Is tipping getting out of control? Yes! 100x YES!

[Nole Lou]

There is one restaurant here that went to this model and when they transitioned to this model, they put up signs in the restaurant to notify customers. The servers also make sure to make the customer aware.

Their website also has the following information: Our Fair Wage culture means moving forward, our menu prices will include a living wage, paid time off, health insurance, and the opportunity to earn a Cool Moose scholarship for those that have college or trade school aspirations. We no longer expect guests to tip our team members under this model, and if you do decide to tip them 100% of tips will go back to our hourly employees. Thank you for joining us in this innovative way to see our team members succeed economically.

I believe this is destined to fail, because I suspect whatever they consider a "living wage" is well below what a good server can make at even a mid-range restaurant like a Chili's or a Cracker Barrel.

Any server that is GOOD is going to go somewhere where they can make $20-25 an hour. This restaurant is going to only have substandard servers willing to make $15/hr or whatever capped, no matter how busy it is, and those servers are going to cover as few tables as they can get away with. This restaurant will end up with more servers per shift, and worse ones. So visitors will pay as much as they did before, and get much worse service, and the restaurant's overhead will skyrocket.

The movement to end tipping is plain and simple an attack on the working class, and the attempt to eliminate one of the few occupations left for an motivated and hard-working but uneducated person to make real, pay the bills, type of money. To get paid based on how hard you work, and how good you do at it. It's bullshit.

The vast majority of servers don't want this, to be reduced to the status of grocery store cashiers.

 

[Nole Lou]

no it was never 11%. at least not in my lifetime and I'm 47. Was always taught to tip 15.

it's up to 20% now because things change over time. as they should.

I'm 50 and remember it being 10%, but it was 15% by the time I was old enough to be paying and tipping anywhere.

I would consider it slight inflation to go from a baseline of 15% to 20% over 30 years, I don't have a problem with it. But I won't be browbeaten into considering 30% the minimum baseline either, or tipping register jockeys who are already making $12-15/hour.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

My line in the sand is 20%.

And get the hell off my lawn.

And if I have to order at a counter and get my own refills. You are not getting shit.

 

[anon_b29nm7v7dwp6r]

Yeah….I have always been a good tipper…but this expectation now for everything is a bit out of hand…I walked in to pick up a carry out order last night and the lowest “suggested” tip was 20%….for a carry out order…

I’m about done subsidizing restaurant entrepreneur’s labor cost so they can take a bigger profit off of me.

 

[West Duval Nole]

I believe this is destined to fail, because I suspect whatever they consider a "living wage" is well below what a good server can make at even a mid-range restaurant like a Chili's or a Cracker Barrel.

Any server that is GOOD is going to go somewhere where they can make $20-25 an hour. This restaurant is going to only have substandard servers willing to make $15/hr or whatever capped, no matter how busy it is, and those servers are going to cover as few tables as they can get away with. This restaurant will end up with more servers per shift, and worse ones. So visitors will pay as much as they did before, and get much worse service, and the restaurant's overhead will skyrocket.

The movement to end tipping is plain and simple an attack on the working class, and the attempt to eliminate one of the few occupations left for an motivated and hard-working but uneducated person to make real, pay the bills, type of money. To get paid based on how hard you work, and how good you do at it. It's bullshit.

The vast majority of servers don't want this, to be reduced to the status of grocery store cashiers.

Maybe, but I am not sure what the owner is paying. It could very well be $20-$25 per hour plus paid vacation and benefits. When Covid shut down restaurants, many places had a hard time hiring wait staff back. It is a relatively small restaurant that only serves breakfast and lunch and it stays pretty busy any time I have gone which isn't very often. I am not opposed to an owner trying to do something different in the industry. Now when you do get the bill there is still an option to add a tip, so my guess is there are people still adding on to their bill, maybe just not the 15-20%. They do make sure to advise the customers that the tip is not necessary.

 

[JRHawk2003]

no it was never 11%. at least not in my lifetime and I'm 47. Was always taught to tip 15.

it's up to 20% now because things change over time. as they should.

Why should it?

The 15% would go up with inflation.

What am I missing?

 

[beanerhawk]

Why should it?

The 15% would go up with inflation.

What am I missing?

