Obligatory Tipping In America Is Stupid

Nah, I like being able to decide what I believe the service is worth. I have no problem stiffin' a jabroni who doesn't do their job. I also have no problem hookin people up who have provided exceptional service.

That said my fav restaurants are low key counter service spots. I can refill my own pepsi and wait for my number to be called.

The whole waiting industry is pretty wack and useless in general unless you're at a restaurant that's truly special.

I do agree they’ve started adding a “tip” option at a lot of dumb places you wouldn’t normally tip. It makes me second guess myself sometimes

The only tip i give is the tip of my full brim yankee cap. M'homie

**This post was edited on Jul 8th 2021 at 11:46:35pm

Sounds like you've never worked a job where tips are 50%+ of your income.

eheathSounds like you've never worked a job where tips are 50%+ of your income.

Sounds like you and 90% of people miss the point.


I didn't say that I don't, also why does everyone hate the person that mentions this absurdity, but not restaurants that pay 3 bucks an hour or whatever.

Also when given the option of getting paid 20 something an hour people want the tips. If they don't want to do a straight 20% tip comission then they just like gambling. If you want to gamble for that 100$ tip on a small order you didn't deserve i dont feel bad when you get screwed. It's a stupid system.

Now subway and other places are asking for tips, but bagging groceries doesn't get you a tip. Just get rid if it. If you know you want 20% tip charged 20% more. It's not that hard.

theabortionatorSounds like you and 90% of people miss the point.


I didn't say that I don't, also why does everyone hate the person that mentions this absurdity, but not restaurants that pay 3 bucks an hour or whatever.

Also when given the option of getting paid 20 something an hour people want the tips. If they don't want to do a straight 20% tip comission then they just like gambling. If you want to gamble for that 100$ tip on a small order you didn't deserve i dont feel bad when you get screwed. It's a stupid system.

Now subway and other places are asking for tips, but bagging groceries doesn't get you a tip. Just get rid if it. If you know you want 20% tip charged 20% more. It's not that hard.

Nobody who makes 20/hr cares about tips, huh?

I guess we've had different experiences, I've never felt forced to tip when I don't think its appropriate ie at a subway, bagging groceries etc.

As for servers getting paid $3, its a capitolist system, the server gets paid regardless, it just skips the middle man (the business and the government for some). It's how it has been and will likely continue to be this way in the USA, its not like people are paying less/making less money, its just exchanged differently. I'd argue servers make more money than they would if the restaurant just paid them the equivalent of a 18% tip, people want it this way.

theabortionatorSounds like you and 90% of people miss the point.


I didn't say that I don't, also why does everyone hate the person that mentions this absurdity, but not restaurants that pay 3 bucks an hour or whatever.

Also when given the option of getting paid 20 something an hour people want the tips. If they don't want to do a straight 20% tip comission then they just like gambling. If you want to gamble for that 100$ tip on a small order you didn't deserve i dont feel bad when you get screwed. It's a stupid system.

Now subway and other places are asking for tips, but bagging groceries doesn't get you a tip. Just get rid if it. If you know you want 20% tip charged 20% more. It's not that hard.

Most places if you do not hit the min wage with your tips the restuarant is required to compensate up to min wage.

You are ironically stating that you WANT obligatory tipping, when the system in place now isn't. You're paying for 2 things. The food, and the service. If a place doesn't offer service, don't tip. Just like you wouldn't expect to pay for food you didn't recieve. Don't tip at subway. Tip at the boujee sushi place where the waitstaff catered an entire meal to your taste.

Also, if anyone who has bartended or waited tables was any good at it, they'd choose tips over automatic gratuity charges 100% of the time. I use to pull 6-700 a weekend cash slinging pizza and pouring beer. I made WAY more than if my boss just upcharged everything by 15%.

What I'm getting at is embrace your choice when, if, and how much you tip. I don't understand why you wouldn't want that.

eheathNobody who makes 20/hr cares about tips, huh?

I guess we've had different experiences, I've never felt forced to tip when I don't think its appropriate ie at a subway, bagging groceries etc.

