Tipping Getting Out of Control

[Gray Beard]

I’ve been to Europe a few times, and I always tell them to keep the change.  I don’t tip as much as I do in the US but I feel weird if I don’t leave anything.

 

I’ve noticed that tips have gone from 15% to 18% to 20% in the past ten years or so.  Who decided that?

 

I generally leave about $5 per night in a hotel, and I leave it every night so they know they will get something and maybe they’ll take a little more care with my room.  They probably don’t, but I like to think they do.  

 

I rarely tip for takeout, other than putting the change in the cup next to the register. 

[Bad Things]

24 minutes ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

That is very nice of you! Thanks. 

No worries at all.

I know of some great places off the beaten path that I'm sure you'd enjoy.

[ExiledInIllinois]

1 hour ago, Gray Beard said:

I’ve been to Europe a few times, and I always tell them to keep the change.  I don’t tip as much as I do in the US but I feel weird if I don’t leave anything.

 

I’ve noticed that tips have gone from 15% to 18% to 20% in the past ten years or so.  Who decided that?

 

I generally leave about $5 per night in a hotel, and I leave it every night so they know they will get something and maybe they’ll take a little more care with my room.  They probably don’t, but I like to think they do.  

 

I rarely tip for takeout, other than putting the change in the cup next to the register. 

Minimum wage and people's resistence to a fair wage?  Just a stab in dark.

 

Workers produce 6% more now than they are paid. Boom... There's your 6% equalizer?

[Just Jack]

10% for take out at typical sit down restaurants.

 

20% if I'm dining in. 

 

Pizza delivery - I used to live within two miles of three pizza joints. When I'd order delivery, I'd try to get my bill just about $15, so when the driver would arrive, I could just hand them a $20 and tell them to keep the change. Pretty soon, they all learned it was an quick and easy $5, so when I'd order and was told 45-60 minutes for a delivery, it never happened. I was always getting mine in about 30 minutes or less. 

 

[Wnybricky]

I don’t have a problem with tipping. It is irritating to do it before you get your food or sit down. I tip usually 20-25% but just recently told my wife I am going to lower it to the lowest option. You go and sit down and the seats are dirty and you get up and take your own plates up to the trash. They give you a empty cup and you go fill and refill it. Where in there is service? Just because somebody walks my food 20 feet from the kitchen isn’t service. I have actually noticed that I am surprised whenever I use one of those kiosks that they don’t hit you up. It has gotten out of hand. 

[seregil42]

16 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

Depends on state at least in US.  I know that was part of argument of employees and restaurant had to repay them NOT because it was illegal but the way they did it.

Oh.  I thought it was a federal law. 

[Wayne Cubed]

On 5/28/2019 at 10:06 PM, coloradobillsfan said:

 

this was a point my friend from England made too, but it seemed to me like the tip may have been 'built in' by the inflated prices, ie. pints of beer were commonly £5 which came to over $8 at the time of my visit to the UK

 

Wowser £5 a pint, you must have been in London. Across the UK you'd find most pints are around £3.

[BritBill]

5 minutes ago, Wayne Cubed said:

 

Wowser £5 a pint, you must have been in London. Across the UK you'd find most pints are around £3.

 

You can still get a pint of Sam Smith's in my old local for under £2. 

[LB3]

On Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at 3:32 PM, shrader said:

 

The random place that asks you if you want to round up to the next dollar for a charity, those ones do it right.  Sure it's a small donation each time, but I bet they consistently get that donation from most customers.

 

[Mark80]

18 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

As I stated "I can see restaurant wanting a small amount to process credit card" (as far as I know no credit card company charges more than 5% which is certainly not a good chunk but I have never had diner's club) but restaurant's point of view was management was part of service so they should get portion of tips.  

 

It is my understanding that it is against the credit card processor companies policies to charge extra for customers to use the service.  It is also against their agreements to have minimum credit card purchase amounts.  This may be outdated info, but I was told that a few years back doing work for one of the Big 3 credit reporting companies.

[row_33]

you are forgetting the big rip off

 

stores and restaurants in business districts place a healthy premium on all goods and services knowing that 2/3 are going to be expensed, not out of pocket for the user

 

if you aren't expensing it, your tip is a minor issue here...

