Tipflation

[RedAngie]

About two years ago I posted about a newish somewhat upscale restaurant. The gratuity suggestions on the bill were 22, 25, and 28%

Well, today we went back for lunch. They now have the option to pay via a tablet. The suggested tips are now 25, 28, and 30% or Custom.

We chose custom and our even dollar tip was about 21%.

Maybe in two years they’ll suggest 30, 35, and 40%.

 

[Nayan]

With prices crazy high and tipping out of control we no longer eat out. Even on vacation we buy/bring our own food.

 

[shh]

About two years ago I posted about a newish somewhat upscale restaurant. The gratuity suggestions on the bill were 22, 25, and 28%

Well, today we went back for lunch. They now have the option to pay via a tablet. The suggested tips are now 25, 28, and 30% or Custom.

We chose custom and our even dollar tip was about 21%.

Maybe in two years they’ll suggest 30, 35, and 40%.

I've always been a generous tipper (by older standards, i guess - always tipped 20-22%) because in Florida, tipped minimum wage was MUCH less than minimum wage and also less than the tipped minimum wage mandated in many other states.

(Plus, also to make up a bit for some international visitors who vacation in my touristy area from other countries and are (or often pretend to be) clueless that tipping is expected on table service dining. They frequently leave NOTHING, according to a few family members who waited tables.

But I 100% agree with you...it is getting NUTS. I predict customers are going to start rebelling and this may skew in the opposite direction pretty soon.

I am dining out a lot less these days...for that and skyrocketing menu prices. Just not worth it.

 

[TippyThomas]

I don't understand why my tip has to increase depending on the price of the food I choose to eat? Makes no sense to me at all.

 

[shh]

I also resent the slightly awkward/uncomfortable/negative feeling I get navigating these preset tip levels and/or customizing a tip when they start at 20% or 25% and up. Makes me feel like a cheapskate for leaving 20%. That's crazy!

No pun intended, but it really leaves a bad taste in my mouth after what should have been a relaxing, pleasant experience.

 

[Smugpugmug]

What bothers me the most is when the service is really bad and yet they expect you to tip 25% and up anyway. Last weekend I went to a place I've never dined at before and had one of the rudest servers I've had in a long time. The food was fantastic but the service was horrible. I almost laughed when I received the bill and saw that they had a suggested 30% tip.

All of this tipping stuff makes me even more excited for my Japan trip later this year. No concept of tipping at all and it's wonderful.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

I don't understand why my tip has to increase depending on the price of the food I choose to eat? Makes no sense to me at all.

THAT has always been a thorn!
I understand family restaurant/diner vs upscale/ white tablecloth, BUT I could go to Texas Roadhouse with my husband and depending on what we decide to have, a variation of $10-$20.

 

[Curiousporpoise]

Tipping in the US is out of control right now. We used to eat out a lot and tip 20%+, but now with sky high prices and expected tips at 25%+, we eat at home a lot. Everyone wants a tip now. At our nearby bakery you grab a tray, select your items, bring and bag your items, and the tip screen defaults to 15%. Really? On items I picked and bagged myself. It’s insane and everywhere I go it’s like this.

 

[starry_solo]

WOW, I thought moving up from 15, 18, 20 to 18, 20, 22% was bad...

 

[Disneylover99]

Yeah, crazy.
Some of those tipping rate suggestions make me want to tip less then I normally would.

 

[Nabas]

When I was young, the standard tip was 10%. I remember my parents being upset when it changed to 15%.

As the price of a meal increases, the price of the tip increases. That’s ok. But then to change the standard tip to 18%, then 20% and beyond, well that’s a double price increase far beyond the rate of inflation.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I always try to remember that it's not the server who puts those suggested 20,25,30% numbers on the bill or on the checkout device - it's the business. I always have a number in mind when the bill comes, and we'll adjust accordingly, depending on the service. Since technically, tipping is optional based on service, I don't feel guilty or stressed about it too much.

I'm a little more annoyed these days with some of the fast food or coffee shop type places - when I go to pay with my credit card, they throw the tip screen out there first. But again, the business has opted to do that, not the server.

 

[mylilnikita]

It has gotten out of hand and people have enabled it so they won’t look cheap.

I went to my favorite pizza shop for a pick up order and in the card receipt was a place for a tip, nope.

I used to go to Subway, they started to really suck. Anyway, if you paid by card there was a thing for tip on the screen. Nope.
The last time I paid with cash, the cashier was like oh you can put the tip in the tip box. Nope.

