I'll tip for good service, whether it's a waiter, taxi or barber. Good service should be rewarded, and its unlikely to be by management in those industries, who often won't be able to tell who's good and who's not.
It's also a compliment and/or an insult to receive/not receive a tip (again dependent on the industry). Financial considerations aside, it can really make your shift getting a few nice tips when you've been working hard.
I wonder, do those that never tip, also complain about the poor standards in the service industry these days
Just don't ever go to the USA then, where tipping is the only means of staff such as waiters, porters, car jockeys, pizza delivery people etc make money. They don't get paid a wage - they exist purely by their tips.
Just never add a tip to your debit/credit card - always give in cash to your server (or whoever) to make sure they personally get the reward.
Are you really that ignorant? Why is that the people that apparently know nothing about a subject matter are the ones that make such emphatic pronouncements?
Are you really that ignorant? Why is that the people that apparently know nothing about a subject matter are the ones that make such emphatic pronouncements?
Its not zero but its not much more than that. The minimum salary from employer is $2.13/hr
The R & C will expect a waiter to provide a sum for tips. If they don't query a zero return, it is because they only have the staff to pursue a small proportion of queries, not because they believe the person concerned.
Not sure what this has to do with my reply. I do however agree with what you written.
I'll tip for good service, whether it's a waiter, taxi or barber. Good service should be rewarded, and its unlikely to be by management in those industries, who often won't be able to tell who's good and who's not.
It's also a compliment and/or an insult to receive/not receive a tip (again dependent on the industry). Financial considerations aside, it can really make your shift getting a few nice tips when you've been working hard.
If I get good service, I will revisit the establishment again. That is probably worth more than a tip that someone may leave. If I dont get good service, I will go else where next time. However to be fair, in a restaurant I dont usually want to be bothered by the waiters. If I want another drink, I will ask for one... its not a big hardship. All they need to do for me is take my order, bring my drinks and food. Apart from that I would like to be left alone to enjoy the company of the person/people I am with. If they keep asking me every 5 mins if I would like another drink, I find that annoying.
I wonder, do those that never tip, also complain about the poor standards in the service industry these days
How would a waiter know if I tip or not when I walk into a place for the first time? So why would I get bad service, unless that is how they operate. If I walk into said establishment on the 4th, 5th etc occasions, then I would hope I would get a decent level of service as I am a 'regular'.
Its better to be a regular and not tip, than visit a place very occasionally and tip.
I usually tip in restaurants - generally 10% of the bill. I did a lot of waitressing when I was at uni and know most staff work bloody hard for very little money!
That's the fault of the employer, not the customer
Employees wages should never be made up with tops while the bosses get richer
While we're at it ban tipping on cruises, inc service charges automatically added on.
I won't go on any cruise as it is expected that you pay hundreds over the price, just because it's the custom, one which should have ended years ago.
It's not the customer that won't tip who is tight, its the grasping employer who won't pay a decent wage, safe in the knowledge that the clients will provide what he should.
Tipping is an American thing (talking about your average restaurant, not high dinning), the reason is because waiters/waitresses are paid below minimum wage and make up their money with tips. In the UK they have to meet minimum wage, so tipping is not needed.
It is only because of American films and television that people even think about it, it's not part of our culture and it pretty much has never been. In fact, it could be considered impolite to tip someone, much like offering to help clean a persons house can have implications even though it would appear a nice thing to do.
I In America its expected and ive had great service which I would gladly tip but most restaurants add it to the bill and it can be up to 15% or there abouts, that's a lot to add to meal especially when the service isn't great
It is expected in America because the wages are so poor. When I went for a meal with my American family I paid the exact bill but my brother in law stuck on an extra 10 dollars tip.
I think they only add on 15% in Florida because they know that we British are bad tippers.
If I get good service, I will revisit the establishment again. That is probably worth more than a tip that someone may leave.
Its better to be a regular and not tip, than visit a place very occasionally and tip.
The bit you're getting wrong is assuming that frontline staff care about you putting money into the owner's pockets, rather than their own.
You coming back and not tipping is NOT worth much to the waiting staff. It is great for the owners, who should be trying to incentivise staff around this, but in practice that rarely happens.
It is expected in America because the wages are so poor. When I went for a meal with my American family I paid the exact bill but my brother in law stuck on an extra 10 dollars tip.
I think they only add on 15% in Florida because they know that we British are bad tippers.
I have been visiting the U.S. once, twice, on occasions three times per year now for over 25 years, and I cannot recall, (although I'm not saying it doesn't happen, just never to me), EVER seeing any service charge added to a restaurant bill, State Tax, yes, but not a service charge.
