I don't understand tipping culture...

[V8 Ninja]

In the US, waiters and waitresses get paid a salary which is well below the minimum wage of the country. People who realize this tend to tip bigger amounts because a tip is where a waiter/waitress makes most of their money. People who don't realize this tend to be stingy because they view the transaction from a purely economical standpoint.

 

[SecondPrize]

People outside of the US may not understand how poorly many 'murricans feel they are allowed to treat service staff. I tip well as insurance that I may be spared if someone snaps.

 

[karma9308]

Considering how hostile this thread is, I'm just going to say my piece and leave.

I've told my cousin that she should try to find another job because her wages are shit as a waitress. She actually told me she wouldn't want the steady wage, because she gets to earn more when she does better. She said she gets shitty customers who insult her and don't want to tip, but people who do tip let her take home over $100 working 5 to 6 hours a night.

I personally would want the steady wage, but I'm not all people and some feel differently. I can also say that I gave a $5 tip for a $10 pizza once. I never had to wait more than 10 minutes for pizza again. So you do get much better service if you tip a place you frequent.

 

[SayHelloToMrBullet]

Yeah, whenever I feel I don't have enough money, I just apply for the next CEO position and get it.

Oh wait, you mean there's such a thing as unemployment? You mean that some of these jobs have to be done, and that they're going to have to pay someone? That it's possible to be unqualified for certain positions? That it's possible to be unable to acquire anything but a minimum wage job?

To be honest I'm not really sure why you've decided to be sarcastic here. You seem to be thinking that I'm some ignorant, mindless six year old who sits inside and plays Call of Duty everyday of his life without knowing a single thing of the real world.

Let me explain myself. What do you do when your work underpays you? You generally have three options right? Keep the job, ask for a raise (which alot of the time may be out of the question), or quit. You don't go asking for more money from your customers, even if it is a few dollars (unless you're the one who's actually in charge).

Does the worker at the supermarket checkout ask for a small tip after placing items in your bag? Of course not. Why are waiters any different? Tipping is extra, a pat on the back for when you do an above average job - nothing more. It's not a charity service.

Anyone who thinks that if you need tips to survive, especaially when some people need those tips because they're paid less than minimum wage, you don't deserve one, and deserve a middle finger, deserves to have to live off next to nothing, paycheck to paycheck. And also taste the spit in their food. That's a disgusting attitude, and demonstrates a complete lack of empathy, or even the bare minimum understanding of how the real world works.

I think I should've been more clear with my point here (my bad). When I said, "Anyone who asks for a tip deserves the middle finger pointed in their direction," I should've placed emphasis on the word 'asks.' I'm referring to those who actually verbally ask customers for the tip, as if they were expecting it in the first place. Tips are not something to be expected. As I said above, they are an extra reward - not something that should be relied upon.

If you have to rely on tips to get by, then there is something extremely wrong with where you are working and you need to find a solution. Staying in that position and living off tips is not fixing anything.

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

You shouldn't "expect" someone to tip.

Instead, you should get off your backside and go after the government for allowing your employers to pay you shit-all.

But no, that'd take work wouldn't it?

Sorry, mate, but your page says that you are just turning 18 yeah? (congrats, have a draught for me btw) I know that you are not gonna like hearing this, but 18 is not the time to be chastising the rest of the workforce for not working hard enough.

Yeah that was a little smart-arsey I guess

Out of curiosity, what is it that you do for a living?

None, studying. Also most jobs are out of the question because an illness. Studying for one that will allow me make an income though.

 

[ninjaRiv]

the customer who's already paid for the service.

You didn't pay for the service, though.

I don't know about you, but I pay for the food I eat plus the extra charges on top (food doesn't actually cost that much).

 

[MetalDooley]

If you don't tip in America, you're a fucking scumbag.

No the scumbags are the companies that pay shitty wages in the first place and the politicians that allow this system to survive.It's laughable that the customers are the ones who are made to feel guilty not the ones responsible for creating this messed up system to begin with

 

[Angie7F]

it is totally wierd to me too.
Why cant the management of the restaurant pay a proper wage, but expect all waiters to perform at a certain level?
doesnt make sense at all

 

[5ilver]

In the US, waiters and waitresses get paid a salary which is well below the minimum wage of the country. People who realize this tend to tip bigger amounts because a tip is where a waiter/waitress makes most of their money. People who don't realize this tend to be stingy because they view the transaction from a purely economical standpoint.

I realize this and I would still refuse to tip because:
1) I do not believe in mandatory charity
2) the more people tip regularly, the worse the waiters will get shafted by their bosses (since they'll know they can get away with it)

 

[DarkRyter]

the customer who's already paid for the service.

You didn't pay for the service, though.

