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Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes

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

#331

Post by maerF0x0 »

fishtoaster wrote: post #48

I quite dislike the tip system, but feel I have no good way to protest it. I could "just not tip," but that mostly harms the people who have the least power in the situation (the waiter) rather than the people who can change it (management). Instead, I feel like the only ethical option available to me is to preferentially frequent no-tip restaurants. Unfortunately there aren't too many of those and although I hate th…

> but that mostly harms the people who have the least power in the situation

They have the ability to choose another job (250k new jobs are created each month!) and they have the ability to negotiate/complain to their manager.

Just dont be surprised when the coffee shop starts to charge $10 for a drip. 50c of beans, 50c of hot water and $8 labor.

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

#332

Post by fbelzile »

jacktribe wrote: post #99

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…

> We will probably need to highlight that we pay a higher wage for baristas & cooks to account for the lack of tips, and give customers an option to donate to a charity if they still wish to part with additional money.

Yes, after the total confirmation (including tax if you can), where you'd normally be asked to tip, you should see if it's possible to display the no tip policy and higher wage explanation.

You could also tell customers that your business is donating to certain cause at this point. Just don't pass on the burden of deciding whether or not to donate to your customers. Another option is to dedicate certain profits from a specific product to a cause and note that on your menu.

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

#333

Post by rideontime »

csomar wrote: post #276
jacktribe wrote: post #99

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…

> and give customers an option to donate to a charity if they still wish to part with additional money. Please no. That's how it usually starts. It was with small change but now McDonalds harasses you every time you make an order to round up for some charity I never heard about. I'd donate to charities on my own. Needless to say I avoid these places like the plague.

You've never heard of the Ronald McDonald House?

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

#334

Post by iansinnott »

Something I don't see mentioned often is how much TIME tipping takes.

I recently visited Australia and realized that each transaction at a cafe/restaurant was very quick, perhaps an entire 10x quicker than an equivalent transaction in the US. You just tap your card and go.

Transaction time at cafes can compound against people waiting in line as well, especially if the customer wants to tip but the default on-screen amount is too high.

Would be curious to know how much time is collectively spent on these minor transaction decisions in countries with tips. I'm sure it's substantial.

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

#335

Post by xwdv »

I’ve stopped leaving tips for anything that isn’t a sit down restaurant with a waiter. These retail iPads asking for tips are ridiculous. At first it felt awkward to zero out the tip, but soon it got better, and now I zero it out with no mercy. I recommend you try it.

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

#336

Post by j-bos »

JimtheCoder wrote: post #191
jmugan wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't that just continue to expand a bad practice? If drivers got tips, Amazon would lower their wages, and we'd just have another domain where we have to make extra decisions.

This may be true, but my calculus in this situation was limited to "Guy came through deep snow at 9:30pm to deliver peanut butter...he deserves some money, I have some money, I would like a simple and effective way to transfer it to him." (Note: I was not home when the delivery was made...)

>(Note: I was not home when the delivery was made...)

If you know when an order is coming, you could copy some of the older folks I doordashed for. They often left money for the drivers in an envelope on the door.

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

#337

Post by eredengrin »

csomar wrote: post #276
jacktribe wrote: post #99

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…

> and give customers an option to donate to a charity if they still wish to part with additional money. Please no. That's how it usually starts. It was with small change but now McDonalds harasses you every time you make an order to round up for some charity I never heard about. I'd donate to charities on my own. Needless to say I avoid these places like the plague.

> I'd donate to charities on my own.

But lots of people won't think to do so, and it can raise awareness too. And in terms of payment processing fees it is probably much more efficient to include a small amount extra in a larger preexisting transaction and pool it up across customers than if everyone were to go out and donate $0.50 or whatever on their own.

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

#338

Post by [deleted] »

plantwallshoe wrote: post #8

I’ve implemented a personal policy to make it easier for myself and reduce bias: Full waiter experience (seated, handed menu, food brought to table, plate cleared) gets 20%. If the level of service is less than that, the percentage starts to go down proportionally. Counter service is flat-rate $1 per person served. This is the same every time regardless of quality of service (unless something truly malicious happens,…

[deleted]

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

#339

Post by bmitc »

barbariangrunge wrote: post #241
jacktribe wrote: post #99

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…

I wish you would take cash. Every other method of payment gets tracked and is used to profile people

That is a pretty fringe worry of tracking that places a major burden on the business. While I am no fan of the amount of tracking going on, I'd say this is pretty far down the list. You're still tracked when you pull out cash. Credit cards have quite a bit of protection on them.

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

#340

Post by EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK »

Insanity wrote: post #131
ntr-- wrote: post #83

> Tipping is about making sure the people who are performing that service for you are getting paid what they’re owed Here in AU we call that "wages". Having to do quick maths while under social pressure and the threat of having your service quality degraded to make up for an employer or state being unwilling to pay workers enough to live might be called "coercion", but certainly it is externalising costs onto the cus…

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

In southern Europe, automatic 10% tips are often included. But the server will whisper into your ear that he doesn't see any of those 10%, owner takes it all for herself.
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