, since it's not the employees fault, but man - going to a frozen yogurt place, preparing everything myself, and having the checkout employee swing the tablet around for a tip always irks me.
Tipping is a significant negative experience that probably causes me to eat out less often. It's increasingly manipulative, extortionate, and most of all pointless. You have no idea what service you paid for or if the person who rendered it actually received the money.
at least going out to eat and paying a tip is better than staying home paying for the food, paying for a delivery fee, paying for "recovery fees", then finally paying for a tip.
Readit News
I used to tip anywhere from high 20's to low 30's, but in the years since COVID, _everything_ asks for a tip even when no extra service is provided (i.e. take-out), so I default to 0%, or a modest 10 or 15% if it's dine-in at a local shop.
I support workers' rights and a living wage, but can't really justify upholding the current scheme of exploitation by store owners in the name of supporting labor. I would much rather laws and/or unions force the issue of laborers getting paid what their labor is worth than giving more money to business owners praying that they are not crushing their employees.
the reality is that attractive waitresses make up to FIVE TIMES the take home nightly pay of workers in the back in tips. tips are extremely lucrative. there is a reason that wait staff themselves never oppose the current system. Not to mention the legal myths. if they actually received $0 in tips their employer would still be obligated to pay them atleast minimum wage. there is a reason they dont have to.
People constantly make this statement as if it is something wrong. The factor of the matter is that I probably make 20-30% more than ny teams project manager, why? Because I went into computers and had a mind for it and being blessed to be fairly intelligent (at least I'd like to believe so), resulting in me getting paid more for than someone else on my team. Is this wrong?
Should I be resentful that somebody was born with better looks than me and that they get compensated more for that in certain sectors than people who are less attractive or fail to take care of their personal appearance?
We all have strengths and weaknesses. Some people were blessed to be good with numbers, some to be good with people, why resent people for being good at something, or working to get good at it?
They won't accept tips.
In fact, if you leave money on the table, they will chase after you, to give it back.
If they did accept tips, I'd make it 50%.
I'm pretty sure the reason is that the employees are paid a living wage.
A nice side-effect, is that your table doesn't have an "assigned waitstaff." You can ask anyone walking by, for assistance.
The reason is cultural. They take pride in their work, regardless of any additional donations. I would even say it is insulting to be left a tip since the assumption, then, is that the worker would not have done the job to the best of their ability without the prospect of a donation.
There's just so many reasons to not accept tips. In tipping countries it's seen as a boost for productivity, while in practice it also generates friction within the staff, widens the gap between day and night staff, blurries the client/staff relationship and makes kitchen staff miserable. And just so many additional reasons.
Now Uber Eats is popular, some people think tipping is cool because it feels like an American thing...
They get 6-9$ per hour (which is not much even accounting for the extra purchasing power) and hard to live on.
In my EU country waiters make more and often have a terrible attitude.
Who am I tipping, exactly? The kiosk? Myself? No one had even made eye contact with me up to this point. I have ordered fast food from a computer. When I have eaten it, I'm expected to bus my own table.
And yet, I felt bad for removing the tip before placing my order, and kind of slunk away from the kiosk hoping the kitchen in the back doesn't know whether or not I tipped, so they can't spit on my burger.
If I walk up to the counter to order and walk up to pick up my order, the maximum tip is the coins I don’t wish to carry away.
(thankfully I'm in Europe and don't have to deal with this bullshit)
I refuse to engage in your bullshit!
The staff who make pretty crap money to do a pretty thankless job who opened the restaurant, kept it clean + stocked, kept the bathrooms cleaned, make the order, serve the order, help you if something is wrong, help keep condiments/drink machines working, etc.
I agree with this logic we should always tip everybody we interact with $1 and that isn't the standard. It's a weird thing. Tipping in the food service industry is just "accepted" the same way a 6% real estate facilitation commission is.
The customer should pay for the product. The employees should be paid by the employer. This whole tipping nonsense has been exacerbated by the move to POS systems nationwide. Tipping should be seen as a reward for doing something excellent or extraordinary.
How’s that my problem, exactly?
https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/05/homes/nar-verdict-real-estate...
Quite absurd practice that I really wish we can move away from as a society.
I still cave and end up tipping almost every time, since it's not the employees fault, but man - going to a frozen yogurt place, preparing everything myself, and having the checkout employee swing the tablet around for a tip always irks me.