TIP WARS: WaPo food critic says you have to tip 20 percent, no matter what

[Wishbone Ash]

I'm near 30 years old and I don't leave anything below 20% outside of extreme circumstances (maybe three times I can recall)

I've stopped talking to two people because they left shitty tips, and cut off a good friendship back in high school-- I was bussing at a decent restaurant, had the waiter take care of my friends, and saw the guy left a penny as a tip.

As I've gotten older, I'll just throw a few more dollars down instead of bringing it up to people. My stepdad is as fussy as a baby and will leave a poor tip for insignificant bullshit reasons, for example.

Fuck all you who actually think not tipping is cool. Yeah, maybe the entire restaurant industry needs an overhaul, but we're stuck with it as it is

 

[TaterTots]

Delivery fees are generally because websites take a % of the total charge so the restaurant is recouping it.

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This would make a lot of sense, but I still get delivery fees when I call it in. idk.

 

[steveovig]

At restaurants, I tip 20-25% anyways. At my local coffee places, I usually stick to 15%, and not every time I go either, but I usually get coffee 3-4 times a week.

 

[Tetra-Grammaton-Cleric]

I generally tip 20% but 15% is my baseline and there's no good reason that 20% suddenly became the intractable standard. As others have pointed out, the cost of food has risen with inflation so it's not like I'm paying 1996 food prices when I go to Red Robin or Chilli's.

 

[Border]

I think the subtle distinction between 10, 15, and 20% is enough to help servers get the message about the quality of their performance. Just giving 20% every time is kinda silly, at least for large checks. If I'm running up a $10-20 tab then yeah I'll just give 20% every time though.

 

[Mullet2000]

I really want to know when 15% became "the bare minimum".

15% was always considered a good, healthy tip until over night people started saying it was 20% instead, and tipping 15% apparently just keeps you off the borderline of being an asshole.

 

[Septy]

I feel like in 10 years the new standard will be 30%. Used to be 10 then 15.

 

[Lothars]

under 20% is a jerk move, why do people expect service to be free?

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No but we expect something more than usual service for 20% if it's bad service than no or little tip is deserved.

 

[SeanBoocock]

I'm near 30 years old and I don't leave anything below 20% outside of extreme circumstances (maybe three times I can recall)

I've stopped talking to two people because they left shitty tips, and cut off a good friendship back in high school-- I was bussing at a decent restaurant, had the waiter take care of my friends, and saw the guy left a penny as a tip.

As I've gotten older, I'll just throw a few more dollars down instead of bringing it up to people. My stepdad is as fussy as a baby and will leave a poor tip for insignificant bullshit reasons, for example.

Fuck all you who actually think not tipping is cool. Yeah, maybe the entire restaurant industry needs an overhaul, but we're stuck with it as it is

Click to shrink...

Yeah this is where I'm at.Tipping in the United States is not a discretionary thing due to the nature of our labor laws. We have essentially pushed the responsibility of paying certain categories of workers onto customers. Until we can fix that in a systemic way, I'll do my part to ensure those people make a living wage.

 

[mugurumakensei]

lol wat

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when you're only spending a couple hundred on food, it's best to take pity on the peasant folk and leave 200-300 as a tip

but seriously 20% is the minimum. 25-30% for good service.

 

[Nappuccino]

I generally do 18-20% depending on which is closest to an even dollar.

 

[kamineko]

I guess as long as I keep eating at restaurants that don't pay a living wage, I'm going to keep doing 20% or better

I mean I guess if a server did something outrageous I might not, but that never seems to happen to me

 

[Deleted member 12833]

Nope. i tip anywhere between 10% and 20%.
I used to work in restaurants both as a server and a line cook.

Servers have it good. I'm not giving a default 20% for bad service.

 

[DongBeetle]

Or pay staff an actual livable wage?

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If this is your stance you should stop going to restaurants rather than stiffing your server. Fucking your server while paying the business the server is victim to is backwards

 

[SneerfulOwl]

20% for normal, 25% for excellent service

But I only go out to restaurant like once a month so I don't feel bad when I give tips.

 

[SasaBassa]

Earn your tips if we're gonna do this shit. I consistently tip 20+ for good work especially if I'm a regular.

Want consistent pay? Raise the prices and give them a living wage while doing away with tips -- I'm absolutely good with that because I'll probably pay less overall. Almighty dollar talks though and they'll make more on average in their current system, so I'm not sure why the complaints. Sounds like wanting more for nothing, from people who do a shitty (quality wise) job or are slacking hard tbh.