As for servers getting paid $3, its a capitolist system, the server gets paid regardless, it just skips the middle man (the business and the government for some). It's how it has been and will likely continue to be this way in the USA, its not like people are paying less/making less money, its just exchanged differently. I'd argue servers make more money than they would if the restaurant just paid them the equivalent of a 18% tip, people want it this way.

They probably do, which makes it even more ridiculous to me. Idk. If you yave a set price you want just tell me. People will say it's for quality service but you're an asshole if you tip bad for bad service (according to same people) as well as tipping getting you better service than if it wasn't a thing. I've gotten far shittier service and than in lots of countries and still had to here.

I get that "that's just the way is is" i just think it's dumb.

BiffbarfMost places if you do not hit the min wage with your tips the restuarant is required to compensate up to min wage.

You are ironically stating that you WANT obligatory tipping, when the system in place now isn't. You're paying for 2 things. The food, and the service. If a place doesn't offer service, don't tip. Just like you wouldn't expect to pay for food you didn't recieve. Don't tip at subway. Tip at the boujee sushi place where the waitstaff catered an entire meal to your taste.

Also, if anyone who has bartended or waited tables was any good at it, they'd choose tips over automatic gratuity charges 100% of the time. I use to pull 6-700 a weekend cash slinging pizza and pouring beer. I made WAY more than if my boss just upcharged everything by 15%.

What I'm getting at is embrace your choice when, if, and how much you tip. I don't understand why you wouldn't want that.

No i didn't say that. People consider you an asshole if you don't tip regardless. 20% factored in is more of an included bonus. Food cost massively more than it cost to buy and even cook. There's charges worked in.

Absolutely wait staff would say no to it but they're also the first to bitch about anytime they feel they got shorted. If you want to gamble you'll lose sometimes. I have no sympathy if people don't want a living wage or a comision but complain eternally if they get boned once.

I'd say pick up type setups will replace some.of the stuff but allegedly you're supposed to tip normal on that too now.

Tipping is just a shit American tradition that makes average Joe's feel special imo. Everyone tips but people like they're doing some epic favor by doing so. Also Americans fuck it up in other countries.when they travel.

Tipping should be like giving a review, a good tip if item is as described etc. or no tip if it wasn't or you just forget or something.

Yeah op I feel you. It's kinda engrained in society.

Tips I can't stand:
-Tips for easy fucking stuff that doesn't deserve tips but they throw that tip line in the receipt just to fuck with you. Valets too- no if I'm staying in your hotel and being forced to valet, you can fucking fuck off.
-The awkward moment picking up food and putting a zero in the tip line.
-People expecting tips for tours or being guides. No. No. Fucking no. Charge more. Otherwise fuck you cuz I'm already paying a fuck ton, you ain't getting more.



I agree with @ASSholebomber22 in the sense I like being able to say fuck you if you were the worst server on the entire planet. I usually tip well but have left $0.01 and $0.00 before cuz service was God awful. I'd be quite heated if 20% gratuity was included and my server was off being a dipshit. Even in those circumstances you could probably call a manager over and get it removed if the service was truly bad.


Then you got the whole thing of servers who work in rich tourist areas. If you're good enough and if you work at a nice enough restaurant, you can make bank...like a lot of cash. So in those cases wtf are you supposed to do as the customer? Do you tip 20% on the bill regardless? If your bill is $1000 do you tip $200? Where is the cap? Just because my bill was a few hundred dollars doesn't necessarily mean the server didn't anything different (granted at really nice places, the servers are usually impeccable and go above and beyond).

I work at a kayak rental/ tour place, and I've found people really only leave a tip if their experience was an exceptional experience for them. I don't think we suggest tips, they just happen.

HypeBeastYeah op I feel you. It's kinda engrained in society.

Tips I can't stand:
-Tips for easy fucking stuff that doesn't deserve tips but they throw that tip line in the receipt just to fuck with you. Valets too- no if I'm staying in your hotel and being forced to valet, you can fucking fuck off.
-The awkward moment picking up food and putting a zero in the tip line.
-People expecting tips for tours or being guides. No. No. Fucking no. Charge more. Otherwise fuck you cuz I'm already paying a fuck ton, you ain't getting more.



