Tipping in the US

cosbloodymick

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

yeah maybe they would, and maybe they'd have to fire a chunk of their employees because they can't afford to employ them all at the level of pay required if everyone stopped tipping

How do companies whose staff traditionally don't get tips survive then? I don't think there is any evidence to suggest that they are firing more workers than the tipping sectors. I think if the tipping sector companies increased thier prices a little so as to pay a living wage to staff it would be a more transparent system for everyone. Then there would be no discussions like this where people are confused about where they stand re how much to leave in a tip. Tipping is actually demeaning to the person being tipped a kind of "take the crumbs from my table, peasant".
Worse still ,its spreading form the US into countries that it never existed in to the benifit of no one.

rockonollie

Just to give an example of the difference.......where I live (Ohio) the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.....but for staff receiving tips, the minimum wage is $2.13 per hour, with the assumption that the tips and $2.13 hourly wage would average out to meet the $7.25 minimum wage.

cosbloodymick

rockonollie wrote: »

Just to give an example of the difference.......where I live (Ohio) the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.....but for staff receiving tips, the minimum wage is $2.13 per hour, with the assumption that the tips and $2.13 hourly wage would average out to meet the $7.25 minimum wage.

Bonkers system! There is always the possibility that the tips fail to make up the difference. Better off to pay everyone the same minimum wage and give up the tipping system.

dave2pvd

cosbloodymick wrote: »

How do companies whose staff traditionally don't get tips survive then? I don't think there is any evidence to suggest that they are firing more workers than the tipping sectors. I think if the tipping sector companies increased thier prices a little so as to pay a living wage to staff it would be a more transparent system for everyone. Then there would be no discussions like this where people are confused about where they stand re how much to leave in a tip. Tipping is actually demeaning to the person being tipped a kind of "take the crumbs from my table, peasant".
Worse still ,its spreading form the US into countries that it never existed in to the benifit of no one.

1) Americans have no qualms dealing with money. It's not regarded as being demeaning. How is getting paid demeaning?
2) The tipping culture encourages better service, rewarding those that work hardest. Service in US restaurants for example is far better than in Irish restaurants.
3) The system is quite transparent. Why change it?
4) Spreading to other countries? This, surely, is a sign of the apocalypse.

rockonollie

cosbloodymick wrote: »

Tipping is actually demeaning to the person being tipped a kind of "take the crumbs from my table, peasant".

That's a bit of a stretch, how is receiving a tip, which is a sign of appreciation for their service, demeaning?

dave2pvd

cosbloodymick wrote: »

Better off to pay everyone the same minimum wage and give up the tipping system.

Indeed. I'll write a letter to my Congressman.

jluv

I was a waitress in NY for a good few years. 45 hour week would get me around 80 to 90 dollars from employer. 15 % was the norm at that time for a tip. Certainly encouraged me to give great service as great service could mean 20% and that people would request to sit at your table.Business groups were great as tip was auto added for groups of 6 or more and if the people in the group felt they had got great service they would throw you a few bucks as well!
Bear in mind though,out of that you have to tip the busboy 15% and bartender 10%.
One Sunday at mass the local priest said he wanted 10% as well:eek:

cosbloodymick

dave2pvd wrote: »

1) Americans have no qualms dealing with money. It's not regarded as being demeaning. How is getting paid demeaning?
2) The tipping culture encourages better service, rewarding those that work hardest. Service in US restaurants for example is far better than in Irish restaurants.
3) The system is quite transparent. Why change it?
4) Spreading to other countries? This, surely, is a sign of the apocalypse.

1) Its the responsibility of the employer to pay wages.
2) Staff in the US demand tips regardless of the quality of service.
3)The system is not transparent - hence this thread.
4) Sarcasm noted

You are entitled to your opinion if you think its a good way to operate.
I don't like it. I prefer the European model. I know several people who dislike the tipping system that operates in the US. Its one of the few negatives of visiting the USA.

cosbloodymick

rockonollie wrote: »

That's a bit of a stretch, how is receiving a tip, which is a sign of appreciation for their service, demeaning?

Its demeaning as it suggests that the tipper is saying "I know you are in a badly paid job, but I am doing OK at the moment so here is a bit extra to pay the gas bill". How many of the really well paid jobs rely on tips. Imagine saying to your bank manager "thanks for arranging that mortgage for me, here's a tenner to buy yourself a pint with" I reckon said bank manager would be dusgusted and rightly so. I value all the efforts of all workers so why should some jobs have to rely on tips to survive.
All workers should be paid a decent wage for their efforts and should not have to rely on the charity of others.

dave2pvd

cosbloodymick wrote: »

I think if the tipping sector companies increased thier prices a little so as to pay a living wage to staff it would be a more transparent system for everyone.