That's not to say serving jobs aren't hard because lord knows they are. But giving something for nothing is not the deal.

 

[StarStorm]

Tip at 20% even if the service is bad? Or if its borderline non-existent lol? Why not have restaurant owners pay their servers/ waiters and waitresses a livable wage instead of relying on tips?
I tip from 10-15%. When did 20% became the norm? WaPo can shove that 20% tip up their ass. 20% tip no matter what is unreasonable.

 

[gully state]

Current system benefits servers greatly which is why they all push back hard and demand increasing percentages . It's the diners and kitchen staff that get screwed but nothing is going to change because a drastic overhaul in our dining culture would have to occur.

 

[Trace]

I tip 12%, if you're doing a shit job you get 10%, and if you're amazing I'll give 15%. I can't think of what you'd have to do to get 20%.

Generally I'm against the whole concept altogether, whenever I go to Japan and don't have to tip it's a breath of fresh air because I know they're getting paid properly.

 

[Dan-o]

As I've gotten older, I'll just throw a few more dollars down instead of bringing it up to people. My stepdad is as fussy as a baby and will leave a poor tip for insignificant bullshit reasons, for example.

Fuck all you who actually think not tipping is cool. Yeah, maybe the entire restaurant industry needs an overhaul, but we're stuck with it as it is

Click to shrink...

Yeah this is where I'm at.Tipping in the United States is not a discretionary thing due to the nature of our labor laws. We have essentially pushed the responsibility of paying certain categories of workers onto customers. Until we can fix that in a systemic way, I'll do my part to ensure those people make a living wage.

Click to shrink...

Agreed with you both.
I usually tip around 20% or rounded a little higher.
Only exception for me is really:
- Coffee shops, I tip $1 per person. Sometimes that's 20%, sometimes that's a tiny bit less. So if it's just me, $1. Me and my wife? $2. Kid is with us? $3. But I don't like paying the tip as a percentage because it's such a quick thing compared to "real" restaurants. I dunno. Maybe I'll change that.

My only other input is... Tip cash whenever possible. I'm bad at this sometimes, but I try to remember to have cash on me.

I'd 100% vote for a system that abolished the need for tips like the countries where servers make good hourly pay, but until then... Don't punish them for a system they're just trying to survive in.

 

[Lobster Roll]

If you can't leave an extra $4 behind on a $20 bill, you shouldn't be eating at a restaurant in the first place. Go buy some groceries (at Aldi or somewhere because money's tight) and make your own damn food. People want luxury experiences but don't want to pay for them. Go figure.

 

[Galkinator]

As someone who is now visiting USA for the first time, specifically NYC - fuck this tipping culture.
Food is already ridiculously overpriced and being expected to leave another 18-20% just for the waiter doing their job in a completely regular way is super annoying.

 

[Raggie]

Eating out in USA seems pretty complicated to me. On top of tax, you have to calculate tip on top of the list price? Over here the listed food price is all you pay.

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

I'm near 30 years old and I don't leave anything below 20% outside of extreme circumstances (maybe three times I can recall)

I've stopped talking to two people because they left shitty tips, and cut off a good friendship back in high school-- I was bussing at a decent restaurant, had the waiter take care of my friends, and saw the guy left a penny as a tip.

As I've gotten older, I'll just throw a few more dollars down instead of bringing it up to people. My stepdad is as fussy as a baby and will leave a poor tip for insignificant bullshit reasons, for example.

Fuck all you who actually think not tipping is cool. Yeah, maybe the entire restaurant industry needs an overhaul, but we're stuck with it as it is

Click to shrink...

Amen.

It sucks. I'm not saying the system makes sense. But you should anticipate spending 20% tip if you're gonna go out to eat. If you're giving less for any other reason other than the service or food itself was poor, then you can't afford it.

I've stiffed a waiter/waitress exactly three times in the 15+ years I've been eating out on my own dime, for reasons IMO that were valid. I'd say my average tip is somewhere around 23% or so, as I usually do 20% on the post-tax amount. I've certainly given 30+% for exceptional service, and have of course given as little as 5-10% if the service has been terrible or I was genuinely unsatisfied and had made that clear.

