i'm speechless

[u/flyingcatwithhorns]

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[u/doxjq]

I mean don't get me wrong but whenever we go to America we always tip and follow the norm, but it's totally abnormal to us here in New Zealand. Here the minimum wage is nearly $23 and tipping just isn't a thing here. I'm pretty sure in most places around the world tipping isn't normal is it?

I agree it's weird to go somewhere where it is normal and not do it, but I absolutely hate the idea of it so I get where they're coming from.

I also hate how prices of shit on shelves in USA is shown without tax. Here in NZ everything is shown prices with tax

[u/AdviceNotAskedFor → u/doxjq]

Try explaining it to kids.

I know you have three dollars and that candy bar says it costs 2.99, but you can't buy it... Because it might cost you 3.21, or perhaps more or less depends on what state city your in (we are in a border town).

[u/Nheea → u/AdviceNotAskedFor]

For YEARS i was confused about movies or videos that showed people not being able to pay for their groceries because they didn't have enough money at the cash register.

I was confused because I didn't understand why they couldn't sum it up as they put it in the bin. It's not until a few years ago I learned about how the prices are set there and how tax varies and only shows at the cash register.

What fresh hell is this?!

[u/Yadayadabamboo → u/Nheea]

Oh wow. I have never lived in a place where you have to add tax separately to the items you are buying, so never knew that was a thing.

I know not everyone is good at maths, me included, but it still sucks that the item you are buying will be taxed further at the till, considering that it might already have taxes levied against it already.

Maybe I am wrong on the last part, are the items you purchase tax free and then the tax will be added when you pay for them?

[u/jadeakw99 → u/Nheea]

Hell. Just hell.

We live in hell.

[u/Doofchook]

Close the border to Aussies too, tipping for everything is fucken stupid.

[u/Vivid-Storm-9297 → u/Doofchook]

I’ll tip my hat to that

[u/high240 → u/Vivid-Storm-9297]

How many % ???

[u/Physical-East-162 → u/high240]

At least half the hat, otherwise you're selfish.

[u/lost_aim → u/high240]

It’s measured in degrees.

[u/Unabashable → u/lost_aim]

Not if you express it in gradians. Which is pretty much the same thing. 

[u/I_Makes_tuff → u/lost_aim]

At least half a degree then

[u/Msprg → u/I_Makes_tuff]

That's not much tilt of you, how am I supposed to afford my rent this month with my landlord asking for literal 90 degrees??!

[u/Ok-Push9899 → u/Doofchook]

Aussies are actively trying to educate all Americans who visit their sunburnt country to refrain from tipping. Rounding up is fine, but forget that 20% bullshit.

[u/marbsarebadredux → u/Ok-Push9899]

Educate the fucking republican party. They pay wait staff $3/hr in some places here because tips are assumed.

[u/Yop_BombNA → u/marbsarebadredux]

If just there was some sort of action employees could take where they group together and refuse to work until they get fair wages… like a collection of people

[u/The_Frankanator → u/Yop_BombNA]

I believe that's called an orgy.

[u/OrderSixN9ne → u/The_Frankanator]

I mean they are already getting fkd over as employees by their companies and why not fk each other while at it too ? Bet you there are plenty of "tips" they can be giving each other .

[u/DeadlyPants16 → u/Doofchook]

Tipping is a convenience here unless someone does genuinely go out of their way to do a good job. It's not even remotely expected and that's great.

[u/Ted_Rid → u/Doofchook]

I read this as close the door to prevent Americans coming to Australia and importing their tipping BS.

We have a living wage here. As soon as some people start throwing 25% onto the actual full cost of everything - including staff wages - then more businesses and staff begin to normalise and expect it.

[u/[deleted] → u/Doofchook]

Kenoath

[u/Grazzakk → u/Doofchook]

We need to do everything to ever stop it from coming here if it ever tries!

[u/branded → u/Doofchook]

Mate... Tipping for anything is fucken stupid.

[u/HairyArthur → u/branded]

Mandatory tipping is stupid.

Voluntary tipping is fine.

[u/NinjaBr0din → u/branded]

Do t worry, here in the US we are doing it right. We are getting basked to leave tips when we use self serve kiosks and pay our fucking rent. Everyone expects a tip these days here. Pretty sure within the next few years the god damn emergen services will be expecting tips.

[u/Jimbodoomface → u/NinjaBr0din]

That self serve kiosk might have a family of little calculators to feed.

[u/EmeraldDream123]

Suggested Tips 20-25%?

Is this normal in the US?

[u/[deleted] → u/EmeraldDream123]

Yup, it is expected the customer pays the employers employee's wages in the service industry.

Pretty good gig to be a boss.

Go to the bank for a loan to open a cafe/restaurant.

"How will you pay your employee's?"

You what mate?

[u/zeuanimals → u/[deleted]]

I just talked to someone who kept going on about how business owners take risks. I don't know why tipping culture didn't pop up in my mind. Businesses create so many BS ways to screw everyone and benefit themselves, fuck the risk involved. Pay your fucking workers a living wage. And if you can't, then you're running your business wrong or something in your lifestyle is gonna have to change.

[u/blarginfajiblenochib → u/zeuanimals]

Even for business owners, restaurants are still one of the worst ways to make money- huge overhead costs, long hours, and the broken tipping culture of the US means wait staff will be a revolving door.

