Tipping is getting beyond ridiculous

In the words of Nancy Reagan,"Just Say No"

There are numerous articles about the tipping culture going crazy especially since the pandemic.

I tip generously when I'm supposed to,but don't shove that tablet in my face for nothing.

What I find shocking is that some food delivery people are demanding upwards of 30% tips, lest they not deliver your food, or even worse, eat some or all of it.  Tipping culture and entitlement in the US have gone out of control.

My answer is simple:  I don't use them.  But wow so what, are we now going to have to tip online hobby shops, lest they omit parts of your order or send it out whenever they feel like it?

Real G

What I find shocking is that some food delivery people are demanding upwards of 30% tips, lest they not deliver your food, or even worse, eat some or all of it.  Tipping culture and entitlement in the US have gone out of control.

My answer is simple:  I don't use them.  But wow so what, are we now going to have to tip online hobby shops, lest they omit parts of your order or send it out whenever they feel like it?

 

I've noticed that on some fast food apps when you place an order to go, there is a recommended tip amount for 20%, 18%, 15%, or custom amount.

I understand at a sit down restaurant where the server comes and takes your order, brings you drinks, refills said drinks, brings the food and busses the tables, but they are literally assembling the order as if they took it at the counter (which they didn't have to take your order) and putting the bag on a rack to slowly get cold until you get there.

To me, that seems odd.

If I walk into my local chain pizza place and order a pizza for $20, I sit and wait and then they hand me my order. If I use the app and order, they ask if I want to add 20% tip to the order. It seems like less work for them and then get a tip for doing less.

I came from the food service industry and spent several years behind a bar.  Naturally I survived on tips.  If and the key word here is IF I gave good service I expected 15-20%.  Tipping is out of control today.  I cosnider myself a good tipper (20-25%) when I'm getting waited on and the service is good.  When I order to go and I'm picking the food up it's ridiculous to tip these kinds of amounts.  Maybe a buck or two tops.  The delivery guy/gal gets a good tip.  They delivered the food.  

I feel over the last few years the service industry has gotten worse.  People used to take pride in delivering a good restaurant experience.  I don't see that much anymore.  Servers feel entitled for 20-30% for average to bad service.  The other day at lunch I had a $28 tab.  I paid with two twenties.  The service was ok.  The server took the money and never came back for my change.  When I asked for the change I got a stare that suggested I'm a worthless slob.  Im not one to complain or write an on-line review.  I just won't come back.  

I agree that tipping is beyond crazy in the service industry now. But a hobby website??? That is beyond the pale, to me.

mfsob

I agree that tipping is beyond crazy in the service industry now. But a hobby website??? That is beyond the pale, to me.

 

Yeah,if you want to get technical,the topic should be in the Ready Room,but no biggie,it's a good discussion.

I don't know much about tipping, as it's not a widely accepted practice in Oz. Wrongly or rightly, we have a strong welfare culture with a minimum guaranteed basic wage, medical and unemployment benefits for all.If it occurs here it's usually in restaurants, or in an incident where you either feel that you've received excellent service, or are in a good space and feeling generous. However, with the significant cost of living increases in recent times, I suspect that it may be a dieing practice. However, for Australians traveling overseas it can be a very confusing issue, but tipping a model company??????

Dodgy

Tojo72

...There are numerous articles about the tipping culture going crazy especially since the pandemic...

The increased sense of entitlement that underlies the expanded expectation of receiving tips emerged long before the lockdowns.  I remember first seeing tip jars on the counters of takeout places 20 years ago, at least.  I don't tip for that kind of thing.

I give a 20% to 25% tip for good service at a restaurant, whether it's an informal place, like a deli, or a fancy place.  If someone brings me my food, they qualify for a tip.  But if I call in an order, and pick it up myself, there's no tip earned there.

I also don't leave a token tip, if the service was poor.  I'll tell the waiter when I settle up, why I didn't leave a tip.

I tell the person that I've worked in customer service in one form or another for all of my working like, and even before.  So I can provide more detail than just, "the service sucks".  "Here's what you could have done better..."

Both Dodgy and the Baron make clear and right on points. The tipping custom has largely become just an automatic way of increasing the cost of restaurant dining. Less about recognizing a wait person for good service, more about expecting a customer to pay for bringing the order, which they are going to pay for anyway.

That said, ideally the tips are divided among all of the employees, cooks, dishwashers, bartenders and waiters. They are not considered high income persons, I like to think they will genuinely believe their efforts are appreciated. 

I'm a retired international commercial pilot, unless I was staying the night in a country that discouraged tipping I always left a few $ for service staff, the tips might just be a major source of their earnings. Staying in hotels anywhere I left a few bucks on the bed when leaving, I was very appreciative of a well attended and clean room, I could easily afford it and it could brighten someones day just a bit, or in some cases a lot.

