I went to happy hour yesterday. Waitress brings the bill, I see the first "suggested tip" rate at 20%. Pasadena, California.
For forever the first suggested tip was 18%. This is the first time I saw 20%.
April 1, fast food workers in California will get $20 minimum wage.
Maybe the sit-down restaurants are hoping the tippers will fill the gap... ain't gonna be me...
So did you ultimately tip her?? 🤔 I notice this when I get to go orders as well. I'll leave a tip, only because I feel like if you don't, your food gets dropped on the floor or something.. It's a shame to feel this way, but it happens
shareI tip 15% no matter the level of the service, round up to the dollar, I don't give change. I always pay cash. If they don't accept cash, I don't enter.
I never tip for takeout, but I almost never do takeout.
That is just being really paranoid.
There are city health inspectors that would shut that place down if you complain and they know it.
Plus they know you could make your case viral.
So they would be more afraid of you than you of them.
If you want to be scared into a foolish fear to tip that is up to you but I won't always tip and won't let those fears make me do it.
I definitely go out to eat less these days, even fast food where there is no tipping. And when I do go out I have actually lowered my tipping from 20% to 15% because the base amount of the bill has gone up so much.
shareI haven't seen the "Covid" surcharge fees on my bill in a year or so. I always paid it, I figured the owners would dock it from the wait staff if I didn't. The bill always said something like it was "optional" or something like that with "talk to your server."
shareI heard about Covid surcharges but never experienced one (IIRC). But the cost of a lunch or dinner out has still gone up significantly. Even a McDonald's lunch is $10 or more. Fries are just shockingly expensive now, $3.00 for the smallest size. I'm now used to ordering a McDouble with no fries and a cup of water! That at least is cheap.
Just the other day I had lunch at Jersey Mike's, the smallest size sandwich with chips and drink combo, it was (with tax) a little over $11
I notice that as well when I get McDonald's on my way home. I'll often get just the Mcdouble too. Unfortunately school salaries haven't gone up much. My last raise 2 months ago put me at 15$/hr.
Tipping is a choice and not an obligation.
Leave whatever you want to or not depending on the situation.
It's my money and it's my right to do with it what I want.
A few years ago I saw a news article from a server shaming the quarterback Drew Brees for tipping badly.
It turned out it was a pickup order. They weren't waited on, but staff was expecting a good 20 percent or more tip from the rich QB. Many people don't tip at all for pickup, which is totally reasonable.
I'm not anti tip but the tipping culture is getting insane, yeah.
And it's so weird how they are doing the minimum wage in California, with certain types of restaurants getting an exception. Why do restaurant workers get a different minimum, anyway? It's not like they have higher living expenses.
just lol at tipping culture
shareI’m Australian we don’t have a tipping culture here although you can if you want to.
It sounds annoying to me that on top of all the additional taxes you can pay in the US you also are expected to tip.
It’s simpler here. We do have a GST tax buts it’s part of the overall price.
Yes, tipping is a mess here in the US. I usually start at 20%, but I've been going to 22-25%, just because I appreciate the servers and that they're actually working.
shareIt's things like this that make it OK for me to tip less, 10-15%, since there are those like you who come along and make up for it.
And that's fine. I think tipping is a personal decision and I am not a fan of the "increased tipping scale" that some places are trying to implement. For me, I eat out quite a bit with my boys and that is probably my favorite thing that we do together. I just enjoy the moments that we spend out to eat and, like I said in my first post, I appreciate the servers who take care of my boys and me (and I usually get very good service, fortunately).
shareTipping is a choice
shareNot always - sometimes there is an auto tip on groups. Happened to me yesterday - had 20% added to my bill at an upscale Easter buffet. I took my son's family out - there were 6 of us.
share^Yep, pretty standard for parties of 6 or more. But barring that, I would not go so far as to say it is a choice (though technically it is). Not leaving a tip is stiffing the server (in the USA that is). Period. The only exception is exceptionally bad service, in my whole life this has maybe happened twice.
share“The only exception is exceptionally bad service, in my whole life this has maybe happened twice.”
Same here.