"Tipflation" in the USA

[bkizzle1318]

We went out for Father’s Day this year to a “nice” restaurant and they added a 18% gratuity charge to the bill. What was irritating was that the restaurant is nice but not that nice. I used to work a highly customer service oriented job where I would be the only person from the company the customer would ever see. In their house nonetheless. There was no option for tipping unless the customer decided to do so of their own choice. Technically we weren’t supposed to accept but would if the customer insisted. So I tip how good the waiter or waitresses service is. On the opposite side of that you have people like my MIL who turns into an overly loud and obnoxious Karen when the wait staff service is horrible. That I refuse to go to dinner with her even if she’s paying because I get worried the cooks going to spit in our food because of her. I started to feel obligated to tip on top of what she tipped because I was embarrassed to be seen with her. So I see why there is tipping culture but I don’t think that we should be obligated or displayed on an iPad for other customers in line behind you to see. Should be able to be like my customers who would tip me of their own volition because I provided an outstanding level of service.

[chris12381]

8 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

I tipped harder during Covid with the thought that it helped the restaurants that were offering carry-out survive.  Now it's back to normal for me.  

Yep.

[SCgarman]

17 hours ago, bkizzle1318 said:

We went out for Father’s Day this year to a “nice” restaurant and they added a 18% gratuity charge to the bill. What was irritating was that the restaurant is nice but not that nice. I used to work a highly customer service oriented job where I would be the only person from the company the customer would ever see. In their house nonetheless. There was no option for tipping unless the customer decided to do so of their own choice. Technically we weren’t supposed to accept but would if the customer insisted. So I tip how good the waiter or waitresses service is. On the opposite side of that you have people like my MIL who turns into an overly loud and obnoxious Karen when the wait staff service is horrible. That I refuse to go to dinner with her even if she’s paying because I get worried the cooks going to spit in our food because of her. I started to feel obligated to tip on top of what she tipped because I was embarrassed to be seen with her. So I see why there is tipping culture but I don’t think that we should be obligated or displayed on an iPad for other customers in line behind you to see. Should be able to be like my customers who would tip me of their own volition because I provided an outstanding level of service.

How many in your party? Many places charge an automatic 18% on 6 or more people. Not all though.

[bkizzle1318]

15 hours ago, SCgarman said:

How many in your party? Many places charge an automatic 18% on 6 or more people. Not all though.

There was eight of us, 4 adults and 4 kids with two separate bills that had the 18% added on. So two parties of four.

[BrightonCorgi]

A tip should be higher if a bartender made ten $15 drinks than one $150 bottle of Champagne.  I have friends that could be served dog shit, their wives called a whore and they're still tipping 20+%.  I wish there were restaurants in the states that were tip free. Just pay the servers more and that's that. 

When is service really ever something to get excited about beyond a fancy restaurant?

[Koaxke]

I agree, it's definitely gotten out of control.  I have no problem tipping at normal places (barbershop, actual restaurant where I sit down to eat, bar, etc.), but I'm not tipping you for making a bagel, or for me to go in and carry out my food.

[jakebarnes]

12 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

A tip should be higher if a bartender made ten $15 drinks than one $150 bottle of Champagne.  I have friends that could be served dog shit, their wives called a whore and they're still tipping 20+%.  I wish there were restaurants in the states that were tip free. Just pay the servers more and that's that. 

When is service really ever something to get excited about beyond a fancy restaurant?

This. In Paris right now. Pay the workers, plug it into pricing, get rid of tips. Everyone wins. 

[MrBirdman]

15 hours ago, bkizzle1318 said:

There was eight of us, 4 adults and 4 kids with two separate bills that had the 18% added on. So two parties of four.

But when you made the reservation I’m guessing you made it for 8. 

[Dozerhead]

The tipping culture is absurd in the US, imo. What is strange to me is that people will bitch and moan about the cost of taxes, insurance, and food, but will gladly throw in a 20% tip on top of an overpriced fast food meal without even thinking about. 

[MrBirdman]

2 hours ago, Dozerhead said:

The tipping culture is absurd in the US, imo. What is strange to me is that people will bitch and moan about the cost of taxes, insurance, and food, but will gladly throw in a 20% tip on top of an overpriced fast food meal without even thinking about. 

Tipping isn’t cultural though, it’s economic. Tips are how real wait staff make a living in the US. Actual table servers make like $2 an hour so if you aren’t tipping you’re essentially exploiting them. If you don’t want to tip them, don’t eat out.

The issue here is people asking for tips where they had previously never been expected and the staff in question make actual minimum wages.

[Homer]

9 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

A tip should be higher if a bartender made ten $15 drinks than one $150 bottle of Champagne.  I have friends that could be served dog shit, their wives called a whore and they're still tipping 20+%.  I wish there were restaurants in the states that were tip free.  Just pay the servers more and that's that. 

When is service really ever something to get excited about beyond a fancy restaurant?

Welcome to Finland. In our culture we usually don't tip. In Helsinki and other bigger cities when we pay the restaurant bill the card reader machine (or what that is called) asks do you want to tip? I don't pay any extra unless the service and food are really good.

[Fireball]

5 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

The issue here is people asking for tips where they had previously never been expected and the staff in question make actual minimum wages.

Exactly right.  

[Greenhorn2]

It's getting nuts, especially in larger cities. I go to my small town restaurants where tipping is actually still optional and I know most of the servers. They are hard working individuals and actually deserve a decent tip. The last time I ate in a larger city was a pitiful experience around 2 1/2 years ago. I just don't do it anymore. A bologna sandwich at the house seems more pleasurable these days.