Well first of all, a tip is obviously up to you on what you want to do. So it really doesn't matter what you decide to do here. I just feel like people waiting tables deserve closer to 20% for waiting on people is all. Seems like that is a fair amount to leave for someone. I've known a lot of people that have waited tables and tended bar and they deal with a lot of bullshit and crappy people. So that's my take on it.

 

[EasyHawk]

I'm 50 and remember it being 10%, but it was 15% by the time I was old enough to be paying and tipping anywhere.

I would consider it slight inflation to go from a baseline of 15% to 20% over 30 years, I don't have a problem with it. But I won't be browbeaten into considering 30% the minimum baseline either, or tipping register jockeys who are already making $12-15/hour.

I am 60 and I remember 10%. It was pretty standard, I don't remember anyone really doing more regardless of service level. Then some people kept doing 10% but 15% was for exemplary service and then basically it became the minimum.

 

[bhawk24bob]

Well first of all, a tip is obviously up to you on what you want to do. So it really doesn't matter what you decide to do here. I just feel like people waiting tables deserve closer to 20% for waiting on people is all. Seems like that is a fair amount to leave for someone. I've known a lot of people that have waited tables and tended bar and they deal with a lot of bullshit and crappy people. So that's my take on it.

It doesn’t make any sense to rationalize increasing tips because other people act like aholes

But I agree with your premise that the tip is on the tipper to determine what it should be

 

[beanerhawk]

It doesn’t make any sense to rationalize increasing tips because other people act like aholes

But I agree with your premise that the tip is on the tipper to determine what it should be

It does for me. Just like being nice to people is all.

 

[JRHawk2003]

Well first of all, a tip is obviously up to you on what you want to do. So it really doesn't matter what you decide to do here. I just feel like people waiting tables deserve closer to 20% for waiting on people is all. Seems like that is a fair amount to leave for someone. I've known a lot of people that have waited tables and tended bar and they deal with a lot of bullshit and crappy people. So that's my take on it.

Fair enough.

At this point 15% is my baseline. I will do 20 if I really do get good service. I will only go below 15 if its poor.

 

[Derekd3408]

Fair enough.

At this point 15% is my baseline. I will do 20 if I really do get good service. I will only go below 15 if its poor.

I probably tip too much, but 20 is my base and I give 25-30 if they are exceptional. I rarely go under 20 (they would have to be absolutley awful) and if they are I still do 15 and hate myself for it.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

I'm 50 and remember it being 10%, but it was 15% by the time I was old enough to be paying and tipping anywhere.

I would consider it slight inflation to go from a baseline of 15% to 20% over 30 years, I don't have a problem with it. But I won't be browbeaten into considering 30% the minimum baseline either, or tipping register jockeys who are already making $12-15/hour.

FWIW...following my lunch an hour ago I was given a handheld device to run my own credit card on and then the prompts on the screen specified a choice of a 20% tip, a 25% tip or a 28% tip. (I thought of this thread, BTW.)

Long gone are the 15% or even 11% options apparently.

 

[JRHawk2003]

"Tip Creeping"

 

[IowaPackFan]

I’ve pulled back on tipping based on this thread. No longer do I tip at restaurants that don’t take my order at my table and refill my drinks— places like Panera, Fuzzy’s, Chipotle, Starbucks, Torchy’s, Panchero’s, Crumbl, etc. Also anywhere and everywhere that is takeout like pizza places. Just my hard and fast rule now. No real service, no tip.

 

[drew_hawk]

 

[Hawksbyamillion]

My main beef with tips increasing is you don’t see that same type of increase in pay across other occupations who are now guilted into paying more for services when their hourly rates have barely gone up (thinking of some healthcare workers here). This is especially true for me when restaurants are hiring starting at close to $20 an hour. I’m not a fan of tipping for not actually serving and working a register either but usually do it out of guilt.

I also feel aside from healthcare, more industries outside of the restaurant business now expect tips. Whenever I get a massage the screen now prompts me to tip 18% minimum. Obviously inflation has caused prices pretty much everywhere to go up too. Unless your pay is increasing along with inflation and the tip hikes it’s becoming unaffordable for the middle class to go out to eat etc on a regular basis.

 

[Chuck C]

Anybody tip at stadiums or arenas? Going to the concessions at Carver Hawkeye Arena, it always asks for a tip. Grabbing a brat out of the warmer and then having me grab my own water out of a tub isn’t top worthy IMO.