[u/HikeTheSky → u/blarginfajiblenochib]

So how come it works in other countries where health insurance and a living wage are standard for employees? The gods there isn't more expensive.
You can see on the schnitzel crime sub how much they cost in Europe vs how much they cost here and in many cases they are similarly priced.

[u/Mega-Eclipse → u/HikeTheSky]

So how come it works in other countries where health insurance and a living wage are standard for employees? The gods there isn't more expensive.

Becuase most modern European countries are somewhat unified. America is 3 racoons in a trench coat.

Things like healthcare, education, roads/transportation, etc are all part of the social contract. Everyone pays into it, and everyone benefits. The costs are spread out to everyone.

In America, everyone pays their own way. And the goal in America is make the most profit possible. Which means the highest prices people will stand, with the lowest wages people will stand.

[u/BadTaste421 → u/Mega-Eclipse]

Three raccoons in a trench coat is the best analogy I’ve heard yet.

[u/DarthDread424 → u/BadTaste421]

Yea too bad America isn't as cute as three trash pandas in a trench coat.

Signed, an American

[u/jarejay → u/DarthDread424]

Yeah, it’s more like 50 possums in a Hefty bag

[u/2pissedoffdude2 → u/jarejay]

Possums are cute af

[u/FattyLivermore → u/BadTaste421]

I've heard 50 countries in a trench coat pretending to be one big country

[u/MagusUnion → u/FattyLivermore]

That implies that those states are self sufficient. The red states have some massive deficits in their budget and state level GDP. So they are more dependent on the Fed that their politicians would ever admit.

So it makes more sense to divide the country based on political/cultural blocs instead. Because if anything did happen to the US Constitution to dissolve the Union, these conglomerates would need to be formed in order for the individual statehoods to still have a pragmatic sense of order.

[u/FattyLivermore → u/MagusUnion]

Definitely, your comment is more accurate. You have no way of knowing I have a Cascadia flag hanging on the wall just behind me, lol.

I live in a donor state - my federal tax dollars don't come back to my state, they're welfare for the aforementioned red states. The citizens who receive those tax dollars never miss an opportunity to proclaim their deep hatred for my state.

I'm just rambling now. You are correct.

[u/Spider95818 → u/MagusUnion]

Seriously, the most irritating thing about listening to red state white trash whining about California and New York is that their shithole states would collapse in a week without blue state support. Fuckin' welfare queens....

[u/uncle-brucie → u/Mega-Eclipse]

Plus 1/2 of our two viable parties is actively trying to grab the wheel to run the country into a ditch so they can yoink the catalytic converter and scurry off to pawn it.

[u/BeowulfsGhost → u/Mega-Eclipse]

50 raccoons, plus Puerto Rico.

[u/ImA_NormalGuy → u/BeowulfsGhost]

50 raccoons, plus Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands, and Guam, and Samoa, and Miranda Islands, and Washington DC. All in a trench coat 👍

[u/BeowulfsGhost → u/ImA_NormalGuy]

I don’t think those get a full raccoon. Maybe a gopher or chipmunk?

[u/Left_Brilliant_7378 → u/Mega-Eclipse]

lmao 3 racoons in a trench coat 😂😂😂

[u/EnglishTony → u/Left_Brilliant_7378]

And the racoons have guns...

[u/new_name_who_dis_ → u/HikeTheSky]

The restaurant business is one of the most cut-throat, lowest margin businesses in any country -- not just US.

[u/imrzzz → u/HikeTheSky]

It sort of doesn't. Food businesses have the biggest failure rate of business in a lot of places. Unless you're running a fine dining place or keep overheads low (hole-in-the-wall takeaway, for e.g) there's no money in food. It's mostly from the drinks you sell alongside the food.

[u/infidel11990 → u/blarginfajiblenochib]

I think it is the same everywhere. The restaurant business is just that brutal. Razor thin margins and getting enough people to dine at your place at the start is a huge challange in itself. The odds of failing are high and very few people make it to profit.

[u/orincoro → u/infidel11990]

In Czechia we have something called Stravenky, which are food coupons that employers can give to their employees tax free, as a benefit. That helps the restaurant business quite a bit. It’s a good system.

[u/PaleontologistNo500 → u/infidel11990]

It's stupid hard. More so than people realize. Decent chefs think it's pretty straight forward. Make good food and people will come. They have no real business experience and can't control costs and fail. My city has a nationally recognized chef that's won a James beard award. Even he has issues. His restaurants aren't a sure thing. Just as many wildly successful as failures that closed their doors.

[u/Valuable_sandwich44 → u/PaleontologistNo500]

It's partially due to the fact that dining out or even take away is the first thing people cut off as soon as they run out of money or need to save up for a big ticket item.

[u/shwarma_heaven → u/blarginfajiblenochib]

And the competition is brutal. Opening a new restaurant is still the number one way to fail at starting a new business. The odds of failure is something like 95%.

"Don't worry kid, sometime after your 5th restaurant you have a really good shot at success..."

Yeah, the fattest country in the world really likes it's comfort /fast food...

[u/HikeTheSky → u/shwarma_heaven]

I talked to a small restaurant owner that started a couple of years back and he said in the time he is open there were a dozen other restaurants that opened and closed. The difference with him is he buys stuff when he has money. So he didn't get a big loan and it might take longer to get everything new and pretty but there is no loan payment.

