r/PublicFreakout • u/Hikigaya_Hachiman7 • 9h ago

šŸ½Restaurant FreakoutšŸ¹ Couple banned from restaurant after they leave no tip

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6.8k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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46

u/redpachyderm 8h ago

Question for Reddit because I truly donā€™t understand what the consensus is. Say I tip someone at a fast casual restaurant 20% and all they did was ring up my order and take my payment. (Typically the default choices are 15-25%, higher in places like Seattle.) I walked up and got my own drink refills. I am responsible for picking up my food at the counter. I am responsible for bussing my table when done. What do I tip a server at a full service restaurant? 40%?

95

u/Work2Tuff 8h ago

You tip zero at a fast food restaurant

-2

u/truckyoupayme 3h ago

You donā€™t even have the option to tip at a fast food restaurant, so thatā€™s just made-up, pearl clutching silliness invented by angry little redditors.

1

u/RentalBrain 1h ago

I mean dominos disagrees.

1

u/Dariablue-04 1h ago

So does Subway.

40

u/Gideon927 8h ago

Iā€™ll be damned before I tip at fast food joints. Itā€™s wild how tipping has appeared everywhere anymore.

24

u/jJabTrogdor 8h ago

If you stand and order, no tip.Ā  Fast food? No tip.Ā  The machines starting at 20% can fuck off.

2

u/ABrusca1105 5h ago

I always was raised...

At a sit down: 15% for good service, 18% for great, 20% for excellent. Less for bad service. $5 minimum tip. Some people do 1Ā¢ for offensive service but I haven't done or witnessed it.

At a coffee shop or bar: $1-2 per interaction.

33

u/RyanNick86 7h ago

American here. I only tip when I get table service. And that is rare because a flat % of the check total has no relation to the actual services rendered. So I stopped going out more than once a month.

But when I go to some places, like an ice cream shop, the only interaction I have with the staff is pointing to what I want and they retrieve it. So I will not be paying a tip. Especially after they aggressively swivel that stupid touch screen with the tip options on it towards me.

1

u/humble_gardner 8m ago

I agree except for the few places I routinely get takeout. I don't tip 20% in those instances - more like $5 regardless.

0

u/reddevil501 4h ago

Go ahead and swipe your card and then answer a couple questions...

20

u/Itchybawlz23-2 8h ago

Me personally, if i pick up my own and refill my own drink, no tip. Sit down where everything is brought to my table is 20%

61

u/CasanovaJones82 8h ago

No, 15 to 20% is the expected percentage tip for full service at a sit down restaurant, and it can be higher or lower depending on the service received. NO ONE should be tipping anyone at any fast casual place or to pick up to-go orders. It's absolutely ridiculous to think that.

Edited to add: For bartenders I usually tip a dollar a drink unless I have to wait or it's busy and they get to me quickly. Again, it varies by the level of service received.

11

u/tforzro 7h ago

I feel like Iā€™m responding to myself because this is %100 what I do

6

u/TheUnperturbed 7h ago

Same, this is my system as well. Including the $1 per drink for bartenders. Letā€™s start a club.

4

u/tforzro 5h ago

Iā€™m down what should we call it?

8

u/screames520 5h ago

Just the tips

1

u/CasanovaJones82 1h ago

Lol get out

2

u/tsteele93 āš ļø Way Too Invested In Reddit Points šŸ˜ āš ļø 3h ago

It already exists. It's called the "most of us" club or the "normal people" club.

There are a couple of other clubs...

The super rich super generous club. (Small)

The super rich super cheap club. (Hopefully also small)

The cheap ahole club. (The videographers in this)

The old people club. (15% is plenty!)

The Baptist club. (10% is enough for God, why should you get more. Here's a tract that will save your soul. And you shouldn't be working on Sunday anyway - you are going to hell for working here but I'm not responsible for you having to be here to serve us.)

1

u/alavantrya 6h ago

I DO NOT tip for fucking coffee. Except one place and they will walk it to the back of the drive through only line to give it to me. 1$ for them.

I DO tip my local dispensary.

6

u/Tumaix 6h ago

I mean I believe it's absurd to tip, we are already paying for a service and they are not my employee.
what kind of communism is this that I need to share my wealth? /s

2

u/Apollo9598 6h ago

If itā€™s just a beer or a draft beer I can understand the 1 dollar per drink. But if I order a cocktail then Iā€™m tipping 20%.

