Tipping is stupid

[Cutlass]

I tip moderately well. Particularly if I'm traveling. Nothing really out of the ordinary.

 

[illram]

What if the standard for an average tip was inflated to 20%?

That is the standard around here, and by giving 15% I am under tipping. If they get the message or not that's their problem. I think you're underestimating server's attention to tips; they know what they're getting and why generally.

 

[mrt144]

That is the standard around here, and by giving 15% I am under tipping. If they get the message or not that's their problem. I think you're underestimating server's attention to tips; they know what they're getting and why generally.

I just know a lot of whiny servers and baristas that complain about tips not being enough at 15% as if that is the baseline for tipping and anything else is a reflection of the person tipping, not the service they render. Narcissism runs rampant in the service industry.

 

[Zelig]

It's important financially as well; 40% of all tips are not reported to the federal government as wages for taxation - yes, waiters are tax evaders, and ought to be treated like the scum they are.

I tip well, 20% as a base, generally (although poor service gets nothing, if it's extraordinarily poor, I'm not paying the bill, let alone the tip), but I never tip cash, I always add the tip onto my credit card for the tax reasons.

And I tip solely for moral reasons, I don't frequent tip-eliciting services enough for any staff to remember what kind of tip I left.

 

[warpus]

I really have no idea what the "standard" around these parts is these days, but about 10 years ago it was 10%, so I tip somewhere between 10% and 15%, depending on the service.

If the service really sucked, they'll get a loonie ($1) tip. If they did an awesome job, their tip might approach 20%

One time I left just a quarter - cause the service was horrible. It only happened once and she totally deserved it.

 

[aelf]

I either tip about 10-15% or I don't tip at all. Occasionally, I'm willing to put down more spare change if I'm happy, which may work out to be about 20%.

I think the tipping competition, which determines who gets the service first, is simply a manifestation of the boorish bourgeois mentality that it's a God-given right that the more money you throw the more people should fawn at you.

 

[mrt144]

I think the tipping competition, which determines who gets the service first, is simply a manifestation of the boorish bourgeois mentality that it's a God-given right that the more money you throw the more people should fawn at you.

It'd be better if you could tip before hand in this case.

 

[aelf]

It'd be better if you could tip before hand in this case.

But the rationale is service staff remember big tippers and will give them preferential treatment.

 

[mrt144]

But the rationale is service staff remember big tippers and will give them preferential treatment.

If the big tipper returns to the establishment. It'd be interesting to see the difference in tips if you offered pre meal incentives for service.

 

[warpus]

Nobody's going to remember you unless you're a regular, do something outreageous while you're there, tip a LOT, or are memorable in some other sort of way.

So it's just really a courtesy, unless you expect to become a regular-of-sorts at the establishment in question.

Tipping big at a bar, once you first get there, is a great way to make sure that the waitress takes good care of you while you're there. (Say you're at a pool hall or something, it's busy, and you get a pitcher of beer - tipping big right off the bat will ensure that the waitress will look after you while you're there moreso than she might if your tip was so-so)

 

[Gooblah]

Why TiP? I hate people who service me becuase they do this as their job not as a gratitute, I demand from their a service but I won't pay them for it. I have friends who said that they get so much money from tips and would hate to work in the kitchen, these guys get no tips...
So why tip the laziests slobs, for people that give me signs that they want their tip, I just become extra rude and demand more services!
I am not mean but tipping is arragogant and exploits people's feelings, of course I feel no shame only anger.

I remmeber that Doctors/Lawyers were rated the worst tippers on some Country radio morning show but they are smart people, so smart people do not tip.

I have two amazing stories for this that I shared with #fiftychat some time ago.

