4 ms·

Not only does the "recommended" tipping amount keep going up, but in a lot of discussions there's the additional bullshit of waiters saying "Well 25% is the bar

Not only does the "recommended" tipping amount keep going up, but in a lot of discussions there's the additional bullshit of waiters saying "Well 25% is the bare minimum, (if you're a total jerk), but if you tip 35% we'll really take care of you!" To me, a waiter provides no value at all. I'd rather order at a counter and pick up the food myself. Then I don't have someone asking me "how is everything" when my mouth is full. I don't need to pay someone a 30% cut for this.

conductr 5y ago
Yes. The discussions I've seen from waiter expectations like you mention is what has soured me the most on tipping. Also, I don't feel like my check size is very related to the amount of work involved. At least in my 95% use case of 2-4 people. The waiter does the same thing, checks in on us just as much, still juggling 5-10 other tables. I'm there for an hour. I just don't see $15-30 of value in the service I got during my interaction (my typical check size is $50-100), that's where I land back on my 15% standard. I don't always see that value either, but it's what helps me sleep at night. If I'm with 5+ people or stay longer than an hour or am eating at a higher priced place where waiter is probably serving fewer tables simultaneously then I adjust accordingly. Another irk of mine is how alcohol falls into this equation. If I buy a $50 bottle of wine I'm supposed to give $10 tip when usually all they do is open the bottle? My rule is a dollar per serving. It's probably outdated rule and needs some adjustment for inflation as that's been my rule for a long time.
- snypher 5y ago
  >It's probably outdated rule and needs some adjustment for inflation Honestly if the minimum wage was increased appropriately we wouldn't have to bother with tipping at all.
  - brokenmachine 5y ago
    This is the real problem. Unfortunately big business has politicians by the balls, so this is unlikely to happen. Billionaires get tax breaks while the lowest-paid workers buying power goes down every year without fail. And no guillotines because they're all too busy trying to keep their head above water. GG billionaires.

conductr 5y ago

Yes. The discussions I've seen from waiter expectations like you mention is what has soured me the most on tipping. Also, I don't feel like my check size is very related to the amount of work involved. At least in my 95% use case of 2-4 people. The waiter does the same thing, checks in on us just as much, still juggling 5-10 other tables. I'm there for an hour. I just don't see $15-30 of value in the service I got during my interaction (my typical check size is $50-100), that's where I land back on my 15% standard. I don't always see that value either, but it's what helps me sleep at night. If I'm with 5+ people or stay longer than an hour or am eating at a higher priced place where waiter is probably serving fewer tables simultaneously then I adjust accordingly. Another irk of mine is how alcohol falls into this equation. If I buy a $50 bottle of wine I'm supposed to give $10 tip when usually all they do is open the bottle? My rule is a dollar per serving. It's probably outdated rule and needs some adjustment for inflation as that's been my rule for a long time.

snypher 5y ago
>It's probably outdated rule and needs some adjustment for inflation Honestly if the minimum wage was increased appropriately we wouldn't have to bother with tipping at all.
- brokenmachine 5y ago
  This is the real problem. Unfortunately big business has politicians by the balls, so this is unlikely to happen. Billionaires get tax breaks while the lowest-paid workers buying power goes down every year without fail. And no guillotines because they're all too busy trying to keep their head above water. GG billionaires.