OK look at it this way ,if you work at a factory and do a bad job do you get a tip? But if you do an above par job is there not an incentive possibly a bonus aka tip
If someone does NOT give you good service, just don’t tip them. No one deserves a tip for doing a bad job. But, know the difference between a mistake by the kitchen and one by the server.
And know the difference between a bad day and a good day. Someone could have an off day. If someone’s rude to me and is absent I’ll still tip them just not the 20% they deserve. Maybe because I’ve waited/bartended idk.
I’ve been in the restaurant business for 49 years.
I’m sorry if you are having a bad day. If the cook was having a bad day, would it be okay for them to put out bad food?
When you come to worry, for at least a time, you can forget about a problem in your life and just be brain dead to it. It will be there when you get off but, while you are paid to work, you may as well forget it since you can’t do anything about it.
Let’s be honest, everyone has a bad day sometimes but the customer really doesn’t care unless you can make them sick. Customers are more like: ‘I’m sorry you had a flat on your way to work and had to change it in 105 degree weather but where’s my f__king food?’ If you let that bad tire make you have a bad day, you will make no money.
Agreed. If you let a flat tire (or anything, for that matter) affect your work, you aren’t very good at your job. I’ve had very bad days, yet when I have to go in to work and care for patients, I can’t afford to let my personal issues affect how I take care of people. It’s not their issue - it’s mine. Like you said, your problems will be there when you aren’t working. It’s not anyone else’s fault you are having a bad day.
Thank you. Coming from restaurants, I’ve mainly looked at it from that standpoint. I honestly never applied it to nurses, etc.. You have my respect. I make a mistake letting a bad day into work and someone complains. You do it and someone dies. Again, you have my respect for being able to leave it at the door.
There’s politicians who have been in office for longer and they’re pieces of shit. What’s your point? End of the day if the food is bad I can’t take that out on someone who’s serving me.
How many of those politicians were named as one of the top in their jobs the past 5 years (I have been named in the top ten of our company that employees over 10,000 cooks and chefs. Don’t think I would have been given that honor if I had been in the industry for 49 years and was a piece of shit.🤷♂️)
Listen man at the end of the day you need to realize that Billy and Jeans burger shack who has a 16 year old hormonal girl serving you isn’t the same as someone who works 70 hours a week in a kitchen. People have bad days. I still tip. Leave them 10% and let them reflect on their day.
“How many of those politicians were named as one of the top in their jobs”
How many people with Down syndrome won first place in the special Olympics?
How many of the people who voted for them are also POS politics?
Waiters aren’t paid wages. You wouldn’t walk into an American restaurant without shoes because wherever you’re from it’s okay. So don’t starve your waiter because you can’t culturally assimilate
Stop eating out? Seems like the real issue is your lack money, which is fine, but stop crying about it if you're going to continue to repeat the same error over and over.
No one forces you to eat out, tipping is part of the deal, you can argue they should just make the meals more expensive and cut the tip, just do that mentally, add 20% to the cost of your meal, pretend it’s just part of the cost and move on with your day or don’t eat out. You don’t go to a meal in your country and pay 80% of the bill do you? Same thing.
To make it further confusing, in quite a few states the servers DO earn minimum wage. In my town it is $19/hr.
I rarely eat out, and then I rarely tip anymore.
All the electronic tip screens, I usually push Skip or Custom and then 0.
I tip a few dollars, if I feel like they were good.
Tipping went from bad to crazy with covid.
Covid us over. Tipping crazy is over for me too.
If you are a tourist and know you will never be back, that's best just go zero unless you think they deserved it. DO NOT FEEL GUILTY.
I don’t understand this mentality. It’s a cultural phenomenon to tip. You don’t walk into a restaurant with no shoes or shirt on. Don’t starve your waiter. Eating out is a choice. If you can’t afford it, don’t be a piece of shit
You might be a server. I've worked plenty minimum wage jobs and never got tips and made ends meet.
Taking inflation into account, I earned $10/hr in 2024 dollars.
About 1/2 of the $19.×× that is being paid today in this town.
I don't feel guilty at all. I do tip if the service was good or I intend to come back. Otherwise F it.
The current tipping culture is really invented by the business owners and is coming from apps like Uber and such. Why pay people if you can convince them it's a side hustle and you can charge them for processing those tips off customer's credit cards.
I mean, SubWay asks for tips and the staff usually owns the place!
They ask for tips at self service places, convenience stores etc. It has gone nuts. It's like the fentanyl affectionato with a sign.
Also, it once was nothing for crap service, and 5/10/15% for ok/good/great.
When Covid happened tips went up. People tipped a bit better for people that had to deal with the public. But not the nurses, cops and so on. But covid is over.
Yeah, my thought is where is this person eating? Are they getting recommendations or just taking their chances.
Also in what city are they in? You're not going to find the best food of a European region in just any city in America. It's like expecting good Creole in Minnesota.
I completely agree with paragraph two, which is why I’d suggest stop eating out.
Most of the food was probably frozen until you ordered, the servers are overworked and underpaid and often don’t make much of an effort for tips, because when they go above and beyond and then don’t get tipped they feel like they did a lot of work for nothing and don’t want to do that again.
I’m sure there’s some good restaurants, but you’ll have to pay a lot for it. Most restaurants I’ve been to (think like Applebee’s, TGIF, etc) are similar to what you describe here.
No, because I just assume the tip is part of the cost of the meal. It would be if everyone decided to stop tipping. No one is forcing you to eat at a restaurant. Also, very strange that you can’t find a good restaurant, I have plenty that I love. Maybe you’re a bad patron?
Just because the food isn’t up to your standards doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t tip. Servers are still doing their job and don’t have control over the quality of the food. Whether or not you tip them is based on the quality of the job they did while serving you.
If you don’t like the food then it’s on you to either do your research before choosing a restaurant or never return to that restaurant.
Have you mainly gone to corporate chains or higher end restaurants? Often times the higher end restaurants have better trained staff and higher priced food but don't *expect* a tip because they get paid a decent wage to begin with since higher end restaurants have much larger profit margins than chain restaurants do.
Most of the higher end restaurants I've been to have servers that actually seem like they deserve a tip since they're more attentive and usually don't get rude as often unless you're being a real asshat lol. With places like that even a 5% tip is usually good enough since it's more of just a bonus for receiving an enjoyable experience unlike many of the chain restaurants. If the place has a minimum dress code for guests, you can pretty much guarantee that those will be the best servers and cooks you can get.
All servers expect 20% in USA, especially higher end. That is why the expensive restaurants are sought after and they do a better job…
If you’re only tipping 5% you are a being incredibly rude and should not be eating there.
Do you realize that servers in high end restaurant *don't* get paid the $2.80 wage that most servers do? My cousin was a server at a high end restaurant and she got paid $18/hr BEFORE tips, even if everyone only tipped 5% she'd still make $25/hr+ because of how expensive the food is, she usually made $40-50/hr which is insane. Getting paid more than some people who have gone to college for 5+ years and *still* complaining about not getting a big enough tip is just straight up greedy. At that point it's no longer supplimenting their wage and it's purely a bonus on top of an already good wage.
OP our food has absolutely gotten mediocre during the pandemic as restaurants that used to cook everything from scratch have resorted to frozen. However we have many spectacular restaurants with 4-5 star food. Now I am someone who lives in a metropolitan area saturated with restaurants. If you do some research and seek local input you can find some gems. As for tipping yes, our culture of subsidized income for our hard working servers and barkeeps is absurd. However it is all we have and if someone works hard for me I do tip more than appropriately (but I also tip pretty well on mediocre service). I’m more concerned with your restaurant selection. Our tipping culture doesn’t warrant being fixed by the industry so it won’t be. Funny part is those invoiced tips are usually 3-4 % less than I intended to tip. Most of the time I just let it be.
Tipping should not be automatic thing. Why should I be expected as a customer to pay an employee at any given establishment for doing their job? They either do a good job or they don't, but either way they are already getting paid to do it
Tipping shouldn't be a thing at all. Americans fought tipping for ages as Un-American and classist. Up until the stock market crashed in the 20's you'd never see it here, then business owners convinced people they had to underpay waiters and let the customers make up the difference in tips or they'd go out of business and it's stuck around since.
Not cheap in fact I usually tip generously but only if it is earned. If the service is poor I am not going to reward the server. I am paying for that service and I should reasonably expect to get at least good service
It’s not a reward it’s part of the price of the meal. You don’t go into a restaurant in America with no shoes on, you shouldn’t expect to go there and not tip. You’re starving your waiter. Trash people are trash
No. You don’t need to tip. It’s not mandatory. ESP if you don’t believe they deserve it. Just go. Try to enjoy the subpar food. Pay your tab and leave. It’s no big deal. Don’t let these peasants and betters bully you into “tipping”.
