Tipping overload?

[DizneyFamof4]

most if not all of the privately owned and chain places around us use automated payment systems that have only shown the options of percentages of 20/30 or 'customize' on the screens for the last couple of years. an actual paper bill from a place lists the amounts for each of those percentages at the bottom of the bill (and 9 times out of 10 it is based on THE GROSS of the bill which in an area with just shy of a 10 percent f&b sales tax increases that tip substantially).

i don't blame the servers but i do feel it's manipulative tip wise in that in order to do the 'customize' option on the automated card reader it takes several additional steps, all with the server standing right next to you (they can't and won't leave that reader unattended).

So true, it's actually an intimidating act to get people to tip more.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

most if not all of the privately owned and chain places around us use automated payment systems that have only shown the options of percentages of 20/30 or 'customize' on the screens for the last couple of years. an actual paper bill from a place lists the amounts for each of those percentages at the bottom of the bill (and 9 times out of 10 it is based on THE GROSS of the bill which in an area with just shy of a 10 percent f&b sales tax increases that tip substantially).

i don't blame the servers but i do feel it's manipulative tip wise in that in order to do the 'customize' option on the automated card reader it takes several additional steps, all with the server standing right next to you (they can't and won't leave that reader unattended).

I have no problem adjusting the tip to a customized option.

What kind of reader are you talking about? One that is a table one or one that is a smaller hand-held one a server themselves brings out?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So true, it's actually an intimidating act to get people to tip more.

One thing that was a culture shock to my husband was when he went to Canada years ago for work. He was in Saskatchewan. There they never leave with a patron's card due to security reasons so a server with a handheld reader is the norm there. Less about the reader and more about card security of the patron.

 

[whiteness]

I have no problem adjusting the tip to a customized option.

What kind of reader are you talking about? One that is a table one or one that is a smaller hand-held one a server themselves brings out?

I love it that some places even let you order and pay your tab through an app, now.

I think there are even places where you could order your food prior to arriving, and it will be brought to you immediately.

Disney should consider offering a mobile order option for table service restaurants. For people pressed for time, that would be a genuine benefit. So, basically, as soon as you were notified your table was ready, you could go ahead and order drinks and appetizers for the table prior to getting seated. I'd do that.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I thought you guys would appreciate this. Today we found holiday “tipping envelopes” from both our trash and recycle people in ziplock bags in our mailbox. DH commented it might’ve been the first time they got out of the truck, lol. (I crossed out their names but they were pre-printed on there, on what looks like company-sanctioned stationary. Have never gotten these before.)

 

[DisneyHardin]

When the subject of tipping comes up, a common comment is that people should be paid a living wage and there should be no tips. That sounds wonderful, but I just can't see Americans, who have been engrained to tip being able to do it.

Remember when Uber first came out, you weren't supposed to tip and there was no option to leave a tip through the app. So, people who just couldn't fathom not tipping for something like that starting making sure they had cash when they called an Uber. Now, it is frowned upon if you don't tip your Uber driver. If feel like the same thing would happen with restaurants. If restaurants raised their prices by 20% and passed that on to their servers, people would still feel like they needed to tip and people who didn't would be scoffed at, even though there was no longer a need.

 

[whiteness]

I thought you guys would appreciate this. Today we found holiday “tipping envelopes” from both our trash and recycle people in ziplock bags in our mailbox. DH commented it might’ve been the first time they got out of the truck, lol. (I crossed out their names but they were pre-printed on there, on what looks like company-sanctioned stationary. Have never gotten these before.)

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Eventually, your IRS agent will request a tip after doing an audit. It will probably be a percentage of the fines and interest you owe.

And the police will be asking for a tip after they pull you over for speeding that will be a percentage of your ticket.

Come to think of it, we do get charged "court costs" if we dispute a ticket and lose. I guess that's the judge asking for a tip?

Everybody's got their hand out. It is kind of funny in a perverse way.

 

[tvguy]

I thought you guys would appreciate this. Today we found holiday “tipping envelopes” from both our trash and recycle people in ziplock bags in our mailbox. DH commented it might’ve been the first time they got out of the truck, lol. (I crossed out their names but they were pre-printed on there, on what looks like company-sanctioned stationary. Have never gotten these before.)