1) My family and I went to Olive Garden, ordered some food, got the breadsticks, salad, and soup, finished it, and waited for our entrees to arrive. Our waiter checked on the food for us every two minutes, and then the food finally arrived about twenty minutes late. We were all past the point of hunger, and were rightfully pissed. The waiter then came to us and told us how sorry he was that the food had come late (and was the wrong food!), and told us that he had made the mistake and should be held responsible. He (genuinely) hoped that we'd come back to the restaurant again in spite of his error, as, again, it was his error and not the business's. The manager came and apologized, the entrees which were delivered wrong were taken off our check, and we left after giving him a 20% tip.

2) My family and I shortly thereafter went to a local Lebanese chain. After a good meal, we received our receipt, and to our surprise, the waiter had written in his own tip (standard 15%). Stunned and insulted, I advised my father to give him 0%, but my father, an apparently kinder soul, still gave him 5%.

In story 1, the waiter was honest, sincere, and genuinely wanted us to have a good time. We gave him a tip as a signal of our gratitude. In story 2, while we had good service, the management were pompous asses (making the tipping policy), and so we're never going there again.

 

[Lillefix]

How strange. I would be happy if the waiter wrote in his own tip. Then I didn't have to do the maths myself and didn't have to bother with finding small coins that I never have(I like cards). If I have enough change I try to be as around 10 %, simply because it's the easy to calculate, and I don't think the waiters expect much tip anyway. Of course, I'm European.

 

[Gooblah]

How strange. I would be happy if the waiter wrote in his own tip. Then I didn't have to do the maths myself and didn't have to bother with finding small coins that I never have(I like cards). If I have enough change I try to be as around 10 %, simply because it's the easy to calculate, and I don't think the waiters expect much tip anyway. Of course, I'm European.

It wasn't the amount, we just found it arrogant that this guy wrote in how much he believed his service was worth - the golden rule of business is that the customer is always right, even more so in the restaurant industry.

 

[mrt144]

It wasn't the amount, we just found it arrogant that this guy wrote in how much he believed his service was worth - the golden rule of business is that the customer is always right, even more so in the restaurant industry.

LMAO, you're still going to the Olive Garden though.

 

[storical]

I tip extra if waiters make a special effort, or if they have a sense of humour.

The on e that was making jokes about my dad's balls to my family got a big one, I can tell you.

Really a whole bloody two pence!

 

[Rik Meleet]

We've had this discussion before.

 

[warpus]

2) My family and I shortly thereafter went to a local Lebanese chain. After a good meal, we received our receipt, and to our surprise, the waiter had written in his own tip (standard 15%). Stunned and insulted, I advised my father to give him 0%, but my father, an apparently kinder soul, still gave him 5%.

Some places here add a mandatory 15% "gratuity" if your party has more people than some pre-determined amount. So.. say you show up in a group of 15 - some restaurants will tack on a 15% "gratuity" to your bill.

Whch is both arrogant and annoying - as a gratuity is supposed to be optional. You're not allowed to waive this fee either - it's on your receipt and you gotta pay it.

I would have less issues with it if they called it what it is "a service fee". A gratuity is optional - that's what it means.

I mean, yeah, I get that a large crowd requires more effort from the waitresses (and everyone else, I guess), but still.

 

[civ_king]

Ah yes, I forgot to mention I tip the cook (as) well because I have allergies and so I wind up getting the ingredient information and such, the cooks put up with me so why not

 

[mrt144]

Some places here add a mandatory 15% "gratuity" if your party has more people than some pre-determined amount. So.. say you show up in a group of 15 - some restaurants will tack on a 15% "gratuity" to your bill.

Whch is both arrogant and annoying - as a gratuity is supposed to be optional. You're not allowed to waive this fee either - it's on your receipt and you gotta pay it.

I would have less issues with it if they called it what it is "a service fee". A gratuity is optional - that's what it means.

I mean, yeah, I get that a large crowd requires more effort from the waitresses (and everyone else, I guess), but still.

15 tops aren't easy for anyone involved, front to back.

 

[Rik Meleet]

We've had this discussion before.

And here a big discussion about it.