Tipping suggestion on receipt

[tvguy]

And can anyone explain how the expected percentage for tips has crept up over the years? Do they all just decide one day we should be shelling out more? The nature of the work hasn't changed and the dollar amount of tips has gone up with the dollar amount of restaurant prices. It feels kinda like being pick-pocketed. I'd also like some answers to @kyton 's question - where will the average customer draw the line?

In the states with the $2.13 minimum wage for tipped positions, the answer may be that $2.13 an hour hasn't changed in decades. Best I can tell $2.13 was the minimum wage for tipped position as far back as at least 1990.

 

[LSUmiss]

I guess I just have issues with people drawing the line at tipping? Like, if you're fine with paying for a bottle of wine, and you're fine with spending $50 for a steak, you're fine with spending the $8 for two scoops of ice cream that would be $3 a pint at Safeway, what's another $5 going to the wait staff? Nickle and dime-ing over tip percentages is just so odd to me.

And the difference between 15% & 20% in most case is just a few dollars more. IF the bill is as much as $200 which is unlikely ppl are talking about that much for one meal, then the difference is $10 which isn’t much when you’ve spent $200 on dinner & even less if it’s 18% vs 20%.

 

[gwynne]

We tip 20%. We don't get all bothered by suggested tips. We do what we always do. It's not been a problem

 

[disneychrista]

And the difference between 15% & 20% in most case is just a few dollars more. IF the bill is as much as $200 which is unlikely ppl are talking about that much for one meal, then the difference is $10 which isn’t much when you’ve spent $200 on dinner & even less if it’s 18% vs 20%.

Unless you scrimped and saved to afford that special dinner. An extra $10 is A LOT OF MONEY to a lot of people. Me included.

 

[Skywalker]

I tip 15%. Once it starts getting up 20% and more, that's laughable. Because once it becomes the norm then that's the baseline the server gets just for showing up. So a really good server deserves, what, 30%? 40%? Nah. Sure people want more, I want more money in my job too, but there's a cap on what my job is worth - I can't just continually expect more and more. Also, I am in Canada where the servers in my province make like $15/hr and still expect U.S. style tips.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Someone would always go back and leave more money on the table for the server.

We did that for a while with my dad. He was so used to 10% being "normal" and 15% "excellent" that he under-tipped for a while when things started changing. He eventually caught up, though.

 

[skyblue17]

Unless you scrimped and saved to afford that special dinner. An extra $10 is A LOT OF MONEY to a lot of people. Me included.

Your server would probably agree, but hey, it's a special dinner, and they're only a service employee, right.

 

[LSUmiss]

Unless you scrimped and saved to afford that special dinner. An extra $10 is A LOT OF MONEY to a lot of people. Me included.

A lot of $, really? What all can you really buy with $10 these days? I wouldn’t want to waste $10, but it’s not a lot of money. And that’s the high end. Most ppl are haggling over a 2% difference which is $4 & it’s not likely the meal is $200.

 

[disneychrista]

Your server would probably agree, but hey, it's a special dinner, and they're only a service employee, right.

Yep screw them!

Not all what I was saying but if you want to think that more power to you.

I was saying an EXTRA $10 beyond the 15% tip that they ALREADY left because they BUDGET it.

 

[disneychrista]

A lot of $, really? What all can you really buy with $10 these days? I wouldn’t want to waste $10, but it’s not a lot of money.

TO YOU! It is not a lot TO YOU!

 

[skyblue17]

Yep screw them!

Not all what I was saying but if you want to think that more power to you.

I was saying an EXTRA $10 beyond the 15% tip that they ALREADY left because they BUDGET it.

Right, the point is that 15% is widely regarded as the minimum tip. So if you're only budgeting for the bare minimum tip, you aren't expecting good service? Or you just say that it's enough, regardless of the service, because no matter what, you're already served and there's not really anything the server can do about it? When really, you can tip a little better and represent yourself better and the server doesn't have to get docked for drawing the bad tipper short straw.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yipes, y'all these are why the tipping threads get heated (and I speak from personal past thread experience on my own comments lol).

 

[LSUmiss]

TO YOU! It is not a lot TO YOU!

To anyone b/c it matters what you can really buy with that $. No one wants to spend extra $, but if you spend $200 on a meal then it’s either a nice meal or you had a lot of ppl at your table so unless the service is terrible any less than 18% (in the US) is just stiffing the server. And the difference is only $6 between 15% & 18%.

 

[disneychrista]

any less than 18% (in the US) is just stiffing the server.

And here I thought leaving NOTHING was stiffing the server.

 

[lifesavacation]

In the states with the $2.13 minimum wage for tipped positions, the answer may be that $2.13 an hour hasn't changed in decades. Best I can tell $2.13 was the minimum wage for tipped position as far back as at least 1990.

Servers in WA get a minimum of $12/hour. Some areas it’s $15/hr.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Reading through this thread the thing that surprises me is that people are still seeing an option to leave 15% in a restaurant. I haven't seen that option in many years. I think the suggestion the OP was given is too high, but it's been many years, since I saw a suggestion lower than 18%. Restaurants that automatically add the tip add 20%. The only exception I've seen recently is one of the delivery services here offers 15%, 18% & 20%. 18% is the default. The others don't offer a 15% option. They offer 18%, 20% & 22%. 20% is the default.

 

[RamblingMad]

Servers in WA get a minimum of $12/hour. Some areas it’s $15/hr.

If you adjust for inflation and cost of living, that’s still really low.

 

[Disney Doll]

I usually tip 20%. Unless service is really bad then it’ll be based on what I think the service was worth, if anything.

 

[tvguy]

Servers in WA get a minimum of $12/hour. Some areas it’s $15/hr.

But in 18 states it is $2.13 an hour.
https://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm

 

[HeatherC]

I generally give 20% as a rule and often times a little more. I know I’m probably in the minority, but I was always under the impression that a tip was something one chose to give for service that went above and beyond.

I never not leave a tip at a restaurant but I do think it is my choice on how much to leave.

If one chooses to work in the service industry relying on tips to pay their bills, that is also their choice. But that doesn’t mean I have to leave a certain amount just because of that.

I do think paying minimum wage is just how it should be. $2.13 an hour is ridiculous and in those states I can certainly see where tips take on more importance.

But I also am tired of seeing a tip jar everywhere for what is basically someone doing the job they were hired to do. If you take a job as a cashier you agreed to a certain amount of pay. It’s not up to me to pay you more because you rang up my milk at the cash register. That is what you were hired to do.