5 ms·

The tipping advice for the UK is not remotely true, you'd never tip a taxi driver 10%, at most you'd do a "keep the change". I've even been in taxis here where

The tipping advice for the UK is not remotely true, you'd never tip a taxi driver 10%, at most you'd do a "keep the change". I've even been in taxis here where the taxi driver has rounded down the fare to an easier to exchange amount. I find mandatory tipping a little bit like encores at gigs, if its expected there's something a little bit phony and hollow about the whole thing, I'd much rather have tipping be a surprise, though I understand in the US it's been used to supplement underpaid workers so is the right thing to do for the time being. Hope the US gets the $15 minimum wage sorted.

alistairSH 11y ago
in the US it's been used to supplement underpaid workers Except that's not even true. Restaurants are required to pay minimum wage. Wage+tip >= minimum wage. If tips are low, the restaurant has to make up the difference. Basically, we've been conned into subsidizing the restaurant owner. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipped_wage_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipped_wage_in_the_United_Stat...
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- ZenoArrow 11y ago
  Minimum wage can still be underpaid, depending on the area the worker lives in. That's why there's been recent discussions about increasing the minimum wage.
  - alistairSH 11y ago
    Certainly, but that's a different discussion, and isn't unique to food services.
    - ZenoArrow 11y ago
      It's the same discussion, as I was referring to "underpaid" in terms of a living wage, instead of "underpaid" in terms of an illegal wage. Also, what you suggested could only work if the restaurant owners knew how much their staff were being tipped, and for tips that go directly to the waiters that's not likely to be available information.
      - alistairSH 11y ago
        Of course they know. Employees are required to report their tips amounts, as the employer is required to withhold SS/Medicare and pay any shortfall. What you are claiming is the entire industry is breaking the law - I suppose that's possible, but I find it unlikely.
        ZenoArrow 11y ago
        > "What you are claiming is the entire industry is breaking the law" No, that's not what I'm claiming. I'm claiming that 'minimum wage' does not necessarily mean 'living wage', and it is a lack of a living wage which increases the social pressure to tip. If all employees in the US were paid a living wage then the need to tip would decrease.
- whiddershins 11y ago
  That's a very strange view. The entire job is premised on a tip, and we all enter the situation knowing that. There's no deception. The expectation in NYC is that these jobs pay far more than minimum wage, and it is one reason restaurants have such fantastic service. It's just the system. It isn't a con. It's a system that ensures money goes to workers far in excess of what an owner would likely negotiate in other systems, so even though it is annoying, it is interesting.

alistairSH 11y ago

in the US it's been used to supplement underpaid workers Except that's not even true. Restaurants are required to pay minimum wage. Wage+tip >= minimum wage. If tips are low, the restaurant has to make up the difference. Basically, we've been conned into subsidizing the restaurant owner. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipped_wage_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipped_wage_in_the_United_Stat...

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
ZenoArrow 11y ago
Minimum wage can still be underpaid, depending on the area the worker lives in. That's why there's been recent discussions about increasing the minimum wage.
- alistairSH 11y ago
  Certainly, but that's a different discussion, and isn't unique to food services.
  - ZenoArrow 11y ago
    It's the same discussion, as I was referring to "underpaid" in terms of a living wage, instead of "underpaid" in terms of an illegal wage. Also, what you suggested could only work if the restaurant owners knew how much their staff were being tipped, and for tips that go directly to the waiters that's not likely to be available information.
    - alistairSH 11y ago
      Of course they know. Employees are required to report their tips amounts, as the employer is required to withhold SS/Medicare and pay any shortfall. What you are claiming is the entire industry is breaking the law - I suppose that's possible, but I find it unlikely.
      - ZenoArrow 11y ago
        > "What you are claiming is the entire industry is breaking the law" No, that's not what I'm claiming. I'm claiming that 'minimum wage' does not necessarily mean 'living wage', and it is a lack of a living wage which increases the social pressure to tip. If all employees in the US were paid a living wage then the need to tip would decrease.
whiddershins 11y ago
That's a very strange view. The entire job is premised on a tip, and we all enter the situation knowing that. There's no deception. The expectation in NYC is that these jobs pay far more than minimum wage, and it is one reason restaurants have such fantastic service. It's just the system. It isn't a con. It's a system that ensures money goes to workers far in excess of what an owner would likely negotiate in other systems, so even though it is annoying, it is interesting.