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Tipping

Dan S
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FWIW, there are a few states that have raised the minimum wage for servers to a more reasonable level, in some cases the same as the minimum wage for non-tipped employees: Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii.
 
140dave
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Spacefruit Spacefruit
Bar staff I still find it hard to tip more than a token
I’m still a $1 per drink tipper at the bar, I don’t care if it’s a $5 beer or a $25 dram of whisky
Dan S Dan S
FWIW, there are a few states that have raised the minimum wage for servers to a more reasonable level, in some cases the same as the minimum wage for non-tipped employees: Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii.
Correct. There are also states like Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee where it is $2.13 per hour. Two dollars an hour and no benefits.
 
pdxleaf
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140dave 140dave
I’m still a $1 per drink tipper at the bar, I don’t care if it’s a $5 beer or a $25 dram of whisky
+1. Especially if you're coming back for another round.

I didn't mention tipping contractors, mainly as the OP wasn't likely to encounter one. But in the event a tourist or visitor decides to hire a Mason to build a wall or a plumber, etc, I always tip the workers. Sometimes 50 to a worker and 1 or 2 hundred for the supervisor, if it's a big job. As a percentage, it's not very much. But even 10 or twenty bucks to a mechanic for coffee is a good gesture, especially as they don't expect it. It feels like the best intent of tipping, which is a way of saying thank you for your help, as opposed to a cheap way for employers to avoid paying a fair wage.

For history buffs, research the reason why the USA has low server wages and servers depend on tipping for a fair wage. It comes out of our Jim Crow past. Tipping was a way to avoid paying a full wage to all workers, regardless of color. With tipping, a customer could "chose" to pay a white server more than a black server after employers were required to pay all workers the same amount, regardless of color. This explains why the USA has this wierd system. But low wages for food servers is archaic ( at best) and should be abolished.

Hopefully no one thinks this comment is political or muck raking. It's just history.
 
Pastorbottle
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140dave 140dave
I’m still a $1 per drink tipper at the bar, I don’t care if it’s a $5 beer or a $25 dram of whisky

Correct. There are also states like Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee where it is $2.13 per hour. Two dollars an hour and no benefits.
That's just criminal! Little more than slavery!
 
Evitzee
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Pastorbottle Pastorbottle
That's just criminal! Little more than slavery!
And if you are a good server you'll make out very well on tips.....$300-$400 a night at a better restaurant is not that uncommon. No one in their right mind is going to work for $2/hour if there are no tips to bring the number up. Of course you can move to California where the minimum wage for fast food workers is $20/hour, and where the industry is shedding jobs and turning to automation where possible. Most fast food restaurants now are in the $14-$17 range.
 
pdxleaf
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Add in having to pay for health care, the cost of university education, the lack of a pension other than social security. Minimum wage in Texas is $7.25 an hour so not sure why California is the problem.
 
kkt
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5% would be insulting. Reserved for a server who did something horrible. One time we went to have lunch and the server just forgot to hand our order to the cooks... for about an hour until we sent them to ask what was wrong.

The OP didn't say whether it was restaurants or something else, but for restaurants I'd go with 20% if things went well, maybe a little less if they weren't attentive or more if they did something really unusually nice. Toddler threw a platefull of food all over the seat and floor?

Yes, some states, counties, and cities have their own minimum wage laws. I know my own city's minimum is $20 an hour. Yet most people in sit-down restaurants still tip about 20%.
 
blufinz52
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I'm taking my 2 adult children out to dinner tonight at a top area restaurant. The bill will be well north of $300, so I'll leave at least a $60 tip. Normal here in New England.
 
cristos71
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Total disgrace that servers have to rely on tips to survive as they are not paid sufficient wages. As an employer in the hospitality industry I pay my staff good money and all the tips taken are split equally ( per hour worked ) amongst all the staff with no difference made in their function.

A customer should not be (semi) forced to supplement low wages of staff so the boss can cream off more profit, the "tipping" wage should be outlawed.
 
p4ul
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Just as a matter of interest, what would happen if the OP had a meal for 2 at about a hundred dollars and paid on a card then dropped his 5 or 10 in cash on the table? Something I might do in the UK where service industry get minimum wage about £12.
 
Dan S
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Note, you will also often find surcharges on restaurant bills in the US these days. Sometimes they are called "service charge," but they are not gratuities. Pretty much everyone agrees that these junk fees are obnoxious, and should be transparently added into actual menu pricing. But they are generally legal, and often not advertised in advance. Sort of like a hotel "resort fee."
 
Dan S
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p4ul p4ul
Just as a matter of interest, what would happen if the OP had a meal for 2 at about a hundred dollars and paid on a card then dropped his 5 or 10 in cash on the table? Something I might do in the UK where service industry get minimum wage about £12.
Tipping in cash would be fine, but that would be an extremely small tip, and viewed as insulting.
 
Speed2Sea
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Dan S Dan S
Note, you will also often find surcharges on restaurant bills in the US these days. Sometimes they are called "service charge," but they are not gratuities. Pretty much everyone agrees that these junk fees are obnoxious, and should be transparently added into actual menu pricing. But they are generally legal, and often not advertised in advance. Sort of like a hotel "resort fee."
I've encountered 'service charges' on restaurant bills that weren’t noted on the menu. When I asked about them, they said it’s to provide health insurance for employees. Of course, there’s no way to verify that.
 
Dan S
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Speed2Sea Speed2Sea
I've encountered 'service charges' on restaurant bills that weren’t noted on the menu. When I asked about them, they said it’s to provide health insurance for employees. Of course, there’s no way to verify that.
Yes, I've heard various rationales for the service charge. Even if it's true, it still makes more sense to me to include the full cost of doing business in the menu prices. Hiding the fees this way is a clear attempt to be sneaky. I'm not saying it's a deal-breaker for me, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and I sometimes mention it to the manager if I have the opportunity. I tell them I would prefer to see the menu prices increased if they need more revenue.
 
p4ul
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P Paul m
Wish I’d never asked now! Might go to Blackpool instead 🤭
5% and a bit of gratitude! 😂🤣😂
 
Pastorbottle
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pdxleaf pdxleaf
Add in having to pay for health care, the cost of university education, the lack of a pension other than social security. Minimum wage in Texas is $7.25 an hour so not sure why California is the problem.
So everything but the minimum wage is bigger in Texas!
 
jshopper1
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p4ul p4ul
Just as a matter of interest, what would happen if the OP had a meal for 2 at about a hundred dollars and paid on a card then dropped his 5 or 10 in cash on the table? Something I might do in the UK where service industry get minimum wage about £12.
I started doing the cash tip thing a few months ago. Dinner on the card and a cash tip.

I have a waiter friend that told me (away from his job) that if you leave a tip on the card the boss takes a percentage and the credit card company takes a percentage.

If you leave cash, well, it is up to the waiter to split it out if he chooses.

I leave 22 percent cash most often, FYI.
 
Larry S
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Restaurants/Bars: 20% calculated on the pre tax amount. If the service is less than great 15%. I view those counter service tip attempts as entirely optional. Uber and taxis 10-20% depending on service. Hotel staff who do things like move bags, 3-5 bucks.
 
Speed2Sea
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Hi folks, I don’t want to belabor this topic, but does anyone have experience with tipping on a restaurant bill in Greece? Thanks in advance for your responses.
 
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