See, here's the bottom line: 313,914,040 people disagree with you.

uncleoswald

dave2pvd wrote: »

2) The tipping culture encourages better service, rewarding those that work hardest. Service in US restaurants for example is far better than in Irish restaurants.

Tipping is frowned upon in countries such as Japan yet service is excellent. Also the better service you speak of in American restaurants can also be found in the likes of MacDonalds or by bus drivers etc.. that don't rely on tips.

Also if I get bad service from one company my preferred method of protesting as a customer is to simply not use that company again in the future, this encourages employers to make sure their staff is giving good service. If I receive bad service and decide to not leave a tip, as would be my prerogative, you may then have to be confronted by disgruntled employees and be forced into a confrontation.

cosbloodymick

dave2pvd wrote: »

See, here's the bottom line: 313,914,040 people disagree with you.

Incorrect, I know quite a few US citizens that don't like the tipping system.
Obviously you disagree. But you're entitled to like a crap system.

dave2pvd

Are we in After Hours?

Ponster

rockonollie wrote: »

Except the stories of waiters and waitresses chasing people out of restaraunts and assaulting them......or posting photos online of your receipt without the tip (if you used a card, your name will be right there) or even worse......stealing your card numbers and selling them to fraudsters.

In 2002 I was drinking at a bar in California with two friends that I was travelling with. They decided to head home early and so I stepped outside with them to point them in the right direction of the hotel, intending to go back into the bar. Out ran the guy who had been serving us for the previous 2 hours and grabbed me by the arm telling me that I had forgotten to tip (the girls had bought the beers and I was going to cover the tip when I finished up for the evening). He was't violent as such but more scared that he wasn't going to get paid the $40/$50 that he expected to get (and that we intended to give him).

iusedtoknow

Ponster wrote: »

In 2002 I was drinking at a bar in California with two friends that I was travelling with. They decided to head home early and so I stepped outside with them to point them in the right direction of the hotel, intending to go back into the bar. Out ran the guy who had been serving us for the previous 2 hours and grabbed me by the arm telling me that I had forgotten to tip (the girls had bought the beers and I was going to cover the tip when I finished up for the evening). He was't violent as such but more scared that he wasn't going to get paid the $40/$50 that he expected to get (and that we intended to give him).

I haven't seen this in CA but when I was working in Texas, we went to a pretty normal place near our hotel in San Antonio. The bill had a space not only for the server but also for the attendent who showed you to your seat.

So we left 20% for the server, and as we were walking out the door - the attendent ran out and asked us if we didn't like our table or what was it that she didn't get a tip. I honestly didn't know what to do, so i had a 5 in my pocket and gave it to her. She tore it up in front of me, and said not to patronize her.

InTheTrees

iusedtoknow wrote: »

I haven't seen this in CA but when I was working in Texas, we went to a pretty normal place near our hotel in San Antonio. The bill had a space not only for the server but also for the attendent who showed you to your seat.

So we left 20% for the server, and as we were walking out the door - the attendent ran out and asked us if we didn't like our table or what was it that she didn't get a tip. I honestly didn't know what to do, so i had a 5 in my pocket and gave it to her. She tore it up in front of me, and said not to patronize her.

That's nuts.

:mad:

Ponster

iusedtoknow wrote: »

So we left 20% for the server, and as we were walking out the door - the attendent ran out and asked us if we didn't like our table or what was it that she didn't get a tip. I honestly didn't know what to do, so i had a 5 in my pocket and gave it to her. She tore it up in front of me, and said not to patronize her.

That's a once in a lifetime experience I hope that I just shared with an office full of Americans, none of whom had ever heard of a place where the hostess was expected to receive a tip.

iusedtoknow

Ponster wrote: »

That's a once in a lifetime experience I hope that I just shared with an office full of Americans, none of whom had ever heard of a place where the hostess was expected to receive a tip.

Oh i know, I was with a couple of Americans and they had never seen it before, they didn't know how to deal with it either.

I blame Texas

lil_lisa

I came across this article a couple of days ago. So, supposedly most bars have a "comp" tab for the bar, that would explain a lot of free drinks I've had over the last few years - all at regular bars mind you, where the bartenders recognize us.

dave2pvd

lil_lisa wrote: »

I came across this article a couple of days ago. So, supposedly most bars have a "comp" tab for the bar, that would explain a lot of free drinks I've had over the last few years - all at regular bars mind you, where the bartenders recognize us.

More specifically, each individual bartender has a comp tab. Sometimes table service waiters do too.