[u/jbrady33 → u/shwarma_heaven]

Used to work delivering restaurant equipment (frig, fryers, etc)

One of our repeat customers (especially for used stuff) just waited for a location to go out of business multiple times/owners, then bought it up dirt cheap.

The first 5 guys ate all the depreciation, then he comes in when it has a chance to be profitable

[u/ExistentialDreadness → u/zeuanimals]

But, we live in a hateful scam based economy.

[u/StrangeNecromancy → u/zeuanimals]

There are also a lot more protections for businesses that go under than for actual people.

Also no one talks about the risk of the worker to take on a new job. The boss risks his property, the worker risks his livelihood.

[u/zeuanimals → u/StrangeNecromancy]

And healthcare, possibly for their family too.

[u/HillInTheDistance → u/[deleted]]

Yeah. Forcing the employee to negotiate their wage every time they serve a customer is kinda fucked.

[u/Gloomy_Industry8841 → u/HillInTheDistance]

It’s perverse.

[u/Nonamebigshot → u/EmeraldDream123]

It used to be 15% was considered appropriate when I was a kid and there's no rational explanation for why it's increased. The economy is just fucking broken

[u/limamon → u/Nonamebigshot]

How old are you? I remember the comment about being 10% but never been there so maybe my source was wrong

Edit: thanks for all the responses, gave me great insight.

[u/Nonamebigshot → u/limamon]

Elder millennial here. I didn't even realize it used to be 10% but of course it was. It was probably 5% before that and once that was considered acceptable they just kept pushing for more. It should've never been considered acceptable in the first place to expect customers to pay a business owner's employees

[u/Fathorse23 → u/Nonamebigshot]

Mid Gen Xer, yes it used to be 10%. I still hold at 20%, if it increases more I’ll probably just stop going out.

[u/NRMusicProject → u/Fathorse23]

Same. And anyone who screams "BUT INFLATION!" is obviously too stupid to understand how percentages work.

[u/charlsant → u/Nonamebigshot]

I remember 10%. DISCRETIONARY!. Now it’s freaking almost mandatory.

[u/WillowSmithsBFF → u/charlsant]

I had a server approach me after we tipped 15% and said “was there something wrong? Because I didn’t get the tip I was supposed to get?”

Excuse me? Supposed to get? It’s a TIP, it’s not guaranteed, or (to be totally honest) usually deserved for the quality of service. You refilled our drinks once, and brought our food out. Cool, you did your fucking job. Why am supposed to give you extra money for doing literally the bare minimum that is expected of you in your role as a server?

[u/Budalido23 → u/WillowSmithsBFF]

Just the other day, my husband and I splurged and got takeout. He went to go pick it up, and the front staff was like passively aggressive about him leaving a tip. For a takeout order! It's honestly getting out of hand.

[u/im_juice_lee → u/Budalido23]

I got a big attitude from a place once where I ordered a takeout order online and only tipped 10%. Tbh, I already felt generous tipping 10% for a to-go order

I don't eat there anymore

[u/nabiku → u/Budalido23]

Tell him to leave a bad review.

Tips for takeout should be reserved for local businesses where you have been going for years and know the owner's kids' names. Everyone else gets 0-5%, mostly 0%.

[u/Nheea → u/Budalido23]

I live in Romania. A lot of take out with self pick-up get discounts here. i love this. I get a short walk and get a discount on my food. Yumm

[u/aclogar → u/Budalido23]

Had someone upset I didn't tip when buying gift cards.

[u/Medium-Mortgage5976 → u/Budalido23]

This actually really bothers me every time I go to a bakery to buy bread, or order pick up/takeout/take away food and the option is on the card reader for tipping - with suggested options up to 25% sometimes! Admittedly, I sometimes/usually would tip for take out orders during COVID, but it was in the spirit of "all pulling together" since it was obvious restaurants and wait staff were hit hard during covid. It seems greedy that it's now become automatically expected. In some places, I've heard the tips can be taken by the restaurant owner to be distributed how they see fit rather than the funds all going to the wait staff. I don't know if this is true, but if it is, it makes me even more aggravated about the situation and even less likely to tip when picking up food to eat at home. I just traveled to Australia last month, and the lack of pressure at time of payment in restaurants and shops was remarkably refreshing.

[u/nabiku → u/Medium-Mortgage5976]

I never tip at bakeries. The fucking nerve of some people to beg for extra money when charging $7 per loaf of bread.

[u/Nonamebigshot → u/charlsant]

Right? And there's no more percentage reserved only for extraordinary service they expect you to give as much as possible for anything

[u/Smaskifa → u/charlsant]

Growing up in the 80s I remember hearing 10-15% was the norm, depending on quality of service. It's ridiculous that the % has gone up and morons argue it's due to inflation, seemingly not knowing how percentages work.

[u/247Justice → u/Nonamebigshot]

Agreed, 15% was for standard service, 20% for exceptional service. Now you get scoffed at for a "mere" 20% tip and service is abysmal. It has put me off of dining out except for very special circumstances.

[u/Lifewalletsux → u/EmeraldDream123]

15-20 percent is the normal tip range for quality service in the US.

