When are you supposed to tip (in America)?

[Morrus]

This article could be useful if you find yourself in America and haven't the foggiest who you're supposed to tip and how much. I might print this out and take it with me next time I go!

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/blogs/when-are-you-supposed-to-tip

 

[Janx]

I thought it was 20% standard for waiters.

what's a Sommelier? Obviously I don't get fancy when I go to hotels...

I've been told that you don't tip if you paid before you get your food (which covers takeout and mcDonalds or other restaurants that you pay as you order and your food is brought to you).

I tip 20% for waiters. Though I despise tipping because it is a surprise expense that isn't included in the cost. Sure, one can anticipate it, but when I see a price tag, I think "oh, that's $20, I'll get it!" and not "oh, that's $20 + $4 for a drink + tax + tip". I'm not a frickin cash register. I don't even carry cash. My wallet is metal and only holds cards.

When I take over the world, tipping will be abolished and people will get paid their due wage directly from their employer and their employer will pass that on in his prices per standard economic theory.

People who suck at their jobs will be recycled into fertilizer.

At least I'll be happy about not having to tip.

 

[Umbran]

I thought it was 20% standard for waiters.

15% used to be the standard, but as inflation goes up, but the base working wage for waitstaff *doesn't*, the extra needs to be made up somewhere, so many good-hearted folk have taken to 20%.

what's a Sommelier?

Basically, a wine steward. Someone on the wait staff who is super-especially knowledgeable about wine to help you with your choice to go with your meal. This can be important if you're in the set that drinks $100/bottle stuff, I guess.

Obviously I don't get fancy when I go to hotels...

Goodness, who even uses porters any more?

When I take over the world, tipping will be abolished and people will get paid their due wage directly from their employer and their employer will pass that on in his prices per standard economic theory.

While I don't know about the rest of your platform, I kind of agree. Just pay workers what the should be paid. Tips should be for extra-special business above the norm.

I was surprised a little while ago. I'd always been taught that, if you have workmen come to your home to do something major (like, say, move all your crap to another house, install a new water heater put in new electrical outlets, install a major appliance or other skilled labor) it is good to tip - say, enough so that after they're done, they can go and get lunch.

Last time I had such workmen, they *refused* my tip! "No, sir, we don't need it. If you really liked our work, tell our dispatcher, and mention our names in a good online review..."

People who suck at their jobs will be recycled into fertilizer.

How about something less extreme, like... finding a job for them they don't suck at?

 

[Crothian]

I rarely tip at hotels. At a nice sit down restaurant though I'll typical tip between 20% to 30% put I will go lower then 10% for bad or slow service. There is one place I only go to three or four times a year yet the owner always remembers me. They have great service and food so I'll tip over 30% there.

 

[Janx]

While I don't know about the rest of your platform, I kind of agree. Just pay workers what the should be paid. Tips should be for extra-special business above the norm.

I shall take this as an endorsement of my authoritarian rule.

Last time I had such workmen, they *refused* my tip! "No, sir, we don't need it. If you really liked our work, tell our dispatcher, and mention our names in a good online review..."

I suspect in those cases, these guys do make decent money.

It seems the extreme cases of underpaid are things like wait staff and veggie-pickers (aka migrant workers). If we just forced all the businesses to follow the minimum wage law, the economic response will take care of the rest and normalize out. (not looking to argue politics about what the minimum wage should be set at, just saying that some industries being allowed to ignore the law and pay $2.50/hour is unfair).

I wonder if hotel staff are also "underpaid" like waiters are.

How about something less extreme, like... finding a job for them they don't suck at?

Your compelling argument has swayed me. I'm an easy going tyrant.

 

[was]

The way I was taught is: 20%-30% for excellent service, 15% for adequate service, 10% for lacking service and nothing for abusive service.
In my area, most repair professionals in the home will not accept tips. They do, however, appreciate being offered a beverage.

 

[Nellisir]

I tip 15%-20%. Rarely I'll tip 10%, but usually if service is that bad I won't tip at all.

I will say that I find the little tip cards more hassle than they're worth.
Take your total, ie $53.71. Move the decimal one place. $5.37. That's 10%. Double that, and you have 20%; $10.74. Thac0 is a bigger pain.

 

[Janx]

I tip 15%-20%. Rarely I'll tip 10%, but usually if service is that bad I won't tip at all.

I will say that I find the little tip cards more hassle than they're worth.
Take your total, ie $53.71. Move the decimal one place. $5.37. That's 10%. Double that, and you have 20%; $10.74. Thac0 is a bigger pain.

Yup. the move the decimal point trick is the easiest way to get 10% and doubling a number is another pretty easy math task for most people.

I usually round the total to the nearest dollar. So $53.71 is $5.371 and 10% is $5 and double that is a $10 tip.

Which is easy to add without messing with the pennies side of the equation, so I can just copy that part down for the total and put $63.71

If I have to work hard to compute how much to pay somebody who was in effect working for me to save me effort, that rather defeats the purpose of eating out in the first place.

 

[Nellisir]

Yup. the move the decimal point trick is the easiest way to get 10% and doubling a number is another pretty easy math task for most people.

I usually round the total to the nearest dollar. So $53.71 is $5.371 and 10% is $5 and double that is a $10 tip.

Which is easy to add without messing with the pennies side of the equation, so I can just copy that part down for the total and put $63.71

If I have to work hard to compute how much to pay somebody who was in effect working for me to save me effort, that rather defeats the purpose of eating out in the first place.

Yeah, I usually round too. It's not worth hassling over pennies and stuff.

For pizza, I give $5 tip minimum, on the rare occasions I get delivery. (which is, I think...never in this house.)

 

[Pandamonium87]

Wow you Americans have a lot of money to spend in tips. It makes me want to be a waiter
Here in Italy we don't have such "strict" rules and the tip is totally optional, but it's even as something very polite even if strictly associated to the quality of service. For us it's unconceivable to give a 10% tip for a bad service, as I read.

Interesting