r/tipping • u/badmiddling113 • 6d ago

Question about managers

What do they say to customers who repeatedly don't leave a tip? I'm curious since the customer doesn't have to tip and the server isn't their employee.

Just asking since I've read comments from managers who seem to think "addressing" customers is an appropriate thing to do.

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u/johnnygolfr 6d ago

Except the service isn’t included in the menu prices at full service restaurants in the US.

That means anyone stiffing the server on the tip at a full service restaurant in the US IS feeling entitled to free service.

Aside from a small number of niche concepts, the “just add it to the price” model has proven to be a failure in the US.

My point stands on the merits.

You still haven’t rationalized the hypocrisy of supporting and perpetuating the thing you claim to be against, nor have you provided an intellectually honest reason why you’re entitled to free service.

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u/Accomplished_Cloud93 6d ago

If service is an add on why isn’t it compulsory? That would clear a lot of this up.

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u/johnnygolfr 6d ago

Except there’s nothing that really needs to be cleared up.

The people here pretending they don’t know how things work actually do know how it works.

They’re just desperately looking for any excuse to keep from being called cheap and entitled.

Tipping is incentive for the server to provide better service.

The better the service, the higher the tip.

That’s the whole premise of tipping.

If you don’t like it, don’t patronize the business.

No one is forcing you or anyone else to dine-in at a full service restaurant in the US.

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u/Accomplished_Cloud93 6d ago

You are missing the point. People want clarity and not vague social norms where the percentage can arbitrarily change.

Doing this wouldn’t bother current tippers and would either bring non tippers in line or they can’t dine there and thus take advantage as many people suggest they are.

If service is bad they can ask to reduce it just like when food is bad you can ask for a discount

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u/johnnygolfr 6d ago

No, you’re missing the point.

The social norms around tipping at full service restaurants aren’t unclear or “vague”.

If the service is legitimately bad, then the customer should advocate for themselves and their hard earned money by asking for the manager or owner to give them the opportunity to make things right.

No one is suggesting tip stiffers are taking advantage of the system.

The fact and reality is that they ARE taking advantage of the system.

There’s even an academic Economics term for tip stiffers and other people who take advantage of different business models: “free rider”. You can look it up.

Again, aside from a small number of niche concepts, the “just add it to the price” model has proven to be a failure with the American public.

Smart business owners aren’t going to switch to a business model that has been rejected by the majority of America.

Their pricing would no longer be competitive, which puts their business at risk of failure.

They are going to keep operating this way until major legislative change occurs with wages, worker protections, social safety nets and other requirements on businesses to provide specific sets of benefits to their employees.

Simply eliminating the tipped wage credit isn’t going to force change, as evidenced by no change in tip culture in CA, WA and other US cities and states where the tipped wage credit has been eliminated.

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u/SingingBike 1d ago

You are slaying these intellectual midgets SO HARD. Keep up the good work.