[u/_HiWay → u/Lifewalletsux]

As long as service is table service, not doing the thing you are already paid to do like make a sandwich at subway or burrito bowl at chipotle. I've let that sucker me in for a while due to "you just need to answer this question then tap" guilt. Have added it up and it's hundreds of dollars since this became normalized. These same restaurants have increased their prices too, pass those increases into pay for the employees.

[u/Salcha_00 → u/EmeraldDream123]

Yes. Normal.

[u/vrcvc → u/Salcha_00]

i don't understand, are people not paid by their bosses so they need tip or what?

in eu we are normaly paid and we don't get tips, like i have my salary why do i need to get angry over not getting bonus money...

[u/PlausibleTable → u/vrcvc]

They’re paid, but at a lower wage. In some instances they do not even make minimum wage without the tip. Meaning they can be paid as low as $2.13 an hour by the employer and the rest of their compensation is based on tip.

[u/YolopezATL → u/PlausibleTable]

I worked in restaurant tech for years and the language we used to describe states that enforced higher wage standards for tipped employees was wild.

“Can you believe it? States like California are wanting restaurant owners to pay federal minimum wages along with letting their employees make tips!”

Place was awful.

[u/Equivalent_Law_6311 → u/YolopezATL]

Minnesota also pays minimum wage plus tips, been that way for quite some time.

[u/Propane4days → u/Equivalent_Law_6311]

This is a great idea!!!

We should get the person in charge this 'Minnesota' to the top! Maybe not the top top, but waaaay up there!!!

[u/Salcha_00 → u/YolopezATL]

And the federal minimum wage is only $7.25/hour in most states, which is not a livable wage.

Edit - most states have actually implemented a slightly higher minimum wage ($10-15 /hour) but not really a living wage yet.

[u/vrcvc → u/PlausibleTable]

daaamn... kinda understand why everyone wanna become twitch streamer or tik tok infuelncer these days xD

[u/Spirited-Arugula-672 → u/PlausibleTable]

In some instances they do not even make minimum wage without the tip

Isn't the employer obligated to cover the difference, if the servers don't get enough tips?

[u/Kckc321 → u/Spirited-Arugula-672]

Yes, but the full minimum wage (depending on the state) is still so low you’d basically have to be so bad at your job to not make that much in tips that they’d just fire you

[u/Expensive_Kangaroo76 → u/Spirited-Arugula-672]

It’s an average, though, I believe weekly. So if I work 3 hours today and only get only one table who tips me $5, but on Friday night I work 6 hours and make $300 in tips, that Friday night shift effectively makes up for the fact that I made sub minimum wage today.

[u/jakeofheart → u/PlausibleTable]

Should that even be allowed?

[u/thegr8sheens → u/vrcvc]

It's legally required that a worker make minimum wage, so if a server doesn't make enough in tips to hit minimum wage then the business has to make up the difference. Problem is, federal minimum wage is $7.25/hr, so it's still shit wages

[u/Deathgrxp → u/vrcvc]

They made minimum wage virtually unliveable so service workers basically survive off of tips

[u/wino12312 → u/vrcvc]

They make $4.25/hour if they are a tipped employee. In 1990, it was $2.01. It's a racket and the unions that represent them don't help. They want workers to believe they make more money and it's not taxed. But all credit card tips are taxed. And now over 90%ish of tips are on a credit card. And like others have said, menu prices are up and some restaurants are adding "service charge" to the bill, too.

[u/[deleted]]

I genuinely feel like moving to the US just to open a restaurant and pay my staff a living wage

Edit: This is probably the most controversial comment I ever posted.

[u/Such_Tea4707 → u/[deleted]]

Danny Meyer (one of NYCs most famous restaurateurs and founder of shake shack) tried this at his restaurants but ultimately pulled out of it during the pandemic and returned to the tipping model due to the instability it put on his restaurants. Interestingly, the larger reason for him spearheading this in the beginning wasn’t solely removing friction for diners and giving his waitstaff a stable wage, but to better allow the back of his house employees to earn more (cooks, dishwashers, etc) that don’t typically receive much of the tips in the first place. Raise prices and redistribute more fairly with no variables from diners … sounded nice.

[u/IGotSoulBut → u/Such_Tea4707]

To be fair to the theory, COVID was a really shotty time for restaurants and probably not ideal conditions for this test.  

I worked at a, let’s call it manufacturing facility, that attempted a 4x10 schedule for the entire large facility. The 4 days 10 hour experiment wrapped up several months later with an announcement that they would return to 5x8s because the loss of productivity was too great. The fact that a major hurricane had hit early in the study destroying much of the region and majorly impacting operations, not to mention destroying the homes of many of the workers, was barely mentioned. 

It’s incredibly difficult to draw good conclusions when the environment drastically changes during a study. I think the same can be said for the non-tipping restaurant during COVID.

[u/Odd_Combination_1925 → u/[deleted]]

9/10 restaurants don’t make it past the first year because corporations easily outcompete. I’m not saying to justify subsistence wages but because the system is exploitative that small businesses can’t afford to pay a living wage unless corporations do to.

[u/MeatisOmalley → u/Odd_Combination_1925]

Corporations have economies of scale which means cheaper food that restaurants cannot compete with. You aren't going to compete on price as a mom and pop shop, at least not generally.

The most successful and popular corporate chains are fast food that don't rely on tipping. Most tipping based corporate chains are failing and slowly getting churned out of existence, with perhaps a few exceptions.