I kept in mind that service being a bit slow, or an order not perfectly done, could easily be the result of the place being extremely busy, the staff might be a bit overwhelmed at the moment. A nice tip was still very much in order. My job sometimes involved bad weather or traffic related delays. We could do nothing more than our very best to deliver the best service possible, under difficult circumstances. So I understood the value of a gratuity left for someones efforts.

Even now I consider leaving tip jars in places around the establishment to be offensive and more than a bit nervy, it appears the business is, in a way, demanding customers to pony up more money. I never put a tip on the credit card, I have little doubt that often the full amount of the tip is not given to the employees.

Patrick

Personally I would not use anymore, however I will also do my best

to contact them and explain why their greed has now resulted 

in zero future dollars from me. 

I would go back a year later to see if things have changed. 

Well there goes my plan to have a GoFundMe account for tips when I post here!

GreySnake

I can agree that expectation for tipping has gone overboard. There are a few restaurants that I’ve been to that do not have table service you order at the resister and pick up the food and they ask for a tip when you pay and place the order. I’m not going to tip before I get my food the last time I wrote $0.00 on the receipt the cashier looked at me and huffed.

 

 

There are very few restaurants that I go to and they are all family owned. I generally give those places a 25%-30% tip since they give me very good service and exceed my expectations.

 

I think this tendency has come from the trendy coffee retailers. You order a cup of overpriced coffee, they write your name on the cup and they expect to be tipped for pouring a cup of coffee.

Now fast food workers are expecting this type of compensation for taking your order, handing you an empty cup, and putting your food in a paper bag.

I met a friend for breakfast yesterday and during bill payment this thread crossed my mind (as yet another peeve to add to this thread-list).

The 'bill' came in the form of a tableside payment device (which I like, and like more when the server leaves instead of hovering over-shoulder.....which is a separate peeve). I noticed their new default tip choices now start at 22% and go up from there.

Another ongoing trend to gripe about. The highest low I've seen so far is 25% somewhere, which really annoyed me.

I use the custom tip button and give what I want

I have heard on good authority from a former waitress, if you are not satisfied with the food or service, just leave a penny on the table. It signifies to the waiter/waitress that you did not like the food and/or service and did not forget to leave a tip, but refused to leave one. I was told that if it was the service, the waiter/waitress would change their ways. If the waiter/waitress knew it wasn't them but the food, they will inform the owner that the cook is causing their loss of tips. 

"You don't want to see a penny on the table", was passed on from one waiter/waitress to new hires (at least when she was working).

Stay Safe.

Jim  

fox

I have heard on good authority from a former waitress, if you are not satisfied with the food or service, just leave a penny on the table. It signifies to the waiter/waitress that you did not like the food and/or service and did not forget to leave a tip, but refused to leave one. I was told that if it was the service, the waiter/waitress would change their ways. If the waiter/waitress knew it wasn't them but the food, they will inform the owner that the cook is causing their loss of tips. 

"You don't want to see a penny on the table", was passed on from one waiter/waitress to new hires (at least when she was working).

Stay Safe.

 

Jim  

 

I went to a restaurant with my wife today. It was mostly empty because they didn't have the staff to wait the tables. Food was good, but the waitress was overworked trying to handle so many tables.

I have no job, so I can't afford to go out, let alone tip people.

One thing you could do is leave what you think is a respectable tip for that person and a note advising them to find a better job because you can tell they are a very good worker and can do so much better in another field.

Starbucks has a device for using a credit card. When the card is inserted, a screen appears with tip options: 5%, 10%,  15%, 20%, No Tip. I pick "No Tip" because I am not leaving a tip to someone that poured me a black coffee!!! What's next, tipping at Mc D? 

Hello Johnny K !

          Hey, before you decide to Not Tip at all let me remind you of this. Wage and Hour laws seem to pass by those who serve us in Restaurants and Fast Food or Coffee places. They Allow the wages to NOT keep pace with inflation.

        The result? Tips, automatic of course(Can't Have those folks walking around with pockets full of money!) Wheras the result of production or other services don't require tips. They are still living close to the vest after Inflation and Taxes. For instance. Here in New Braunfels Tx. A Small apartment that a single person would get after College or High School after leaving home, costs more Without utilities, Than I get in Social Security and My V.A. Disability. I couldn't afford it soooo!

        Fold in Car Payments, Insurance Food etc. They are far more burdened than I was back when I got out of the service. Plus the simple and arrogant treatment they see many times a day and you'll see why those tips are appreciated. I don't tip at Starbicks for instance.But if I buy a drink that leaves me a dollar or more of change I tell them to keep the change. Every little bit adds up. Maybe they are a single parent, for instance.

       I guess it all goes back to when I was in the service industry(Restaurants). Low wages, No Insurance, Health Plan etc. This had to come out of my low wage pockets. even then it was expensive to live. Oh don't get me wrong, I live from one check to the next because I made some hard and fast  Financial decisions when younger that put me here financially, That's on me. But, I still remember what it was like. Totally exhausted after a very busy holiday weekend, My station was eight five place tables.

