Will expected tip amounts ever get this high?

[JohnDaleswife]

Went out to eat the other night and got the bill and and filled in the tip area for 18%. No big deal. But I had to figure it because all they had on the bill was a total tip for 15, 20 and 25%. 25% really!!!! How long will it be before a total acceptable tip is 25-35%?

 

[tchrrx]

Threadjack, but a funny story:
We were at Vero Beach last week and my 15 year old DD asked to buy a Mickey bar. No problem, right? Well, I didn't realize she'd have to sign for it. The receipt had the 18% and 20% suggestions. She didn't know what it meant, so she added those numbers together and then totaled it all. The lucky bartender that day received almost a 40% tip on a Mickey Bar! lol

 

[Loves The Mouse]

Threadjack, but a funny story:
We were at Vero Beach last week and my 15 year old DD asked to buy a Mickey bar. No problem, right? Well, I didn't realize she'd have to sign for it. The receipt had the 18% and 20% suggestions. She didn't know what it meant, so she added those numbers together and then totaled it all. The lucky bartender that day received almost a 40% tip on a Mickey Bar! lol

Cute!

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Ya, thats funny.

 

[ImDMous]

Well it's already gone from 15 to 20% in my tipping lifetime, so another 5% doesn't seem like that much of a stretch.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

When I went to pay for a tip on a towncar last week, the default choices were 20, 25, and 30%.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I guess they figure a lot of people would rather just choose an amount that's already been calculated for them than to have to do the math. If there's no way to select 15%, people will just choose 20% or more.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I will normally tip between 15% and 20% depending on the service. If my tip is outside that range (high or low) I will talk to a manager and explain why. I always ignore the "recommended tip". Also my tipping is always based on the pre-tax price (and also pre-discount if I have a coupon).

I'm an accountant so the arithmetic is easy for me. However, check your cell phone. Most have a calculator as a standard app.

 

[Disneyliscious]

I never tip based on a percentage of my bill. It takes the same effort to serve my group if we have a $30 meal as it does a $130 meal. The difference in a 20% tip would be $6.00 and $26.00 based on those food amounts. A server does not "earn" an extra $20 in tip just because I order more expensive food. I tip a flat amount based on the service received and its usually $5 to $10 for a party of 2 or 4 respectively. For larger groups I'd tip more but it works out to about $2.50 a head. I was a waitress for 4 years. Most of the time we had 10 tables each. They are not always full and some days I'd work 13 hour shifts and get $30 in tips. Other days I'd work 4 hour shifts and make over $100 in tips. Being a waiter is not a job to expect to get rich on. Its a job. Thats it. If a restaurant requires a "percentage" tip, I simply don't eat there.

 

[Disneyliscious]

double post

 

[Disneyliscious]

annnnd somehow a triple post

 

[Dread Pirate]

When I was younger (college in the early 80's), the suggested tip amount was 10%. Who makes the decision for the tip percentage to go up?

 

[4under4]

I never tip based on a percentage of my bill. It takes the same effort to serve my group if we have a $30 meal as it does a $130 meal. The difference in a 20% tip would be $6.00 and $26.00 based on those food amounts. A server does not "earn" an extra $20 in tip just because I order more expensive food. I tip a flat amount based on the service received and its usually $5 to $10 for a party of 2 or 4 respectively. For larger groups I'd tip more but it works out to about $2.50 a head. I was a waitress for 4 years. Most of the time we had 10 tables each. They are not always full and some days I'd work 13 hour shifts and get $30 in tips. Other days I'd work 4 hour shifts and make over $100 in tips. Being a waiter is not a job to expect to get rich on. Its a job. Thats it. If a restaurant requires a "percentage" tip, I simply don't eat there.

So no matter the type of restaurant you only tip a set amount? i.e. you would tip the same at Cali Grill that you would at Applebees?

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

The federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13 an hour. Think about that the next time you think it's ok to leave whatever you want. I am a strong believer that quality service deserves a quality tip(18-25%). Poor service, no matter how poor, I've never left less than 15%.

Don't forget that at most places, the server has to tip out on the busser and bartender.

 

[Colleen27]

When I was younger (college in the early 80's), the suggested tip amount was 10%. Who makes the decision for the tip percentage to go up?

As the non-tipped minimum wage goes up and leaves the tipped wage further and further behind, the percentage has to go up to keep employers able to claim compliance with the requirement that tips are sufficient to make up the difference between the two. Otherwise the employers risk having to make up the difference themselves, which is obviously not a desirable outcome from their perspective. So tip percentages go up in lieu of waitstaff wages going up.

 

[DizMe]

As the non-tipped minimum wage goes up and leaves the tipped wage further and further behind, the percentage has to go up to keep employers able to claim compliance with the requirement that tips are sufficient to make up the difference between the two. Otherwise the employers risk having to make up the difference themselves, which is obviously not a desirable outcome from their perspective. So tip percentages go up in lieu of waitstaff wages going up.

Yowza. I didn't realize that. However, it seems the system needs to be changed, not the tipping amount. I don't understand why the onus is on the diners to supplement the incomes of staff because the employers won't give them a fair wage. I feel the same way about hotel staff. We (general public who can afford to dine out or go on vacation) are always being made to feel the burden of guilt for employees not receiving fair wages and make up for that with tips. It's one more cost that falls predominantly on the middle class.

Tips are no longer a compliment for good service, they are becoming more like extortion. 25%? A quarter of the bill? Not reasonable. I am still reeling from now paying 20%; my sympathies to those wait people who are underpaid, but tip expectations are getting extreme. It just feels like another tax, and a hefty one.

 

[kymom99]

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2014/06/08/newport-restaurant-tipping-policy/10192539/
food for thought

Basically charging 20% more for the food and eliminating the tip.

 

[kaytieeldr]

A server does not "earn" an extra $20 in tip just because I order more expensive food. I tip a flat amount based on the service received and its usually $5 to $10 for a party of 2 or 4 respectively.

The employer is required to withhold taxes based on a certain percentage of a server's check. Your server is being penalized because you are tipping cheaply.

I don't understand why the onus is on the diners to supplement the incomes of staff because the employers won't give them a fair wage.

It's the law. It's the state or federal minimum wage law. The employer is just complying with the law.

 

[Glittercat]

On the west coast 20% is normal. We tip that and sometimes more if service was exceptional. I was a waitress and some of the unusual tipping practices I've been privy to boggle the mind.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

The federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13 an hour. Think about that the next time you think it's ok to leave whatever you want. I am a strong believer that quality service deserves a quality tip(18-25%). Poor service, no matter how poor, I've never left less than 15%.

Don't forget that at most places, the server has to tip out on the busser and bartender.

Right. But I wonder how long it could be before the cook, shift manager ect, will be added to that list. The more overhead a place can place on the customer, the more money in their pocket.