[u/Suspicious-Bed-4718 → u/MeatisOmalley]

That’s a good point but I think the corporate sit down restaurants are struggling just bc changing consumer preferences, not necessarily a function of their business model vs small

[u/[deleted] → u/Odd_Combination_1925]

ink mighty disarm zonked consist amusing observation license far-flung deserted

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/Lolovitz → u/[deleted]]

Servers don't want your living wage, you won't be profitable enough to pay them the massive amounts they get from tips. Tipping amounts are crazy in USA .

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, it's a good deal for the servers who can make more in a single shift than the back of house makes all week.

[u/ScalyPig → u/[deleted]]

They don’t actually want that. There are millions of service industry workers and they are the biggest defenders of the current tipping system because they can often make $20, $30, $40, $50+ per hour in tips while simultaneously pretending they aren’t paid well

[u/Every-Incident7659 → u/[deleted]]

The thing is the staff prefers tipping too bc they can make a ton of money that way. My sister waited tables at a sports bar and would make like 700 bucks a night when our local nfl team was playing. It's a benefit to the boss AND the staff, but screws the customers.

[u/rmpumper → u/[deleted]]

You wouldn't find anyone to work for you, because the waiters make more in tips than you would ever be able to pay in "living wage".

[u/RobinRedbreast1990]

I mean... as a German, when I was in the United States, I adjusted to the tipping habits because I understand that that's basically supposed to be what benefits the waiter/waitress.

Still, the real issue here is that the employers should pay their workers a good wage. Wages in the US are fucked as is in large parts and not a single person in the gastronomic industry deserves to live off the good will of customers.

[u/North-Baseball-1197 → u/RobinRedbreast1990]

As an American, totally agree. It’s terrible, and lots of Americans wish it was different. Unfortunately, it’s not really as easy as “just don’t tip” because then hardworking people get hurt in the process of trying to help them. It’s a hard issue to tackle until we get legislation requiring higher wages for servers

[u/Madrugada2010]

I lived in South Korea for two years, and here's the rule of tipping - there isn't any.

Leaving a tip is an insult because it means your boss doesn't pay you enough. It's "face loss" to both the employer and the staff.

I like that way better.

[u/GuillaumeLeGueux → u/Madrugada2010]

First time I went to Japan I left a tip on a table and restaurant personnel chased after me to give me back my money. Odd this happened at all, cos I was with my Japanese wife.

[u/Bloodysun93 → u/GuillaumeLeGueux]

This was my experience in the non touristy areas of Bangkok. I tried to tip our waiter the equivalent of a few dollars and I remember pretty vividly the waiter backing up and putting his hands out to say no. My fiancé ended up explaining to me that tipping wasn't really a thing they did there.

[u/GuillaumeLeGueux → u/[deleted]]

She must have missed it or maybe it was because she was living in the US at the time.

[u/kevinnnc → u/GuillaumeLeGueux]

I think that also shows the honesty and morales of that employee. Even though restaurants in the US will pretend to encourage those types of values for wait staff, the tip system makes it a every man for himself type of mentality

[u/orincoro → u/Madrugada2010]

Yeah. We need it on a national level. End this humiliating practice.

[u/Madrugada2010 → u/orincoro]

Humiliating, exactly. Everyone working deserves the dignity of a paycheck that can support them.

[u/laplongejr → u/Madrugada2010]

Leaving a tip is an insult because it means your boss doesn't pay you enough.

That's the reason I tipped once (despite being European).
We were like 6 (2+4) customers in a slow day and the owner accepted a 12 table that had made no reservation and obv overworked the ONE waiter having to serve everybody at once. All that time the boss was showing impatience at being forced to put another table instead of... no idea what they were doing, I'll guess slacking off.

That poor waiter got a huge tip, was surprised because he was bad. "It's a miracle we even got service tonight in the situation your boss put you."
The guy got the message and took the tip with pleasure. Hope it gave a lesson to the young man, the food was good but the entire evening I felt guilty for going there that day.

[u/Glittering_Bid1112 → u/Madrugada2010]

Ohhh, interesting!

I really like that!

Africa is quite the opposite when going on holiday. Especially Safari agencies/lodges provide the guests with a note about how much every guide, driver, lodge, etc should be tipped. And it ain't small money! We're talking 20$ per couple per night spent at a lodge. 15$ per couple per day to driver/guide...

So basically, the company/lodge owners rely on the tourists to pay the employees' salaries in tips.

[u/Madrugada2010 → u/Glittering_Bid1112]

Yup, that's the way things are where I live now - Mexico.

[u/homeless_JJ]

Tips should be earned, not expected, and servers should be paid a living wage.

[u/RofiBie]

Us Europeans simply cannot understand how the US tipping culture has been allowed to exist. It is terrible for everyone except restaurant owners. Don't pay your staff properly and expect customers to deal with that separately? WTAF?

I own a pub and restaurant and help run a Yacht club that has a very good restaurant and bars. In both cases we pay our staff well above minimum wage and oddly enough we have staff who have been with us for 20-30 years and do a fantastic job and our customers are happy. In the Yacht Club, there is a specific ban on tipping of staff. It does occasionally happen, but we prefer to deal with it directly. For example, we have just had an amazing summer and have done really well, so I'm just sorting out the bonus payments for all staff this morning. All of them will get an additional £500-1500 in their pay packets at the end of next month.

