Tipping question.

[Babyblue2]

The standard tip for dog groomers is 15% to 20%. However, if you know your dog is a bit more unruly you might want to increase it. $15 nail trim is already $5 more than what I paid at my vet. I think that charge is already factoring in a slippery pooch. I'd stick with the $3 to $5 suggestion here.

 

[crisi]

But now how is ANY of that based on the price of my meal? Same restaurant. Same service. I get the $15 burger. You get the $25 seafood pasta. We both get the same service. How is your service worth $5 but mine only $3.

It isn't, but that is the system you buy into when you eat out. Your ethical choices are to participate in the system by providing at least the minimum acceptable tip or not eat out. (Its a STUPID system, but the waitstaff does not deserve to be punished because the system is stupid. They are trying to make ends meet like everyone else. I'm going out with disposable income for a meal, I pay them. I also tip delivery drivers, cabbies, uber drivers, my hair stylist, my nail tech, and the kid who puts my friend's boat in from dry dock.) Personally I use the menu prices as a guideline. But I'm not tipping anyone who spends time serving me in a tipped position less than $5 no matter what the bill is, and I'll tip far more than 20% on a small bill - because the system is stupid.

One of the restaurants I eat at is a no tipping place - you'll spend a minimum $85 for the meal, but you won't tip (its incredible food and worth $85 - this is the Midwest, $85 is a lot for a single meal).

 

[disneychrista]

It isn't, but that is the system you buy into when you eat out. Your ethical choices are to participate in the system by providing at least the minimum acceptable tip or not eat out. (Its a STUPID system, but the waitstaff does not deserve to be punished because the system is stupid. They are trying to make ends meet like everyone else. I'm going out with disposable income for a meal, I pay them. I also tip delivery drivers, cabbies, uber drivers, my hair stylist, my nail tech, and the kid who puts my friend's boat in from dry dock.) Personally I use the menu prices as a guideline. But I'm not tipping anyone who spends time serving me in a tipped position less than $5 no matter what the bill is, and I'll tip far more than 20% on a small bill - because the system is stupid.

This is exactly my point. How I choose to tip is not “unethical.” In a lot of cases the server is being tipped more because of it. It is more “fair” than a flat % of the bill.

 

[crisi]

This is exactly my point. How I choose to tip is not “unethical.” In a lot of cases the server is being tipped more because of it. It is more “fair” than a flat % of the bill.

Choosing to tip at less than the acceptable rate is unethical - if you tip 15% or more, than you are not being unethical. Regardless of if the rate thing is fair or not (I don't believe it is, which is why I start with a minimum $5). Fair isn't the same thing as unethical.

 

[disneychrista]

Choosing to tip at less than the acceptable rate is unethical - if you tip 15% or more, than you are not being unethical. Regardless of if the rate thing is fair or not (I don't believe it is, which is why I start with a minimum $5). Fair isn't the same thing as unethical.

So it’s okay and ethical for you but not for me. Gotcha.

 

[ronandannette]

I have no experience in what other countries do. So I have no idea what they pay their employees or how a country that doesn't expect you tip makes up the money some other way. In US restaurants, typically they pay the wait staff less then minimum wage since they expect the balance to be made up in tips. The money to pay your employees in countries that don't expect you tip has to come from somewhere, which would seem to imply higher menu prices.

Canada is the worst possible scenario for customers. All employees, no matter what their job is, are paid at least minimum wage (in our province it is $15/hr). We also have the same tipping culture as the US so it's now crept up to an expectation of 20'ish% on prices that are high in order to cover the overhead.

 

[disneychrista]

Canada is the worst possible scenario for customers. All employees, no matter what their job is, are paid at least minimum wage (in our province it is $15/hr). We also have the same tipping culture as the US so it's now crept up to an expectation of 20'ish% on prices that are high in order to cover the overhead.

Same here in California. Expect minimum wage is $13/hr ($14/hr for employers with 26+ employees). It is not uncommon for a server to make over $100 a shift ( 4-6 hours) on top of their wage.

 

[GZanta77]

As someone who was a frequent visitor to the USA before eventually moving here I am often confused by when and who to tip. I know I have got it wrong on many occasions. However, I remember when I first started visiting in the late 1980's - the standard tip advice was 10 - 15% depending upon level of service. Sometime in the 90's that progressed to 15 - 20% and today, it seems like 18 - 25% is the range.

Even takeout places sometimes present me with a screen that gives four tip options 18/20/22% or other.