[Bijan]

9 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

Tipping isn’t cultural though, it’s economic. Tips are how real wait staff make a living in the US. Actual table servers make like $2 an hour so if you aren’t tipping you’re essentially exploiting them. If you don’t want to tip them, don’t eat out.

The issue here is people asking for tips where they had previously never been expected and the staff in question make actual minimum wages.

It's definitely economic. But it's also a culture. Here in Ontario at least wait staff make actual minimum wage of around $15. But tipping does not look to be going away here.

And to me it's a culture that has downsides.

[Fuzz]

12 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

Tipping isn’t cultural though, it’s economic. Tips are how real wait staff make a living in the US. Actual table servers make like $2 an hour so if you aren’t tipping you’re essentially exploiting them. If you don’t want to tip them, don’t eat out.

The issue here is people asking for tips where they had previously never been expected and the staff in question make actual minimum wages.

Correction, the employer is exploiting the staff. Just pay your staff a decent wage and stop expecting your customers to make up the difference.

[MrBirdman]

1 hour ago, Fuzz said:

Correction, the employer is exploiting the staff. Just pay your staff a decent wage and stop expecting your customers to make up the difference.

That’s just not how it works here. It’s not a sensible system, I agree, but it’s the system we’ve got. In the US if you aren’t tipping the staff you’re a jerk exploiting the fact that technically tipping isn’t mandatory. 

[TacoSauce]

14 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

Tipping isn’t cultural though, it’s economic. Tips are how real wait staff make a living in the US. Actual table servers make like $2 an hour so if you aren’t tipping you’re essentially exploiting them. If you don’t want to tip them, don’t eat out.

The issue here is people asking for tips where they had previously never been expected and the staff in question make actual minimum wages.

I think you might be laboring under a common misconception regarding payment to tipped workers in the US. While some servers might technically be paid $2/hr before tips, in reality, they are guaranteed by law to be paid the minimum wage. So if they receive low or no tips for their shift, their employer has to make up the shortfall and pay them the full minimum wage. 

[SCgarman]

2 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

That’s just not how it works here. It’s not a sensible system, I agree, but it’s the system we’ve got. In the US if you aren’t tipping the staff you’re a jerk exploiting the fact that technically tipping isn’t mandatory. 

Giving a tip for "service" has always been the norm. Full service restaurants, dog groomers, hair cuts, etc. The whole nonsense now is tipping when paying a bill where there is no "personal service" from a human. If I order normal takeout and take home food, a pizza, Chinese, I'm simply not leaving a tip. And dining at a buffet, where all they do is fill your drink and take away the dirty plates is not going to get my 20% neither. I may leave a 5 or 10, depending on our party. The places of business now where a tip is "mentioned" or "tip reminder" is basically everywhere now. It has gone above and beyond ridiculous in the last year or two.

[MrBirdman]

1 hour ago, TacoSauce said:

I think you might be laboring under a common misconception regarding payment to tipped workers in the US. While some servers might technically be paid $2/hr before tips, in reality, they are guaranteed by law to be paid the minimum wage. So if they receive low or no tips for their shift, their employer has to make up the shortfall and pay them the full minimum wage. 

I’m very well aware of that and no, it doesn’t make it ok to stiff your waiter. 

[Arminius]

I used to never tip when I first got to the US, because we don't have a tip culture back in my (birth) country except for exceptional service usually in upscale restaurants. But over time I kinda realized that when you don't tip in the US, you are basically screwing people over because they don't get paid enough... Also good luck getting your food clean and safe if you order Doordash or something and don't tip  So I usually give the bare minimum of 15% in normal places, and 20-25% depending on service in upscale restaurants. 

[Sir Diggamus]

You are 100% right @El Presidente, tipping has gotten out of control in the US. I talk about this often with my wife, because it seems every week we find somewhere new flipping around that kiosk and asking for a tip where it was never asked for previously.

I have heard of a few studies that show when people pay digitally they spend more, so I think it is possible that these newer kiosk POS systems are building tipping into software and selling it as an additional revenue option for businesses that never received tips before. 
 

 

[Thirdcoastwatch]

49 minutes ago, Sir Diggamus said:

You are 100% right @El Presidente, tipping has gotten out of control in the US. I talk about this often with my wife, because it seems every week we find somewhere new flipping around that kiosk and asking for a tip where it was never asked for previously.

I have heard of a few studies that show when people pay digitally they spend more, so I think it is possible that these newer kiosk POS systems are building tipping into software and selling it as an additional revenue option for businesses that never received tips before.

I have found myself paying cash for takeout much more often over the last few years (and spending/tipping less) given the “guilt flip” kiosks

[JohnnyO]

By law in Miami and Ft Lauderdale ALL airport employees earn a minimum wage of $18.65/hr. In the Miami airport there are restaurants that put 18% on your bill but says you can remove it. But it also provides another space for you to put a tip on top of that tip. Your plane leaves in 30 minutes and you want to get to your gate, they stall with your check. In a hurry, you dont look at it sign it and add a tip when there is already one on there. On several occasions they have presented the bill but forgot to bring the credit card back. That's the game they are playing now. John

[DaBoot]

I don’t even want to start on the ridiculous subject of tipping…. 

[joeypots]

Minimum wage for tipped workers in the USA is $6.75/hour.

Restaurant service staff rarely receive any benefits or employment contracts and are unlikely to have any job security whatsoever. It’s not ok to stiff service staff in a full service restaurant even if you think the system is crazy.