Tipping

[youbet]

We very rarely dine out, when we do the tip is 10% - 20% depending on the service, no more. As we almost never have a bill over $50 with Tax, so it is not really an issue. We do not tip at take-out places. We do not use or ever will use any type of delivery service.

That pretty much describes us. Rarely, when some action on the server or bar tender's part is "above and beyond," we'll tip more generously. But we just refuse to get into the regimen of 25% and up for routine service.

We used delivery from Amazon Fresh for groceries during Covid, but nothing since then. (BTW - there was zero tipping involved with Amazon Fresh deliveries at that time. No place to add a tip during the on-line ordering process and the delivery person left your groceries in insulated bags at your door and left promptly.)

We also don't tip at take-out with rare exception.

I'll also point out that Walmart curbside pickup does not allow tipping, period. And, at least at my store, they do an excellent job supported by a great app. If I can order 30 - 40 grocery items on-line and have them picked, packed and put in my trunk with no tip, why would I tip the person at the pick-up counter at the pizza joint for handing me a carton after I park and walk in?

 

[youbet]

Anything to make menu prices look less scary.

So true! It reminds me of our old cable tv bill. The advertised price for the package we had was $69.95. Then they added on a fee for local broadcasts, regional sports, franchise fee, blaah-blaah fee, etc. And we would end up paying almost $100. Actual, legitimate taxes they had to forward to various gov't agencies were on top of that. But the big-print numbers in the advertising were $69.95.

 

[explanade]

I don’t carry cash now most of the time but I will tip and add to my credit card bill.

Got some takeout on Xmas eve, running late, didn’t want to prep food.

One place kept their normal hours and it appears to be a couple running the place, not employees.

I chose the max preset tip on their system, 20%.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We Tip cash wherever possible ever since many servers and hairdressers have told us (Yes we asked them) that if one puts it on the CC then they have to wait to get it until the manager/owner tallies up the receipts and then they have to pay tax on it. If one pays cash, it goes directly in their pocket.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I think folks would approach tipping differently and would not resent it so much if it went back to the old way of no prompting with "recommended" amounts. It should be completely left to the discretion of the patron. It can be intimidating for those who perhaps could not afford 20% or 25%, and just downright annoying for the rest of us.

 

[euro]

We Tip cash wherever possible ever since many servers and hairdressers have told us (Yes we asked them) that if one puts it on the CC then they have to wait to get it until the manager/owner tallies up the receipts and then they have to pay tax on it. If one pays cash, it goes directly in their pocket.

Well, it isn't like tipping cash frees the recipient from paying taxes. Taxes are still owed - you are just helping them to ignore the law

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I ordered a pizza online from pappa murphy's last week. They are a take and bake outfit that you bring an uncooked pizza home from.

The order ended with how much of a tip you want to leave. It started at 15%.

The pizza was $12 and the young folks there are likely working for minimum wage, I left them 20%. I felt cheap. Years before I started ordering online I used to leave cash on the counter when I paid cash, they didn't have a tip jar.

One time at Burger King I left a couple dollar tip and the manager chased me out the door and gave it back to me. He said they'd get in trouble if they accepted it. They work hard and I thought they deserved it....

At the same time. When I take DW out for dinner and the bill comes to about $80 for two drinks and sandwiches I feel weird leaving a $20 tip. (I still do) The server made three trips to our table in a half hour while taking care of 4 other tables in the same time. The guys shingling my house don't make $20 in an hour.

DD just got back from Europe on a college trip and the guide said "don't tip" it was considered rude. I realize servers get a better wage which I wits the US would go to. it's too late now in the US.

I visited South Africa earlier last year and the owner of our tour service had a recommended tipping schedule which I appreciated. Tipping is customary there. They also asked us to let them distribute the tips to the staff on our behalf. They said it helped keep the staff out of getting in trouble with a pile of cash on their hands. I was glad to tip them and they knew it before we left. It helped feed their families.

Tipping in Canada is well accepted, I tip my helpers every chance from my fishing guide to the pilot who flies us in. Not 20% though.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

A friend of mine told me that she went out to eat with a couple of her friends. They were talking and she wasn't exactly paying attention and gave their server $100 cash. (It sounds like one woman in the group said it was okay, but she lives in Austria and they evidently only tip the change.) Anyway, the server came back and said something like "Are you sure about this? People usually leave at least 10%." Evidently, her tip was around $7.

I think it would be up to the local to enlighten their visitor to the "customs".

I would have snapped back saying is tipping mandatory in America then. To see what the reaction would be. Personally, I think it is mandatory and expected which are one in the same, which is why it should be added automatically at the minimun rate or added to the bill as pre-defined line item. If you want to tip more then you can.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I think it would be up to the local to enlighten their visitor to the "customs".

I would have snapped back saying is tipping mandatory in America then. To see what the reaction would be. Personally, I think it is mandator and expected which are one in the same, which is why it should be added automatically at the minimun rate or added to the bill as pre-defined line item. If you want to tip more then you can.

I agree that server wages should be included in the bill. I'm afraid that once it is it wouldn't be long before a 20% tip would be expected anyway.

 

[GenXguy]

I ordered a pizza online from pappa murphy's last week. They are a take and bake outfit that you bring an uncooked pizza home from.

The order ended with how much of a tip you want to leave. It started at 15%.

