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This is a pretty heartless reply. I will be downvoted for expressing my view here. > It is the workplace's responsibility to pay their staff adequately. N

by throwaway2037 2y ago

This is a pretty heartless reply. I will be downvoted for expressing my view here. > It is the workplace's responsibility to pay their staff adequately. NOT YOURS. Yeah, except that most of these (low income/low skill) service workers don't have the negotiation power to change this power dynamic. Thus, you, someone with enough means to eat out, can offset that gap, just a little bit, by tipping.

oneeyedpigeon 2y ago
I don't think you're wrong, but I can't help thinking that the tip money would be better off funnelled towards political change.
rowanG077 2y ago
And keep this twisted system in place. The only way for it to finally collapse is if people stop always tipping. To me that's truly heartless.
grecy 2y ago
> Yeah, except that most of these (low income/low skill) service workers don't have the negotiation power to change this power dynamic. And by tipping you are keeping it so they can just afford to keep making ends meet, thus enabling the status quo. It could be argued you are continuing the problem.
vasco 2y ago
And you work to keep the system the same way. You work to earn, and then spend your money sponsoring the system when it's optional for you to sponsor it.
pkphilip 2y ago
Interestingly, I have never seen tips being demanded by restaurant staff almost as an entitlement in any other country other than the US - even in far poorer nations.
itsoktocry 2y ago
>Yeah, except that most of these (low income/low skill) service workers don't have the negotiation power to change this power dynamic This has no bearing in reality. Most of these places can't staff their stores because no one will work for prevailing wages. >Thus, you, someone with enough means to eat out Oh yeah, the people grabbing coffee at Starbucks are all rich. Raise your prices and pay your staff.
- ethbr1 2y ago
  > Oh yeah, the people grabbing coffee at Starbucks are all rich. Relatively speaking? Yes. Someone spending $4+ on one coffee mean they can easily tip. And if your argument is that they can't afford that? Then those same customers won't be able to afford the price increase if Starbucks simply raised labor costs and passed it on.
  - geodel 2y ago
    Thats exactly the point. Raise the price then customer can decide if they can afford it or not. With fake low prices customers may not know what they are getting into.
- geodel 2y ago
  The funny thing is when people reasonably say raise the price to actual costs, the answers is "Customer may stop coming..". As if the whole point to scam customer with fake low prices.

oneeyedpigeon 2y ago

I don't think you're wrong, but I can't help thinking that the tip money would be better off funnelled towards political change.

rowanG077 2y ago

And keep this twisted system in place. The only way for it to finally collapse is if people stop always tipping. To me that's truly heartless.

grecy 2y ago

> Yeah, except that most of these (low income/low skill) service workers don't have the negotiation power to change this power dynamic. And by tipping you are keeping it so they can just afford to keep making ends meet, thus enabling the status quo. It could be argued you are continuing the problem.

vasco 2y ago

And you work to keep the system the same way. You work to earn, and then spend your money sponsoring the system when it's optional for you to sponsor it.

pkphilip 2y ago

Interestingly, I have never seen tips being demanded by restaurant staff almost as an entitlement in any other country other than the US - even in far poorer nations.

itsoktocry 2y ago

>Yeah, except that most of these (low income/low skill) service workers don't have the negotiation power to change this power dynamic This has no bearing in reality. Most of these places can't staff their stores because no one will work for prevailing wages. >Thus, you, someone with enough means to eat out Oh yeah, the people grabbing coffee at Starbucks are all rich. Raise your prices and pay your staff.

ethbr1 2y ago
> Oh yeah, the people grabbing coffee at Starbucks are all rich. Relatively speaking? Yes. Someone spending $4+ on one coffee mean they can easily tip. And if your argument is that they can't afford that? Then those same customers won't be able to afford the price increase if Starbucks simply raised labor costs and passed it on.
- geodel 2y ago
  Thats exactly the point. Raise the price then customer can decide if they can afford it or not. With fake low prices customers may not know what they are getting into.
geodel 2y ago
The funny thing is when people reasonably say raise the price to actual costs, the answers is "Customer may stop coming..". As if the whole point to scam customer with fake low prices.