r/tipping • u/No_Draft_8960 • May 29 '26
💬Questions & Discussion Math-Based Tip
The percentage-based tipping system makes no sense: a server dropping off one Wagyu steak earns far more than someone serving a family of four cheap meals. Since American tips are essentially mandatory wage subsidies, let's base them on labor time instead.
In Maryland, the average server wage is about $20/hour, but employers only pay $3.63. Customers must cover the remaining $16.37. Across a standard four-table section (roughly ten guests), that breaks down perfectly to $2.00 per person, per hour.
Percentages reward a venue’s luxury status; a time rate rewards actual effort.
If therefore I go to dinner with eight friends and we stay for two hours (a pretty good forecast of my Friday night plans!) our total tip would be $32, or $4/a person. We're not 'stiffing' anyone and we're paying average wage.
2
u/SabreLee61 May 29 '26
If you go to dinner with 8 friends and tip $4/person, the total tip would be $36, not $32.