To Tip or Not to Tip: Is it a Must in Restaurants and Hotels?

[Permanence]

Tipping is an unwritten rule in the USA. In many other countries, the idea of tipping is ludicrous. I don't like when workers, who 'rely' on tips, claim that without tips they would be making under minimum wage. It just isn't true; minimum wage kicks in. I don't see why a job like moving plates is worth anything other than minimum wage.

 

[edward]

Tipping is an unwritten rule in the USA. In many other countries, the idea of tipping is ludicrous. I don't like when workers, who 'rely' on tips, claim that without tips they would be making under minimum wage. It just isn't true; minimum wage kicks in. I don't see why a job like moving plates is worth anything other than minimum wage.

So what is up with this great love affair with minimum wage??

 

[Monique]

In the United States tipping is a must unless the person has done something really wrong, that's how they make their money. It doesn't matter if it's a nice place or a dive, you tip. In a hotel, at the end of your stay, you also leave a tip for the people that clean your room, or if you're smart you tip them some the first day. Because I traveled a lot for my job, I was actually given instructions on who to tip, when, and how much. I was surprised at how many people I was supposed to tip, I never would have guessed.

Oh dear, this says tip the room cleaner daily since the person can change.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/06/24/hotel.housekeeping.tipping/

I don't get it, why isn't service charge included in the bill. It would make life so much easier. If someone does an exceptional job one can always leave some extra appreciation, the idea that people don't get anything without a tip sounds primitive.

 

[edward]

I once tipped a young woman with a $100.00 bill for serving me pie and coffee.

I was visiting my home town after a long absence. After the young woman took our order and came back with the pie and coffee there were tears streaming down her cheeks. I ask my brother in law who was with me at the table what her problem might be.

He said: "Oh she is just tired she is trying to make enough money for to pay for her sophomore year at college. She works two jobs. She works at the restaurant from 7 AM until 2 PM then she goes to work at a factory that makes alloy wheels from 3 PM until 11 PM."

Now that is work ethic and determination in my book. I put the $100.00 bill under my coffee cup with just the number one showing. That woman is now an English teacher at the high school I attended almost a lifetime ago.

 

[edward]

I don't get it, why isn't service charge included in the bill. It would make life so much easier. If someone does an exceptional job one can always leave some extra appreciation, the idea that people don't get anything without a tip sounds primitive.

Including the room service charge in the bill would make the advertised price of the hotel/motel room higher and people would go to a business that doesn't charge a mandatory service fee.

Forcing all hotel/motel owners to charge a service fee would be considered excess regulation.

Americans like to make their own choices. Business is very competitive here in a free market society.

Yes, LOL we are primitive.

 

[Astronuc]

Hmmm, I used to get tips when I worked at a gardening center. I would load cars with bags of fertilizer (40, 50, 70 lbs) or bags of sand, gravel or dirt (70-100 lbs), or manure (40-50 lbs). So folks were grateful, and they rewarded me for the service.

Sometimes, I turned down tips because I thought I was being paid for the work already.

I just found out that I was making less than minimum wage (1973-1974), which was $2.00/hr. I started at $0.65/hr and over a couple of months moved up to $1.05/hr, but I was 15 at the time, so I was not eligible for minimum wage apparently.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.htm

If I worked full time at $1.00/hr, with full time year at 2000 hrs, I'd only make $2000 in a year, and that is not much to live on, or pay for university at the time. The university I first attended had a tuition of ~$2000/yr + room and board + expenses. It probably wasn't until university that I got jobs that paid above minimum wage.

 

[collinsmark]

I don't get it, why isn't service charge included in the bill. It would make life so much easier. If someone does an exceptional job one can always leave some extra appreciation, the idea that people don't get anything without a tip sounds primitive.

Sometimes it is! It depends on the establishment and situation. Some restaurants will add a "gratuity charge," perhaps around 15%, in certain situations such as the bill being larger than some amount.

So when visiting the U.S., make sure to check your bill to see if a "gratuity charge" has been included on the bill. If it has, you don't need to tip -- the "gratuity charge" on the bill is the tip -- unless you'd like to tip extra.

[Edit: I've only seen this "gratuity charge" added at restaurants, and and only in situations such as where there is a big group of people and the bill is large. So don't expect a "gratuity charge" automatically added in most situations. It does no harm to check though.]

Do not confuse a "gratuity charge" with sales tax; sales tax is very different and always on your bill.

 

[edward]

I don't see why a job like moving plates is worth anything other than minimum wage.

So you think that all a waitress/waiter does is move plates around? Would you tip the person who performs the job described below?

One of the skills a waitress must have is the ability to manage several tasks at a time as part of the requirements to handle the many demands of the job. A waitress must be able to learn quickly so as to commit the menu and other details to memory in order to relay any information regarding such details to the customers who might need them. The job of this individual is a physically demanding one, so a waitress must be fit enough to handle the long hours of standing and moving about that come naturally with the job. Perhaps the most important skill a waitress must have is good interpersonal skills in order to relate well with both the numerous customers and other coworkers. This person is also expected to be a good time manager in addition to being a good representative for the restaurant establishment.

http://www.wisegeekedu.com/what-skills-do-i-need-as-a-waitress.htm

 

[disregardthat]

I once tipped a young woman with a $100.00 bill for serving me pie and coffee.

I was visiting my home town after a long absence. After the young woman took our order and came back with the pie and coffee there were tears streaming down her cheeks. I ask my brother in law who was with me at the table what her problem might be.

He said: "Oh she is just tired she is trying to make enough money for to pay for her sophomore year at college. She works two jobs. She works at the restaurant from 7 AM until 2 PM then she goes to work at a factory that makes alloy wheels from 3 PM until 11 PM."

