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Tipping inflation?

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Started 2 years ago by sugarplumclarey
Latest reply from Tenzo

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sugarplumclarey

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Today on WOSU's "All Sides" I had the opportunity to ask this question: How much should I tip my server? The reply was 20% minimum. Here's my beef with that. Food prices have already risen out of pace with income, so over the last few years that 15% of my meal price has gotten higher without any corresponding increase in server duties - thus providing a "raise" for servers above & beyond what the standard American worker has received.

I wish I could tip every server 25%+, but most of them earn more than I do. I have served in various restaurants over the last 10 years and I never, ever felt entitled to more than 15% unless I did something exceptional. Which kept me very motivated to go above & beyond. When did 20% become the new norm?

Servers, please weigh in!

Posted 2 years ago #
Joseph L. Harris
Dublinish
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I thought 20% was the norm for dinner.

Posted 2 years ago #
Mae
Olde Towne East
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Here is an article from December 2008:
Here's a tip: 20% is the new 15%

Posted 2 years ago #
joev
Merion Village
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I usually tip 20%. More if the tab is low. But with bad service, I tip less. I figure, it's a couple dollars to me - why not be generous?

Posted 2 years ago #
sugarplumclarey

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disclaimer before i get a reputation as 15% girl: I tip @ least 20%. but my question remains: how does this figure into the context of increased food prices?

Posted 2 years ago #
TaraK
probably at the coffee shop
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I'm not a server, but my thoughts:

Most decent people will tip as much as is appropriate for the meal and service provided. For some of us it's no biggie to heft out 20%. For others, we'd be giving the server more than what we ourselves make in the same amount of time they spent serving us. I've met few people who undertip because they're just scrooges.

Posted 2 years ago #
joev
Merion Village
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@TaraK - I'm not sure I get your argument - you shouldn't pay a server more per hour than you earn per hour? This issue doesn't come up when we talk about car mechanics. Does it only apply when you get to pick the cost of your service?

Posted 2 years ago #
TaraK
probably at the coffee shop
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Here's a question -- a sincere question, to which I don't know the answer -- why is the amount of the tip based on the cost of the food? I mean, it doesn't require more energy to serve more expensive food? I don't understand the logic. I mean, if a couple has a $30 meal at a Mexican place and a $80 meal at a nicer place, and both meals involve the same amount of time, why should one person get a $6 tip and the other $16?

I assume the logic behind it was bigger bill --> more food ordered/served --> more work for server. But that's by no means true in all cases, especially in a Mexican joint where they've kept you stocked with free chips & salsa.

Anyway, I guess I think it makes more sense to base the tip on something else other than cost of the food, but I have no experience in the restaurant industry. Anyone want to explain it?

Posted 2 years ago #
sugarplumclarey

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tipping used to be 15% standard. but it's edged up to 20%. will it increase to 25% in the coming years?

Posted 2 years ago #
TaraK
probably at the coffee shop
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joev wrote >>
@TaraK - I'm not sure I get your argument - you shouldn't pay a server more per hour than you earn per hour? This issue doesn't come up when we talk about car mechanics. Does it only apply when you get to pick the cost of your service?

No, I get what you're saying. I'm just talking about the economics of income. Also, I would think most people eat more than they go to a mechanic. (I really don't know if what I'm trying to say is making any sense.) In other words, if someone makes $10 an hour and wants to go out to a nice meal, I understand that they might feel like it's stretching their dollar thin to tip $15 on top of a meal price. I think most people really want to give as good a tip as they can afford.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bear
The woods
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TaraK wrote >>
Here's a question -- a sincere question, to which I don't know the answer -- why is the amount of the tip based on the cost of the food? I mean, it doesn't require more energy to serve more expensive food? I don't understand the logic. I mean, if a couple has a $30 meal at a Mexican place and a $80 meal at a nicer place, and both meals involve the same amount of time, why should one person get a $6 tip and the other $16?
I assume the logic behind it was bigger bill --> more food ordered/served --> more work for server. But that's by no means true in all cases, especially in a Mexican joint where they've kept you stocked with free chips & salsa.
Anyway, I guess I think it makes more sense to base the tip on something else other than cost of the food, but I have no experience in the restaurant industry. Anyone want to explain it?

More expensive food correlates with both higher quality restaurant and higher quality of service, on average?

Not always, of course, but if you're going to use something as a proxy for quality of service, food price may not be bad. Dunno.

Posted 2 years ago #
joev
Merion Village
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TaraK wrote >>

joev wrote >>
@TaraK - I'm not sure I get your argument - you shouldn't pay a server more per hour than you earn per hour? This issue doesn't come up when we talk about car mechanics. Does it only apply when you get to pick the cost of your service?

No, I get what you're saying. I'm just talking about the economics of income. Also, I would think most people eat more than they go to a mechanic. (I really don't know if what I'm trying to say is making any sense.) In other words, if someone makes $10 an hour and wants to go out to a nice meal, I understand that they might feel like it's stretching their dollar thin to tip $15 on top of a meal price. I think most people really want to give as good a tip as they can afford.