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The County does refuse collection here and public sector workers can get fired for accepting a tip.

 

[whiteness]

The County does refuse collection here and public sector workers can get fired for accepting a tip.

I've lived in a lot of places where public services were contracted out.

Parking Enforcement, for example. I guess they could maybe tape a tip envelope to the boot that they put on your wheel. But only during the holidays, and it would be a festive red and green, so...

 

[mjkacmom]

When the subject of tipping comes up, a common comment is that people should be paid a living wage and there should be no tips. That sounds wonderful, but I just can't see Americans, who have been engrained to tip being able to do it.

Remember when Uber first came out, you weren't supposed to tip and there was no option to leave a tip through the app. So, people who just couldn't fathom not tipping for something like that starting making sure they had cash when they called an Uber. Now, it is frowned upon if you don't tip your Uber driver. If feel like the same thing would happen with restaurants. If restaurants raised their prices by 20% and passed that on to their servers, people would still feel like they needed to tip and people who didn't would be scoffed at, even though there was no longer a need.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/feb/13/us-tipping-restaurants-wages
I doubt the US will change.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The County does refuse collection here and public sector workers can get fired for accepting a tip.

In my particular city the city does the trash and we pay monthly for it on bills that include water and sewer, they are city employees paid for by taxes and fees, in fact they just raised everyone's bills ever so slightly for this so now it's like $20.66 per month or something like that which includes bi-weekly recycling (recycling service is required to be offered at no additional charge by the county). That would not go over well here even as much as people appreciate the workers (and they do, and they do a good job).

In other cities in the metro the trash companies in recent years have not been getting good reviews. You know it's bad when the city who contracted out the company basically fires you. Other cities where you have a choice there's been a lot of switching to another company.

 

[tvguy]

In my particular city the city does the trash and we pay monthly for it on bills that include water and sewer, they are city employees paid for by taxes and fees, in fact they just raised everyone's bills ever so slightly for this so now it's like $20.66 per month or something like that which includes bi-weekly recycling (recycling service is required to be offered at no additional charge by the county). That would not go over well here even as much as people appreciate the workers (and they do, and they do a good job).

In other cities in the metro the trash companies in recent years have not been getting good reviews. You know it's bad when the city who contracted out the company basically fires you. Other cities where you have a choice there's been a lot of switching to another company.

That's a bargain. Bill for trash/recycling/green/organic waste pickup includes sewer, and storm drain and it's $215 every other month here.
Trash and organic/green waste is picked up weekly, recycling every other week. No tax dollars are used to support garbage collection.
Water is a different publicly owned district and your bill depends on how much water you use, my runs about $85 a month.

 

[tvguy]

I've lived in a lot of places where public services were contracted out.

Parking Enforcement, for example. I guess they could maybe tape a tip envelope to the boot that they put on your wheel. But only during the holidays, and it would be a festive red and green, so...

When I was a kid garbage pickup was a private company but the County took it over in the late 1960's to provide better service. My daughter lives in the same county, but in an area that is an incorporated city. Garbage pick up used do be done by the County, but the new city decided to hire a private company......drum roll.....to provide better service!
The city sold parking enforcement/parking meters and public parking garages to a private company for a huge chunk of change to be used to pay for, in part, a new arena for the Sacramento Kings basketball team. So I guess you could tip the meter maid for that ticket in the city, But out here in the unincorporated area, a division of the Sheriff's department does parking enforcement. But no parking meters or other public owned parking in the county. They strictly issue parking tickets if you park illegally.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That's a bargain. Bill for trash/recycling/green/organic waste pickup includes sewer, and storm drain and it's $215 every other month here.
Trash and organic/green waste is picked up weekly, recycling every other week. No tax dollars are used to support garbage collection.
Water is a different publicly owned district and your bill depends on how much water you use, my runs about $85 a month.

I *believe* $20-$30 ish is the going rate in my county for trash/recycling. But sewer on my bill is another nearly $20 in service charges per month then usage amount which for last month at least was about $18 (the rate at which it is charged just went up as well). Yard waste is considered under trash. We then pay almost $6 per month for storm water (which also had an increase slightly at the same time as trash) as a flat fee. Water service charges are about $15 which sucks in the winter when you're only using $5-$7 in actual water usage.

