I don't understand tipping culture...
- Thread starter Ronald Nand
- Start date
Ive visited cuba before before which is a communist country and (sorry if this is patronising) in a communist country everyone earns the same wage no matter what their job is. The hotel i stayed in was all inclusive so you had loads of spare peso lying around and because western culture promotes tipping you end up tipping the waiter/bar staff. if you do they remember you and get a far better service. We started talking to one waitress who was training to be a lawyer she was saying she made more as a waitress because of the tips yet she wanted to be a lawyer because it interested her
N.b britian isnt known for tipping but if we go abroad we tend to tip a lot mainly because we dont know the culture and its better to tip more than what is expected rather than less. While im on the subject if you are american and you visit the uk only tip if the service is exceptional its not expected over here
I know its a bit off topic but it gives you perspective how things like tips work outside the western capitalist world
N.b britian isnt known for tipping but if we go abroad we tend to tip a lot mainly because we dont know the culture and its better to tip more than what is expected rather than less. While im on the subject if you are american and you visit the uk only tip if the service is exceptional its not expected over here
I know its a bit off topic but it gives you perspective how things like tips work outside the western capitalist world
Man, I thought it was bad in the UK because our minimum wage is lower than our living wage but I didn't realise that in the US they don't even have a minimum wage! Americans, tip those waiters! Give them all the monies! Poor buggers.
Here in the UK the waiters aren't likely to starve in a gutter if you don't tip... but I almost always do anyway (unless they've been really rude or lax) and if it's been particularly good service I tip higher. Mostly because I tend to eat in the same places and I'm worried that if I don't tip then if they recognise me next time around they'll do something horrible to my food.
Also, possibly because it's not seen as a requirement to tip over here, in the UK we sometimes get a 10% 'service charge' added to our bill, which is basically a tip added to the bill to make sure we pay (although you don't have to pay*, but then you've got to make a scene about it and it's a bit of a cultural no-no for Brits to make a scene
). Obviously you're really not expected to put an extra tip down after paying the service charge, but it can be ambiguous if this actually goes to the servers. The same goes when you add a tip when paying by card, not sure how it gets shared out.
*edit: At least I think you don't have to pay. That's what I've heard, but I've never tried not paying, so don't take my word for it.
Here in the UK the waiters aren't likely to starve in a gutter if you don't tip... but I almost always do anyway (unless they've been really rude or lax) and if it's been particularly good service I tip higher. Mostly because I tend to eat in the same places and I'm worried that if I don't tip then if they recognise me next time around they'll do something horrible to my food.
Also, possibly because it's not seen as a requirement to tip over here, in the UK we sometimes get a 10% 'service charge' added to our bill, which is basically a tip added to the bill to make sure we pay (although you don't have to pay*, but then you've got to make a scene about it and it's a bit of a cultural no-no for Brits to make a scene
). Obviously you're really not expected to put an extra tip down after paying the service charge, but it can be ambiguous if this actually goes to the servers. The same goes when you add a tip when paying by card, not sure how it gets shared out.*edit: At least I think you don't have to pay. That's what I've heard, but I've never tried not paying, so don't take my word for it.
I don't know other countries. But in the U.S. if you do not tip you are really punishing a server. By no means should you tip 20% for crap service. But, if for whatever reason you are not happy and you don't tip a server, they actually lose money two times. Once for having the table that got messed up and because of taxes. So, before you no tip a server in the U.S. make sure any problem you have with the food is theirs and not say a cook mistake or something. Also, no one wants to hear that its not your responsibility to tip, its a businesses job to pay employees. That is not how it works, and if you cannot afford the few dollars to tip then you cannot afford to eat out.
No, you're not being stingy. You just fundamentally don't understand the purpose of tipping.Ronald Nand said:
Tips aren't "a little something extra" for servers. That is pretty much their only source of income. They're only getting paid like $4/hr, and if it's a small non-corporate place, possibly nothing at all. If the restaurant was actually paying them a living wage, your food would be far more expensive. Tipping is something you should mentally account for beforehand when looking at the price of your meal (just like tax or a delivery charge).
