Why some US restaurants are banning tips • Hacker News Board

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#361

Post by xboxnolifes » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 3:56 PM UTC

xtracto wrote: post #322

getfacl wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I spend about equal time in the USA and split between France, Germany, and The Netherlands. Personally, I find the service in USA restaurants to be obnoxious, overly fake, and disruptive. I generally only go out to eat in Europe because I prefer a peaceful meal rather than a rushed one with a side of fake friendship.

It will always feel rude to me how in the USA the waiters leave the check at tge table a couple of minutes after they bring your food. What if I want something else later? It feels as if he/she "finished" with your table and you are SOL if you want anything else.

I've never had that happen and ive lived in the US my whole life. Must be a regional thing. I've never gotten a check before asking for it.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#362

Post by palata » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 3:57 PM UTC

Freak_NL wrote: post #220

rapnie wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think in the Netherlands the general rule is to tip up to 10% depending how good the service was, unless it was excellent and you go higher. When drinking a couple coffees in a restaurant it is okay to tip with a single Euro for good service, even if that doesn't amount to 10%.

This is despite the unfortunate and rude trend of payment devices now offering a big dickover screen filled with obscene tip suggestions first (25% in a fucking chain fastfood place?), because with the decline of cash the old way of rounding up the bill dies out too.

This. Now you withdraw money at an ATM and it offers you to give a 25% tip.

People who are not used to tips (i.e. foreigners visiting the US) don't necessarily know when they should and when they shouldn't give a tip. When in doubt, should they or should they not tip 20%? The whole concept is just very weird.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#363

Post by GJim » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 4:03 PM UTC

pjc50 wrote: post #242

cge wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s also very common in the UK, and shows up elsewhere in Europe sometimes. In the UK, they are legally but not practically or socially discretionary. There are some tax advantages for the restaurant and in the ideal case for staff.

IME they mostly only appear for large tables in the UK.

Then is should be declared in advance on the menu.

Adding an undeclared "service charge" to the bill only when it is presented to you is what we are talking about here. It is an increasingly common underhand tactic in and around London and an charge which one should ALWAYS ask to be removed ("that wasn't on the menu mate").

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#364

Post by GJim » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 4:07 PM UTC

JohnFen wrote: post #315

yuye wrote: post #306

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I see "service charge" I'm going to assume that it covers the tip. I'm not going to tip on top of that.

This is what I do as well. Then I don't return to that restaurant on the basis of shenanigans.

Simply ask for it to be removed.

Then, if you wish, tip the staff whatever amount you prefer. (Though at this point, any restaurant that tries sneakily adding an additional charge to my bill probably isn't getting anything).

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#365

Post by OutOfHere » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 4:21 PM UTC

$40 per hour is okay for wait staff, but it doesn't make up for an absence of good healthcare benefits.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#366

Post by criddell » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 4:37 PM UTC

kakacik wrote: post #290

xyzelement wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly! Thank you for expressing this so consciley. The fact that some people can't imagine enjoying giving (and receiving) a nice tip is really gross.

We prefer paying proper price for the meals with all costs included, to see those prices upfront, knowing that workers are paid fairly already and they just do the job expected from them. It means they can have decent lives regardless of their physical attraction, race, if they are sick or any other reason disadvantaging them compared to others. It also means I don't need to ever worry if waiter spit in my burger jus…

I think everybody (except maybe some unethical employers) want to see employees paid a fair and livable wage for their work.

Everybody has different ways of expressing gratitude. That bus driver may be well paid and just doing their job, but I'm still grateful they are doing it and will thank them as I get off the bus.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#367

Post by carlosjobim » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 4:45 PM UTC

konart wrote: post #272

carlosjobim wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the restaurant owner's perspective there is no benefit of slow or bad service. That means guests are taking up room without spending money. It makes much better sense to be speedy in giving your guests attention and service, as this gives you more sales, more margin for error, and most importantly much happier guests. They can still focus on the socializing and being merry.

Nobody is talking about bad or slow service. It's just there is a difference between "slow service" and, you know, taking needed time. Sure, some times it can be slow, at any place or country. But the thing described in the parent comment is just either a hyperbolization (my bet) or some unfortunate coincidence.

There are plenty of comments about bad and slow service here, and who of us haven't experienced that many times in real life? In all kinds of places.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#368

Post by SwiftyBug » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 4:48 PM UTC

I'm from a country where we don't tip. Restaurant staff make a salary. The whole tipping thing makes me very anxious when I'm visiting the US. Sometimes I simply forget altogether, sometimes I'm not sure how much to tip. As an introvert, it's always a nightmare. Open-ended, unspoken rules are a nightmare.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#369

Post by SwiftyBug » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 4:54 PM UTC

Rygian wrote: post #6

As a foreigner in the US, I've made the faux-pas of assuming waiters and waitresses were being paid a full salary by their employer. I even suspect that I received sub-par service from some of them, who may have identified me as a "no-tip risk" from the first moment.

I've completely forgot to tip many times while visiting the US. It's just not something that I ever do in my country. And then you learn it's not only restaurants, but bars and, for some reason, the person behind the cashier at a Wallgreen's is sometimes also tipped?

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#370

Post by mpweiher » Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 5:03 PM UTC

tdeck wrote: post #134

mpweiher wrote: post #87

I always thought "paying" your staff via tips was primarily a tax dodge. Yes, the staff are supposed to declare all their untraceable cash income, but...yeah. So at least some of that income is untaxed, meaning higher net for same gross, meaning total prices even including tip can be lower.

These days it's mostly by card anyway though, isn't it?

Good point!

That could explain this move away from tipping described in the article: the economic incentive has disappeared, leaving all the cultural negatives.