Why are we expected to tip?

The tipping system is one of the most ingenious systems of all time. It serves as a reverse commission, one that is paid by the customer rather than the employer. Because tipping is based on a percentage, your server is encouraged to recommend dessert, or higher priced food or drink options, because the more you spend, the more you will tip.

It is not about them working hard. If I order a 6 dollar hamburger and a 3 dollar desert at a cheap diner a 20% tip is about $2. If I order a $40 entrée at a higher end restaurant, a 20% tip is $8. Is the food at the more expensive restaurant harder to carry to my table? Why should I give him 4 times the money I gave the guy at the diner? The guy at the diner carried more food, the guy at the high end place didn't even have to bring me dessert.

It's not about customer service. No where else in the customer service industry are the customers expected to pay the person giving them the service in order to be served. Can you imagine walking in a store and asking for information about a product and being told, "well that item is $100, if you pay me $20, I'll be happy to help you with it"

Restaurant owners in the US have set up a system where their employees are incentivized to sell more, but customers pay the incentive. Not only that, but because of this they are exempt from, or subject to reduced, minimum wage laws. So they get to pay employees 3 or 4 bucks an hour, while their customers pay out the commission. It's a huge win win for the owners.

One could argue this is still better for the customer, because if full wages were paid rather than tipping, menu prices would reflect the difference. So you would end up paying that %15 - %20 percent anyway and it would be mandatory. At least under the current system, you have a choice. But I am not sure that this is completely true, as other countries seem to find the balance without tipping. Also at least pricing would be more transparent that way, which I would prefer. Plus, it is the whole concept that I hate, more than paying the money.

I tip, normally 20%, because the system is set up that way, and I don't want to screw the server whose paycheck is set up in such a way that they need my tip, even if that is not my responsibility. But if the service is absolutely terrible (not the food, you cant blame bad cooking on the guy who carries it)I will rarely withhold it..

Yeah, I tip when the service is good. But I also tip when I'm in a good mood, like recently I think it was the new year ( about 20 Ds ago) when I ordered pizzas for dinner and the pizza guy was really friendly and I kinda also felt bad for him cuz he had to work on such a great day that u should spend with ur family or friends, and I gave him a hefty tip although he was about 30mins late.

Why SHOULDN'T you show your appreciation for exemplary service? As for feeling pressured to tip, well that's your hang up; it certainly isn't mine. You could stick to McDonald's; they don't expect tips there, AND the food (if one can call it that) is cheap.
But if the employer in a nice restaurant paid the employees enough to survive on without tips, you probably couldn't afford to eat there.
Everything is a trade off in life. I'm surprised you haven't realized that yet.

Don't get me wrong if anything I'm an over tipper. But what a lot of states (not all) if the wait person doesn't make enough from tips and hourly pay to meet minimum wage then the employer has to make up the difference. And how honest do you think they are about how much they make in tips if that's the case? When I was 14 I was a busboy in a fancy restaurant and the wait staff was supposed to give us 10% of their tips (divided that 10% among 2-3 busboys). They wouldn't give us nearly 10% of the hundreds they made per night. Because we made minimum wage which was all of 5.15 at the time. Not only that but the head busboy who was in his 20s would rip me and the other kid (14-15) off on the back end. We were lucky to make $30 a shift which is shit at a place where the food averages $100 a person.

About 20 years ago I was at a restaurant, and the service was so bad that instead of not leaving a tip I just left a single penny. If the service isn't good I don't tip period.

Theres a video on this on youtube by college humor which basically explains how this went about its real short and interesting watch it if you havnt. But I understand what you mean it kind of is a cop out for the employer for us to tip. I always tip because I used to be a bus boy and a delivery driver so I know how dependent they are on the tips.

I genreally over tip, unless it was really bad, then give the bare minimum.

If you really want to be annoying in response to bad service, just tip them un change.

Here you Go here's 3.50 in pennies and nickels

I know this guy who studies psychology. Everytime he goes out to eat, he tells the waiter in the beginning something like:

"See this $20? This is your tip. Everytime you neglect me in any way or bring met the wrong stuff or (bla bla bla whatever)... I will subtract a certain amount from your tip. if your service is excellent, I might add money.0

That guy has never had a bad dining experience ever.

I don't tip people for doing their job. However, I will tip if they go above and beyond. People don't tip the roofer who keeps their heads dry at night. People don't tip the electrician who keeps electricity safely running through their houses. So why should people tip someone who walked 15 feet to hand them a plate?. Who decides the rules on who gets tipped and who doesn't?. I treat everyone equally all the time.

As someone who lives in a country where tipping is not the expectation, it disgusts me just how little these people are paid. I think it's a gross mistreatment by the owners and it's wrong that it's legal to pay below minimum wage and rely on customers to make up the deficit.

I've heard some Australians say that our waiters are rude as a result of not having to earn their tip. I can't say I find the majority are like that, though. I would imagine knowing that they're going to earn a decent day's wage for their work would ensure they're not stressed and quick to snap.

Also, it irritates me how often American waiters check up on you. I understand they're doing it because they're trying to earn their tip, I don't blame them for it. I just would prefer to be left the fuck alone, so it's an extra reason for me to think that system is shit.

Funny how some Americans would tip more for a "good" waiter who technically is pestering them more, while also complaining about shop assistants asking them if they need any help too much. I see both as equally annoying.

Way too much here to comment on, but a few thoughts come to mind.

- If you think tipping sucks, try doing a job where you rely on tips to be able to pay the rent and feed yourself. Keep in mind, in many, if not most cases, the wait staff has to tip-out bartenders and bussers, etc. And many times when things are wrong it's not their fault.

- Leaving a tip in a shitty way says more about you as a person than the tipping system. And if you leave it that way do you really think you're going to help the next person get better service? Hint: Not even remotely.

- Yes, you do tip a roofer or electrician, a livable wage is built into the price you pay for their service.

- All of you tip-adverse types should get to know what it's like to be on the other end of the transaction. There are certain behaviours that customs exhibit that scream, "I'm a crap tipper," when you do those things of course you won't get good service, why bust your ass for someone that's going to stiff you on the tip?

In general, I think everyone should have to do other peoples jobs for a month every year just so they don't forget what it's like to walk in someone else's shoes. The salesman should work in engineering to see how hard it is to make a product do what it was never intended to do. An engineer should see how hard it is to sell stuff to people that don't really need it. Etc. Etc.

Some places build tip into price and wages, some don't. When the customer us expected to pay the tip, that waiter may only get $2 an hour before tips. Then they may be waiting tables of teens who only order coffee and fries and sit there for 3 hours and take up space. It is neither the customer or the waiter at fault, it is the establishment. But they need a job, and customer like to eat at those crappy places.

But I often wonder about those who complain about tipping, have they ever waited tables with horrible customers?