Tipping advice in USA

[rallydave]

11 minutes ago, mj_holiday said:

If you want to pay with your credit card they will bring a card reader to your table and enter in the amount and you insert or tap your card.  No chance for a tip to be added. 

Having travelled the world where bringing the wireless payment machine is the norm for over 10 years and luckily this is becoming more and more used in the US.   In all cases have never seen the machine not have a way to add the tip to your credit card payment.  You always have the option with the portable machines to add your tip to the bill such that you get the points many of crave for our credit card usage.  Always a way to add tyour choice of tip to the bill.

[Techno123]

2 hours ago, rallydave said:

So watch what you tip as extremely likely you will never see that person again and also remember tip means to improve performance so moderate the percentage of tip as to how the person performed so poor performance lowers or eliminates the tip

In fairness, we DO tip in the UK, however, like you say, it is for good/very good (10%)  to excellent (maybe a bit more) service - if the service is poor/mediocre then we don't tip. As far as bar staff go, for large rounds or several trips to the bar then we will offer 'one for yourself' but certainly not with just a couple of drinks.

 

I was hassled in Madrid for not leaving a tip - the service was mediocre and food was awful - I left most of it. Now if the waiter had asked me how my meal was and was there a problem/anything he could do to rectify it  then I class that as good service but he whipped the plates away then returned with the credit card machine telling me tips weren't included. I told him that was excellent as I didn't intend to leave one as neither the food nor his service were deserving of a tip - would I have got away with that in the US as it just seems as if everyone expects a tip whether the service is good or not.

 

[jeb_bud]

Of course you could get away with it. The waiter might complain or try to shame you into tipping, but you wouldn’t get arrested 😉. 
 

Bearing in mind that waitstaff are underpaid I tip, but service quality determines the amount. Tipping 20% for a three-step delivery sounds high. 

[mnocket]

1 hour ago, Techno123 said:

In fairness, we DO tip in the UK, however, like you say, it is for good/very good (10%)  to excellent (maybe a bit more) service - if the service is poor/mediocre then we don't tip.

This is exactly how things started off in US.  Then the expectation became 15% and now it's becoming 22%.  It's a slippery slope and if people in the UK are now routinely tipping for good service - even if a lower amount - all I can say is "Welcome Aboard"...  and condolences🥴

[Pcardad]

58 minutes ago, mnocket said:

This is exactly how things started off in US.  Then the expectation became 15% and now it's becoming 22%.  It's a slippery slope and if people in the UK are now routinely tipping for good service - even if a lower amount - all I can say is "Welcome Aboard"...  and condolences🥴

If the waitstaff meets my expectations, I will meet theirs. It is a 2-way street. They are not ENTITLED to a tip if their service is bad.

[Parapara]

6 hours ago, Pcardad said:

 I know wait staff who can easily make $500 a shift in tips. They choose that line of work...no one is making them do it. 

Wow. $500 a shift. I can see why no one is making them do it. Presumably they get some sort of wage as well.

[mnocket]

50 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

If the waitstaff meets my expectations, I will meet theirs. It is a 2-way street. They are not ENTITLED to a tip if their service is bad.

Agreed.  But again, this is exactly how things started in the US.

[Pcardad]

15 minutes ago, mnocket said:

Agreed.  But again, this is exactly how things started in the US.

I am in the US. As long as they don't REQUIRE a tip then IDC if they get their panties in a wad.

[Techno123]

2 hours ago, mnocket said:

This is exactly how things started off in US.  Then the expectation became 15% and now it's becoming 22%.  It's a slippery slope and if people in the UK are now routinely tipping for good service - even if a lower amount - all I can say is "Welcome Aboard"...  and condolences🥴

Our hospitality staff are generally paid minimum wage and if they work hard to provide a good service then we tip and I have done for the last 40 years so it's not new (in fact as a youngster living in a holiday resort, we all worked in the service industry during school holidays so worked hard for our tips 😁) it just seems (and it may be an urban myth) that in the states everyone expects to be tipped at 20% even if they don't deserve it.
 

What I did find was when we got a taxi at Heathrow airport (UK) the taxi had a 20% tip already on the card payment that you had to refuse. He said it made it easier for the 'Americans' 😜😜

Edited March 18, 2023 by Techno123

[lprp]

24 minutes ago, Techno123 said:

it just seems (and it may be an urban myth) that in the states everyone expects to be tipped at 20% even if they don't deserve it.

Tipping in the US is a nightmare for those of us where it’s not such an ingrained part of the culture.

Our last visit to Seattle in 2019 one restaurant had a COMPULSORY 25% Service Charge added to the bill, 20% by the City/State and a further 5% by the restaurant, this was regardless of quality of service, which was ok, but nothing special.

Unbelievably the bill still had a space for a tip on the bill and the credit card machine. I declined to add any further. At home in the UK I would have left a maximum of 10% on this occasion. Surely 25% is more than enough?

[Pcardad]

41 minutes ago, lprp said:

Tipping in the US is a nightmare for those of us where it’s not such an ingrained part of the culture.

Our last visit to Seattle in 2019 one restaurant had a COMPULSORY 25% Service Charge added to the bill, 20% by the City/State and a further 5% by the restaurant, this was regardless of quality of service, which was ok, but nothing special.

Unbelievably the bill still had a space for a tip on the bill and the credit card machine. I declined to add any further. At home in the UK I would have left a maximum of 10% on this occasion. Surely 25% is more than enough?

