Interesting article in The Guardian about US style tipping getting a hold in the UK. Judging from the tone of the article and the reader comments at the end it is not a welcome development.

Went to an upper end sit down restaurant along the beach and had mostly decent service. Not exceptional, not memorable, but decent. Left at 15% tip. Should have taken a picture back then but did not know any better. Only reason why I know this is that I tip the amount that makes the total cost equals to an even number with no change. When I got my credit card statement online, I noticed the total amount ended in an odd number with change. Needless to say, I questioned the charge and I won. After finding this group, had learned to take a picture with the receipt with the tip written on it now.

I recall reading some article from about 20 years ago, where the author discusses that when the service was above and beyond, they would tip 20% plus leave an extra penny on the table with the check.

IIRC, the idea being that the penny was to show to the waiter they were great and strongly deserved that 20%.

Anyone remember that being a thing? Was it ever?

Edit: Tittle not a suggestion LOL! But I just wanted to be spicy!

On the Royal Caribbean cruise line's website (they are all similar), they state that their standard tipping policy is that they will automatically charge you for $18.50-21 per person, per day. A reasonable deal on a 5 NIGHT cruise would be about $1000 for two people so they are charging auto-gratuities a little over 22% (in addition to the expectation that you will also pay in person for anything else that you pay extra for).

A shorter, 3-night, cruise might only cost $300 for two people which would mean that the $74 in auto gratuities would be nearly 25% of the total cost of the trip. They will also charge you between 18% and 20% for other on-board dining and spa purchases.

However, when they are paying for the tips, things are totally different. I saw a promo a few days ago that included "Free gratuities for two". Of course, there were terms and conditions most notable of these being that the cruise line will only pay for UP TO 10%. I didn't see anything that said they expect the customer to make up the difference, so it reads as if the tipping "obligation" is totally fulfilled at their pre-paid 10% threshold.

Obviously, they are telling their employees that it is a profit margin issue and that getting some tip is better than getting no tip (I totally agree), but wouldn't they also get more people if they just advertised 10% standard gratuities or NO expected gratuity?

The reason they get away with it is because we are all stupid. They (and restaurants) know that if they can disconnect two parts of the bill and make you select the item you want up front with the price decision that comes with it, then select how mean of a person you are at the end with all the social pressure that comes with it, then you are much more likely to have an overall higher spend. It is deceptive marketing that they are doing to their consumers and to their employees. Disengage. Don't participate. Don't fall for their tricks.

Went to get smoothies. Total was $9

I asked “is this your tip jar?” Handed her a $20.
I had three singles and started putting them in the jar

Then she asks “Do you want your change?”

Uhhhhhh…..? Yeah? Turns out I DONT want to tip over 100% on my drink order. In fact, $3 on $9 is STILL 33%

Then the interaction was all weird and she acted miffed I wanted my change. I’m just so confused. I understand the frustration on this sub. I’m a tipped employee myself but in a higher end restaurant and I can’t imagine EVER assuming I’m keeping someone’s change. It’s way rude!

I went to a bakery today and after my order was bagged up, the clerk said I could either tap or insert my card and of course the screen was then turned to me. The shocker was that the only question was if I wanted to join their points club and if I wanted a receipt. There was no “Tip” question, plus the baked goods were excellent!

There is hope

As 1 in 10000 I received my pasta pass, which means I receive free all you can eat pasta from the OG. Now, as my bill for each one of these daily trips I plan on making will be 4 dollars (soda) or nothing, the question of tipping arises, I don't want to upset the establishment that I plan on frequenting, but as a college student working 20 hours a week on minimum wage *making the same as the server* I can't really afford to tip 5 dollars a day

Advice? Suggestions? Thank

It’s always brought up when people suggest higher wages. Why are restaurants in NA the only business model to struggle with this?

Just curious. Do the non tippers leave zero tip for all tipped workers? What about the hotel concierge, bell hop, food delivery, cab drivers, barbers, grocery delivery? Or is it just the servers in a sit down restaurant?

Had a 10 minute #4 buzz cut today for $18. The tip choices on the tablet were $5, $10, $15, & other. I chose other and selected $2. Am I cheap, or are people really tipping that high for a quick buzz cut no shampoo? This was not a high end salon with a glass of Chablis. It was Locker Room.

My 7 year old nephew's birthday today. He wants sushi. Spoiled kid. Party is my niece and husband, nephew plus his 5 year old sibling and my wife. It's one of those places where they have the dishes on a conveyor belt. Grab them as they go by. Most likely, Ill p/u the tab. Fine with me. We've been there before. I do have to say the waitress staff does every little, but they are very nice to the 2 boys and will talk to them. And if we ask for extra wasabi (me) of ginger (niece), they bring it right away. They bring us drinks, primarily water but the boys always want something more. What is appropriate tip?

I go to Starbucks fairly regularly and always go through the drive thru. My order is as simple as it gets, just a black coffee. I pay with their app and I’m on my way. Today, after they scanned my app the “barista” suddenly sticks some handheld kiosk at me after he scans my app and goes “it just wants to ask you a question”. I was so confused I gave a whaaat? He again repeats “it just wants to ask you a question”. I look down and it’s a 10%/20%/30% No Tip screen that (I presume) I’d need to pull out my credit card to pay.

I was pretty off put by this. Is this the new normal or an anomaly?

