3 ms·

> It seems like the only way to get rid of tipping in the US is for every restaurant to do it simultaneously, either by mutual decision (ha!) or through some ki

> It seems like the only way to get rid of tipping in the US is for every restaurant to do it simultaneously, either by mutual decision (ha!) or through some kind of legislation (double ha!) Another unmentioned way is if customers just get fed up with paying tips and start tipping less. I get annoyed with any digital payment screen that only offers default tip options of 18% or more and take my revenge by sometimes selecting no tip.

colejohnson66 4y ago
The problem with taking "revenge" is that you only hurt the employees. Assuming the employer is not stealing tips, not tipping doesn't affect the bosses at all. If you want revenge, stop visiting the place.
- actionablefiber 4y ago
  > If you want revenge, stop visiting the place. This is certainly one possible long-term outcome too. Restaurants seem to be going for the triple whammy of raising prices+adding opaque fees, and also soliciting tips more frequently and expecting to receive them in higher amounts, and also automating/paring down more and more of the restaurant's processes. This is all very exhausting and irritating to experience as a consumer especially knowing I could eat about just as well for 1/8th the price at home, so I limit eating out as much as I can.
- jzb 4y ago
  Yep. The person who's getting punished here has literally no influence over what percentage is being suggested on the tip screen. Also 18% is diddly. I pretty much tip 20% or more with very few exceptions. Times are hard, prices have gone up, but I still make tech money and service folks make a lot less. I did restaurant work in my teens and 20s and have no interest in doing it again. But I do like being able to eat at restaurants and get carry out, so the least I figure I can do is tip generously to support the folks who make that possible.
- changoplatanero 4y ago
  I think not tipping would effect the ability of the bosses to hire good employees
- commoner 4y ago
  Refusing to tip or tipping less does affect restaurant bosses, but the effect is one step removed. By not tipping or leaving smaller tips, customers reduce the total take-home pay of the servers, which pressures restaurant bosses to increase the base wage in order to retain the servers. On the other hand, leaving excessively high tips encourages restaurant bosses to keep the base wage low, since you are relieving the bosses of the market pressure to pay a competitive wage.
nemothekid 4y ago
>Customers simultaneously deciding to stop tipping (triple ha!) I think it's easier for restaurants to stop tipping simultaneously than for every customer in America to stop.
- changoplatanero 4y ago
  The thing is that customers don't have to stop all at once. If one restaurant stops all on its own then it will go out of business. If a customer stops tipping then they suffer no consequences cause they are freeloading off of everyone else who hasn't stopped yet. Once the rest of the customers see that people are freeloading off of them then they will be tempted to stop too.
agloe_dreams 4y ago
Just last week I ordered Dominos pizza, I do carry out because the 3 minute away location is not worth $12 more with the tip. So I come in, talk to the kid at the counter, tell him my name, he grabs the order, brings the order up on the system and tells me "You can insert your card after answering the question on the screen!" There it is. I'm picking up my pizza and there is a tip screen. Four large tip options at 18, 20, 22 & 25%. I have not taken a bite of the pizza. I'm the one picking up the food and delivering it to my house. I ordered it via the app, never conversing with a person. I paid the carryout pricing. The only interaction I had with a human was ~15 seconds at this point and it was purely to remit payment. Nobody in this establishment is a waiter so they are all required to be paid above min-wage. The tiny 'no tip' button was tapped and the kid looked sad. I am made to feel/look like a jerk for not paying an unexpected fee. What a bizarre world.

colejohnson66 4y ago

The problem with taking "revenge" is that you only hurt the employees. Assuming the employer is not stealing tips, not tipping doesn't affect the bosses at all. If you want revenge, stop visiting the place.

actionablefiber 4y ago
> If you want revenge, stop visiting the place. This is certainly one possible long-term outcome too. Restaurants seem to be going for the triple whammy of raising prices+adding opaque fees, and also soliciting tips more frequently and expecting to receive them in higher amounts, and also automating/paring down more and more of the restaurant's processes. This is all very exhausting and irritating to experience as a consumer especially knowing I could eat about just as well for 1/8th the price at home, so I limit eating out as much as I can.
jzb 4y ago
Yep. The person who's getting punished here has literally no influence over what percentage is being suggested on the tip screen. Also 18% is diddly. I pretty much tip 20% or more with very few exceptions. Times are hard, prices have gone up, but I still make tech money and service folks make a lot less. I did restaurant work in my teens and 20s and have no interest in doing it again. But I do like being able to eat at restaurants and get carry out, so the least I figure I can do is tip generously to support the folks who make that possible.
changoplatanero 4y ago
I think not tipping would effect the ability of the bosses to hire good employees
commoner 4y ago
Refusing to tip or tipping less does affect restaurant bosses, but the effect is one step removed. By not tipping or leaving smaller tips, customers reduce the total take-home pay of the servers, which pressures restaurant bosses to increase the base wage in order to retain the servers. On the other hand, leaving excessively high tips encourages restaurant bosses to keep the base wage low, since you are relieving the bosses of the market pressure to pay a competitive wage.

nemothekid 4y ago

>Customers simultaneously deciding to stop tipping (triple ha!) I think it's easier for restaurants to stop tipping simultaneously than for every customer in America to stop.

changoplatanero 4y ago
The thing is that customers don't have to stop all at once. If one restaurant stops all on its own then it will go out of business. If a customer stops tipping then they suffer no consequences cause they are freeloading off of everyone else who hasn't stopped yet. Once the rest of the customers see that people are freeloading off of them then they will be tempted to stop too.

agloe_dreams 4y ago

Just last week I ordered Dominos pizza, I do carry out because the 3 minute away location is not worth $12 more with the tip. So I come in, talk to the kid at the counter, tell him my name, he grabs the order, brings the order up on the system and tells me "You can insert your card after answering the question on the screen!" There it is. I'm picking up my pizza and there is a tip screen. Four large tip options at 18, 20, 22 & 25%. I have not taken a bite of the pizza. I'm the one picking up the food and delivering it to my house. I ordered it via the app, never conversing with a person. I paid the carryout pricing. The only interaction I had with a human was ~15 seconds at this point and it was purely to remit payment. Nobody in this establishment is a waiter so they are all required to be paid above min-wage. The tiny 'no tip' button was tapped and the kid looked sad. I am made to feel/look like a jerk for not paying an unexpected fee. What a bizarre world.