I researched this and cannot find a Seattle Ordinance that requires tipping. I did find a movement (and how Washington State does love those) by restaurant owners to automatically add tips to their bills.

https://mynorthwest.com/3796094/gee-scott-spend-money-tips-tipping/

 

 

[RetiredandTravel]

First I wouldn't advise returning (especially in NYC) to an establishment if you stiff people on the tip.  They will get retribution.  If the service is poor and you leave no/minimal tip you will probably not return anyway.  Waiters in the better NYC restaurants actually make a good deal of money. 

 

What I like are the suggested tips on the bill they may as well have definitions next to them.  20% (Cheap S&^%) - 22 1/2%  (OK person) - 25% (nice person).

[lprp]

7 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

I researched this and cannot find a Seattle Ordinance that requires tipping. I did find a movement (and how Washington State does love those) by restaurant owners to automatically add tips to their bills.

https://mynorthwest.com/3796094/gee-scott-spend-money-tips-tipping/

 

 

This is what the restaurant told us - I didn’t verify it 🤷‍♀️

To be fair, we were advised before it was a requirement we ordered, it was the additional tip expectation that left a bad taste.

[Pcardad]

2 minutes ago, lprp said:

This is what the restaurant told us - I didn’t verify it 🤷‍♀️

To be fair, we were advised before it was a requirement we ordered, it was the additional tip expectation that left a bad taste.

Yep, I wouldn't be good with that either. Washington State is so progressive that people are now running from it and the eastern part of the state wants to split off and join Idaho.

[rallydave]

40 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

I researched this and cannot find a Seattle Ordinance that requires tipping. I did find a movement (and how Washington State does love those) by restaurant owners to automatically add tips to their bills.

https://mynorthwest.com/3796094/gee-scott-spend-money-tips-tipping/

 

 

I researched it as well and found a Gov requirement to ade 2.5% to the bill that is supposed to go to the cooks and kitchen staff.

 

Also have to be careful to make sure the added "tip" is calculated from the before tax line on the bill.  Plus since I always check,those restaurants that provide informational amounts to tip and while showing the percentage almost all figure the tip from the total including tax.  This does make a difference in all cases and a big difference for locations with high tax rates.

[irishwitchy]

New York City at one point did have COVID recovery charge at one point.  Seattle may have had something similar.  

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjpqKPf9Ob9AhXEFVkFHVghB_MQFnoECBIQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fassets%2Fdca%2Fdownloads%2Fpdf%2Fbusinesses%2FFAQs-COVID-19-Recovery-Charge-at-Restaurants.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1RN4Ap3uUi4t6mxToYxgrV

[mnocket]

9 hours ago, Pcardad said:

I am in the US. As long as they don't REQUIRE a tip then IDC if they get their panties in a wad.

Sorry I confused you with another poster.

[flossie009]

I was interested to see a thread on another CC Board regarding someone from North America seeking advice on the level of tips in Europe; London in particular

 

It is good to see travellers seeking to abide by the norms in other countries and cultures.

Having just returned from Japan, it is evident that tipping is not a necessary prerequisite to excellent service
Tipping in Japan

 

 

 

[Scout16]

I would like to see information about tipping show up in the Passages for the next port.  I am ever completely sure about tips for the guides, drivers, and local businesses.  I also have heard that there are places where you can not use US dollars and laces where they are preferred.  I tend to ask on the Roll Call pages to get an idea what to do for tips for pre and post cruise tours.

[RachelG]

Looking forward to our Japan cruise, where tipping is neither required or expected.  Here, I do tip, 15%for just ok, 20% if good.  But one problem with tips in cash at least here, is that they never report it on their tax forms and thus don’t pay taxes on it.  Totally unfair to the rest of us who pay income taxes on every dime we make.

[flossie009]

43 minutes ago, RachelG said:

But one problem with tips in cash at least here, is that they never report it on their tax forms and thus don’t pay taxes on it.

Is that why the tipping culture in the USA prevails and is supported by businesses and their employees? 

[Gcto]

21 hours ago, Pcardad said:

Yep, I wouldn't be good with that either. Washington State is so progressive that people are now running from it and the eastern part of the state wants to split off and join Idaho.

For now it's easter Oregon wanting to join Idaho, but I can see that eastern WA might not be far behind 🙂  On the city ordinance lrlp mentioned: No there wasn't an ordinance or law, but various restaurants started to add a "living wage adjustment" to the bill. Just showed up either as a flat rate or some percentage. And yes, rather than explaining it was just another quest to raise prices (for whatever reason, even to support staff), some wait staff or managers rather "blamed" the city of the state for this. Made the complaints or questions go away as it was "big bad government".... 

 

[rallydave]

16 minutes ago, flossie009 said:

Is that why the tipping culture in the USA prevails and is supported by businesses and their employees? 

You are correct Flossie. And it saves more than income taxes. Since social security taxes are paid equally by both the employer and employee. Both save by not paying that tax as well. 
 

There is a strong paying under the table culture in the US that also reduces taxes paid by millions if not billions. 

[Parapara]

Here was I thinking I might just cope with tipping in America, from the first replies to my query, and now all I read are horror stories and more confusion! I even had a nightmare about it last night and was wishing I had never left home. Maybe there is one positive to all this horror. Kids must learn the meaning of percentages at an early age! 
Please, please when you visit New Zealand do not tip. We don’t expect it or require it and most definitely do not want it creeping into our way of life.

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, Parapara said:

Here was I thinking I might just cope with tipping in America, from the first replies to my query, and now all I read are horror stories and more confusion! I even had a nightmare about it last night and was wishing I had never left home. Maybe there is one positive to all this horror. Kids must learn the meaning of percentages at an early age! 
Please, please when you visit New Zealand do not tip. We don’t expect it or require it and most definitely do not want it creeping into our way of life.

Yes and it's even worse in Australia.

The only time they tip is if you save their life.😁