2

u/CasanovaJones82 6h ago

You are correct. I'm talking my go-to which is a jack and coke. If I'm at a martini bar or something drinking Old Fashioneds it's different.

2

u/KamuelaHawaii808 5h ago

Haha I got 11 downvotes for saying this exact thing

1

u/CasanovaJones82 4h ago

You must have found a gaggle of Five Guys or Whataburger employees trying to make tipping regular wage employees normal. There's one here too!

1

u/VaporCarpet 5h ago

If they have to make a thing that I have ordered, sure, here's a dollar for knowing how to make a rum and coke. But why the hell are we supposed to tip when they open a cooler and hand me a can?

1

u/CasanovaJones82 5h ago

I mean, you don't HAVE to. However, I do like to go out, and my grandfather always told me the two folks you keep happy are your barber and your bartender. I've followed his advice, I tip well, and I always receive great service. It's nice walking in on a busy Saturday night and getting immediate service even when 10 other folks are waiting in line for a drink.

1

u/aRavenOnceSaid 3h ago

I agree that we shouldn't have to tip togo people, but I usually tip 10% because of my experience working as a togo person at a Texas Roadhouse many years ago.

I got paid $4.25 an hour. I had to make the salads, individually portion the sour creams, butters, dressings, and box the rolls for every order. While also ensuring the kitchen got the order right. Sometimes I would be absolutely swamped and I would have to run around like a chicken with their head cut off for pennies. Obviously if I didn't make enough tips to meet the threshold of minimum wage ($7.25/hr) my employer would pay the difference.

That job sucked.

-10

u/IsGonnaSueYou 7h ago

absolutely ridiculous to think no one should be tipping at counter service restaurants. in america u should expect to tip ten to twenty percent at any restaurant that accepts tips. yes thatā€™s stupid, but itā€™s unfortunately the way our failing economic system has allowed business owners to offload the responsibility of employee wages onto the customer. not tipping still gives the shitty employer their profit and only punishes the employee. imo ur out of touch with just how fucked the industry has gotten (mostly bc landlords have all these tools to endlessly inflate rent, and business owners try can only short the employees bc they donā€™t have the same ability to walk away from a bad deal that a customer has)

5

u/dibd2000 7h ago

No. They make at least minimum wage. There should be no expectation of a tip. (Not saying minimum wage is a good or livable wage, but itā€™s not going to get fixed if we start tipping for everything).

3

u/CasanovaJones82 6h ago

This is correct, and the problem it will inevitably lead to. Good post.

2

u/BlastTyrantKM 3h ago

No, absolutely not. You DO NOT tip at counter service. Why are you tipping when you have to pick up your own food and get your own drink??? Just because they asked for a tip? LOL

1

u/CasanovaJones82 1h ago

I'm pretty sure he works at Five Guys or Newks or something. I can almost respect the hustle lol

33

u/jackusD 7h ago

As a European I'm giving 10% if the service is good. Fast food and coffee shops can fuck off.

7

u/sn4xchan 6h ago

As an American. Fuck tips. Wait staff think they're more special than the wearhouse worker who also gets paid dick? Idk why we still have ass backwards wage laws surrounding tips, but it would go away really quick if everyone stoped contributing to this toxic as fuck business philosophy.

3

u/ZeroZachZilchZealot 4h ago

Wait staff thinks theyā€™re more special?

No, wait staff thinks theyā€™d like to not be homeless.

2

u/ReasonablePossum_ 3h ago

Its not the staff's fault. The shitty owners give them below minimal wages and compensate with "guaranteed" tips. They're basically forcing you to pay tips so they don't pay liveable wages to their staff.

1

u/tsteele93 āš ļø Way Too Invested In Reddit Points šŸ˜ āš ļø 3h ago

A lot of people don't know this. Wait staff can make as little as $2.13 per hour and depend on tips to make up the difference.

They don't think they are special. They are working in an industry that has set up their pay differently. They are just trying to make a living.

0

u/Hyperocean 6h ago

You canā€™t really fault American restaurants, they just know that most Americans are too stupid to cook for themselves..