Your numbers are off too. The standard tip is 18-20%. You tip only 10% if you were given poor service.
Tipping is not optional. It's paying for the service you've been given. A person who receives good service and does not tip is a thief.
You must be shitting me. Im assuming you can still claim welfare on a wage like that? In the uk if you work 15 hours or less a week you are still entitled to state welfare (its not much but its something)Vausch said:
$3 = £2...minimum wage in the UK is about £6-7 an hour or about £5 if you are under 18 (i may be wrong but thats a rough estimate). £2 an hour is dredful. JSA (job seekers allowance, which is basic unemployment benefits) gives you £50 a week. If you worked full time youd only get slightly more than that
I wish all waiters were just paid minimum wage so tipping would go away. As it stands it's this sort of requirement at restaurants and you're seen as stingy if you don't tip.
Personally, I will tip if the service is excellent and my food is good. Be rude to me and my food tastes like it was sitting for awhile and I'll leave no tip. If the food is good and you were rude to me, you get whatever coins I have floating in my pocket.
I don't care what the waiter is going through, when you're at work you need to leave all that aside and not treat your customers like shit. Even if your issue is the financial burdens of a tipping job, I'm not going to give you a nice tip out of pity.
Personally, I will tip if the service is excellent and my food is good. Be rude to me and my food tastes like it was sitting for awhile and I'll leave no tip. If the food is good and you were rude to me, you get whatever coins I have floating in my pocket.
I don't care what the waiter is going through, when you're at work you need to leave all that aside and not treat your customers like shit. Even if your issue is the financial burdens of a tipping job, I'm not going to give you a nice tip out of pity.
As others have mentioned, at least in the United States, most waitresses or employees that are 'tip based' are making like 2.50 an hour. Their pay is basically comprised of tips. It is absolutely retarded. They should just get paid a normal wage and tips should just be gravy on top of that if people want to tip.
Taste wise they have no control but sometimes I've gotten my meal after another table that came 15 minutes after we arrived got theirs, only to find my dish lukewarm. It was obviously sitting somewhere while the server did whatever else.LifeCharacter said:
I'm sure people actually working service would love to hear that, and be paid a living wage by their employer just so that they're guaranteed a stable income without fear that they might not get enough tips.Funyahns said:
It doesn't in USA, granted, and changing it would take some collective effort...but, it does work if, say, the rest of the world is any indication.
I'm pretty sure the idea of tipping started as "hey, you did a good job; here's a little something extra!" But now it's effectively mandatory regardless of the service quality. Because if you don't tip, your server will think you're a huge asshole, which increases the chance you'll get spit in your drink or something.Ronald Nand said:
I think it's absolute bullshit that waiting staff are paid less than minimum wage. Like... it's called minimum wage for a reason. Why has this been allowed to go on as long as it has been?
Personally, I generally don't tip because I tend to have very little expendable funds, so it's not the most feasible thing for me.
If the service was poor, why should there be a tip at all?Action Jack said:
"You did a shitty job. Here's a couple bucks." Makes sense.
Yes and no. The money is always going to come from somewhere.Dryk said:
Non-US countries where the service staff is payed a higher wage will also on average cost a lot more for a meal as well. The "tip" basically gets wrapped into the cost of the food. If your overhead becomes more costly than the product increases in price. At least with tipping a good worker is in theory rewarded more than a bad one.
Thats another thing i dont get about yankistan (please dont get offended its just an affectionate term i use for america). Why do your prices not include tax, seriously why not? Our bills include tax and the reciept then states how much tax was paid (for company expenses purposes etc)Action Jack said:
"You only give 10% if the service was poor" Thats just such a strange concept to me but having read the responses here i probably would still tip in america if my service was terrible although ive had nothing but excellent service every time ive visited your fine country so ive never had a reason not to tip
A few myths that us brits have been told about tipping in america are they true or false:
a) if your service is poor you still tip but you leave the tip under an empty up-turned glass
b) wait staff have been known to aggresive chase after customers who have not tipped them
Edit: i know this sounds very negative towards america. I dont have anything against america in general or its service staff in fact they are probably the most pleasant people and the service is far superior to the UK also your food is really cheap so for us to eat out in america plus a decent tip we still pay the same and in most cases less. I do have a problem with the way your employees are paid and they fact they rely on tips
Man there are SO MANY freaking things in this thread that try to just throw shit at the U.S.. I used to be a shift manager at a restaurant that had deliveries (where our drivers were paid under minimum wage and relied on tips).