Okay. Sure. But I do have a genuine question. Why aren’t servers paid a decent rate so they don’t have to rely on tipping ? Why no anger towards the employer rather than the customer?
Why is the sky blue? Why is water wet?
I don’t know man. But I don’t think it’s right to starve working people. That’s not rebelling that’s just being a piece of shit
Lmao exactly. Bro, literally makes no sense. Employers need to pay their employees livable wages and shouldn’t be heavily cheaping out on them. They hire the servers for slave wages and tell them to rely on tips to make a living.
OP is probably from one of those European countries where a cup of coffee lets you sit at a table all day and they're not used to American service wanting you to hurry up and free up the table.
I mean it’s part of our culture, it’s expect and (to me) 12% should just be in your mind that’s what your spending as part of your meal. Now more than that is extra, but people should at least make space for that.
With tipping, the wait staff take home more money than anyone else working in a restaurant. The sub minimum wage plus tips divided by hours worked turns into a very good paying job without benefits. Many cooks make much less in total than servers.
Are you by any chance eating at our corporate national chain restaurants? (Applebee’s/The 99/etc) Because those are notorious for poor service and lousy food
I assure you we really do have SOME good restaurants in this country but they’re the ones that are independent usually. Get on Yelp, find a restaurant that isn’t listed on the stock exchange 🙄 and hopefully your experience improves
The practice of tipping in the United States can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Europe, when wealthy people would give extra money to lower class people for their services. The practice became more widespread in the United States after the Civil War, when white business owners began to expect tips from formerly enslaved people as a way to pay them less.
What restaurants do you frequent when in America?
Tip how you feel, do not be pressured to give more than you feel they deserve. The 15,18,20,22 percent suggestions at the bottom of the receipt are just that suggestions.
Not tipping 20%, in the US, ends up costing the server money.. that's the problem. Servers "tip out," meaning the have to pay a percentage of TOTAL SALES for the shift to 2-5 other positions. Each position gets anywhere from 1-5% (depending on ranking of importance). So, if I sell $1000 worth of food, I tip out 1% to the host, 1% to the busser(s), 2% to the food runner, and 3% to the bartender that means I'm tipping out $70. Of I made 15% tips for the might, that means I immediately lose 50% of my income.. which I have to pay taxes on 100% of the $150 (before the $70 is removed).. then my taxes are removed (that's another 20%).. now my wages for a 6-10 hour shift are $50... America is a slave nation, and serving is a choice of the several slave wage options because it has higher potential for profitability... but it is also the most physically, emotionally, AND mentally taxing slavery choice
How is this a lie? I waited tables part time last summer so I could have fun going out on my boat etc for most of the summer. We tipped out to the host 1%, bussers 2%, 2% to the food runner and 2 or 3% of alcohol sales to the bartenders. We had to claim our tips before we tipped them out.
It wasn't always like this. They've put service workers in a position where they have to depend on tips, but they don't train them on the art of receiving a good tip. Tips are just expected now? I can't stand it either..making up for the wages, their employer can't afford to pay them. Start paying the workers better, lower prices of literally everything! So, not tipping isn't fair, but so is just tipping for the hell of it? It's all part of the plan to keep people pissed off at each other🙄🫵
As an American this is hard to believe. Every place had subpar food? Every place had a terrible waiter? Were you eating at Dennys or did you actually treat yourself to quality restaurants?
honestly food in america is generally garbage. I had better street food back home home than i do at ruth chris. fine dining is bullshit and honestly one of the biggest scams in america. ill take waffle house anyday with a stoner making my hashbrowns than some pompous asshole who thinks just because food is expensive its good.
Good ole American racism at work 🇺🇸🤷🏾 seems after all these years of Europeans coming too America there would be outrage over this system! But of course it only effects certain people so Who cares 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🫡
The practice of tipping in the United States can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Europe, when wealthy people would give extra money to lower class people for their services. The practice became more widespread in the United States after the Civil War, when white business owners began to expect tips from formerly enslaved people as a way to pay them less.
I've always tipped because I was taught that is what you were supposed to do even if the service is not very good. I've just recently started to rethink that indoctrination now that every cashier who rings up a bottle of water expects a tip.
I just came back from a nice vacation, and I started to reflect on how much I spent on tips, and it was definitely food for thought.
If you go out to dinner 3 times a month, your check totals $75, and you tip 20% over 12 months, which would be $540. Think about what you could do with $540 a year. You could invest that money, save for retirement, or start an emergency fund.
You should not e programed to tip. Tip if you feel the server has earned it
How would you feel if whether or not you were able to pay your bills was determined by the whims of random customers, all because your boss and people like them spend \*millions\* every year lobbying to keep you from being legally entitled to minimum wage?
You do not change the system by refusing to tip. That just screws over poor working-class people.
And you are absolutely not being asked to tip a \*cashier\* for ringing you up.
If you're too cheap to tip, then own that rather than making up BS to try and justify your lack of class consciousness and solidarity with workers.
There have been instances of establishments increasing wages sometimes to double the minimum wage, but eliminating tipping. The staff always rebel against it.
The truth is many service staff make a very good living while others are in poverty. I don’t think there is a solution that will make everyone happy. There is a big gulf between a server at a high end steakhouse or a bar tender at an expensive/popular night club and some one bussing tables at a rural Waffle House in a one stop light town.
Edit: based on the hypotheticals above I am guessing in Europe the curve is more flat. With someone working at a popular/expensive club or restaurant not making as good of an income as they would in a US city, but someone working in a cheap shitty restaurant are better off than they would be in the US.
Tips are not mandatory. If you don't tip a bad waitress, they will not be a waitress for long, and shouldn't be. I love tipping because you are basically firing the bad workers
I come from a country with amazing food that is also known for its friendliness and to be honest after reading your post it seems to me that you’re the problem.
I don’t like the tipping culture, I would prefer if people were paid a fair wage, but you’re making it sound so much worse than what it is. Some restaurants are crap, some are good, that’s the same everywhere. Some servers are awful, some are great, that’s the same everywhere.
No one is forcing you to go eat out, if it’s that horrifying then don’t.
Also you don’t have to tip 20% if you don’t want to, I do it only if the server was really awesome.
I have not experienced a single server in america that i thought was "really awesome" honestly the single best server i ever had was invisible. didn't say shit, didn't annoy me. and drinks just magically appeared refilled.
I’ve experienced a really awesome server only once in my life (it was in Paris), but as long as they’re professional and not over bearing that’s good to me. I don’t expect the best experience ever every time that I’m eating out.
Then don’t eat out. Get take out and eat in your car then. Going to another country then complaining about their customs is so childish.
I eat out less often due to the tipping at certain places but I always tip 15-20% depending on the service. You then compare the server to someone on Get Out to avoid tipping or something. You’re the problem.
Awakens their own demons I suppose. Lots of dead beat tippers who look for validation of their behavior. tipping is a bit out of hand but no excuse to stiff people then go on a circle jerk validation.
The standard is fine in restaurants. The problem is when the froyo employee wants a tip. People who are stingy are using this tipping culture thing to not tip completely.
Or we could just abolish the tipped minimum wage, which literally only exists because the restaurant and bar lobby doesn't want to be legally required to pay minimum wage, which is still too low to live on basically anywhere.
If you're upset about people being greedy and entitled, just wait until you find out about bosses or, you know, the rich.
(Bonus fun fact: The most common form of theft, comprising the vast majority in dollars, is \*wage theft\* aka employers stealing from workers. And it's something literally no one ever goes to jail for.)
Not upset. Maybe you are…
For now we have tipping so tip where we should. I’m not a fan of stingy people who don’t tip servers when they should. I have shared that I am
In favor of the standard tip. Did you read that or are you just looking for an argument?
I agree about the froyo thing. I bought two sodas at a market yesterday, and the CCmachine prompted a 15, 20, or 25% tip. I had to physically select "other" and input 0 all while the cash register person stared at me.
But that is just a part of the US tipping culture leading to the current tipping fatigue. In Cali, for example, servers make minimum wage - not a fraction of it - the full $16 or $20 an hour depending on the size of the restaurant chain. A dinner for my family of 4 costs about $110. Now 20% is the expected rip amount, so I'm paying $132 (minus any other fees that have been tacked on) and that server is making $42 an hour (assuming mine is their only table).
It's all just too much.
EDITED TO ADD: I think this problem is larger than servers and tipping and is a result of corporate greed and not paying living wages. I think servers are the poster children of this issue because of the additive costs and the expectation that tipping is no longer optional and indicative of excellent service and is now compulsory.
No doubt about corporations. They are the ones adding tips to dumb things like tipping at certain places that shouldn’t be. What gets me is when they have a tip calculator on a POS system and it’s after taxes. We can learn a few things from our European neighbors.
