Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Eliminating our tipping system would likely result in lower levels of service. Of course restaurants would raise server wages. However they would probably end up making fast food level pay. A good server can make hundreds a night in tips. The example a poster made of Australian servers making 20 an hour just would not happen here. The wage increase would never make up for the lost tips.
I do understand though how foreign visitors to our country could be frustrated by tipping here if it’s not done where they live. It is however part of our culture and visitors to our nation should make an effort to deal with it when visiting America. That is just part of international travel.
Nonsense.
It's not part of culture.
It's merely a way of the customer rewarding good service.The customer should be perfectly entitled not to reward crap service.
Eliminating our tipping system would likely result in lower levels of service. Of course restaurants would raise server wages. However they would probably end up making fast food level pay. A good server can make hundreds a night in tips. The example a poster made of Australian servers making 20 an hour just would not happen here. The wage increase would never make up for the lost tips.
I do understand though how foreign visitors to our country could be frustrated by tipping here if it’s not done where they live. It is however part of our culture and visitors to our nation should make an effort to deal with it when visiting America. That is just part of international travel.
Who says that eliminating our tipping system would result in the elimination of tipping in general? At least there wouldn't be an expectation of tipping nor that tipping is based on the final bill.
There are other services that workers are paid wages and optional tipping still exists.
Pretty easy to spend over $100.00 on practically nothing these days.
Half the time it's just about cheaper to eat out.
Need to adjust grocery shopping techniques.... I feed a family of 5 and it is rarely cheaper to eat out at the same quality of food. I do all the cooking. Its pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Like never buy out of season produce as they are priced premium. Always shop with full planned meals in mind. Shop bulk (split with a friend).
Need to adjust grocery shopping techniques.... I feed a family of 5 and it is rarely cheaper to eat out at the same quality of food. I do all the cooking. Its pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Like never buy out of season produce as they are priced premium. Always shop with full planned meals in mind. Shop bulk (split with a friend).
Indeed.
Steak,jacket potatoes,brocolli,garden peas and ice-cream for dessert fed four people in my house last night.
Less than the equivalent of 30 bucks.
Tipping to encourage good service and to make up for sub-minimum wage is one thing and all fine. But this expectation of 15-20% including tax or more is getting out of hand and is an imposition. The proof of it is servers are the only ones making significantly over the near minimum wage in a restaurant and up to several $100s a shift. Most people on commission don't get over 5%. A 10% tip should be considered more than generous like it use to be.
Long ago I worked as a busboy for a short time. I was making near minimum wage like just about every one else working in the restaurant, and the servers were making 2-3x that or more and I was arguably doing more work. There was just one of me and several of them doing the workload. The servers mostly stood around in the kitchen area and clowned around. The servers were all a-holes and thought themselves superior to the other workers. One time a man in the dining room, waved me over and handed me $20 and said it was for me. And some female server tried to claim it was for the servers. I think I kept the $20 but don't remember.
What is it with people lately trying to take money out of the hands of people who work hard for it?
There you go again. Strawman reasoning.
No one in this thread wants to avoid paying workers what they're owed. What we want to get rid of is the burden on consumers of having to subjectively evaluate what someone offering service is owed and then suffering negative consequences for getting it "wrong" even when it was our honest intention to get it "right." One obvious solution is to just spell out the full cost on the bill.
I used to be a server and a GOOD server bust their arses off. I’m still not buying into paying or splitting the tips with other servers. No restaurant around here does this I’m better this is a sham of sorts.
Go eat fast food no tipping there. There is no shaming don’t go out to eat if you cannot afford it, even more so if your too cheap.
I knew you had been a server. It was obvious....... A good server bust their arses off? So does a shelf filler in Wal-Mart. Don't come the cheap line with me. I'm English, it doesn't work. I have no in built shame meter that Americans grow up with.
As I said, when I visit America, I tip as expected. Doesn't make it right. I was told when I first visited America, in 1988, that the expected tip was 15%, so that's what I give. The upping of the tipping level in recent years I ignore. As meal prices rise, so does the level of tip. No need to increase the percentage.
Your obvious irritation amuses me. It's time Americans stood on their hind legs, and shouted out loud, 'IT'S NOT MY JOB TO PAY THE STAFF.' If they get called cheap, by the likes of you, they should just smile, and shout out the above until employers are the ones made to feel ashamed.
Of course this will ensure staff only get paid wages, instead of being enriched by the public, overpaying for their food. A side benefit would be less false smiles, and pretend concern for the patrons comfort. Less wages as well. But after all, putting a plate down in front of a customer isn't rocket science is it?
These tipping threads always go the same way. Folks posting about their generous tipping habits. I find this mentality very strange as an outsider looking in. Folks wanting to boast of how generous they are, handing over their hard earned money to strangers.
Others terrified of being thought of as 'cheap.' When we visit America, I have been inside a Wal-Mart. I was fascinated by a thing they had at the checkout with hooks on it to hang the plastic store bags. The checkout girl placed all our purchases in bags, and we lifted them off the hooks. In England, we pack our own goods at checkout, and always have done.
I was wondering, why don't Americans tip for this packing service? They don't because, well, that's what the checkout girl does as part of her job. Then why do they feel they have to hand money over to someone placing a plate of food in front of them, that they are paying for? The one that really drives me crazy is drink servers in bars expecting a tip for serving drinks. That's their job isn't it - to serve drinks? Why do they expect the customer to pay for them doing their job? Nobody in an English bar expects to be paid for doing their job. Their employer pays them to serve drinks, and they do so.
It's just nuts. But it is so ingrained in American culture, that folks who want tipping stopping, and making the employer pay the wages, just get called cheap. It's just a way of shutting them up, and it's disgraceful.
I dont know anyone who tips the Walmart cashier for bagging groceries. Maybe some do but not I.
In fact I have had waiters who were lousy at their job, meaning more interested in talking to friends than waiting tables, I have not tipped them at all.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A good server bust their arses off? So does a shelf filler in Wal-Mart. Don't come the cheap line with me. I'm English, it doesn't work. I have no in built shame meter that Americans grow up with.
