Another Tipping Thread. These Are Always Fun

[ronandannette]

I intentionally invoked your name in the first post because I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist commenting.

Aren't you supposed to have to say it three times?

 

[Heather07438]

CC surcharge was something like 3.094763%

I guess when banks are doing billions and billions a day that extra .0947631415926535897 really adds up
That whole thing seems ridiculous to me too. Banks skimming 4% or whatever from every transaction. The easy money train- choo choo!

 

[Adelle Dazeem]

I see “living wage” surcharges all over the place here in California. It’s become the accepted practice.

 

[sam_gordon]

I can't stand the pressure to pay 20-30% over listed prices as an "optional" gratuity.

I don't like the "expected tips" and wish they would go away. That being said, I don't see the "suggested" tips on a receipt as "pressure".

I do wish more people would generously tip the breakfast workers who keep the complimentary breakfasts stocked and the areas clean at the budget hotels like BW, Holiday Inn Express, etc. We ALWAYS slip them several bucks, even though many hotels don't let them put out a tip jar.

The breakfast ladies are constantly hustling to refill buffet items, handle guest requests and clean, clean clean tables, so arriving guests have a place to sit.

These ladies (usually ladies) work so darn hard - I get so angry and disgusted by how many families are absolute pigs - they let their kids make horrible messes and just walk away like entitled royalty.

Sorry, don't get it. Are the breakfast workers getting paid less than minimum wage? The folks at McDonalds work hard too. Should we all be tipping them generously?

 

[Kitty 34]

RedAngie, you're such a troll to start such an unnerving thread, You need to keep it to the 2020/21 topics.

 

[HeatherC]

I see “living wage” surcharges all over the place here in California. It’s become the accepted practice.

Are they already included in the bill or can you opt out of paying it? I would be opting out. How rude and presumptuous.

 

[Skywalker]

Thankfully, we did NOT pool tips among the wait staff, which was common practice at other places. (So one server could give exemplary service, while another slacked off and all had to pool the total tips for the shift and split them equally. Talk about unfair!)

But it could make things MORE fair! My friend who was a server found that there were so many variables to who got the best tips on any given night, not just "exemplary service" or not. One person could just get a few live tables that were better tippers, or my friend's pet peeve, the "hot" server always got tons more than the rest of them. She was no more "exemplary" than anyone else. So I can see management wanting to remove that competition aspect, this way everyone shares equally in a good night.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I wonder if that Living Wage Surcharge was a surprise when the bill arrived.

It was. It was our first time at this particular restaurant, and I’d never seen it before anywhere else. The card that explained the surcharge was placed on the table with the bill after we were finished with our meal. They made it sound like they were being so charitable in support of their staff.

I see “living wage” surcharges all over the place here in California. It’s become the accepted practice.

Wow, I’m sorry to hear this.

Are they already included in the bill or can you opt out of paying it? I would be opting out. How rude and presumptuous.

No way to opt out without making a scene, I suppose. The bill listed each food item, then the surcharge, then a subtotal with a line for the tip and total below it. It threw me for a loop and I paid it, but gave less tip than I would have otherwise, on principle, which in retrospect, i realized probably only hurt the server.

 

[AppleDumpling]

But it could make things MORE fair! My friend who was a server found that there were so many variables to who got the best tips on any given night, not just "exemplary service" or not. One person could just get a few live tables that were better tippers, or my friend's pet peeve, the "hot" server always got tons more than the rest of them. She was no more "exemplary" than anyone else. So I can see management wanting to remove that competition aspect, this way everyone shares equally in a good night.

I suppose. Maybe it depends on the place. Where I worked was a very popular local landmark (non-chain) and management was pretty fair about assigning stations and accounting for how busy it was on a given night. There also were many regulars who would sometimes request a specific server and they would try to accommodate that if possible. It’s seems like things usually evened out, but we mostly wanted to each keep the tips we worked for. I honestly don’t remember all the details; it was a long time ago (almost 40 years).

 

[ronandannette]

I guess when banks are doing billions and billions a day that extra .0947631415926535897 really adds up
That whole thing seems ridiculous to me too. Banks skimming 4% or whatever from every transaction. The easy money train- choo choo!

Not to mention the shocking double-digit interest they earn on the charges of people who run balances on their cards. Banks should be paying merchants to accept credit cards.

I see “living wage” surcharges all over the place here in California. It’s become the accepted practice.

It would probably be better if businesses actually paying their staff fairly became an accepted practice. Not to say that's always a "living wage" depending on the sector and area COL but at least it's a start. Minimum wage here is $15/hour which, even at full-time barely supports a person adequately. There will always be jobs like this though (including many non-tipped positions) because the work is simply not valued more highly and the positions are not hard to fill.

 

[NFLDERS]

DH and I tried a restaurant we’ve never been to before last night. Somewhat upscale but not overly so.

When the check arrived, printed on the bottom were three suggested gratuities. 22%, 25%, and 28%.

(I can see @ronandannette going right now. )

Service was fine but not outstanding and we left our standard 20% tip. I’m sure we were put on some ——list and aren’t welcome back.

There should have been THE 'Other' choice!

 

[Alicefan]

A local barber charged $16 ($20 with tip) pre-covid for a standard haircut. During Covid, many gave double out of compassion for their business. You can guess what they eventually raised their prices to.

