Do you tip?

[CWCissey]

No because we pay our service staff over here so tipping is not really a custom.

 

[MarineTrainedTard]

Yeah, I always tip, usually a little more than 15%, unless the service was excellent, in which case I get kind of stupid with tipping. (25-30% sometimes). Granted, I usually eat alone at cheap restaurants, so tipping a larger percentage of the bill isn't that big of a deal. I'd kind if feel like a dick if I ate an $8 meal and left a $1 tip, so in that case I drop $2, or occasionally $3.

EDIT: I'd rather see waitstaff get paid a better wage, though, for sure.

 

[Rio]

No because we pay our service staff over here so tipping is not really a custom.

Yeah, this. Tipping culture is more of an American thing. in Europe the wages for service staff is better so tipping is mostly just done for uncommonly good service. I'll tip sometimes, but it's not my habit to tip.

When I was vacationing in the US I obviously tipped though, usually 15-20%.

 

[c-no]

I tip $2. This is only for eating at a place like a Chinese restaurant and only if someone wants me to tip or I eat by myself.

 

[RepQuest]

20%. Always.

 

[Tokitae]

Tipping isn't really a super big thing where I live, but when I did visit the States (with my American partner and their family) I was pretty careful about it, since I was told it's how so many people make ends meet. Luckily they told me how much to tip though since I wouldn't have really known things like that it's nice to give the busboys at the airport a couple of dollars or something.

Since I work in hospo though, I've also been on the other side and sadly most of my experiences with tips have involved a) working for a business that has a "tip jar" then pockets everything in it as profit rather than sharing it with workers and b) having my tips repeatedly stolen by another worker who would pretend she had served my tables so the supervisor would give them to her (ever since, when I can afford to tip I try to give it straight to the person who served me if possible). So I guess people are dicks about this even when tipping isn't a huge part of the culture and working in service is shitty wherever you go, lol.

 

[Cynical]

I'll tip about 20% most of the time by default, sometimes more if the service is exemplary or in special circumstances (one waiter I knew at a restaurant had to put up with a massive asshole of a customer next to my table, so on top of everyone with me deciding to leave a massive tip, I handed the poor guy another $5 on the way out the door as an apology for the dickhead they had to put up with).

 

[Goddessoftheshire]

I always tip because most places pay their wait staff a shitty hourly wage, but I never know how much I will give until I'm done eating because it depends on the employee. Only a couple of times did I not tip and that was only because of attitude or never seeing the waiter before or after the meal. However if it is a holiday or Sunday morning I will leave a larger than usual tip because of the treatment the wait staff will get around those times.

 

[Yamyam]

yeah I tip. I always try to tip a high amount.

 

[Zoobles]

I tip at restaurants, but I usually don't tip 20%. This is because I don't drink alcohol and hate sugary drinks, so I am 90% of the time treated like a second class citizen from the moment I order. If a server refrains from saying "are you sure?" and keeps my water glass full, I'll do 20% or a little more to round out a dollar.

As far as pizza delivery, I usually tip $3-$4 cash so that they can pocket it and don't have to deal with the income being taxed if they don't want to.

I tip cabs, but not ubers. I also prefer ubers because the drivers sign a contract saying they're not going to accept tips so I don't get that awkward "did I tip enough" guilt.

I'll tip a barista after the drink is made if the soy comes out alright.

I used to tip bartenders a dollar per drink back when I drank alcohol.

that's all I can think of.

 

[Van Darkholme]

Nobody here cares if you tip or not but I usually do it anyway at restaurants.
No need to tip pizzaman because I live above the pizza place and pick it up myself.

 

[melty]

I usually tip 20% or $1 per drink. I don't tip baristas and tip less or none at restaurants that don't really give you service, like when all they do is bring you one water or something. I reluctantly tip a couple bucks to the airport/hotel shuttle guys when they handle my luggage even though I'd rather just do it myself.
I don't tip Uber, I don't think you're supposed to, and tip my stylist generously especially if she does a really good job.

 

[Carlos Thin]

Ireland doesn't really have much of a tipping system. I'll usually give the small business 10-20%, there's a coffee shop which charges less than their advertised price, which I always give my change to. When I go out to dinner it's always customary to tip, although I'm usually the one suggesting it.

 

[autisticdragonkin]

I don't know how digital tipping works. Does the tip actually go to the server or does it go to the restaurant.

Also I understand why tipping in restaurants exists (tipping originated as bribing the server to serve you faster and was negated by everyone doing it such that it became a near universal hidden price and wages decreased accordingly due to market pressures) but I don't understand tipping occupations that have no historical basis for it such as hair stylists and electricians.

If tipping became completely universal and not based on arbitrary factors such as race, gender, age, etc then it would likely increase quality of service but because of its current arbitrariness I would say that it likely doesn't have that effect

I always tip when using cash at a restaurant but I almost never do that because I have a debit card and I can cook myself

 

[Some JERK]

In the short term, tipping well isn't exactly advantageous to you, but if it's an establishment or service you plan on using often, tipping well is the best way to wind up getting more than you pay for (including the tip) every single time you pay for it.

 

[sugoi-chan]

I don't know how digital tipping works. Does the tip actually go to the server or does it go to the restaurant.

When the restaurant runs your card and spits out a receipt that the server takes back to your table, the transaction is still open. They go back later and enter your tip plus your total charges and close it out. The restaurant then usually pays the tip amount to the server in cash and keeps whatever was tipped on the credit card. Sometimes they won't and will instead cut you a (pay)check for the amount once a month. I know, from a sibling who waited tables for a long time, they prefer to be tipped in cash (as it's easier to hide tax-wise. With cash, they just carry the total amount you give them (bill+tip) until the end of their shift and when they close out, they pay whatever the restaurant says is owed them for the food they served and keep the rest, minus whatever gets pooled).

 

[Marvin]

If tipping became completely universal and not based on arbitrary factors such as race, gender, age, etc then it would likely increase quality of service but because of its current arbitrariness I would say that it likely doesn't have that effect

I wouldn't say tipping is based on arbitrary factors. It's maybe influenced by them.

 

[SpessCaptain]

In Australia tipping is kind of just a thing you do to either round up your change or just simply give them a thumbs up. Usually it's just a jar on the counter that goes to either the manager or to everyone working there.

 

[autisticdragonkin]

I wouldn't say tipping is based on arbitrary factors. It's maybe influenced by them.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/09/05/check-please-3
Quality can cause a 1.5% greater tip
In comparison introducing oneself can cause a 50% greater tip

 

[Marvin]

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/09/05/check-please-3
Quality can cause a 1.5% greater tip
In comparison introducing oneself can cause a 50% greater tip

Because tipping is so widespread and consistent, it's not really something that increases your service, so much as ensures your service doesn't go to shit.

I was in Moscow recently, and their waitstaff are very... curt. Occasionally rude. That's unheard of in the United States.

That covers most of the things your article talks about. Being friendly is important. It's not arbitrary or disconnected from the service; it's an essential part of the service. If I wanted a pissy bitch to bring me food, I'd stay home and eat with relatives.