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.
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!
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!
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.
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.....
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!
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!
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.
Couldn't agree with you more!
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.
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.