Current Events > Should tipping be made mandatory by law?

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Should tipping be made mandatory by law? Compared to other countries, where if tipping is even legal in the first place, it is only for "extraordinary" service, in the US tipping is basically mandatory. This creates a lot of discrepancies, such as waiters usually being payed more than the cooks, even though technically they are not even paid minimum wage, all because of how American tipping culture works. Should the government do something about this situation, or just leave it as it is right now?

No, get rid of tipping and just pay them fairly.
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No, it should just be required to pay employees minimum wage and not bridge the difference in tips

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Irony posted...

No, it should just be required to pay employees minimum wage and not bridge the difference in tips

That's how it is, in most jurisdictions.
If the shitty "tipped" wage, plus tips, doesn't make it to the real minimum wage, then the employer pays the difference.

If tipping were made mandatory then no waiter/waitress would ever have reason to provide even decent service again.

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No, it should shift to fair wages from the employer, up front food costs, and a societal trend where restaurants ban tipping. I don't care if all the food goes up 10-20%. I'd rather just pay for it like that if that's how it needs to be.

Either mandatory tipping, or ending the concept of "tipped" wage, will just herald the return of the automat.
That may be happening anyway.

Gamerguymass posted...

If tipping were made mandatory then no waiter/waitress would ever have reason to provide even decent service again.

Pretty much every other country does it, the reason is simply because its their fucking job.
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How about paying waiters and waitresses a proper fucking wage?

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tipping should be abolished. it's pretty fucking stupid, i can order a pasta dish and water or tea for 16 and be expected to tip 3, but if i order a nice steak and glass of wine for 50 now i gotta tip 10? even though my waiter or waitress did literally nothing different other than carry out a plate with more expensive food on it? fuck outta here

Garioshi posted...

How about paying waiters and waitresses a proper fucking wage?

Quite a few would take home less, were tipping magically banned and replaced by "a proper fucking wage".

Nah, just higher minimum wage

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It's going to end up costing you guys the same either way unless you's a cheapass.

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hockeybub89 posted...

Nah, just higher minimum wage

Today: There's three or four servers chasing after tips
Tomorrow: There's one server for the whole damn restaurant

Questionmarktarius posted...

Quite a few would take home less, were tipping magically banned and replaced by "a proper fucking wage".

Basically they know they make way more than they deserve with the tipping system so they want to keep it intact.
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EffectAndCause posted...

Basically they know they make way more than they deserve with the tipping system so they want to keep it intact.

So why do we hate tipping, again?

Questionmarktarius posted...

So why do we hate tipping, again?

So restaurant owners can make higher profits. Its quite genius that theyve passed it off as proper etiquette for us to pay their employees wages.
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American tipping culture seems mental.

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EffectAndCause posted...

So restaurant owners can make higher profits. Its quite genius that theyve passed it off as proper etiquette for us to pay their employees wages.

So... instead of voluntarily overpaying, you want to make it compulsory?

Questionmarktarius posted...

Quite a few would take home less, were tipping magically banned and replaced by "a proper fucking wage".

Yeah wait staff I know dont want it to be abolished. I suppose it depends if you work at a busy place and on the prices there but being wait staff at a nice, popular place you are going to make tons more with tips.

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AssultTank posted...

Here's a hint for you though, most restaurants don't make much, if any, profit. Less than 1% is average, 3% on the extreme high end...

Sounds like their problem for having a bad business model. I dont have to tip McDonalds workers when I eat at the restaurant and they seem to be doing just fine.
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Questionmarktarius posted...

So... instead of voluntarily overpaying, you want to make it compulsory?

Id rather have set prices like pretty much every other country on Earth, none of this tipping anxiety bullshit. The percent tip were expected to pay seems to constantly increase.

Also it makes NO goddamn sense to pay more in a tip for a more expensive meal when the waitress is exerting the EXACT same amount of effort as they are with a cheaper meal (bring a drink, ask what you want, bring food, bring check).
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The Top Crusader posted...

Yeah wait staff I know dont want it to be abolished. I suppose it depends if you work at a busy place and on the prices there but being wait staff at a nice, popular place you are going to make tons more with tips.