I agree with @ASSholebomber22 in the sense I like being able to say fuck you if you were the worst server on the entire planet. I usually tip well but have left $0.01 and $0.00 before cuz service was God awful. I'd be quite heated if 20% gratuity was included and my server was off being a dipshit. Even in those circumstances you could probably call a manager over and get it removed if the service was truly bad.


Then you got the whole thing of servers who work in rich tourist areas. If you're good enough and if you work at a nice enough restaurant, you can make bank...like a lot of cash. So in those cases wtf are you supposed to do as the customer? Do you tip 20% on the bill regardless? If your bill is $1000 do you tip $200? Where is the cap? Just because my bill was a few hundred dollars doesn't necessarily mean the server didn't anything different (granted at really nice places, the servers are usually impeccable and go above and beyond).

https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1006564/Chip-Da-Ripper-freestyle--Interior-Crocodile-Alligator-full-song- I never tip the stripper

Tipping needs to go back to the standard of being reserved for exceptional service but is not expected. I most non food related customer aervice positions this still seems to be the standard. Loved getting a nice tip after a lesson but I wasn't expecting it and get paid appropriately without anyway. Making tip a cover part of even minimum wage is dumb.

Slippin' is somethin' I don't do, tippin' for life

The problem is not everyone’s a tipper, deserved tip or not, the problem I have is in “shared” tips, if I tip u that’s for you for serving me, if my drinks and food are deserving I’ll ask the server to give and I’ll provide additional tips for a bartender or cook, I also don’t like tips being tracked, it should be up to the recipient of the tip if they report the full amount or not, it also may just be better to pay servers more and have grades of servers etc, grade A gets paid more than C. Fast food tips are out of the question, at least as mandatory fees, no one needs a tip for handing out a slapped together bag of poisonous garbage that took waaay too long.

theabortionatorIt doesn't make the service better, you aren't a baller tipping the same amount that's expected and everyone else tips, it's just dumb.

Can we do away with this ever?

The answer seemed unlikely but I've seen a few places including a 20% tip in with the price. That makes a lot if sense. Restaurants can still keep the tips and people can pay the price on the item.

It's seeping into everything though. Even fast food places are asking for tips now. We hate hidden fees, but love tipping, what is up America?

We’re arguing among ourselves when it’s the restaurant being cheap by A) not paying a better wage or adjusting prices accordingly ($0.50-2 per item increase)
B) not including tax in the price.
We are subsidizing the restaurant. Goddamn we subsidize so much shit in the USA and we just don’t realize. We aren’t wealthy plantation owners. Tipping should not be necessary bar great experiences.


My source: literally the rest of the world.

BradFiAusNzCoCaWe’re arguing among ourselves when it’s the restaurant being cheap by A) not paying a better wage or adjusting prices accordingly ($0.50-2 per item increase)
B) not including tax in the price.
We are subsidizing the restaurant. Goddamn we subsidize so much shit in the USA and we just don’t realize. We aren’t wealthy plantation owners. Tipping should not be necessary bar great experiences.


My source: literally the rest of the world.

I get upset with the idea that the 'restaurant is being cheap' when I grew up in a manufactured home with a mom that poured her heart and soul into running a cafe while bringing home 30k a year. This is the reality for many, many restaurants and small businesses. If not most. They're not 'being cheap'. Business owners are literally paying what they can while often times not knowing if, when, or what they'll get paid.

It takes a fuckload of eggs and bacon to sell before you're making enough money to 'be cheap' with it.

Forcing those prices to raise is doing exactly what you're saying - subsidizing low skill labor. Keeping it a choice means you get to decide whether or not the person who walked your plate of food across the room deserves money

BradFiAusNzCoCaWe’re arguing among ourselves when it’s the restaurant being cheap by A) not paying a better wage or adjusting prices accordingly ($0.50-2 per item increase)
B) not including tax in the price.
We are subsidizing the restaurant. Goddamn we subsidize so much shit in the USA and we just don’t realize. We aren’t wealthy plantation owners. Tipping should not be necessary bar great experiences.


