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Why some US restaurants are banning tips

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Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#401

Post by vages »

philipallstar wrote: post #194
vages wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm also Scandinavian (Norwegian), and I never tip when going out. I can't think of any long-term outcome of a tipping culture that is efficient for the workers and employers, even if the amount the customer tipped was correlated with quality (the research I've read shows it's got more to do with looks). It is simply more efficient that both parties know what they are agreeing to up front when (1) the worker still ha…

It's definitely efficient for the worker. There's no employee tax or income tax on that money. The worker just gets the money directly.

Tips are taxed in Norway: https://snl.no/tips#:~:text=Tips%20er%20skattepliktig%20for%... Only a single digit percentage of customers pay with cash, so evasion is impractical.

It should also be said that restaurant staff in Norway make a much better living than in the US, both relative to other Norwegian workers and their US counterparts.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#402

Post by GJim »

JohnFen wrote: post #393
GJim wrote: post #364

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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).

> Simply ask for it to be removed. No, that's too unpleasant and would put a dour note on the evening. Particularly if I'm there with a date. I'm OK with simply not returning.

I suggest a date is likely to be more impressed with you taking a fair and decent no-nonsense attitude!

Granted, we all vary in our outlook :-)

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#403

Post by _zoltan_ »

pvaldes wrote: post #395
_zoltan_ wrote: post #357

Earlier quoted context omitted.

in Switzerland we almost never tip.

How much do you pay for a standard cup of coffee?

around 3 to 5 CHF, depending on the place, and what kind of coffee you want to drink.

remember, this is Europe - the coffee is not made the same nor looks or tastes the same as you get in the US. it's mind boggling to me that people get a 16oz "cup of coffee", black.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#404

Post by qsera »

Grombobulous wrote: post #252
qsera wrote: post #22

I am against the popular opinion and I actually tip if the hotel is somewhat cheap (ie food does not cost a small fortune). I do it out of selfish reasons. When I order chicken, I want them to bring me a good piece. Or if I order Porotta, I want them to bring me the most fresh one. Or sometimes when I get a very tasty meal, I just tip them to share them some of the happiness that they brought me. But totally depends…

Do you tip before you get the meal? In the US, it wouldn’t be customary to tip before receiving service. In my opinion, the 15-20% tip is so expected and routine in the US that the supposed incentive of a tip doesn’t make your service any better. Everyone gets roughly the same service and everyone gives roughly the same tip. It might as well be abolished. It’s also worth looking up tipping practices and its segregati…

No, not before. Only after.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#405

Post by JohnFen »

GJim wrote: post #402
JohnFen wrote: post #393

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Simply ask for it to be removed. No, that's too unpleasant and would put a dour note on the evening. Particularly if I'm there with a date. I'm OK with simply not returning.

I suggest a date is likely to be more impressed with you taking a fair and decent no-nonsense attitude! Granted, we all vary in our outlook :-)

Or a date would look at it as me being so cheap (or secretly broke) that I'm willing to make a production over something that isn't really that big of a deal, financially speaking.

But, date or not, it's not something I'm OK with doing. It's just not worth it when I can resolve the issue completely with much less bother.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#406

Post by hammock »

anotherboffin wrote: post #216
philipallstar wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> She was non-Swiss herself though and I read it as trying to take advantage of a tourist Why would being non-Swiss make someone more likely to take advantage of a tourist?

Not the OP, but I guess they meant non-Swiss as someone who might be used to a different set of tipping norms?

Yes thanks. Call your dogs off Philip

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#407

Post by matty22 »

tossandthrow wrote: post #138
getfacl wrote: post #31

The biggest barrier to ending tipping in the USA is that restaurants are almost always over staffed there. The owner wants the maximum ratio of servers to customers possible. In the typical USA system, being paid primarily in tips means the server is highly incentivized to upsell the customer as much as possible and do everything they can to increase the total bill, and therefor increase their tip. Essentially a comm…

> Instead of checking on the customer every few minutes This is likely one of the absolute worst features of the US dining system. So many times I have been sitting in deep conversation with friends or colleagues just for a waiter to claim all attention to ask if we want to have refilled water. That they can even push themselves to such rude behavior is entirely insane to me.

Korea has an amazing system for getting help. Every table has a little doorbell on it. If you need something, you click the button and a server comes. Otherwise, no one bugs you. I wish that sort of system would take off here.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#408

Post by philipallstar »

anotherboffin wrote: post #216
philipallstar wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> She was non-Swiss herself though and I read it as trying to take advantage of a tourist Why would being non-Swiss make someone more likely to take advantage of a tourist?

Not the OP, but I guess they meant non-Swiss as someone who might be used to a different set of tipping norms?

If so then why "I read it as trying to take advantage of a tourist"?

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#409

Post by SwiftyBug »

OkayPhysicist wrote: post #379
SwiftyBug wrote: post #371

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do I have to tip _well_, though? What's a neutral tip? I agree that while visiting your country, I should try and follow social norms there, but at least let's make official how much I should tip. I do not really have a very clear understanding of what good service is in comparison to bad service. Restaurant service to me is pretty much the same or, at least, I can't tell the difference.

A neutral tip for table service is somewhere between 15% and 25%. If you're in that range, you're not explicitly sending a signal to staff that you are exceptionally pleased or displeased. 15% might come off as a bit cheap, 25% as a bit generous, but the waitstaff will assume it's a you thing as opposed to a "your opinion of them" thing. Above or below that, and you're making a statement, intentionally or not. Less t…

This sounds very exhausting. And implies that I have cache on me all the time, which in most cases I don't. Thank you for the tips (pun not intended), I'll make sure to follow this next time I'm in the US.

Re: Why some US restaurants are banning tips

#410

Post by OkayPhysicist »

SwiftyBug wrote: post #409
OkayPhysicist wrote: post #379

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A neutral tip for table service is somewhere between 15% and 25%. If you're in that range, you're not explicitly sending a signal to staff that you are exceptionally pleased or displeased. 15% might come off as a bit cheap, 25% as a bit generous, but the waitstaff will assume it's a you thing as opposed to a "your opinion of them" thing. Above or below that, and you're making a statement, intentionally or not. Less t…

This sounds very exhausting. And implies that I have cache on me all the time, which in most cases I don't. Thank you for the tips (pun not intended), I'll make sure to follow this next time I'm in the US.

For restaurants, you typically tip on your card. After you're done with your meal, the server will leave a folio with the reciept. You look over the reciept, make sure it's right, and then put your card in the folio, and leave it near the end of the table. The server will pick up the folio, go and run your card, then bring back the folio, with your card, and 2 copies of the receipt. One is for you to keep, the other has a tip line, and a place to sign. Once you fill that out, you're free to leave. No further back and forth is required from you.

Bars have a similar process, but with the added "close it out or keep it open" option on each drink. To tip on the first drink as suggested, you can close out and then run a tab for the rest of the evening, but cash is easier.

Rideshares and food delivery will have tip options for card.

The only one you really need cash for is tipping hotel cleaners. Not sure why no one has figured out a solution for that one yet.

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