Exactly, they know theyre secretly overpaid for the amount of work they actually do, they love it and the restaurant owner loves it.
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Please explain to me how most other countries on Earth manage to have no tipping systems and plenty of successful full service restaurants.
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EffectAndCause posted...

Pretty much every other country does it, the reason is simply because its their fucking job.

And service is typically shitty compared to US restaurants
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voldothegr8 posted...

And service is typically shitty compared to US restaurants

LOL, its actually the same if not better. I just got back from the Philippines and every waitress was totally normal. They just do a good job because its their fucking job, because theyre a rational human.
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EffectAndCause posted...

LOL, its actually the same if not better. I just got back from the Philippines and every waitress was totally normal. They just do a good job because its their fucking job, because theyre a rational human.

The places I ate in Europe had far inferior services
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AssultTank posted...

They don't have the decades of that culture being ingrained, pricing being set by said culture, and expectations being set by it.

When people go to a full service restaurant in Europe, they assume that they will pay a lot more than fast food.

When Americans go to full service restaurants, they literally compare prices to local fast food places forcing said full service restaurants to compete. I can't tell you how many times I heard, "I could get a burger at McDonalds next door for a dollar, why does your burger cost so much?" (It was an 8oz steakburger grilled to order.)

So you agree its a broken system that needs to be changed and over time well adjust and be fine like most other countries.
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Unless the law is to force employers to pay a living wage, then the system needs to be left alone.

A lot of people working for tips would quickly disappear from the industry if any changes are made that aren't sweeping and absolute in securing stability in those jobs.

On top of that, most people working for tips reach living wage status by not reporting cash tips. Any changes that aren't sweeping and securing will instantly reduce those people's ability to survive.

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EffectAndCause posted...

So you agree its a broken system that needs to be changed and over time well adjust and be fine like most other countries.

No, I think it's a great system that's win-win for everyone involved except cheap asses. The price of food is lower and the servers are incentivized to show up on peak nights and be friendly.
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voldothegr8 posted...

No, I think it's a great system that's win-win for everyone involved except cheap asses. The price of food is lower and the servers are incentivized to show up on peak nights and be friendly.

Wasnt talking to you, youre doing the restaurant owners bidding. The incentive should be the same as every other job on Earth which is This is your job so do your job or youre fired. I shouldnt need to bribe the waitress to do their job well.
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EffectAndCause posted...

No, get rid of tipping and just pay them fairly.

Serving tables is one of the few "unskilled" labor jobs left in this country you can scrap a decent living out of, and most of them will tell you they don't want to get rid of tipping.

So how about we just leave well enough alone

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I wish they implemented a nationwide system where each restaurant had an option where you walk up and get your own food/drinks and dont have to pay a tip.

It will reveal how little work waitresses actually do and how undeserved their tips are because most people would choose to do it themselves.

Some restaurants like Fuddruckers already have this system and its amazing.
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A living wage and protected unionization should be mandated by law.

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Solid Snake07 posted...

Serving tables is one of the few "unskilled" labor jobs left in this country you can scrap a decent living out of, and most of them will tell you they don't want to get rid of tipping.

So how about we just leave well enough alone

As ive said, most other countries on Earth have no tipping, set prices and waitresses who provide good service simply because its their job. No reason we cant do the same.
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EffectAndCause posted...

As ive said, most other countries on Earth have no tipping, set prices and waitresses who provide good service simply because its their job. No reason we cant do the same.

.....that really didnt address anything I said but okay.

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Solid Snake07 posted...

.....that really didnt address anything I said but okay.

Okay, ill elaborate. Its not my responsibility to pay their wages, its their employers responsibility, regardless of how skilled or unskilled the job is.
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EffectAndCause posted...

Okay, ill elaborate. Its not my responsibility to pay their wages, its their employers responsibility, regardless of how skilled or unskilled the job is.

So you'd rather pay more for a meal than meal+tip? Because that's what happens if restaurant owners are forced to pay minimum wage. Not to mention service will get worse because servers no longer give a fuck about being nice or if you get your refills in a timely fashion or not.
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voldothegr8 posted...