 

[Eastern]

Even takeout places sometimes present me with a screen that gives four tip options 18/20/22% or other.

You can always look for 'custom' and put your own amount in. ime takeout tipping is extremely variable. I am on forums where someone advocates 25% and up, and I have been in line where someone was asked if they wanted to add a tip and they just said, 'no'.

 

[shawthorne44]

But now how is ANY of that based on the price of my meal? Same restaurant. Same service. I get the $15 burger. You get the $25 seafood pasta. We both get the same service. How is your service worth $5 but mine only $3.

Within the same restaurant, that is true. The percentage is just a rule of thumb to use and it works when you spend roughly a normal amount for that restaurant. But within different restaurants, the service is decidedly different. For example, in a Denny's, excellent service is to receive utensils and any needed side items (like syrup) while the food is still at least warm. Other places, I expect and receive a decrumbing service after the bread.

I like the tipping culture in restaurants. I used to work for a German company and I got my bosses permission to tip 15% while there. It made a huge difference in the service, which had been lacking before. (I was a repeat customer)

 

[shawthorne44]

As someone who was a frequent visitor to the USA before eventually moving here I am often confused by when and who to tip.

The general rule I use is when attentive service or lax service can make a difference, plus luggage. You don't tip the owner of a business, but if you unsure you can offer and they'll turn it down if needed.

 

[KateB20]

It depends on your dog's behaviour. Good - ~$5, bad - ~$10

 

[DL1WDW2]

We lost our beloved dog just before Christmas, but the one thing I didn't love about him was trimming his nails. He was a little guy, but he fought like no 30-lb dog I've ever known. In fact, we're looking for a new dog friend now, and we're definitely going with a puppy (willing to put up with the puppy nonsense) because we want to work with him on the idea of "touching your feet/nails isn't bad" from Day 1. I'm also going to pick a song to sing to him (or her -- new puppy might turn out to be female) while we groom ... you know, as a cue "it's time to calm down and do this".

Anyway, I found one woman -- a groomer in a van who -- who could do his nails, and she only charged $5. Yes, $5. I loved that groomer. I always gave her $10 because my dog was genuinely a bad boy on this topic.

how about “You are my sunshine” song.

 

[elmwyn]

Canada is the worst possible scenario for customers. All employees, no matter what their job is, are paid at least minimum wage (in our province it is $15/hr). We also have the same tipping culture as the US so it's now crept up to an expectation of 20'ish% on prices that are high in order to cover the overhead.

That is not correct. Ontario and Quebec both have lower wages for people who work in serving positions.

 

[ronandannette]

That is not correct. Ontario and Quebec both have lower wages for people who work in serving positions.

How low?

 

[elmwyn]

How low?

13 - 20% lower.

 

[ronandannette]

13 - 20% lower.

So instead of $15/hour they would be making $12.00 to $13.05/hour? Still not exactly working just for tips, is it. According to US posters, in some states servers make 2 or 3 bucks per hour as their base pay.

 

[elmwyn]

So instead of $15/hour they would be making $12.00 to $13.05/hour? Still not exactly working just for tips, is it. According to US posters, in some states servers make 2 or 3 bucks per hour as their base pay.

What exactly is your point here? You said there was no tipped wages. There are. Now servers in Quebec somehow don't deserve tips, even though they make less than $11/ hour and quite a bit less than your $15 minimum wage you are asserting. Well it's not as abusive as Alabama, does not change the fact that many Canadian workers are dependant on tips to make it to minimum wage.

 

[supersnoop]

What exactly is your point here? You said there was no tipped wages. There are. Now servers in Quebec somehow don't deserve tips, even though they make less than $11/ hour and quite a bit less than your $15 minimum wage you are asserting. Well it's not as abusive as Alabama, does not change the fact that many Canadian workers are dependant on tips to make it to minimum wage.

"Tipped wages" in the US is $2.13/hour. Are the wages in Quebec and Ontario below the national minimum wage?

 

[elmwyn]

"Tipped wages" in the US is $2.13/hour. Are the wages in Quebec and Ontario below the national minimum wage?

Federal gov't in Canada can only set minimum wages for federally regulated industries, like airlines. Provinces set their own minimum wage, like many states. Several of which, like Ontario and Quebec have a separate, lower minimum wage for jobs that historically have gratuities.

ETA: Very sorry to the OP for this. Had no idea a mild correction would need to be dragged out this much.