My source: literally the rest of the world.

The last people who want tipping to go away are waiters. You’d get worse service if you went to a tip free restraunt on the simple basis that any semi-decent waiter would rather work literally anywhere else and make more money.

CLQThe last people who want tipping to go away are waiters. You’d get worse service if you went to a tip free restraunt on the simple basis that any semi-decent waiter would rather work literally anywhere else and make more money.

Maybe in America. But honestly the service sucks a lot of the time anyway regardless of tips. It's really just a required fee most places.

Tipping culture in the US is only a thing because it enables restaurants and other service jobs to only pay their employees the bare minimum and forces the consumer to foot the bill.

270on420outTipping culture in the US is only a thing because it enables restaurants and other service jobs to only pay their employees the bare minimum and forces the consumer to foot the bill.

The consumer would foot the bill anyway...

eheathThe consumer would foot the bill anyway...

The consumer foots the bill for service provided. Tipping is a social obligation that the consumer is burdened with because service employees rely on them to make a livable wage. How would the consumer foot the bill if the loophole for minimum wage was closed?

270on420outThe consumer foots the bill for service provided. Tipping is a social obligation that the consumer is burdened with because service employees rely on them to make a livable wage. How would the consumer foot the bill if the loophole for minimum wage was closed?

The loophole is already closed in a lot of places. Most places if your tips do not make min wage or more the employer must pay min wage.

270on420outThe consumer foots the bill for service provided. Tipping is a social obligation that the consumer is burdened with because service employees rely on them to make a livable wage. How would the consumer foot the bill if the loophole for minimum wage was closed?

Its simple really, if you pay servers a good wage (say 20/hour) then the restaurant is going to charge more money for the food, most restaurants run very slim margins so that cost would go to the consumer.

**This post was edited on Jul 9th 2021 at 7:49:24pm

eheathIts simple really, if you pay servers a good wage (say 20/hour) then the restaurant is going to charge more money for the food, most restaurants run very slim margins so that cost would go to the consumer.

**This post was edited on Jul 9th 2021 at 7:49:24pm

Yeah but if they made everything 18-25% more expensive and paid their employees minimum wage then the customer is paying pretty much the same price and the employer isn’t losing money.

even in the fanciest restaurants, if the chef is good, they should be able to turn any dogshit ingredients into gold that people will pay $30 a plate for.

i made $2.50 in tips today

Its a service industry legal tax dodge? There has to be a reason why we still use a tipping system to this day…

freestyler540Its a service industry legal tax dodge? There has to be a reason why we still use a tipping system to this day…

100% if that shit is cash I know plenty of servers who don't report that income. Not legal as you put it though. The government are nazis about taxes

tip the bike shop or you’re a clown

Evantheshredstertip the bike shop or you’re a clown

Why would you tip if the service is already being charged that makes no sense. Also if I spend 3k+ on a bike and the shop expects a tip they can suck my ass

HypeBeast100% if that shit is cash I know plenty of servers who don't report that income. Not legal as you put it though. The government are nazis about taxes

I think he was being facetious, its pretty obvious that people get cash tips and dont report them....

Loads of people i know who work in the service industry get like 1/2 their tips via CCs and half cash so it can work out pretty well.

Used to be a time it was all cash, i averaged $100 hr in highschool @a place called stone crab, ate all the seafood I could too for free,when they went to shared/reported tips I started washing dishes for $13 instead 😞, had many people specifically request me so they got a speedy spazzy accurate friendly server, not a junkie or fowl mouthed Karen, I’m not sharing my tips

eheathI think he was being facetious, its pretty obvious that people get cash tips and dont report them....

Loads of people i know who work in the service industry get like 1/2 their tips via CCs and half cash so it can work out pretty well.

freestyler540Its a service industry legal tax dodge? There has to be a reason why we still use a tipping system to this day…

You are supposed to report income from tips, so it is a grey area at best.
A lot of places in Europe don't have any tipping culture. People in service industries in the UK for instance don't expect tips and they are paid living wages instead.

