We complain about this all the time. Everybody expects tips now for just doing their job. Why am I expected to pay $50 for a haircut that takes 30 minutes AND tip? Just increase the price!
When it comes to restaurant's, I refuse to tip 25%. Lately it seems that one person takes our order, and we may never see them again. Kitchen staff brings our food out. So just who are we tipping??? Last week we were at a restaurant in a National Park that only had a buffet. The hostess seated us, someone brought us two glasses of water, and we got our own food. Yet there was a notice on our table stating tipping was appreciated.
Totally agree! I was offered a screen with MINIMUM tip of 25% for picking up takeout food. Same for hair/salon/spa service. The cost is already outrageous, then they give you a screen with minimum set to 25%. REALLY?!!
Yes, but I had to look for an alternative button, and then go to a totally different screen so I could input the amount that I wanted to tip. Ridiculous!
I had a shock when I first went to the USA and was told that tipping was mandatory and it was 15%. In the UK it is (supposedly) voluntary, and is around 10% I don't like the restaurants that automatically add a service charge to the bill, not least because as far as I'm aware in the UK it's illegal to make it mandatory.
In my youth my friends and I were chased down the road by an irate waiter because the tip we left him under a saucer read "Red Whiskey, 2:30, Aintree"
Tommy Cooper, a British comedian/magician always used to say to taxi drivers, while putting his hand in their top pocket, "Go on, have a drink on me". The taxi driver would soon discover that Tommy had deposited not money, but a tea bag!
hahaha. yet another big different between the US and UK. Yeah, I'm not crazy about service charges, but I REALLY hate 20 or 25% service charges, which you sometimes see in the US.
Wholeheartedly agree. So, besides preaching to the choir, what can we do about it? Especially when we are (thankfully) only in the US for short amounts of time? And, this virus spreading around the world. Ever been on a cruise?…..Just tonight in Valparaiso the waiter brought the credit card machine with the bill and said “do you want to include a 10% tip” I would have said no, but Tom shrugged and said yes, with the guy standing over him. Tom is nicer than me. Again, some constructive suggestions, please!
Well, yeah, they have us in a box. I don't want to punish servers. But I ignore than kind of pressure, if possible, and I refuse to tip for ringing me up. And (biggest takeaway of all), I left America, which increasingly baffles and infuriates me. 🤣🤣🤣
TOTALLY Agree. There have been stories (NYT) about restaurants that try to end this - and then give up. Maybe it's easier to get Americans to give up guns? Or get good eductional system across-the-board? Or maybe...
Yes, the American practice has gotten out of hand. The Spanish model of the price on the menu is what you actually pay (including tax), is far superior.
I agree about our tipping culture. Last month I went to pick up shirts at the cleaners and what was sitting front and center? A frigging tip jar. Argh! I pointed to it and said “For real?” Then left and haven’t been back. Tip the clerks at a dry cleaners? No way! Later I thought I was just getting old and crotchety so glad to see a few people agree.
We have insane practices for many things. Like, sadly, owning more guns than the rest of the world. I agree with you completely about the tipping as well.
I believe you are right in that this is the correct approach: " Do what almost the entire rest of the world does and pay waitstaff a living wage — and then reflect those costs in the prices on the menu!" You must not have been in the US when a supposed "living wage" of $15 an hour was proposed. Everyone was afraid their hamburger prices would increase, God forbid. It will take a long, long time for America to wake up and change its tipping policy. On the other hand, I've been in European cafes where the service was execrable because the staff could have cared less whether my food arrived on time.
Yeah, service is probably a little less good in the Europe, although I appreciate there is no fake fawning. Interestingly, the best service I have is in poorer countries...
I would like to have a card printed to leave to make my statement about why
I am not participating in the “new tipping” “opportunities” that are popping up on every kind is sale ticket .. the problem is there is no one to hand it to in most cases either .. pitiful.
We complain about this all the time. Everybody expects tips now for just doing their job. Why am I expected to pay $50 for a haircut that takes 30 minutes AND tip? Just increase the price!
