Tipping suggestion on receipt

[Anchored]

I think what the previous poster was asking was why the percentage needs to increase when the price of the food is already increasing. To make a fair comparison with the numbers you're giving, you would also need to include the increase in the cost of the food.

For example: If a meal at a restaurant used to cost $10 and now it costs $20 for the same meal, then the tip would still have doubled even if the percentage had remained the same. (@15% tip rate it was $1.50 and is now $3.00) So the percentage for the tip does not need to increase since the cost of the food is already rising with inflation.

I found a review online for Applebees in 1996
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1996/jul/19/mr-rogers-would-love-applebees-restaurant/
Let's break it down in numbers
If I took my 2 kids to Applebees in 1996 our bill might be:
Bourbon Street Steak (for me) $9.79
Kid 1 $2.59 kids meal
50c drink
Kid 2 $2.59 meal
50c drink
Subtotal $15.97
Tax $1.12
15% tip $2.40
--------------------
$19.49

today:
steak meal: $15.29
kids meal with drink $5.99
kids meal with drink $5.99
subtotal $27.27
tax $1.91
20% tip - $5.45
--------------------------
$34.63

Because of menu prices rising, and an additional 5% tip, server income more than doubled. Makes that $5.15 to $7.25 minimum wage increase look downright PALTRY. Minimum wage for non servers would need to go to $11.70 to compete with the server income.

If we stayed at 15% it would be $2.40 vs $4.09 which is still a 70% increase. Regular minimum wage would have had to go to $8.67 to compete.

Therefore, I still tip 15% and don't feel bad about it at all.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yes, you’re right that on average black people tip less than white people, and it is just fueling the cycle. It shouldn’t be an excuse to provide subpar service, but apparently it is. Again, if wages could just be standardized and done away with, there wouldn’t be any more comments about how such-and-such group tips less. (I’ve heard multiple times that the church-going crowd is more likely to skip or under tip. A classmate of mine was left one of those fake bills telling her to seek religion. Heck, I was given one during a charity event for Make a Wish.)

Yes a vicious cycle really and you're right not just race related either that's for sure.

There are lots of small studies on tipping and race and psychology/sociology- Michael Lynn from Cornell has quite a few, as well as Zachary Brewster from Wayne State. It’s hard because they can’t survey everyone ever, so the sample sizes seem small. And it’s hard to normalize for different variables (location, whether service was actually good, who was actually involved at any given time). But they do indicate a few problems with discrimination (both against servers and customers).

Ohh that's some interesting information there to go looking for. Thanks for that

Thanks for the follow-up on Applebee’s. I had just read that it was closed- guess I shouldn’t make assumptions!

No worries! It's entirely possible it could have closed and remained closed simply due to bad press (and yeah it's really terrible what was going on there seriously ) it just wasn't ever confirmed that this exact incident is what caused the place to shut down and stay shut down especially with the financial problems of the area. But even if it hadn't shut down I likely wouldn't have ever gone to that particular location after knowing what was going on.

 

[DietCoke18]

TO YOU! It is not a lot TO YOU!

Why are you so worked up about this topic? I’m just curious.

 

[disykat]

Yes, if what the server makes in tips + base pay averaged for the pay period per hour does not equal the higher of federal or state minimum wage, then the employer must make up the difference. Even if all customers tip nothing, a server is guaranteed to make minimum wage.
[/QUOTE]

Thank you for confirming that. These threads insisting they dont make minimum wage drive me crazy. That wouldn't be legal.

 

[kaytieeldr]

What if those same people you are SO concerned about can't afford to pay 20% or more on top of their food bill if THEY want to eat out as a special treat?

Then you make the special meal at home, or you budget/save until you have all the money you expect to spend.

Three Missouri Applebee’s employees were fired over racial profiling, and eventually the restaurant closed.

I just realized this week my local Applebee's is closed. I wonder...

I didn’t even think about the tax. We’re about 8.5% in our area. And I think it’s entirely reasonable to tip pretax.

100%. The server doesn't earn, get, or directly benefit from the tax. Neither does the restaurant. It's fine to tip on the total, but it's not expected. At least not by accounting.

Subtotal $15.97
Tax $1.12
15% tip $2.40
--------------------
$19.49

subtotal $27.27
tax $1.91
20% tip - $5.45
--------------------------
$34.63

In both cases I would found up to at least the next dollar. I can calculate in my head, but I'm lazy.

Thank you for confirming that. These threads insisting they dont make minimum wage drive me crazy. That wouldn't be legal.

Servers are required to earn at least minimum wage by law. In the United States, it's simply tradition/expected that much of the wage comes from diner tips.

 

[maxiesmom]

What if those same people you are SO concerned about can't afford to pay 20% or more on top of their food bill if THEY want to eat out as a special treat? I guess your vulnerable populations and exploited foreign workers better just slink away and eat ramen noodles in their basement.

If you can't afford the tip, knowing that is how things are done, then yes, stay at home and eat until you can afford to pay what you should.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If you can't afford the tip, knowing that is how things are done, then yes, stay at home and eat until you can afford to pay what you should.