You are not obligated to tip at fast food places. Just press the skip button on the pin pad when asks if you want to tip lmao

I agree. Service in USA is actually dogshit half the time. Explain to me why I get better service and don’t have to tip or pay tax on top in other countries?

Ill tell you why: servers expect tips and they know it’s a social obligation.


If anyone thinks service in USA is great - then you need to travel, bud.

theabortionatorMaybe in America. But honestly the service sucks a lot of the time anyway regardless of tips. It's really just a required fee most places.

People are hating on this but I 100% understand tipping a ski shop for a quick mount as opposed to a waiter for shit service and them expecting it.

And before anyone kicks up - I actually always tip 20%+ in USA. But it’s total bullshit.

BiffbarfWhy would you tip if the service is already being charged that makes no sense. Also if I spend 3k+ on a bike and the shop expects a tip they can suck my ass

Really pisses me off that we’re all about “the freehand of the market” and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps in USA” yet demand tipping. Well the reality is, if that restaurant can’t make it without tipping - maybe it just can’t make it. We’re so cut throat about everything else, so why do we make these excuses for restaurants?

Dont get me wrong - I’m all about livable wages and people not being crushed by the system but this hypocrisy is insane in the USA.

BradFiAusNzCoCaI agree. Service in USA is actually dogshit half the time. Explain to me why I get better service and don’t have to tip or pay tax on top in other countries?

Ill tell you why: servers expect tips and they know it’s a social obligation.


If anyone thinks service in USA is great - then you need to travel, bud.

Yeah i posted something about the tipping being stupid on facebook and all my dumb friends were yelling "go to McDonalds. You're a fucking asshole" etc. Like word. Crazy how angry people get at somebody for mentioning the topic, but none of those people hate the wages restaurants pay.

The idea that you get better service is horseshit. sure once in a while if a place isn't busy a big tipper will do better at the bar, but food wise it doesn't help ever imo. Most places you still have to go out of your way to get anything regardless of what you tip.

I've gotten better at least equivalent service in other countries where tipping isn't a thing. I think it's just another example of everything America does is the best even if it's not, and the way it's been is the way it should always be.

Tipping in the lodging setting was such horseshit cuz it was just so inconsistent and you would bust your ass and provide exceptional services but only get like $4 on some nights, but you did luck-out on some busy ski weekends and net like $500+ in cash. Was nice for spending money on a shit resort wage, but that never happened cuz co-workers steal each others tips cuz we all had to "pool them". Fuck ski resort hotels lol.

**This post was edited on Jul 11th 2021 at 2:33:00pm

sorry, tip the mechanic, he didn’t get paid jack shit to build your 3k whip. doughnuts are also appreciated

BiffbarfWhy would you tip if the service is already being charged that makes no sense. Also if I spend 3k+ on a bike and the shop expects a tip they can suck my ass

Evantheshredstersorry, tip the mechanic, he didn’t get paid jack shit to build your 3k whip. doughnuts are also appreciated

It's a bicycle in a box not a space shuttle my guy. Furniture from Ikea is harder to assemble. It's not like there's hardcore custom work on a 3k bike. Plus if there was a discount to do it yourself I would in a heartbeat.

Serious question: Is it expected that you tip at restaurants that are just a pickup counter or when you order food for pickup at a sit down restaurant?

coronaSerious question: Is it expected that you tip at restaurants that are just a pickup counter or when you order food for pickup at a sit down restaurant?

Not expected but appreciated. I work at a sandwhich shop atm and don't expect people to tip for counter service.

coronaSerious question: Is it expected that you tip at restaurants that are just a pickup counter or when you order food for pickup at a sit down restaurant?

that entirely depends on what I order. if it's just two single meals straight up I'll tip like two bucks, but if there are a bunch of substitutions or complications I might leave 4 or 5. never more than that on takeout though

coronaSerious question: Is it expected that you tip at restaurants that are just a pickup counter or when you order food for pickup at a sit down restaurant?

