Tipping in the USA

[Lane]

I agree it is getting ridiculous. Take out expecting tips, doughnut shops with tip jars, I even saw on at an oil change place.

Agreed. I would get take-out 100% of the time if certain foods traveled better. I have little interest in the actual 'service' experience, if I could manage my own drinks and pick up my meals directly from the kitchen I'd be quite happy. I don't eat out to be waited on, I eat out for the food. I've become quite fond of buffets in recent years.

Easily 9 out of 10 times I tip it's only because it's expected. I don't remember the last time I had good (or bad) service. It's all basically the same everywhere I go. I would feel better about tipping if it was earned rather than pressured to supplement waitstaff income.

[lonely zergling]

Tipping is a shitty thing. Try paying even 1 cent less than the price and see how that goes. If people tolerate tipping culture then we also should be able to pay less if we want to.

Just calculate your fking buisness correctly and pay your workers. Not the customers fault that you cant do price calculations for your food.

[Strawberry]

I tip when I feel like the service personnel really tried.
But I'm not used to tipping, mostly because that most tourist countries I visit often include 10% service fee in the price. That service fee goes to the personnel.

[Deleted]

In the countries you mention tips are a reward for good service. Workers have a livable wage.

In the US it makes up a mandatory part of a shitty salary. Thus it is expected.

[SL1200]

Why does this thread come back every 6-8 months? I think it's a topic intended to troll.

[Deleted]

I believe on average in the US it's 20%. Incidentally in the UK it's 8% and it's not expected

[Kathandira]

Us foreigners like me an Australian , or British, Europeans & New Zealanders who may visit the USA for a Holiday are not used to tipping.

I know Tipping from customers makes up quite a bit of a workers wages in the USA.

So some basic questions about Tipping in the USA.

How much do you normally tip someone.?
Do you have to Tip ?
If you have 2 people serving you.. do you tip both ?

Do wait staff in Canada expect Tips as well. ?

In the U.S., It is customary to tip 15%. IF the service was poor, tip less, if it was better than expected, tip more. It is up to you.

You do not HAVE to tip, but as you said, it makes up the majority of their pay. It is up to you.

If you have two people serving you, they may have already made an agreement to split the tip. However if you feel one of the two are doing the majority of the work, there is nothing wrong with handing the tip directly to the server that you want the tip to go to.

- - - Updated - - -

Tips are generally pooled and shared with the chefs/hosts.

This is literally illegal in N.J.

[pateuvasiliu]

You do not HAVE to tip, but as you said, it makes up the majority of their pay. It is up to you.

As long as people continue to fuel this business it won't change. Why would employers pay more when there's a bunch of suckers ready to pay for them.

The employer makes a boatload of money and only pays the waiter 3$ an hour.

[Aggrophobic]

I don't ever tip. They have a salary like everyone else.
It's not like you tip your nurse or your IT-support.

It's ridiculous.

[Deleted]

We didn't tip when we went on vacation. We didn't know it was an actual thing. Like, I will only tip if the waiter was amazing, otherwise, they're just doing their job and already being paid for it. I will never understand why tipping is so weird in USA.

[Bahzell]

I've never understood why you're supposed to tip as a percentage. You get the exact same service no matter how expensive the food is.

[Kathandira]

As long as people continue to fuel this business it won't change. Why would employers pay more when there's a bunch of suckers ready to pay for them.

The employer makes a boatload of money and only pays the waiter 3$ an hour.

There are two ways to handle the tipping issue in the U.S.

1: Don't tip
2: Call your Senator and ask that the law gets changed.

In the first example, you are literally screwing over people who have no control over the situation. In the second, you are making a positive change.

[jellmoo]

How much do you normally tip someone.?

I start at 20% of the bill. Great service moves it up to 25%, mediocre service lowers it to 15%

Do you have to Tip ?