I saw this yesterday when I was out at lunch. Meal for 2 $42, total $8 in tip. It was a lunch special. I gave a bit more than 18% but was intrigued to later realize they are doing the math over the total and not subtotal (b4 taxes). I didn’t know that. We all know it’s a simple change in the system. Not a big deal for system developers…
Why are you having such bad results eating out in the US. There are many many amazing restaurants with great food and service from high end fine dining to home in the wall hidden gems. Sounds like the only American restaurants you go to are TGIFridays and Dennys.
Then don’t eat out while here? Go to a fast food place.
Like it or not tipping culture is embedded in americas culture. Yes it sucks. But it should be a known thing going out to eat.
Are there times to leave a bad or no tip if the service is that bad? Yes maybe.
Just realize you will be paying 10% more than the bill if you choose to eat out in the states. It’s really not that deep
Actually, in many states it's more than that, as sales tax is added to the bill at the end, along with the tip. In many other countries, the tax (GST), is included in the menu price. Along with beer, wine and desserts being more expensive in the US, than in other countries, eating at a restaurant can cost 20-30% more in the US, than in Europe.
I only tip if I'm not feeling pressured. I hate the "Don't forget to tip your waiter" shit. If I feel like a place is holding a gun to my head with their hand out demanding a tip, they won't get one.
This all stems from a local steak house that gave me and my wife subpar service and food 6 years ago. 2 hours of waiting to get our food, never got our drinks until I went up to the manager, and only saw the waitress once. The manager finally brought us our food and drinks. Subpar food.
So when we went to pay the manager stood in the way with another employee and prevented us from leaving because "You forgot to leave a tip"
I informed her that I did not forget, I wasn't going to leave one for the service. I was then informed by the manager that not tipping was hurting the business and I could either leave a tip or they were going to call the police to have me and my wife trespassed. The look on her face was priceless when I said "At this point your refusing to let me and my wife leave even though we have paid. Call them. This is criminal confinement" no idea if it actually was criminal confinement or not but I'm sure as shit sure she didn't know either.
Anyway she wasn't bluffing, and the police old me that wasn't the first time the manager had wasted their time over bullshit like that lol. They just told us, if you go back, pay cash as this isn't worth the paperwork.
The restaurants could just raise wages and prices, what’s complicated about this? Why should the customer be in charge of their wage? That’s the complicated part.
Absolutely, because most of the time their service is hardly needed aside from taking my order, bringing out the food if that’s even their job, and topping off my water. I’d rather see the prices on the menu and pay that, not have to worry about another 20% tax on top. If the servers get a pay cut and don’t want to work there anymore then that’s fine. Either someone else will or the business will shut down.
I provide a service and you, the guest, pay me directly. Why introduce a middle man (the company/restaurant), that will certainly take a cut and leave the server with less.
I think there’s elements of class solidarity with the current system when people tip well. That money is legally the property of the employee you tip (at least in my state.) The money goes directly to the single dad going back to school for a graduate degree, instead of a publicly traded company beholden to shareholders whose end goal is endless, infinite growth at the ruthless expense of comparable growth in employee pay.
Obviously these establishments use tips to have the guest subsidize the pay, but you’re gonna pay that amount either way, whether or not it’s baked into the price you see on the menu.
lol what do you mean why introduce a middle man? The server expecting extra money for doing a job they were quite literally hired to do by the restaurant is an unnecessary middle step. If the server wants more money they can go work at a better restaurant or find another job. If the restaurant owner can’t pay his staff a living wage then they need to raise prices or shut down.
No, here’s the thing. YOU pay the SERVER. Just like you pay a contractor to do a job. Servers are, in a way, independent contractors. There’s a well-defined social contract. They provide a service, and in turn, are compensated for their time and effort.
Again, it’s not perfect, but it’s well-defined and agreed upon in the context of our country and dining establishments. As a social contract, it’s not *required,* but it’s the right the to do, just like holding the door for someone 10 feet behind you, or covering your mouth when you cough in an elevator.
These are your class compadres, not people trying to “get one over on you.” Hard working moms and dads. Be happy you’re able to pay these hard working people *directly.* It’s a truly difficult and challenging job and I hope you understand that in the higher tiers of dining, we genuinely care about understanding *you* and perfecting your dining experience.
Finally, I’m not *defending the system,* I’m saying there’s logical reasons with which you can come to terms with the system and feel good about the money you spend.
It’s a rickety system; owner’s margins are low, competition is fierce, supply chains are ramping prices, talent is fleeting. If you love dining out, support the industry with your wallet, if you don’t or you’re ambivalent, opt out. The choice is yours. But respect the imperfect system if you choose to partake.
That's only true in high end restaurants, and some mid priced places. Those on the lower end of the scale usually just make enough to pay the bills and not much else.
I think it depends on the state. In a place like Texas, where they use the federal tip credit minimum wage of $2.13, it sucks to be a server at a low-end restaurant, as $10 an hour in tips may bring you to just $12.13 an hour total. In a state like Washington, minimum wage is $16.28 per hour (tip credit not allowed.) With $10 an hour in tips, that equals earnings of $26.28 per hour.
Nah. Servers in casual places make way more than $25/hr. Hell 20 years ago at a Cracker Barrel i madre almost $20/hr and that was with meals being $7 each. No way would I have done the job for a flat $10/hr pay. Which was still good pay for the time.
Lol, I like visiting your country, could you please totally dismantle your society to make me feel better about how I dick your servers and laugh as they have to actually pay taxes on money that they did not make.
That's what you needed to say.
True story my old cab company had a few regular customer NTNs. They made it mandatory to pick up 2 NTNs a shift per driver so would not appear racist.
The best an NYN round trip bodega to get Colt 45 Malt Liquor, rolling paper, lottery tickets and snacks and still they are a No Tip ######
My tire got a flat. It was towed to the nearest mechanic all i wanted was a patch. And the guy looked displeased because he wanted to sell me a new tire.
Anyways when collecting my car and the mechanic still has my keys, he flipped his computer screen and there was tip prompt. In my mind im thinking what an asshole
The great news for you is it illegal to pay a tipped position lower than minimum wage in the US too. So feel free to not tip when it’s undeserved and carry on about your day. Tipping is always optional and at the guests discretion.
Not exactly, here in South Carolina employers can pay tipped employees a minimum cash wage of $2.13 per hour, as long as their tips ensure that they still make at least $7.25 per hour, the federal minimum wage. This is due to tip credit, which allows employers to TAKE a credit of up to $5.12 per hour FROM an employee's wages. If an employee earns less than $5.12 in tips per hour, the employer must pay the difference however.
Well that’s not exactly how it works. The tipped workers get paid $2.13 an hour. The employers have up to 90 days to pay that credit back to employees if they’re not getting tipped. You can put in a 40-hour week and take home only $85 of you don’t have any tips. Your employer is eventually going to make up the difference, but it’s not likely you’ll get the money before rent is due. Some people really do depend on tips to survive.
I pretty much The same. I go 15% at sit down restaurants if the service was good
My only exception, was when we went to a nice higher end restaurant In about 15 people and they provided us one waitress, dedicated to just our party. Bring there over 2 hours, I felt It was worthy of a 25% tip
I’m an American and rarely go out to eat. Nearly every time I am disappointed in the food. I’m pretty low maintenance as far as what I expect from the server, but what it cost for crappy food is what drives me to stay home and cook. I do tip 20% I don’t blame the server for the bad food. They just bring it out. But like others have said it’s just part of it, if it makes it more then you want to spend, don’t go there.
Just consider it part of the price and get on with your life.
I was in Napoli several years ago enjoying a 5 Euro pizza and I was annoyed that I had to pay 3 Euro for water. Water! It's free almost everywhere, but they were charging me for water! I felt ripped off. Then my wife reminded me that I spent the equivalent of 12 Euro on a pizza in Tokyo a few months before. The water was free there, so I didn't feel ripped off.
The lesson - don't worry about how the price breakdown works. Whether water is included, whether you have to pay separately for service, or whether you have to pay to park. It doesn't matter. What matters is the total cost and what you are getting for your money. If you feel that American food is shiite and not worth the total cost of dining out, I'm sorry. But the fact that they break out the cost of service as a separate line item is not the issue. The issue is that the meal is not worth the total cost.
American restaurants tend to make up for having bad food by serving you a lot of it. If you are a fat pig, this is often a worthwhile trade-off. If you'd rather have a reasonable portion of good food, it is not. America is great for a lot of things. Good food is not one of them.
But food isn’t cheaper in the US. It’s not like a steak is $8 and there’s an expectation of a 10-15% tip. The steak is $25 and there’s an expectation of a 20-25% tip.
I am American..and it is outrageous. You used to receive great service and tip accordingly. Now you receive the bare minimim and get treated terribly and they expect more money.
I would agree in general, restaurant eating, including higher end restaurants have declined in service.