Like tipping, I'm a big fan of the comp tab. Proper free market mechanisms, right there.

Mousewar

The craziest bit of tipping I ever saw was waiting for a taxi outside a hotel in Vegas. There was a huge line of people waiting and the taxis were queueing up to take them. There was an attendant from the hotel who did nothing more than open the taxi door for the next group in line. Every person threw him a buck. i waited about 12 minutes and I reckon he took nearly fifty bucks in that time. He had a massive pile of notes in his hand. That works out about a couple of hundred bucks per hour just for opening car doors. Mad.

lc180

Hi, I'm heading to the US on business next month. Gonna be getting a town car from the airport to my hotel, its about a 50min to 1 hour journey.

I never know how much I'm expected to tip the driver - far from drivers i was raised! Hah

Anyone have any idea how much is an acceptable amount?

Cheers,

Dr Turk Turkelton

lc180 wrote: »

Hi, I'm heading to the US on business next month. Gonna be getting a town car from the airport to my hotel, its about a 50min to 1 hour journey.

I never know how much I'm expected to tip the driver - far from drivers i was raised! Hah

Anyone have any idea how much is an acceptable amount?

Cheers,

If the company you are doing business with are paying for the car they are already billed 20% for the tip for the driver so no need for a tip.
If you procure a towncar yourself it will be 15/20% of your fare.

murphym7

Mousewar wrote: »

The craziest bit of tipping I ever saw was waiting for a taxi outside a hotel in Vegas. There was a huge line of people waiting and the taxis were queueing up to take them. There was an attendant from the hotel who did nothing more than open the taxi door for the next group in line. Every person threw him a buck. i waited about 12 minutes and I reckon he took nearly fifty bucks in that time. He had a massive pile of notes in his hand. That works out about a couple of hundred bucks per hour just for opening car doors. Mad.

These are some of the most desirable jobs in Vegas too, if you get one of these jobs you are laughing - you will make a fortune.

InTheTrees

Mousewar wrote: »

The craziest bit of tipping I ever saw was waiting for a taxi outside a hotel in Vegas. There was a huge line of people waiting and the taxis were queueing up to take them. There was an attendant from the hotel who did nothing more than open the taxi door for the next group in line. Every person threw him a buck. i waited about 12 minutes and I reckon he took nearly fifty bucks in that time. He had a massive pile of notes in his hand. That works out about a couple of hundred bucks per hour just for opening car doors. Mad.

My GF has a cousin who lives in Vegas and makes a tidy living as a valet parker. He has a nice house, wife and kids. And he's been doing it for Years.

Vegas takes the whole tipping thing to extremes.

InTheTrees

lc180 wrote: »

Hi, I'm heading to the US on business next month. Gonna be getting a town car from the airport to my hotel, its about a 50min to 1 hour journey.

I never know how much I'm expected to tip the driver - far from drivers i was raised! Hah

Anyone have any idea how much is an acceptable amount?

Cheers,

Even in spite of that i'd have said a $5 would be appropriate. If the driver is good that is.

ProudDUB

Mousewar wrote: »

The craziest bit of tipping I ever saw was waiting for a taxi outside a hotel in Vegas. There was a huge line of people waiting and the taxis were queueing up to take them. There was an attendant from the hotel who did nothing more than open the taxi door for the next group in line. Every person threw him a buck. i waited about 12 minutes and I reckon he took nearly fifty bucks in that time. He had a massive pile of notes in his hand. That works out about a couple of hundred bucks per hour just for opening car doors. Mad.

It's not mad at all. Taxis are very heavily regulated in Las Vegas. They can not cruise around and pick up passengers in the street the way that they can here. In Vegas, a taxi driver can only pick them up at designated ranks, such as at hotels. So taxis can be waiting ages to get to the top of the line to get a fare. As people can't catch a cab on the street, long passenger queues can develop at those ranks too. If the rank is at one of those 4000 bed mega hotels, that is gonna be one looooonnnng queue.

Add in the 120 degree heat, and those queues can get a bit fractious, with the taxis and passengers all trying to pull a fast one to to escape the heat. What you are paying your buck for is to thank the dude who stands there in the 120 degree heat, keeping everything and everyone moving along in an orderly fashion. To an Irish person not used to the American tipping culture, it may seem like a bit of racket, but take that dude away, and chaos would very quickly descend.

Anyone who has ever waited for a taxi at the O'Connell St rank after the pubs close (before taxis were deregulated) knows exactly what I am talking about. I'm not a fan of the Vegas culture of tipping anything and any one with a pulse, but that's one I have no problem with.