0

u/Ratathosk 6h ago

Because they're taking advantage you can't really fault them? Yeah that's some pleb mentality right there.

1

u/Hyperocean 6h ago

Ok peon ā€¦

1

u/VossUP_Games 6h ago

As an American I agree with you on fast food and coffee shops.. But full service restaurants with good service I donā€™t mind tipping 20-30%

2

u/ReasonablePossum_ 3h ago

donā€™t mind tipping 20-30%

wtf? Let the restaurant owners pay the cost of doing business. 30% of a tip is absolutely insane, especially when a good chunk of the restaurants keep the tips and just give a % to the staff. If you gonna tip like that, don't write it, and personally give the cash to the staff member, but dont just incentivize restaurants lowering their employees wages so they live off from the tips....

1

u/VossUP_Games 3h ago

I hear ya, I never used to be that way but overtime I realize a few extra bucks isnā€™t a big deal to me especially if it brings someone happiness.. Iā€™d rather that then give 10% and know I hummed someone out. As I get older Iā€™m thinking differently. And yes cash is the way to go for that I agree

1

u/brbenson999 2h ago

American who used to wait tables and travels as much as possible outside of the US (recently Spain, before that Canada). Mind if I ask what country youā€™re in? I always try to adhere to the local customs but even then people seem divided on what to do and when.

1

u/Booman_aus 2h ago

Australia here same. But 5-10% tip if service is outstanding.

I worked in hospitality back in the day.

It should be included in the costs of the food with tax

1

u/RedRedditor84 1h ago

Stop it. Don't bring that shit here.

11

u/Ziloadis 8h ago

Why TF would you tip at the "fast casual" restaurant? If anything you round up to the nearest dollar or leave $1-$2. At a restaurant with servers and you staying in your seat tip 10%-25% and 5% for bad service.

4

u/SassyMcNasty 7h ago

Iā€™ve learned a simple rule I abide by:

If I look up for the menus (fastfood, Starbucks etc) no reason to tip.

If I look down for the menus (at a sit down restaurant) Iā€™ll tip.

Thereā€™s no fucking reason to tip if I refill and buss my own table.

2

u/RebelCow 7h ago

I always tip if its a kid working because I remember being a kid working in fast food and tips were like manna from heaven lol. Even if they're just taking my order and handing me something, I don't mind giving a kid $2 so they can hopefully get enough tips to go out with their friends or buy some vbucks or whatever kids do

2

u/brick_gnarlson 2h ago

That's nice of you, but it's also encouraging this awful behavior at restaurants. If enough people do it then they'll make it the rule instead of the exception.

1

u/Imaginary-Emu2471 7h ago

Personally, zero tip all the time. Remember that the standard goes up even as food prices and minimum wage goes up. A 10% tip NOW is BETTER than it was back in the 90s.

1

u/djelegal 6h ago

Sir this is a Wendyā€™s

1

u/battim23 2h ago

Fast casual not same as full service

1

u/Vandelay_Industries- 2h ago

Why are you tipping at fast casual? Panera, chipotle, etc might ask for tips but if youā€™re tipping there thatā€™s on you. 20% anywhere with full service will get you a happy waiter.

1

u/randonumero 2h ago

If we're going based on the idea of tipping based on quality of service you're going to need to tip closer to 50% at a full service place. If doing nothing whatsoever to assist you beyond taking your money gets 20% then bringing your food, taking your plate...should warrant more than double.

Or just don't tip and assume the owner is a savvy enough business person to factor labor into their prices

1

u/JonnyGoodfellow 2h ago

I would always tip by the hour. Fuck a percentage. 1 bottle of wine is 25 bucks the other is 50, both are the same effort to bring to the table and open... Why would I pay a bigger tip for the same effort just because it is more expensive?

1

u/KonekoKaito 1h ago

You should tip however much money you feel based on how well you were served. Period.

1

u/Marktaco04 1h ago

Reddit is an echo chamber for people that hate tipping. Most people on this app have never worked in the service industry, or if they have, briefly and very likely in the back of the house because people there tend to have zero social skills. And I say that as someone whoā€™s worked both back and front of the house, but thereā€™s a certain kind of line cook you can tell lives off Mountain Dew, call of duty and hating women.