I don't know about you, but I pay for the food I eat plus the extra charges on top (food doesn't actually cost that much).

True, you paid for the food, paid the dishwasher, paid the chef, etc.

But you didn't pay your waiter. That's what the tip is intended to be.

Unless, you live outside the US. Then the menu prices are just higher and the waiters are paid a flat rate.

 

[ninjaRiv]

the customer who's already paid for the service.

You didn't pay for the service, though.

I don't know about you, but I pay for the food I eat plus the extra charges on top (food doesn't actually cost that much).

True, you paid for the food, paid the dishwasher, paid the chef, etc.

But you didn't pay your waiter. That's what the tip is intended to be.

Unless, you live outside the US. Then the menu prices are just higher and the waiters are paid a flat rate.

Well, there ya go; I live outside the US. But feeling entitled to a tip is my problem, rather than being paid a tip. Do an outstanding job and you DESERVE a tip. But any money owed to waiters and waitresses is down to the shitty employer, not the customer.

 

[shootthebandit]

If you don't tip in America, you're a fucking scumbag.

No the scumbags are the companies that pay shitty wages in the first place and the politicians that allow this system to survive.It's laughable that the customers are the ones who are made to feel guilty not the ones responsible for creating this messed up system to begin with

This is how extreme capitalism works. The big companies (in this case the restraunts) screw over the little guy (their employees) and then shift the blame onto another group of people (the customers). So they dont have to pay their employees any money and if their employees complain the simply direct the blame onto the customer. Quite a clever but albiet unfair buisness model if you ask me. Where both the customer and employee are penalised and the CEO can float away in his hot air ballon whilst twisting his moustache

Yet this is accepted as the norm whereas a trade union is seen as "communist"

 

[DarkRyter]

Well, there ya go; I live outside the US. But feeling entitled to a tip is my problem, rather than being paid a tip. Do an outstanding job and you DESERVE a tip. But any money owed to waiters and waitresses is down to the shitty employer, not the customer.

Within the American tipping system, it can be said that the waiter is not an employee of the restaurant, as they are an employee of the patron.

They are, for that meal, their servant, after all.

The customer is the person who is in the best position to decide what is proper compensation. They are to judge the service and tip accordingly.

It's highly unusual compared to most forms of employee compensation, but it has its benefits.

Waiters in the US do well compared to most other jobs requiring roughly equal education, skill, or training. They often get to skip out on a few taxes, using a few loopholes in the system. Waiters with superior service, and waiters who work at more expensive restaurants(which usually demand a greater skillset) make more than lesser waiters. Tipping may not be the steadiest income, but most Americans tip adequately or better.

 

[shootthebandit]

This is how strange the concept is in the UK "ive just paid a lot of money for this meal (damn moderate socialism and your expensive food) and you are on the payroll and earn a similar wage to me, yet im going to give you more money on top of the money ive already paid for the meal for simply doing your job that you already get paid to do"

This is how strange the concept is in america "ive just paid for this lovely cheap meal (hurray for capitalism and cheap food)....hey wait a minute whats this on my bill 'service charge' so now i have to pay this guys wages on top of the price ive already paid..but...hey wait a minute ive got an idea im like albert fucking einstien...why dont we just raise the price of the food like they do in the UK to cover the wages of their staff"...."nah bro, thats communism"

Another example of the UK: "hey buddy, how can we rely on these tips as our main source of income"
"tell me about it, i couldnt pay my rent last month"
"why dont we all as a trade unite together into one group lets call it lets say a trade union. As individuals theres not much we can achieve but togther we can help get a fairer income"
"good idea maybe if we all decided to walk out then they will realise how much they need us"
"what happens if they just fire us when we walk out and hire some students who are happy to earn 2.50 an hour beer money"
"Then we take them to an employment tribunal and sue their ass for unfair dismissal. If that fails then we smash thier windows and set fire to thier shop until they get the message or go out of buisness then other companies will get the message and start to listen to us"

As opposed to america: "hey buddy lets all get together and help each other get a fairer wage"
"Fuck off communist"

 

[ninjaRiv]

Well, there ya go; I live outside the US. But feeling entitled to a tip is my problem, rather than being paid a tip. Do an outstanding job and you DESERVE a tip. But any money owed to waiters and waitresses is down to the shitty employer, not the customer.

Within the American tipping system, it can be said that the waiter is not an employee of the restaurant, as they are an employee of the patron.

They are, for that meal, their servant, after all.

The customer is the person who is in the best position to decide what is proper compensation. They are to judge the service and tip accordingly.

It's highly unusual compared to most forms of employee compensation, but it has its benefits.

