dyhppy

Call me cheap, call me mean etc don't waste your breath.

if you're a food server or chambermaid, you'll hate me with your misdirected blame.

what is up with tipping? i just returned from a country where they dont tip and taxes are included. the price you see on the menu is the price you pay out the door. it was awesome. restaurant, hotel and other business owners must be laughing all the way to bank as they underpay their employees and those same employees get mad at already paying customers for not leaving them good tips. and to top that off, society has so embraced the concept of tipping that people will rag on each other when they dont want to condone this messed up system.

anyone agree but more interestingly, does anyone disagree and WHY?

thebig33tuna

Do I agree that it's a f@#ked up system? Absolutely.

Do I think you or anyone else should stop tipping in an attempt to fight the system? Abso-f@#king-lutely not, because you aren't actually going to accomplish anything ... other than pissing off total strangers and making yourself look like a cheap asshole.

Vinsfeld

Well no one can disagree with what you said because you just conveyed the two different cultures and supplied the arguments for each. In America, tipping is where service staff make their money. Businesses know this and therefore pay them a lower wage to counterbalance this. Its protected by laws. Waitstaff work long hard hours with little or no breaks, and they deserve to get tipped. When people don't leave tips, its usually warranted, and when they don't leave tips and it is unwarranted then the staff have the right to complain.

In country B, where they don't tip, I am sure they make a better salary from their employers, which just so happened to evolve that way from their culture.

You are asking why we don't or haven't maintained that culture from country B, and as far as I know, tipping has been a tradition in America throughout time.

Here's a short, interesting article which cites a book that may give you more incite:

http://eater.com/archives/2010/10/26...the-change.php

dyhppy

i am not an authority, but i do not think tipping was always expected. it was a "bonus" which is what it ought to be today. i get that there would be a period of pain for the employees, but tipping is spreading. everyone wants a tip now for just doing what they are already being paid for. if some kind of stand isnt taken, how will employers ever get the bill they ought to be paying for?

TheSteel

I think it's stupid that it's always expected. I have no problem tipping well when someone really deserves it. Whether it's that they were especially nice, made sure my drinks were ALWAYS full, or had the chef's make something not on the menu, I'll toss out 5-30 dollars depending on the check.

What I can't stand is when they just do their basic job, get me a drink or two, and expect extra money from me. Yeah, I really enjoy paying 15 bucks for the same meal I can get at Hardee's for 6 because I wanted to sit down somewhere a little nicer.

I really love places that have taxes included in the price. The only place I've been to that does that is the movie theater here, and it just makes things so much simpler.

ChefJ

In GA where my restaurants are minimum wage for service staff is $2.13, do you know why???

Don't tip the first time you come in, but if they remember you the second time you can forget about prompt service, and if they come and get me, you can forget about service altogether. I don't deal well with cheap asses. This is the US and people in this country/culture tip their waitstaff. Other countries charge MORE for the food and fold that into the service staffs wages. We charge lower prices with the expectation that you will tip your server 15%-25%.

People like you should just stay home and serve yourself...
.

NuncoStr8

One issue is a restaurant is hardly a money printing machine. And tipping rewards those who are better at the service. I don't understand why someone would prefer to pay a higher bill for a meal but balks at having the ability to have input into the final price. If tipping disappeared overnight, waitstaff would still need to be paid and therefore the price of a meal would increase ~15-20% to make up the difference.

I guess I just fail to understand how tipping is any kind of burden. The menu price is $10. The server takes care of all the details ensuring your dining experience is pleasant and hassle-free. You leave them an extra buck and a half for the effort. Oh my, why does the world hate you so?

ChefJ

Have you ever paid tax on a liquor or beer drink?? I doubt it. The establishments POS system will be setup to "include tax" in the drink price. 3 bucks for a bud light is actually 3 bucks minus sales, use, and whatever excise taxes that city and state have....

dyhppy

read what you just wrote and explain how any of it makes sense.

fyi, countries that dont tip do not necessarily have higher food costs than the usa.

the concept of tipping for extra nice service is ok. expected tipping is messed up.

ChefJ

makes sense to me feel free to key it into google translate for whatever language it is that you speak.