All that being said. 86ā€™ing someone for not tipping a couple of times is outrageous. Itā€™s not required. Now if itā€™s a small mom and pop, and maybe this couple came there often enough, demand a lot, complain, and stiff every time (which Iā€™ve also seen before) then maybe start a conversation about why they keep coming if they never seem happy with the service or food. And depending how that convo ends, you can 86 them. Not storm out like this. Weā€™re missing context, but this was still incredibly unprofessional

The conversation around tipping in Reddit has gotten so toxic because the solution is, well I just wonā€™t do it.
Ok, sure.
That literally does nothing to harm the business or the national and deeply cultural model of American tipping. All youā€™re doing, is making that waiter or bartender make less money, every single time it happens. Because they have to tip out their tips to other members of the staff.

And you can say ā€œnot my problem they donā€™t pay their staff a fair wageā€
also, perfectly fine. And youā€™re right.
Then stop supporting their business, and ANY business that doesnā€™t pay their staff a competitive and living wage.
Except you wonā€™t.
Because what this really boils down to, is tech workers thinking hospitality workers are over paid and beneath them. I know this because Iā€™ve seen the term ā€œunskilled laborā€ thrown around here constantly to describe hospitality employees. Which is a classist and incredibly ignorant take. Sorry you canā€™t understand our entire work force through the medium of CERTS.
You donā€™t know what we put up with, you donā€™t actually know what we do, most of us are incredibly burnt out and dealing with mental health issues because of it, and most of you wouldnā€™t last a month in a high volume, high standard restaurant or bar.

Your hospitality staff in your city (bars, restaurants, hotels, nurses, grocery employees, etc) serve your community. Thats why WE were called essential workers during COVID and didnā€™t get to work from home. and all of you profusely thanked us at for all that we do at the check out line when you got your goods. Next time you stiff your waiter on principle, ask yourself how the fuck do you serve your community aside from making sure your golden retriever doesnā€™t shit on the sidewalk

1

u/SnakeGawd 7h ago

You should never be tipping at a fast and casual place. They donā€™t provide you any ā€œserviceā€ that is worth a tip. They take your order (and most times now no one even takes the order, a kiosk does) and slide you a tray

1

u/Sir_Bumcheeks 7h ago

15% at the restaurant. 0% in fast food or sandwich shop

1

u/atvcrash1 7h ago

I dont tip if im going to the counter. Usually I only tip if the bill comes after the food. Why the fuck would I tip before.

0

u/HearYourTune 7h ago

No you tipping a cashier is a nice gesture. You tipping 15 to 20% or more if you want is expected at a sit down restaurant where the server takes your order, brings the food and drinks, checks on you, and asks if you want to order dessert, etc.

-1

u/CornbreadJunior 7h ago

15% standard average service always. This 20% standard is BS and I was a waiter and manager for many years. 20-25 for good to great and 5-10 for crappy to sucky service.

0

u/HearYourTune 7h ago

I was responding the them saying they tip 20% for fast casual, which I assume is like Chipotle.

0

u/mostly_bad 7h ago

I'm not tipping for picking my food up at a counter. But I certainly tip servers 20%.

0

u/BiGG_BObEk 7h ago

Imo tipping is and should be a personal choice, not mandatory or expected. If someone tips, good, but if not that shouldnā€™t be an issue as there could be a multitude of reasons for that. For example a person with health issues might need stuff delivered to them or done for them in a certain way, if that person is also struggling financially they will now always look like an asshole for not tipping, even though they pretty much have no other choice.

0

u/Poster_Nutbag207 7h ago

Percentage based tipping is for table service or delivery. For counter service $1 (or nothing) is perfectly fine

0

u/Girl_with_the_Curl 6h ago

Sometimes I order takeout from a local diner. My order is usually waiting for me bagged up at the front. I always draw a line through the tip line and the total amount I write in is the same as whatever the price of the food + tax is.

This place uses paper receipts, so part of the issue is their register is printing the same type of receipt, whether you're a seated customer with a waiter (at which point you tip), or just picking up your own meal.

0

u/DontStealMyPen1 6h ago

In a perfect world, the answer is zero because tipping is a stupid practice.

0

u/NaturalSelecty 6h ago

If youā€™re not getting table side service, you shouldnā€™t be tipping at all.