Isn't there a difference between not affording 20% (which is what some individuals but not all tip) and not leaving a tip at all (which I think many more people see as a bigger issue) because you can't afford it?

I mean in our race discussion earlier that would be like telling all the poor black people don't go out and eat because you can't afford 20% vs 15% (or slightly less if you will). I would view that as totally wrong to even think.

 

[LSUmiss]

I found a review online for Applebees in 1996
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1996/jul/19/mr-rogers-would-love-applebees-restaurant/
Let's break it down in numbers
If I took my 2 kids to Applebees in 1996 our bill might be:
Bourbon Street Steak (for me) $9.79
Kid 1 $2.59 kids meal
50c drink
Kid 2 $2.59 meal
50c drink
Subtotal $15.97
Tax $1.12
15% tip $2.40
--------------------
$19.49

today:
steak meal: $15.29
kids meal with drink $5.99
kids meal with drink $5.99
subtotal $27.27
tax $1.91
20% tip - $5.45
--------------------------
$34.63

Because of menu prices rising, and an additional 5% tip, server income more than doubled. Makes that $5.15 to $7.25 minimum wage increase look downright PALTRY. Minimum wage for non servers would need to go to $11.70 to compete with the server income.

If we stayed at 15% it would be $2.40 vs $4.09 which is still a 70% increase. Regular minimum wage would have had to go to $8.67 to compete.

Therefore, I still tip 15% and don't feel bad about it at all.

So essentially the tip has gone up a whole $3.05 in 23 years. And $2.50 at 18% & it’s a whole $.81 difference from 15%-18%. Got it.

 

[disneychrista]

If you can't afford the tip, knowing that is how things are done, then yes, stay at home and eat until you can afford to pay what you should.

But what if you CAN in fact afford the 15% tip but you get fooled by the DIS into think that you have to tip at least 20% for average service?

 

[DietCoke18]

But what if you CAN in fact afford the 15% tip but you get fooled by the DIS into think that you have to tip at least 20% for average service?

There is no such thing. If you live and die by these boards, it’s time to step away

 

[LSUmiss]

But what if you CAN in fact afford the 15% tip but you get fooled by the DIS into think that you have to tip at least 20% for average service?

I seriously doubt the dis is that influential and/or that someone who could afford to eat out & tip 15% would avoid eating out b/c they didn’t have the extra few dollars.

 

[Floridaman999]

I'm in the 19.68754% tipper category.

 

[disykat]

If you can't afford the tip, knowing that is how things are done, then yes, stay at home and eat until you can afford to pay what you should.

Lol! How dare people who only make minimum wage and can't tip 20% so their wait staff will earn way more than they do go out to dinner! Good grief. Several of you missed that poster's point!

 

[skyblue17]

Lol! How dare people who only make minimum wage and can't tip 20% so their wait staff will earn way more than they do go out to dinner! Good grief. Several of you missed that poster's point!

This is an interesting slippery slope here.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm in the 19.68754% tipper category.

Do you fall into the category of needing a calculator or can you do that math in your head

Inquiring minds want to know

 

[Floridaman999]

Do you fall into the category of needing a calculator or can you do that math in your head

Inquiring minds want to know

I think we both know the answer to that one. Rain man I am not.

 

[disneychrista]

This is an interesting slippery slope here.

Not really because until tipping becomes REQUIRED it is still up to the discretion of the patron to tip (or not) what they feel is fair. No one is under a legal obligation to tip.

 

[skyblue17]

Not really because until tipping becomes REQUIRED it is still up to the discretion of the patron to tip (or not) what they feel is fair. No one is under a legal obligation to tip.

No, they're not, but as soon as you start going into how people shouldn't feel obligated to tip service staff because they themselves might not make as much as the service staff, you're going down a dangerous road. Would this apply to a hair salon too, then? "I can afford this $25 haircut, but can only afford to tip you $3, since I make less than you, this should be fine!" If a delivery guy carries a fridge up your stairs, do you not tip him because you were able to afford the fridge but can't afford the tip?

 

[sam_gordon]

No, they're not, but as soon as you start going into how people shouldn't feel obligated to tip service staff because they themselves might not make as much as the service staff, you're going down a dangerous road. Would this apply to a hair salon too, then? "I can afford this $25 haircut, but can only afford to tip you $3, since I make less than you, this should be fine!" If a delivery guy carries a fridge up your stairs, do you not tip him because you were able to afford the fridge but can't afford the tip?

A tip should never be expected.

 

[disneychrista]

No, they're not, but as soon as you start going into how people shouldn't feel obligated to tip service staff because they themselves might not make as much as the service staff, you're going down a dangerous road. Would this apply to a hair salon too, then? "I can afford this $25 haircut, but can only afford to tip you $3, since I make less than you, this should be fine!" If a delivery guy carries a fridge up your stairs, do you not tip him because you were able to afford the fridge but can't afford the tip?

Yes as a matter of fact it applies in all situations.

And I’ve never even thought to tip a delivery person. Or the mail person. The UPS person. The trash pick up people. Or any of a number of people that some feel the need to tip.