What you do sometimes get is advisory sums, like for example if the bill is $100.00, it will say 15% will be $115.00, 18% be $118.00, and 25% will be $125.00, but as I say, these are suggested guide lines, not demands.
I know a guy from Rhode Island, who regularly works the season in Florida as a waiter, sometimes as a barman.
He said no one wants to work the Orlando area, they prefer the West Coast from Tampa down to Naples, or Fort Lauderdale to Key West, because, (his words), Orlando is full of Brits who will nickel and dime you to death.
He told me of a Brit who ran up a $90 bar tab on a credit card, and left a 50c. tip.
It is expected in America because the wages are so poor. When I went for a meal with my American family I paid the exact bill but my brother in law stuck on an extra 10 dollars tip.
I think they only add on 15% in Florida because they know that we British are bad tippers.
Why are the British considered to be bad tippers just because they don't want to pay someone for just doing their job?
No one gave me a tip for emptying a bed pan!
Why are the British considered to be bad tippers just because they don't want to pay someone for just doing their job?
No one gave me a tip for emptying a bed pan!
Granted it is up to the customer, Yank, Brit, Canadian, Brazilian, whatever, to decide whether or not to tip, and if they do tip, how much.
However, if virtually EVERYONE who dines in a U.S. restaurant, or drinks in a U.S. bar, tips at least 15%, save for the Brits, who leave nothing, or maybe a couple of bucks, then it's only natural that they will be seen as lousy tippers.
It doesn't mean that the Brits are necessarily bad people, just that they are seen as "cheap" compared to the majority of other customers.
The bit you're getting wrong is assuming that frontline staff care about you putting money into the owner's pockets, rather than their own.
You coming back and not tipping is NOT worth much to the waiting staff. It is great for the owners, who should be trying to incentivise staff around this, but in practice that rarely happens.
The bit you are not getting is that if the owner is not getting money in his pocket, he may have to lay of some staff. So in that sense, the waiters should care about money going into the owners pocket. As if that money dries up, not only will they not get tips, they wont get a wage.
It is only because of American films and television that people even think about it, it's not part of our culture and it pretty much has never been. In fact, it could be considered impolite to tip someone, much like offering to help clean a persons house can have implications even though it would appear a nice thing to do.
That seems a very weird thing to say. I don't think I have ever not tipped after a restaurant meal. I am finding it hard to imagine that I have left a trail of offended and patronised people behind me.
It is only because of American films and television that people even think about it, it's not part of our culture and it pretty much has never been. In fact, it could be considered impolite to tip someone, much like offering to help clean a persons house can have implications even though it would appear a nice thing to do.
I think that you may need to re-think this one Tal'shiar.
I've spoken to elderly relatives about this, today and yesterday, and they've almost all agreed that they and their contemporaries tipped waiters, barbers, and taxi drivers before WW2.
As for it being considered impolite, I can't imagine having a taxi fare of e.g. £9.40, giving the driver a tenner and telling him to keep the change, only to have him chase me down the street, telling me that I've patronised him.
Its not zero but its not much more than that. The minimum salary from employer is $2.13/hr
That is a base pay. The tips are then added on top of that. If the wages and tips do not equal the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during any pay period, the employer is required to increase cash wages to compensate. All tipped employees must be paid AT LEAST the equivalent of minimum wage during the same period of work. Most employees I have ever known that work off of wages+tips get paid far more when it is all totaled than individuals getting paid a flat rate. Yes, they may have to hustle a little more to earn more tips but it balances out far better for everyone; more money to the worker, better service for the customer, the employer is able to hire more staff. The last one is the crucial one.
[An Example:]"In Massachusetts, where the tipped base minimum wage is $2.63 hr., the average income of tipped waiters and waitresses is $12.88 hr. In Washington State, where the minimum base wage for wait staff is $9.32 hr., the average wage is $13.25 hr. after gratuity."
Having said that, I do believe the base minimum wage has remained stagnant for far to long and should be increased.
Just don't ever go to the USA then, where tipping is the only means of staff such as waiters, porters, car jockeys, pizza delivery people etc make money. They don't get paid a wage - they exist purely by their tips.
Just never add a tip to your debit/credit card - always give in cash to your server (or whoever) to make sure they personally get the reward.
What's funny about this is it's a complete myth now, it was once like this, but not anymore.
Now, the employer has to make up the difference to pay them minimum wage, if they don't make enough in tips, but obviously it never happens because they all tip willy nilly.
I've known people who were chased out of restaurants because they didn't leave tips, taxi drivers going crazy. They hate serving British people in the US because they know we're terrible tippers.
