this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2024
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[–] Navarian@lemm.ee 4 points 4 hours ago

Tips aren't included in the meal prices over here (Wales), our servers just get paid actual wages for the actual job that they're doing.

[–] KSPAtlas@sopuli.xyz 34 points 17 hours ago

Tips included in the price of the meal? You mean the meal being the actual price instead of the tips being part of the payment for the meal?

[–] madjo@feddit.nl 156 points 1 day ago (11 children)

European here. Tipping is not already included in the price of the meal. Living wage is included in the price of the meal.

Tips is completely voluntary, if you think the service was excellent then you really just round up to the nearest nice round number (something like 22.85 becomes 25)

[–] ThirdConsul@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 hours ago

Well, a lot of restaurants add a few percent tip to large parties in my experience (and some try to start that shit for tables of 4).

[–] underwire212@lemm.ee 29 points 19 hours ago (5 children)

American here. I understood most of what you said, except for the phrase “living wage”. Could you explain this to me? I’ve never heard of it before.

[–] x00z@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

Oh man how I wish to tell you all about Belgium's healthindex.

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[–] Aqarius@lemmy.world 31 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Tipping is not already included in the price of the meal. Living wage is included in the price of the meal.

That is the tip. In the US, "tipped" labor often has a reduced minimum wage, under the expectation that they make the difference up in tips.

Yup, something like $2.50/hr, when federal minimum wage is ~$7.50. If a server doesn't make minimum wage, the restaurant is required to step them up.

It's a stupid system IMO, because not leaving a tip is a giant slap in the face, when it really should just mean "you did just okay." If the service is really that bad, I will complain and expect a comp or something on the bill, so the bill should reflect "good enough" service. I'd actually like to pay tips if it actually meant "fantastic service," like putting up with my screaming children, convincing the cook to make something off-menu, or still providing good service when we're not spending much (we don't drink, and that's like 50% of the bill). I'd prefer to tip based on the service, not on the size of the bill.

Oh, and if we had such a system, not taxing tips would make a ton of sense since it's pretty literally a gift.

[–] Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

In the US, if you are never going to return to an establishment, why tip?

[–] idiomaddict@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Because you care about other people?

So tipping is for charity? Why should the wait staff get priority over the Tibetan koala sanctuary (or any other charity of your choice)?

There are many more people in the world who deserve greater care than 1st world plate carriers.

[–] kamen@lemmy.world 26 points 1 day ago (1 children)

To add to that I'd say there's no drama attached to not leaving a tip.

[–] madjo@feddit.nl 17 points 1 day ago

Totally, waiters don’t expect a tip at all. So if it’s given, it’s appreciated even more.

[–] zakobjoa@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago (2 children)

My guy/gal/pal.

We do things differently in different parts of Europe.

[–] madjo@feddit.nl 18 points 1 day ago

You’re right, I made the same mistake as OP. There is no “European system of tipping”.

[–] pixeltree@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 20 hours ago

Pittsburgh has the slang term "Yinz" which is used like "y'all" and I've taken to using the singular "yin" for a gender neutral replacement for "guy" in the phrase "my guy", because "my yin" still carries that condescending tone that's vital (to me, anyways). Not telling you what to say or anything just fun to come across some grappling with the same language problem

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[–] nifty@lemmy.world 16 points 20 hours ago

These places typically tell you that’s the deal, and have the servers tell you that too

[–] pruwybn@discuss.tchncs.de 52 points 1 day ago

increase prices

people have to pay more money

How has no one thought of this

[–] Frog@lemmy.ca 178 points 1 day ago (18 children)

Tipping culture should die.

I'd rather have meals on the menu be what I pay. Include tax, service fees, and other garbage fees.

I went to Japanese restaurant in NYC. They took my card and they returned it. I asked about the tip. They said it was all included. Fucking dream.

[–] RegalPotoo@lemmy.world 106 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Not being an American the whole idea of not including tax in the stated price just seems so alien. You expect me to work out what 12.5% of my bill is on the fly as I'm shopping? Fuck you, that's your job. You are the one actually paying the tax to the government, you work it out

[–] SatyrSack@feddit.org 69 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Also "They took my card". That is apparently an American thing.

[–] Frog@lemmy.ca 8 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

In Canada, they have the wireless chip readers everywhere. It was nice since a large chunk of stolen credit cards are when employees scan it before charging it.

Some places in the USA is starting to do the same thing. But yes, the US is way behind.

They have had wireless chip readers for years, but many restaurants still take your card anyway. Some places bring the payment device to you, which is nice, and some have it there always so you can see exactly what's on the bill (sometimes you order on it too).

But taking the card is a cultural thing, not a tech thing. Even back before wireless readers were a thing, they still had portable payment terminals and could have you swipe there or have you pay up front on the way out. It's not an issue at all.

[–] the_post_of_tom_joad@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hell we still sign a receipt an we only just got them chips recently

[–] 9point6@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Do you guys still do the hilarious chip & sign thing or have you finally switched to using a PIN?

[–] laurelraven@lemmy.zip 1 points 6 hours ago

Funny thing, we didn't do chip and pin because the credit card companies thought we were too stupid to figure it out, in spite of the fact that we already used pins for debit cards... We now do have chip and pin, but only for bank/debit cards

[–] MutilationWave@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

You think that's hilarious? There are a lot of places in the world that still do a manual shhk-shhk of a card only a few years ago. Now that most cards don't have raised digits, they'll write it down. If they even take a card.

Places where the Internet goes down if it rains and there is no mobile service. Imagine the horror.

The other side of the coin - paying with debit (which has a pin) is stupid in the US. Unless you can't control your spending, credit card is the way to go for every legal purchase you don't mind being tied to you forever. CCs have far superior consumer protection than the law.

[–] laurelraven@lemmy.zip 1 points 6 hours ago

Not only that but many of them give you cash back, so if you never carry a balance (and therefore never pay interest), and don't use it wherever they charge a credit card service fee, it's basically a free discount almost everywhere.

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We generally tip 15% or 20%, depending on quality of service, 10% if it's bad but not atrocious. And that's pretty easy:

  • 10% - just move the decimal place once
  • 20% - move the decimal place once and double
  • 15% - in the middle of the first two (or move decimal place once, cut in half, and add that to the 10% figure)
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[–] nutsack@lemmy.world 7 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

wouldn't this mean less profit? unless you steal all the tips

Yup, that's the joke. And it happens more than you likely think.

[–] Sprokes@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The tipping culture is very rooted in Americans. I was at restaurant in Europe and there was a customer (certainly American). He ate during 30 minutes or less, the waiter was nice but he wasn't doing it for tips and the customer only saw him when he ordered the food and at payment. The prices are high end.

When he paid he was surprised that there was no tipping options (unfortunately we started seeing them in some European countries) and asked him to pay another 10€ as a tip.

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[–] FilthyShrooms@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago

There's literally no profit? Like aside from already running a successful restaurant (hard), doing this will earn the business owner no extra income.

It is still based af because then the wait staff gets paid a lot more

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