Do you eat out less when the tipping norm went from 15% to 20%?

[nmg63]

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

You might find it unpleasant, but there can be more than one legitimate reason for the request (aside from the factor that they are easier to hide from the IRS).

First, if you are paying by credit card, it's up to the owner (or maybe even an accountant) to funnel the tip to the person who served you. Customers have no way of knowing if that actually happens. Depending on the pay procedure, a salon worker might not even be able to see what individual customers gave them as a tip. Hardly an incentive for them to go the extra mile, if you ask me. Sometimes, salons don't even give the worker the particular tip they earned; tips are all just put into a group kitty that is split among the entire staff by whatever share the owner has worked out with that particular worker.

Second, when tips are charged on a card, a portion of that total bill goes to the credit card company (which can range from 2% to more than 5%, depending on volume of sales, among other factors). That means money is being subtracted from that tip, which goes to VISA or AmEx or wherever. I'm doubt you meant to tip a financial giant for good service, but when you charge a tip you do that, unless an exceptionally kind business owner makes up for it to his or her workers.

Needless to say, cash tips handed directly to servers, salon workers, drivers, landscapers, etc., are enormously appreciated.

Wow! I've always tipped 20%, but seldom with cash (almost never carry much, because I feel if I get robbed I can cancel credit cards, but can't recover cash) but now this has me rethinking that.

I'm going to start asking servers...most of the time their names are on the receipt, but ....?

[jm31828]

Somebody mentioned tipping at a buffet- do people really do that? At a buffet nobody actually does any personal work for you- nobody is bringing food or drinks to your table, coming by to ask if things are OK, to top off drinks, etc. So there is nothing to tip for! People who tip at buffets are just throwing their money away!
Tips are sort of a gift for service that is above and beyond- so if a waiter/waitress is extra friendly, checks in often and takes care of our food and drinks in the absolute best way possible I tip for that because he/she did good work. But a tip is not mandatory, it is something a waiter/waitress has to earn, it is not just to be expected that they will get 15%! If the waiter/waitress doesn't get paid enough in base pay and they expect tips no matter what as part of their paycheck, they need to straighten that out with their employer, because tips are not supposed to be a standard part of expected base pay. If I get poor service I won't leave any tip- that would be like getting a performance bonus at your job if you are doing terribly- it just doesn't happen!

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by MassVt

...A conservative cheapskate---I'm astonished.

Why do those unable to articulate any meaningful response in an argument always resort to bashing Conservatives? This type of name-calling is juvenile at best .

[Kibbiekat]

No. I moved from a place where servers made minimum wage + tips. I now live in a place where servers make about $2.30/hr so tips are very important. I tip more now because of that, not because the standard went up (according to whom?)

[keithhtt]

In my experience the %10 tip has been gone for at least a decade if not two. I can do the math just fine in my head so %15 was the norm for me until my college student daughter started working as a restaurant hostess. Unless the service is poor I will tip 20% but round it up to the next dollar to avoid leaving coin. If it is less than five dollars (we usually just do breakfast or lunch) my daughter will add to it until it reaches $5. She has seen first hand the struggles her co-workers experience .