People who don't tip in restaurants have never worked as a waiter/waitress and have no idea what a difference it can make. Yes you are paying for everything but if the service was good an extra 10% is the norm if you can do it. Why do we do it? Because its the norm and IMO a good thing for people on minimum wage hourly rates.
By all means don't tip if it's really such a terrible thing.
Waiting and kitchen staff in the service hospitality industry are one of the lowest paid. Horrible hours and shift work and work public holidays. I usually always tip unless service had been bad.
It's weird because I naturally tip wait staff (if the service has been OK), but don't really tip anyone else, but I don't know why. I'm sure I have received excellent service from people who are also on poor wages, but it didn't even enter my mind to tip. Strange, innit.
I totally get tipping in countries where the staff don't get paid a minimum wage as such and are expected to make up the rest of their wage with tips. Tips alone was a huge chunk of our budget in the US!
I also tipped about 15% in a Time Square resteraunt, and the waiter looked at me like I had just pissed on the table, felt like giving him a slap and taking it back.
BIB - Its not particularly hard, nor are they under pressure. Its a laughable statement. Yes I have worked as a waiter, for around 3 years (on weekends and holidays from college).
All you have to do, is take orders, serve drinks, bring food from the kitchen to the right table and have some knowledge of the items on the menu. Not exactly hard or pressure work. Other duties may include shining silverware and glassware and leaning the front of house. In some of the bigger restaurants, you have people on only take orders, and others that make the drinks and other that bring the food. Which makes it easier for each waiter.
Thank you. I was also a waitress for three years and it was not hard or pressured. The only hard part was being on my feet for so many hours but that's the case in many other low paid jobs. Waitressing is certainly not among the hardest of low paid jobs.
i feel sorry for people who don't tip. Unless the service is utterly appalling, it's the polite thing to do.
And as for those who never tip out of 'principle' - please. Why not just admit you are tight, and everyone can go about their day?
It's not a question of being tight. It's about being put into the awkward, uncomfortable position of deciding how much largesse I should leave on any particular occasion, and forcing the recipients to demonstrate insincere gratitude (then having to leave worrying if I left too little, or too much).
I just don't want any of that. Whatever the average tip is expected to be, just build it into the prices. I'm much happier paying a fixed amount according to some contract.
Actually I just places and situations where I have to tip. It's their loss.
Comments
It's also a compliment and/or an insult to receive/not receive a tip (again dependent on the industry). Financial considerations aside, it can really make your shift getting a few nice tips when you've been working hard.
I wonder, do those that never tip, also complain about the poor standards in the service industry these days
Are you really that ignorant? Why is that the people that apparently know nothing about a subject matter are the ones that make such emphatic pronouncements?
Its not zero but its not much more than that. The minimum salary from employer is $2.13/hr
Not sure what this has to do with my reply. I do however agree with what you written.
If I get good service, I will revisit the establishment again. That is probably worth more than a tip that someone may leave. If I dont get good service, I will go else where next time. However to be fair, in a restaurant I dont usually want to be bothered by the waiters. If I want another drink, I will ask for one... its not a big hardship. All they need to do for me is take my order, bring my drinks and food. Apart from that I would like to be left alone to enjoy the company of the person/people I am with. If they keep asking me every 5 mins if I would like another drink, I find that annoying.
How would a waiter know if I tip or not when I walk into a place for the first time? So why would I get bad service, unless that is how they operate. If I walk into said establishment on the 4th, 5th etc occasions, then I would hope I would get a decent level of service as I am a 'regular'.
Its better to be a regular and not tip, than visit a place very occasionally and tip.
That's the fault of the employer, not the customer
Employees wages should never be made up with tops while the bosses get richer
While we're at it ban tipping on cruises, inc service charges automatically added on.
I won't go on any cruise as it is expected that you pay hundreds over the price, just because it's the custom, one which should have ended years ago.
It's not the customer that won't tip who is tight, its the grasping employer who won't pay a decent wage, safe in the knowledge that the clients will provide what he should.
It is only because of American films and television that people even think about it, it's not part of our culture and it pretty much has never been. In fact, it could be considered impolite to tip someone, much like offering to help clean a persons house can have implications even though it would appear a nice thing to do.
It is expected in America because the wages are so poor. When I went for a meal with my American family I paid the exact bill but my brother in law stuck on an extra 10 dollars tip.
I think they only add on 15% in Florida because they know that we British are bad tippers.
The bit you're getting wrong is assuming that frontline staff care about you putting money into the owner's pockets, rather than their own.
You coming back and not tipping is NOT worth much to the waiting staff. It is great for the owners, who should be trying to incentivise staff around this, but in practice that rarely happens.
