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Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

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Re: Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

#41

Post by tracker1 »

galleywest200 wrote: post #27
LarryMullins wrote: post #12

Make no mistake, tipping continues in America because most Americans like the system. If you don't like to tip, there are plenty of restaurants where tipping isn't expected; specifically those where you carry the food yourself from the counter to your table. If enough people hated tipping, restaurants that don't have tipping would eventually out-compete those that do. They may yet do so, but presently most of the pub…

The problem is the incredibly low wages employers are allowed to pay at tipped establishments. Federally that wage is $2.13 per hour. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped

Even for establishments that do pay more... so many fast food/takeout places have tipping on their checkout process now. Starbucks in my city, as an example, pays a baseline well above most similar positions in the area, but they still expect tips above and beyond.

I don't blame someone for wanting and accepting more... It just feels weird to tip when the service is baseline, vs say a waitress where they take your order, bring drinks, refills, corrections, additions, etc. and generally with a pleasant personality.

Re: Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

#42

Post by lazyasciiart »

nwah1 wrote: post #9

The odd thing is how specific to restaurants it is, and only a handful of other industries. You dont tip in any other context. If you want the deluxe experience you order the deluxe option. To me this seems wrong. If tipping were so great then why isn't it universal? What is special about restaurants? Taxis/Uber/Lyft want tips. Same with barbers/salons/spas. I know that the gray market is a big factor. Untaxed cash t…

> The odd thing is how specific to restaurants it is, and only a handful of other industries.

I believe that generally it's in industries that directly replaced personal servants: people who cook and serve your food, carry your things around, make your bed, do your hair, chauffeur you around. I'm not sure why tipping happens in those jobs though.

Re: Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

#43

Post by sethammons »

gambiting wrote: post #25

"Customers looked at the higher prices ($25 for the chicken instead of $21, $17 cocktails instead of $14) and ordered fewer and less-expensive items, even though they were paying exactly the same amount for them by tacking 20% onto the check at meal’s end." You know what, I worry about this sometimes. We think that we're so evolved and advanced race - that we have poetry and literature, modern medicine and rocket sci…

my 10th grade AP History teacher offered snacks to the students. 25 cents a piece, or 3 for a dollar. Most of the year went by of people taking the dollar option before a student asked if they could have 4 for a dollar, to which the teacher said, "of course, they are 25 cents each."

Re: Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

#44

Post by maerF0x0 »

syntaxing wrote: post #18

I never really understood why tipping is not considered a bribe (which is why a lot of Asian countries has banned tipping during corruption reforms).

The same reason why so many other corrupt practices in America are not considered a bribe. It would require those who benefit from it to also lobby against it.

Re: Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

#45

Post by jrockway »

notjonheyman wrote: post #13

You think restaurants are bad... you should see services like UberEats and DoorDash drivers. I have had orders cancelled by the driver because they found something that tipped higher despite me tipping $7 for something down the street less than 1 mile from my house. I have also tipped $20 only for instructions to be ignored where I put my gate code, unit# and ask for it to just be dropped off at my door step but the…

Isn't it peak capitalism to find the market price for food delivery by bidding? Too low of a bid, the limited resource goes to someone else.

My biggest complaint are services that don't show the driver the tip until after they deliver. I want them to know!

Re: Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

#47

Post by version_five »

rubyist5eva wrote: post #22
notjonheyman wrote: post #13

You think restaurants are bad... you should see services like UberEats and DoorDash drivers. I have had orders cancelled by the driver because they found something that tipped higher despite me tipping $7 for something down the street less than 1 mile from my house. I have also tipped $20 only for instructions to be ignored where I put my gate code, unit# and ask for it to just be dropped off at my door step but the…

Friend of mine started driving for Door Dash recently and when he told me they can see up front what the tip is going to be I was just flabbergasted. That's not how it's supposed to work, at all.

I had never heard that before, and now that I have I won't ever use them again.

Re: Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

#48

Post by gambiting »

LarryMullins wrote: post #12

Make no mistake, tipping continues in America because most Americans like the system. If you don't like to tip, there are plenty of restaurants where tipping isn't expected; specifically those where you carry the food yourself from the counter to your table. If enough people hated tipping, restaurants that don't have tipping would eventually out-compete those that do. They may yet do so, but presently most of the pub…

As someone who visited America on a business trip - my biggest shock was when we went to a restaurant, and the server we had was downright rude(and it wasn't even just my observation, our American hosts also agreed with this). So at the end of the meal, I said - well the server was rude, that means we don't tip, right? To which our American hosts went "no no, that would make you look like a dick - just tip less, like 10%, that will show them".

I still think about this interaction to this day. I don't think the system "washes out" anyone - because(based on my single and anecdotal experience) people will tip no matter what, because otherwise they might look bad.

Re: Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

#49

Post by treeman79 »

gambiting wrote: post #25

"Customers looked at the higher prices ($25 for the chicken instead of $21, $17 cocktails instead of $14) and ordered fewer and less-expensive items, even though they were paying exactly the same amount for them by tacking 20% onto the check at meal’s end." You know what, I worry about this sometimes. We think that we're so evolved and advanced race - that we have poetry and literature, modern medicine and rocket sci…

Burger Kings Third-of-a-Pound failed because people thought it was less meat then a quarter pounder.

Because 4 is greater than 3.

Re: Why Tipping Is Impossible to Get Rid of in America

#50

Post by jzb »

colejohnson66 wrote: post #16
alexb_ wrote: post #7

Servers like it, customers like it, business owners like it, clearly we must get rid of it

Servers like it because it gives them more money, but so would paying them properly. Business owners like it because they save money on not paying their employees good wages. Customers do not like it because it's, essentially, a hidden fee. If I had bad service, I should not be obligated to tip. But society has decided that I owe a 15-25% service fee to my waiter even if the service sucked.

"If I had bad service, I should not be obligated to tip. But society has decided that I owe a 15-25% service fee to my waiter even if the service sucked."

I wish folks with this attitude got docked some of their pay when their co-workers or boss decide they weren't happy with their work.

I just consider tipping the surcharge for not having to do service / restaurant work myself any longer. Been there, done that, don't want to do it again.

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