       Verbal abuse notwithstanding from a few, on my feet for ten hours or more. Finish the shift, Take my share of the tips(Bosses order, Share tips with bussers) Then buy Gas , and Pay Rent, flop down and fall asleep and have the wife get home from Her Hospital shift and wake me to go to bed. If every American city of note had a reliable transport system then A person starting out could ride public transit and save money for better things down the line. Ain't happening !

       P.S.- I don't tip at Home Depot, Wal Mart, Lowes or Hobby Lobby, Mc Donalds or Burger King. Why? I was never taught to tip in Retail stores or Fast Food establishments. Only Restaurants( sit down, Fine dining types,) Full Service Gas Stations(Yeah,What is that?) Or maybe the tailor who made my suit fit the best at a Clothier, They used to be separate from the stores! Most Fast Food employees are told to, or used to be told , to discourage Tipping!

      The Service industry is notorious for low wages! If you have a franchise operation you are always told to keep both th ewages and Bennies As low and nonexistant as possible. Then they also ask you Not to Tip. I do wonder about the tip line on a tab from a restaurant. What If I cannot afford to do this even if I would do so. Does that make me deserving of Lousy servoce?

Here in the UK 'Tipping' is generally 10pc and no more! That's in cafe's and resturants anyway. Although a few 3D producers are asking for 'subscriptions' as the cost of the plastic and especially the electricty has rocketed!

I have held back so far but of course the prices for the 3D parts will soon rise.

Yeah, I wish tipping wasn't a thing. Sometimes it seems odd to tip someone a dollar for handing you a $2 cup of coffee.

Rob Gronovius

Yeah, I wish tipping wasn't a thing. Sometimes it seems odd to tip someone a dollar for handing you a $2 cup of coffee.

 

I don't have a problem with tipping for a service provided, be it a waiter or the guy who helped me load my truck at Home Depot, but if all you're doing is handing me the product I just bought, then I'm sorry but that's going too far. At that rate, is the cashier at the grocery store worthy of a tip? At some point employers are going to have to start paying their people a living wage and stop counting on customers to subsidize them.

I'm usually generous when it comes to leaving a gratuity.  I refuse to leave a gratuity at (insert your favourite fast food restaurant here!), or (insert your favourite coffee shop here) or any place that has staff simply hands me my goods and saying 'Have a nice day!' after checkout.  I ususally only tip at sit down restaurants and even then there's no guarantee.

A number of years ago a bunch of us went out for a colleague's retirement dinner.  When bringing our meals to the table, the server spilled my meal all over me.  All I got was a "Sorry." with a feeble laugh as if everything was a joke.  I asked to see the manager and none came to the table.  There was no offer to dry clean my suit, a free meal, a free appetizer or drink or anything of the sorts.  When the bill came, I paid for my meal in exact change.  I gave her the bill and the money and said "Thank you."  The server scowled at me saying, "What!  No tip?!"  I explained the rationale behind my not giving her a tip and she stormed off in a huff.  That was 40+ years ago and I never set foot in the place again after that.

It seems that the expectation of a tip, even after very shoddy service, isn't a new thing after all.

Expected staff gratuities on cruise ships.

The cruise lines suggest how much  before you even book, but that's another story.

Tipping is a way of life in America, so holiday brochures say. 

10 to 15 percent is reasonable, but an expectancy of 25 percent (a quarter of your bill) of more is a bit much!

Bugatti Fan

Expected staff gratuities on cruise ships.

The cruise lines suggest how much  before you even book, but that's another story.

Tipping is a way of life in America, so holiday brochures say. 

10 to 15 percent is reasonable, but an expectancy of 25 percent (a quarter of your bill) of more is a bit much!

 

Even in chain restaurants, a 20% tip is expected at a mediocre sit down restaurants like Texas Roadhouse. Really nice places will top that, a rustic Cracker Barrel will be like 18% and some no name diner or Waffle House would be 15%.

Most checks from these types of restaurants have the 15%, 18% and 20% already calculated for you.

I bet the barrista who just poured your cup of coffee at the trendy overpriced chain coffee shop might throw your drink in your face if you gave them 10%.

I have no problem tipping when I get good service, but, I will not tip in a cafeteria when I order a cup of Cuban type espresso coffee ( about 1 or 2 ounces ). The other day I went to this cafeteria near my home and ordered a cup of the coffee, it was to be 60 cents, I gave the lady a dollar bill and waited for the change, this change never came, obviously, this coffee shop has lost my business.

That is the only way to tell this people that abuse the customer, vote with the wallet.

I'm with you!  Until they change the system and pay the staff a decent wage so they don't have to depend on tips, I will tip well for good service and tip either poorly or not at all for poor service.

tjs