When it comes to restaurant's, I refuse to tip 25%. Lately it seems that one person takes our order, and we may never see them again. Kitchen staff brings our food out. So just who are we tipping??? Last week we were at a restaurant in a National Park that only had a buffet. The hostess seated us, someone brought us two glasses of water, and we got our own food. Yet there was a notice on our table stating tipping was appreciated.
Don't even get me started on tip jars.....
Oh! I forgot all about buffets. Yeah, it's absolutely out of control, isn't it?
Totally agree! I was offered a screen with MINIMUM tip of 25% for picking up takeout food. Same for hair/salon/spa service. The cost is already outrageous, then they give you a screen with minimum set to 25%. REALLY?!!
Oh that would REALLY piss me off. Did you leave anything?
Yes, but I had to look for an alternative button, and then go to a totally different screen so I could input the amount that I wanted to tip. Ridiculous!
I had a shock when I first went to the USA and was told that tipping was mandatory and it was 15%. In the UK it is (supposedly) voluntary, and is around 10% I don't like the restaurants that automatically add a service charge to the bill, not least because as far as I'm aware in the UK it's illegal to make it mandatory.
In my youth my friends and I were chased down the road by an irate waiter because the tip we left him under a saucer read "Red Whiskey, 2:30, Aintree"
Tommy Cooper, a British comedian/magician always used to say to taxi drivers, while putting his hand in their top pocket, "Go on, have a drink on me". The taxi driver would soon discover that Tommy had deposited not money, but a tea bag!
hahaha. yet another big different between the US and UK. Yeah, I'm not crazy about service charges, but I REALLY hate 20 or 25% service charges, which you sometimes see in the US.
Wholeheartedly agree. So, besides preaching to the choir, what can we do about it? Especially when we are (thankfully) only in the US for short amounts of time? And, this virus spreading around the world. Ever been on a cruise?…..Just tonight in Valparaiso the waiter brought the credit card machine with the bill and said “do you want to include a 10% tip” I would have said no, but Tom shrugged and said yes, with the guy standing over him. Tom is nicer than me. Again, some constructive suggestions, please!
Well, yeah, they have us in a box. I don't want to punish servers. But I ignore than kind of pressure, if possible, and I refuse to tip for ringing me up. And (biggest takeaway of all), I left America, which increasingly baffles and infuriates me. 🤣🤣🤣
TOTALLY Agree. There have been stories (NYT) about restaurants that try to end this - and then give up. Maybe it's easier to get Americans to give up guns? Or get good eductional system across-the-board? Or maybe...
Thank you, Bill. Yeah, I'm not confident things will EVER change. So sad....
Yes, the American practice has gotten out of hand. The Spanish model of the price on the menu is what you actually pay (including tax), is far superior.
It's a revelation! So much better for the customer (and, presumably, the server).
I agree about our tipping culture. Last month I went to pick up shirts at the cleaners and what was sitting front and center? A frigging tip jar. Argh! I pointed to it and said “For real?” Then left and haven’t been back. Tip the clerks at a dry cleaners? No way! Later I thought I was just getting old and crotchety so glad to see a few people agree.
We'll be old and crotchety together. lol
Couldn't agree with you more!
Thank you!
We have insane practices for many things. Like, sadly, owning more guns than the rest of the world. I agree with you completely about the tipping as well.
Oh I completely agree about the insanity with guns. America is a massive outlier in so many ways. 😞😞😞
I believe you are right in that this is the correct approach: " Do what almost the entire rest of the world does and pay waitstaff a living wage — and then reflect those costs in the prices on the menu!" You must not have been in the US when a supposed "living wage" of $15 an hour was proposed. Everyone was afraid their hamburger prices would increase, God forbid. It will take a long, long time for America to wake up and change its tipping policy. On the other hand, I've been in European cafes where the service was execrable because the staff could have cared less whether my food arrived on time.
Yeah, service is probably a little less good in the Europe, although I appreciate there is no fake fawning. Interestingly, the best service I have is in poorer countries...
I would like to have a card printed to leave to make my statement about why
I am not participating in the “new tipping” “opportunities” that are popping up on every kind is sale ticket .. the problem is there is no one to hand it to in most cases either .. pitiful.