TIPPING - - SO OUT OF HAND NOW it's absurd!

[Grayfox]

Throughout the history of the restaurant business, the wait staff is paid very poorly. Often minimum wage. Their real paycheck comes from customer tips.
If I get good service, I tip. If I get great service, I tip more.
If I get poor service I don't tip.
If I get an automatic prompt for a tip, I don't tip. However, if there is an automatic prompt, but I did get great service, I tip the waitress personally in cash.

 

[bdGreen]

I am not a cheap man.

No one I know will dispute that statement.

I tip as I feel like and never leave less than 15%.

But, my story will continue to be:

Say, three years ago you go to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. The Outback Special was around $12.00. I pay my 15% for normal service.

But, today the steak dinner cost upwards of $18.00 for the same Outback Special.

I still pay 15% tip 'cause there is your raise.

And, I don't TIP on TAX.

Don't levy a tax on my meal and expect me to reward anyone for it.

What grabs my goodies is when they print the TIP recommendations at the bottom of the receipt, they figure the amount that includes the TAX. That is BS in it's rawest form.

And yes, I frequently leave 18-20%, but I don't feel a bit guilty if I CHOOSE NOT TO.

Standard fare, standard service, 15% is the norm for me.

bdGreen

 

[Beemerguy53]

...today the steak dinner cost upwards of $18.00 for the same Outback Special.

I still pay 15% tip 'cause there is your raise.

And, I don't TIP on TAX.

Don't levy a tax on my meal and expect me to reward anyone for it.

What grabs my goodies is when they print the TIP recommendations at the bottom of the receipt, they figure the amount that includes the TAX. That is BS in it's rawest form.

Hmmmm...let's say, for the sake of argument, that you live here in the Peoples Republic of Maryland, where the sales tax is 6%...your $18.00 meal is $19.08 after tax.

Your 15% tip on an $18.00 check is $2.70, plus the $1.08 sales tax, for a total of $21.78...

Your 15% tip on an $19.08 check is $2.86, for a total of $21.94...

YMMV, but doing that extra calculation isn't worth saving $0.16 to me...

(Besides, I'm a "little" math-challenged. Try as they might, the School Sisters of Notre Dame just couldn't get math and science through my thick skull. )

 

[Beemerguy53]

On Saturday I was in a Vegas branch of the store in the OP. I noted the same thing on the credit card checkout device. I noted that the zero tip button took a couple of goes to get it to accept input. I wonder why.

It's probably the most frequently-pressed button, and is worn out...

 

[pawngal]

Throughout the history of the restaurant business, the wait staff is paid very poorly. Often minimum wage. Their real paycheck comes from customer tips.
If I get good service, I tip. If I get great service, I tip more.
If I get poor service I don't tip.
If I get an automatic prompt for a tip, I don't tip. However, if there is an automatic prompt, but I did get great service, I tip the waitress personally in cash.

In some states wait staff is only required to be paid $2.13 per hour. Tenneessee is one of those states.
2023 Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees by State

 

[UncleEd]

In some states wait staff is only required to be paid $2.13 per hour. Tenneessee is one of those states.
2023 Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees by State

This for Georgia as well. But a rule allows
that on poor tip days the minimum can be
around $7. Still zilch.

 

[dmn57]

I always tip, even for not-so-great service. For good service I generally start in the 20-25% range and have been known to leave a lot more if an outstanding time was had. Being old school, and having depended on tips for survival during past periods of employment, I tip after service is rendered, not before.

 

[Telecaster]

Looks like Doordash signed its own dearh warrant.

DoorDash Warns That Orders With No Tip May Take Longer to Deliver

 

[kozmic]

My wife and I tried a new restaurant (for us) last Friday. It is literally in the middle of nowhere, but has a great reputation. It was crowded, but we were seated promptly and asked if we wanted anything to drink besides water. We didn't have to ask for water. It just appeared. The waitress answered a quick question from my wife and took our order. The owner came over and chatted with us for a moment. Our food came out quickly. It was hot, the presentation was good and everything tasted great. After a few bites, the waitress asked if "everything was to our liking and if we needed anything". At the end of the meal our table was cleared and we were asked if we wanted coffee or dessert. We passed on that and were immediately handed our bill. There was a "tip suggestion guide" at the bottom of the page. I chuckled at it. My wife knew why.
Our bill was fairly small for a Friday night dinner without drinks or dessert. The idea of a tip based on a predetermined percentage seemed inappropriate given our food and service. I left her what amounted to about a 90% tip. The waitress followed us out to the parking lot and tried to give me some change even tho I had told her the bill was "all set". She was enormously grateful and completely shocked.
I say this because good restaurant service should still expected, but a memorable experience (nearly dead in most restaurants) should be rewarded accordingly.