Now that is work ethic and determination in my book. I put the $100.00 bill under my coffee cup with just the number one showing. That woman is now an English teacher at the high school I attended almost a lifetime ago.

While she probably was sincere, in some countries you have to watch out for emotional stories from service workers. They are are often forged and used to make people a bit more generous when it comes to tipping.

 

[WannabeNewton]

I don't see why a job like moving plates is worth anything other than minimum wage.

This is so amazingly ignorant it blows my mind.

 

[collinsmark]

Interesting Wiki article, if nobody has seen this yet. (It's probably not the most well researched Wiki article and has problems. But there might be some good stuff in there somewhere.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratuity

 

[edward]

While she probably was sincere, in some countries you have to watch out for emotional stories from service workers. They are are often forged and used to make people a bit more generous when it comes to tipping.

The fakes are usually over emotional.

This was a small town and the girl was the granddaughter of one of my high school classmates. The only thing that she said was "Thank You" and that was before she knew about the money.

 

[edward]

Interesting Wiki article, if nobody has seen this yet. (It's probably not the most well researched Wiki article and has problems. But there might be some good stuff in there somewhere.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratuity

Interesting link.

I definitely remember the policeman's gratuity. Although it is much more uncommon now some City police departments were notorious. I remember being pulled over for speeding in Cicero Ill.

It cost me ten bucks and my spare tire to get out of there.

 

[Char. Limit]

Tipping is an unwritten rule in the USA. In many other countries, the idea of tipping is ludicrous. I don't like when workers, who 'rely' on tips, claim that without tips they would be making under minimum wage. It just isn't true; minimum wage kicks in. I don't see why a job like moving plates is worth anything other than minimum wage.

Considering that, as I mentioned earlier, I spend my own gas to drive as far as 10-15 miles away (which doesn't sound like a lot, but is a good three dollars just to get there, and another three back), and my gas compensation is only $1.07 per drive, no matter the distance, no, I don't make minimum wage. Not to mention that there are more jobs where gratuity is needed than your ever-so-dismissive "moving plates".

Honestly, your post reads like the post of someone who never actually worked for a living. Are you upper-middle class by chance?

EDIT: And before you ask, yes, I am personally offended by your dismissive tone. Don't like it? Don't sound like an arse.

 

[Monique]

Including the room service charge in the bill would make the advertised price of the hotel/motel room higher and people would go to a business that doesn't charge a mandatory service fee.

Forcing all hotel/motel owners to charge a service fee would be considered excess regulation.

Americans like to make their own choices. Business is very competitive here in a free market society.

Yes, LOL we are primitive.

So what are the criteria of getting paid for doing a job?

Why not leave the cook out of the bill, or the people doing the dishes, or the laundry, or the repairs, or the maintenance?

So Americans like to make the choice not to pay the waiters and (apparently) the cleaners? What if the food in the restaurant is bad, shouldn't you have the choice not to pay the chef?

 

[disregardthat]

I made the dishes once in some odd job... Only the waiters got tipped, but we split it evenly among all of us working there.

 

[Evo]

Here is a guide for tipping in the US.

http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2013/05/16/your-ultimate-tipping-guide

 

[WWGD]

I guess TAs are not included. I passed my tip jar and got nothing but confused looks .

And same goes for tutoring gigs; never got a tip , even when I was told I did a good job, and customers returned.

 

[russ_watters]

This is so amazingly ignorant it blows my mind.

Why?

 

[Evo]

So what are the criteria of getting paid for doing a job?

Why not leave the cook out of the bill, or the people doing the dishes, or the laundry, or the repairs, or the maintenance?

So Americans like to make the choice not to pay the waiters and (apparently) the cleaners? What if the food in the restaurant is bad, shouldn't you have the choice not to pay the chef?

Chefs/cooks don't get tips, nor do bus boys, dish washers or host/hostesses, these people aren't expected to have their wages supplemented with tips, only the waiters/waitresses.

 

[Monique]

Chefs/cooks don't get tips, nor do bus boys, dish washers or host/hostesses, these people aren't expected to have their wages supplemented with tips, only the waiters/waitresses.

That's my point, why are some people expected to supplement their wage with tips and others are not? I find that a really strange concept. Why are people not paid for the work they do.

I do give tips, when someone does an exceptional job not expected from their job description. Like a couple of employees from a furniture store who did a great job of delivering furniture and even helped move stuff not from their company. They received 20 euros each.

If I were to give someone a few bucks for a common service, that would be an insult. It would mean I think little of them and that I think they have a low-wage job. Unfortunately in the US that is the case.

 

[ChiralWaltz]

This is so amazingly ignorant it blows my mind.

I agree. I think the wisegeek article does a good job of explaining what more goes into the job beyond "moving plates."

I always appreciate good service and tip well. Last week, Cody from Chuy's Tex-Mex in Webster, Texas kept our glasses, chips, and salsa full without being asked. He took great care of our party and was tipped nicely ($5 out of my $11 meal plus other party members' tips). I rarely eat out, so when I do I usually leave good tips because I know how those jobs can be.

Off topic, you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat a server in a restaurant.

 

[ModusPwnd]

Chefs/cooks don't get tips, nor do bus boys, dish washers or host/hostesses, these people aren't expected to have their wages supplemented with tips, only the waiters/waitresses.

Many, probably most places, do expect servers to "tip out" the bus boys, host/hostesses and food runners. Sometimes formally as a percentage of your sales, sometimes informally. I did when I was a server and my wife did at both places she was a server. Some places expect you to tip out even more than that, from what I have heard. But usually the majority of the tip stays with the server.