 

 

[Saxum]

1 hour ago, Mark80 said:

 

It is my understanding that it is against the credit card processor companies policies to charge extra for customers to use the service.  It is also against their agreements to have minimum credit card purchase amounts.  This may be outdated info, but I was told that a few years back doing work for one of the Big 3 credit reporting companies.

 

Do not know about agreements but in Northern VA very common for  minimum credit card purchase amounts.

 

And in this case the management was taking part of commission from tips when tips were paid on credit card since in  their opinion they should not pay for percentage credit card company takes out of tips.

 

I was just a customer and what company was doing I had nothing to do with.  Employees who knew me griped to me asking for advice.

[row_33]

also your non-expensed payments are net of your federal/state tax, so bump up your $30 meal as it's really net of tax you pay

 

it's an expensive proposition for one, let alone 4 on your tab

 

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Mark80 said:

 

It is my understanding that it is against the credit card processor companies policies to charge extra for customers to use the service.  It is also against their agreements to have minimum credit card purchase amounts.  This may be outdated info, but I was told that a few years back doing work for one of the Big 3 credit reporting companies.

 

That was the case back in my banking days. It’s not unusual for businesses to have signs indicating a minimum purchase, but I believe it’s against their merchant agreements. A higher average ticket means a lower discount rates, so they don’t want their average brought down by a lot of little purchases. You just have to build that cost into your price. I very rarely use cash for anything these days. 

[Mark80]

59 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

Do not know about agreements but in Northern VA very common for  minimum credit card purchase amounts.

 

And in this case the management was taking part of commission from tips when tips were paid on credit card since in  their opinion they should not pay for percentage credit card company takes out of tips.

 

I was just a customer and what company was doing I had nothing to do with.  Employees who knew me griped to me asking for advice.

 

Yeah, it is common at places like gas stations for example, but if they get complaints about it then they can get their service pulled for breaking the agreement.  They do it anyways because most people don't know that and most people have no idea who the processor is to complain to.  Its not your issuer (bank) or credit card companies (MC, Visa), its someone in-between typically.

Edited May 30, 2019 by Mark80

[Just Joshin']

16 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Minimum wage and people's resistence to a fair wage?  Just a stab in dark.

 

Workers produce 6% more now than they are paid. Boom... There's your 6% equalizer?

I am interested in this study on service industry productivity and tipping.  Please post link.

[Saxum]

49 minutes ago, Mark80 said:

 

Yeah, it is common at places like gas stations for example, but if they get complaints about it then they can get their service pulled for breaking the agreement.  They do it anyways because most people don't know that and most people have no idea who the processor is to complain to.  Its not your issuer (bank) or credit card companies (MC, Visa), its someone in-between typically.

 

Very familiar with processors. I used to buy some stuff from an ethnic bakery and I'd get regular "denied" when I used credit card but when I called credit card company there was no deny sent from them.

 

Most of the gas stations here who do it will give discount for cash so in this case they are letting anyone use credit but you end up paying for it.  The big gas stations do not bother with customers trying to save pennies per gallon and just try to redirect them to gas brand cards to get discounts.

19 hours ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

No tipping in NZ? Thanks for the er, tip. ? 

 

You get what you pay for. 

[Saxum]

17 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Minimum wage and people's resistence to a fair wage?  Just a stab in dark.

 

No correlation here.  In this area most of the area have raised minimum raises and default tipping percentage. I used an electronic payment pad at one place and they wanted explanation why I was not choosing the default 25% (including tax) tip on form.  I just pulled a cancelled credit card out of my wallet, went to counter and told them my card is not working and just gave the cash for bill with tip on table.

[Gugny]

2 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

No correlation here.  In this area most of the area have raised minimum raises and default tipping percentage. I used an electronic payment pad at one place and they wanted explanation why I was not choosing the default 25% (including tax) tip on form.  I just pulled a cancelled credit card out of my wallet, went to counter and told them my card is not working and just gave the cash for bill with tip on table.

 

Why, pray tell, would you have a canceled credit card in your wallet?

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

 

Why, pray tell, would you have a canceled credit card in your wallet?

 

Maybe the actual owner called the bank after it was stolen?