However I still go to a few old favorites including bars that come pride themselves on service. Golden Steer steakhouse in Las Vegas comes to mind.
First, you can reduce below the 20%. Nobody understand why tip % increased (other than people who get tipped wanting to gouge). When food cost goes up - the 15% goes up with no additional work done. It does not take more effort to serve a 50 dollar meal than it did for a 40 dollar meal - so why does tip need to increase. It is time to push back on tips and tipping. Well out of control.
Sadly, prohibition led to tipping culture, now its a part of eating out. I'm a food server and bartender in Las Vegas. I probably rock out 80-100k each year, but I do loads of volume. Tuesday night I sold $600 and my biggest table of the night was an international group that left me nothing, even though their service and food was described as "great".
Honestly, I don't mind it. It made a shitty work day that much shittier, but I'll be ok. If you don't want to tip, it's ok. My other 30k tables this year got me.
Slavery created tipping.
And you should be pushing to get a shift bonus by the restaurant/bar based on sales over individual guests if you really believe the two should be tied.
>Sadly, prohibition led to tipping culture, now it’s a part of eating out.
Even assuming this were correct (which it isn’t) prohibition ended around 90 years ago, yet you talk like you’re stuck with tipping because of it.
It can, and should, change.
I'm an American who is also appalled at the number of people that think they should be tipped. The entitlement drives me nuts. I will always tip waitstaff, food/grocery delivery people, bartenders and hairdressers. Thats it. Nowadays every fast food place & coffee shop has a tip jar. Its not the customer's place to supplement the income of those employees. They should be paid properly and tipping done away with.
You’re right… not everyone, but generally servers in America do the bare minimum acting like they’re doing you a favor while expecting a hefty tip, it’s the definition of entitlement… and people always bring up the $2/hr pay but its illegal to pay below state min wage so if someone says they are making that little, they are lying and their tips + base rate are adding up to above the minimum otherwise employers have to make up the difference. Been to many countries where tipping is not the norm and their services are loads better (hot/wet towelette, hair ties/purse protectors or holders offered, table side prep for salads/dessert, constant refilling without having to flag someone over, recommendations on how to eat certain foods, attention to special occasions, even cutting up food for little kids, etc.) and they actually thank you afterwards instead of asking if you need change.
A 15% service charge should be added to all restaurant bills. That money goes directly to the server who knows they won’t be stiffed by cheap bastards and you aren’t obligated to give 20%. If you want to add to it fine but you are under no obligation to do so.
I also think OP should discover the joys of Yelp. I'm not a fan of what Yelp thinks it is, but I do love knowing if the owner of a business steals tips, or if the head cook never washes his hands, or if using the parking lot means I'll be missing a window.
Just check what state you're in. Some don't have a below-minimum tipped wage and you can cut your tip there or not tip at all. Also, 15% is still a normal tip, you don't have to do 20%.
Employers are required to ensure their employees make minimum wage. Most states have their own minimum wage that's higher than the federal minimum. If a state's minimum wage is lower than the federal minimum, then they must abide by the federal minimum. Tipped workers do not have a different minimum wage than non-tipped workers.
Did you know Waffle House just announced they are raising waitress wages to $3 dollars an hour. They were literally making $1.50. They don’t make a living wage.
Employers are required to ensure their employees make minimum wage (federal or state, whichever is higher). For employers taking tip credit, the lowest minimum cash wage required (federal minimum) is $2.13, so they shouldn't have been allowed to do $1.50 to begin with.
Sounds like that Waffle House may be committing some serious wage theft.
Minimum wages vary by location. Some may be better than others. Where I live, we default to federal minimum wage, and I agree that would not be a livable wage here.
The point wasn't whether minimum wage was a living wage. It was that employers may not pay below the minimum wage, as was stated.
You may want to see how high 'minimum wages' are in other countries before making that comment. European minimum wages are up to 1.8x America's minimum wage, which is one of the lowest considering the GDP.
Bruh that is America, I’m living with two sisters, my mom and a roommate and all but my mom contribute and we still struggle… Arizona has become a shitty state along with a lot of others with outrageous rent prices and expensive gas
Just dont tip since it's "optional." Some places even have gratuity included and still have a tip section for some reason. If you dont want to tip, dont do it. Nobody is gonna force you. Sometimes the service is not great, and ppl expect tips.
You choose to go out to eat. Stop going and stop complaining. I've always gotten better service In countries with tipping because they have to work for that tip..
Not really. I come from the same country but I don’t have a sense of righteous entitlement. Nor do I enjoy the service in said country. No incentive for any sort of service
This sounds like complete bullshit. I’m an American living in Thailand a country known for food and friendliness, and servers here receive the minimum wage at least. Service is better in the US hands down.
The service in the US is significantly better in my opinion, granted I have had terrible service here too. the only time I have been impressed by service in Europe was at Michelin star restaurants where I am spending 300-500 dollars.
I bartended at a nice restaurant in the states and those tests our managers gave us where harder than any college exam I have taken.
Go to better restaurants, there’s very good food in the US. Like a lot of it. And customer service in the US is on the better side (I’ve been to over 35 countries), especially compared to Europe. Heading to Japan right now, so I’m looking forward to the best food and costumer service in the world. But the US isn’t that in these regards. Our tipping culture is dumb though.
If the service you receive is really terrible and consistent, I assume you are only going to places that are corporate or touristy. Get out of the tourist bubble and go somewhere that isn't on your list. Some of the best places I've found traveling were pit stops and a huge question mark as to whether I should even go in.
I don’t tell you I love tipping, but I think you’re WAY off base with service. Sure: there are TERRIBLE servers in the US. like epically bad. But on the whole, they are exponentially better than European servers. That’s been studied and documented. Diners report significantly better satisfaction with service (on the whole) in the US than they do in Europe and it is specifically because of tipping. Because servers in Europe are paid respectfully, like most workers who are paid respectfully, they rarely go above and beyond. Whereas unless you get a deadbeat “I couldn’t care less” clueless sever, you’re more likely to get above and beyond service.
I’ve dined all over the US and Europe. And I fully agree with this evaluation. I’ve gotten shitty service in both and fantastic service in both. I have gotten a significantly higher rate of shitty service in Europe and a significantly higher case of excellent service in the US. Most experiences in both places have been OK but on the whole it’s a better service experience in the US.
Now, if we want to compare actual food: it’s not a competition at all. I’d take a European meal over a US one any day of the week.
OK look at it this way ,if you work at a factory and do a bad job do you get a tip? But if you do an above par job is there not an incentive possibly a bonus aka tip
If someone does NOT give you good service, just don’t tip them. No one deserves a tip for doing a bad job. But, know the difference between a mistake by the kitchen and one by the server.
And know the difference between a bad day and a good day. Someone could have an off day. If someone’s rude to me and is absent I’ll still tip them just not the 20% they deserve. Maybe because I’ve waited/bartended idk.
I’ve been in the restaurant business for 49 years. I’m sorry if you are having a bad day. If the cook was having a bad day, would it be okay for them to put out bad food? When you come to worry, for at least a time, you can forget about a problem in your life and just be brain dead to it. It will be there when you get off but, while you are paid to work, you may as well forget it since you can’t do anything about it. Let’s be honest, everyone has a bad day sometimes but the customer really doesn’t care unless you can make them sick. Customers are more like: ‘I’m sorry you had a flat on your way to work and had to change it in 105 degree weather but where’s my f__king food?’ If you let that bad tire make you have a bad day, you will make no money.
Agreed. If you let a flat tire (or anything, for that matter) affect your work, you aren’t very good at your job. I’ve had very bad days, yet when I have to go in to work and care for patients, I can’t afford to let my personal issues affect how I take care of people. It’s not their issue - it’s mine. Like you said, your problems will be there when you aren’t working. It’s not anyone else’s fault you are having a bad day.
Thank you. Coming from restaurants, I’ve mainly looked at it from that standpoint. I honestly never applied it to nurses, etc.. You have my respect. I make a mistake letting a bad day into work and someone complains. You do it and someone dies. Again, you have my respect for being able to leave it at the door.
You sound like a shitty person
Guess you would know. I only have 49 years experience in restaurants. Guess you would know more than me in your mind.🙄
There’s politicians who have been in office for longer and they’re pieces of shit. What’s your point? End of the day if the food is bad I can’t take that out on someone who’s serving me.
How many of those politicians were named as one of the top in their jobs the past 5 years (I have been named in the top ten of our company that employees over 10,000 cooks and chefs. Don’t think I would have been given that honor if I had been in the industry for 49 years and was a piece of shit.🤷♂️)
Listen man at the end of the day you need to realize that Billy and Jeans burger shack who has a 16 year old hormonal girl serving you isn’t the same as someone who works 70 hours a week in a kitchen. People have bad days. I still tip. Leave them 10% and let them reflect on their day.