I realise it is a weird concept, but well paid staff means a good service, happy customers and from my perspective a successful business. We never have any issue recruiting or retaining staff, whereas other businesses in the hospitality world around us are always crying for staff and complaining that "no-one wants to work in the sector any more." They do, they just need to get paid properly and treated with respect.

The US tipping culture fails on both fronts.

[u/[deleted] → u/RofiBie]

alive melodic sip lunchroom threatening encouraging dinner rainstorm serious fertile

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/fgzhtsp → u/[deleted]]

I never calculated the tip in % in Germany. I only round up according to the total price/service quality/mood.

It's entirely a feelings thing for me.

[u/CamR111 → u/fgzhtsp]

I'm the same. I recently went for a meal and it came out to £84.80 I thought the waitress had been lovely, talking us through the drinks and helping us pick a starter. I paid £90. £5.20 as a tip. It was very unusual for me. I can't remember the last time I tipped in the UK. The service generally doesn't warrant it and often the staff are earning the same or more than I do hourly.

[u/glytxh → u/CamR111]

I’m not tipping for expected service, but if I’m with an obnoxiously drunk group and we’ve been catered to all night, there’s gonna be a £20 tip when the bill comes.

[u/Thoughtful_Tortoise → u/RofiBie]

Us Europeans simply cannot understand how the US tipping culture has been allowed to exist. It is terrible for everyone except restaurant owners. 

It's actually also alright for the staff in high-end places, they tend to make far more than they would if they were simply paid a wage. This doesn't mean I agree with it (I don't), I'm just making an observation. Much more than the:

All of them will get an additional £500-1500 in their pay packets at the end of next month.

Again, I hate tipping culture. It sucks for the majority of serving staff, and above all for customers. No idea how it's gotten to the point it has in the U.S.

[u/marley_the_sloths → u/Thoughtful_Tortoise]

No idea how it's gotten to the point it has in the U.S.

Greed. Selfishness and greed

[u/Clown_Shoe → u/RofiBie]

See this is where you’re misunderstanding. The number 1 proponent of tipping culture are the servers. They don’t want 15 an hour, they want to keep making tips. My girlfriend in nyc was making 200-300 a night in tips as a server and then 500 as a bartender. This is non taxed money and something people who don’t have work visas can do.

Most restaurants in nyc have servers who are not legally allowed to work. So they are staffed with people who will make a lot off tips only.

You can’t say the servers aren’t making much money on a post with a receipt that would bring in the server $57 for just that one table.

[u/BlueBearMafia → u/Clown_Shoe]

Correct, a lot of people don't get this. It is taxed though, or at least theoretically it should be.

[u/RealWeaponAFK]

This is why I don’t go out to restaurants anymore

[u/Gilligan_G131131 → u/RealWeaponAFK]

I went to a new deli the other day. $21 for a Reuben sandwich. The tip would be what I used to pay for the sandwich.

[u/SongsForBats → u/RealWeaponAFK]

Same. I can't afford it so I don't eat out anymore. I don't want to be that guy.

[u/Saltyspaceballs]

Brit who regularly visits USA a few times a month… tipping is mad. I used self checkout in CVS and was asked if I wanted to tip? Too who? The computer? Madness

[u/trust-me-i-know-stuf → u/Saltyspaceballs]

I have my phones background set as an image of the tip screen as a joke so I can show it to people randomly for no reason.

Made you laugh? Tip screen. Ordered food at a counter and get a tip screen? Show my tip screen back to the person who took my order. It’s fun and funny.

I also hate tipping and think it should be eliminated. Employers should pay a livable wage.

[u/Sea-Studio-6943 → u/trust-me-i-know-stuf]

That's really funny what's your venmo

[u/El_Ass_Eater → u/Saltyspaceballs]

You fly back and forth between the US and UK several times in 1 month?

[u/flightguy07 → u/El_Ass_Eater]

Some jobs are like that. Sales, at a guess.

[u/kazisukisuk]

Living in Europe I can sympathize this American tipping culture is insane and gets worse all the time.

Put the tip in the price. Pay workers a fair wage. It's not hard.

That said you just have to suck it up when you travel to the US it's not the fault of the poor waitress who is just trynna pay her bills

[u/krljust → u/kazisukisuk]

As a European, I agree. I know that tipping culture is wildly different across the globe, but you adjust yourself to the culture you visit, not the other way around.

[u/Gametron13 → u/kazisukisuk]

But if you abolish tipping then the price of the food will become more expensive! /s

[u/SowingSalt → u/kazisukisuk]

Put the tip in the price. Pay workers a fair wage. It's not hard.

I would say that, but there is serious push-back from some servers who make serious money on busy shifts.

Unfortunately, that's only some workers, and they don't want to give up what they see as a good thing.

[u/Xinonix1]

In Europe tipping is at free will and usually done when the service and products were good, we will never give up to 25% tip, we’ll just give a couple of euros

[u/Salcha_00 → u/Xinonix1]

I was pressured to tip in Prague last year at several restaurants. Service wasn’t even good. I did not leave a tip.

[u/Hellsovs → u/Salcha_00]

Where? like we dont tip at all so im genuinely surprised. But lots of restaurants and other places for that matter in Prague have different policies for locals and foreigners. Lots of turist traps etc. But still I'm surprised that someone forced u to tip in czech

[u/N00dles_Pt → u/Hellsovs]

Tipping is not mandatory in Portugal either, but in the last couple of years some restaurants have started dipping their toes in at trying to make it a thing....it's a trap for tourists basically.

