International fans visiting the US for the World Cup have become frustrated by the culture of having to tip servers, telling the BBC that tipping fatigue has set in.

Many international fans visiting the US for the World Cup have become frustrated by the culture of tipping servers, telling the BBC that tipping fatigue has set in.

England supporter Geoff Pryor said he understood tipping for good service, but he found it “weird” when buying a bottle of water and “they try to get a tip for doing nothing”.

In the US, staff at some restaurants and bars are paid just over $2 (£1.50) an hour, and they expect customers to tip about 20% of the total cost of the bill so they can earn a living.

Frustrations have also been shared by hospitality staff, with one bar owner telling the BBC that many World Cup tourists have been bad tippers.

  • jaaake@lemmy.world
    46·
    1 day ago

    Avoiding eating out is how you put your money where your mouth is. If your impact truly matters, that’s how the restaurant owners/investors will see it.

    As much as I don’t like it, 20% is now the standard for tipping. Anything less than that you’re sending a message, but the only possible interpretation of that message is that you don’t like the service. There’s no method for delivering your individual feelings about tipping culture through tipping less than everyone around you. There’s no form on the receipt that gets collated and presented to decision makers.

    In reality the only person you’re harming in tipping under 20% is the server. Either they’re taking home less money and nobody notices, or somebody is paying attention to how much each server is getting tipped and you just gave them a bad mark that management sees.

    • Zephyr@sh.itjust.works
      5·
      1 day ago

      Fair although I still think there’s a debate between 15% and 20% being the default. Also I can totally eat out and avoid this issue all together, just eat at places that don’t have tipping.

    • Spot@startrek.websiteEnglish
      3·
      1 day ago

      Society as a whole reducing or no longer tipping would make a big impact. My current State requires wait staff to be paid at the same standard state minimum all other positions have to. The employer has to make up wages to at least State minimum in one’s that don’t. Which is what the majority of the kitchen and bussers make. If servers are not getting Far better than minimum (at least at the dozens of chain restaurants I’ve worked at) they quit.

      Boy though, would the transition (were it to occur) suuuuck for a lot of folks. So I don’t even pretend to know the best way to start.

      Should servers make more on average than cooks (who are responsiblefor both the taste and cleanliness of your food)? Probably an entirely different discussion.

      Should a restaurant pay all workers a fair wage or go out of business because they rely on patrons to make up for their shiity pay hierarchy? I say yes.

      I will also say, there is a difference between a chain restaurant and a local owned establishment. (Insert chain restaurant here) wants me to tip their servers 20% for a subpar service, just because it’s expected? … they can go suck socks. They can much better afford to pay each server that extra 20% than I. Aunt Margie’s diner, who always has good food and what appears to be genuinely attentive and kind staff? Absofuckinglutely.

      Side note. This is also why I always bring cash for tips, that way the server can opt to disclose what they wish. A real tip, in a fair world, imho, should be just for them. No taxes, no payroll accountancy.

      …that got… long. Uhhh thanks for coming to my Ted talk?