Tipping suggestion on receipt

[Wakey]

You are correct, I was very angry even seeing that post, I’d have been angrier in person !

In retrospect I’d have given the usual tip, then asked to see the owner.

Then I’d have told him loudly why I will never frequent his restaurant again.

That’s a better solution.

 

[Hikergirl]

You are correct, I was very angry even seeing that post, I’d have been angrier in person !

In retrospect I’d have given the usual tip, then asked to see the owner.

Then I’d have told him loudly why I will never frequent his restaurant again.

That’s a better solution.

Making a scene over a simple suggestion on a receipt is only going to make you look like the bad guy.

 

[Wakey]

Making a scene over a simple suggestion on a receipt is only going to make you look like the bad guy.

But I’ll feel better. The bad guy is the guy running the restaurant trying to guilt trip his customers in my book, why do I care?

 

[ronandannette]

I work for a software company who writes cash register and kitchen software for fast food and small casual restaurants. If you use our software, you are able to specify what those suggested tip percentages are in your settings that get printed on the receipt. This can be set on a per location basis so the amounts in different cities, states or whatever can be different. You can also choose to skip them altogether for fast food or if you want your customers to break out their calculators/phones.

So in our case at least, it's not coming from the credit company, but the restaurant itself (or whoever is in charge of their menu). Sounds like they think very highly of themselves...

People quite adequately managed to leave tips for about 100 years without calculators or cell phones. The tipping defaults on payment processing machines are a racket.

 

[Hikergirl]

But I’ll feel better. The bad guy is the guy running the restaurant trying to guilt trip his customers in my book, why do I care?

Are you an adult or a child?
Loudly making a scene in a public place so you'll feel better?
All this over a tip suggestion?
I get not wanting to pay more, I even get thinking its off putting to suggest more. What I don't get is an adult basically throwing a temper tantrum about it. Just don't pay the suggested tip, leave and don't return.
Besides after your scene the owner will be thankful you aren't returning so really they win in the end

 

[Drasticq]

Applicable for me if the ride was maybe under $8-10.

Like a $1 tip (50%) on a $2 cup of coffee. (can we still get $2 coffee? )

Oh yes, I agree... but in the case I cited, it was a $25 taxi ride. 40% of that? I just don't think so.

 

[Kestryl]

There was a place back in my previous town that listed 20, 25, and 30% suggestions, calculated after tax. I never went back. If that is what they expect us to tip, it was too expensive for me and I’ll just stay home or go elsewhere.

For comparison, I usually tip 15-25% per-tax depending on service. It’s usually in the 18-20% range.

 

[crazylady]

I agree with your premise but not sure how to implement. It takes just as much work to bring a salad and glass of water as a steak and glass of wine. Why should the tip be significantly different?

Honestly the salad and water was harder where I was a waitress because we (the wait staff) had to build the salads.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We typically tip a little more than the recommended %20 but I like to think that that’s a nice bonus. A recommendation of up to 30% would completely turn me off. We order expensive bottles of wine, apps and a dessert. Over 25% would be ridiculous.

I refuse to even look at the "suggested" %. I don't tip on a % basis. How much my entree/food costs has NOTHING to do with how much work it is for the server.

I agree with your premise but not sure how to implement. It takes just as much work to bring a salad and glass of water as a steak and glass of wine. Why should the tip be significantly different?

Unless service is garbage/outstanding, I usually do 20% and round up to the next dollar really just out of habit and because it's easy math. But I have found myself feeling frustrated when my tip is more because I got the $50 steak vs. the $20 chicken. Ultimately, the server is bringing me the same one plate.

I agree. I get tipping a little more in a fancier place where the staff has to spend money on dressy attire to work there, but other than that, it's no more trouble to carry a plate of gourmet food than a plate of homestyle fare.

I go by a 20% standard, but I do think there ought to be a better system.

Honestly, tipping is archaic and stupid. Just pay people a reasonable wage!

This, so much this.

 

[disneychrista]

There was a place back in my previous town that listed 20, 25, and 30% suggestions, calculated after tax. I never went back. If that is what they expect us to tip, it was too expensive for me and I’ll just stay home or go elsewhere.

And there will be those that will then tip MORE THAN the 30% suggested so that they very important/special. And of course there are those that will berate others for NOT tipping 30%. Because I mean you choose to go out. So if they are suggesting 30% then you should pay that.

 

[ImDMous]

People quite adequately managed to leave tips for about 100 years without calculators or cell phones. The tipping defaults on payment processing machines are a racket.

I think the whole tipping idea is ridiculous also, I was just answering the question someone asked about whether those come from the restaurant or the credit card company.

The only time I use a payment processing machine in a restaurant is when at the counter, in which case you don't tip because you're ordering at the counter. If places are trying to get you to tip at a counter service, I just would skip it. I've only seen where they give you a printed check, there are some sample tips listed and you fill out whatever you want.

I have been managing to leave tips for 30 years but there are still PLENTY of people who just use the ones provided because they are too lazy to do 5th grade math. If they want to pay extra to save them a few seconds, that's entirely on them. You are never locked in to the suggestions.

 

[skyblue17]

I guess I just have issues with people drawing the line at tipping? Like, if you're fine with paying for a bottle of wine, and you're fine with spending $50 for a steak, you're fine with spending the $8 for two scoops of ice cream that would be $3 a pint at Safeway, what's another $5 going to the wait staff? Nickle and dime-ing over tip percentages is just so odd to me.

