3 ms·

But if the workers rely on tips in order to e.g. pay rent, I don't want to be the a-hole that doesn't do it. I want restaurants to just charge what it costs to

But if the workers rely on tips in order to e.g. pay rent, I don't want to be the a-hole that doesn't do it. I want restaurants to just charge what it costs to make and serve food and I can choose to eat there or not based on the listed price.

endisneigh 3y ago
My take is that this is just brainwashing. Technically other than farming and a couple other things (not restaurants), the business owner must pay them the minimum wage if tips don’t meet it, so I personally don’t see any issue. That being said I generally get take out because many restaurants in my area have a kitchen appreciation fee when you dine in.
- kevingadd 3y ago
  Wage theft is really common though, so if they don't get tips their pay may end up just being low. Not that it's your fault, but that's the reality.
colpabar 3y ago
I was at a restaurant the other day and on the bottom of the menu it said "a 2.5% tip will be added to all transactions to help us pay our staff" and all I could think was why can't they just add a dollar to some/all of the menu items instead? If a restaurant needs more money to pay its employees, they should just charge more money. I really don't get it.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  I refuse to return to businesses that do this. Restaurants, stop being sleazy and manipulative. Just be honest and raise your prices.
  - voisin 3y ago
    They fear being honest because not everyone will do it. So the right answer is regulation to ensure everyone does the same thing transparently.
- lotsofpulp 3y ago
  > I really don't get it. It is as simple as the business wanting to trick people into thinking prices are lower than they actually are.
- Wowfunhappy 3y ago
  No, to me that's totally fine! They know what their costs are and they charge you accordingly. What bothers me is "the price is $X, but if you don't pay $Y our workers won't be able to make ends meet, please support them!" I don't know how much your workers need, that's your job when you set prices! (And if the price is too high, I won't eat there, no harm done.) I just wonder if they expect you to also add an additional tip, since 2.5% is so much lower than the standard percentage.

endisneigh 3y ago

My take is that this is just brainwashing. Technically other than farming and a couple other things (not restaurants), the business owner must pay them the minimum wage if tips don’t meet it, so I personally don’t see any issue. That being said I generally get take out because many restaurants in my area have a kitchen appreciation fee when you dine in.

kevingadd 3y ago
Wage theft is really common though, so if they don't get tips their pay may end up just being low. Not that it's your fault, but that's the reality.

colpabar 3y ago

I was at a restaurant the other day and on the bottom of the menu it said "a 2.5% tip will be added to all transactions to help us pay our staff" and all I could think was why can't they just add a dollar to some/all of the menu items instead? If a restaurant needs more money to pay its employees, they should just charge more money. I really don't get it.

JohnFen 3y ago
I refuse to return to businesses that do this. Restaurants, stop being sleazy and manipulative. Just be honest and raise your prices.
- voisin 3y ago
  They fear being honest because not everyone will do it. So the right answer is regulation to ensure everyone does the same thing transparently.
lotsofpulp 3y ago
> I really don't get it. It is as simple as the business wanting to trick people into thinking prices are lower than they actually are.
Wowfunhappy 3y ago
No, to me that's totally fine! They know what their costs are and they charge you accordingly. What bothers me is "the price is $X, but if you don't pay $Y our workers won't be able to make ends meet, please support them!" I don't know how much your workers need, that's your job when you set prices! (And if the price is too high, I won't eat there, no harm done.) I just wonder if they expect you to also add an additional tip, since 2.5% is so much lower than the standard percentage.