TikkaShooter said:

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American tipping culture sucks. IMO.

Raise prices 20%, give that to your staff. No tipping.

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lol.

Except they'd need to raise it about 45%.. you know burdens and all.

Not sure if US Americans could take that sticker shock.

Those of you who tip 2X sales tax could be screwing over your server. Alcohol is not typically figured in that tax.

So a $20 meal with $20 alcohol shows a tax of ~$1.60.

Also, ever encountered something like this? The calculators at the bottom?





I eventually figured it out. The menu had a Thursday beer and burger for $10 type thing. That's what I got and paid for, but the tip calculator was calculated based on a la carte prices, which was quite a bit more.

I feel, the menu said $10 for beer and burger, so that's what I'm tipping on. However, if I use a coupon or some type of discount, I'd tip on pre-discounted price.

Diggity said:

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amazing that I've gotten excellent service around the world without tipping 20%.

I've also gotten lousy service around the world without tipping 20%

This is strikingly similar to how it works in the US.

In the end, our current system is just a way to disconnect the real cost of a good/service from the listed price. What annoys me is that this strategy has oozed into other business types as well.

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so the sanctity of the "listed price" needs to be protected? Not sure what your point is.

It's not my job to make up for an industry that pays their employees so poorly. Fix it. Tips shouldn't have to fill the gap. It's dumb.

I would absolutely support 25% price increases and no tip lines.

If a few places tried this, I bet the feedback would be excellent.

My deal with tipping is fairly simple. Double the tax on the deal and round up to the nearest $10.

I recall during Covid Togo only I was at a small private Thai restaurant where they are huge sponsors of anything the school asked for. My wife called in the order and I watched 4 people in front of me not tip (they had an iPad credit card machine). I could tell by the time I got there the owner was at her breaking point. I doubled the total ($60 to $120). The lady broke down crying and Covid be damned, she hugged me. She said I was the second person to leave a tip all day, the owners are generally the wait staff and they keep none of the tops for themselves and split it amongst the 2 guys in the kitchen.

We started ordering once a week and tipped about the same each time. Since they've been able to open for dining in we probably only eat there 1-2 times per month but she always finds time to come see us and check in with my kiddos.

Places have tried it and I believe it consistently works out poorly.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/07/20/dining/danny-meyer-no-tips.amp.html

I too used to work as a food server in College (Fort Shiloh, Fish Richard's, The Texan) so I'm a bit more lenient with my tipping protocol. For terrible service I'll tip 15%. For service on par with my expectations I tip 20%. But if the service was through the roof I'll go 25% and sometimes more.

I wonder how those new credit card readers are impacting tips, especially the mobile ones the server brings to your table and stands there while you fill it out.

I could see how it would help since they give you three main choices and all you have to do is hit a button. But for people who typically round up, etc., it could hurt. For example, if my 20 percent tip came to $8.50, I'd probably tip $10. With the new machines, I'd just hit 20 percent without thinking.

I recently had a charge for $5 at a brewery and I couldn't figure out how I got out for such a small amount. Typically I would tip pretty well at a place like that, especially since we were brewery hopping and I only ordered one beer. But then I realized it was a $4 beer and I just hit the 25 percent button on the mobile reader.

At restaurants I try to do 20% of the total no matter what. I rarely eat dinner away from home, so when it happens it's because I'm celebrating or on vacation. In those instances I'll chalk the tip up as part of the experience. At bars, I hate paying cash and will always open a tab if that's an option. If it's a big tab I'll tip 20% and go higher on a smaller tab if someone orders a PITA drink like a mojito.

* Since I started pouring wine six years ago and earning tips, my tipping philosophy has changed. And not that most servers don't need the money, but tipping is also analogous to a video game score in many ways. A good tip just feels good knowing someone appreciated and was pleased with your service.

* At this point in my life my thought it is "the money means little to me, much to the server"

* Breakfast, minimum tip is $5, usually $10, regardless the tab. 30% common, 50% a lot as well.

* Meal tips are 25-30% unless service was bad enough to mention to management, which is rare.

* IMO unnecessary to tip on bottles of wine, as has been mentioned 3X markup is plenty. And yes, it's not uncommon for the recommendation of a somm to be based upon stock or profit rather than food pairing. Best is to go to BYOB - but tip very well when doing so, including corkage.

Awesome move on your part. Having been in the restaurant industry for many years I can tell you there are two sides to their operations...the back of the house and the front of the house. If they aren't aligned the front of the house personnel get all the grief.

Dine in - I tip 20% on the pre-tax amount +/- based on service - even if they do the bare minimum my floor is pretty much 15%

Bar- $1-$2 per drink (based on drink type)

Take Out - never zero but I usually bucket it in $3, $5, $10 depending on total cost of the meal. During the peak of COVID I went above my normal ranges.

I tip in cash where available but that's probably only 30% of the time where I have cash that comports to the tip i want without breaking bills.

Any errors on the bill/charges in my favor go at least 50% or 100% of the difference to the server.