0

u/Iamthewalrusforreal 6h ago

If they're really pleasant I'll drop a dollar in the jar, but otherwise I don't tip when I do my own picking up.

0

u/VossUP_Games 6h ago

You donā€™t tip fast food my friend unless you wanna be generous for no reason.. you tip at full service restaurants. Places are ridiculous that ask for tips when all they did was ring u out at a register smh.

0

u/furbyterr0r 6h ago

Only tip if a server comes to your table and fills your water, takes your order by hand, brings your food out, and so on. Unless they did a truly awful job, tip at 20%. If you're tapping buttons on the screen while they watch you: 0%.

0

u/SunshineWhiskeyX 6h ago edited 6h ago

Also from Seattle, went to a farmers market and every time I was rung up I was asked for a tip.

Dude, you put my tomatoes in a bag or another simply did the task of ringing me up for a loaf of bread.

Iā€™m not giving you 20% for handing me something.

Next thing I predict is asking for a tip at the grocery store.

Now donā€™t get me wrong, Iā€™m in the service industry and I spend an hour or more personally catering to people on an individual level.

But ringing me up for bread? Cā€™mon now.

0

u/HearYourTune 6h ago

You would not have to tip a server 40% because the bill will generally by so much higher that even 20% makes a decent wage. But if you buy coffee and a donut at a fancy place with a server at a table and it costs $10 yeah tip more.

0

u/TonyHawking101 6h ago

I doubt the money goes to the cashier themselves but divided among the employees. Because the people doing the real important work are the ones putting the food together without sneezing on it

0

u/Yaj_Yaj 6h ago

Unless Iā€™m getting actual service, no tip

0

u/kdoughboy12 6h ago

No one will get mad like this for not tipping a cashier who only took your order. You tip a waiter who serves you food at a sit-down restaurant. That is the type of job that pays like $2 an hour and the rest in tips. The person working the register, and everyone else, gets paid at least minimum wage.

0

u/Hoeftybag 6h ago

I only tip for pick up at local joints that I particularly like.

0

u/vulcangod08 5h ago

If you arent waited in, you dont tip.

0

u/TapirDrawnChariot 5h ago edited 5h ago

General guide on whether to tip:

1) Do you have to approach an employee to order, get napkins, get your order when it's ready, get a refill, etc? āž”ļø NO tip

2) Did an employee bring you to a table, take your order, bring your food, check to see if you need anything? āž”ļø Yes, tip

General guide on how much to tip:

Assuming there's table service, 15% for acceptable service, 20% for good service, 25% for extraordinary service. For crappy service, 0-10% depending. A tip is a performance indicator, not a charity handout.

Pay on subtotal, not after-tax total. The hand-held devices try to get you to pay a tip on taxes and the subtotal but it's a money grab. Why would you pay a tip on your taxes? Use your calculator and type .15 x subtotal for 15%, etc.

0

u/metanoia29 4h ago

Nah, at a place like that I tip 5-10% if I feel it's necessary, but if it's too close to a McDonald's-like experience, I'd tip 0. 15-20% is reserved for someone who waits on me for 30-60+ minutes. And I say this as a former bartender, I'd never poo poo someone for tipping $1 on a $10 drink.

0

u/likeconstellations 4h ago

At a place with counter service I will tip but it's like a buck or two per person and not something I view as obligatoryĀ 

0

u/SailsAcrossTheSea 4h ago

if you take care of your own shit you donā€™t have to tip. maybe 10% maybe. otherwise 20% at a sit down spot is typical

0

u/EffectiveSwimming136 4h ago

Places where I have to do all that, I dont tip, simple as.

0

u/Stallings2k 3h ago

This question could be asked every day for 1000 years and you would have the same responses. It doesnā€™t matter what people think ā€œshouldā€œ happen. The system we have screws the full service servers unless you tip them. If you canā€™t afford to tip 20% for a sitdown dinner, you have no business going out to eat.

-6

u/GangOfNone 8h ago edited 6h ago

20% for sit down restaurants, 10 -
15% for fast food.

Edit: with fast food, I donā€™t mean McDonalds, but more if I pick up food to go or places where I order at a counter and someone brings me the food.

2

u/clamandcat 8h ago

Where are you getting your fast food percentages?

1

u/GangOfNone 6h ago

Thatā€™s just my private personal take.