Waiters in the US do well compared to most other jobs requiring roughly equal education, skill, or training. They often get to skip out on a few taxes, using a few loopholes in the system. Waiters with superior service, and waiters who work at more expensive restaurants(which usually demand a greater skillset) make more than lesser waiters. Tipping may not be the steadiest income, but most Americans tip adequately or better.

I don't know, that still seems to me like an issue with the employer, as opposed to the customer. I understand that employers pay a shamefully small amount but they should be paying more. Seems like, in the long run, the better outcome would be dealing with that.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

money"
"Then we take them to an employment tribunal and sue their ass for unfair dismissal. If that fails then we smash thier windows and set fire to thier shop until they get the message or go out of buisness then other companies will get the message and start to listen to us"

So, if we want changes, we need to sue a company that has far more money to spend on lawyers than we do, or commit crimes and make it impossible to ever have a job again? Must be nice to live in a nice place, where the little guy has any kind of power over corporations. But in America, it doesn't work like that. Many courts follow the Golden Rule, sad to say. "He who has the gold makes the rules." It would be great if it were possible to just sue for wrongful dismissal and win every time, but corporations have lawyers that can make that...unfeasible, especially if you don't have a ton of money to pay for a good lawyer with, generally the case if you are unemployed.

 

[the clockmaker]

You shouldn't "expect" someone to tip.

Instead, you should get off your backside and go after the government for allowing your employers to pay you shit-all.

But no, that'd take work wouldn't it?

Sorry, mate, but your page says that you are just turning 18 yeah? (congrats, have a draught for me btw) I know that you are not gonna like hearing this, but 18 is not the time to be chastising the rest of the workforce for not working hard enough.

Yeah that was a little smart-arsey I guess

Out of curiosity, what is it that you do for a living?

None, studying. Also most jobs are out of the question because an illness. Studying for one that will allow me make an income though.

Then mate, I don't mean to slap you down here, but if you are unemployed, maybe you shouldn't be harping on people who work not working hard enough.

 

[shootthebandit]

money"
"Then we take them to an employment tribunal and sue their ass for unfair dismissal. If that fails then we smash thier windows and set fire to thier shop until they get the message or go out of buisness then other companies will get the message and start to listen to us"

So, if we want changes, we need to sue a company that has far more money to spend on lawyers than we do, or commit crimes and make it impossible to ever have a job again? Must be nice to live in a nice place, where the little guy has any kind of power over corporations. But in America, it doesn't work like that. Many courts follow the Golden Rule, sad to say. "He who has the gold makes the rules." It would be great if it were possible to just sue for wrongful dismissal and win every time, but corporations have lawyers that can make that...unfeasible, especially if you don't have a ton of money to pay for a good lawyer with, generally the case if you are unemployed.

I was exagerating about the whole violence thing but aggressive strikes have been known (not as bad as i said though)

Most big companies in the UK are terrified of an employment tribunal. They will more than likely take in what you have to say with the mere threat of a tribunal

Im not saying its much better over here. trust me we have a lot of problems just different ones to america. Youth unemployment is a huge problem over here

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

You shouldn't "expect" someone to tip.

Instead, you should get off your backside and go after the government for allowing your employers to pay you shit-all.

But no, that'd take work wouldn't it?

Sorry, mate, but your page says that you are just turning 18 yeah? (congrats, have a draught for me btw) I know that you are not gonna like hearing this, but 18 is not the time to be chastising the rest of the workforce for not working hard enough.

Yeah that was a little smart-arsey I guess

Out of curiosity, what is it that you do for a living?

None, studying. Also most jobs are out of the question because an illness. Studying for one that will allow me make an income though.

Then mate, I don't mean to slap you down here, but if you are unemployed, maybe you shouldn't be harping on people who work not working hard enough.

I never meant to imply that. I'm saying that maybe the people "expecting" tips should instead do something about the fact that they're payed next-to-nothing rather than expecting the customers to pay for them aswell as their food.

 

[V8 Ninja]

In the US, waiters and waitresses get paid a salary which is well below the minimum wage of the country. People who realize this tend to tip bigger amounts because a tip is where a waiter/waitress makes most of their money. People who don't realize this tend to be stingy because they view the transaction from a purely economical standpoint.

I realize this and I would still refuse to tip because:
1) I do not believe in mandatory charity
2) the more people tip regularly, the worse the waiters will get shafted by their bosses (since they'll know they can get away with it)

I'm happy you edited your comment, because the phrase "Illegal Blackmail" threw me for a bit of a loop mentally.

Moving on, I highly suggest looking at the situation from the other pair of shoes. The economy isn't great and people are taking jobs wherever they can get them. People sometimes survive on a week-to-week basis. And unlike a store, where the money vanishes into an ether until it comes out as checks to the employees, a tip generally stays with the person that it is presented to.[footnote]I actually am not entirely sure about these two things.[/footnote]