If I couldn't afford a conventionally acceptable tip, I wouldn't be going to that higher priced restaurant that commanded that tip.

Posted 2 years ago #
L.I. to Buckeye
West side/Galloway
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I may be biased because I've been a server, but really, how much is that extra 5% going to impact you? I figure it's only an extra $5 on a $100 bill, right?

20% is my usual. More for really good/outstanding service. 18% is usually as low as I go unless the service is really completely bad. If I'm feeling low on funds, I'll go somewhere inexpensive so I can leave that 20%. Either that or I don't go out.

Posted 2 years ago #
NerosNeptune
Goodale Park
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Not that 15% is difficult, but 20% is easier for a lot of people to quickly calculate in their heads. Maybe that's why it has shifted?

Food also takes up a good bit less of our income now than it did back when my dad was my age and giving people 15% tops.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bear
The woods
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NerosNeptune wrote >>
Not that 15% is difficult, but 20% is easier for a lot of people to quickly calculate in their heads. Maybe that's why it has shifted?

That was my father's justification, many years ago, for tipping 10%.

That, and, "They're all Union."

Took me a while to notice mom slipping extra cash into the folder as we were leaving....

Posted 2 years ago #
nexttuesday

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I agree that if if that 5% makes a big difference to you, then you shouldn't be eating out. Also, if servers make more than you, you probably shouldn't be eating out very often, or you should go back to serving.

I've been a server, and I often felt entitled to more than 15%. Probably because I often got more than 15%. If people often tip you a certain percentage, you begin to think that's the type of service you provide and the type of tip you deserve. So when some people give you less, you feel slighted.

If you want to leave 15% all the time, that's your right. I don't think you can justify it by saying they've already gotten a raise more than the rest of America however. Just because prices increase on the menu doesn't mean more money is going into their pockets. Business is down in restaurants, so there are less jobs for servers and less tips overall. It doesn't matter if everyone leaves you 25% if you only have half the tables.

Posted 2 years ago #
bustowner
NW bustown
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TaraK wrote >>
Here's a question -- a sincere question, to which I don't know the answer -- why is the amount of the tip based on the cost of the food? I mean, it doesn't require more energy to serve more expensive food? I don't understand the logic. I mean, if a couple has a $30 meal at a Mexican place and a $80 meal at a nicer place, and both meals involve the same amount of time, why should one person get a $6 tip and the other $16?

The reason one person gets the higher tip is that at nicer, more expensive restaurants, support staff are present in higher numbers, and the server has to tip them out. Tipping out bar and bussers 10% of your tips each is pretty standard, then there may be some food runners to tip, as well. So if you gross $100, you walk with $75 . . .

I find myself in agreement with some of the sentiments expressed in this thread about not going out to eat if you can't afford, or want to, tip.

Or just get carryout.

Which begs the question: when do you tip on carryout?

Posted 2 years ago #
sugarplumclarey

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nexttuesday wrote >>
I agree that if if that 5% makes a big difference to you, then you shouldn't be eating out. Also, if servers make more than you, you probably shouldn't be eating out very often, or you should go back to serving.
I've been a server, and I often felt entitled to more than 15%. Probably because I often got more than 15%. If people often tip you a certain percentage, you begin to think that's the type of service you provide and the type of tip you deserve. So when some people give you less, you feel slighted.
If you want to leave 15% all the time, that's your right. I don't think you can justify it by saying they've already gotten a raise more than the rest of America however. Just because prices increase on the menu doesn't mean more money is going into their pockets. Business is down in restaurants, so there are less jobs for servers and less tips overall. It doesn't matter if everyone leaves you 25% if you only have half the tables.

To clarify: I'm not advocating for 15% tips, nor am I trying to justify low tipping, nor am I complaining that servers earn more than I do, nor do I eat out if/where I can't afford to, nor do I tip below 20% when I do, nor am I griping about tipping a few extra bucks.

When I worked as a server, I just assumed that 15% meant "OK, you did the basics" and 20% meant "good job." Anything above that meant that I did something extra special for the table, or they were really wealthy/generous. My question, though, is how 20% came to mean what 15% used to mean, etc. Is it really a matter of simple math?

The economics of eating out have shifted since I was younger, and it seems like several industries now rely on their customers to determine and/or subsidize employee wages, such as "tip jars" at coffee shops.

Posted 2 years ago #
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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I have to say that for all of my serving career, it seems that 18-20% has been the norm, so I'm not sure when or if there was tipping inflation. I've heard that in the south and in southern California, 15% is still considered okay.

Posted 2 years ago #
StowCbusCleveland
Jackson Township, Canton, OH
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I distinctly remember as a kid asking why you leave extra money behind and I was taught on the spot how the system works, including that you always leave 15%.

I've always wondered how we evolved an industry where A) Tipping is expected and B) tipping is so expected, that employees are basically unpaid by their employers, knowing full well they'll be tipped. Servers are on a similar pay arrangement to strippers...how did we get there?

Posted 2 years ago #