This is really hard for me but I have had to put my foot down in recent times. It still makes me uncomfortable but I just can’t support this anymore. If I’m sitting down at a restaurant with a server I tip 20 - 25% but I’m tired of tipping for takeout and I absolutely refuse to give extra when checking out at a store.
What about at a coffee shop or something similar?
I don’t go to coffee shops but I wouldn’t tip there either. I don’t think I should be responsible for paying employees a living wage. Charge me appropriately for the item and pay your fucking employees.
I agree that’s how it should be, but how things should be doesn’t pay the bills. Don’t take your anger out on the employees. Those are the only people you’re hurting.
And don’t put the blame on the customer. Demand better wages. I’m not taking it out on anyone.
This is very occasionally popping up in restaurants in Australia. Whether you live here or travelling. Do not tip unless they did something incredible. I’m talking the fish brought your grandma back to life and the chef reconnected you with your long lost father. We don’t want to encourage tipping culture. We want to increase minimum wage. It’s like $23 now and we need that to keep growing with the economy.
I think I’m in the smallest minority, but I haven’t tipped in close to a decade. When people ask me why, I answer with the question "when was the last time you tipped your grocer l, fast food window attendant or the person at the hardware store that brought out your 100lbs of lumber? " answer is always never and I say exactly.
When was the last time you worked and didn’t get paid for it? Why do you feel like you’re justified to come to a person’s place of work and make them be at your beck and call, but you don’t think that these servants deserve their own food or livelihood?
There’s nothing intelligent or admirable about this behavior. Quite the contrary, it’s simply a disgusting lack of respect for other human beings.
So you agree that they should be paid a living wage. I believe the employer should pay them enough, not customer to pay them on top of the already paying for the food.
Yes, I agree with you. They should be able to make a living wage. Unfortunately, when you refuse to tip you don’t hurt the owner. Instead, you hurt the employee.
You do, but if no one would tip owners would compensate the employees because they must make at least minimum wage.
The fact of the matter is that owners get to pay his employees less by having customers pay for it instead. You can call it tips, but what is really is - it’s the money the employer should have gave them.
And then we can stop the entire ritual of shame and guilt where you tip just to not be judged by everyone around you for being “cheap”, even though you paid for the costs of the food you ordered.
Yes, it’s the money that the owner should have given them, but you’re not solving the problem by stiffing your waiter. You’re just going to make things worse for them.
And that’s the issue - the blame is shifted to the customers. Damned if you do (enforce this terrible system), damned if you don’t (make waiters have less money).
The change need to be systematic and from the root. But it will never happen with so many just accepting the system, and so many more defending it so strongly.
It’s really a cultural problem, and there’s no easy solution. I certainly don’t know how to fix it. I think it would require everyone not tipping or every server everywhere demanding a higher wage.
Honestly, I hate tipping as much as the next guy. If I decide to tip someone I should be able to feel good about it, like I’m giving them a bonus, rather than feeling guilt-tripped or obligated to do it.
Unfortunately, the system is just set up in a way that sucks for both customers and employees, and the only way you can eat in a nice restaurant and not be an asshole is by tipping your server.
One more reason I would hate to live in America. In Britain we don’t give tips.
Tipping culture is capitalists telling workers it’s their fault for not making enough money. It’s true though, because workers don’t organize nearly enough to change the culture. People should stick up for themselves and their fellow employees and demand a better wage and benefits.
Just another example on how easy it is to divide us and how the class war was lost long… long… long ago.
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Yeah, people thinking they can end tipping culture on an individual basis are lying to either us or themselves. It’s like thinking your personal commitment to recycling is going to fix climate change. Tipping sucks but the fix is going to have to be systemic, through legislation almost certainly. When you individually refuse to tip you aren’t hurting the culture or the business, just the individual who provided you a service.
How about if you just don’t go eat there? You aren’t supporting tipping culture and you’re saving money. Win win.
I agree with that. If you go to a tipping restaurant and just don’t tip you aren’t actually attacking the culture because A) The culture is driven top down by the business. and B) The business isn’t running on tips. When you pay the bill minus a tip, the business still got every dime they were intending to. They have no incentive to change.
So even if you don’t agree with me that this is a systemic issue that requires a systemic solution, you have to not give tipping businesses money at all if you want to even have a hope of making an impact on an individual level.
