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“No tax on tips” is an industry plant

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Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#521

Post by ecb_penguin »

beAbU wrote: post #86
ecb_penguin wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Pay for your meal Not sure you know what tipping is, but it's not paying for the meal. It's paying for the service. 1. I like being able to pay for better service 2. Despite what people like to think, everywhere in the world has appreciated tips. I've never had a waiter refuse extra money. Literally dozens of countries, you get better service if you tip.

The tip is usually given at the end of the service. How does that ensure a better experience during?

They see I'm American and thus have more purchasing power than locals. They want some of that sweet sweet money, so they treat you better.

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#522

Post by squigz »

scyzoryk_xyz wrote: post #329
squigz wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There are also times I find that exchanging money is more honest. I want you to serve me, I'm paying you, I don't have to keep at the back of my mind a question whether I'm asking something beyond what your boss expects/pays you. I like that about the US - it's brutal but that's reality. But isn't this describing tipping? You're having to ask yourself, "Is this service good enough for a tip? How much of a tip?" ins…

It is and that's why my point is that there is nuance here. I had more fun and more satisfaction working in food service in the US than in the EU. There was also more real opportunity right there on the spot to do the thing and get more. Like yeah, you're having to ask yourself and that's friction. But shouldn't there be a friction when you're being served by someone who is an equal? I've seen folks treat service lik…

> Like yeah, you're having to ask yourself and that's friction. But shouldn't there be a friction when you're being served by someone who is an equal? I've seen folks treat service like garbage in the EU because that exchange obscures the fact that there is an exchange of money. And I've seen service fall back on apathy.

Interestingly, I arrive at an entirely separate conclusion - there is no way for equality in a relationship in which one party holds your financial security (for lack of better words) in their hands. How can the waiter be your equal in that situation, when they might have to act just to ensure they can make the money they need?

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#523

Post by ecb_penguin »

harshalizee wrote: post #100
ecb_penguin wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Pay for your meal Not sure you know what tipping is, but it's not paying for the meal. It's paying for the service. 1. I like being able to pay for better service 2. Despite what people like to think, everywhere in the world has appreciated tips. I've never had a waiter refuse extra money. Literally dozens of countries, you get better service if you tip.

Japanese waiters will literally refuse your money of your try to tip. It's literally insulting to them if you offer more than asked for

Nope: https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/1cyj0nu/ti...

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#524

Post by liotier »

nobleach wrote: post #321
liotier wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

France here - no tip is the norm, tip is for service above & beyond... But, contrary to the USA, everyone gets a proper living wage !

In France, I always thought it was customary to leave the change from l'addition. (I'm not French though, so perhaps I was commiting a faux pas) I can confirm in Italy almost no one will even accept a tip. (Taxi drivers, wait-staff, hotel staff)

> leave the change from l'addition

Yes, that is the basic tip if you expect to come back to that restaurant and get an upgraded welcome.

But even with no tip, being a regular counts - tip or no tip, you are good business and worth cultivating.

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#525

Post by ecb_penguin »

63stack wrote: post #99
ecb_penguin wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Pay for your meal Not sure you know what tipping is, but it's not paying for the meal. It's paying for the service. 1. I like being able to pay for better service 2. Despite what people like to think, everywhere in the world has appreciated tips. I've never had a waiter refuse extra money. Literally dozens of countries, you get better service if you tip.

Not sure you know, but in literally dozens of countries, waiters get a proper salary.

I have interns with higher salaries and more purchasing power than senior devs in Europe.

It's remarkable what little you consider "proper".

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#526

Post by closewith »

marcusb wrote: post #503
closewith wrote: post #489

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Unless, of course, the criticism is someone making a personal observation about how they saw tipping culture expand during their time in Ireland, right? Then the appropriate response is to generalize that Americans love making ignorant comments about other cultures. Unless they're factually incorrect, which is the case here.

The original poster's subjective, personal experience with tipping culture in Ireland is "factually incorrect"? Perhaps they just had a different experience than you.

Yes, it's factually incorrect. As in, it's both not true and they didn't experience it.

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#527

Post by pmontra »

> "we are going to not charge taxes on tips"

It's been a very long time since my last visit to the USA. I probably paid tips in cash back then. I would assume that workers can chose to never report those tips as income, or not all of them, so no taxes. But if everybody went cashless by now, customers probably pay the restaurant, the restaurant pays the tips to the workers and all of that money is tracked and taxed. Is that correct?

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#528

Post by anamexis »

pmontra wrote: post #527

> "we are going to not charge taxes on tips" It's been a very long time since my last visit to the USA. I probably paid tips in cash back then. I would assume that workers can chose to never report those tips as income, or not all of them, so no taxes. But if everybody went cashless by now, customers probably pay the restaurant, the restaurant pays the tips to the workers and all of that money is tracked and taxed. I…

Yes, that is correct.

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#529

Post by pixelatedindex »

jimt1234 wrote: post #504
pixelatedindex wrote: post #495

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tips, at least in the US has never been mandatory but it is an immense social pressure. Besides, my understanding is that tipping % is arbitrary anyway - there have been studies that show good looking people get more tips.

I think tipping culture has changed a lot in the last 5 years or so, driven mainly by the point-of-sale machines that request tips for seemingly adding no value. I think people have reached the point of tipping fatigue.

Definitely. I also think it has blurred the lines even more, and exposes how arbitrary it is. Do I tip if I scan from a QR code and order, where I have almost no interactions with the server? How is it any different than counter service? All that changed is instead of self-service order it is self-service pickup. I probably still have to flag down a server to get utensils or water.

Why did the tip percentage go up from 15% as the norm to like 18-20%? It’s a percentage so if things go up in price so does the tip. At what point is it their job vs quality of service? Why don’t we tip fast food workers, because they probably face more abuse / deal with unruly customers more than dine-in (at least from experience).

Can you tell I think about this a lot? lol

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#530

Post by fragmede »

ecb_penguin wrote: post #525
63stack wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure you know, but in literally dozens of countries, waiters get a proper salary.

I have interns with higher salaries and more purchasing power than senior devs in Europe. It's remarkable what little you consider "proper".

Enough money to pay for housing and food and save up for the future and a nice vacation every year, with no chance medical bankruptcy.
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