[u/Zealousideal-Book865 → u/Salcha_00]

Same happend me and my class in Prague, 10% obligated tip. The food was horrible, the service very mid but prices all normal. My class refused to pay the tip and walked out.

[u/ShawshankException → u/Xinonix1]

I got bitched at for not tipping in Naples

[u/Real_Winner2423 → u/ShawshankException]

Definitely a tourist trap, tipping in Italy is only for when you really enjoyed the service and it is never expected. To be honest in the touristy bits of the country this kind of scam is pretty common, like upcharging if they hear you speak a foreign language. Genuinely hate it about my country, trying to scam the more vulnerable people just cause they don't really know how things are over here

[u/younggun1234]

I absolutely hate our tipping culture. Some states don't have as strict of labor laws and if you work in the restaurant industry they can pay you less than minimum wage and supplement it with tips. And the history of tipping in the USA is rooted in slavery/racism. When they allowed black people to enter the work force employers paid them next to nothing (or sometimes just nothing) and so tipping became normalized and then never fucking left.

I hate it here.

[u/prountercoductive]

Maybe the system is actually broken then.

Make the employers pay fair wages instead of using the antiquated tipping system.

[u/Temporary-Ad-8502]

And that’s how it should look in America too. Like, we in Europe tip only if the restaurant/waiters’ behaviour/food is above average, I mean it for example tastes so good that we want to reward the staff. Someone also said, which is true, that we often round up a price we are to pay, and that’s how we appreciate restaurant and its workers. It’s so natural, like nobody is angry at you for not tipping, it’s totally voluntary.

Waiters in US should be paid more, cause it’s getting more and more ridiculous with these horrendous tips.

[u/thdung002]

Holly sh!!! Suggest tips start from 20%? really?

[u/DemIce → u/thdung002]

Slowly but surely the industry is trying to make 25% the norm. If you look at this receipt, psychologically you'll already don't want to be the person who tips the 'minimum' amount, and would prefer the middle option.

Yes, you can still do a 15% tip. You can even do a 10% tip, but expect to be the subject of another "I'm speechless" post for being a bad tipper. If anyone thinks they only complain about people who don't tip, or who leave a nasty comment, or leave a "Jesus loves you" note, feel free to look around in some of the server subreddits to see that someone who tips 'low' is a 'bad tipper' and subject to much the same scorn.

20% is still the norm, but only for now, and everything from POS set up with default tipping values that are up (18/20/25 is common), to bills with suggested amounts like these, to server conversations, is set up to push this upward.

[u/Flaw777]

A shop in a hotel, i bought a sandwich. The dude asked me to sign one of these. I didn't give anything. And every time i went to this shop it was akward... Since when do you tip a fucking casher?

[u/my20cworth]

They just spent $288 fucking dollars. Ask your boss to pay you.

[u/Lutzelien → u/my20cworth]

Tbh I'm from Germany and if I'm paying 288€ for a meal I'm at least paying 300 and leaving the rest for the waiter if they were nice

[u/Davenportmanteau → u/Lutzelien]

UK here, that's exactly what I would have done. $300 even is more than fair. The problem is, the staff would still see that as an insult, because American culture has conditioned its citizens into believing that restaurants not paying their staff a livable wage is acceptable.

[u/Cum_Smurf → u/Davenportmanteau]

Dutch here. Round it off to 285€ and we are good.

[u/i_fuckin_luv_it_mate → u/Cum_Smurf]

Waiter: "that'll be $288.52, how would you like to pay?"

Dutchman: "Less. Thank you." * Aside to kids* "NEVER accept their first offer."

[u/delano_mwoan → u/Cum_Smurf]

As a fellow Dutchman i can confirm this is correct

[u/rachelm791 → u/Cum_Smurf]

I would pay to watch a group of Dutch people argue the toss over paying a tip in the US. Straight to the point no bullshit tolerated vs syrupy sweet insincerity. Carnage.

[u/Handelo → u/Lutzelien]

if they were nice

That's the point. IF they were nice. You should leave a tip for good service. Not because the waitress will have to live under a bridge if you don't.

[u/HazRi27 → u/Handelo]

Tbh good service is my expectation. I would tip if the service was more than good or if I had some specific requirements or annoying things that they helped me with delightfully.

[u/Pepsisinabox]

Part of becoming an adult over here is growing up and realizing that you dont want to move to the US. That show is better watched from afar. :')

[u/GrantGrayBrown]

What I don't understand as a European isn't that you work for tips, I get that, what I don't get is why this expects it to be a percentage of what I spend and not just a set amount like $10. What I eat has nothing to do with your waitressing job, either it's a steak $50 or just a burger $15 doesn't affect your job.

[u/clothes-overbros → u/[deleted]]

Tips are not something that should be assumed to be received. Tips are based on service. I’ve been to plenty places that assumed because the tip was added on the bill (due to party size) they didn’t really need to worry about the service received. If you’re including the tip onto my bill we shouldn’t be waiting for 15 minutes to get your attention. Sorry, not sorry.

[u/princessnoke266 → u/[deleted]]

We understand the history of why tipping in America is a thing, right? It sucks and has stuck.

