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Fascinating. Are we now at 20-23% (exclusive of taxes, as I think they're usually calculated, so the variance here is entirely how much meals tax you have on yo

Fascinating. Are we now at 20-23% (exclusive of taxes, as I think they're usually calculated, so the variance here is entirely how much meals tax you have on your meal) tip rates as the new normal?

tptacek 6y ago
15-20% has been the norm for my whole adult life, and the upper range (1) doesn't often materially change the price of a meal and (2) simplifies the math. Use whatever system you want, though; the point is: you are not actually on the hook to evaluate the server's performance. Think of it as tipping the institution of table service.
- dwohnitmok 6y ago
  Oh interesting! My impression was that it was 10-15% about two decades ago and has now risen to 15-20% with most people I know tending closer to the 20% edge. Maybe it's simply that my social circles have become more generous tippers.
  - findyoucef 6y ago
    That's my impression as well.
  - moltar 6y ago
    It’s because wages haven’t been catching up with inflation for decades also. Not just food service, pretty much in every sector, maybe with the exception of tech.
    - dwohnitmok 6y ago
      Hasn't wage growth been even with inflation? I don't have sources at the moment, but that was my impression. That's still not good (you'd hope for an increase in purchasing power), but not as bad as sliding backwards.
      - jolux 6y ago
        >Hasn't wage growth been even with inflation? Definitely not: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/07/for-most-us-workers-real-wages-have-barely-budged-for-decades/ https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/07/for-most-us...
        dwohnitmok 6y ago
        The headline and article content both say that it's been even, i.e. no real growth, but no backsliding either. > For most U.S. workers, real wages have barely budged in decades and > today’s real average wage (that is, the wage after accounting for inflation) has about the same purchasing power it did 40 years ago.
        jolux 6y ago
        Ah, yes. Sorry. Even with inflation but no growth. You would hope for growth given it’s been 40 years.

Fascinating. Are we now at 20-23% (exclusive of taxes, as I think they're usually calculated, so the variance here is entirely how much meals tax you have on your meal) tip rates as the new normal?

tptacek 6y ago

15-20% has been the norm for my whole adult life, and the upper range (1) doesn't often materially change the price of a meal and (2) simplifies the math. Use whatever system you want, though; the point is: you are not actually on the hook to evaluate the server's performance. Think of it as tipping the institution of table service.

dwohnitmok 6y ago
Oh interesting! My impression was that it was 10-15% about two decades ago and has now risen to 15-20% with most people I know tending closer to the 20% edge. Maybe it's simply that my social circles have become more generous tippers.
- findyoucef 6y ago
  That's my impression as well.
- moltar 6y ago
  It’s because wages haven’t been catching up with inflation for decades also. Not just food service, pretty much in every sector, maybe with the exception of tech.
  - dwohnitmok 6y ago
    Hasn't wage growth been even with inflation? I don't have sources at the moment, but that was my impression. That's still not good (you'd hope for an increase in purchasing power), but not as bad as sliding backwards.
    - jolux 6y ago
      >Hasn't wage growth been even with inflation? Definitely not: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/07/for-most-us-workers-real-wages-have-barely-budged-for-decades/ https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/07/for-most-us...
      - dwohnitmok 6y ago
        The headline and article content both say that it's been even, i.e. no real growth, but no backsliding either. > For most U.S. workers, real wages have barely budged in decades and > today’s real average wage (that is, the wage after accounting for inflation) has about the same purchasing power it did 40 years ago.
        jolux 6y ago
        Ah, yes. Sorry. Even with inflation but no growth. You would hope for growth given it’s been 40 years.