North American Tipping Culture vs the Rest of the World

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Thread necro. I wonder if we can get it out the system here at some point. Especially for places that don't actually service you.

That video clip with 5 and 10 per cent options must be from a decade ago. Every terminal I use these days starts at 15 per cent and goes up from there.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

I've recalibrated my tipping behaviour; this 20% base tip on the machines with amounts going up to fu-cking 30% of the post-tax amount is insanity.

I've now started basing my tips on what the thing prompts me for. I go to this Korean mom and pop place where the prices are decent and their POS prompts for something like 5%, 8% or 10% tip. Boom - "Custom -> 20%" every time. Same with places that have workers that will hit the "no tip" button on your behalf before handing you the machine. Back it up, big tip.

I know this is going down the road of those "I'll be honest, need it for beer" hobo signs, but whatever, for now it seems to be always people honestly not expecting big tips.

Places that start at 20% on the POS? "Custom -> 10%".

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

I've now started basing my tips on what the thing prompts me for. I go to this Korean mom and pop place where the prices are decent and their POS prompts for something like 5%, 8% or 10% tip. Boom - "Custom -> 20%" every time. Same with places that have workers that will hit the "no tip" button on your behalf before handing you the machine. Back it up, big tip.

I know this is going down the road of those "I'll be honest, need it for beer" hobo signs, but whatever, for now it seems to be always people honestly not expecting big tips.

Places that start at 20% on the POS? "Custom -> 10%".

So you cut the serves wage do decisions made out of their control? That seems irrational.

[PepsiFree]

I mostly do 20% at every restaurant or bar now, and don’t really tip anywhere else.

Who is pinching pennies where they’re out for a proper meal?

[TorqueDog]

^ Nah, 15-18% is perfectly reasonable for service that "meets expectations". It used to be that 12%-15% was the range. I can't remember where the hell I saw it, but I was pretty taken aback to see one of the machines here in Calgary prompt with a tip percentage higher than 20% as a minimum option. I'm already spending $250-$300 at your establishment, you're getting very well taken care of, but gouging is just going to make people go out to eat less. Between the increase in menu prices and the increase in default tip percentage, it's getting a bit ridiculous as it is.

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

Same with places that have workers that will hit the "no tip" button on your behalf before handing you the machine. Back it up, big tip.

I suspect those are the places where they don't get the tips, the owners pocket them, so they're saving you money.

[Amethyst]

I think 15% is plenty in Canada. It's not like the servers are making $2 an hour here. I decided to "custom tip" places that had higher options. But quickly realized that the custom option wants a dollar amount, not a percentage, and I hadn't paid enough attention to know what dollar amount I wanted to tip. So now I just do 18% if that's an option.

The only place I tip more in somewhere that I go for the evening to see a band or something and don't spend a lot, because I'm not drinking that night.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

^ Nah, 15-18% is perfectly reasonable for service that "meets expectations". It used to be that 12%-15% was the range. I can't remember where the hell I saw it, but I was pretty taken aback to see one of the machines here in Calgary prompt with a tip percentage higher than 20% as a minimum option. I'm already spending $250-$300 at your establishment, you're getting very well taken care of, but gouging is just going to make people go out to eat less. Between the increase in menu prices and the increase in default tip percentage, it's getting a bit ridiculous as it is.

I suspect those are the places where they don't get the tips, the owners pocket them, so they're saving you money.

Many of the machines always show a tip screen. There is no way to not show it.

[Wormius]

Explain the reason for tipping anywhere besides the US?

[PepsiFree]

You guys spend so much time thinking about tipping.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

You guys spend so much time thinking about tipping.

I guess aside from that 7 year span when nobody said anything.