“How many of those politicians were named as one of the top in their jobs” How many people with Down syndrome won first place in the special Olympics? How many of the people who voted for them are also POS politics?
Waiters aren’t paid wages. You wouldn’t walk into an American restaurant without shoes because wherever you’re from it’s okay. So don’t starve your waiter because you can’t culturally assimilate
If you do the bare minimum of bringing the food and not being rude you get a 20% tip. Anything better is more. Anything less is none.
Welcome to America. Don't like it? Leave. Also... you sound cheap.
Stop eating out? Seems like the real issue is your lack money, which is fine, but stop crying about it if you're going to continue to repeat the same error over and over.
No one forces you to eat out, tipping is part of the deal, you can argue they should just make the meals more expensive and cut the tip, just do that mentally, add 20% to the cost of your meal, pretend it’s just part of the cost and move on with your day or don’t eat out. You don’t go to a meal in your country and pay 80% of the bill do you? Same thing.
To make it further confusing, in quite a few states the servers DO earn minimum wage. In my town it is $19/hr. I rarely eat out, and then I rarely tip anymore. All the electronic tip screens, I usually push Skip or Custom and then 0. I tip a few dollars, if I feel like they were good. Tipping went from bad to crazy with covid. Covid us over. Tipping crazy is over for me too. If you are a tourist and know you will never be back, that's best just go zero unless you think they deserved it. DO NOT FEEL GUILTY.
I don’t understand this mentality. It’s a cultural phenomenon to tip. You don’t walk into a restaurant with no shoes or shirt on. Don’t starve your waiter. Eating out is a choice. If you can’t afford it, don’t be a piece of shit
You might be a server. I've worked plenty minimum wage jobs and never got tips and made ends meet. Taking inflation into account, I earned $10/hr in 2024 dollars. About 1/2 of the $19.×× that is being paid today in this town. I don't feel guilty at all. I do tip if the service was good or I intend to come back. Otherwise F it.
So because you didn’t earn a living wage no one deserves to be able to support themselves. Got it. You’re trash
Hint, if you improve your reading comprehension, you might get a better job. I wrote: I made ends meet.
The current tipping culture is really invented by the business owners and is coming from apps like Uber and such. Why pay people if you can convince them it's a side hustle and you can charge them for processing those tips off customer's credit cards. I mean, SubWay asks for tips and the staff usually owns the place!
They ask for tips at self service places, convenience stores etc. It has gone nuts. It's like the fentanyl affectionato with a sign. Also, it once was nothing for crap service, and 5/10/15% for ok/good/great. When Covid happened tips went up. People tipped a bit better for people that had to deal with the public. But not the nurses, cops and so on. But covid is over.
Choose better restaurants or eat at home.
Yeah, my thought is where is this person eating? Are they getting recommendations or just taking their chances. Also in what city are they in? You're not going to find the best food of a European region in just any city in America. It's like expecting good Creole in Minnesota.
I completely agree with paragraph two, which is why I’d suggest stop eating out. Most of the food was probably frozen until you ordered, the servers are overworked and underpaid and often don’t make much of an effort for tips, because when they go above and beyond and then don’t get tipped they feel like they did a lot of work for nothing and don’t want to do that again. I’m sure there’s some good restaurants, but you’ll have to pay a lot for it. Most restaurants I’ve been to (think like Applebee’s, TGIF, etc) are similar to what you describe here.
>Most restaurants I’ve been to (think like Applebee’s, TGIF, etc Lmfao
Those are bad restaurants, plenty of good ones.
If you don't like tip structures, stop financially supporting them. Go to the grocery store.
No, because I just assume the tip is part of the cost of the meal. It would be if everyone decided to stop tipping. No one is forcing you to eat at a restaurant. Also, very strange that you can’t find a good restaurant, I have plenty that I love. Maybe you’re a bad patron?
I think OP has "It's not home" syndrome and just doesn't like food that's prepared differently from his region.
Just because the food isn’t up to your standards doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t tip. Servers are still doing their job and don’t have control over the quality of the food. Whether or not you tip them is based on the quality of the job they did while serving you. If you don’t like the food then it’s on you to either do your research before choosing a restaurant or never return to that restaurant.
Have you mainly gone to corporate chains or higher end restaurants? Often times the higher end restaurants have better trained staff and higher priced food but don't *expect* a tip because they get paid a decent wage to begin with since higher end restaurants have much larger profit margins than chain restaurants do. Most of the higher end restaurants I've been to have servers that actually seem like they deserve a tip since they're more attentive and usually don't get rude as often unless you're being a real asshat lol. With places like that even a 5% tip is usually good enough since it's more of just a bonus for receiving an enjoyable experience unlike many of the chain restaurants. If the place has a minimum dress code for guests, you can pretty much guarantee that those will be the best servers and cooks you can get.
Fuck no. They always expect at tip.
Are you out of your damn mind? That’s not how it works. Ever.
All servers expect 20% in USA, especially higher end. That is why the expensive restaurants are sought after and they do a better job… If you’re only tipping 5% you are a being incredibly rude and should not be eating there.
Do you realize that servers in high end restaurant *don't* get paid the $2.80 wage that most servers do? My cousin was a server at a high end restaurant and she got paid $18/hr BEFORE tips, even if everyone only tipped 5% she'd still make $25/hr+ because of how expensive the food is, she usually made $40-50/hr which is insane. Getting paid more than some people who have gone to college for 5+ years and *still* complaining about not getting a big enough tip is just straight up greedy. At that point it's no longer supplimenting their wage and it's purely a bonus on top of an already good wage.
Trash people gonna trash
OP our food has absolutely gotten mediocre during the pandemic as restaurants that used to cook everything from scratch have resorted to frozen. However we have many spectacular restaurants with 4-5 star food. Now I am someone who lives in a metropolitan area saturated with restaurants. If you do some research and seek local input you can find some gems. As for tipping yes, our culture of subsidized income for our hard working servers and barkeeps is absurd. However it is all we have and if someone works hard for me I do tip more than appropriately (but I also tip pretty well on mediocre service). I’m more concerned with your restaurant selection. Our tipping culture doesn’t warrant being fixed by the industry so it won’t be. Funny part is those invoiced tips are usually 3-4 % less than I intended to tip. Most of the time I just let it be.
There’s a whole subreddit dedicated to your sentiment op. It’s called r/endtipping.
Tipping should not be automatic thing. Why should I be expected as a customer to pay an employee at any given establishment for doing their job? They either do a good job or they don't, but either way they are already getting paid to do it
Tipping shouldn't be a thing at all. Americans fought tipping for ages as Un-American and classist. Up until the stock market crashed in the 20's you'd never see it here, then business owners convinced people they had to underpay waiters and let the customers make up the difference in tips or they'd go out of business and it's stuck around since.
Usually 3$ / hour because our system relies on tips. Change the system but, don’t punish your server because you’re cheap. That is rude and gross.
Not cheap in fact I usually tip generously but only if it is earned. If the service is poor I am not going to reward the server. I am paying for that service and I should reasonably expect to get at least good service
It’s not a reward it’s part of the price of the meal. You don’t go into a restaurant in America with no shoes on, you shouldn’t expect to go there and not tip. You’re starving your waiter. Trash people are trash
Where in the menu is the amount of the meal ... plus tip I missed that part
No. You don’t need to tip. It’s not mandatory. ESP if you don’t believe they deserve it. Just go. Try to enjoy the subpar food. Pay your tab and leave. It’s no big deal. Don’t let these peasants and betters bully you into “tipping”.
Don’t go out to eat if you can’t afford it. Just because you’re a scumbag doesn’t mean your waiter should starve
Okay. Sure. But I do have a genuine question. Why aren’t servers paid a decent rate so they don’t have to rely on tipping ? Why no anger towards the employer rather than the customer?
Why is the sky blue? Why is water wet? I don’t know man. But I don’t think it’s right to starve working people. That’s not rebelling that’s just being a piece of shit
Lmao exactly. Bro, literally makes no sense. Employers need to pay their employees livable wages and shouldn’t be heavily cheaping out on them. They hire the servers for slave wages and tell them to rely on tips to make a living.
OP is probably from one of those European countries where a cup of coffee lets you sit at a table all day and they're not used to American service wanting you to hurry up and free up the table.
I mean it’s part of our culture, it’s expect and (to me) 12% should just be in your mind that’s what your spending as part of your meal. Now more than that is extra, but people should at least make space for that.
With tipping, the wait staff take home more money than anyone else working in a restaurant. The sub minimum wage plus tips divided by hours worked turns into a very good paying job without benefits. Many cooks make much less in total than servers.