 

[SeaPA]

You cheap sumbitches make sure you tip your accountant this tax season. The general guideline is the larger of 35% of the invoice or 60% of the refund.

 

[IowaPackFan]

Quick question— if one doesn’t tip, do the people making your food know? Is there an indicator on the screen that’s sent back to the kitchen that so-and-so is not a tipper? I would think not and that is why I don’t tip at places I have to go to the counter to get my stuff.

 

[Funky Bunch]

Saw a piece on tipping the other day. It said people were tipping so many places that the amounts were going down. If true,the waiters and waitresses getting paid 2 bucks an hour and need it the most are the losers.

 

[alaskanseminole]

You cheap sumbitches make sure you tip your accountant this tax season. The general guideline is the larger of 35% of the invoice or 60% of the refund.

I thought we were in agreement you're not a CPA, but an old Sea Pa!

 

[VodkaSam]

 

[alaskanseminole]

Wife had a minor verbal exchange with the Starbucks barista who rolled her eyes at her when she selected 'No Tip'. IMO, owners of counter service establishments are pushing employee raises onto the consumer with these new tipping machines. I'm sorry, but tips are for wait staff making $2.15 an hour, not a Chic-Fil-A employee making $15+ per hour handing me my sack of food off the warmer.

 

[bhawk24bob]

The kid at the ice cream shop waited for me to tip last night and I had to do a cost/benefit on what 20% on $4 would do for the amount of ice cream I got would be. It was easily worth the extra 84 cents

 

[tumorboy]

The tip rules are simple folks. Are they hot? If so tip accordingly.

 

[Derekd3408]

If you can afford overpriced shitty starbucks coffee, you can afford to throw the barista 15% (which equates to like .65 cents).

 

[onlyTheObvious]

I think some here would tip a vending machine if it was an option.

If you are not coming to my table and filling my drink and bringing my food you are not getting shit. Plenty of places are hiring if you want a tip based job.

 

[OrlandNole]

I look at it as an opportunity to be generous. That extra dollar or two on a five dollar beverage purchase really isn't going to impact me in a significant way. I feel fortunate that I'm in a position to be able to tip.

 

[tumorboy]

Barber/stylist is really the only place u should never be cheap on tipping. Anyone with sharp objects near your face should always be happy when seeing u.

 

[alaskanseminole]

If you can afford overpriced shitty starbucks coffee, you can afford to throw the barista 15% (which equates to like .65 cents).

It's not about affording it. It's the principle. Are we redefining tipping? If so, then lets do that. Otherwise, this is simply an employer pushing off their responsibility onto the customer.

As I stated in post #24, When we tip, it's a monetary form of "thank you" for a job well done (or not) and now we're expected to tip in advance of a service not yet completed. In all honesty it's an insult to actual wait staff.

As for your assumptive statement about who can and cannot afford something, post #56 is also relevant:

I'd venture to say a large majority of people looking at the | 'No Tip' | '15%' | '18%' | '20%' | screen are teachers, sanitation workers, janitors, bus drivers, etc. barely making ends meet themselves and now they're expected to tip for their fast food. [paraphrased]

 

[alaskanseminole]

I look at it as an opportunity to be generous. That extra dollar or two on a five dollar beverage purchase really isn't going to impact me in a significant way. I feel fortunate that I'm in a position to be able to tip.

And that's what tip jars are for and over the years I've taken advantage of that great opportunity. However, it's morphed into an obligatory transaction.

 

[Derekd3408]

It's not about affording it. It's the principle. Are we redefining tipping? If so, then lets do that. Otherwise, this is simply an employer pushing off their responsibility onto the customer.

As I stated in post #24, When we tip, it's a monetary form of "thank you" for a job well done (or not) and now we're expected to tip in advance of a service not yet completed. In all honesty it's an insult to actual wait staff.

As for your assumptive statement about who can and cannot afford something, post #56 is also relevant:

I'd venture to say a large majority of people looking at the | 'No Tip' | '15%' | '18%' | '20%' | screen are teachers, sanitation workers, janitors, bus drivers, etc. barely making ends meet themselves and now they're expected to tip for their fast food. [paraphrased]

Tip lines are common at almost all food/beverage service places. If you dont think it warrants a tip, by all means dont leave one. Why on earth would anyone get into a verbal altercation with a worker making $13 an hour for making a face when someone doesn't tip them? Wanna avoid being snarled at, leave a 15% tip equating to. 65 cents and move on with your day. If not, probably should tell the wife to get used to getting a few looks. Everything evolves, this is evolving into the new norm.

