Live data from Hacker News

Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

apnews.com

321–330 of 1001 posts

Re: Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

#321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a European living in Canada, the tipping culture took some time to get used to. It's such a stupid/bad system.

Am Canadian, can confirm... I do wish there was a way to tip the drivers who deliver my Amazon Prime stuff, though. I don't want to tip someone who presses a few buttons on a screen to take my food order, that they usually mess up and sometimes add on a free side of bad attitude. I would like an easy way to tip the guy who is trudging through the snow to deliver my 2KG jar of peanut butter at 9:30pm in January. I lik…

People used to give money at Christmas to the postman

Re: Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

#322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't have to outlaw it but we should do something more difficult: make it not the social norm.

I went to a religious university and there was a certain ethics class everybody was required to take. A discussion topic one day was about how to advertise you were a member of this faith while out and about, and the topic of tipping came up. The lecture pretty much worked out like you should be tipping big! People don't treat waiters so well after the religious service ends! At least 20% to share the good news:tm: w…

This actually happened because Christians (maybe other religions too?) got a reputation for being bad tippers. IDK, maybe it was something about already giving 10% before tax to God to take care of orphans and widows, but seeing their pastor and politician in highend cars and suits? IDK.

So as a counter to that reputation pastors began to admonish folks to tip well, to show them the love of Jesus as 20%.

Re: Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

#323
I recently saw a "3% cost of living" charge at a restaurant (in California). This same restaurant provided suggested tips of 18, 20, and (I think) 25%.

At a certain level I think this is just dishonesty. They want to raise prices, but they know some people will stop coming, so they try to hide it in extra fees instead. I don't mind tipping per se, but the hidden fees and tip inflation make me think that if this keeps going, we may need to pass some price transparency laws.

Re: Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

#324
post #278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can see the point of leaving a tip when a server has done a really good job (of course they should be paid a decent wage too). For me the annoying bit is being asked to tip before I have been served - I don't know yet if I would like to leave a big tip or a small one.

So you tip the cook when the cook does a really good job?

At least in the cafes I worked in as an undergrad we split tips between the waitstaff and kitchen, which of course also sort of shifts around the "rewarding good service" aspect, but I think then you feel like you're letting down your coworkers if you piss off customers enough for them to tip badly.

Re: Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

#325
post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What? Who is harmed? Are we to pretend all waiters do an equally good job? Good service gets good tips, bad service, not good. It's just an incentive system. The only reason it starts to breakdown is because there are really cheap people out there who will skimp on the tip and then complain when waiters treat them like shit. If you are a regular at a place and you tip well, they'll spoil you.

> Are we to pretend all waiters do an equally good job? Are we to pretend all supermarket checkout clerks do an equally good job? No, but we don't tip them. They get paid a wage which is bundled into the price of every item I buy at the store. Same as every other cost of business like their insurance, electric bill, etc.

While we're at it, Engineers?

Part of the issue is a seemingly ingrained concept of "fairness" between when we do the same job we want the same reward (a grape not a cucumber stupid researcher!) ... And combine that with the propensity to overestimate our own contributions and underestimate the difficulty of what others do.. Suddenly even rationally fair "feels" unfair.

Re: Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

#326

The solution to eliminating tipping while also incentivizing servers and others to provide excellent service seems pretty obvious - raise prices by 20% on every transaction in the service industry, and then the employee gets that percentage. This is good for the business as it encourages the server to provide good service (as long at they clearly understand the importance of the return customer), and also rewards the…

interestingly we actually wouldnt need to raise prices 20%. Some customers do not tip. Some groups of people tip far less, so actually the increase likely is less than 20%.

Re: Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

#329

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No thanks. I don't want a welfare state and I don't want to tip either.

You already have a welfare state, but it goes to businessmen instead. The more money you have, the easier it is to pay fewer taxes. Money want to trickle up.

I agree with 2OEH8eoCRo0 . When I say I do not want a welfare state, I mean for businessmen too.

Re: Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

#330

I've just opened a coffee shop in Los Angeles last month, and we don't take tips. We only use self-ordering iPads (I've custom coded an iOS app w/ Stripe Terminal for it), and we don't accept cash either. We've had a few customers baffled by the no-tipping policy, and still insisting that they leave a tip. Some even left cash on the counter or on the table. We had to chase a few of them down to return their money. Al…

There isn't any tip in New Zealand and Australia. Everybody get proper salary. The service is always exceptional. How is that possible?

culture/demographic
Post reply on HN