 

[03hemi]

I agree
I'm an huge tipper, an over tipper because I get it, I tip too much.
However, I won't tip on any non service.

 

[CH4]

Yes, tipping in the USA is absurd.
I am a flat rate tipper. A percentage is based on how much you order, not the effort required of the individual. If I order a $50 steak or $12 hamburger, the amount of work required by the server is the same. I enjoy tipping for good service, but I dictate how much of a tip I leave, not someone else. Speaking of percentage, what happened to leaving the equivalent of the sales tax or 10%? Seems the main beneficiary is currently the employer. I never leave the tip on the card, I leave cash.

 

[Krogen]

Looks like Doordash signed its own dearh warrant.

DoorDash Warns That Orders With No Tip May Take Longer to Deliver

A catch-22. I think a tip comes after service and should be based on the quality of that service. Up front, it's simply a form of bribery. If I don't tip a dasher up front and they delay a delivery, that's poor service. Cold food, long delay = no tip. They assume I'm a cheapskate and perform accordingly. Doesn't occur to them that if they perform well, I would reward accordingly.

It's the entitlement mentality. They expect a participation trophy, errr.... tip.

 

[mtgianni]

Hmmmm...let's say, for the sake of argument, that you live here in the Peoples Republic of Maryland, where the sales tax is 6%...your $18.00 meal is $19.08 after tax.

Your 15% tip on an $18.00 check is $2.70, plus the $1.08 sales tax, for a total of $21.78...

Your 15% tip on an $19.08 check is $2.86, for a total of $21.94...

YMMV, but doing that extra calculation isn't worth saving $0.16 to me...

(Besides, I'm a "little" math-challenged. Try as they might, the School Sisters of Notre Dame just couldn't get math and science through my thick skull. )

Lets say dinner for 4 runs $100. A 15% tip including tax would be $15.90, without $15.
Coming from a state that has no sales tax I hate it in all forms and tip pre tax.

 

[16thVACav]

Looks like Doordash signed its own dearh warrant.

DoorDash Warns That Orders With No Tip May Take Longer to Deliver

If I used a food delivery service, I'd be less concerned about slow service than having "secret sauce" added to my food.

 

[smoothshooter]

yet another reason to pay cash.

And another reason not to have a big wedding.
My wife and I had about 25 people at our wedding.
No muss
No fuss
No drama
No cat fights
No stress
Low cost

I hear about families spending thousands and tens of thousands on a wedding, and just shake my head.
Seems silly, especially knowing that over 50 % of marriages don't last.

 

[Chuck24]

The new self service pumps at a gas station I frequent has a tip prompt on it

 

[Protocall_Design]

Pay yourself and keep the tip.

 

[DWalt]

Saw on the news today that Doordash has a new policy. If you are not a big tipper, your food arrives cold if it arrives at all.

 

[LVSteve]

Here in Vegas I think the Convention and Visitors Authority (yes, it's actually a thing) is going to issue a tipping guide for the Formula 1 visitors arriving shortly. The taxi authority has already slapped on a $15 surcharge for airport trips that week. Vegas used to be a fun place where the money grubbing was largely kept out of sight. Not any more.

 

[daveyc]

Tipping has gone totally out of control in the U.S. It is certainly considered an expectation and no longer a reward for excellence. Why would I tip someone who does average work? Outstanding, sure. but not average. Subpar work? Not a chance. I live in a state where the employer is to make the difference between earnings and minimum wage if wait staff does not get tipped up to that point.

I figure that if a person decides that waiting tables is what they want to do, that is fine, but if you want to make good tips that should mean outstanding service. remember. waitstaff have chosen these positions.

as far as everyone leaving the tip jar on the counter: convenience stores, gas stations, coffee shops, etc. no way.