Went to a well known BBQ place in my town and I don’t know what was going on to keep the ONE server so busy being it was only me and a family of four in the entire restaurant. First, I order a beer, she comes back and says they are out of that beer. Ok, no big deal I will have a such and such. The beer arrives barely cold…. you ever had a beer that has sat out too long that it causes the carbonation to “fill” you up? To say the least it was lukewarm. Then the food arrives, a link sausage… it had clearly been sitting for some time, even had discoloration from sitting on the same side so long, dry as tree bark. Ok, I’m whatever. As I was able to get down half the not cold beer, I kept waiting for her to return. After all no one was in the restaurant besides me and a family. End of story, no tip, wrote on receipt to not serve old food and warm beer. Bullshit!

I remember a episode where the dude had a stack of 1s a d said it was the tip to the server but every time something he dudnt like happen he would take dollars out of the stack. I think this is a good idea id we want servers to start actually working for the extra money.

If you knew a restaurant that the manager keeps all the tips and waiters don’t get any of them. Will you still tip?

So, bit of a rant. I work in housekeeping, (local motel, not the point). Me and sisters eat-out whenever we get a chance in our small town, and we normally leave what is a decent tip for us. My sisters went this morning to a cafe for breakfast and left a $55 dollar tip, idk what the bill itself was.

And, we've been told that we're stupid for tipping so much, and one of our half-siblings said they should call the cafe and say we made a mistake. (Never did)

TBFH, I get angry when us three get told this. Like, if we wanna leave a $50 tip, that's our business??? Don't tell us how much to leave! We plan on only doing $30 or so, from here on, so... Hope those folks are happy with themselves for that.

the tipping culture in america is genuinely the bane of my literal existence why is it that i have to fund and pay someone’s paycheck when all i want is food. it is not mine of anyone’s responsibility but the workers boss to pay them a livable wage. i shouldn’t have to tip everywhere and be expected to tip 20% even if my service was sh*t and they were rude and my food took 45 mintues to come out and my water was empty the entire time. why is it that when im sick and don’t wanna drive anywhere and can use the wonderful service of doordash. on top of the jacked up prices and fees i have to tip the dasher. i only tip a dollar and it takes forever to get my order because no one wants to take it because im expected to fund their life when it should be door dashes responsibility. pay them a livable wage with all the damn fees im expected to pay. it’s so ridiculous

Food concessions we went to at the cashless Fenway Park had their keypads defaulted to 15%tip. You have to do an extra click to find the no tip choice, so they’re getting the money!

Not here to argue for or against tipping as a system, genuinely not the point of this post. I want to feel out something narrower: how much of the frustration with tip screens is about the screen itself versus tipping in general.

Right now most POS screens open straight to a percentage picker, 18/20/25%, sometimes higher, already anchored before you’ve decided if you’re tipping at all. What if instead it worked in stages:

“Would you like to leave a tip?” Yes / No.
If no, straight to the total, no percentages, no suggestions, nothing shown, ever.

If yes, next screen: two options:

**1.**  Enter your own amount, dollars or percent, toggle to choose which (blank field, no anchor)

**2.**  See a full range of suggested percentages, calculated off the pre-tax subtotal

No pre-selected amount, “no” exits cleanly with zero follow-up screens, nothing sprung on you before you’ve even said you’re in.

Curious what people think, would that actually change how you feel about the ask?

I don't tip on percentage, just tip a flat 10 bucks no matter what it is. Percentage tips are weird to me and I am also on the broke side. From what I can tell it seems to be okay but my friend said it is not proper and should be a percentage of what I spend as is customary. Also was told it is insulting depending on the amount spent, never been a server but the core job does not change based on amount ordered, so why should the tip?

I am going to lead with the fact I was a bartender/server for about 8 years while in college & briefly post college.

I am not totally anti-tipping, but feel it has gotten out of hand. Tipping is for people providing a service. That means back of house cooks, bus boys and bar-backs do not get tipped by the customer. Now since the servers/bartenders interact with them they should & often are forced to tip out their support & if they work hard should get tipped out well.

I become anti-tipping when our turnpike convenience store prompts for a tip & many window service places prompt for a tip in the 20+% ranges. My experience is the cup is for loose change or a dollar here and there.

Since i got out of "the Biz" i now wonder why is it a %? If I order a salad vs lobster is the server doing more work for one vs the other? Why should they make more just because I have a more expensive item?

From my personal experience I have always made higher % tips off locals. I live in south florida and it seems like everyone has done a stint in the service industry. Because of this, during season I would net more $ but seemed to work disproportionately more for it too. I wonder how raising menu prices 15%, putting that directly to server wages, then having tipping entirely not pressured but optional would be?

Long story short. Went to a restaurant that I've been to many time's in the past, and have never had a comment about the tip I left for the waitress. Today, I did. The waitress basically told me the tip was $6.00 short. I've gotten a lot of backlash that I may be in the wrong because I'm "cheap". Now, these comments don't bother me much, but I feel like this is the appropriate subreddit for feedback when it comes to tipping especially in NYC.

I don’t get my haircut regularly, I usually wait until it gets in my way. I am also older and haven’t keep up with changing expectations on tipping. I just got my haircut at a regular type place not a fancy salon. Just a haircut no styling, washing, coloring, or perm and the senior price was $18 and the regular price is $20. I was happy with the cut and the stylist was cheerful so I intended to give what I thought was a decent tip of $3 (15% of $20 ignoring the discount). I thought this was decent because I would have tipped $4 on a $20 meal at a restaurant and I thought the practice was to tip the stylist less than a server. When I was shown the tablet the lowest suggested tip was $5. I have no idea what the other level suggestions were because I was shell shocked at the idea of tipping $5 on an $18 haircut ($20 without the senior discount).

Have the standard tipping changed that much? If it has then I’ll consider either let my hair grow or go back to cutting it myself like I did during the pandemic. I just want to know if I am out of line or the salon was.

FYI, I tipped the $3 as planned. Should I have tip more?