re: Tipping is out of control in America - can we abolish it?

I am okay with tipping at restaurants, valets, people who handle luggage, taxi drivers, tour guides and doormen. I am not fond of tipping counter service jobs or service professionals.
Too many just have a tip jar out.

The only place I tip are at a restaurant and the level service can range the tip anywhere to $0 - $20. Keep my drink filled and bring my food out quickly, and make sure any special instructions I had were followed and bring me my check quickly when I ask.

Also my hair stylist, and I'm a regular for tipping at least $10, but she massages my head longer and rubs her body on me so it's semi sexual. I love getting my haircut.

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Do you bag your own groceries? Its often some 17 year old kid at the to go station. If you don't tip them then the restaurant owner has to pay them minimum wage. Its the law.

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The problem is the system in place to prove that you didn't make minimum wage is based on pay periods, and usually the server on the floor will do better than that for the rest of their pay period. I agree its dumb but there are a lot of towns in this country where restaurants are the best local job you can get. I grew up in destin for what it's worth. There are a ton of people that are dependent on that money to pay rent, car loans, student loans, and tuition. Why is it such a big deal to tack on a few bucks extra for someone. If they sucked, then take a few bucks off the tip, I can almost guarantee you the server knows that they sucked at that table.

I'm for banning tipping, but I'm not screwing people over in the meantime.

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On the other hand, shitty servers, won't make any money thus forcing them to find work elsewhere in another profession.

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You've never served in a restaurant before. People 95% of the time are going to tip whatever % they gon tip, regardless of the job you do.

There is no logical argument to support tipping in restaurants. Thankfully, in Seattle those GED holders will soon be making $15 an hour to wait tables at The Olive Garden. Then I can stop tipping all together, since their standard line of why they NEED tips won't hold up.

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My question is, would restaurants charge the same price for togo orders when it should be cheaper since they don't have to provide a worker to wait on you? I'm guessing people who get their items to go will simply subsidize the people who are dining in. Hell, I'd be okay with just flat percentage upcharge for those who dine-in. It's just that tipping in its current form has become a social obligation with increasing demands, and has little to do with performance.

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This is a common misconception for a lot of restaurants. Most of the places I worked at had to-go servers who actually did a good amount of work preparing carryout orders. Can't tell you how many times I saw them running around the whole restaurant preparing orders, only to get completely stiffed on the tip. Some tickets would be $150+ with every person wanted their order customized in some way, with the to-go person spending 20-30 minutes of hard work on the order, only to get stiffed on the tip.

It's true that they have less work than regular servers, but depending on the restaurant they could be doing a good amount of work getting your order together. I tip around 10% for to-go, more if my order is complicated in some way.

I mainly tip in full service restaurants. Hardly ever for other food establishments or other businesses. But I do sometimes if I think they earned the tip. Every situation is different.

FWIW if restaurants start no-tipping policies, look for the costs of your meal to go up around 20%. The average restaurant already spends around 30% for labor, 30% for food costs, with the average restaurants profit margin being around 5-10%.

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Do you think eateries in France and Belgium are of poor quality or are lacking in service? Do you think that people are less intelligent in Belgium?

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The European model is certainly better than ours.

Sounds like someone is just a cheapass.

if you want the restaurants to pay the servers more money where is that going to come from?

possibly even higher menu prices?

that wouldn't be good. tipping is fine, it is up to you depending upon the service you received.. you are being served.

now for people delivering say furniture.. if you are paying a delivery fee for the service then a tip shouldn't be required, but i may still consider it depending upon the difficulty of the task.

i hear some of your argument, but i also know i grew up with a mother who is a hair dresser.. has always been a hair dresser.. and that's been her livelihood.. her work does not pay much of anything, so she dedicates her talent and skill and it's up to the client to pay according to appreciation.

i definitely don't like paying a delivery fee for pizza and then tipping on top of that. i know it says that does not cover the driver's expenses etc.. but i think it's silly and it should cover it. fortunately, for me i am in programs that waive delivery fees for companies such as dominos.. etc. so i am able to just tip them and not pay a delivery charge.

i think some of your argument may have merit or need consideration.. but an all out abolish would be wrong imo.

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wow..well done.

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It really was. Subtle.