For storm water we pay in our city on our monthly bill but in other cities is on your property tax bill.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

When the subject of tipping comes up, a common comment is that people should be paid a living wage and there should be no tips. That sounds wonderful, but I just can't see Americans, who have been engrained to tip being able to do it.

Remember when Uber first came out, you weren't supposed to tip and there was no option to leave a tip through the app. So, people who just couldn't fathom not tipping for something like that starting making sure they had cash when they called an Uber. Now, it is frowned upon if you don't tip your Uber driver. If feel like the same thing would happen with restaurants. If restaurants raised their prices by 20% and passed that on to their servers, people would still feel like they needed to tip and people who didn't would be scoffed at, even though there was no longer a need.

If they want to tip that's up to them, I would have no problems just paying my bill and leaving, and could care less what others may think. It's the fact that we have these % shoved at us and now they just keep trying to raise the %, with really no good reason. So if the wages went up, then there would be no need to put a tip % on bills or tablets, just the amount you owe. Trust me if there were no tip line on a bill more and more people would have no problems not tipping. I only tip 20% if I get great service else it's anywhere between 15 and 18 %. Also, if I am not actually being served, i.e picking up my own food, or just buying a drink, I have no issues not tipping. It just happened over the weekend, I was thirsty and I went into a restaurant and ordered a soda to go and it came to $2.99. I gave the person a $5 bill and he asked me if I wanted change, I actually laughed while I said yes and I am sure my facial expression also came across like "are you kidding me?" We here people complaining that prices have gone up, so then the tip % should go up too. But using basic math, if your food bill goes up 50% then their 15% tip also goes up 50%, so status quo. They are not losing any money. EX: My bill used to be $20 and I left a 15% tip of $3, well now with the food increase my bill has gone up 50% and is now $30, well the same 15% comes up to be $4.50 which is also exactly 50% more tip than before. So why do we need to raise tip %, it's just another ploy to get more $$.

 

[Moliphino]

When the subject of tipping comes up, a common comment is that people should be paid a living wage and there should be no tips. That sounds wonderful, but I just can't see Americans, who have been engrained to tip being able to do it.

Remember when Uber first came out, you weren't supposed to tip and there was no option to leave a tip through the app. So, people who just couldn't fathom not tipping for something like that starting making sure they had cash when they called an Uber. Now, it is frowned upon if you don't tip your Uber driver. If feel like the same thing would happen with restaurants. If restaurants raised their prices by 20% and passed that on to their servers, people would still feel like they needed to tip and people who didn't would be scoffed at, even though there was no longer a need.

I've gotten used to not tipping in Europe, it's nice. There is no tip line or any way to add a tip when using a credit card.

 

[whiteness]

I've gotten used to not tipping in Europe, it's nice. There is no tip line or any way to add a tip when using a credit card.

I loved that, too. Honestly, that darn tip line it just adds unnecessary stress and irritation to a transaction. How wonderful it would be if every single bill just had the actual price on it, and that's all anyone was ever expected to pay.

One can dream, right?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I put the cards aside and will probably throw $5 in each. I tip the mailman, too. And I think I might leave out some snacks and drinks for the delivery drivers.

 

[barkley]

I tip the mailman, too

just be aware that you are putting the mailman in precarious position if you 'tip'-

(from the usps site)

All postal employees, including carriers, must comply with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch. Under these federal regulations, carriers are permitted to accept a gift worth $20 or less from a customer per occasion, such as Christmas. However, cash and cash equivalents, such as checks or gift cards that can be exchanged for cash, must never be accepted in any amount. Furthermore, no employee may accept more than $50 worth of gifts from any one customer in any one calendar year period.


if they take it they are violating and if it's discovered it's their job on the line. it only takes one over zealous or ticked off customer or co-worker who makes a report on it (and they may just be guessing, or overheard a remark someone who lives on a particular route made about tipping), as petty as it may seem it does happen with civil service jobs. it's uncomfortable when someone is trying to gift (or 'tip') you and you are precluded from accepting it to have them continue to insist over and over to you to take it so workers get stuck between a rock and a hard place.

it's awful to have to write someone up on a disciplinary report due to the what was intended to be an act of kindness on another person's part.

 

[RedAngie]

My trash/recycle collection service has been taping tip envelopes to the containers in early December for many years. I usually give $20.