Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

“No tax on tips” is an industry plant

newyorker.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

611–618 of 618 posts

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#611

Post by frollogaston »

kelnos wrote: post #233
frollogaston wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not everything is marked up to cover CC fees, and any time there's a CC surcharge, it's more than the points you get. That and the tip is separate.

As the GP said, most places do not give a cash discount (the equivalent of a CC surcharge), though that practice is indeed a bit more common than it was a decade ago. Interestingly, I've see this practice in odd places like my utility and phone bills (they don't charge an extra fee if you instead link your bank account or use a debit card, which I don't love, but... here we are). And even if things aren't marked up t…

Idk. Where I live, it's very common. Almost every gas station does it, about half the restaurants, and yes every utility. 0 grocery stores though. The fee is at least 3%, and no card offers that level of cashback, though you might be able to do the equivalent of 5% with airline miles.

Cardholder agreements used to disallow CC surcharges, but I think such clauses were outlawed.

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#612

Post by frollogaston »

bnralt wrote: post #203
ENGNR wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Restaurant staff are still nice in Australia, and friendly. They don't HAVE to be, but they also don't have to do a bunch of unnecessary stuff to play the tips game, like fill up water that's barely empty or check in on how you're going all the time. Maybe people in America like a "service heavy" experience, and the only way to get it is tips?

> Maybe people in America like a "service heavy" experience, and the only way to get it is tips? Interestingly enough, I find the service worse in the U.S. Part of the reason is that the tip system leads to waiters wasting time talking about a table, and waiters who aren't your own feeling like they don't have to do anything for you. It usually takes me 5-10 times longer to pay the check in the U.S. than it does in s…

That's a good analogy. I appreciate good service, but tipping doesn't exactly lead to that.

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#614

Post by 63stack »

ecb_penguin wrote: post #525
63stack wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure you know, but in literally dozens of countries, waiters get a proper salary.

I have interns with higher salaries and more purchasing power than senior devs in Europe. It's remarkable what little you consider "proper".

I doubt it comes out so much ahead if you factor in the vacation days, the sick leave, the healthcare, and the education costs.

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#615

Post by FeloniousHam »

xp84 wrote: post #480
FeloniousHam wrote: post #403

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah yes, the greedy sleazeballs. If you knew that the total cost of the meal would be the same, say $20 for the meal, does it to you matter if: 1) you pay $20 "no tip" and the owner pays non-tip minimum wage, or b) you pay $16.50 for the food and $3.50 separately to the server in the form of a tip ?

> If you knew that the total cost of the meal That's the crux of it. All surcharges are scams designed to trick the customer into thinking the meal is priced lower than it is. Sales tax not built into menu prices is a scam that the government is at fault for allowing. All other surcharges including the socially-obligatory tip and the scummy "health care surcharges" common in California, are scams that the restaurant…

I don't like tipping (in most cases) either, but who is greedy here? The owner, who is following social norms and separating the optional service charge from the cost of the food, or the server dependent on the tip for their wage?

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#616

Post by Wololooo »

CalRobert wrote: post #190
Wololooo wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really depends on the amount. In Belgium for instance there would be no tipping, but rounding up or adding one or two spare coins of change you still have on you in case the service was excellent. It is like any job where people get a bonus because they have gone above and beyond.

Is this changing as cash gets less common?

Sorry for the delay, but yes, people have a tendency of rounding up if this is a possibility and it gets either charged to the person or put into a pot redistributed to everyone, depending on the local policy where everyone agrees beforehand.

This is normally on top of any bonuses for performance that the employees would get and their living wage which is guaranteed.

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#617

Post by Wololooo »

kelnos wrote: post #198
Wololooo wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really depends on the amount. In Belgium for instance there would be no tipping, but rounding up or adding one or two spare coins of change you still have on you in case the service was excellent. It is like any job where people get a bonus because they have gone above and beyond.

Why can't the employer give that bonus? In non-service jobs employees don't get tips for going above and beyond; they get raises or bonuses.

This is normally on top of any bonuses for performance that the employees would get and their living wage which is guaranteed.

Re: “No tax on tips” is an industry plant

#618

Post by Wololooo »

ImJamal wrote: post #415
Wololooo wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really depends on the amount. In Belgium for instance there would be no tipping, but rounding up or adding one or two spare coins of change you still have on you in case the service was excellent. It is like any job where people get a bonus because they have gone above and beyond.

Giving extra money is literally tipping?

Yes, but the default would be no tipping, I meant this was and is seen as completely optional and non required.
Post reply on HN