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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

#731

Post by ALittleLight »

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.

Heh, I was in Canada recently and asked a waiter "Do you tip here?" Apparently they do.

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

#732

Post by csunbird »

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…

A sign that says “We pay our staff fairly, tips are not required” could be a good advertisement for your shop!

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

#733

Post by BuckyBeaver »

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…

The no-tipping/fair-pay policy is good, but not accepting cash is bullshit.

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

#734

Post by jandrewrogers »

autophagian wrote: post #700
jandrewrogers wrote: post #676

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The mandatory minimum wage where I live is $18.69/hr, which is higher than the median wage in many European countries. Any tips or mandatory service charges are always in addition to this and many waiters make more than the minimum wage. Replacing tipping with a 20% mandatory service charge -- tried many times here -- results in the employees earning less money, empirically. Eliminating tipping is unpopular with empl…

Generally, minimum wages are lower for tipped professions than non-tipped for this reason. Assuming you're talking about Seattle, which is the only place I could find with an $18.69/hr minimum wage, tipped employees make $16.50 in comparison [0]. [0]: https://www.seattle.gov/laborstandards/ordinances/minimum-wa...

In Seattle, waiters at many local restaurants and bars anecdotally seem to clear about ~$80k/year, so the minimum wage is kind of moot for most of them. I have several friends that work in the industry who have strong opinions on the matter.

The tipping issue in Seattle isn't about a living wage, they already have that, it is about maximizing their income. After all, who doesn't want to maximize their income? The economic structure and dynamics of it are fascinating. What proponents of "no tipping" schemes fail to recognize is that it is against the interest of employees in many cases, even if it is often positioned otherwise.

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

#735

Post by nosianu »

jacktribe wrote: post #695
ranieuwe wrote: post #641

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn’t you be measuring the interaction with the ordering device? How can I rate the experience if I didn’t interact with the Barista yet? One of my general problems with tipping is that I have to tip before someone makes the drink. Then end up with burned coffee I tipped for. This feels the same.

The feedback option would be shown on the customer’s phone the next time they open the app, in regards to their previous visit. If the customer ordered via the POS, it will be shown on the next visit, if they sign in with their phone number (which is used to save your order history for easy reordering).

I don't want to give feedback for such minor transactions. I just want a coffee. Why do you want to make me do actual work? Giving feedback, especially if it's supposed to be taken seriously, is work, and worse, it feels so utterly pointless. It's such a simple transaction, and this way overcomplicates it.

I had a shop too once (print, Germany, sold it after a few years) and know people owning restaurants. As far as I'm concerned, you are supposed to get your feedback from the "meta data" of your business, not involve the individual customers my making them work. Which is very unlikely to give you true and/or good data anyway. It's like asking people for what they want as "market research", which just shows a lack of understanding of how brains work and way too much believe in the rational mind theory.

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

#736

Post by collyw »

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 we don't accept cash either

Can I ask why not? I see the rise of CBDCs as a threat to democracy (governments able to monitor and control what you spend your money on) and cash as a vital tool in a fight against that.

Though as a European I always find American tipping culture quite insane. Nothing wrong with tipping for good service, but they way it seems expected in the US is very off putting

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

#737

Post by blitzar »

4gotunameagain wrote: post #524
dang wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should write a longer piece about your coffee shop! and the process behind it. If you do, you should submit it to HN - and if you do that you should email us (hn@ycombinator.com) because we might put it in the second-chance pool ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26998308 ).

I love how one person opened a coffee shop which basically operates like every single coffee shop in the world apart from the US , and you guys need a detailed write up, charts, flow charts, tips for the secret sauce :)

Could be the next YC funded coffee shop reimagined.

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

#738

Post by lofaszvanitt »

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…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4sbYy0WdGQ

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

#739

Post by blitzar »

tshaddox wrote: post #629
4gotunameagain wrote: post #524

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love how one person opened a coffee shop which basically operates like every single coffee shop in the world apart from the US , and you guys need a detailed write up, charts, flow charts, tips for the secret sauce :)

I’d check out a detailed write up of any of those other coffee shops in the world too. The detailed write up is the thing that’s rare and interesting.

Next time you are on holiday, grab a coffee sit down and watch the miracle unfold before your eyes.

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

#740

Post by BuckyBeaver »

inetknght wrote: post #388
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 don't accept cash either. Not accepting tips is one thing. But not accepting cash means you will never have me as a customer. Edit: I've already walked away from a dozen different food places in airports because of this kind of trash: please install this app, can't pay in cash, can't see a menu without scanning a QR code, use an iPad with shitty touchscreen that I can barely see or use... I just wanted to order…

It's also illegal if they give you the item before you pay. Cash is "legal for all debts.' So if they let you establish a debt (by, for example, drinking some coffee), they must let you settle it in cash,
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