Being a stylist I can somewhat explain this, as me and my coworkers all had to raise our prices this year. Yes, some, not all of our clients gave extra to help us out and boy were we grateful, but that one time gift, while a blessing at the time, was not enough to make up for the clients we lost that didn't come back. I have one that still won't leave her house. I had one that told me she thought I wasn't going to re-open so she found a new salon. Just those two, off of the top of my head, equals a loss of about $115 a month for me. I raised the price of color by $2. I make about $300 a week less now than I did before covid, even with the price hike.

 

[Donaldswife]

OK, I don't really have anything to say about this topic that hasn't already been said, but I'm just taking a moment to appreciate how awesome it is to see a tipping thread again after all the mask/vaccine/closures/pandemic threads of the last year and a half. It really makes me feel like things are getting back to normal!!

 

[DPgrlz]

I went to Ruth’s Chris last week. I had a $100 gift card. They had suggested tips at the bottom, I think they did go up to the mid 20’s. Either way, what got me was that it was based on the amount charged to my card which was only $60 or so after the gift card. I obviously tipped based on the actual full amount but I can see wait staff getting stiffed by people who just blindly follow the receipts.

I will also that I will never tip an “additional tip” - ever. So if you want to charge me 15% automatically then 15% is all you will get even though I always tip 20%. I don’t appreciate automatic tips and will strike through any additional tip line.

One of our favorite restaurants recently added and 18% automatic gratuity and no separate checks. I known that this is in response to large groups requesting separate checks ( a pain in the butt and a common tactic for dine and dash) and also too many people not tipping their server at all. This place has wait times of well over 2 hours at any given time ( no reservations) so they will not be hurting for business with these new rules.

But if I didn't know the backstory of why they have these rules, I would be irritated by it.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Ooh, a tipping thread. It's been awhile!

I hate figuring tips (in general, I hate math). I either ask DH or I use the calculator on my phone, lol. I use 20% as my standard and go up and down from there, depending on service.

A few weeks ago, we went to breakfast, and our server was very slow, and not as attentive as she should have been (drinks sat empty for 20 minutes, took 20 minutes to greet, etc). I was going to leave a lower tip, but then I realized (by watching her) she had 4 tables inside the restaurant, 4 tables outside the restaurant, and she was taking phone orders at the same time. She had too much on her plate to handle effectively; and at one point, she slipped on a spilled drink by the drink station, got up and went back to the back for a few minutes, then came back out and kept going. She got about 25% (if I remember correctly) and some kind words on the ticket, that I hoped helped get her through that shift.

We were at another spot (same company as the above tale, different location) and the server was again inattentive and slow; but watching the server, he was standing at the server station for most of the time we were there. He only had 3 tables total (us, one right across from us, and then one behind that table), and all of us were waiting on pretty much everything. So, he got a 10% tip, and I spoke to the manager (after paying, we weren't asking for anything) to let her know our experience was bad and why.

Some places that do the 'suggested tip' amount do it with taxes or service charges added in, and some don't. Some figure it pre-discounts (i.e kids eat free, buy a sandwich get chips free, etc), some don't. You should always check the math on that...you shouldn't be tipping the taxes, but you should be tipping for the discounts. Most places, the service charge does NOT go to the servers; it is revenue; but a few places do it. I don't tip the service charge either, unless I know for certain the servers are profitting from the service charge.

For take-out, yes, you should be tipping on the ticket. The person who takes the orders, sends it to the kitchen, gathers up utensils/condiments, bags it up, and cashes you out is still only making servers wages, and is relying on the tip to cover the rest of their wages. (This is not a good system; I think tips should be a 'bonus' for a well done job, not to cover wages, but that is another thread.) Many places require servers to tip out their busboys and cooks (another bad system. I prefer the optional tip to those, since they are hourly and usually above minimum. Then the busboys and cooks do their best for the ) which comes out of their pocket whether or not you tipped them.

 

[Orion Nebula]

I am going to an all inclusive this summer in Playa Del Carmen. The entire tipping thing is has been an educational process. I didn't know there were so many people who are supposed to be tipped. One in particular the fridge stocker.

 

[Moliphino]

For take-out, yes, you should be tipping on the ticket. The person who takes the orders, sends it to the kitchen, gathers up utensils/condiments, bags it up, and cashes you out is still only making servers wages, and is relying on the tip to cover the rest of their wages. (This is not a good system; I think tips should be a 'bonus' for a well done job, not to cover wages, but that is another thread.) Many places require servers to tip out their busboys and cooks (another bad system. I prefer the optional tip to those, since they are hourly and usually above minimum. Then the busboys and cooks do their best for the ) which comes out of their pocket whether or not you tipped them.

What if it's take out from a place like Moe's or Chipotle? I don't think there even is an option to tip when you eat in, but it does ask in the app if you want to tip.

 

[Kae]

It’s hard to know how much work a server did. There’s many tasks a customer will never see. People would be shocked to know how much food prep is done by the servers in some places like salads, appetizers, deserts, etc. Or they’re bringing up all the cases of stock from the basement deliveries to keep the whole supplied. Cleaning out appliances. Shifts often come with many responsibilities that need to be done outside tipped hours. I’ve heard it all… from the normal polishing all the furniture, cleaning windows & light fixtures… to breaking down all the refrigerators, Bain Maries and desert cases to clean. Some places even have the servers doing the dishes. Each place is different but guaranteed the servers aren’t just taking orders and bringing it out.

When a server is doing work that is not Serving they make a different wage.

 

[Heather07438]

When a server is doing work that is not Serving they make a different wage.

Not here.

Technically the law is they cannot spend more than 20% of their hours doing untipped work, all at the wage of $2.12/hr.

 

[NYCgrrl]

When a server is doing work that is not Serving they make a different wage.

Not in NYC, they don’t.