4 ms·
It's funny (to me, anyway) that this sort of things affects only America (and I guess Canada?) This odd culture you have there of tipping and how it's so tightl
by muppetman 8y ago
It's funny (to me, anyway) that this sort of things affects only America (and I guess Canada?)
This odd culture you have there of tipping and how it's so tightly integrated into your society.
As a non-American I had to read the article a few times to understand what the problem was - I thought this was just how tipping worked in the US.
I always read of service workers who only manage to "stay afloat" by the tips they earn, this seems to be almost the same thing, but reading it again I can see it isn't.
Here in NZ there is sometimes a "tip jar" at the counter of a cafe where you might throw in a coin or two (say $1 or $2) as a way of thanking the staff overall. High end restaurants will also offer a place for you to add a tip if you feel you got exceptional service, but there's also no hard feeling or death stares if you don't put anything there.
I hope tipping dies in the US and people get paid fairly regardless. But then you have bigger problems to solve first of all :)
- gbear605 8y agoLegally in America, employees who get tips instead of wages have the tips added onto a minimum of $2.13, which is three times more than these contractors were making. More than that, these contractors are from Washington state, which doesn't allow this exception - the minimum wage for everyone is $12/hour (except if you're an Instacart "employee," of course). Many other states also have higher minimum wages. Also, these Instacart workers were hired under a different pay system (wage + tips) and then this replaced it, while regular tipped employees at least knew it coming in.
- afterburner 8y agoYes, and Canada. Expected tip amounts have also been going up, I assume now because companies/restaurants want to hide a price rise behind it.
- parthdesai 8y agohide a price rise? Food prices have gone up since increase in minimum wage last year, and default tip option is 18% at majority of the places. Oh and that 18% counts the 13% tax, so you are tipping more than 18%.
- afterburner 8y agoHide as in not raise the menu prices as much, by letting expected tips go up, letting tips pay for more of the cost. The end result is of course higher prices, but the sticker shock is lower on the menu.
- parthdesai 8y agoAh okay, that i agree with.
- on_and_off 8y agoI have moved to the US not that recently. The tipping system still baffles me (and I never know when I am supposed to tip or not .. ) From what I gathered, it comes from the prohibition as a way to supplement hotels and restaurants personnel wages (since they were making less in that context). Why it persisted to nowadays and has been extended to many service works baffles me to no end. Taxes are also added at checkout when you buy e.g. groceries, so it seems pretty cultural to have a very opaque 'what you pay' system.
- flyingpenguin 8y agoWe have also obfuscated what you make. Combined its very strange. You could tell someone they get a new job paying $30/hour and you are selling them this house for $10/hour. After everything is said and done, those numbers could be the same... what?