 

[Toolulu22]

I appreciate the suggested tips at the bottom of the receipt if they are the standard amounts that include 18 and 20%. I'll sometimes leave more if we got excellent service, or if in a place we're regulars we received a free app or round of drinks, or occasional entree.

My DH tends to leave $10. Whether our bill is $35 or $70- he wants to leave $10. I'm constantly telling him to either leave more and sometimes suggesting less (not everyone earns those extra bucks).

A restaurant putting those extra high suggested tip amounts would not sit well with me. I would infer that they weren't paying their staff enough wages and they were trying to force customers to pick up the slack. I'd probably post to our local community chat group and spread the word.

 

[RamblingMad]

Sorry, but this is a terrible way of handling it. The servers and waitstaff at restaurants should not be punished because you are not a fan of the culture in which they are essentially forced to work. If you don't want to tip appropriately, don't eat in restaurants. Denying a hard-working service employee tips they rely because you can't be bothered to tip them when you know full well what is expected is pretty awful, and no stand is made, just someone who counts on tips from tables being left without.

Or support laws that provide these employees with more pay. That’s essentially the problem.

Folks are against higher wages for some bizarre reason while supporting their kids into their 30s. This is very wrong.

Gotta love hearing parents knocking minimum wage increases in one breath and then complaining about supporting their kids that don’t make enough money to leave the nest.

I will continue to only tip 15% while supporting higher minimum wages for these workers.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

People quite adequately managed to leave tips for about 100 years without calculators or cell phones. The tipping defaults on payment processing machines are a racket.

There are those who say if you're too cheap to tip 20% or more you shouldn't go out to eat.

I say if you need a calculator app to figure out a tip you're too stupid to eat out.

I appreciate the suggested tips at the bottom of the receipt if they are the standard amounts that include 18 and 20%. I'll sometimes leave more if we got excellent service, or if in a place we're regulars we received a free app or round of drinks, or occasional entree.

My DH tends to leave $10. Whether our bill is $35 or $70- he wants to leave $10. I'm constantly telling him to either leave more and sometimes suggesting less (not everyone earns those extra bucks).

A restaurant putting those extra high suggested tip amounts would not sit well with me. I would infer that they weren't paying their staff enough wages and they were trying to force customers to pick up the slack. I'd probably post to our local community chat group and spread the word.

When my grandfather was still alive he though leaving a $1 tip was generous. Maybe it was in the 1930's when his family could eat out for $10. But he was like this until he died in the early 80's. Someone would always go back and leave more money on the table for the server.

 

[Toolulu22]

There are those who say if you're too cheap to tip 20% or more you shouldn't go out to eat.

I say if you need a calculator app to figure out a tip you're too stupid to eat out.




When my grandfather was still alive he though leaving a $1 tip was generous. Maybe it was in the 1930's when his family could eat out for $10. But he was like this until he died in the early 80's. Someone would always go back and leave more money on the table for the server.

That’s funny- a grandpa might get away with it, but my husband is 42. I do what you all did though, sometimes throw some extra money- in front of him though, so he gets it. LOL.

 

[disneychrista]

My DH tends to leave $10. Whether our bill is $35 or $70- he wants to leave $10.

$10 on the $70 isn't THAT horrible. YES, at 14% is it just under the 15% that is supposed to be the "minimum" but if the server did the same amount of work as when the bill is $35 then why should one server get more than the other?

Now of course my guess is the $70 server did in fact do more work, as in you likely ordered apps or dessert or extra drinks which brought the total higher and of course this should be rewarded with a larger tip.

 

[Toolulu22]

$10 on the $70 isn't THAT horrible. YES, at 14% is it just under the 15% that is supposed to be the "minimum" but if the server did the same amount of work as when the bill is $35 then why should one server get more than the other?

Now of course my guess is the $70 server did in fact do more work, as in you likely ordered apps or dessert or extra drinks which brought the total higher and of course this should be rewarded with a larger tip.

You’re correct. I just think that its funny. $10 no matter what!

 

[ronandannette]

I guess I just have issues with people drawing the line at tipping? Like, if you're fine with paying for a bottle of wine, and you're fine with spending $50 for a steak, you're fine with spending the $8 for two scoops of ice cream that would be $3 a pint at Safeway, what's another $5 going to the wait staff? Nickle and dime-ing over tip percentages is just so odd to me.

Then why stop at another $5? Why not give them another $20? Who better than the people providing the service to tell you how much it's worth? You pay whatever price they ask on the menu for what you order, right? Maybe a tip should just double the price of your bill, to make the math easier, after all, you could eat at home and not have to tip at all. Don't you see how senseless that argument is? SMH.

 

[skyblue17]

Then why stop at another $5? Why not give them another $20? Who better than the people providing the service to tell you how much it's worth? You pay whatever price they ask on the menu for what you order, right? Maybe a tip should just double the price of your bill, to make the math easier, after all, you could eat at home and not have to tip at all. Don't you see how senseless that argument is? SMH.

No, because we aren't talking about a difference of 10% or more. 20% does make the math easier, as does 25%. I'm not suggesting people should pay more than that, I'm commenting on how people balk so loudly at tipping an extra few dollars because it's an outrage to tip hard-working wait staff or whatever the message is.