Also wondering this. I've been living small tips for takeout.

coronaSerious question: Is it expected that you tip at restaurants that are just a pickup counter or when you order food for pickup at a sit down restaurant?

skiP.E.I.Also wondering this. I've been living small tips for takeout.

Nope. Your tipping is paying the service of waitstaff refilling your drink, running your food to you, and taking your order at a table.

Without those things you're just paying for the product, but if service is exceptional and they're killin it then sure throw them whatever.

eheathThe consumer would foot the bill anyway...

Okay fine, well then dont make me do math at the end of my meal to figure out how much extra I need to pay anyway. I dont care if they raise the price so long as I dont have to calculate how I felt about what a server was like today... We dont do that for any other industry. I dont tip my banker, and theyre 'serving' me right? Why do we have to do it for the food and beverage industry? (and only certain sections of the food and beverage industry, at that)

Eliminate tipping as a means of base renumeration, and make it more like what it should be - additional gratuity for being exceptional.

I mean.. I worked service industry for a long time... and like any other job, servers and cooks, and bartenders.. we were just doing our job as we should do like anyone else in any other industry. Servers arent doing anything special or over the top just for you that they wouldnt do for the next customer.. I mean, look at the Retail industry... do you think that the service would be that much more exceptional if you had to tip your retail worker? I dunno.. I worked retail as well for a fucking long time and I never even considered doing a bad job just because I wasn't getting tipped out like I had as a bartender... I never even met someone coming over from bartending or whatever who complained about not getting tipped out and slacked off on work accordingly... and I usually was making no more or less than my food and bev industry counterparts...

I say take that extra 1.75 or 2$ Id have paid as tip on my 8$ meal and just raise the price to 9.75 or 10$... just 'include' the gratuity so I dont have to fuss with the shit at the end of the meal, and so I know exactly how much I need to pay before hand.

Tipping in sit-downs is basically like a hidden tax of sorts that I as the consumer have to figure out and pay at the end of my meal... or at the very least, a surprise amount. What kind of service is it to say 'this food is ¥6.95' in bright red letters on the menu, and then afterwards I have to monetarily judge this person on their service, all while they are wearing the uniform of the company. Its not like theyre some independent contractor in the middle here, theyre an employee. they should be treated like one.

note: I dont think we should eliminate tipping. I think its totally okay... It even happens elsewhere outside of the USA. You see tip jars in other countries too... the difference is, that they are ACTUAL gratuity jars, not 'youre paying the 15-20% of this meal that constitutes the wage of the employee who served you' jar... Its a pretty silly thing in a service industry to require a customer to make a judgement call on gratuity for the employees to make as much as they should.

Just make it easy on me as the consumer and them as the server... raise the prices accordingly, pay the employees as they deserve to be paid, and if someone wants to be some big shot tipper and toss a benjamin or even just the change back on their 20 to their bartender after a few good drinks on a friday night, then fuck yeah thats great. Thats how it all used to be... but now its morphed into some weird ass shit in America... to the point where some places even take advantage of the system to squeeze more money out of their customers by throwing a tip line down on the receipt that the POS system prints out... its a little ridiculous.

You wouldnt tip your mcdonalds worker... right? that would be kinda weird. So why isn't the opposite true where its weird to tip a worker in a Denny's? They should both be paid a living wage for an honest, hard days work either way... I just ask to not involve me or my judgement in how much someone takes home at the end of the day.. thats all.

At the end of the day, if Tipping made service workers more motivated to give good service, then America would be seen as some bastion of particularly incredible service world-wide... when really, its not any better than anywhere else, really. I'm with OP.

Not reading much of this shit show thread, but I sure love getting multiple untaxed Benjamin's each week. I agree with the OP that it's a fucked system but it's pretty set in stone and I don't see it going anywhere. Working at a more pricy restaurant, the tips are pretty nice ngl and I'm sure I'm making more than minimum wage before any tips (but the actual Montana minimum wage is very outdated according to inflation so it's hard to guess). I also make one of the lowest % cuts of our tip pool cus I'm still kinda new.

I definitely hate that half my coffee shop bill is the tip. It feels weird tipping less than a dollar..