 

[tumorboy]

Tip lines are common at almost all food/beverage service places. If you dont think it warrants a tip, by all means dont leave one. Why on earth would anyone get into a verbal altercation with a worker making $13 an hour for making a face when someone doesn't tip them? Wanna avoid being snarled at, leave a 15% tip equating to. 65 cents and move on with your day. If not, probably should tell the wife to get used to getting a few looks. Everything evolves, this is evolving into the new norm.

They do because get off on an argument. No different than this place.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Tip lines are common at almost all food/beverage service places. If you dont think it warrants a tip, by all means dont leave one. Why on earth would anyone get into a verbal altercation with a worker making $13 an hour for making a face when someone doesn't tip them? Wanna avoid being snarled at, leave a 15% tip equating to. 65 cents and move on with your day. If not, probably should tell the wife to get used to getting a few looks. Everything evolves, this is evolving into the new norm.

So, leave a tip out of obligation, not service? Thank you for proving my point. That's called wages.

You're missing the forest through the trees. This isn't a discussion about finances or affordability. Hell, I could afford to pay the barista's actual salary, but that's not what's being discussed.

 

[SoDakHawk]

Wife had a minor verbal exchange with the Starbucks barista who rolled her eyes at her when she selected 'No Tip'. IMO, owners of counter service establishments are pushing employee raises onto the consumer with these new tipping machines. I'm sorry, but tips are for wait staff making $2.15 an hour, not a Chic-Fil-A employee making $15+ per hour handing me my sack of food off the warmer.

The tipping screen on these checkouts should be banned, it's gotten ridiculous the places these are popping up now.

Your wife needs to vote with her wallet and not go back to that Starbucks again. Barista sounds pretty entitled.

I'm pretty much to the point where the entire restaurant and service industry can go F themselves. I rarely eat out, do my own self-checkout at stores, pump my own gas, etc, etc. Congrats service folks, COVID showed us we don't really need you anymore, and since 2020 service has gone to crap anyway. You have nobody to blame but yourselves.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Wife had a minor verbal exchange with the Starbucks barista who rolled her eyes at her when she selected 'No Tip'. IMO, owners of counter service establishments are pushing employee raises onto the consumer with these new tipping machines. I'm sorry, but tips are for wait staff making $2.15 an hour, not a Chic-Fil-A employee making $15+ per hour handing me my sack of food off the warmer.

I noticed that at the drive thru now instead of handing them your card they hold out the reader and you have to click through the tip screen. If you don’t want to tip 18-24% you have to hit custom amount or no tip…while they’re holding it staring at you.

 

[BrunoMars420]

We need to go the Japan route and just have kiosks

 

[alaskanseminole]

The tipping screen on these checkouts should be banned, it's gotten ridiculous the places these are popping up now.

Your wife needs to vote with her wallet and not go back to that Starbucks again. Barista sounds pretty entitled.

I'm pretty much to the point where the entire restaurant and service industry can go F themselves. I rarely eat out, do my own self-checkout at stores, pump my own gas, etc, etc. Congrats service folks, COVID showed us we don't really need you anymore, and since 2020 service has gone to crap anyway. You have nobody to blame but yourselves.

It's just become obligatory. You can have a $hitty attitude and expect to get compensated the same as someone with amazingly honed in customer service skills. It'd be no different than the guy who always shows up late to work, turns in the bare minimum performance while expecting to be compensated the same as the top employee.

I remember back in high school me and the guys hit the Hard Rock Café in Orlando one Friday night. Our server's name was Stephanie. She said if you need anything, just yell my name. We were like, "Ya right. This place is nuts and way too loud." Later on, we all yelled her name for fun and she came running with a refill on all our drinks. She wound up making our night pretty fun so we pooled our funds to give her the best tip a bunch of 17-year-olds could muster. Clearly she left an impression because that was 1991.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

It’s hard to know who is supposed to be tipped these days and who isn’t. I just tip everyone. An example is an airport shuttle bus driver. I was with some people recently being driven from the terminal to the hotel. None of them gave the driver anything as they left the bus. Yet, people are expected to tip cab/Uber drivers that basically perform the same task. I have him five bucks.