So you'd rather pay more for a meal than meal+tip? Because that's what happens if restaurant owners are forced to pay minimum wage. Not to mention service will get worse because servers no longer give a fuck about being nice or if you get your refills in a timely fashion or not.

Yes, id prefer set prices. And most other countries waitresses do a good job with no tips just because theyre fucking adults and understand its the job they were hired to do.

A stewardess on an airplane typically does way more for me than a waitress but I dont need to tip them because they just do their job without needing to be bribed. Theyd be fired if theyre shitty and/or have a shitty attitude, we should treat American waitresses the same way.
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Tipping culture is fine.

American tipping culture is a cancer.

Tipping is something you should do out of the kindness of your heart. Instead, you're basically guilt tripped into doing it, which is a mood killer from the start.

Not to mention no one can agree on the ""rules"". "Oh you should pay 15%" "No no, you need to pay at least 20%" and some say you need to pay that regardless of service because "They could just have a bad day!".

That's not even getting into racial stereotypes of certain people being better/worse tippers than others, thus potential getting worse service by default.

And then when someone points our that other countries don't go through all this bullshit you always hear "Oh but their service sucks!". Does it really? Or do they just do their job without the fake as fuck song and dance? I would prefer that.

And before you go "Hurr durr cheapskate!", I tip good service.

I also got to sit in restaurants like once or twice a year(If that) because American tipping culture is too annoying to deal with.

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EffectAndCause posted...

Okay, ill elaborate. Its not my responsibility to pay their wages, its their employers responsibility, regardless of how skilled or unskilled the job is.

No, it's not your "responsibility", but you're paying their wages regardless of whether or not it's included in the price of what you're buying.

There are plenty of reasons why the tipping system is a good thing. If wages are included in the price the employee has to pay income tax, the restaurant has to pay income tax, and they have to charge sales tax on top of it. All those taxes except for the employees income tax is going to be passed onto the consumer. It's much more cost efficient for everyone involved to just have the customer leave a tip.

And a tip is an incentive regardless of whether or not you think it should be. Not only to make sure you enjoy yourself but to actually get people to work on busy weekend nights. There's zero reason someone would want to bust their ass on a Saturday night if they can make the same amount of money sitting around with their thumb up their ass on Monday morning.

At the end of the day, if you dont like it take your business elsewhere. Or just embrace being a selfish asshole and dont tip

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Solid Snake07 posted...

No, it's not your "responsibility", but you're paying their wages regardless of whether or not it's included in the price of what you're buying.

There are plenty of reasons why the tipping system is a good thing. If wages are included in the price the employee has to pay income tax, the restaurant has to pay income tax, and they have to charge sales tax on top of it. All those taxes except for the employees income tax is going to be passed onto the consumer. It's much more cost efficient for everyone involved to just have the customer leave a tip.

And a tip is an incentive regardless of whether or not you think it should be. Not only to make sure you enjoy yourself but to actually get people to work on busy weekend nights. There's zero reason someone would want to bust their ass on a Saturday night if they can make the same amount of money sitting around with their thumb up their ass on Monday morning.

At the end of the day, if you dont like it take your business elsewhere.

Well put
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For the 27th time, most other countries dont have tips and have good service simply because its their job. And they can simply pay employees who work busier shifts more money per hour, no different than those who work overnight shifts.

Set prices, even if more expensive, is better than me being forced to donate to their charity or im considered a selfish asshole.
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EffectAndCause posted...

I wish they implemented a nationwide system where each restaurant had an option where you walk up and get your own food/drinks and dont have to pay a tip.

It will reveal how little work waitresses actually do and how undeserved their tips are because most people would choose to do it themselves.

Some restaurants like Fuddruckers already have this system and its amazing.

Ill re-state this too.
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EffectAndCause posted...

For the 27th time, most other countries dont have tips and have good service simply because its their job.

Again, from my experiences outside the US food service was far worse.
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thats why i just go to fast food. I don't do sit in restaurants or anything where i'm expected to leave a tip unless it's delivery or i'm on a date

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