 

[Dznypal]

Tipping all over has gotten so out of control
That everyone expects to be tipped
We like to play bingo at our local casino
Where you buy your computer which is required this is not tipped but if you want games on paper there’s a tip jar. I’m supposed to tip you for handing me some paper and my money there sure not over worked they get to sit the whole time
Also the cashiers where you cash in any slot money there’s a tip jar. I’m supposed to tip you for giving me my money back
In the bingo room they sells snacks and sodas there they put an automatic gratuity on the bill. I’d like to know how that’s even right. I’d like to know how to refuse to pay that

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

About two years ago I posted about a newish somewhat upscale restaurant. The gratuity suggestions on the bill were 22, 25, and 28%

Well, today we went back for lunch. They now have the option to pay via a tablet. The suggested tips are now 25, 28, and 30% or Custom.

We chose custom and our even dollar tip was about 21%.

Maybe in two years they’ll suggest 30, 35, and 40%.

I'm tired of restaurants expecting me to pay their employees and their employees taking the risk that they won't get paid. It has gone way too far. Tip percentage when I was a young pup and Grandma would take me out to eat when we visited was up to 10% for good service. They didn't need a dime to make ends meet and a tip was like a bonus. Then the industry pushed through sub minimum wage and more recently, confiscating a percentage of tips for back of the house. And about 20% of restaurants illegally and immorally keep some of the tips just for themselves. And those service charges? Yeah. They aren't necessarily going for the tips. I'm quite frankly just tired of it. I can do a better job in most cases cooking for myself. And the cuisines I'm a bit weak on are perfect for take out. HAHA.

 

[kymom99]

I leave 20%. I don’t care what they suggest.

 

[3rd_time_the_charm]

I completely agree on the tip jars and screens asking for tips.

However, in restaurants sometimes they get less from me than they would have if I use the suggested amount. We've always tipped after tax. Not that we don't adjust if the suggested is lower, but sometimes I don't.

 

[barkley]

I'm a little more annoyed these days with some of the fast food or coffee shop type places - when I go to pay with my credit card, they throw the tip screen out there first. But again, the business has opted to do that, not the server.

what i don't get is the ones that are not technically 'servers' where this pops up. we went to the kiosk at our local mall that sells ONLY multipack preboxed/preportioned cinnebons. nothing serving about it-you tell them what size box you want, they pick it up and hand it to you, no different than any other retail sale yet that tip screen pops up and it's FIRST in the process

 

[Smugpugmug]

It has gotten out of hand and people have enabled it so they won’t look cheap.

I don't tip at fast food places or cafes with mobile kiosks and I don't feel bad about it. The places that ask for tips at mobile kiosks make even less sense - who exactly am I tipping and what is the service that I am tipping for?

I do tip at sit down restaurants but not at places like Burger King or Jersey Mikes, both places that I've seen ask for tips recently.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

I have always been a generous tipper and I see 2 sides to tipping because I am a business owner.
1. If I order the chicken, no appetizer and drink tea at a nice restaurant and my bill for just me is $30 I leave a $10 tip. But if I order the filet, lobster tail, shrimp cocktail and a few beers my bill is $130. For the same exact amount of work by my server, why an I now expected to leave a $37.50 tip? I would leave $20 no problem but tip by total is ridiculous. How about Tip by # of people? or how about just let the customer decide?
2. Tips by cash are great for the server or worker but tips electronically are costly to both employee and employer. Here's why. At my shop we "used to" have the tip option on our square reader. I removed it because of one employee that just doesn't "get it". We do custom auto stereos, window tint and accessories. My Square reader charges me 2.75% + $.10 per transaction. If he received a $20 tip, I paid $0.55 which is no big deal if it's just $20 but what if it's $100 per week? That's $143 a year I pay which again is not that big a deal .... stay with me here. Add the $0.10 per transaction and were around $200 a year roughly. Still not bad for a good employee. Now the tricky part. First, I have to put it on his paycheck so now he pays taxes on it. (my guys are 1099) Not my problem right? wrong! I just made $5200 more income at my business that I have to pay taxes on. For money I never received. Calculations show that for me to break 100% even I would need to hold 27.85% of his tip. I'm pretty good with math and what I am not good with, my calculator is. I plugged the numbers straight into my Quickbooks and showed him but he said he would rather just not get tips electronically at all if he loses a percentage. Sadly, he rarely receives a cash tip. But when he does, He keeps 100% of it as it has no bearing on my profit and loss.