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'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

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Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#161
post #122
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that the history of tipping is more complex than that. My understanding is that at high end restaurants back in the day waitstaff paid the house for tables, and their entire income was from tips. That being said, I’d much rather society move towards the idea that every job pay at least a living wage

Leave “society” out of it. All it would take is for the people you’re attempting to help choose to stop voluntarily accepting to work for less than a living wage. It’s not your or anyone else’s place to tell them that they can’t or shouldn’t be able to do that if they choose.

Yeah, I think about this too. What proportion of people working for less than living wage would have to do this before there was movement. Being the last person is easy, being among the first is really hard.

Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to feel the same, but then I started to appreciate just how fortunate I am to not have to work in retail. This isn’t because I’m better. It’s just because I was born into the right situation. I always tip now and use the experience as a reminder not to take my fortune for granted. It’s also a reminder that everything I have might be taken away at any time.

Is tipping a solution to to others misfortune?

I don’t know. I was saying that tipping is a solution to not take my good fortune for granted.

Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#163
post #158
post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say, yes. The honest price you're paying is price + tip. If the default tip is such a large percentage the pricing is dishonest.

I'd say, yes. On the other hand if tipping is paying for service, why do you 'deserve' a bigger tip just because I ordered the more expensive thing? If the 'fair' price for you talking to me about wine for 2 minutes and then bringing me the the bottle I want is $15 then surly you deserve $15 no matter if I select the $50 or $500 bottle.

I dunno if it's socially acceptable or not, but I generally tip a flat rate on alcohol.

Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#164
In this scenario, especially in SF as a tech worker, you should feel guilty if you can afford to spare a dollar for someone on minimum wage for a tip but are reaching for the zero button. Having the iPad highlight your stingyness is not a problem with the technology.

Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My girlfriend, whose worked in the service industry for the last 5 years, would vehemently disagree with you. If she doesn't get at least 20%, it's more or less an offensive amount _because_ they get paid so little because of this law. That's baseline. Before I met her, I assumed 10% was a perfectly acceptable tip but I had never really had any friends who worked in the service industry or worked there myself, so I h…

OK...but that's not an obvious thing to those of us on the outside. Particularly for those of us who grew up in a world where 15% was considered a good tip, and then start vaguely hearing from random sources that maybe it's supposed to be 18% now? When did that happen, and why? There is no way for people not in that position to know what will be an "offensive" amount. I get that it's not a simple thing to "just find…

Putting it on the employer is lazy.

The employer has to stay competitive, especially in competitive markets like NYC. They're playing on the same playing field as all the others in the same industry, which means paying employees shitty wages because the government allows it to be so.

Having ethics to pay your employees livable wages will help you sleep at night but it won't help you maintain a business.

Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#166
post #14
post #8

It seems to me that tipping has evolved from an incentive and reward for good service to a form of voluntary workfare where those who have something to spare decide to share with those still struggling in the low end of the service economy.

yes! tipping is like a naturally occuring form of redistrbution of wealth in capitalist countries :) I personally view the evolution of tipping culture as positive on the whole. and also, I think people tend to tip a bit higher if they feel good about the service, so it still incentivizes good service. When I visit Europe, I am reminded how nice the service industry in America is.

I've eaten in restaurants all over Europe and I'm genuinely amazed at how many Americans in this thread think the service is bad here. Personally I like my servers to stay out of the way unless I call them, instead of hovering around me with a huge fake grin wishing me a hollow "nice day" just because they want to extract money from me.

It's the same reason I just don't see the appeal of strip clubs - I can't stand people being "nice" to me just because they want me to give them money.

Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#167
post #13

Lots of fast casual places now have a tip on their screens. I always choose 0. I mean seriously the only interaction I'm having lasted 30 seconds, I'll never see this person again / they won't do anything more for me, no tip needed... I hate tipping as it is (granted I do tip in non fast casual food situations). I'd rather just the cost be up front.

So I'm making an assumption here but... how many orders of magnitude separate your pay and that of the people making your food? Also: how much spit do you estimate you've consumed when eating at places where you're a regular who is known to never tip?

So you see the tip as a sort of bribe to stop those filthy poors contaminating your food?

Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#168
Unfortunately tipping is how these employers are legally permitted to pay their employees

Removing the tipping without increasing the pay is even more offensive and from my experience is a predominantly tech phenomenon (1)

(1) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17612190

Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I fully support taxing the crap out of cars, Singapore and the USA are hardly comparable. It's the third most densely populated country on earth, and you can walk the circumference of the entire island in about a day. Not even factoring in the comprehensive public transit..

This can't be stressed enough. Large swaths of the US population would immediately become immobile. I think OP has never lived and worked in a rural area, say 30 miles outside of the nearest town, where survival depends on your ability to transport yourself.

Great point!

Except that the population density of the US is almost double that of Norway. (We definitely have our share of rural areas...)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_depend...

Re: 'Coerced into tipping'? How apps are changing the culture of tipping in SF

#170
post #104

I am frustrated with articles like this that keep pushing a higher and higher "acceptable" tip percentage. 20% is not normal. 20% is very high for very good service. 15 years ago, 15% was normal. Now the minimum on these pos pos's is 18. I tip 15% and no more unless service was well above normal. And I have no qualms about hitting 0 for anything that isn't sit down service, including Uber and Lyft. We have to fight t…

I noticed this yesterday at dinner. The lowest suggested tip on the receipt was 20%! So psychologically I kind of felt bad for "only" giving 15%.
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