The pizza was $12 and the young folks there are likely working for minimum wage, I left them 20%. I felt cheap

You tipped 20% for a "carry out" pizza, plus it was "uncooked", and you felt cheap? Scratching my head here. I just picked up a couple cooked pizzas recently for carry out that were actually cooked, and I've never known anyone around here to tip for that. They don't even have a tip jar. But 20%?? I reserve that for full service good service.

realize servers get a better wage which I wits the US would go to. it's too late now in the US.

Servers get paid a few hundred percent higher than the national minimum wage for tipped workers here. Not all states/areas are the same.

 

[GenXguy]

I agree that server wages should be included in the bill. I'm afraid that once it is it wouldn't be long before a 20% tip would be expected anyway.

Oh yeah, plus various other charges and fees they are slipping into the bill there days. I remember when 10% was the norm, so before you know it, they will try to push it to 25%!

 

[Aerides]

Oh yeah, plus various other charges and fees they are slipping into the bill there days. I remember when 10% was the norm, so before you know it, they will try to push it to 25%!

Since you are GenX, like me, we must be close in age. When I waited tables at 18, the standard tip was 15%. And it did not appear to be a new norm at the time.

 

[Music Lover]

At the same time. When I take DW out for dinner and the bill comes to about $80 for two drinks and sandwiches I feel weird leaving a $20 tip. (I still do) The server made three trips to our table in a half hour while taking care of 4 other tables in the same time. The guys shingling my house don't make $20 in an hour.

A $20 tip for making 3 trips to the table in a half hour. Plus the other 4 tables probably tipped them as well.

Some servers do very, very well.

 

[MichaelB]

Oh yeah, plus various other charges and fees they are slipping into the bill there days. I remember when 10% was the norm, so before you know it, they will try to push it to 25%!

Since you are GenX, like me, we must be close in age. When I waited tables at 18, the standard tip was 15%. And it did not appear to be a new norm at the time.

I’m older than both of you and it was never 10% since I was in college.

According to BLS data, the median annual income for wait position is $29k and the 90th percentile is $55k. This is not a high earning profession.

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes353031.htm

 

[youbet]

I’m older than both of you and it was never 10% since I was in college.

I'm older than you . I recall 10% tipping like it was yesterday. So easy to calculate! Then I recall 15% which meant calculating 10% and adding half that additionally. Then 20% where I calculate 10% and double it.

 

[MichaelB]

I'm older than you . I recall 10% tipping like it was yesterday. So easy to calculate! Then I recall 15% which meant calculating 10% and adding half that additionally. Then 20% where I calculate 10% and double it.

 

[euro]

I’m older than both of you and it was never 10% since I was in college.

According to BLS data, the median annual income for wait position is $29k and the 90th percentile is $55k. This is not a high earning profession.

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes353031.htm

I certainly don't argue it is a high-paid profession, but it is also quite clear that income numbers will be low because cash tips are probably rarely reported. See for example, post #679

 

[MichaelB]

I certainly don't argue it is a high-paid profession, but it is also quite clear that income numbers will be low because cash tips are probably rarely reported. See for example, post #679

That might be the case. Unreported tip income is probably more prevalent with income tax reporting, while BLS data isn’t sourced from the IRS, it comes from employer survey data. Un or under reported tip income is also probably less pervasive with chain and “big business” restaurants, who have no interest or incentive to underreport income.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Oh hell everybody. If we want to go out to eat we should expect to pay for it,,

I blame the restaurant industry who started to expect the customers to pay their employees ........its too late now. the industry is broken.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Oh hell everybody. If we want to go out to eat, we should expect to pay for it.

I agree, but a lot of us have chosen not to. More folks than one would think I am sure.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I agree, but a lot of us have chosen not to. More folks than one would think I am sure.

The restaurant business is tough....I wish there was a more transparent way to ensure servers were paid fairly.

 

[marko]

Well, it isn't like tipping cash frees the recipient from paying taxes. Taxes are still owed - you are just helping them to ignore the law

It's harder than you think. A server gets his W2 or 1099 and it lists that server's total sales for the year along with CC tips. It's a red flag if the server doesn't claim at least 15% in total tips, which the IRS assumes as an average but they do give some leeway.

The days of servers not claiming (most of their) tips are long gone. Around here, a lot of service jobs are seasonal and when they file for unemployment, it's a good thing to have a higher income anyway.

 

[GenXguy]

I'm older than you . I recall 10% tipping like it was yesterday. So easy to calculate!.

Yeah, me too! And I was a waiter for a while back when minimum wage for tippers was only about $2/hr! Food was cheaper back then, too, so tips at 10% were ****! I remember joking with a friend after work one day that I wasn't going to get any fries with my burger because I didn't want to spend all my tips!

 

[marko]

Oh hell everybody. If we want to go out to eat we should expect to pay for it,,

I blame the restaurant industry who started to expect the customers to pay their employees ........its too late now. the industry is broken.

Agree. After almost 700 posts, we're now worried about the difference between a 10% or 15% tip. On a $100 tab, that $5....is that where at now? 5 bucks?

 

[Fermion]

Agree. After almost 700 posts, we're now worried about the difference between a 10% or 15% tip. On a $100 tab, that $5....is that where at now? 5 bucks?

If you spend a great deal of time eating out or take out, $20,000 a year is not a big budget for food for a couple. That makes it a $1000 difference.

But when I do eat out, I tip 20%.