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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?
People at Walmart work? How is it you can never find anyone when you need help?
I’m not in the least irritated again you don’t have to tip however if you do go out with a large group they will automatically add a tip in. I can’t remember how much.
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.
Most of the time the Walmart nearest me doesn't even have cashiers and you have to ring up and bag your own groceries. Not that long ago grocery stores rang up, bagged and loaded the groceries in your car.
I dont know anyone who tips the Walmart cashier for bagging groceries
But the question is 'why not?', if a waiter should get a 20% tip for bringing food to the table why not a supermarket cashier for scanning your groceries?
I've heard that in the US waiters working in what is essentially an unskilled job often make more because of tips than the chefs actually cooking the food which is a much more skilled job, that doesn't make much sense to me.
All a waiter needs to do is take the order, give it to the kitchen/bar, bring the food and drinks to the table then take payment at the end. As long as they are doing that then they are doing their job, I don't want them to do any more than that so good service isn't something so complicated that it needs an opaque incentive structure to ensure that good service. How about only paying the chef the cost of the ingredients and any extra on top of that is voluntary based on how well they cook it? Sounds like a dumb idea, but it's basically the same as the tipping system for waiters.
Of course in the US I'll just pay the 20% or whatever is expected because that is the custom, but it seems like a bit of a scam.
Practically everyone I meet who is visiting the U.S. from another country has the same complaint, and sometimes horror stories, about tipping. It's strange enough that prices listed in the U.S. almost never include sales tax, and even stranger when tipping is factored into the equation so that the total price is 20-35% higher than the listed price. Nowadays you are expected to tip for your taxi ride, your morning coffee, who knows what else. A couple I met from Australia the other day told me about how a bar kicked them out for tipping "only" $8 on a round of drinks that that bar said were supposed to warrant a $12 tip.
"makes me embarrassed as an American" I could say I am embarrassed you are an American.
The sales tax is ALWAYS in your bill.
ALL sales taxes are public records. If you want to know what it is, LOOK IT UP!
" Nowadays you are expected to tip", says who? NO ONE is forcing you to tip.
Seriously, who wants to eat out these days, with the crappy food + crappy service, and then be expected to tip 20-25% on top of that?
Time to take the bull by the horns and "opt out" by cooking at home. I pray for the day when everyone else gets smart and boycotts restaurants en masse.
Maybe it's a special treat for folks without much money to go out to eat? Hard enough, without having to pay the wages of wait staff, instead of the employer doing so.
Calling them cheap, is part of the shame network, to ensure this practice never ends, enriching servers, who with tips, are far better off than the patrons of the establishment. It is undefendable, but of course, servers love it.
You a server? I bet you boast you never leave less than 20%. Maybe 30% if the server is especially servile.
Again, if you can't afford to tip, or you are too cheap to tip, don't go to a restaurant. And it is not always true that employers are not paying their staff - in some states, the employees get their full wages AND the tips on top of that.
They are cheap if they don't tip. It isn't about "shame", it's about knowing that you tip at restaurants. Everyone in this country knows this. I don't care how they do it in England. When I visit England, I will do as the locals do and not trash on their system. It's theirs, not mine. But that doesn't seem to stop those from Europe wanting to come over here and "shame" people for tipping.
And yes, you can make a nice chunk of change on tips if you're good. I walked home with $100 a night just for being a barback, in addition to my wages. That was for 4 hours of work. And yet, some people on here want to take that away.
I do tip generously for the simple fact that I have served - in a bar, but I've served, and I know that those people work hard. If I'm in a state where the employer tries to make the tip part of their wages, I always give the server cash, put it in their pocket, shut up about it, and just tell the employer I stiffed them. They know, and I know, that they got their tip.
Again, if you can't afford to tip, or you are too cheap to tip, don't go to a restaurant. And it is not always true that employers are not paying their staff - in some states, the employees get their full wages AND the tips on top of that.
They are cheap if they don't tip. It isn't about "shame", it's about knowing that you tip at restaurants. Everyone in this country knows this. I don't care how they do it in England. When I visit England, I will do as the locals do and not trash on their system. It's theirs, not mine. But that doesn't seem to stop those from Europe wanting to come over here and "shame" people for tipping.
And yes, you can make a nice chunk of change on tips if you're good. I walked home with $100 a night just for being a barback, in addition to my wages. That was for 4 hours of work. And yet, some people on here want to take that away.
I do tip generously for the simple fact that I have served - in a bar, but I've served, and I know that those people work hard. If I'm in a state where the employer tries to make the tip part of their wages, I always give the server cash, put it in their pocket, shut up about it, and just tell the employer I stiffed them. They know, and I know, that they got their tip.
You're another American trying the 'cheap' line. Just makes me laugh. Don't you read here in this thread how many Americans are fed up of this stupid system, which seems to demand ever higher tipping percentage? It's a scam man.
People tip at American restaurants, because they feel they have to, because the staff are paid such poor wages. That doesn't change the fact the employer should pay them, not the customer.
It's not about trashing your system, it's about changing it. It's not written in stone you know...... there is no Commandment that says, 'thou shalt tip'........
'Ah yes...... you can make a good chunk of change on tips if you're good. I walked home with $100 a night just being a barback, in addition to my wages.' No wonder you sound pleased. But why do you think you should be tipped for doing your job, if your employer pays you? Of course you're pleased suckers are shamed into tipping you for doing your job. Doesn't make it right though does it?
Most of the time the Walmart nearest me doesn't even have cashiers and you have to ring up and bag your own groceries. Not that long ago grocery stores rang up, bagged and loaded the groceries in your car.
We have one store in town that still does that. I dont shop there much but when I do it actually makes me a little uncomfortable when they load my groceries. I guess because I'm not use to it. That was once very common and expected.
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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.
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