Do you have to? No. But if you don't you are likely going to have the server ask you if there were any issues with their service. They'll probably cut you some slack if you're obviously from out of country, but I wouldn't return to an establishment after not tipping.

If you have 2 people serving you.. do you tip both ?

Generally speaking you simply tip on the total of the bill. The staff then divide collected tips amongst themselves.

Do wait staff in Canada expect Tips as well. ?

Absolutely. I'm Canadian and the expectation is almost identical.

[ItsRainingMetal]

I dont tip, period.

If they need tips to survive.. What they really need, are worker's unions and rights. A fucking pay raise.
But I forget. This is 'murica, so them getting that, is probably not likely.

[Fencers]

How much do you normally tip someone.?

Depends. It's up to you as to how good a of a job you think they did servicing your needs.

Generally people tip 10 to 15% of what the service cost is before taxes. Up to 20%+ if the staff had to service a large group alongside you. But it's very general, it comes down to what you think the server/staff's effort was worth.

Do you have to Tip ?

No. Again, if you got bad service or think the staff was short of your expectation- typically you do not tip them. Which is why staff get miffed at not receiving a tip- because you are saying their effort sucked. Which may be the case, but no worker really thinks they suck (even if they do and you rightly did not tip).

If you have 2 people serving you.. do you tip both ?

No. You tip once and only to the main staffer/interface. For example, the waiter (who will present themselves by name usually) will distribute the tip among those helping her. The valet guy who brings the car will distribute the tip to others, etc.

[pateuvasiliu]

There are two ways to handle the tipping issue in the U.S.

1: Don't tip
2: Call your Senator and ask that the law gets changed.

In the first example, you are literally screwing over people who have no control over the situation. In the second, you are making a positive change.

It's not my job to pay them so I'm not screwing anyone over. Their employer is and they are okay with it, since they work there.

A lot of them earn more than average anyway due to tips, so I don't see them rioting.

It's a business where both the employer and the waiter benefits and it should be changed. Tips should be taxed, too.

[Kathandira]

It's not my job to pay them so I'm not screwing anyone over. Their employer is and they are okay with it, since they work there.

A lot of them earn more than average anyway due to tips, so I don't see them rioting.

It's a business where both the employer and the waiter benefits and it should be changed. Tips should be taxed, too.

I get your perspective. But i'm not cold enough to not care about people's lively hood.

[Deleted]

I get your perspective. But i'm not cold enough to not care about people's lively hood.

I don't know why Americans don't petition the government to change it /shrug

[Serath]

Us foreigners like me an Australian , or British, Europeans & New Zealanders who may visit the USA for a Holiday are not used to tipping.

I know Tipping from customers makes up quite a bit of a workers wages in the USA.

So some basic questions about Tipping in the USA.

How much do you normally tip someone.?
Do you have to Tip ?
If you have 2 people serving you.. do you tip both ?

Do wait staff in Canada expect Tips as well. ?

Not sure about in Canada but in the US.
15% is of your bill is considered typical for standard service. 20% is generally for good service, 10% for bad. It's considered rude to not tip unless something awful happened.

You do NOT have to tip. It is considered very tacky and rude to not tip but it is not required. If you are in a group with other people and you choose not to tip other people will often over-tip to compensate because they don't want you're behavior to reflect on them poorly.

Depending on the restaurant the tips may be split by the servers or the kitchen staff but that's not your problem. If you are paying with plastic there is a section of the receipt that allows you to add the tip. Otherwise just leave the money on the table when you leave and the server will collect it.


Another side note, if you are in a group of 6-8+ depending on the restaurant they may add a "service charge", usually 18% onto your bill. If this is the case there will be a notice, probably on the menu about this policy. This is considered your tip but you DO have to pay it since the restaurant is charging you a fee for having such a large party. It's not required for you to pay a tip on top of this though, it's just their way of making sure you have to pay for such a large group.

[Kathandira]

I don't know why Americans don't petition the government to change it /shrug

That's a great question.