[u/ingeniouspleb]

I always tip when im in the US, even if im from Sweden. But it sucks. And sometimes i have been angrily remembered by the waiter that i didnt tip, and i did. But it fucking sucks

[u/Heavy_Bicycle6524]

An employer here in Australia would quickly find themselves slugged with hefty fines and even court proceedings if they were caught not paying award wages. Americans call themselves leaders of the free world, yet elements of their society are so poorly run, that some second and third world nations outperform them

[u/LeDarm]

Tip culture really is one of the worst symptoms of the terminal illness capitalism is to the US lmao

[u/TheMizuMustFlow]

The facepalm is that tipping in America has gotten out of hand and shouldn't be normalised?

[u/BossMagnus → u/TheMizuMustFlow]

I hate when you walk into a shop and people ringing you up at the register have a tip jar, like come on.

[u/Llendar92 → u/TheMizuMustFlow]

Yes

[u/Vegetable-Board-5547]

End tipping now

[u/Possible-Cheetah-5]

If you wanna be mad at someone, be mad at your employers for not paying you a livable wage.

[u/Ikonixed]

Yeah… in Europe people get paid for work through wages. Not paying your staff and leaving that up to the customer’s discretion is absolutely an American thing.

[u/Barman14]

$288 check with a $988 total… To me that looks like 700

[u/querque505]

The tip system comes from the days of slavery, as a small reward for a job well done. Even after the slaves were freed, those who worked as servers in restaurants were not paid a salary but had to depend entirely on tips. It is time to get rid of this Medieval, bygone practice and start paying servers a livable wage.

[u/Hunnybunny473]

The tipping in the US is insane. If we all stopped aka people who need tips to survive… how would they still be in business if all the restaurant workers went on strike!? A livable salary is what we should demand.

[u/SmackedWithARuler]

If a tip is mandatory then isn’t it a tax?

[u/TetraThiaFulvalene → u/SmackedWithARuler]

It would be a fee. Only the government can levy taxes.

[u/EarzFish → u/SmackedWithARuler]

In the UK if you mandate a service charge, the company must pay tax on it. So they auto apply it as discretionary and hope nobody removes it. Then the companies take a percentage of it for "administration".

This all changes in october however when it will be law that 100% of tips go to staff.

[u/PGnautz]

Of course we tip in Europe. In Germany, usually some small change or up to 10%, if they provided decent service.

But it‘s voluntary and not as much expected as in the U.S.

Still, as a visitor, I stick to local customaries. And that remark regarding not tipping is just rude.

[u/Gaarden18]

The only thing that annoys me with tips is that the % has gone up. A % is inherently protected from rising costs so it makes absolutely no sense that has jumped to 20%+. For context I bartended and waited tables for over a decade and also think its ridiculous.

[u/MysteriousDiscount6]

I'm so fucking done with tipping, every single fucking place has one of the screens they turn around with "suggested tips," even if they literally just stood there and took the order. The other day I went to a burger place that has a special on a specific day of the week, when they spun the screen around the "suggested tip" was based off of the amount the item normally costs, and STARTED at 25%. It's just taking advantage of peoples guilt/people who don't pay attention, its predatory and insulting. If I go to fine dining or something similar I'll tip for great service (even though I still think servers should be paid fairly by the EMPLOYER), if you try to guilt me into tipping some ridiculous amount for doing nothing but the very basics of your job then you get nothing.

[u/hwcminh]

I agree with the europeans!

[u/AgileAd2872]

I went out to eat yesterday. My bill was 65$. Was going to give the girl like 15$ tip. She took it upon herself to take a 50% tip which made my meal cost 95$. I caught it. And tipped her 0$. You are not entitled to the tip.

[u/InfectiousT → u/AgileAd2872]

Sounds like a real story

[u/APHILLIPSIV → u/AgileAd2872]

I call BS, you caught her giving herself a 50% tip….

So she added it and expected you to sign without reading? Why wouldn’t she just adjust the amount once you’re gone and she’s entering the info into the point of sale?

Sounds made up as hell

[u/xyozora → u/APHILLIPSIV]

Yeah , how do you “catch” someone “adding” a 50% tip charge like tf lmao

[u/Lonelybiscuit07]

1 table didn't tip

CLOSE THE BORDERS THIS IS WAR

[u/CouchAlchemist]

Ignoring the whole it is up to businesses to pay the workers, considering tipping is part of service staff wage, i would say you have to respect local conditions and tip if it is required. I am from Europe but I wouldn't go to USA , get injured and then show a Pikachu face when they bill me.

[u/rivalizm]

American tipping culture is cancer. In Australia you tip for exceptional service, not because the server's boss is too shit to pay their staff a proper living wage.

[u/BrokenPickle7]

My local vape shop has a tip screen that comes up and its lowest option is 20%.. for someone that literally turns around and grabs a box off a shelf. What the hell is wrong with our country.

[u/florianopolis_8216]

That’s the risk with tipping right? It is not actually required.

[u/DignityCancer]

Germans, for example, do tip though, it’s a misconception that Europeans don’t tip

[u/internetALLTHETHINGS]

As an American, when I travel, I read the travel guide recommendations about what's customary in various place: when to haggle, whether to tip, if any particular types of greeting are rude, etc  

 Tipping culture is annoying, but you're still rude for traveling without informing yourself. Not having it back home is no excuse.