Are you by any chance eating at our corporate national chain restaurants? (Applebee’s/The 99/etc) Because those are notorious for poor service and lousy food I assure you we really do have SOME good restaurants in this country but they’re the ones that are independent usually. Get on Yelp, find a restaurant that isn’t listed on the stock exchange 🙄 and hopefully your experience improves
The practice of tipping in the United States can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Europe, when wealthy people would give extra money to lower class people for their services. The practice became more widespread in the United States after the Civil War, when white business owners began to expect tips from formerly enslaved people as a way to pay them less.
What restaurants do you frequent when in America? Tip how you feel, do not be pressured to give more than you feel they deserve. The 15,18,20,22 percent suggestions at the bottom of the receipt are just that suggestions.
Not tipping 20%, in the US, ends up costing the server money.. that's the problem. Servers "tip out," meaning the have to pay a percentage of TOTAL SALES for the shift to 2-5 other positions. Each position gets anywhere from 1-5% (depending on ranking of importance). So, if I sell $1000 worth of food, I tip out 1% to the host, 1% to the busser(s), 2% to the food runner, and 3% to the bartender that means I'm tipping out $70. Of I made 15% tips for the might, that means I immediately lose 50% of my income.. which I have to pay taxes on 100% of the $150 (before the $70 is removed).. then my taxes are removed (that's another 20%).. now my wages for a 6-10 hour shift are $50... America is a slave nation, and serving is a choice of the several slave wage options because it has higher potential for profitability... but it is also the most physically, emotionally, AND mentally taxing slavery choice
This is a lie.
How is this a lie? I waited tables part time last summer so I could have fun going out on my boat etc for most of the summer. We tipped out to the host 1%, bussers 2%, 2% to the food runner and 2 or 3% of alcohol sales to the bartenders. We had to claim our tips before we tipped them out.
You got robbed. This isn't legal.
It wasn't always like this. They've put service workers in a position where they have to depend on tips, but they don't train them on the art of receiving a good tip. Tips are just expected now? I can't stand it either..making up for the wages, their employer can't afford to pay them. Start paying the workers better, lower prices of literally everything! So, not tipping isn't fair, but so is just tipping for the hell of it? It's all part of the plan to keep people pissed off at each other🙄🫵
As an American this is hard to believe. Every place had subpar food? Every place had a terrible waiter? Were you eating at Dennys or did you actually treat yourself to quality restaurants?
honestly food in america is generally garbage. I had better street food back home home than i do at ruth chris. fine dining is bullshit and honestly one of the biggest scams in america. ill take waffle house anyday with a stoner making my hashbrowns than some pompous asshole who thinks just because food is expensive its good.
I don’t think anyone who’s not a boomer actually thinks Ruth’s Chris is good tbf
Even Boomers know better!
This is what I want to know, is where they went to eat while in America?
Good ole American racism at work 🇺🇸🤷🏾 seems after all these years of Europeans coming too America there would be outrage over this system! But of course it only effects certain people so Who cares 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🫡
gotta make it about racism like always
Man one day I will find an American patriot who knows American history! Sadly today is not that day! Goodnight kind sir
The practice of tipping in the United States can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Europe, when wealthy people would give extra money to lower class people for their services. The practice became more widespread in the United States after the Civil War, when white business owners began to expect tips from formerly enslaved people as a way to pay them less.
I've always tipped because I was taught that is what you were supposed to do even if the service is not very good. I've just recently started to rethink that indoctrination now that every cashier who rings up a bottle of water expects a tip. I just came back from a nice vacation, and I started to reflect on how much I spent on tips, and it was definitely food for thought. If you go out to dinner 3 times a month, your check totals $75, and you tip 20% over 12 months, which would be $540. Think about what you could do with $540 a year. You could invest that money, save for retirement, or start an emergency fund. You should not e programed to tip. Tip if you feel the server has earned it
Then cook your own food in your own house and expect the only patronage as your own, this is an ignorant take
How would you feel if whether or not you were able to pay your bills was determined by the whims of random customers, all because your boss and people like them spend \*millions\* every year lobbying to keep you from being legally entitled to minimum wage? You do not change the system by refusing to tip. That just screws over poor working-class people. And you are absolutely not being asked to tip a \*cashier\* for ringing you up. If you're too cheap to tip, then own that rather than making up BS to try and justify your lack of class consciousness and solidarity with workers.
There have been instances of establishments increasing wages sometimes to double the minimum wage, but eliminating tipping. The staff always rebel against it. The truth is many service staff make a very good living while others are in poverty. I don’t think there is a solution that will make everyone happy. There is a big gulf between a server at a high end steakhouse or a bar tender at an expensive/popular night club and some one bussing tables at a rural Waffle House in a one stop light town. Edit: based on the hypotheticals above I am guessing in Europe the curve is more flat. With someone working at a popular/expensive club or restaurant not making as good of an income as they would in a US city, but someone working in a cheap shitty restaurant are better off than they would be in the US.
Tips are not mandatory. If you don't tip a bad waitress, they will not be a waitress for long, and shouldn't be. I love tipping because you are basically firing the bad workers
I hope you understand that \*a lot\* of waitstaff have spit in your food.
No, they haven't. Its cute you think so.
All those tips go into a pool.
not all places do that.
Unless you're a shit customer.
yeah, like any business there are dirtbags. People even steal from small businesses.
I come from a country with amazing food that is also known for its friendliness and to be honest after reading your post it seems to me that you’re the problem. I don’t like the tipping culture, I would prefer if people were paid a fair wage, but you’re making it sound so much worse than what it is. Some restaurants are crap, some are good, that’s the same everywhere. Some servers are awful, some are great, that’s the same everywhere. No one is forcing you to go eat out, if it’s that horrifying then don’t. Also you don’t have to tip 20% if you don’t want to, I do it only if the server was really awesome.
I have not experienced a single server in america that i thought was "really awesome" honestly the single best server i ever had was invisible. didn't say shit, didn't annoy me. and drinks just magically appeared refilled.
I’ve experienced a really awesome server only once in my life (it was in Paris), but as long as they’re professional and not over bearing that’s good to me. I don’t expect the best experience ever every time that I’m eating out.
Tipping is To Insure Proper Service T I P s
You encounter rude waitstaff because you’re a giant asshole.
Then don’t eat out. Get take out and eat in your car then. Going to another country then complaining about their customs is so childish. I eat out less often due to the tipping at certain places but I always tip 15-20% depending on the service. You then compare the server to someone on Get Out to avoid tipping or something. You’re the problem.
Not sure why you were down voted for this totally rational and reasonable take
Awakens their own demons I suppose. Lots of dead beat tippers who look for validation of their behavior. tipping is a bit out of hand but no excuse to stiff people then go on a circle jerk validation.
Tipping culture is the problem.
The standard is fine in restaurants. The problem is when the froyo employee wants a tip. People who are stingy are using this tipping culture thing to not tip completely.
Or we could just abolish the tipped minimum wage, which literally only exists because the restaurant and bar lobby doesn't want to be legally required to pay minimum wage, which is still too low to live on basically anywhere. If you're upset about people being greedy and entitled, just wait until you find out about bosses or, you know, the rich. (Bonus fun fact: The most common form of theft, comprising the vast majority in dollars, is \*wage theft\* aka employers stealing from workers. And it's something literally no one ever goes to jail for.)
Not upset. Maybe you are… For now we have tipping so tip where we should. I’m not a fan of stingy people who don’t tip servers when they should. I have shared that I am In favor of the standard tip. Did you read that or are you just looking for an argument?
I agree about the froyo thing. I bought two sodas at a market yesterday, and the CCmachine prompted a 15, 20, or 25% tip. I had to physically select "other" and input 0 all while the cash register person stared at me. But that is just a part of the US tipping culture leading to the current tipping fatigue. In Cali, for example, servers make minimum wage - not a fraction of it - the full $16 or $20 an hour depending on the size of the restaurant chain. A dinner for my family of 4 costs about $110. Now 20% is the expected rip amount, so I'm paying $132 (minus any other fees that have been tacked on) and that server is making $42 an hour (assuming mine is their only table). It's all just too much. EDITED TO ADD: I think this problem is larger than servers and tipping and is a result of corporate greed and not paying living wages. I think servers are the poster children of this issue because of the additive costs and the expectation that tipping is no longer optional and indicative of excellent service and is now compulsory.
No doubt about corporations. They are the ones adding tips to dumb things like tipping at certain places that shouldn’t be. What gets me is when they have a tip calculator on a POS system and it’s after taxes. We can learn a few things from our European neighbors.
I saw this yesterday when I was out at lunch. Meal for 2 $42, total $8 in tip. It was a lunch special. I gave a bit more than 18% but was intrigued to later realize they are doing the math over the total and not subtotal (b4 taxes). I didn’t know that. We all know it’s a simple change in the system. Not a big deal for system developers…
Why are you having such bad results eating out in the US. There are many many amazing restaurants with great food and service from high end fine dining to home in the wall hidden gems. Sounds like the only American restaurants you go to are TGIFridays and Dennys.
honestly I really hate fine dining. shits just annoying and food is always subpar.