I'm not sure about that, tipping in bars here has never really caught on, which is equally an American custom.
I certainly remember tips being the norm over 20 years ago.... thank god, that helped with my bills at the time.
I have been visiting the U.S. once, twice, on occasions three times per year now for over 25 years, and I cannot recall, (although I'm not saying it doesn't happen, just never to me), EVER seeing any service charge added to a restaurant bill, State Tax, yes, but not a service charge.
What you do sometimes get is advisory sums, like for example if the bill is $100.00, it will say 15% will be $115.00, 18% be $118.00, and 25% will be $125.00, but as I say, these are suggested guide lines, not demands.
I know a guy from Rhode Island, who regularly works the season in Florida as a waiter, sometimes as a barman.
He said no one wants to work the Orlando area, they prefer the West Coast from Tampa down to Naples, or Fort Lauderdale to Key West, because, (his words), Orlando is full of Brits who will nickel and dime you to death.
He told me of a Brit who ran up a $90 bar tab on a credit card, and left a 50c. tip.
Why are the British considered to be bad tippers just because they don't want to pay someone for just doing their job?
No one gave me a tip for emptying a bed pan!
Granted it is up to the customer, Yank, Brit, Canadian, Brazilian, whatever, to decide whether or not to tip, and if they do tip, how much.
However, if virtually EVERYONE who dines in a U.S. restaurant, or drinks in a U.S. bar, tips at least 15%, save for the Brits, who leave nothing, or maybe a couple of bucks, then it's only natural that they will be seen as lousy tippers.
It doesn't mean that the Brits are necessarily bad people, just that they are seen as "cheap" compared to the majority of other customers.
The bit you are not getting is that if the owner is not getting money in his pocket, he may have to lay of some staff. So in that sense, the waiters should care about money going into the owners pocket. As if that money dries up, not only will they not get tips, they wont get a wage.
That seems a very weird thing to say. I don't think I have ever not tipped after a restaurant meal. I am finding it hard to imagine that I have left a trail of offended and patronised people behind me.
I think that you may need to re-think this one Tal'shiar.
I've spoken to elderly relatives about this, today and yesterday, and they've almost all agreed that they and their contemporaries tipped waiters, barbers, and taxi drivers before WW2.
As for it being considered impolite, I can't imagine having a taxi fare of e.g. £9.40, giving the driver a tenner and telling him to keep the change, only to have him chase me down the street, telling me that I've patronised him.
That is a base pay. The tips are then added on top of that. If the wages and tips do not equal the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during any pay period, the employer is required to increase cash wages to compensate. All tipped employees must be paid AT LEAST the equivalent of minimum wage during the same period of work. Most employees I have ever known that work off of wages+tips get paid far more when it is all totaled than individuals getting paid a flat rate. Yes, they may have to hustle a little more to earn more tips but it balances out far better for everyone; more money to the worker, better service for the customer, the employer is able to hire more staff. The last one is the crucial one.
[An Example:]"In Massachusetts, where the tipped base minimum wage is $2.63 hr., the average income of tipped waiters and waitresses is $12.88 hr. In Washington State, where the minimum base wage for wait staff is $9.32 hr., the average wage is $13.25 hr. after gratuity."
Having said that, I do believe the base minimum wage has remained stagnant for far to long and should be increased.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipped_wage_in_the_United_States
http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm
What's funny about this is it's a complete myth now, it was once like this, but not anymore.
Now, the employer has to make up the difference to pay them minimum wage, if they don't make enough in tips, but obviously it never happens because they all tip willy nilly.
I've known people who were chased out of restaurants because they didn't leave tips, taxi drivers going crazy. They hate serving British people in the US because they know we're terrible tippers.
By all means don't tip if it's really such a terrible thing.
I totally get tipping in countries where the staff don't get paid a minimum wage as such and are expected to make up the rest of their wage with tips. Tips alone was a huge chunk of our budget in the US!
A world without tipping would be a better world.
Thank you. I was also a waitress for three years and it was not hard or pressured. The only hard part was being on my feet for so many hours but that's the case in many other low paid jobs. Waitressing is certainly not among the hardest of low paid jobs.
It's not a question of being tight. It's about being put into the awkward, uncomfortable position of deciding how much largesse I should leave on any particular occasion, and forcing the recipients to demonstrate insincere gratitude (then having to leave worrying if I left too little, or too much).
I just don't want any of that. Whatever the average tip is expected to be, just build it into the prices. I'm much happier paying a fixed amount according to some contract.
Actually I just places and situations where I have to tip. It's their loss.