North American Tipping Culture vs the Rest of the World
Last Thursday while at the dentist finishing up the paperwork and bill before leaving, I was prompted to tip / service gratuity by the debit machine.
I politely asked the office admin what this gratuity was for? She said it went to the Dental Hygienists and front office staff for providing outstanding customer service.
I put $0 dollars which made me feel extremely embarrassed when the bill was already in excess of $450.
Driving away, that experience really pi$#&d me off and got me thinking that things have to change.
Tipping in North America is engrained in almost everything we do now when we leave the house. I was prompted to tip the plumber a few weeks ago. Restaurants, salons, hotels, and taxis are only a few examples of where it's expected.
I've heard the argument that jobs in the service industry are lower than other industries, starving students etc. I'm starting to think.. how is that my problem? If you don't like your current career, job, and salary , do something about it.
I'm done tipping for the next month. I want to see the reaction since I can certainly say tipping does not equate to receiving better service.
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Sitting in a restaurant will get the server a tip, delivery drivers get a tip too. I also tip for haircuts and sometimes for cab rides. If the plumber wants a tip, here's a tip- your buttcrack is showing, now get the hell out of my house.
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I quit tipping based on performance long ago. It’s a terrible system with no measurable affects and perverse incentives. With the new minimum wage increases and corresponding menu price increases I reduced tipping to 10%. This for sure covers any tip out so no one loses money serving me
In terms of other services the delivery guy and Uber guy gets tipped becuase the hourly wages of those guys are abismal once you look at their car costs.
Medical and Paramedical would never get tipped.
Last edited by GGG; 03-17-2019 at 10:16 AM.
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Dentists are already criminal enterprises in Alberta. If my dentist asked for a tip I would find a new one. I can’t think of an industry less deserving of a tip.
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The weirdest one I've ever seen was at a self serve ice cream place where you went in, built your ice cream sundae and they charged you based on weight. I just about laughed in the cashier's face when the tip option came up on the debit machine. It's getting pretty ridiculous.
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Sitting in a restaurant will get the server a tip, delivery drivers get a tip too. I also tip for haircuts and sometimes for cab rides. If the plumber wants a tip, here's a tip- your buttcrack is showing, now get the hell out of my house.
Why is that the case? Solely because of the salary difference. All are providing a service.
Anyone else getting annoyed at having to tip at fast food joints? I've seen it at Edo Japan, Freshii, A&W, etc.
There is no different customer service one can give than the next person; I don't know why that's a thing. Sit-down restaurants are different to me, because you basically have a "master of ceremonies" who should be giving you a very pleasant experience. Slapping food on a teppanyaki grill - the exact same set of hand motions for everyone else - doesn't seem like tipping material to me. That just seems like basic duties of the job.
Anyone else getting annoyed at having to tip at fast food joints? I've seen it at Edo Japan, Freshii, A&W, etc.
There is no different customer service one can give than the next person; I don't know why that's a thing. Sit-down restaurants are different to me, because you basically have a "master of ceremonies" who should be giving you a very pleasant experience. Slapping food on a teppanyaki grill - the exact same set of hand motions for everyone else - doesn't seem like tipping material to me. That just seems like basic duties of the job.
You don’t have to tip anywhere. Just push $0.
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The weirdest one I've ever seen was at a self serve ice cream place where you went in, built your ice cream sundae and they charged you based on weight. I just about laughed in the cashier's face when the tip option came up on the debit machine. It's getting pretty ridiculous.
That's a perfect example on how it's beyond ridiculous. Self serving yourself and then getting charged a tip.
How about sitting in the bar or lounge. You order one $10 dollar beer and are expected to say leave $2. Order a $100 bottle of wine and they expect $20.
Maybe it shouldn't, but it annoys me when many of the debit machines only initially give you three shortcut tipping options typically 15% 18% 21% (or some iteration of this) but no 10% option. I know you can manually enter a percent or $ amount but there is almost an implied or presumed amount to tip.
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I’ve found that over the past year or so I just go out less because of the tipping prompts and higher tipping expectations. I’ve also stopped tipping 20%. The max for me is 18%, and most places for me are back to 15%. I’m pretty sure I’ll be tipping 13%-15% soon. With $15 minimum wage, 20% is ridiculous
Only tip on sit down restaurants and hair cuts. Only exception is for Vietnam subs because the value for money for those are still incredible.
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Hope that dentist goes out of business. Either they’re not paying the staff enough and expecting the customer to make up the difference, or they’re letting their staff create a stupid policy. We should jihad their google page.
I think the social convention for tipping anywhere is outrageous. Why should I be expected to pay a tip to a bar tender or a waitress, as a right, rather than a guy at subway who busts his ass and does a great job? Social convention is the only answer. Social convention is stupid. I pick up an order from Swiss chalet and I have no social pressure to tip the lady that completes the transaction with me, even if she is juggling two phone calls, gets my meal immediately and is smooth as hell. But if I go into the restuarant for a sit down meal, there's social pressure to tip the lady who never once comes by to ask if I want a Pepsi refill?
Abolish tipping everywhere. They'll still be waitresses and bartenders. I don't care if they aren't hot women.
Last edited by Johnny199r; 03-17-2019 at 11:26 AM.
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Can we get the dentist location so they can be publicly, mercilessly shamed? I'm totally flabbergasted by this. It's only a step or two away from the nurse presenting you with the debit machine as they wheel you into the OR for emergency heart surgery, because the ambulance driver got you to the hospital in a timely manner.
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