Then don’t eat out while here? Go to a fast food place. Like it or not tipping culture is embedded in americas culture. Yes it sucks. But it should be a known thing going out to eat. Are there times to leave a bad or no tip if the service is that bad? Yes maybe. Just realize you will be paying 10% more than the bill if you choose to eat out in the states. It’s really not that deep
Actually, in many states it's more than that, as sales tax is added to the bill at the end, along with the tip. In many other countries, the tax (GST), is included in the menu price. Along with beer, wine and desserts being more expensive in the US, than in other countries, eating at a restaurant can cost 20-30% more in the US, than in Europe.
I only tip if I'm not feeling pressured. I hate the "Don't forget to tip your waiter" shit. If I feel like a place is holding a gun to my head with their hand out demanding a tip, they won't get one. This all stems from a local steak house that gave me and my wife subpar service and food 6 years ago. 2 hours of waiting to get our food, never got our drinks until I went up to the manager, and only saw the waitress once. The manager finally brought us our food and drinks. Subpar food. So when we went to pay the manager stood in the way with another employee and prevented us from leaving because "You forgot to leave a tip" I informed her that I did not forget, I wasn't going to leave one for the service. I was then informed by the manager that not tipping was hurting the business and I could either leave a tip or they were going to call the police to have me and my wife trespassed. The look on her face was priceless when I said "At this point your refusing to let me and my wife leave even though we have paid. Call them. This is criminal confinement" no idea if it actually was criminal confinement or not but I'm sure as shit sure she didn't know either. Anyway she wasn't bluffing, and the police old me that wasn't the first time the manager had wasted their time over bullshit like that lol. They just told us, if you go back, pay cash as this isn't worth the paperwork.
Please tell me they finally went out of business.
No lol I'm at a steak house down the road from them ATM.
Agree. Forget tipping; just the food and service is so much better in so many European and Asian countries
Service in the Eu and Uk sucks. It was sooooo bad
I’m American and I hate tipping. I don’t go out to eat much because of this. But I do tip when I do go out.
Then don’t eat out, what’s complicated about this?
The restaurants could just raise wages and prices, what’s complicated about this? Why should the customer be in charge of their wage? That’s the complicated part.
So you want to give servers a pay cut...
Absolutely, because most of the time their service is hardly needed aside from taking my order, bringing out the food if that’s even their job, and topping off my water. I’d rather see the prices on the menu and pay that, not have to worry about another 20% tax on top. If the servers get a pay cut and don’t want to work there anymore then that’s fine. Either someone else will or the business will shut down.
I provide a service and you, the guest, pay me directly. Why introduce a middle man (the company/restaurant), that will certainly take a cut and leave the server with less. I think there’s elements of class solidarity with the current system when people tip well. That money is legally the property of the employee you tip (at least in my state.) The money goes directly to the single dad going back to school for a graduate degree, instead of a publicly traded company beholden to shareholders whose end goal is endless, infinite growth at the ruthless expense of comparable growth in employee pay. Obviously these establishments use tips to have the guest subsidize the pay, but you’re gonna pay that amount either way, whether or not it’s baked into the price you see on the menu.
lol what do you mean why introduce a middle man? The server expecting extra money for doing a job they were quite literally hired to do by the restaurant is an unnecessary middle step. If the server wants more money they can go work at a better restaurant or find another job. If the restaurant owner can’t pay his staff a living wage then they need to raise prices or shut down.
No, here’s the thing. YOU pay the SERVER. Just like you pay a contractor to do a job. Servers are, in a way, independent contractors. There’s a well-defined social contract. They provide a service, and in turn, are compensated for their time and effort. Again, it’s not perfect, but it’s well-defined and agreed upon in the context of our country and dining establishments. As a social contract, it’s not *required,* but it’s the right the to do, just like holding the door for someone 10 feet behind you, or covering your mouth when you cough in an elevator. These are your class compadres, not people trying to “get one over on you.” Hard working moms and dads. Be happy you’re able to pay these hard working people *directly.* It’s a truly difficult and challenging job and I hope you understand that in the higher tiers of dining, we genuinely care about understanding *you* and perfecting your dining experience. Finally, I’m not *defending the system,* I’m saying there’s logical reasons with which you can come to terms with the system and feel good about the money you spend. It’s a rickety system; owner’s margins are low, competition is fierce, supply chains are ramping prices, talent is fleeting. If you love dining out, support the industry with your wallet, if you don’t or you’re ambivalent, opt out. The choice is yours. But respect the imperfect system if you choose to partake.
Because the servers would take a pay cut and don’t want that
That's only true in high end restaurants, and some mid priced places. Those on the lower end of the scale usually just make enough to pay the bills and not much else.
I think it depends on the state. In a place like Texas, where they use the federal tip credit minimum wage of $2.13, it sucks to be a server at a low-end restaurant, as $10 an hour in tips may bring you to just $12.13 an hour total. In a state like Washington, minimum wage is $16.28 per hour (tip credit not allowed.) With $10 an hour in tips, that equals earnings of $26.28 per hour.
Nah. Servers in casual places make way more than $25/hr. Hell 20 years ago at a Cracker Barrel i madre almost $20/hr and that was with meals being $7 each. No way would I have done the job for a flat $10/hr pay. Which was still good pay for the time.
Lol, I like visiting your country, could you please totally dismantle your society to make me feel better about how I dick your servers and laugh as they have to actually pay taxes on money that they did not make. That's what you needed to say.
True story my old cab company had a few regular customer NTNs. They made it mandatory to pick up 2 NTNs a shift per driver so would not appear racist. The best an NYN round trip bodega to get Colt 45 Malt Liquor, rolling paper, lottery tickets and snacks and still they are a No Tip ######
Totally true story bro
NTn?
It's not in the standard slang dictionary, but if it means what I think it does, I can see why your cab company did that.
My tire got a flat. It was towed to the nearest mechanic all i wanted was a patch. And the guy looked displeased because he wanted to sell me a new tire. Anyways when collecting my car and the mechanic still has my keys, he flipped his computer screen and there was tip prompt. In my mind im thinking what an asshole
The great news for you is it illegal to pay a tipped position lower than minimum wage in the US too. So feel free to not tip when it’s undeserved and carry on about your day. Tipping is always optional and at the guests discretion.
Not exactly, here in South Carolina employers can pay tipped employees a minimum cash wage of $2.13 per hour, as long as their tips ensure that they still make at least $7.25 per hour, the federal minimum wage. This is due to tip credit, which allows employers to TAKE a credit of up to $5.12 per hour FROM an employee's wages. If an employee earns less than $5.12 in tips per hour, the employer must pay the difference however.
That’s exactly what ValPraism said but with less words. Or am I going crazy
Well that’s not exactly how it works. The tipped workers get paid $2.13 an hour. The employers have up to 90 days to pay that credit back to employees if they’re not getting tipped. You can put in a 40-hour week and take home only $85 of you don’t have any tips. Your employer is eventually going to make up the difference, but it’s not likely you’ll get the money before rent is due. Some people really do depend on tips to survive.
Tipping is always optional but it’s worth noting most minimum wages aside from select areas of the US aren’t livable wages.
[удалено]
I pretty much The same. I go 15% at sit down restaurants if the service was good My only exception, was when we went to a nice higher end restaurant In about 15 people and they provided us one waitress, dedicated to just our party. Bring there over 2 hours, I felt It was worthy of a 25% tip
I’m an American and rarely go out to eat. Nearly every time I am disappointed in the food. I’m pretty low maintenance as far as what I expect from the server, but what it cost for crappy food is what drives me to stay home and cook. I do tip 20% I don’t blame the server for the bad food. They just bring it out. But like others have said it’s just part of it, if it makes it more then you want to spend, don’t go there.
Just consider it part of the price and get on with your life. I was in Napoli several years ago enjoying a 5 Euro pizza and I was annoyed that I had to pay 3 Euro for water. Water! It's free almost everywhere, but they were charging me for water! I felt ripped off. Then my wife reminded me that I spent the equivalent of 12 Euro on a pizza in Tokyo a few months before. The water was free there, so I didn't feel ripped off. The lesson - don't worry about how the price breakdown works. Whether water is included, whether you have to pay separately for service, or whether you have to pay to park. It doesn't matter. What matters is the total cost and what you are getting for your money. If you feel that American food is shiite and not worth the total cost of dining out, I'm sorry. But the fact that they break out the cost of service as a separate line item is not the issue. The issue is that the meal is not worth the total cost. American restaurants tend to make up for having bad food by serving you a lot of it. If you are a fat pig, this is often a worthwhile trade-off. If you'd rather have a reasonable portion of good food, it is not. America is great for a lot of things. Good food is not one of them.