1. You will always make minimum wage. If you dont, there are government agencies to call and put in an anonymous tip. You can also quit your job and move elsewhere.
2. Tips DO help service. They absolutely do. When one of my drivers would receive a 20-30% tip, they would remember the person, and sometimes even their order. If someone calls before that person and doesn't tip well, they will be delivered to after the good tipping person. (If the time difference isnt drastic). Hell, ive had drivers seriously tell me to hurry up on an order because they tip well (and as a manager at that time I really appreciated good tippers to, because they made my drivers happy. I like happy employees).
3. Many tip-reliant workers make MORE than minimum wage. Seriously. I got paid 10 bucks an hours as a shift manager, some of my drivers may make 12-15 dollars an hour on slightly good days. IF they get a catering order they can deliver, they will most likely make 18 dollars an hour that day. But hey, during our slow slow days, they are only gonna make minimum wage after gas.
4. From many many places I know, managers are on hourly or salary and do not take a dime on tips.
5. From many many places I know, people who arent interacting with customers do not take tips. They make minimum wage (or similar).
6. Splitting tips is actually a good thing for waiters and waitresses many times. If someone has a bad day, they dont get shafted. So one day that guy will have a good day and help the guy who had a bad day.
So yeah. I like tip culture. It lowers food cost, increases employee morale (as long as people do tip), and it actually provides a lot of money for many of those workers.
A. Nope. Never heard of that. Not even once. There is really no protocol for bad service tips, just tipping low.
B. Nope. People will talk about you behind your back if you ever come back, and you wont have excited servers, but nope.
1. You will always make minimum wage. If you dont, there are government agencies to call and put in an anonymous tip. You can also quit your job and move elsewhere.
2. Tips DO help service. They absolutely do. When one of my drivers would receive a 20-30% tip, they would remember the person, and sometimes even their order. If someone calls before that person and doesn't tip well, they will be delivered to after the good tipping person. (If the time difference isnt drastic). Hell, ive had drivers seriously tell me to hurry up on an order because they tip well (and as a manager at that time I really appreciated good tippers to, because they made my drivers happy. I like happy employees).
3. Many tip-reliant workers make MORE than minimum wage. Seriously. I got paid 10 bucks an hours as a shift manager, some of my drivers may make 12-15 dollars an hour on slightly good days. IF they get a catering order they can deliver, they will most likely make 18 dollars an hour that day. But hey, during our slow slow days, they are only gonna make minimum wage after gas.
4. From many many places I know, managers are on hourly or salary and do not take a dime on tips.
5. From many many places I know, people who arent interacting with customers do not take tips. They make minimum wage (or similar).
6. Splitting tips is actually a good thing for waiters and waitresses many times. If someone has a bad day, they dont get shafted. So one day that guy will have a good day and help the guy who had a bad day.
So yeah. I like tip culture. It lowers food cost, increases employee morale (as long as people do tip), and it actually provides a lot of money for many of those workers.
I shall answer these.shootthebandit said:
A. Nope. Never heard of that. Not even once. There is really no protocol for bad service tips, just tipping low.
B. Nope. People will talk about you behind your back if you ever come back, and you wont have excited servers, but nope.
I've always been confused about this. I don't eat out often, but I'm pretty sure we don't tip much in england. I think the employers are legally obligated to pay enough that they don't need it.
But there's that nagging feeling in the back of my mind, wondering whether I'm wrong and the waiter is just seething that I had the gall to tip absolutely nothing.
But there's that nagging feeling in the back of my mind, wondering whether I'm wrong and the waiter is just seething that I had the gall to tip absolutely nothing.