EDIT: Also - pro-tip when you're at a wedding or work event with an open bar. Order your first drink, and slyly ensure the bartender sees you drop a $20 bill in their tip jar. It's amazing - you'll be at an open bar with 200 guests all making good money with expensive cars and clothes... and like... eight of them tip. Drop the $20 - consider it the cost for the night - and enjoy getting immediate service every time you go to the table, and heavier pours - hell, sometimes they'll even bump you to the nicer booze. It's literally worked for me like 90% of the time - show the damn bartender some respect and appreciation for their work (those gigs suck), and they'll usually scratch your back, too.

EDIT 2: I want to make clear - "tipping 20% no matter what" is stupid. I do disagree wtih that.

 

[Deleted member 2254]

Hahaha, no. If they want to make me pay 120%, change your price accordingly and I'll see if I still want to eat there. I'm not gonna leave a tip if my food comes after 90 minutes, cold, and not how I asked it to be made by a rude waiter who also spills wine in my shirt. Why should I reward a shitty job?

 

[gutter_trash]

20????
lol 20 is when it is exceptional top notch

15% is my "normal", deal with it

 

[Mivey]

You could also be pushing for employers to actually pay their employees, but I guess that's totally of the table
Kinda glad to live in a country with proper worker protections, I can choose not to tip without fearing that I'm cutting into someones daily wage

 

[RockmanBN]

15% is the most I do. Pushing it higher is making everyone else look cheap

 

[Deleted member 2809]

Watch him claim it's 30% in a couple years
tipping culture is fuckin garbo
Once more the US is stubborn as fuck in how wrong it is

 

[DongBeetle]

Watch him claim it's 30% in a couple years
tipping culture is fuckin garbo
Once more the US is stubborn as fuck in how wrong it is

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Wrong it is in relation to who? The server or the person pressured to spend three dollars extra

 

[NineConsonants]

Why not put this energy in demanding a proper wage just like every other job in this country?

 

[EloquentM]

Nah I'm good.

 

[never]

I always tip 20%, but it's not a big deal for me financially to do that. I would prefer to not tip at all and restaurants just pay their staff decent wages though.

 

[Hesemonni]

I continue to tip 0 %.

Spoiler

European.

 

[DanSensei]

I do 15 if the service is fine. I was never on board with the arbitrary raise the internet tried to start. If I'm in America, I tip 15 . Though I'm still waiting for laws to pay the servers enough so that I don't have to tip.

Of course I tip more if there great service. There's one pizza place in Queens where instead of having a credit card minimum, they have a surcharge so I can't always pay with a credit card. I've tipped 50 percent there depending on my mood, solely for giving me the option of how I want to pay.

 

[Jom]

I dunno about other states but in California usually the top amount is 20% like when they have the check boxes at the bottom. Usually it goes 15-18-20. Maybe that's because our state laws require that all employees are paid at least minimum wage (and no tip credit), with many being paid more than that.

I feel like the generally accepted minimum for how much to tip will continue to go up and up as living costs rise and a large number of states (mostly shitty red states) still allow shit like a $2.13 minimum cash wage and then the rest in tip credits to make up a still shitty minimum wage (picture the federal minimum wage of $7.25 instead of an actual reasonable minimum wage like $15.00). When you have shitty states like that there's really no choice but for people to tip 20, 30, or even eventually 50% as living costs rise, or else you will just simply have no servers anywhere.

And then since we are one country, that accepted minimum wage just spreads across all 50 states.

 

[19thCenturyFox]

This shit is as puzzling to me as our healthcare system appears to be for you guys.

 

[TechnicPuppet]

When you actually think about it logically the whole thing is crazy. All those people involved in getting that food or drink to you and the one person who hands you it takes a 20% cut of all of that. It really doesn't make sense.

I'm in the UK and I feel the pressure and tip even though the person serving me is getting paid in line with everyone else.

 

[Jom]

When you actually think about it logically the whole thing is crazy. All those people involved in getting that food or drink to you and the one person who hands you it takes a 20% cut of all of that. It really doesn't make sense.

I'm in the UK and I feel the pressure and tip even though the person serving me is getting paid in line with everyone else.

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At least it's a bit better now. Before, the law forbid sharing tip with back-of-the-house staff. If a restaurant wanted to do that they needed to essentially have 2 tip lines, one for front and one for the back.

