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....
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Yeah I don't really go out drinking. And on the rare occasion that I do, I pregame to the point that I don't even know what the hell I'm signing after i pay.

 

Its interesting how different cultures view the aspect of tipping; here in america is is expected and they feel they are entitled to it no matter what line of service and in italy and spain it is considered an insult to leave a tip.

 

What?

Let me put this as simply as possible. In a tipped position here in the states, you make nothing from the business where you work. $2.10 an hour minus taxes is seriously as close to 0 as you'll get. You'd make 10x that just begging on the street.

In the USA:

-Tipped positions get paid directly by the customer, and the customer can choose how much they want to tip based on quality of service.

In places where they don't take tips:

-The company charges you $X per meal/service/whatever, and a portion of that $X goes towards paying their staff.

You, the customer, pay either way. At least in a tipped system, you can CHOOSE to pay more or less based on quality of service. In places without tips, you can't do shit about it beyond perhaps leaving a comment card. Where do you think the money to pay employees would come from, exactly, if we didn't tip them? Magic money trees in the back of the restaurant? Your food prices WOULD go up at every sit down restaurant if tipping was eliminated.

 

how about some discussion on tipping between various cultures in America?

 

It's interesting that some people don't understand that servers who make a living on tips actually depend on those tips to make a living. And somehow think it's rude for other people to expect to get paid for their work.

Again, if you don't like tipping, don't eat where tipping is how the staff make a living. The same way that if you really don't like paying income tax, solve your problem by not making any income.

 

I always tip at least 15, mostly 20, sometimes more if the service is _that_ much better or if the waitress is hot . Servers really do make crap for the amount of work they put in, although I agree with the OP that the system is retarded - not tipping will not get anything done. It'll possibly piss off the server. Some establishments treat their servers almost as a franchise - whatever they sell, they are in charge of paying for. If someone does a dine&dash, the server is on the hook for the pay. Those establishments usually make the servers "tip out" (a given percentage of their sales) the other people in the restaurant. If they made $0 tip, they're basically PAYING to work.

Complain to the company, don't stop tipping.

 

I don't mind tipping at most restaurants and I tend to tip good, but I have a problem when I see a tip jar at places like starbucks/tropical smoothie/etc. I know for a fact they are not making servers wages.

 

Do you tip on the total bill (including sales tax) or just on the food/beverage portion?

Total food/beverage purchase is $100, sales tax is 10% total bill is $110.00. Assuming 20% tip, do you tip $20 (20% of $100) or do you tip $22 (20% of $110.00)?

 

some of these comments are staring to sound racist. keep it comin

you dont seem to understand what i said. from EXPERIENCE, the overall price will not necessarily be the same if tip was included. the restaurant would prob make less money.

it's amazing to listen to how the idea is so ingrained into some of you that you think it's wrong not to tip. u are NOT their employer. you do NOT get to write off the tip u are paying to them, do you?

 

Ya, only the server will suffer in the end. I usually do atleat 30% if the server keeps my glass full and keeps the flow going. Id be pissed if the waitress was hot and my beer glass stayed empty for 2o minutes, good looks wouldnt save her tip then.

I worked at Macaroni Grill as a freshman in college and a majority of the tips were pretty fair. You would see a broad percentage of different mentalities and practices but if anyone wants to stereotype then Ill do it. Im my experience younger businessmen and drinkers were the best tippers and old people (of all races) seemed to be the worst. Management seems to be the same to me no matter what the line of work, MBAs with their heads up their asses, generally dont know shit about what they manage, they cant even think for themselves, just follow the policy guidelines wash rinse and repeat. On a side note, managers who are not of a medical profession crack me up when they try to come in and try their re organize and develop procedure bullshit.... ok totally off topic lol.