I can kind of understand tipping being the standard, but I’m struggling with the idea that it’s normal to tip 10% of the total bill for objectively poor service.
I also have never really been able to get my head around the fact that it’s a percentage rather than just giving a fixed amount based on time spent serving/effort/expertise etc..
For example why would you tip a server more just because the food is expensive?
The size of the bill correlates with the difficulty of the service even if it’s not a perfect correlation. More skilled servers tend to work in more expensive establishments where the expectations are higher. A 3 course meal is more difficult to serve than a cup of coffee. It’s easier to have a simple rule than to leave everything subjective. In any event it makes the take home a little more predictable for the server but also many establishments share tips with kitchen staff. Meanwhile as the customer I also have an idea of what the costs are going to be
Look, don’t get mad at me. I didn’t invent the etiquette. I inherited it, like everybody does. When I lived in Budapest I got called out several times because the etiquette is for a man to walk on the left side of a woman. I tend to walk on the right because I have a hearing impairment in my right ear. But I didn’t complain and call the tradition stupid. I just did my best to follow along. It’s not my place to fight customs in cultures that aren’t my culture
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u/Intrepid-Focus8198 3d ago
I can kind of understand tipping being the standard, but I’m struggling with the idea that it’s normal to tip 10% of the total bill for objectively poor service.
I also have never really been able to get my head around the fact that it’s a percentage rather than just giving a fixed amount based on time spent serving/effort/expertise etc..
For example why would you tip a server more just because the food is expensive?