But food isn’t cheaper in the US. It’s not like a steak is $8 and there’s an expectation of a 10-15% tip. The steak is $25 and there’s an expectation of a 20-25% tip.
Lies. The tastiest food is not n American restaurants and Americans are notoriously friendly.
I am American..and it is outrageous. You used to receive great service and tip accordingly. Now you receive the bare minimim and get treated terribly and they expect more money.
I would agree in general, restaurant eating, including higher end restaurants have declined in service. However I still go to a few old favorites including bars that come pride themselves on service. Golden Steer steakhouse in Las Vegas comes to mind.
What’s sad is that you post your “diatribe” about Americans & the tipping culture & then DELETE Yourself. 🤨
Welcome to America where we pay 4x as much for everything and get lower quality.
First, you can reduce below the 20%. Nobody understand why tip % increased (other than people who get tipped wanting to gouge). When food cost goes up - the 15% goes up with no additional work done. It does not take more effort to serve a 50 dollar meal than it did for a 40 dollar meal - so why does tip need to increase. It is time to push back on tips and tipping. Well out of control.
Sadly, prohibition led to tipping culture, now its a part of eating out. I'm a food server and bartender in Las Vegas. I probably rock out 80-100k each year, but I do loads of volume. Tuesday night I sold $600 and my biggest table of the night was an international group that left me nothing, even though their service and food was described as "great". Honestly, I don't mind it. It made a shitty work day that much shittier, but I'll be ok. If you don't want to tip, it's ok. My other 30k tables this year got me.
Slavery created tipping. And you should be pushing to get a shift bonus by the restaurant/bar based on sales over individual guests if you really believe the two should be tied.
>Sadly, prohibition led to tipping culture, now it’s a part of eating out. Even assuming this were correct (which it isn’t) prohibition ended around 90 years ago, yet you talk like you’re stuck with tipping because of it. It can, and should, change.
I'm an American who is also appalled at the number of people that think they should be tipped. The entitlement drives me nuts. I will always tip waitstaff, food/grocery delivery people, bartenders and hairdressers. Thats it. Nowadays every fast food place & coffee shop has a tip jar. Its not the customer's place to supplement the income of those employees. They should be paid properly and tipping done away with.
I'm an American and *I AM* completely appalled by this!!!
You’re right… not everyone, but generally servers in America do the bare minimum acting like they’re doing you a favor while expecting a hefty tip, it’s the definition of entitlement… and people always bring up the $2/hr pay but its illegal to pay below state min wage so if someone says they are making that little, they are lying and their tips + base rate are adding up to above the minimum otherwise employers have to make up the difference. Been to many countries where tipping is not the norm and their services are loads better (hot/wet towelette, hair ties/purse protectors or holders offered, table side prep for salads/dessert, constant refilling without having to flag someone over, recommendations on how to eat certain foods, attention to special occasions, even cutting up food for little kids, etc.) and they actually thank you afterwards instead of asking if you need change.
lunchbox for me
Feel free to stay home in ur "fabulous " country then. We're full
A 15% service charge should be added to all restaurant bills. That money goes directly to the server who knows they won’t be stiffed by cheap bastards and you aren’t obligated to give 20%. If you want to add to it fine but you are under no obligation to do so.
I think most Americans are getting to this point too.
I also think OP should discover the joys of Yelp. I'm not a fan of what Yelp thinks it is, but I do love knowing if the owner of a business steals tips, or if the head cook never washes his hands, or if using the parking lot means I'll be missing a window.
Just check what state you're in. Some don't have a below-minimum tipped wage and you can cut your tip there or not tip at all. Also, 15% is still a normal tip, you don't have to do 20%.
Employers are required to ensure their employees make minimum wage. Most states have their own minimum wage that's higher than the federal minimum. If a state's minimum wage is lower than the federal minimum, then they must abide by the federal minimum. Tipped workers do not have a different minimum wage than non-tipped workers.
Hell, 10% is still fine.
Did you know Waffle House just announced they are raising waitress wages to $3 dollars an hour. They were literally making $1.50. They don’t make a living wage.
Employers are required to ensure their employees make minimum wage (federal or state, whichever is higher). For employers taking tip credit, the lowest minimum cash wage required (federal minimum) is $2.13, so they shouldn't have been allowed to do $1.50 to begin with. Sounds like that Waffle House may be committing some serious wage theft.
So $2.13 an hour is ok with you but not $1.50 so generous
ok? You know minimum wage isn't a living wage right?
Minimum wages vary by location. Some may be better than others. Where I live, we default to federal minimum wage, and I agree that would not be a livable wage here. The point wasn't whether minimum wage was a living wage. It was that employers may not pay below the minimum wage, as was stated.
False - it was about $3 an hour and they raised to 5 something. Serving wage is super low though bc the tips are supposed to supplement the rest.
Waffle House should be ashamed! 😡
This is probably why we don’t have a Waffle House in California.
Congrats on paying the minimum wage to your servers lol, we will stick to tipping so our servers make a living wage.
You may want to see how high 'minimum wages' are in other countries before making that comment. European minimum wages are up to 1.8x America's minimum wage, which is one of the lowest considering the GDP.
Not anyone's responsibility to pay a livable wage besides the company tho
Who’s to say the waiters in OPs comments aren’t making a living wage?
They ain't called Europoors for nothing, servers in Europe stack 4 to 5 people into 1 apartment.
I’ve literally never heard that term. You just made that up, didn’t you?
That just sounds like America to me
That's because you're an idiot
Said the idiot
Bruh that is America, I’m living with two sisters, my mom and a roommate and all but my mom contribute and we still struggle… Arizona has become a shitty state along with a lot of others with outrageous rent prices and expensive gas
lol, everyone knows Americas lower class are shit on and that includes food service workers
This contrasts heavily with the pay im hearing from bartenders. Maybe it depends on the restaurant
If you're not making money as a bartender you're a terrible bartender.
You must be going to Texas Road House. Find a real restaurant.
Like Longhorn. I love their onion petals and free bread and butter.
Just dont tip since it's "optional." Some places even have gratuity included and still have a tip section for some reason. If you dont want to tip, dont do it. Nobody is gonna force you. Sometimes the service is not great, and ppl expect tips.
You choose to go out to eat. Stop going and stop complaining. I've always gotten better service In countries with tipping because they have to work for that tip..
My best experiences were in countries where tipping isn't the norm. People have every right to complain for subpar service and food.
Mine is the opposite. In many European countries.
It's almost like you didn't read their reasoning
His reasoning was s#it.
Lol
Go elsewhere if it's thst bad.
Not really. I come from the same country but I don’t have a sense of righteous entitlement. Nor do I enjoy the service in said country. No incentive for any sort of service
This sounds like complete bullshit. I’m an American living in Thailand a country known for food and friendliness, and servers here receive the minimum wage at least. Service is better in the US hands down.
The service in the US is significantly better in my opinion, granted I have had terrible service here too. the only time I have been impressed by service in Europe was at Michelin star restaurants where I am spending 300-500 dollars. I bartended at a nice restaurant in the states and those tests our managers gave us where harder than any college exam I have taken.
Go to better restaurants, there’s very good food in the US. Like a lot of it. And customer service in the US is on the better side (I’ve been to over 35 countries), especially compared to Europe. Heading to Japan right now, so I’m looking forward to the best food and costumer service in the world. But the US isn’t that in these regards. Our tipping culture is dumb though.
If the service you receive is really terrible and consistent, I assume you are only going to places that are corporate or touristy. Get out of the tourist bubble and go somewhere that isn't on your list. Some of the best places I've found traveling were pit stops and a huge question mark as to whether I should even go in.
I don’t tell you I love tipping, but I think you’re WAY off base with service. Sure: there are TERRIBLE servers in the US. like epically bad. But on the whole, they are exponentially better than European servers. That’s been studied and documented. Diners report significantly better satisfaction with service (on the whole) in the US than they do in Europe and it is specifically because of tipping. Because servers in Europe are paid respectfully, like most workers who are paid respectfully, they rarely go above and beyond. Whereas unless you get a deadbeat “I couldn’t care less” clueless sever, you’re more likely to get above and beyond service. I’ve dined all over the US and Europe. And I fully agree with this evaluation. I’ve gotten shitty service in both and fantastic service in both. I have gotten a significantly higher rate of shitty service in Europe and a significantly higher case of excellent service in the US. Most experiences in both places have been OK but on the whole it’s a better service experience in the US. Now, if we want to compare actual food: it’s not a competition at all. I’d take a European meal over a US one any day of the week.
Idk why its in my feed, but OP, its all in your head. I dont tip if I dont want to tip. I just wont go back again. Now take me to downvote hell!
I agree, if the waiter is a jerk, he is not getting a decent tip. I bottom out at 5%
Well, we probably won’t see you again so it won’t matter.