Now, the law actually allows that pooled tips can be split between both front and back of the house staff. But front-of-the-house staff have become so used to getting to share all of the tip among themselves that it's generally tough to get them to essentially give up part of their salary to chefs and dishwashers.

This is in the US by the way.

 

[Snack12367]

The problem with a living wage is that it has to be law, enforced in all places otherwise you end up with the issues restaurants that tried it had. People didn't like increased prices and those that did stay no longer tipped servers. There are a lot of reasons for this outcome, one being that the restaurants that could afford to do this, are usually the ones where the customer is more likely to tip. This screws servers at the top end, when really all you want to do is bring the bottom up.

For this to work it has to be an across the board thing. All businesses need to pay a living wage, otherwise those that don't will usually be able to out-compete those that do. There are a few stand outs, that have been able to achieve a living wage and prosper, but they are few, far between and usually not publicly owned, so they don't have to answer to shareholders who can demand this changed.

 

[Chan]

Its illegal for me to take a cash present to make sure you stay alive. But you're more than welcome to give me a box of cookies.

 

[Yankee Ruin X]

Nah thanks, I will only tip when it is deserved. Employers should pay a living wage, also tipping usually means servers get extra money but the back of house staff get nothing despite contributing just as much by actually preparing your meal, people washing the pots and shit too. It's unfair to just give the person who happens to bring your food out and gets you a drink the tip. When I do tip I always make sure it goes to the kitchen staff so they can all buy a drink or something.

Before anyone reacts I was a head chef for many years so I know full well how back of house gets screwed over by tipping where front of house staff can make double what the kitchen staff earn just from tips despite them being the ones in the back sweating their balls off to make sure your meals are perfect.

 

[henhowc]

I'll tip what I want to tip based on the service. You don't get an automatic % just for being a waiter.

 

[Frimaire]

I dunno, makes sense to me, I just tip 20% for everything.
If the service was like extremely bad, I just tip 20% and don't go to that restaurant anymore...

 

[Westbahnhof]

I feel like restaurant business is way too random to justify paying a livable fixed-wage for dedicated servers without jacking up food prices that people will find tolerable. There will always be peak customer hours, and there will always be days with little customers, and don't get me started on customer food preference (deciding between fries or a steak). Way too risky to pay a livable fixed-wage with that much business fluctuation, better to have a low-fixed wage + tipping to better adapt to fluctuations. This ain't fast-food we're talking about here.

Way I see it, probably only 1 in 10 restaurant are able to get away with paying a livable fixed-wage, and those restaurants were probably very successful to begin with.

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If that's the case, how do they do it in other countries? Like, loads of places where servers do make livable wages.

 

[Huncho_Houdini]

I usually default to 15%. 20% only if the service was exceptional. 10% if it was lackluster/inattentive but I still feel for em.

I'm poor too B.

 

[Fatoy]

When you actually think about it logically the whole thing is crazy. All those people involved in getting that food or drink to you and the one person who hands you it takes a 20% cut of all of that. It really doesn't make sense.

I'm in the UK and I feel the pressure and tip even though the person serving me is getting paid in line with everyone else.

Click to shrink...

I'm also in the UK and tipping is getting a little out of hand here, but nowhere near as bad as it is in the US. As you rightly point out, there's a hugely complex supply chain that takes raw ingredients and puts them on your table, but the final link in that chain gets to add a 20% premium on top of the final, marked-up price because they're underpaid by design.

Honest question for US Era: are baristas in, say, Starbucks underpaid the same way waiters in a sit-down restaurant are? I see people here saying they leave a few dollars for the person who pours their filter or froths their milk.

 

[Fatoy]

If the service was like extremely bad, I just tip 20% and don't go to that restaurant anymore...

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Perhaps this is a European thing, but if the service was extremely bad I would dispute paying the bill entirely.

 

[It’s Time To Go]

American tipping culture is always a good thread.

 

[It’s Time To Go]

I'm also in the UK and tipping is getting a little out of hand here, but nowhere near as bad as it is in the US. As you rightly point out, there's a hugely complex supply chain that takes raw ingredients and puts them on your table, but the final link in that chain gets to add a 20% premium on top of the final, marked-up price because they're underpaid by design.

Honest question for US Era: are baristas in, say, Starbucks underpaid the same way waiters in a sit-down restaurant are? I see people here saying they leave a few dollars for the person who pours their filter or froths their milk.

Click to shrink...

UK Starbucks have tip jars already.